Nothing, absolutely nothing. That’s what beats a good ol’ Netflix binge session. Netflix has all sorts of binge worthy shows and movies.
Bingeable TV 1: ‘The Good Place’
Starting off strong with The Good Place. The appeal of this educational and highly comedic TV show with a nicely rounded 4 seasons, complete with planned ending, was the research. It runs through philosophies, all while representing different religions and races with funny but not demeaning ongoing jokes. The characters, despite being odd, are immediately likeable. And it’s not often I find a good TV show that keeps my whole family entertained like that.
Bingeable TV 2: ‘Umbrella Academy’
If you want something a bit shorter and with great quirks, aesthetic, and queer representation, look no further than Umbrella Academy, with a chaotic but fun two seasons. This weird, mis-matched family is full of dynamic and high stakes. It’s serious, but largely more fun to watch. I love the soundtrack as well. Un-ironically.
Bingeable TV 3: ‘How I Met Your Mother’
However, if you wanted something a bit longer, and a bit more classic, How I Met Your Mother should be on your to watch list. It has 9 seasons of little stories, jokes, embarrassing situations, and overall a great group of friends. There’s someone for everyone, and it shows the importance of great friends, and the freedom that comes with young adults who can fund their wild whims. I’ve only just started so no spoilers, but I’m enjoying it so far.
Bingeable TV 4: ‘Merlin’
If you want fantasy and magic, there’s always Merlin coming in with 5 seasons. It’s a take on the classic tales of King Arthur and the knights of the round table. The friendship between Arthur and Merlin is everything. The writing is funny and witty, and the magic is wondrous. The producers of the show did their research, and included various little bits of lore throughout as well. I’m no expert, so I can’t tell you how right they are, but it’s always nice to see the worldbuilding and inclusion of ancient stories.
Bingeable TV 5: ‘Schitts Creek’
One TV show I don’t think gets enough credit is Schitts Creek. It’s 6 seasons of character development. Each family member is assigned a weakness or character flaw. And by the finale, I realised that each character had come to fix theirs. It was so subtle as well, their flaws were never even said out loud, no large celebration of a single turning point, it flowed so naturally it could have been missed. I’m honestly still in awe. It’s a wholesome story with little in the way of obstacles, of self realisation and truly awesome characters full of love and personality.
Bingeable Movie 1: ‘He’s All That’
Now what’s a good binge without movies? 2021 pumped out a movie called He’s All That, a modern genderbent take on the classic She’s All That from 1999. This pair is good to watch one after the other, to best notice the parallels in the scenes, characters, and even the end song. The downside is, after watching the first, the second was entirely predictable like all romances. But aside from the ‘girl takes off her glasses and everyone notices she’s beautiful’ trope in the first movie, it’s an entertaining binge that takes a nice stance on social media and loving, caring relationships in the second film.
Bingeable Movie 2: ‘Pitch Perfect’
There’s not a single movie I sing along more to than Pitch Perfect. It doesn’t matter which one. Why not watch all three? There’s so many iconic lines, and let’s not forget Fat Amy. Lovable girls preaching confidence and amazing singing skills with easy to learn songs and fun mashups, what’s not to love? Put one of these movies on the TV and see how many people will come in and watch it with you.
Bingeable Movie 3: ‘How to Train Your Dragon’
Last but never least on my top list at the moment is How to Train Your Dragon 1 through 3. With cool and creative symphonies of the music score settling you into the couch, I’m sure these movies are filled with amazing memories of being young and seeing them for the first time. The characters, the dragons, oh my. No words can describe the feeling of happiness those relationships and interactions give to me.
Catch all these on Netflix, and have fun making popcorn! I see great times ahead for your lazy holidays.
Written by Brianna Aplin
