It’s that time of year! Gone are the days of pouring over textbooks, trying to talk professors into raising your grade, and forcing yourself to study. This season is the time to relax, rejuvenate, and catch up on the important things: family time, sleep, and of course, your Netflix queue. With all this extra time over break it’s super easy to become reacquainted with your pillow and your laptop. Lucky for you, we here at Her Campus Auburn have compiled a list of the top four shows on Netflix that you must watch!
1. Orange is the New Black
Now if you spent most of the fall semester dating your Watch Instant queue as I did, you’ve definitely heard of the Netflix original series Orange is the New Black, and let me tell you, it is one worth watching! The show follows a sophisticated Upper East Side woman named Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) whose wild child past with girlfriend Alex Vause (Laura Prepon) comes back to haunt her—she lands a stint in prison after being implicated in a case for drug running. The series, though very shocking with graphic sexual images, gives an extremely eye opening view into the world of prison and pushes viewers to do a little self-evaluation. The story lines are poignant and real, making every character relatable even though most of us have never done the things these women have. You finish each episode feeling a little more empowered to be a woman, and also learn that you never want to go to prison! Viewer discretion is advised for language, drugs, and graphic hetero and homosexual scenes.
2. Skins
We’ve all heard of or seen the failure that was the MTV version of the popular British show, but nothing beats the original UK series Skins. The series, split into three “generations”, follows three different groups of teens (each group is featured for two seasons) through the challenges of life. You know, the ones everyday students face before college—owing a drug dealer a ton of money, sleeping with your teacher, sending one of your friends to the hospital after taking too many ‘shrooms, the usual. But beneath the extreme storylines are problems and emotions we all face as collegiettes. The show was so wildly beloved that the series reintroduced three former cast members this past spring, giving them each their own two-part episode. Viewer discretion is also advised on this one for language, drug use, and some sexually explicit scenes. But Skins is more along the lines of something you don’t want to watch with your parents! The second generation, seasons 3 and 4, is my personal favorite—Kaya Scoledario, who plays Nicholas Hoult’s younger sister in seasons 1 and 2, stuns as Effy and you’ll find yourself in the biggest love-hate relationship of your life with Jack O’Connell’s character Cook.
3. Psych
This long-running USA comedy is one that you can share with your whole family during the holidays! Six of the seven seasons are available on Netflix, and it’s just a matter of time before the seventh is added to the queue. The comedy offers a new take on crime solving, showcasing witty and hilarious Shawn Spencer (James Roday) as he fools an entire police department into thinking he’s a psychic with his highly observational techniques. With his best friend Burton Guster (Dule Hill) at his side, Shawn charms his way into solving case after case. There are great story lines embedded within the interesting investigations, and the funny one-liners make this show a pure jewel. The supporting cast is great as well–there’s a character each member of your family will love!
4. Teen Wolf
Okay, before you laugh, this show is awesome. When my roommate told me I had to watch it I definitely suppressed an eye roll. But one rainy day when the glow of my laptop was more inviting than my psychology textbook, I pressed play on this show and I could. Not. STOP. Tyler Posey plays Scott McCall, an awkward teen turned werewolf, and his hotness just grows over the three seasons (only two of which are currently available on Netflix). Dylan O’Brien is a hidden Hollywood gem with his utter-adorableness and quick wit. The cast of characters is great, and the story lines intriguing and not overdone, which is crucial for yet another show about the supernatural. Season three should be available on the website soon as the fourth season premieres on MTV in January.
What shows do you recommend for the holiday Netflix-er? Let us know in the comments below!