TV watching has changed so much in the last few years. Even before streaming services, I was enjoying TV on DVD, and became quite addicted. It’s completely a different experience, better in some ways in my opinion. Though I haven’t “cut the cord” to cable — or in my case, satellite — I do the majority of my television watching on my own timetable, either via live TV recorded on my DVR or streaming.
I’m not exactly sure what constitutes a binge. Is it watching a season in a month? An entire multi-year series in a year? Anytime one watches more than one episode at a time? (I’d love to hear your thoughts below in the comments).
Here are 5 of my most binge-worthy series. I’d love to hear if you agree or disagree or have other suggestions to feed my habit.
24
Oh Jack Bauer, his trouble-laden life, tackled with the cell phone with the battery that never dies. This was my very first binge experience with TV, back when I received the Netflix DVDs in the mail. We had heard the buzz, so we started watching it after it was a few seasons in. Because of the suspenseful nature of the show, watching 2 or 3 episodes in one sitting was perfect. In fact, once we caught up to real-time, we took a break so that we could continue watching it that way, because the cliffhangers drove us nuts.
The show got a bit more outrageous as the years went on, and I stuck with it, but I didn’t miss it when it was gone. That said, I’m pretty excited about 24: Live Another Day on May 5. It’s a “series event.” I heard an interview with the director who said that he likes this format, allowing for extended storytelling since it’s not a minute by minute approach.
How I Met Your Mother
I binge-watched this show after first seeing a few episodes on an airplane. I think it was in season 4 or 5 at the time, and I just continued watching DVDs until I caught up to season 7 or 8. I loved this team comedy, clever and original and smart with tons of heart.
Whether you liked the ending, didn’t like it, or didn’t care because you never watched it, you likely saw your twitter and facebook feeds blow up a few weeks ago after the series finally (The season 9 DVD will contain an alternate ending for those of you who hated it). I didn’t love the ending, but I didn’t hate it either. It made sense and this whole season (if not the whole series) was pointing in that direction.
I’ve decided to go back to the beginning and am enjoying season 1. Knowing how it ends and where all the characters are now, 9 years later, makes the viewing a completely different experience. In fact, I just saw an episode “Belly Full of Turkey” (the Thanksgiving episodes are really the best) where we learn the mother’s name! That shocked me.
The West Wing
When the DVDs went on sale, I snapped them up. By the time it ended, it was one of my few “can’t miss” shows. But going back to the first season was a treat, and I fell in love with the characters all over again. It’s still a show that I watch again and again and have watched as a series binge twice. I enjoy the snappy dialogue and characters, and who can complain about Rob Lowe? Incidentally, I’ve decided that the fact that Rob Lowe was cast as basically a geek — and that he pulls it off — is one of the underestimated brilliant moves in the show.
When it became available to stream on amazon and Netflix, I began hearing people talk about it, and that made me so happy. If you haven’t seen this show and like good quality writing and acting, please watch. If you are a fan, but haven’t watched the whole series back to back, you must try that. Talking about it makes me want to go back to it again, but I think that I’m going to wait until this summer when I might see if I can convince my 15-year-old daughter that it’s binge-worthy.
Lost
I watched a few episodes when it was first available to stream a couple of years ago. I liked it well enough, but I must have gotten interested in something else, so I didn’t continue. My daughter recently binged the entire series, and she wants me to watch with her, as she goes back to watch the beginning with the end in mind. We are most of the way through season 1, and I’m definitely enjoying it.
Like 24, it’s a good binge watch, since it tends to have cliffhangers. I know I’m late to the game here, but if you are as well and are looking for a summer series, there’s nothing better than a freaky tropical island to make you to be happy at home.
Parenthood
After hearing people gush for years about Parenthood, I finally decided to jump in. I don’t know why I never started watching it, since I love the cast — and that’s one thing that often draws me to a new show — and I’m a fan of the family drama. Nevertheless, I did start and was probably hooked by the first episode. As I recall, I began this during a gray spring, and binge is the only way to describe the viewing frenzy that occurred. I caught up and started watching live last season.
Summer is a great time to try out new series and try to catch up before the next season starts.
So now that shows are ending, are you turning to your streaming services or DVDs of old favorites? What else should I watch? I’ve gone back and forth on Mad Men so many times, but it might be a bit dark for me. Friday Night Lights is another that I’ve considered and have watched an episode or three, and I think that my daughter might want to watch that with me.
Also, I’d love to know what you think constitutes a TV binge. Leave a comment and let me know.
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You know I love me some West Wing. I’m doing a rewatch now 🙂 LOVE Friday Night Lights. Totally binge-worthy!
Would also add The Office, Friends (sadly not on streaming yet), Scrubs and Big Bang Theory.
I never got into 24, but that and Scandal are on my list of shows to summer binge watch!
Yes, I think I’ll have to do a whole separate sit-com post, because I think they are slightly different. HIMYM is a sit-com, but it also has more plot like a drama at times.
We got into 24 the second or third season, and caught up that way. It was nicer watching in 2-3 hours stints rather than once a week spread out. But I couldn’t make myself wait when the seasons started. 🙂
I’d like to watch Firefly. I am a fan of Nathan Fillion in Castle, and that was his first short-lived series. I’m hoping it is ok with nothing objectionable in it.
I’d recommend Once Upon a Time (from the writers of LOST) and White Collar, a drama on the USA channel about an FBI agent finally catching the person he has been after for years, and then that person becoming a consultant for the FBI. Kind of like the movie Catch Me If You Can, but more focused on the long term relationship. Love the writing on that show. I don’t watch anything else on that channel, so sometimes I miss when it starts back up and then have to catch up online.
My daughter said that we need to watch Once Upon a Time for that same reason as well. I’ve also heard great things about White Collar. Thanks so much!
Definitely add FIREFLY to the list, and my husband and I watched the first season of SCANDAL pretty quickly on DVD. I happen to quite enjoy GIRLS, which we watched two seasons of on DVD, though it is certainly not for everyone. 🙂
Scandal was one that I caught up with this year during that break before it started back up in Feb. I really enjoyed the first season, but I feel like they are pushing it this season. In some ways, that makes it easier to enjoy as pure out-there fantasy, but it’s gotten pretty graphic (the mother, in the jail cell—-too far).
Of the shows you mentioned, the only one I watched was West Wing. It is one of my all time favorite shows, actually maybe THE favorite, and I’ve been watching TV for almost 60 years. (Yes, I remember when all we had was black and white TV and you had to actually walk over to the Tv to change the channel!). The “Shiboleth” episode is one I have watched probably a half dozen times. I totally disagreed with the politics of Bartlett’s White House but loved those characters that inhabited it.
Another Aaron Sorkin creation that is fun to watch is Sports Night. I think it was only three seasons, but so good. Peter Krause and Josh Charles, along with Flelicity Huffman and Joshua Malina had great chemistry to go along with Sorkin’s intelligent script. Even a non sports fan can enjoy this series, I think.
Three words: Friday Night Lights. It’s not about the football.
Older series that I watched that I think would stand the test of time: The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Hill Street Blues and St Elsewhere.
I agree about West Wing. I think it is my all time favorite. Gilmore Girls is up there as well. I had watched some of Sports Night when it was originally on and have actually tried to go back and watch some of it. Love the cast as well.
Friday Night Lights has been on my list. I think Amanda and I might watch it this summer. And I introduced Amanda to MTM last year. I bought a bunch of the DVDs. It has been excellent. You’re welcome to borrow them if you’d like.
You’ve gotta watch Parenthood.
I know plenty of people who complained about the wait between hours of 24. To be, that was the draw. I would watch the four hours of the season premiers in one evening, and that was all I could take. I needed the one hour at a time format. Loved that show, even when it was outrageous and repetitive. Can’t wait for “Live Another Day.”
I, too, highly recommend Once Upon a Time for binge watching. The creators were two of the writers on Lost, but not the minds behind it. I feel it is already much better than Lost became (another show with a controversial ending).
I can binge watch sitcoms from new ones like Friends and The Big Bang Theory to classics like Newhart (season 3 just hit DVD!), The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and I Love Lucy.
In January, I watched all three seasons of Veronica Mars to get ready for the movie. Fell in love with it all over again.
Alias is another good binge show, although it does go down hill after season 2.
And I have to give a shout out to Babylon 5. The first season is slow and dated, but what builds from it is amazing. Still my favorite TV show ever.
I had never watched Veronica Mars, but did start watching it on amazon with all the buzz from the movie. I’m taking a break, but I am really enjoying it and will keep watching it!
And I’ve been thinking of Alias as well.
Love all these comments! Thanks for joining in.
I\’ve never watched Lost or Parenthood, but the other three I know are great. 24 and West Wing in particular make my binge list every so often. I never get sick of them.
I haven’t rewatched 24. By the time I got to the end, I was sort of done with it. But I think I might try it. I NEVER get sick of West Wing. Ever. I’ve watched it so many times. Gilmore Girls, too, which I didn’t add to the list, because it’s not streaming.
LOST is much better for binging, because there are so many subtle connections that you pick up on, like how everyone’s connected before the Island. It’s my favorite show of all time. I’ve binged it at least 3 times. I had to catch my husband up so he could watch the last two seasons live with me.
Yeah–that’s why my daughter wanted to rewatch it immediately after she finished it the first time!
In addition to some that have been mentioned above, for me, binge-worthy include ER, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Grey’s Anatomy, Downton Abbey, Modern Family, and a bunch of others (I binge watch a bunch of shows that I watch on a regular basis and its great to re-watch a season in a few days).
Mad Men is on my “maybe someday” list. I think I’m going to have to do a new post about sit-coms, because that’s a different kind of binge watching, but there are plenty that I watch as well.