As a TV show fanatic, I’ll be the first to admit it: TV sometimes sucks. Workplace dramas, 20-somethings versus life comedies and high schoolers in some elaborate love polygon series run rampant, and I mean sure they’re entertaining concepts but I’ve seen them so many times. We need something new, something that’ll shock us, something that gets us up and begging for more. Another second of tasteless (because I will admit tropes do exist for a reason and it’s just the unexciting takes on them that overpopulate television) “will they won’t they?” and it’ll be puke city with a population where there’s too many of us to count. However, there are many diamonds in the rough.
I personally think that there is very little that can beat the joy of finding a new good show. It’s so personal, yet you want to scream it from the rooftops and recommend it to every person you meet. Fortunately, my hours upon hours of TV watching can finally serve a greater purpose than bugging my poor Instagram followers. While my list is short, it’s full of captivating television. I now present five shows that are not only worth your time but are calling for it.
- Upload
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Upload is a comedic drama set in a very complex, almost Black Mirror-like, world. In this world, once you die, you can be uploaded into the afterlife and carry on the rest of your days there. I’m not sure if any explanation of this show can even come close to doing it justice. The world-building is so expertly thought-out and the characters are so interesting that you’ll be hooked before you even know it.
You can stream Upload on Amazon Prime.
- Dollface
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Starring Kat Dennings, Brenda Song, Shay Mitchell and Esther Povitsky, Dollface follows main character Jules in her attempts to rediscover herself after her boyfriend of five years dumps her out of the blue. She navigates friendship, love, self-acceptance and more, all while dealing with her extremely active imagination. There is a comfort in this show that I haven’t found in others like it; it’s hilariously healing and I cannot get enough of it.
You can stream the first two seasons of Dollface on Hulu.
- Abbott Elementary
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If you’re looking for a new comedy, I’m begging you to make that new comedy Abbott Elementary. From the brilliant mind of Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary centers around a group of elementary school teachers trying their best to educate their students in a neglectful education system. While it is a workplace drama, it’s so much more than that. The show addresses the very real mistreatment of teachers and the education system as a whole while having some of the funniest characters and lines on television I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Also, as a Black woman, it’s so nice to see a show with so many Black actors in it without having the plight of race be the show’s main point. I could never recommend a show more than I do this one. Please watch it.
Abbott Elementary airs Tuesdays at 9 pm EST on ABC; available for streaming next day on Hulu.
- The Sex Lives of College Girls
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With all of the coming-of-age media that’s been released, this may just be the best one yet. The Sex Lives of College Girls follows the lives of four roommates: Kimberly, Leighton, Whitney and Bela, as they navigate their freshman year at Essex College. There’s just something so real about this show that I haven’t really seen in other coming-of-age dramas. It’s not that happy-go-lucky and super detached take on young adulthood that we normally see, and I think that really allows you to resonate and connect with the characters deeply (but if I’m being honest, I would watch these girls do anything regardless of their relatability).
You can stream The Sex Lives of College Girls on HBO Max.
- ONly Murders in the Building
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I was a bit iffy on adding this show to the list because I’ve only seen one and a half episodes of it, but Only Murders in the Building is showing signs of being a show I’ll inevitably become obsessed with. Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin star in this comedy, playing neighbors who find out they are all obsessed with the same true-crime podcast. Coincidentally, there happens to be a death in their apartment building. The three believe it to be a murder and set out to investigate with the skills they’ve picked up from their beloved podcast.
You can stream Only Murders in the Building exclusively on Hulu.
If you’re in a TV slump and need something new to watch, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Any of these binge-worthy shows will become your new obsession in no time. Happy watching!