The Top 100 Best Binge-Watches Of All Time! #40-21

Original Network: E4
Years on Air: (2007 – 2011)
Number of Seasons: 7
Time To Binge: 1 day, 20 hours, 43 minutes

When Netflix launched its streaming service almost nine years ago, it offered a strange melange of TV and film titles. Subscribers only embraced this quirky add-on to their DVD delivery service when they stumbled upon hidden gems…like Skins. The British series was part racy soap, part tragic meditation on the isolation of being a teen. The show’s “anthology-lite” story-telling style put one teen at the focus of each episode, which made binging all the more attractive. You had to get to Effy’s crazy episode! As the years went on, and as new generations were introduced, the show mutated into the premiere place to spot Britain’s rising talent. Nicolas Hoult, Dev Patel, Jack O’Connell, Kaya Scodelario, and Game of Thrones actors Hannah Murray and Joe Dempsie all started out as Skins stand outs. Now, it’s more than edgy; Skins is a legitimate classic. — Meghan O’Keefe

[Binge Skins on Netflix]

Original Network: HBO
Years on Air: (2014 – Present)
Number of Seasons: 3
Time To Binge: 14 hours

Mike Judge’s charming send up of the idiot savants running Silicon Valley has only gotten more endearing — and more intriguing — as the seasons have worn on.

[Binge Silicon Valley on HBO Go]

Original Network: BBC
Years on Air: (2013 – 2015)
Number of Seasons: 2
Time To Binge: 12 hours, 2 minutes

Broadchurch follows an absolutely devastating murder mystery that upends a sleepy coastal town — and it happens to be so good you can’t look away.

[Binge Broadchurch on Netflix]

Original Network: Showtime
Years on Air: (2009 – 2011)
Number of Seasons: 3
Time To Binge: 18 hours

Showtime series are a unique genre, and when I say “Showtime series” I mean “half-hour dramadies with a female protagonist whose life is falling apart to one degree or another, so she goes to some extreme lengths to re-assert control, in the process defying society’s rules for appropriate behavior, starring an actress who has been underserved by the paltry and one-dimensional movie roles she’s been offered.” United States of Tara was always the best of these, perhaps because it only lasted three seasons, and its closed loop meant that it felt like a more complete story. Also the talent that passed through the series is mind-boggling, from Emmy winner Toni Collette to Oscar winner Brie Larson in front of the camera (though Keir Gilchrist gives the series’ best performance as Marshall) to Diablo Cody and Jill Soloway behind the camera. — Joe Reid

[Binge United States of Tara on Netflix]

Original Network: AMC
Years on Air: (2010 – Present)
Number of Seasons: 7
Time To Binge: 2 days, 21 hours, 18 minutes

You start watching The Walking Dead for the epic zombie attacks and keep watching for Daryl, Carol, and Glen.

[Binge The Walking Dead on Netflix]

Original Network: FX
Years on Air: (2013 – Present)
Number of Seasons: 4
Time To Binge: 1 day, 17 hours, 36 minutes

Do you enjoy having your mind blown by subtleties? Then The Americans is for you! The FX drama follows Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings, Matthew Rhys and Kerri Russell in their most precise performances to date. They seem like normal suburban DC parents and business owners, oh, except that they are actually KGB spies. The show takes place in the 80s, which allows them to wear some pretty ridiculous wigs when they have to go undercover, but has also afforded Russell to slip into some unforgettable leather pants. The Americans will have you rooting for the enemy like never before, unless of course you are their FBI agent neighbor. The show is heavy and it’s dark but wow, is it worth it. The storytelling is unmatched, and this show knows how to do a suspenseful scene like it’s nobody’s business. The Americans is sexy, disturbing, deep, and nuanced all at the same time, and yes, you’ll even feel all that though the Russian subtitles. — Lea Palmieri

[Binge The Americans on Amazon Prime]

Original Network: NBC
Years on Air: (1990 – Present)
Number of Seasons: 20
Time To Binge: 19 days, 1 hour

The powers that be have made Law & Order nearly impossible to stream, but you can always binge-watch it on basic cable. You could even argue that Law & Order marathons helped pave the way for our voracious viewing habits.

[Binge Law & Order on Amazon Instant]

Original Network: HBO
Years on Air: (2011 – Present)
Number of Seasons: 6
Time To Binge: 2 days, 3 hours

People discovered this twisted fantasy series through binge-watching, but they’ve embraced Game of Thrones as one of the last great “watercooler” shows of our times. It would rank higher except for the fact that most viewers do watch it on a weekly basis now.

[Binge Game of Thrones on HBO Go]

Original Network: BBC One
Years on Air: (2005 – Present)
Number of Seasons: 10
Time To Binge: 6 days, 9 hours, 20 minutes (Modern Episodes)

Allons-y! For the uninitiated, it’s tempting to write off this British sci-fi series as cheesy and childish, but if you give Doctor Who a chance, it will never let you down. Both the original series, which premiered in 1963, and the 2005 continuation follow this pattern. The show follows the titular Doctor, a Time Lord as he travels through time and space itself, righting wrongs with his companion at his side. It’s a science fiction and nerd culture staple, but it wouldn’t be as all encompassing if it wasn’t so easy to stream. Doctor Who’s online availability has led to a whole new generation of dedicated and often overly-emotional Whovians.

If you’re wondering whether this daunting binge is worth it, rest assured it is. Doctor Who is a weird watch, but it’s also a highly entertaining, often funny, and heartfelt one. My advice? Start with the critically-acclaimed episode “Blink.” Then, though it’s tempting to skip, power through the first season of the continuation. It pays off. You’ll find yourself falling in love with David Tennant, Matt Smith, Billie Piper, Peter Capaldi, and yes, to a lesser extent, Christopher Eccleston, in no time. — Kayla Cobb

[Binge Doctor Who on Amazon Prime]

Original Network: HBO
Years on Air: (2001 – 2005)
Number of Seasons: 5
Time To Binge: 2 days, 4 hours, 30 minutes

Six Feet Under is a poignant look at the effect death has upon our lives and established HBO as the headquarters for brilliant TV storytelling.

[Binge Six Feet Under on HBO Go]

Original Network: ABC Family/Freeform
Years on Air: (2010 – Present)
Number of Seasons: 7
Time To Binge: 4 days, 7 hours, 11 minutes

Pretty Little Liars is one of the most bonkers binge-watches out there, but its charm doesn’t rest with shock value alone; Its core cast of characters is charming and winsome.

[Binge Pretty Little Liars on Netflix]

Original Network: NBC
Years on Air: (2009 – 2015)
Number of Seasons: 7
Time To Binge: 1 day, 21 hours, 50 minutes

Parks and Recreation is the rare comedy that balances razor sharp wit with true warmth.

[Binge Parks and Recreation on Netflix]

Original Network: PBS
Years on Air: (2010 – 2015)
Number of Seasons: 6
Time To Binge: 2 days, 3 hours, 42 minutes

What made Americans fall so hard for Downton Abbey? Sure, we loved watching the upper crust act uppity, but this was the first British period drama that served as much petty drama as an Aaron Spelling trashfest.

[Binge Downton Abbey on Amazon Prime]

Original Network: ABC
Years on Air: (2001 – 2006)
Number of Seasons: 5 (But we’re only recommending the first 3)
Time To Binge: 2 days, 15 minutes

This recommendation gets very specific, so pay attention. One of the best binge-watching experiences you could ever ask for is the first three seasons of Alias. You can watch the fourth and fifth if you like, but honestly maybe wait a few months or even a year. Seasons 1-3, though? It’s basically impossible to stop watching during that one anyway, and you’d hurt yourself if you try. Even though Alias premiered in 2001, before streaming was a thing, its episodes were structured for optimal binge-watching, with each hour ending in a cliffhanger that would get resolved in the first act of the next episode. If you ever meet anyone who says they can watch the season 2 finale without moving on immediately to the season 3 premiere, report that person to the FBI. They have doctors who can determine what’s wrong with them. — Joe Reid

[Binge Alias on Netflix]

Original Network: Netflix
Years on Air: (2015 – Present)
Number of Seasons: 1
Time To Binge: 9 hours

Much like the entire internet in December 2015, it’s hard to talk about great TV without bringing up Netflix’s Making a Murderer. The 10-part docu-series is a gripping must-watch all on its own, but the combination of its hard-to-believe subject matter, release date, and celebrity support almost immediately elevated the show to viral hit status. Filmed over the course of 10 years, the series follows Steven Avery, a Wisconsin native who was wrongly accused of sexually assaulting a woman. However, shortly after his release, Avery finds himself the main suspect in another large trial, this time for murder.

The series takes a disturbingly hard look at our legal system, questioning its justice as it ponders whether or not Avery and his nephew were framed for the murder. But more than that, Making a Murderer’s viral status launched the true crime wave that has characterized 2016 TV. The series also increased mainstream audience interest in both true crime and documentaries. Slow. Clap. — Kayla Cobb

[Binge Making a Murderer on Netflix]

Original Network: HBO
Years on Air: (2014)
Number of Seasons: 1
Time To Binge: 8 hours

Between the first season of the podcast Serial and the first season of HBO’s True Detective, the spring of 2014 was a truly glorious and unforgettable time for diving down pop culture rabbit holes. Both programs rightly became national obsessions, and we do mean obsessions: if we could somehow redirect the millions of hours we collectively spent on Reddit deciphering clues about Best Buy phoneboxes and researching obscure literary texts, our society probably could have accomplished something downright revolutionary. That’s not to dismiss the accomplishments of writer Nic Pizzolatto, director Cary Fukunaga, and actors Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, though; not since Twin Peaks (there’s that show again!) had a nation been so gripped by a mystical, magical, serialized whodunit.

As with anything that gets such breakout acclaim in its freshman season, though, the knives come out when Season 2 comes along. Both Serial and True Detective (and Twin Peaks, for that matter) metaphorically faceplanted in their sophomore seasons after being steamrolled by the hype train, but even these failures cannot erase the fond memories we’ll always have of their initial reign of all-consuming obsession. If you don’t already know who The Yellow King is (and even if you do), there’s no time like the present for a binge so you can find out (or find out again). — Mark Graham

[Binge True Detective on HBO Go]

Original Network: Fox/Netflix
Years on Air: (2003 – Present)
Number of Seasons: 4
Time To Binge: 1 day, 0 hours, 56 minutes

Arrested Development isn’t just a gloriously plotted comedy wonder, it was also one of the first cult hits to find new life and a new season as a Netflix Original.

[Binge Arrested Development on Netflix]

Original Network: NBC
Years on Air: (1999 – 2000)
Number of Seasons: 1
Time To Binge: 18 hours

Judd Apatow and Paul Feig’s fiercely sweet look back at adolescence was before its time. Freaks and Geeks helped pioneer the cause of the dramedy and launched the careers of a dozen major stars.

[Binge Freaks and Geeks on Netflix]

Original Network: NBC
Years on Air: (2006 – 2011)
Number of Seasons: 5
Time To Binge: 3 days, 4 hours

Friday Night Lights is an emotionally raw look at the lives and loves, triumphs and failures of one small town. It’s also a series that claws into you and dares you to stop watching.

[Binge Friday Night Lights on Netflix]

Original Network: Fox
Years on Air: (2003 – 2007)
Number of Seasons: 4
Time To Binge: 2 days, 16 hours, 24 minutes

The O.C. served as a bridge between teen dramas of the ’90s like 90210 and teen dramas of the aughts like Gossip Girl. The show excelled at taking stereotypes like the bad boy and the nerd and making them smart, funny, dynamic characters. They also achieved the nearly impossible by making the parents of the teen characters even remotely entertaining for the actual teens watching. Shoutout to Peter Gallagher’s Sandy Cohen and his perfect bagel schmears! The brilliance of this show is only proven by the fact that, despite flip phones and Death Cab For Cutie songs, it largely still holds up. The show was responsible for highlighting several bands during it’s run, with its soundtracks proving to be wildly popular with both people who openly admitted that they watched the show and those who kept it more of a secret. Because they watched, for sure. The characters were never forced to sound too much more mature than they actually were a la Dawson’s Creek, and the show played on the strengths of its stars Adam Brody, Rachel Bilson, Ben McKenzie, Mischa Barton, even giving quite a boost to guest stars such as Olivia Wilde, Chris Carmack, Autumn Reeser, and Chris Pratt. Season 1 is great, season 2 is even better, season 3 falls (literally) off a cliff, and season 4 gives a super strong effort at making the characters seem interesting in college, while wrapping it all up in a totally satisfactory way for fans. — Lea Palmieri

[Binge The O.C on Hulu]

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