Okay, you might have to take a whole weekend. But these fantastic shows all clock in at under 13 hours total, completely doable for the average binge watcher. Catch up now before new episodes come out!
1. Transparent (1 season, 10 episodes, ~6 hours)
Where to watch: Amazon
Funny, heartbreaking, and inspirational, Transparent follows Mort, now Maura Pfefferman, a transgender woman who comes out to her three extraordinarily dysfunctional adult children. Critically acclaimed, the show took home five Emmys this year, including Outstanding Lead Actor for Jeffrey Tambor as Maura and Outstanding Director for show creator Jill Soloway.
Catch up by: Season 2 will be released on December 4, 2015 on Amazon.
2. Black Mirror (2 seasons, 6 episodes, ~6 hours)
Where to watch: Netflix
This mind-blowing BBC anthology series will only take you about six hours to watch, but will keep you thinking for days. Each episode explores an aspect of media or technology a few years into the future. For example, one episode follows a cheating wife in a world where everyone has a brain implant that records everything they experience and allows them to play it back.
Catch up by: Netflix just ordered 12 new episodes that will begin production late this year.
3. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (1 season, 13 episodes, ~7.5 hours)
If creator Tina Fey’s name isn’t enough to entice you to watch, I can assure you that the show is hilarious. Starring Ellie Kemper as Kimmy Schmidt, a woman who moves to New York after being rescued from a doomsday cult she was trapped in for 15 years, the show follows the innocent Kimmy as she navigates her life in the city. It’s worth watching for her roommate’s (Titus Burgess) antics alone. Pinot noir, anyone?
Catch up by: Season 2 will be released on Netflix in Spring 2016.
4. The Fall (2 seasons, 11 episodes, ~11.5 hours)
Where to watch: Netflix
Starring pre-Fifty Shades Jamie Dornan as the sexiest serial killer alive and X-Files alum Gillian Anderson as the detective determined to catch him, you won’t be able to stop watching this terrifying cat-and-mouse psychological thriller. Bonus: Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson is the feminist hero you never knew you needed in your life.
Catch up by: Season 3 will be released in the U.S. on Netflix in 2016.
5. Sense8 (1 season, 12 episodes, ~12 hours)
Where to watch: Netflix
Another mind-blowing sci-fi series, Sense8 follows eight strangers from around the world who suddenly become mentally connected and the dark forces trying to destroy them. Featuring a diverse cast, it stands out from typical sci-fi by embracing social issues such as gender, sexuality, and religion.
Catch up by: Season 2 will be released on Netflix in Summer/ Fall 2016.
6. Bloodline (1 season, 13 episodes, ~13 hours)
Where to watch: Netflix
This slow-burning drama about the dark secrets of a Floridian family may start off a little slow, but the last few episodes will have you on the edge of your seat. While all of the acting is phenomenal, standout performances from Ben Mendelsohn And Kyle Chandler earned them both Emmy nominations this year.
Catch up by: Season 2 will be released on Netflix in 2016.
7. Daredevil (1 season, 13 episodes, ~13 hours)
Where to watch: Netflix
Based on the Marvel comics (although you don’t have to be familiar with them to enjoy the show), the series follows the blind Matt Murdock, who practices law by day and uses his heightened senses to fight crime by night in Hell’s Kitchen. This show is dark, gritty, exciting, and not afraid to push its characters into morally grey areas.
Catch up by: Season 2 will be released on Netflix in 2016.