A new semester at college means a lot of things – new classes, new parties, and more free time. With a schedule that lets you out by noon and doesn’t include Friday classes, you can be stuck in your room with a lot of time on your hands. And while homework and the gym can only take up a few hours of your time, that leaves plenty of hours in the day to engross yourself into something new – and I recommend that it be a television show. There’s no better feeling than binge watching a totally dramatic, completely addicting television series that leaves you begging for more when it’s finished. Here are my recommendations for television shows that you should be addicted to – maybe you’ll find a few new favorites, Collegiettes!
10. New Girl
Channel and Time: Tuesdays, on FOX at 9/8c.
Number of Seasons: 3 (so far).
Where to Find It Online: Fox.com posts the latest episodes a week after they air – for next day access, you can enter your Cable provider’s username and password. Netflix also has the first two seasons!
Why You Should Watch: New Girl is a hilarious comedy about a girl who moves in with three guys she found online after a nasty breakup. With its relatable characters, hysterical comedic writing and episodes ranging on topics from breaking up to getting a new job to losing your virginity, it’s a show worth keeping up with. Every episode tells a different story, with only a few plot lines to remember.
9. American Horror Story
Channel and Time: Wednesdays, on FX at 10/9c.
Number of Seasons: 3 (so far).
Where to Find It Online: Fxnetworks.com allows viewers to watch the episodes online, if you are logged in with a provider. Netflix has the first two seasons available.
Why You Should Watch: Every season of American Horror Story picks a different story to tell, so if you miss one season, you won’t be confused. The first was about a murder house in which the ghosts of the victims are unable to leave. The second season told the story of an asylum run by a few nuns, one of which is possessed by the devil (rumor has it that the asylum this season took place in was supposedly the Metropolitan State Hospital in Waltham, Massachusetts). The third season was about a coven of witches possessing different powers, all vying for the position of the Supreme. All seasons are scary, disturbing, and shouldn’t be watched with the lights out, but they are intriguing and makes viewers come back for more. I watched the entirety of the first two seasons in two weeks – that’s how good it is.
8. Sons of Anarchy
Channel and Time: Tuesdays, on FX at 10/9c.
Number of Seasons: 6, with the 7th and final premiering this fall.
Where to Find It Online: Fxnetworks.com allows viewers to watch the episodes online, if you are logged in with a provider. Netflix has the first 5 seasons available.
Why You Should Watch: To be completely honest, I’ve only watched a few episodes of Sons of Anarchy with my parents, but they are completely addicted. My Twitter feed constantly blows up whenever the show is on, and I caught season 6’s mind-blowing, explosive finale. It’s a show that I plan on watching as soon as possible. It’s about an outlaw biker gang led by the intense, handsome Jax Teller, focusing on his life and the decisions he makes as he questions both the club and himself. It can get pretty grisly at times, but it’s what makes this show so addicting. For those who enjoy intense dramas with hot lead actors, I’d say this show is for you.
7. Say Yes to the Dress
Channel and Time: Fridays, on TLC at 9/8c.
Number of Seasons: 10, with 3 other spin-off shows – Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta, Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids, and Say Yes to the Dress: Randy Knows Best.
Where to Find It Online: TLC.com has a select few episodes available, but Netflix has up to the 8th season SYTTD, along with the other 3 spin-off shows.
Why You Should Watch: Let’s be completely honest here – it’s just a ridiculous, over-the-top reality show that you flip to when nothing else is on, but end up watching for hours upon hours. Say Yes to the Dress involves some pretty dramatic stuff (I’m not sure what I would do if my mom kept refusing every single dress that I loved), but every episode is tied together neatly when the bride either decides to walk away empty-handed, or comes out and spins for her support group in a beautiful gown. And to be completely honest, this show has been a pretty good bonding experience for me and my mom and I’ve found out that we agree about a lot of the same things. It’s mindless television, but it’s fun and allows you to escape reality and dream of your own wedding.
6. The Walking Dead
Channel and Time: Sundays, on AMC at 9/8c.
Number of Seasons: 4 so far, but it has been renewed for a 5th.
Where to Find It Online: The most recent episodes are available on Amctv.com for a limited amount of time if you are logged in with a provider. Netflix has the first 3 seasons available.
Why You Should Watch: This is another show that I haven’t seen much of, other than glimpses from when my dad and brother were watching it. They watched the first couple seasons within a few weeks, and by Christmas time, my brother had received every piece of The Walking Dead merchandise that was available. From what I hear, the show is completely amazing – and the thousands of tweets that follow an episode do not dispute that. The show is based off of a comic book about a deputy who wakes up from a coma to discover that the world around him has ended and has been taken over by zombies. Pretty scary stuff, huh?
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5. Chopped
Channel and Time: Tuesdays, on Food Network at 10/9c.
Number of Seasons: Just started its 20th season.
Where to Find It Online: Foodnetwork.com has a select number of episodes online, but the series is unavailable on Netflix.
Why You Should Watch It: Chopped is amazing. Sometimes it’s on when I’m at the gym, and instead of biking to Keeping Up with the Kardashians, I’ll tune into this instead. The show has four chefs competing with one another in three rounds to win $10,000 – but the catch is, their dishes must include a special, usually strange ingredient each round. The first two rounds end with the elimination of one chef, and you feel the pressure as time ticks down and things go wrong in the kitchen. These chefs will stun you.
4. The Mindy Project
Channel and Time: Tuesdays, on FOX at 10/9c.
Number of Seasons: 2 – the show is in a mid-season hiatus, returning in April, and has been renewed for a third season.
Where to Find It Online: Fox.com allows you to view recent episodes online if you are logged in with a provider, but the show is unavailable on Netflix.
Why You Should Watch: Mindy Kaling played Kelly on The Office who ended up being one of my favorite characters. I think she’s hilarious, clever, and a very good comedic writer. Her show is really cute, and she plays a doctor version of herself. There’s plenty of guest stars, rich and creative writing, and the show has made me laugh out loud more than a few times. I’m also all about supporting a show with a female lead, written by a female writer. Very awesome.
3. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Channel and Time: Tuesdays, on FOX at 8/7c.
Number of Seasons: 1 so far, but it has been favored to be picked up for another season.
Where to Find It Online: Fox.com allows you to watch episodes online if you are logged in with a provider, but the show is unavailable on Netflix.
Why You Should Watch: Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a clever take on the fairly common cop show. Its lead character is played by the adorable, charming Andy Samberg, and the interactions between the different cops on this show has you wanting more. Samberg recently won a Golden Globe for his work on this show and I think it was very much so deserved. Though cop shows can get sort of tedious, give this one a try – its writers have proved to take on the funny cop formula in a new, refreshing way.
2. Grey’s Anatomy
Channel and Time: Thursdays, on ABC at 9/8c.
Number of Seasons: The show is on its 10th season.
Where to Find It Online: Abc.go.com has the latest episodes available, and Netflix has up to season 9.
Why You Should Watch: This show is an oldie but goodie. It’s been on air for so long, but keeps coming up with interesting stories to tell and new plot twists to keep its viewers entertained. There’s love stories, personal struggles and yes, of course – medical storylines. It’s a show that has made me cry more times than I can count, with an ability to make its viewers invested in every single character, whether you love or hate them.
1. Teen Wolf
Channel and Time: Mondays, on MTV at 10/9c.
Number of Seasons: The show is in the second half of its 3rd season.
Where to Find It Online: MTV.com posts all the episodes online, but it was just taken off of Netflix recently.
Why You Should Watch: Whenever I tell people that my favorite show is Teen Wolf, I get mixed results – some laughs, some incredulous looks, some confusion. And I completely agree – the title makes it sound silly, but it is anything but. There’s a cast of amazing actors, made up of strong female leads and interesting male hotties (my pretend boyfriend Dylan O’Brien plays one of the lead characters, and I’m using this space to promote him – his acting abilities are incredible, especially in this new season and I love him so much, okay?!). The first season dealt with the main character adjusting to becoming a werewolf and dealing with the issues that came from that. The second season focused on a new supernatural enemy, and the third season is a mix of lethal werewolves and psychological thrill. I actually look forward to Mondays because of this show, and that in and of itself is an amazing thing. Give it a try – but dibs on Dylan!
Happy binge-watching, Collegiettes!