This year, with all of the chaos, it’s hard not to end my busy days with a bedtime doom-scroll on TikTok or Instagram. The content gets repetitive and even overwhelming, so this year I made sure to seek out TV shows instead of 15-second videos or stories, because that way, I could turn my mind off in a much more rewarding and much less draining way. Here are five TV shows I watched this year to stop my scrolling problem, and where you can watch them too.
1. Weak Hero Class (Netflix)Â
When I was abroad in Korea this year, Netflix naturally kept recommending K-dramas to me, and usually it takes an extremely hooking first episode to get me to stick. If you like action, this one had me on the edge of my seat for days straight as I binged it abroad (and also gave me emotional damage). It follows a high school introvert who gets wrapped up in bullying, and instead of backing down, he uses psychology, tools, and intelligence to fight the violence in his community. It sounds very cliche, but the friendships it portrays and the thrilling action scenes will leave you feeling nervous, heartwarmed, and stunned at the same time. Seasons 1 and 2 are available on Netflix, and I am desperately awaiting season 3.Â
2. Abbott Elementary (Hulu)
Technically, I started this one in 2022, but this year’s seasons have been just as amazing as previous years, and it will never fail to be a comfort show in a time where sitcoms are somewhat lost. It keeps its plot while making every episode so different, and the opening scenes never fail to make me laugh. Season 5 is airing now on Hulu, and I’ve been waiting all year to see a certain romance in the show progress (no spoilers)…
3. Alice in Borderland (Netflix)
This isn’t the first time I’ve written about this show, but it deserves another mention because season 3 is officially out as of September, and while I was surprised to even see a third season, it didn’t fail to amaze me. I was worried at first, since it went off-manga, but this show has always been my top show of all time in terms of action, plot, cinematography, and character development. Season 3 kept the same magic as the first two seasons, and wrapped up the show on a bittersweet note.Â
4. Mr. Plankton (Netflix)
This K-drama was probably one of the saddest I have ever watched, and yet I couldn’t put it down for days straight this past winter. It follows a man who forces his ex-girlfriend to accompany him in his last adventures by stealing her from her wedding, and the entire time her groom is tracking them down. You start it thinking it’s on the funnier side, but the turns it takes left me speechless. It’s hard not to get attached to the characters, who make so many wild decisions that it turns the romance show into an action-packed, gutwrenching show that I believe is a great introduction to K-dramas in general.Â
5. Yellowjackets (Paramount+)
This show also had a new season this year, and I had never seen it or heard of it until it randomly took over my TikTok while in Asia. All of my streaming services were blocked in Asia, so I had to wait agonizing months before I could actually sit down and watch it – and it was 100% worth it. I did not know what I was getting myself into, but I think it’s pretty obvious at this point that a lot of the shows that hooked me this year are thrillers. This show has so many different characters and every episode leaves you on a hook you cannot look away from, so if you want a chaotic show about a high school soccer team whose plane crashed in Canada’s wilderness, then this is for you.