Crank up your Hulu accounts, ladies! We’re heading into the final stretch (or should we say, the finals stretch) of the semester and with all of the upcoming pressure in sight, nothing tempts us more than a little R&R time with our favorite TV characters (we’re looking at you, Don Draper). Try out these addictive fall shows that have us laughing, crying, swooning, and most importantly, avoiding term papers.
1. Once Upon a Time (ABC—Season 1)
This cute show is your childhood fantasy realized. Imagine living in a world where Snow White makes you hot cocoa on the reg and you can find a Prince Charming on practically every street corner—oh yeah, and Cinderella’s a teen mom and the mayor/Evil Queen makes Regina George look sweet. Plus: Ginnifer Goodwin on TV!
2. Terra Nova (Fox—Season 1)
Don’t expect to see Doc Brown riding dirty in the Delorean—this time-bending plot is all original. If you like science fiction, prehistory, romance, and some Lost-like conflictsand mysteries, Terra Novais the show for you. Steven Spielbergis the executive producer, so prepare for suspense! (You might want to splurge on some movie theater-butter popcorn, but hold the Reese’s Pieces… Drew’s not in this one.)
3. New Girl (Fox—Season 1)
If you liked 500 Days of Summer for any reason other than Joseph Gordon Levitt’s irresistible crooked smile, you’ll love the quirk and sassthat the lovely Miss Zooey Deschanel brings to New Girl. Watching protagonist Jess is like looking into a crystal ball—we just hope we don’t go through the same excruciatingly awkward break-up as she did (giving her cheating man a trench-coat strip tease while singing her own theme song right before the other woman shows up? Uncomfortable).
4. The Vampire Diaries (CW—Season 3)
Forget about Edward and Jacob; vampire brothers Stefan and Damon provide us with a far steamier love triangle to obsess over (and obsess you will). Protagonist Elena might be the least lucky teenage girl on the planet, but we still wish we were in her place—mostly because that place is usually wrapped inside the protective (and muscled) arms of one of the leading men. Add in some magic, some colonial history, and some blood-aholics, and you’ve got yourself one of the most addictive shows of the fall.
5. Modern Family (ABC—Season 3)
They’re just like your family, but funnier. This season we love it all: Cam’s manic attempt at a “juice fast,” Phil’s Cirque de Soleil-worthy acrobatics, Jay’s showers with the yappy dog: the wit continues. Watch it and feel better about your life—no matter how bad your faux-pas (whether you dropped your plate in D-hall, stammered in class, or made a drunken fool out of yourself), you can take comfort in the fact that your suffering is not nearly so great as that of these bumbling characters.
These five fall shows are irresistible; we know this because we seem to choose them over our homework every time (which we later pay for in the wee hours).Take a break from the library,curl up under the covers, and escape campus life for an hour with one of these TV series—just remember to put down the remote if you find yourself spending more time with the characters than your friends!