I’m gonna admit it folks, I watch A LOT of Netflix, Hulu, HBO, etc. and I read A LOT of books, but there is nothing better than chatting about an emotionally moving storyline with someone. Let’s face it; all of us that are in relationships have the urge to start watching a show together. But where to start? Girls want to watch something with drama, romance, and men to swoon over while guys want to watch action, with some eye candy, and a show that might teach them a few life lessons (even if they won’t admit it). No need to worry! I took the liberty of whipping up a killer list of the Top 8 Television Shows to watch with your significant other, with a few that I like to call Wild Cards, because we all have guilty pleasures we don’t want to admit. Without further ado, here’s my list in numerical order.
#8 Rules of Engagement
I love this show and quite simply DO NOT understand how it did not become more popular. This is a perfect show to start off with because quite simply, it’s hilarious, in every way. Plus ladies, you get your relationship kick every episode of every season because it follows an engaged couple Adam (Oliver Hudson) and Jennifer (Bianca Kajlich), a married couple Jeff (Patrick Warburton) and Audrey (Megyn Price), and a single bachelor, Russell (David Spade) who all become best friends. The comedy throughout this show basically makes fun of stereotypical men: the stupid attractive guy, the lazy married man, and of course, the perverted awkward looking bachelor. Coming from a guy, I have to say the main male actors of this show absolutely kill it. You’ll be laughing the whole time, plus enjoying a solid plot line.
WILD CARD #1 Entourage
I’ll admit it; this comes across as a total dudes show. But if your girl doesn’t mind seeing a lot of topless women and party scenes, this show is absolutely KILLER. I had to put it into my Wild Card section because I know there are some ladies out there who LOVE shows like these, but also a lot who hate them. Mark Wahlberg served as an executive producer for this show and it is based loosely on his life as a rising movie star in Los Angeles but instead of following Mark, you follow Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier). Along with Vince is his Entourage, for which the show is named: Eric (Kevin Connolly), Johnny “Drama” Chase (Kevin Dillon), Turtle (Jerry Ferrara), and the most entertaining man in the show, Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven), also known as Vince’s agent.
The plot line is simple from the outside, the show is based around Vince’s life in Hollywood and how his Entourage survives with him. It’s super cool show to just see how Hollywood stars live and is chalked full of parties, drugs, and women. This show is blanketed with star appearances, such as LeBron James, Eminem, and even Porn Star Sasha Grey, to name a few. Don’t worry though ladies, THERE IS some relationship drama to follow at certain points in the series and does lead to some serious drama and extraordinary parts. Once again, I know this hits a particular audience but I had to toss this one up for the boys. There is an Entourage movie coming out as well, so be sure to watch this before the movie, it’s an excellent series.
*Disclaimer* I can’t show the preview for this series. If you want to see it search it on YouTube but just as a warning there is nudity and quite the dishing of profanity.
#7 Prison Break
A very popular show that aired from 2005-2009 follows Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) and Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) into Prison when Burrows is sentenced to death. His brother, Scofield, is determined to break him out and encounters many roadblocks along the way. Ladies, there’s some eye candy for you to look at in this show, so that’s always a plus. Men, you will be entertained by the violence and dramatic scenes in this crime show. There is also a series of fantastic love stories that follow the characters throughout this show.
The reason this series makes my list is because of the unbelievably deep plot line. Every episode matters and there are countless flashbacks and links to certain events throughout the show. Michael Scofield turns out to be one of the most brilliant characters to ever grace the TV screen and ultimately wins over your heart because of his willingness to go out of his way and help others. There are plenty of internal battles with each character ranging from substance abuse, lovers quarrels, and mental insanity. With more than five characters that are all important to the whole series, you will for sure be put through a brilliant ride.
#6 Friday Night Lights
ALL HAIL TIM RIGGINS. That’s all that needs to be said about this incredible television series that aired from 2006-2011. This series follows a football family, players, and fans in the town of Dillon, Texas. With a large group of main characters, such as Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler), Julie Taylor (Aimee Teegarden), Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch), and Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) leading the pack, it’s difficult to not find a character to relate to. There are family values, friendship truths, team brotherhood, and relationship quarrels at every corner; leading to drama throughout the entire series.
As I said before, this series follows a high school football team down in Dillon, Texas, if you’re unfamiliar with football in Texas, this is all you need to know: it is life. There are boosters for high school teams, huge rivalries, and of course, drama within the team for spots on the roster, as well as drama in the school. Ladies, there’s no way you won’t enjoy this show simply because of all the football players you get to swoon over and the endless relationship drama. Men, you get to watch smash mouth football, fights, and the Texas football brotherhood; so what’s there not to love? This show made its placement in my list because of a desirable plot line throughout these teenagers journey through high school and early college. Of course, the football is a blast to watch as well. If I haven’t convinced you yet, remember Tim Riggins’ famous quote, “Texas Forever”, and crack a cold one as you start the first episode.
#5 Friends
Who hasn’t seen Friends? Arguably the first TV series to permanently find a place within all our hearts, it’s impossible for me to leave this one off the list. Nothing much needs to be said about this plot other than that is follows six twenty-somethings and their lives in New York City. We all know the star studded cast including Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer; it’s impossible not to love their comedic acts and family lifestyle.
If you somehow haven’t seen Friends, you will fall in love with it for multiple reasons, one of which is the opening theme to every episode. But other than simply brilliant music kicking off each episode, you will be greeted by plenty of jokes, sex, and troubling times. Ladies will love this show for the sisterly bond all the main women share, the protective love of their best man friends, and of course all the jokes. Men, quite simply, you get to stare at Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox every episode, EVERY EPISODE! What’s there not to love about that? My only jab against Friends is there isn’t a plot line throughout the whole series but honestly it doesn’t really matter. This is a solid choice for any couple.
WILD CARD #2 The Following
If you don’t like blood, suspense, or horror this isn’t your show, but if you do, this HAS to rise to the top of your list. I will take this show over American Horror Story any day of the week and it’s in my Wild Card section because it appeals to a very specific audience. Honestly, this is in my Top-3 favorite shows ever. This is a new show that just started airing in 2013 that follows FBI Agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) in his pursuit of an infamous serial killer, Joe Carroll (James Purefoy). At the beginning of the show, Hardy has already tracked Carroll down once but he escapes from prison and uses his brilliant, charismatic, and utterly psychotic personality to develop a cult of followers to carry out his work.
As I said before, if you don’t like gore then don’t watch this show, but the plotline of this story is ABSOLUTELY CRAZY. I have never witnessed a show with more twists and turns. Don’t worry ladies; there are also embedded romantic story lines within the show that are quite deep. But don’t fall in love with the wrong couple. You never know who’s going to be in trouble next in this show… I must also state that I am not responsible for any nightmares that follow binge watching this show, I must admit I definitely had a few.
#4 The 100
Here’s the bomb that just blew everyone’s mind away on this list! I know what all of you are thinking, “What the hell is The 100?” and trust me, before I started the show I was not crazy about trying it, at all. Basically, I started to run out of shows to watch and stumbled upon this. The 100 is set 97 years in the future after a nuclear war destroyed the Earth and left it uninhabitable. Those who were on Earth at the time fled to outer space and lived in a space station. Now, the space station’s oxygen supply is depleted and humans are forced to find out if Earth is safe to live on once again. This leads the space station to send 100 criminal juveniles down to Earth, hence “The 100”.
The leading female character Clarke Griffin (Eliza Taylor) is the girl we’ve seen in countless movies lately. She has the same leadership qualities of Katniss Everdeen and screams changing society for the better. Another lead female who will blow your mind is Octavia Blake (Marie Avgeropoulos) because of her dominating personality of a woman who takes shit from no one, plus she is absolutely gorgeous. There are three main male characters, Bellamy Blake (Bob Morley), Jasper Jordan (Devon Bostick), and Finn Collins (Thomas McDonell); and they perform amazingly. All of them take strong leads for the greater good and make you hate to love them at certain points. Typical guys, I’d say.
Alright, I know this show sounds super sci-fi and one of those show that would be a total bust, but it is AMAZING. The first few episodes were a little much on the sci-fi for me, but I have to say the show grabbed me immediately. There’s really nothing to compare this show to, but I’d like to say it’s a combination of The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and Lord of the Rings; yes I said LOTR. This show has action and adventure around every corner, with new plot twists coming all the time. There’s some romance, betrayal, backstabbing, and plenty of violence to keep everyone entertained. Girls, you will love watching the different relationships blossom throughout this story and guys, you won’t be bothered by them at all. If you’re looking for a new show, I HIGHLY recommend this one.
#3 The Office
I don’t have anything bad to say about The Office. If you have a bad sense of humor and can’t laugh at anything then please don’t watch this show, it’s absolutely hilarious and I don’t want you to ruin it for us. If you’re unfamiliar with The Office, it’s about a paper company in Scranton, that is the complete opposite of any company ran today. Follow along as Michael (Steve Carell), Dwight (Rainn Wilson), Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) wreak havoc in the office leading to laughs upon laughs.
Not only is this show hilarious, but you will also learn quite a few great life lessons from it. Men, you won’t become bored with any relationships because the only one that dominates the show is Jim and Pam; it’s impossible not to love them, so no worries. Ladies, you will fall in love with Jim because of the perfect man he is. Honestly, it’s one of the greatest love stories out there. I really don’t have anything else to say about this show other than WATCH IT, you won’t be disappointed.
Wild Card #3 Gossip Girl
And here’s the show on this list I am going to be COMPLETELY bashed for by the dudes and I need y’all to hear me out! I know this show isn’t for every couple, but it needs to be mentioned because it truly is the best. First of all, I know a decent amount of women have watched this show but I also know a lot of girls whom are pushed away from it. Yes, Gossip Girl is literally STUFFED FULL of drama and at points it is undoubtedly annoying but overall it’s pure gold. Gossip Girl is based in the Upper East Side of New York City and follows the most privileged and rich kids in the world. The main characters, Serena (Blake Lively), Blair (Leighton Meester), Dan (Penn Badgley), Nate (Chace Crawford), and of course THE Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick) will lead you through drama you would never be able to imagine. Now it’s time for me to explain my logic here.
Gossip Girl is an extremely unique show in the sense that about .0001% of us will ever be able to experience life as they do. So the fantasy of having that much money and power is appealing to anyone. The friendship that Blair and Serena share will make all girls smile in pure joy. Not to mention how terrifying Queen B can be. Along with this, there is relationship drama EVERYWHERE in this show and you will find yourself screaming at your television screen about it. I have never become so completely entranced in a television show’s relationships before, especially one of them that trumps all, and I will NOT spoil it for you.
Men, I know I’ve probably completely turned you off from this show already, but hear your boy out. Yes, there is A LOT of relationship stuff in Gossip Girl but there is also a lot of sex, drugs, alcohol, and backstabbing. The brotherhood that is formed between the main guys at points in the show will make you think of your best bros. But the #1 reason you can watch this show with your woman is because you get to see Blake Lively and Leighton Meester in the SEXIEST dresses on the face of the earth. If that isn’t enough of a reason for you to try it out then I don’t know what else to tell you. Other than you NEED to watch it just to see how Chuck Bass is the greatest dude ever, even from a guys point of view.
#2 One Tree Hill
It was nearly impossible for me to pick between this show and my #1, but I hope you’ll give them both a shot as a couple. One Tree Hill will start off slow for women actually! Big shock right? This show is based in Tree Hill, North Carolina and follows two brothers who were separated, Nathan (James Lafferty) and Lucas (Chad Michael Murray). Along with these boys is a trio of girls: Haley (Bethany Joy Lenz), Brooke (Sophia Bush) and Peyton (Hilarie Burton) whom round out the main cast. The show starts out with a strong emphasis on the basketball life in Tree Hill and the quarreling brothers. Slowly but surely the women become involved and sure enough, all hell breaks loose.
The reason this show cracks my top two instead of Friends, New Girl, Prison Break or any of the others? It’s impossible for a couple to not enjoy this show together. There’s plenty of relationship drama for the women, which might bore the men but all the relationship issues happen daily in our lives, so it’s intriguing to see how these characters battle through them. Men, you will get to watch life drama in every season with deaths, injuries, and of course basketball. This longer series follows the whole crew through High School and the years after college, skipping a few years in the middle. More than anything in this show I couldn’t believe how many life lessons I learned while watching. It seems cliché and dumb to say you learned from a TV show but trust me, your mind will be blown. This plotline is exquisite but the amount you will learn is unbelievable. This is a must-watch for couples.
#1 How I Met Your Mother
In my mind, this is the greatest show of all time. People like to say it’s a more modern version of Friends, but this isn’t true. There is a similarity with there being a main group of friends living in New York City and it ends there. Following along with the greatest couple of all time, Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan), the greatest bachelor EVER – Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), the Canadian – Robin (Colbie Smulders) and of course the man we follow the whole time, praying he will find true love, Ted (Josh Radnor).
The “Bro Code” that Barney invents the whole show can actually be found online and let me tell you what, it’s absolutely perfect, and if ever in doubt, boys make sure you look it up. Hell, here’s the link http://www.brocode.com. And this isn’t the only great book Barney assembles, his playbook will absolutely blow your mind. Trust me, they’re not all terribly shallow plays either.
Overall the plot of HIMYM is unbelievable, a story that leads you through every single girl Ted meets and how he found “the one” is absolutely incredible. It goes to show all of us that when we do meet our soul mate, we know, because Ted shows us that you don’t have to find them in your teens, or twenties, but at any point in time. Not only is this show filled with great comedy and embarrassing moments, but the appealing aspect of lifelong friends and the excitement of growing up with them. Plus, the whole time you are gifted with seeing Lily and Marshall deal with their own problems and how love really conquers all. The writers of this show do such an excellent job of not overloading you or saying it outright, but it’s impossible not to see how large of a role love plays. I have to say with all honesty, HIMYM is the best show I’ve ever seen and I highly doubt it will ever be beaten. So please, couples, give this the go ahead.
So there’s my list, take it or leave it. As you can see I’ve dedicated a lot of my time to watching various series throughout college while balancing school work. Something about becoming completely enveloped in a story appeals to me, that is what all of these shows have provided me. Now it’s your turn, grab your loved one, sit on your butt, and start watching some incredible television.