When late August and early September comes around, college students know it’s time for a tearful goodbye to their beloved Netflix accounts for awhile as assignments flood in and school activities begin. But with TCNJ’s Fall Break happily arriving this weekend, this short vacation is the perfect time for students to cuddle up in a blanket with a warm cup of tea and embrace their dearly missed television shows.
For those students interested in catching up on their all-time favorites or even exploring a few new ones, here is a list of great suggestions specifically catered to students’ individual preferences:
For the Fantasy-Lover…
You may think you are well versed in everything there is to know about your favorite classic fairytales from Snow White to Prince Charming to Red Riding Hood, but this show will change all of your presumptions for the better. From the creators of Lost comes ABC’s Once Upon a Time which begins when a young private investigator, Emma Swan is visited by her son – whom she gave up for adoption a decade before – who brings her back to his home town, Storybrooke in which fairytale characters are living in our real world. But there’s a catch: they have all been put under a spell by the Evil Queen and no longer remember who they or their loved ones are, and it’s up to Emma to save the day – and that’s just season one. Whether you love fantasies, fairytales, or just great storytelling, you will fall in love with this show, currently on its fifth season.
For the Tear-jerker…
Who doesn’t need a good cry sometimes? If you’re looking to get in touch with your inner emotions this weekend, check out ABC Family’s Chasing Life. Heartfelt and hopeful, the show’s first season of twenty-one episodes follows a young woman, April Carver as she fights to climb the ladder in the journalism world and earn the attention of her office crush; all until her world is shattered when she is diagnosed with cancer. You won’t even have to wait long for the second season, which comes to Netflix on October 28. So grab your tissues and your best girlfriend and dive right in!
For the Dramatic…
Mystery. Suspense. Confrontation. You crave it. For those who are easily captured by conflict, strong emotion and character development, turn to ABC’s Scandal. Scandal is based in the U.S. capitol of Washington D.C., following the life of Olivia Pope, a notorious fixer hired by the richest and the successful to decode mysteries and most importantly, solve their problems. But while Pope is an expert in disentangling the lives of others, she seems to have trouble working out a particular romantic entanglement with the most successful man in Washington, D.C.: the President of the United States himself.
For the Comedian…
Although it isn’t the newest show in town, what is funnier than NBC’s The Office? For those who haven’t seen this heartfelt and hilarious comedy, this is a must-see and for those who have, it is the perfect show to revisit. The Office centers around the lives and relationships of the staff of Dunder-Mifflin, a paper company in Pennsylvania. For those who love a good romance, you will adore and root for the relationship of Pam and Jim, which is arguably the most beloved couple in comedic television of the twenty-first century. The Office has a little bit of something for everyone and is just one of those classic shows that you can revisit over and over again.
For the Family-Oriented…
If you love a great family dynamic and a heartfelt story, as seen in shows such as The Middle, Modern Family, and Gilmore Girls, then NBC’s Parenthood is next on your list. Wrapping up its final season this past spring, Parenthood explores the lives of the four Braverman children, now all grown up with kids of their own, and their parents, all still residing in their hometown in California. With the marriage of their parents hanging in the balance, the Braverman children and each of their family units deal with their own struggles and successes in raising their kids. This show will evoke so many emotions from laughter to tears to suspense to hope and is extremely relatable for so many levels. If you’re going home for the weekend to visit family, this is the perfect show to sit down to together after dinner to not only share a few laughs but also start a conversation.