Binge-watching is one of my main pastimes, as I’m sure it is for most of us. If you’re trying to leave that in the past, I’m cheering you on. I, unfortunately, am not that strong. So, rather, here are some shows I watched in 2023 that immediately need to be on your 2024 TBW (like your TBR list but for shows):
Hijack:
This Apple TV+ show I started watching, from a podcast recommendation, is not the usual show I gravitate towards. It’s an action-packed, well-produced show and is categorized as a thriller. It’s about a plane that gets hijacked and how a corporate negotiator on board uses his skills to help the dire situation. Idris Elba is the lead and does a phenomenal job of keeping the viewer spellbound, along with the rest of the cast who play their roles amazingly. I thought it might get boring, but not once was I not completely enthralled by the story. It was suspenseful with plenty of cliffhangers and I encourage you to watch the first two episodes before deciding to continue (which I know you will).
Young Sheldon:
My family and I enjoy starting new series anytime we’re together for an extended period, and Young Sheldon was our 2023 winter break choice! Set in an East Texas town, it’s about the life of Sheldon, pre-Big Bang Theory. The show does a great job at making each family member into a well-rounded character that we grew to love and was written hilariously. No, seriously, we were constantly laughing at something or another! It’s wholesome and has short, easy-to-get-through episodes. As a sitcom, it has an overarching plot and mini subplots in each episode. The best part? It’s ongoing, with season 7 set to come out this year! Also, if you end up liking this one, the show Kim’s Convenience has a similar vibe and is another great watch!
FRIENDS:
I feel dumb putting this on here, but I hadn’t watched FRIENDS until late 2023 when I was looking for something easy and non-distracting when the semester was getting crazy. And I am so disappointed I didn’t watch it sooner! It is JUST as good as everyone says it is, and this is your sign to watch it immediately, or tbh rewatch it immediately. It’s the perfect mix of cliche and witty humor that I couldn’t stop watching or laughing at. It’s about friendship, love, and figuring yourself out in the least cringy, funniest way possible, living up to its claim as one of the best sitcoms on TV.
One Day at A Time:
This Netflix original is in my all-time favorites, and though I didn’t watch it for the first time in 2023, I rewatched it for the third time, which may illustrate how much I like it. One Day at A Time follows a Cuban-American family composed of a single mother (who’s a veteran and nurse), her two teenagers, and her mother (who also lives with them). Their building manager is another main character and is the resident joker of the show. It’s the perfect blend of personalities and episodes that follow the lives of all of them, touching on many important aspects of living in the current political and social climate. It is both serious and lighthearted, emotional and hilarious, and drew me in immediately. It was even dropped by Netflix and picked up by a different network which rounded the show out for all the diehard fans, aka me.
Desperate Housewives:
This is my newest journey I’m embarking on, so join me on it; I’m currently on season 2 and this show should last me well into the semester. Desperate Housewives is a dramedy series that dives into the lives of the people on Wisteria Lane, a suburb that seems perfect on the surface but has chaos at every doorstep. It’s drama-filled, with infuriating characters, making one bad decision after another. It mainly follows four of the residents closely, with other seasonal characters coming and going. The salacious relationships, the cringe coincidental mistakes, the constant murders, the insane accidents, and outlandish plots make this the perfect storm that keeps pulling you back for one more episode.