The Christmas lights are up along with the stockings and tree. Families are scrambling to find that perfect gift for each special person in their lives and while the deals come and go the only thing on the mind of college students everywhere is winter break! That sweet full month of absolutely no papers, classes, internships, or tests. It’s just you, your warm comfy bed, and of course, television shows. Winter break wouldn’t be complete without starting a new show to binge-watch. So, without further ado here is a list of ten shows you should consider making your new obsession over break.
1. Search Party (One season currently)
This dark comedy is Broad City meets an Agatha Christie novel. With its offbeat, dark humor Search Party is a unique voice in the world of comedy. Not to mention a stellar cast of Alia Shawkat, John Early, John Reynolds, and Meredith Hagner. The plot revolves around a group of self-centered 20-somethings who decide to insert themselves into the mystery of an old college classmate who has gone missing. Biting with millennial satire, the story quickly becomes two mysteries: Where is the missing girl? And why do these four people care so much? Could it be that by finding this girl, they are actually find themselves? Just watch and see. All episodes are available on TBS.com or On Demand.
2. The West Wing (Seven seasons)
If you are still not over the election results (like most of us) then why not dive into a simpler time with a fictitious and awesome president played by Martin Sheen. The Aaron Sorkin drama is a fast-fast, fast-talked, always on the move show that would give the girls of Stars Hallow a run for their money. While sometimes the politics of the show become heavy, it all comes down to characters that are working in the most infamous house in the country and how much we just love to watch them walk and talk. All seasons are streaming on Netflix.
3. The Office (Nine seasons)
If you haven’t already binge-watched this superb American sitcom, then now is the time! With each episode running at bout 20-22 minutes each, you’ll be able to breeze through this bite sized sitcom. Told documentary style, the series follows the lives of the employees of a paper company called Dunder Mifflin. The characters will quickly start to feel like friends and you will look forward to going to “work” with them every episode. Not to mention this is the show that made Steve Carrell a household name. All season are streaming on Netflix.
4. Westworld (One season currently)
With season one just finishing up, it’s time to jump on the bandwagon of this sci-fi mind bending drama from HBO. To tell you the plot would be to spoil the show, so I’ll just give you the simple version of what is going on: a futuristic wild west theme park. Intrigued? You should be. Winter break is the perfect time to dive into this world and with only 10 episodes, it’s so easy to catch up before the new season premieres next year. All episodes are available on HBO Go.
5. Downton Abbey (Six seasons)
This is the show that I will be binging on over the break. With it’s beautiful landscapes, plethora of characters, Maggie Smith, and of course wonderful British accents. This show took hold of America and didn’t let go for six seasons. The plot revolves around the Crawley family and their servants in the 1900s. My roommate is truly in love with this show and recommends watching it with a nice cup of tea and a scone. All seasons are available on Amazon Prime.
6. Gilmore Girls (Seven seasons and the revival)
With the revival just coming out over Thanksgiving break and the whole internet a buzz over the last four words, what better time to catch Gilmore fever than over winter break? A mother and daughter duo, who are more like best friends than anything, navigate their lives and relationships in the quirky town of Stars Hallow. With its unforgettable characters, zippy dialogue, and over all warm feeling one gets when watching, the month long break is the perfect opportunity to take a trip to Stars Hallow. All seasons and the revival are available on Netflix.
7. Lost (Six seasons)
Not a fan of the cold and snow? Why not take a trip to the mysterious tropical island in Lost? The series revolves around the passengers of a plane crash who try to survive and make it off this deserted (or is it?) island. The series was one of JJ Abrams first huge projects and catapulted him into the spotlight while making him known as a person who will truly mess with your mind. Be warned that there are so many questions when the series starts and just as many when the series ends. All seasons are available on Netflix.
8. Black Mirror (Three seasons currently)
A fairly new show that takes the premise of an anthology series to a whole new level. With this series, each episode is a new plot with brand new characters. While it’s been on Netflix for almost two years now, it was season three that really grabbed the attention of Twitter and made it “the” show to watch! The overall theme is how technology can have a dark side. All seasons are available on Netflix.
9. Scandal (Five seasons, new season premieres in January)
If you are a fan of Shonda Rhimes and haven’t watched Scandal, then now is the time because the new season hasn’t even started yet! Due to star Kerry Washington’s pregnancy, the show was delayed in it’s sixth season production and will now premiere the new season in January. This leaves you the perfect opportunity to catch up on this highly addictive drama about a professional Washington DC fixer who has a love affair with the President. All seasons are available on Netflix.
10. Pretty Little Liars (Six full seasons currently, last part of seventh season premieres in April)
This show can only be described as a guilty pleasure! It is a fun, cheesy, over the top mystery about four girls who are being stalked by someone who knows something about their missing friend. Yes, it’s an ABC Family (now Freeform) show, but if you’re looking for something to get hooked on and not take too seriously then this show is for you. All seasons are available on Netflix.
Whatever show you decide to pick as your winter break binge-watch is up to you, just remember to stock up on the snacks and hot cocoa. After all, what else is winter break for if not to get lost in a television world and escape the impending realities of the spring semester?