This list is by no means an exhaustive one, there are so many series that have enabled my procrastination tendencies over the years. Also, these series’ all have many seasons, for longer binge-watching sessions. Buckle up friends, you’re on the Netflix train headed to Procrastination Station. Enjoy the ride.
10. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Let’s get the ball rolling with one of the most hilariously horrible shows you will ever watch, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (It’s Always Sunny for short). It follows the lives of “the gang,” composed of siblings Dennis and Dee Reynolds, their friends Charlie and Mac, and their father-figure Frank. They own and run a bar in Philly, and get into all kinds of antics due to their extreme lack of morals and consistent 24/7 drunkeness.
WATCH IF: you ever want to boost your self-esteem, because at least you’re not doing whatever these a**holes are doing.
Charlie ranting about finding a job, I’m sure we’ve all been there at least.
9. Friends
I bet most of you have Friends in your My List, but let me give you further reasoning to watch this show. As you probably already know, it’s about 6 friends (Monica, Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Phoebe, and Joey) who all hang out with each other every day and we see them go through relationships and life’s other problems. Their lives in that somehow affordable 90’s NYC apartment is so much better than ours will ever be, it’s okay to admit it.
WATCH IF: you’re in an “ice cream and cry” kind of mood, because this show will both make you laugh your way out of it, and/or make you reach for another carton.
PREACH, CHANDLER.
8. Parks and Recreation
Okay, I’m not going to say this lightly: Parks and Rec will change your life. The main character is Leslie Knope, an enthusiastic politician from Pawnee, Indiana who tries to help her community which is filled with ignorant and bumbling idiots. Her multitude of bosses and coworkers make the show so amazing, because each character has so much to offer in terms of advice, character development that will make you sob by the last season, and relatable quotes to think of any time adult-ing starts getting hard.
WATCH IF: you’re having a particularly stressful week (especially if you work in retail) and need a good laugh.
Finals week, anybody?
7. American Horror Story
Fair warning, this show is not for the faint-hearted. American Horror Story (AHS) is one of the most gory, provocative, and all around f***ed up shows on TV nowadays. Since the show is an anthology series, every season has a different set of characters (though often the same actors) and different plot lines. My personal favorite is season 1, Murder House. I partially loved it just because of Tate Langdon (the guy in the gif) and his relationship with Violet Harmon, the daughter of the family living in said Murder House. However, for the non-mushy type, the show is also great because it utilizes the stories of famous murderers and serial killers into the show’s story. When binging through this, try looking for the similarities and interconnections between each season and the characters.
WATCH IF: you’re a horror movie lover, serial killer facts enthusiast, and can handle some really, REALLY weird s**t.
Can I get some tissues over here??
6. New Girl
This cute and funny show revolves around Jess, a teacher who moved into the first apartment she could get after she found her boyfriend cheating on her, thus becoming the “new girl” in the apartment. However, this apartment happens to have only guys living in it: Nick, Schmidt, Winston, and Coach. The show is mostly about the shenanigans they have together (along with Jess’ best friend Cece) in the apartment living under one roof without killing each other.
WATCH IF: you’re having a girl’s night, you recently broke up with someone, or you just need a laugh.
Basically your average day eating at the café.
5. Lost
Have you ever wanted to escape college life and go live on an island? This show will make you never want to. Ever. Lost is one of the weirdest and most complex dramas you will ever watch, and it takes some time to wrap your head around it occasionally. Basically, the premise is that there’s a bunch of people on the plane, the plane crashes, and the passengers on the flight have to fight to survive on the island they washed up on. However, this island is not an ordinary island, as they’ll soon find out. This show is amazing if you like to see character development, and also if you like to stare at sweaty attractive people on beaches. It’s got it all!
WATCH IF: you’re looking for at least one person that has it worse than you do.
See what I mean? Research Methods sounds like nothing comparatively.
4. House, M.D.
Do you like hospital dramas? How about a limping drug addict doctor quipping intelligent insults at his diagnostic team while spouting extensive medical terminology? Then House is the show for you! Seriously, this show will make you not only consider going to medical school, but also boost your vocabulary to the point where people think you’re actually a doctor. Sarcoidosis. Paraneoplastic Syndrome. Differential Diagnoses. I could go on. Another warning though, as this is a show involving surgeries and hospital life, there are some gross/violent scenes with blood, guts etc.
WATCH IF: you’re putting off homework and are trying to convince yourself that this is more educational than your readings.
Waking up for 8:30’s be like…
3. Supernatural
As the title gives away, this show’s got all the creatures that go bump in the night, along with the hunters of said creepy crawlies, angels, demons, the whole enchilada. The show is mostly about the brotherly love of hunters Dean and Sam Winchester, as they travel around the US solving paranormal crimes and mysteries. Their story gets much more complex and riddled with more side characters in the later seasons, but for the first few seasons it’s definitely a Monster of the Week (more like of the hour for us serial binge watchers) kind of show. Don’t watch alone at night if you’re easily scared, or else you might line your doors and windows with salt, draw anti-demon possession symbols all over yourself, and pray to the angel Castiel to “grip you tight and raise you from Perdition.”
WATCH IF: you’re dealing with some aggression you need to work out, want to live vicariously through the Winchesters and co., or think your dorm is haunted (I’m looking at you Peirce Hall!)
When you have 4 papers due, rehearsal 2 nights a week, work hours, classes, readings, student loans, sleeping, eating, daily hygiene, texting back family/friends because they think you’ve died, and trying to maintain whatever’s left of your sanity. Of course you ignore it all and Netflix binge instead.
2. The X-Files
Do you believe? In aliens, of course. The X-Files is a wonderful 90’s sci-fi horror show that’s surprisingly sappy at times, as we watch the platonically intimate partnership of FBI agents Dr. Dana Scully and Fox Mulder. Scully, a skeptic, is assigned to keep an eye on Mulder’s “x-files” investigations, which are all the files that appear to be unexplainable by normal means. As they do field work together, Mulder tries to convince Scully that its aliens, and Scully rolls her eyes, sighs, and offers a purely scientific reasoning for everything. The show ran for 9 seasons, with 2 movies, a couple spin-off shows, and recently a 10th mini-season premiere last Sunday, which shows Mulder and Scully in modern 2016. I’ve watched the first couple of episodes and it’s pretty good, especially considering the show has been off the air since the early 2000’s and the last movie was in 2008. If you become an X-phile such as myself, you will be so grateful you don’t have to wait for the next episode that you will literally go without sleep so you can keep watching this addictive cult classic.
WATCH IF: you’re feeling that 90’s teenage angst, or if you just want to be abducted so you don’t have to take your exam on Thursday.
Sitting in class when you’d rather be watching Netflix.
1. The Walking Dead
GRAGGHHH! Either the sound of a walker, or your stomach after eating Sodexo food. The Walking Dead follows zombie apocalypse survivors of rural Georgia as they just try to make it amid the chaos. The leader of the group is Sheriff Rick Grimes, who utilizes his cop training and bada**ness to keep his group as safe as possible. Said group has a varying amount of people with each season, as members are killed, recruited, or banished. With each new season there’s always a new enemy, but the walkers are the consistent threat. This show returns to AMC on February 14th (who needs a date when you have zombies?) after its mid-season 6 break, so I’d recommend getting caught up ASAP! Like literally, go. Now. Also, don’t forget to watch The Talking Dead (which is unfortunately not on Netflix) afterward to get bonus features, show commentary from special guests, and to help calm you down after a particularly tense episode.
WATCH IF: you’re looking to be on the edge of your seat, or bed, because we all know where we do most of our binge-watching.
What you say when you’ve done absolutely nothing for a class or project. Back to Netflix.