Summer is meant for a lot of things: tanning, swimming, family time, travel time – but most of all: relaxing. And often times, there’s no better way to relax than plopping yourself down, grabbing a remote, and binge watching to your heart’s content. If this is how your summer plans look like, here are some noteworthy ones.
Sense 8
This Netflix original’s first season may have been a little controversial with its randomly explicit sex scenes and somewhat confusing story lines, but this series by the Wachowski Brothers (now both transitioned to sisters) is a refreshing take on drama-thriller meet science fiction. Centered around 8 very socially, ethnically, and geographically different people who can essentially BE one another’s person, the plot is fast-paced, exciting, and sort of heartbreaking – but what drama isn’t? The second season is currently in production so your addiction won’t end in canceled-sadness, just in anticipation for more sensate discoveries.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D
With a much broader, big-picture view of the Marvel world, this TV show is just as great as the films with as much action, alien history, and plot twists. Not to mention, that the show connects to every film, showcasing the aftermath of each Avengers’ films and the effects they have on S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Coulson and Fury, head of S.H.I.E.L.D, who had very prominent roles in the first Avengers film, are equally as prominent in the first season of the show. With a vastly different plotline in the first season, however, I would say the show has gotten better with time, building up to multiple future Marvel films and the future of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Girl Meets World
This may be a Disney Channel show, but don’t let that deter you from the fact that it’s basically a sequel to Boy Meets World, which was one of the best TV shows of the 90s. It was humorous, educational, family oriented, and heartfelt. Girl Meets World may not have the same pace – having more of a sitcom vibe – but it still leaves you with the same smiles and lessons. Not to mention that Cory and Topanga are still here! As parents, but that has somehow made them even better.
Friend
There is only so much one can say about this show and its value. As someone who binge watched it last summer, believe me when I say it will be one of the funniest shows you will ever watch. If not the funniest. Chandler (Matthew Perry) is the show’s best, in my opinion. His humor is beyond anything Courtney Cox or Jennifer Aniston could ever do. That being said, he is the best OF the best, because the cast of this show is full of incredibly talented actors who just happened to find their beginnings in the same place – the best sitcom television has ever seen. So, do it for yourself. Do it for the good of your soul. Because it will thank you. And you will thank you. And you will never be able to hear “I’ll Be There For You” without clapping four times ever again.
Game of Thrones
Alright. Now, this was bound to be on this list considering the fact that it is probably the most popular contemporary show on television. For those who are wary: I was you, once. I didn’t want to get sucked in to yet another cult-like TV-show fan. (I’m currently there for Scandal and there is no going back). But the work that goes into this fantasy thriller HBO production – the costume design, the cinematography, the now-original writing – makes it more of a masterpiece than just a set of hour long episodes. As someone who is currently binge watching, but has read the first book: you will never NOT be on the edge of your seat. You’ll love it and you’ll hate yourself for it. It might be summer, but winter is always coming.
By the way, all of these shows are available on streaming sites (Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, etc). So, if you don’t have your own account on these, just borrow your best friend’s. They want you to have the summer of your life.
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