College students rarely have enough hours in a day to accomplish everything on their to-do list, so when there’s time to sit back, relax and turn on the TV, we have to take advantage of the opportunity to fit in as many episodes of a TV show as possible.
If you are someone that thrives with background noise, you can binge-watch while doing homework or even while writing an article for The Scout. I am definitely not working while binging the second season of “Space Force” right now.
Throughout my four years at Bradley, I’ve watched several shows, many of them more than once, while keeping up with assignments and maintaining a regular sleep schedule. Here is an abbreviated list of shows I have watched in a relatively quick fashion and what makes them binge-worthy.
‘The Office’
“Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.”
Although I am not completely sure how my binge-watching origin story began, this sitcom was one of the first few shows where I watched the episodes in rapid succession while at school.
It’s a classic and will keep you laughing while getting to know each of the characters. Although it can be quite cringy to watch at times, “The Office” will always have a special place in my heart, despite no longer being on Netflix.
If I ever have access to Peacock, my first stop will be “The Office” and then a quick rewatch of “Parks and Recreation” before revisiting “A.P. Bio.”
‘New Girl’
“Who’s that girl? It’s Jess.”
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched “New Girl” because it’s my main comfort show. It never gets old and never fails to make me laugh when I’m stressed.
Whether the characters are in new relationships, finding out who they truly are or playing True American, “New Girl” illustrates that it’s okay to not have your life figured out in your 30s, and that changes are inevitable.
Did writing this article inspire me to rewatch “New Girl” yet again? Yes. Yes, it did.
‘You’
“Hey, you.”
It’s not all 22-minute sitcoms on this list. “You” is the ultimate binge-watch with increased suspense after each episode until you make it to the end of each season. It doesn’t matter if the clock is nearing midnight; you just have to see what happens next.
Even though some images can be quite disturbing, you become enthralled in the storylines and ponder each decision the characters make. Watching a season (about 10 hours) during a weekend has never been so easy.
‘Schitt’s Creek’
“Ew, David!”
Although it’s a sitcom with a riches-to-rags story, “Schitt’s Creek” has some of the most genuine romances of any comedy. I’ve watched the series several times, and there is never a dull moment in that small town. Each time I watch it, I can’t wait for Patrick to appear and not only win over David but everybody.
Some of the most memorable moments in the series are “A Little Bit Alexis,” the “Cabaret” storyline and the different renditions of “Simply the Best.” In addition to these favorite moments of mine, I simply love the show and how it can make me laugh again and again.
‘Gilmore Girls’
“Coffee, please.”
The fast-talking, coffee-loving and drama-filled mother-daughter duo have their moments of good TV. However, the more I watched the series, the more I realized how cringy the characters, relationships and dialogue can be.
“Gilmore Girls” might not be the best show out there, but if you’re bored and want to watch a 2000s dramedy about life in a small town with two sometimes annoying, sometimes funny female leads, then it’s worth at least one watch.
If you enjoy it, the four-episode Netflix reboot also wasn’t terrible.
‘How I Met Your Mother’
“Challenge accepted” is what I said when I told myself I couldn’t possibly watch nine seasons totaling 208 episodes in less than a month. Yes, Ted can be a toxic character and Barney is a textbook misogynistic womanizer, but “How I Met Your Mother” is a good passive watch while trying to complete some homework.
The series finale was disappointing, but at least I didn’t waste nine years of my life invested in watching the show live.
By the way, “challenge completed.”
‘Upload’
“Angel!”
My most recent binge on the list, since I watched the second season, consisting of seven episodes in one day, “Upload” has a mostly original premise of an afterlife catered to the rich and a budding romance between the dead main character and the living “angel” in charge of making his heaven the best it could be.
Each episode goes by quickly and is full of comedy and hilarious drama, so the show is an easy and entertaining way to kill a few hours.
