- Crime Dramas
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Criminal Minds (12 seasons available on Netflix)
This show follows a group of FBI profilers catching serial killers across America. Every episode is unique and has its own storyline, but there are overarching storylines following the main characters, their lives, and their secrets. There are witty friendships, plot twists, and a character for every person to see themselves in. The initial cast is a little less diverse, but over the last 15 years, it has become a very inclusive cast. Sadly, there are only 12 seasons on Netflix out of the 15 total seasons. It is unlikely that the rest will end up on Netflix due to CBS creating its own app where the show can be streamed. However, with each episode averaging at around 45 minutes, you will have a lot to get through before you will have to worry about the last three seasons!
Bones (All 12 seasons on Hulu & Netflix)
This drama follows a headstrong forensic anthropologist/author and a ruggedly handsome FBI agent. Temperance Brennan, the main character, is the epitome of girl power knowing martial arts and having traveled all over the world. Her affinity for her work leads to her nickname, Bones. Agent Seeley Booth is an ex sniper turned FBI agent who always goes with his gut. Together they are a great crime-fighting duo, but because Brennan works with skeletal remains, they are aided by her team of hilarious forensic scientists at the Jeffersonian. Like most crime shows, each episode has its own storyline following a case but there is an overarching story in each season. Each episode is about 40-45 minutes long so this show could take a while to get through.
- Reality TV
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90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days (3 seasons Hulu)
Much to my shame, I did find myself binge-watching this show during quarantine. This show follows the same premise as the original 90 Day Fiancé show, but it shows the first time the online partners meet. It is a show that you can let play in the background while working and laugh at the comedic moments in every episode. The episodes are about 30 minutes each and have the persistent “last time on 90 Day Fiancé,” due to the fact that it is a reality tv show. However, it is entertaining and can fill small slots of time or be watched for longer streaming sessions.
- Comedies
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Atypical (3 seasons on Netflix, 4th season coming soon)
This endearing comedy is centered around Sam, an autistic senior in high school. It also focuses heavily on his little sister, who is only a few years younger, as well as his eccentrically caring mom and paramedic father. This is a Netflix Original that deals with many issues from Sam’s perspective as well as the rest of his family’s struggles with their own problems. Alongside the drama aspect of the show, it is filled with funny moments and jokes. It seems to embody real-life and educate the watcher about the things that make people with autism unique. There are currently 3 seasons available on Netflix, but the 4th is coming out sometime in 2021.
Brooklyn 99 (7 seasons on Hulu)
This outrageously hilarious show is set in the 99th precinct of Brooklyn and follows a squad of cops under the lead of a new captain. The show stars Detective Jake Peralta, who is extremely clever but very immature. Peralta meets his match when Captain Raymond Holt wants to enforce ignored rules and create new ones. The cast of this show is incredibly diverse, not only racially but also in the aspect of sexuality. This show is ridiculously funny, so you are in luck that 7 seasons are on Hulu and there are supposed to be more! Each episode is about 25-30 minutes, so they are perfect to watch in between classes.
Dollface (1 season on Hulu)
This show follows Jules, a girl who has just been broken up with by her long-time boyfriend and realizes how many friends she lost because of her relationship. She goes on a metaphorical journey and is trying to learn how to be independent of men and be a better friend. The show does include a cat-headed woman that is in Jules’ consciousness, which threw me off at first, but the show is great, nonetheless. The cast features childhood favorites like Brenda Song and Shay Mitchell. This is a brand new show, so there is currently only one season but a new season is supposed to be released in 2021.
- Football
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Last Chance U (5 parts on Netflix)
This football docu-series follows great, but often troubled football players, looking to go D1 by transferring from Junior Colleges like Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas, or Laney College in Oakland, California. With tough coaches leading them, these boys are put to the test and learn how to not only be better football players but to be better and more dedicated people. A good number of the students end up transferring to schools like Oregon State or the University of Hawaii to follow their football dreams. Anyone who loves the game of football will love not only watching but seeing how football can change these players’ lives. The episodes are approximately 45 minutes and each part of the series follows a different season and sometimes different teams. With intimate interviews and play by play coverage, it is great to watch when you need your football fix! (Part 5 is the last season, but do not worry because Netflix is doing a basketball version as well!)
QB 1: Beyond the Lights (3 seasons on Netflix)
This show follows talented high school quarterbacks in their last year before college, letting the public into what these future Collegiate QBs do to train and what they must deal with. It is cool to watch because they were just high school kids and now you can watch them play in college games. In fact, our own Wake Forest QB, Sam Hartman, is in the first season and reps Wake gear in a few episodes! The show has three seasons and follows three or four quarterbacks each season so you will get to see a good variety of players with different strengths, weaknesses, and struggles!
I have personally watched each of these shows either in their entirety or I am in the process of finishing them! So, each one is handpicked by me, for you. I hope you will find many laughs and hours of enjoyment from at least one of these shows. Binge on!