The Ultimate Autumn Binge-Watch List
Well, it’s official: school is back in session, pumpkin spice lattes are being sold out, and the temperature is (finally!) below 80 degrees. Fall is here! As the leaves change and the days grow shorter, only one thing is missing to complete the perfect autumn trifecta: a show you just can’t stop watching. If you need help finding your next binge, look no further.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Vampires, slayers, and witches – oh my! Before we had Twilight or The Vampire Diaries, we had Buffy: one girl in all the world destined to fight the forces of evil (and look cute doing it!). It’s my personal favorite show—as evidenced by the fact that I got a quote from the main character forever inked onto my body—and an unbeatable fall watch. Between the cozy vibes, the 90s fashion, the supernatural elements, and the unforgettable Halloween episodes, Buffy is tailor-made for a cold October night.
Charmed
If you’re a fan of the supernatural (or the 90s), another great choice is Charmed. Think Practical Magic as an eight-season television drama. Three sisters, all with their own witchy powers, come together to make the “Power of Three” – AKA, the most powerful (and best-dressed!) witches in the world. If you want warmth mixed with supernatural drama and the familiarity of sisterhood, Charmed just might be the show for you.
Gilmore Girls
Perhaps the most obvious choice, but what’s autumn without Luke’s Diner? In a small town where it seems to be perpetually September, a fast-talking mother and daughter navigate life equipped with lots of chunky sweaters and even more coffee. If you’re looking for low-stakes drama mixed with small-town coziness, Gilmore Girls could be it for you. If you do watch, you must answer me this age-old question: who was Rory Gilmore’s one true love?
Gossip Girl
New York City? Check. Filthy rich people betraying one another? Double check. Several iconic Thanksgiving episodes? Triple check! If you want your fall watch to err on the side of escapism, Gossip Girl may be the perfect fit. A group of ultra-privileged New York teens have their every move stalked by an anonymous blogger. Six seasons of boyfriend-swapping, sex scandals, and power struggles? Sign me up. XOXO, Gossip Girl.
Desperate Housewives
If you like your autumn binge with a side of murder, infidelity, and suburban charm, Desperate Housewives just might be the answer. Essentially Pretty Little Liars with middle-aged women, Desperate Housewives centers on a group of four women navigating tumultuous love lives, covering up crimes, and finding themselves at the forefront of a new mystery each season. A perfect blend of quiet suburbia and soap-opera level mayhem.
One Tree Hill
Last but not least, we have the teen soap of all teen soaps: One Tree Hill. True to form, One Tree Hill has everything from love triangles between best friends and teen marriage to (numerous) near-fatal car crashes. The show initially follows two brothers but soon expands to follow a whole friend group as they navigate life, love, and loss – all the perils of adolescence – with a legendary soundtrack to match. What other show will casually have a 17-year-old main character dating Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy, after all?