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24 of the greatest TV shows and series to binge watch

Bet you can't watch just one.

A still from the first series of The Crown featuring all the royals in gowns and suits. Credit: IMDB

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In a year (and some change) where escapism has been a solace, binge-watching reigns supreme. I know I've spent a lot of my time rewatching episodes of Bake Off and/or frantically consuming WandaVision. Whether you're a superhero stan or an avid consumer of period dramas, there's something streaming for you.

However, the abundance of streaming services and shows can be a bit daunting. Rather than scrolling aimlessly before eventually settling on rewatching Graham Norton videos (yes, I'm coughing in my own general direction), check out these incredibly binge-able shows and series you can find on the subscription platforms you know and love.

1. Insecure

A still from the series Insecure featuring Issa Rae and Yvonne Orji sitting on a picnic blanket.
Credit: IMDB / Insecure

There's nothing insecure about Insecure.

Issa Rae's award-winning series is a perfect binge—it's funny, poignant, and beautifully shot. Starring Issa Rae as Issa Dee and Yvonne Orji as Molly, Insecure follows Issa Dee's story as she navigates life in Los Angeles. The series also features guest appearances from Neil Brown, Jr. as well as musical artists like Amine. You can catch all four seasons of Insecure on HBO Max.

Stream Insecure on HBO Max

2. Schitt’s Creek

A still from Schitt's Creek that features Moira and Johnny rose sitting in a diner reading a menu.
Credit: IMDB / Pop

Moira's outfit game is unstoppable.

I think about the line "Do you expect an hedge clippers to be drawn from my purse?" almost daily. That, and so many more lines from this absolutely iconic show. Schitt's Creek has been the talk of the town (read: Twitter and pretty much every group chat) for almost the entirety of last year for good reason. Funny, charming, and punctuated by Moira's flawless vocabulary, Schitt's Creek is a perfect show if you're looking for your next comedy show or simply want something new and fun to watch. Starring Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, and Annie Murphy as the Rose family, you can binge Schitt's Creek in its entirety on Netflix.

Stream Schitt's Creek on Neftlix

3. Killing Eve

A still from Killing Eve where Villanelle (Jodie Comer) threatens Eve (Sandra Oh) with a knife in her kitchen.
Credit: IMDB / BBC America

A killer show with a killer cast.

The pink dress from season 1 of Killing Eve haunts my dreams. Murder, spy craft, and truly some of the best outfits to grace our screens are all at your disposal in BBC America's hit show Killing Eve. Starring Sandra Oh as Eve, an MI-5 agent, and Jodie Comer as serial killer Villanelle, Killing Eve is one of those shows that will stay with you long after it's ended. Phoebe Waller-Bridge directed season 1 of the hit series and you can binge seasons 1-3 with a subscription to Hulu.

Stream Killing Eve on Hulu

4. The Crown

A still from the series The Crown featuring Emma Corrin as Princess Diana
Credit: IMDB/ Des Willie/Des Willie/Netflix - © Netflix 2020, Inc

Come for the drama, stay for the clothes.

Following the English monarchy from King George VI's death through to the present, the ambitious drama The Crown has some of the best acting on television. With an all-star cast that changes out every two seasons and has included Claire Foy, Matt Smith, Vanessa Kirby, Matthew Goode, Olivia Colman, Tobias Menzies, Helena Bonham Carter, Gillian Anderson, and many more, The Crown is a stunning, often alarming lens on the British monarchy that will keep you riveted from episode 1 onward.

Stream The Crown on Netflix

5. Watchmen

A still from the series Watchmen featuring Regina King.
Credit: IMDB / HBO

Cal and Angela forever.

Regina King is a tour-de-force in this superhero series based on the Watchmen comics by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Watchmen is a gorgeous remix of the comic series' story that features important conversations about racism and racial injustice, all while taking place after the events of the comics in the same alternate reality. The story received 26 Emmy nominations when it was released, so trust us when we say that it's incredible.

Stream Watchmen on HBO Max

6. The Great British Baking Show

A still from The Great British Baking Show featuring Sandi Tolvig and Noel Fielding
Credit: IMDB / Netflix - © 2020 Netflix, Inc.

Get ready, get set, bake!

Cupcakes! Tears! Soggy bottoms! Bake Off, or The Great British Baking Show as it's known in the U.S., is my one true love. My sport. If you're a fan of cooking shows and have yet to check out The Great British Baking Show, you're doing yourself a disservice. From the dazzling array of hosts and judges—Mary Berry forever—to the charming, utterly wonderful bakers themselves, The Great British Baking Show is a cozy competition that challenges Britain's greatest home bakers to put their skills to the test. You can check out many of the current seasons on Netflix, and there are also tons of holiday specials available, including a must-see Derry Girls episode.

Stream The Great British Baking Show on Netflix

7. The Expanse

A still from the series The Expanse.
Credit: IMDB

For fans of Star Trek and Firefly.

If you're a fan of sci-fi epics and you need a new series to dive into, The Expanse should be on your radar. The space opera stars Cas Anvar, Thomas Jane, Steven Strait, Dominique Tipper, and more as players in a massive drama spanning Earth, Mars, and the Belt as they navigate the political landscape of space exploration and resources.

Stream The Expanse on Amazon Prime Video

8. Peaky Blinders

A still of the series Peaky Blinders featuring the Shelby family.
Credit: IMDB / © Robert Viglasky Photography

Welcome to the Peaky ****in' Blinders.

Peaky Blinders is one of the best shows you can binge on Netflix, if not arguably one of the best shows to binge... ever. I will die on this hill.

If cinematic fight sequences, excellent (and terrible) haircuts, and Cillian Murphy's jawline are your thing, look no further than Peaky Blinders. The series stars the aforementioned Murphy as Thomas Shelby as well as Paul Anderson as Arthur Shelby, Helen McCrory as Aunt Polly, Sam Neill as Inspector Campbell, Sophie Rundle as Ada Shelby, Finn Cole as Michael Gray, and more in a family drama about a group of gangsters in early 20th century Birmingham, England. You can find all 5 seasons of the Shelby family's rise to power (and mayhem) on Netflix.

Start watching Peaky Blinders on Netflix starting at $8.99/month

9. Lovecraft Country

A still from Lovecraft Country featuring the central characters standing together in a hallway, staring outward.
Credit: IMDB

Learn why you should stay away from Lovecraft Country.

Strap in and prepare to be spooked. Lovecraft Country is a horror drama, based on the novel of the same name by Matt Ruff, that follows a group of characters as they travel across the segregated 1950s United States to an area known as Lovecraft Country, where Lovecraftian monsters roam free. Visually, the series is fantastically terrifying, and the plot's twists and turns will keep you hooked from episode 1. Lovecraft Country stars Jurnee Smollett as Letitia "Leti" Lewis, Jonathan Majors as Atticus Freeman, and Courtney B. Vance as George Freeman.

Stream Lovecraft Country on HBO Max

10. The Office

A still from The Office featuring Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson)
Credit: IMDB / Getty

Bears, beets... you know the rest.

The Office is perhaps the most classically binge-worthy series out there. It's massively long so you're unlikely to get through it quickly, it's hilarious, and if you haven't already been consumed by the cultural sensation that is Michael Scott's workplace, there's no time like the present to get started. Starring comedy superstars like Steve Carrell, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Steve Carrell, Jenna Fisher, Angela Kinsey, and many more, The Office follows the employees of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company as they navigate life in the American workplace. The Office used to have its home on Netflix, but now you can find it on NBC's new streaming service, Peacock.

Stream The Office on Peacock

11. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

A still from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood featuring the main characters.
Credit: IMDB

My boys, my sweet boys.

Whether you're just getting into anime or you're a longtime anime fan, it's likely that you've run into Fulllmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood at some point. The adventure series has a little something for everyone--it's action-packed, the characters are well-developed and instantly lovable, and the story is extremely original; it'll also rip your heart into tiny pieces and put it back together again.

Stream Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood on Netflix

12. Fleabag

A still from the series Fleabag featuring Phoebe Waller-Bridge in a church.
Credit: IMDB

I have rewatched this show 4 times and I will not be stopped.

Fleabag is a perfect binge; it's divided into two beautifully juxtaposed seasons, it's bite-sized (six 30-minute episodes per season), and it's heartbreakingly, wonderfully funny. Plus: Andrew Scott as the Priest, or Hot Priest (if you know you know). Fleabag follows the ups and downs of the title character as she deals with her traumatic past and looks to her future. Phoebe Waller-Bridge wrote and stars in the series alongside Olivia Coleman, Sian Clifford, and more. You can find Fleabag in its entirety on Amazon Prime.

Stream Fleabag on Amazon Prime Video

13. WandaVision

A still from WandaVision featuring Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen sitting on a couch in black and white.
Credit: IMDB / Marvel Studios/Marvel Studios - © Marvel Studios 2020.

twinkly noise WandaVision!

WandaVision just wrapped up, and if you haven't hopped on the series yet because it was still airing now's a perfect time to binge the Marvel show in its entirety. WandaVision stars Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany in a sitcom-themed exploration of the next part of Wanda Maximoff's story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The series will set up some of the next films in the MCU and introduces key players including Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris).

Stream WandaVision on Disney+

14. The Boys

A still from The Boys featuring many of the characters covered in blood.
Credit: IMDB / Jasper Savage/Jasper Savage/Amazon Studios

Beware the whale scene.

On the opposite side of the superhero spectrum, if you're feeling a bit disillusioned by the glitz and glam of Marvel-type superheroes, The Boys is the series for you. The Boys explores a reality in which heroes similar to Marvel's Avengers roam the world, and the very real consequences of having absolute power (looking at you, Homelander). The series stars Karl Urban as Billy Butcher, Erin Moriarty as Annie January, and Jack Quaid as Hughie Campbell, and the most recent season and season 1 are available on Amazon Prime.

Stream The Boys on Amazon Prime Video

15. Steven Universe

A still from Stephen Universe featuring Stephen and the Crystal Gems.
Credit: IMDB

Look at you (Stephen Universe) go, I just adore you.

Here comes a thought: Watch Steven Universe. If you're looking for a highly consumable show that will only fill your heart with deep, deep joy and will have you singing along, Steven Universe is the move. Created by Rebecca Sugar, Steven Universe follows the story of Steven and the Crystal Gems as they work to save the universe in a pastel-colored, whimsical tale of found family. All four seasons of the series are available on Hulu.

Stream Steven Universe on Hulu

16. Barry

A still from Barry featuring Bill Hader and Anthony Carrigan.
Credit: IMDB

Two words: NoHo Hank. My king.

Barry is one of the best (dark) comedies out there right now, and if you've been sleeping on it now's the time to tackle it. Barry stars Bill Hader as Barry, an assassin who wants to be an actor, as he takes acting classes from Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler) and attempts to extract himself from the day to days of contract killing for people like his boss, Monroe Fuches (Stephen Root), and NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan in a scene-stealing role).

Stream Barry on HBO Max

17. Parks and Recreation

A still from Parks & Rec featuring April Ludgate and Ben Wyatt.
Credit: IMDB / NBC/Colleen Hayes/NBC - © 2014 NBCUniversal Media, LLC

Ben and April dream team for life.

Another entry for the mockumentary genre is Parks and Recreation. Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) alone would be reason enough to check out this series, but the supporting cast of characters—Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott), April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza), and more—make this show well and truly iconic. Parks and Recreation follows the lives of government workers in fictional Pawnee, Indiana, as they combat the mundanities of government bureaucracy.

Stream Parks and Recreation on Peacock

18. Ramy

A still from Ramy featuring Ramy and Mahershala Ali.
Credit: IMDB / 2020 Hulu, LLC. - Photo by Craig Blankenhorn

Ramy is endlessly wonderful.

Ramy follows the title character Ramy (Ramy Youssef) as he reconciles his modern day life with his Egyptian family's religion and the expectations of his culture. The series is an honest, hilarious look into generational and cultural differences, and features breakout characters and actors like May Calamawy in the role of Dena Hassan.

Stream Ramy on Hulu

19. Breaking Bad

A still from Breaking Bad featuring Bryan Cranston in front of a chalkboard.
Credit: IMDB

I think about the bathtub scene from season 1 more than I wish I did.

Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) are two of the most iconic characters on television, and you can catch them in all their seedy glory in Breaking Bad. When chemistry teacher Walter White begins making crystal meth in order to support his family, he begins a journey into criminality that spans all five seasons of the dramatic series. Watch Breaking Bad on Netflix and follow it up with the spin-off, Better Call Saul featuring Bob Odenkirk.

**Stream Breaking Bad on Netflix

20. Atlanta

A still from Atlanta featuring Donald Glover and Zazie Beetz
Credit: IMDB

Atlanta has one of the most talented casts on TV.

Donald Glover stars as Earnest Marks alongside Brian Tyree Henry as Paper Boi in Atlanta, a fantastic series from FX that follows Earn and Paper Boi's ascent through the Atlanta rap scene. The series also stars Lakeith Stanfield and Zazie Beetz as Darius and Vanessa. Atlanta has won countless awards over the years, and it's still slated to have a third (and fourth!) season, so catch up on seasons 1 and 2 for now and gear up to wait patiently (read: horribly impatiently) for the rest—thankfully, season 3 just started filming.

Stream Atlanta on Hulu

21. Bob’s Burgers

A still from Bob's Burgers featuring the characters Teddy and Mort the Mortician.
Credit: IMDB

It's important to note that Mort the Mortician looks exactly like my father.

Bob's Burgers is quite possibly the most wholesome (and hilarious) television series out there. Created by Loren Bouchard and starring H. John Benjamin, Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman, Kristen Schaal, Larry Murphy, and John Roberts, Bob's Burger's is home to some of the best comedic writing of the last few years. Come for the dynamic Bob and Linda Belcher and their children Tina, Louise, and Gene; stay to find out what Bob's Burger of the Day is (I desperately want to try the Don't You Four Cheddar 'Bout Me burger).

Stream Bob's Burgers on Hulu

22. Downton Abbey

A still from Downton Abbey featuring Maggie Smith in front of a mirror.
Credit: IMDB / Nick Briggs - © Carnival Film & Television Ltd

Queen of my heart.

Downton Abbey has it all where period dramas are concerned: family struggles, intrigue, grand parties, class warfare, political debates, and sweeping, epic romances. But most of all, Downton Abbey has Dame Maggie Smith as Lady Grantham, delivering some of the best one-liners on television. Downton Abbey follows the tale of the Grantham family and their estate Downton Abbey in a turn-of-the-century drama that tackles the changes experienced by the English aristocracy as well as the English people during a time of technological advancement, shifting political landscapes, and world war. You can catch every moment of the iconic drama, with all its ups and downs, on Amazon Prime.

Stream Downton Abbey on Amazon Prime Video

23. Planet Earth II

A title card for Planet Earth II that reads "Planet Earth II"
Credit: IMDB

Witness the vistas. Witness them.

The original David Attenborough-narrated Planet Earth series was breathtaking in its own right, but Planet Earth II doubles down on the standard set by Planet Earth by utilizing new filming technology and exploring new locations in a beautiful documentary series that highlights the beauties of our planet and the challenges ahead due to climate change, pollution, and global warming.

Stream Planet Earth II on Discovery+

24. The Nanny

A still from The Nanny featuring Fran Drescher as the nanny.
Credit: HBO Max

Niles is the blueprint.

Most of the internet is bingeing The Nanny right now, including me. The Nanny was a 3 AM Nick@Nite staple when I was a teen and it continues to compel me to stay up way later than I should. While some of show's humor is rather dated, much of the series is gorgeously nostalgic, and Fran Drescher is absolutely iconic as Fran Fine. The Nanny follows Fran Fine's warm, funny journey with the Sheffield family as she breaks them out of their reserved shells and forms an attachment with their father, Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy). Come for the one-liners from Niles and stay for the 90's fashion.

Stream The Nanny on HBO Max

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