Every college student knows the joy that comes with starting a new Netflix binge. Still, watching eight seasons of a 40-minute drama can get more than a little time-consuming, and sometimes you just want to be able to enjoy a show without having it take over your life. So here are some suggestions of great shows that have only been on for a season or two for the next time you want to take a weekend off or procrastinate studying for those pesky midterms. You’ll be caught up in no time!
1. The Mindy Project: Basically every girl in America wants to be Mindy Kaling’s best friend, and if you watch this show it’s easy to see why! Mindy is hilarious and always relatable, and if you start watching now you can catch up just in time for when the show comes back in April – which is great, because it ended on a HUGE cliffhanger. No spoilers, but trust me, you’ll definitely want to find out what happens next.
2. Brooklyn Nine-Nine: This show just won the Golden Globe for best comedy halfway through its first season, so that should tell you everything you need to know. SNL’s Andy Samberg (who also won a Golden Globe for best actor!) stars in the comedy about people working at a police station in Brooklyn. Every character, even the minor ones, is absolutely hysterical, and it’s easy to see why this show has already won so many awards.
3. Freaks and Geeks: Probably one of the best shows to have ever been cancelled after only one season, Freaks and Geeks is beyond hilarious but also genuinely heartfelt and relatable. If that’s not enough for you, it also has one of the greatest before-they-were-famous casts ever, and you’ll definitely want to watch it to see stars like James Franco, Jason Segel and Seth Rogen playing high school students.
4. Nashville. If you’re a country music fan, you need to be watching Nashville. It’s about a bunch of country singers trying to make it big in Nashville, and although the drama can sometimes get a little too soap opera-like, it’s still completely addicting and fun to watch. Plus, the music is amazing – it’s worth watching for the soundtrack alone!
5. House of Cards: Full disclosure, I have never seen this show and couldn’t tell you what it’s actually about. But it’s on Netflix and literally everyone seems to be obsessed with it, so why not check it out? At least you’ll have something to talk about when you inevitably find yourself in a conversation with one of its many devoted fans.