Suddenly, it seems that all show-watching has turned into “binge watching.” Whether it comes in the form of spending an entire Saturday losing yourself in Game of Thrones or simply keeping a few episodes of the Big-Carrie-Aidan love triangle on in the background while cleaning at home, what was once an occasional indulgence has now become a commonplace occurrence. No complaints: inhaling multiple episodes of a streaming series in one go is a total luxury—and luckily, there are plenty of high-quality shows to keep us entertained. We binge watchers have evolved from gourmands to gourmets.
My own personal binge-watching journey began in the early aughts, when my laptop and I would travel with a small binder of Simpsons DVDs. Dead time on flights or quiet escapes to my hotel room were filled with a constant vitamin drip of 22-minute, brightly-colored comedy. It was bliss.
Since then, a great deal has happened in what we used to call TV. The streaming era has opened up nearly everything and anything that’s ever been on the small screen to an endless offering that can be consumed on demand. How do you decide what’s worthwhile among all the options? A truly binge-worthy show must be highly engaging and able to withstand countless replays—but like most things, it’s up to you to figure out your own rules.
To help, here’s a list of some of the very best shows to binge watch of all time, from eternal classics to recent favorites. Whatever your binging style, there’s bound to be something to explore, revisit, and watch from beginning to end—on repeat, if desired. My main advice? Have fun. (And if you’re looking for reality shows—an entirely different type of binging!—check out our list here.)
The Crown
What I love most about The Crown, especially the early seasons, is that every shot looks like it cost a million dollars. Playwright and screenwriter Peter Morgan’s illustrious stab at the inner workings of the most famous, insular, and once-powerful family on the planet never doesn’t look like the real deal. Excellent acting aside (Olivia Coleman’s superbly taught Queen Elizabeth, Emma Corrin’s delicate Diana, Matt Smith’s callow Prince Philip, and Gillian Anderson’s decisively unflappable Margaret Thatcher remain standouts), this show’s set design, cinematography, costumes, and writing keep us hooked as we watch the mighty Royal House of Windsor slowly devolve.
Length: 6 seasons, 50 episodes
Watch it on: Netflix
Atlanta
Once a year, I’ll make Julia Child’s boeuf en daube. Essentially, it’s a richer beef stew, made in a Provençal style that involves ungodly amounts of fat and an overnight marinade in Burgundy wine. Donald Glover and Atlanta are the equivalent of this dish: every bite is rich, layered, and wholly satisfying. Following a rapper and his cousin-manager as they navigate the peaks and pitfalls of new stardom, this satire explores contemporary fame, media, and art while also offering a thorough examination of family and friendships, embracing the profound, silly, and touching in a single shot. The only issue with Atlanta as a binge-watch is that it’s almost too rich, a complaint I wish I had about more series. Whether you watch one episode or a whole season, you’ll come away satiated.
Length: 4 seasons, 41 episodes
Watch it on: Hulu
30 Rock
The most quotable series since The Simpsons, 30 Rock is a show you can consume by the bowlful. Tina Fey’s NBC sitcom about a harried showrunner (Fey) who must contend with an unruly cast (headed by Tracy Morgan as Tracy Jordan, a just-this-side-of-sane version of himself), impending middle age, and a domineering boss (Alec Baldwin). Razor-sharp without ever taking itself too seriously, 30 Rock is a joyous send-up of New York, the changing TV business, and the combustible egos that fill both. Fun fact: Donald Glover, Atlanta’s creator and co-star, a.k.a. Childish Gambino, was plucked out of NYU as an undergrad to write for this show.
Length: 7 seasons, 139 episodes
Watch it on: Hulu
Gilmore Girls
This show is a salve. A mother-daughter duo making their way through life’s tiny trials and tribulations in the imaginary northeastern town of Stars Hollow will heal what ails you with its sweet (but not saccharine) writing, deft pacing, and relatable characters. There are boys, men, grandparents, and local color, but Lorelei and Rory Gilmore are the twin suns of this solar system—and their love, humor, and rat-a-tat dialogue delight. They overcome peer pressure, sexual dynamics, and family dysfunction with heart and smarts. Oh, and fun fact: Taylor Swift’s song “Champagne Problems” is about Rory’s relationship with her college boyfriend, Logan.
Length: 7 seasons, 153 episodes
Watch it on: Netflix
Lost
It’s difficult to express to non-millennials just how huge this show was in its time. (There was even a Brooklyn rock band, called Previously On Lost, that literally wrote songs detailing the show’s plot lines.) A network TV show causing this kind of stir in 2004 was a bit like Lacoste becoming—and then remaining—the hottest thing in fashion for five seasons. Though nominally about the passengers of a downed airplane trying to survive on a mysterious island, the show introduced a new kind of appointment television that swam with the media currents developing on social media and online, and leveraged its mysteries, melodrama, and mega budget into a celebratory, ubiquitous, fan-favorite miasma.
Length: 6 seasons, 121 episodes
Watch it on: Hulu
Bridgerton
Speaking of melodrama: the Bridgerton clan needs no introduction. Eight siblings navigate London society in Regency-era costumery with plenty of gossip and romance (and by “romance” we mean some of the most PG-friendly dirty sex that Netflix has ever produced) thrown in for good measure. One of the great joys of this series is how unseriously it takes itself, providing its puerility and lasciviousness without great amounts of moral baggage. No, it’s not Jullian Fellowes’s Downton Abbey, nor does it want to be. Bridgerton is too busy having fun—and we can’t help but join in.
Length: 3 seasons, 24 episodes
Watch it on: Netflix
Arrested Development
Worth it for the memes alone (if you can resist filling up your Instagram “favorites” folder post-viewing, you’re a stronger person than I am), the most sophisticated network comedy to grace the airwaves this millennium is also its most bingeable. “The story of a wealthy family who lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together…” is really all about the actors playing that family—an ensemble cast featuring Jason Bateman, David Cross, Jeffrey Tambor, and Jessica Walter—doing the absolute most with Mitchell Hurwitz’s inventive plotting, wordplay-ridden dialogue, and astoundingly sympathetic characters. The later seasons developed by Netflix (Fox aired the original) are skippable, but the original three seasons are nothing short of perfection.
Length: 5 seasons, 84 episodes
Watch it on: Netflix
Game of Thrones
Listen: the violence, sexual assault, incest, dragons, and zombies in this medieval fantasy are not for everyone. But it’s hard to argue with HBO’s record-breaking 44 million viewers (for the last season, which is not even one of the good seasons). What made viewers commit, dive deep, obsess over the show’s fashions—and return for more—were the surprisingly deep characterizations and Shakespearean themes. Oh, and the fact that these concepts were executed with top-tier actors (Maisie Williams, Peter Dinklage, Sophie Turner, Emilia Clarke), unbelievable sets, memorable special effects, and plenty of shocks along the way. Each episode is a tantalizing treat.
Length: 8 seasons, 73 episodes
Watch it on: Max
Sex and the City
Every now and then, when chatting about the ins, outs, and impossibilities of dating in New York City, someone will say—with exasperation, a laugh, or an eye roll—something like: “This is why they made a whole show about it.” Whether viewed as a romp, a relic, or a route to commiseration, the series about four friends trying to find love (or at least a good lay) in the world’s most competitive concrete jungle has stood the test of time. Beyond the addictive plot, unparalleled walk-ons, solid laughs, and dirty puns, this show excels at pacing. Producer Darren Star knows how to get the story where it needs to go, bopping from lover to lover, breakup to breakup, block to block. He does it in style, too—the costumes by Patricia Field are, without exaggeration, iconic—and binge-worthy on their own. (And, if you really want to keep binging, you can: there are also two full-length films and And Just Like That.)
Length: 6 seasons, 94 episodes
Watch it on: Max
Fleabag
I feel badly for anyone trying to write a limited series comedy after Fleabag: Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s show about a witty and wounded single woman navigating tragedy, family, and one very hot priest (Andrew Scott), hit the small screen like a tiny typhoon. While it might be possible for American television to produce something as tender, original, intimate, and profound, we have yet to see it. (The closest we’ve come, I believe, is Atlanta or Insecure, also on this list; or maybe My So Called Life—not on this list, but more than binge-worthy.) The binge-ability of this little miracle is a direct product of Waller-Bridge’s wit and the wonder of her talent: every time you watch it you will see, hear, or learn something new.
Length: 2 seasons, 12 episodes
Watch it on: Prime Video
Insecure
Issa Ray’s five-season HBO comedy is a pure delight; if you haven’t seen it yet, what are you waiting for? It’s right up there with Sex and the City and Fleabag in terms of relatability, sexiness, wit, and binge-ability—but also has the distinction of featuring an almost entirely Black cast (including Jay Ellis, Natasha Rothwell, and Yvonne Orji). Covering themes of friendship, empowerment, and personal growth, it follows two LA besties as they overcome their insecurities—in work, relationships, sex, friendship, apartments, culture, you name it—to ultimately become the most authentic versions of themselves. The soundtrack is on point (Frank Ocean, Tyler the Creator, Sza), the fashion is inspiring, and the dialogue is hilariously, realistically sharp. Plus, it’s a joy to see Los Angeles—often overlooked, downplayed, or ridiculed on modern TV—depicted through such a fond lens. It’s all so memorable that you’ll probably find yourself watching (and singing “Broken Pussy” to yourself) again and again.
Length: 5 seasons, 44 episodes
Watch it on: Max, Netflix, Prime Video
Dawson’s Creek
Right up there with Gilmore Girls and Felicity, Dawson’s Creek is hands-down one of the best shows to revisit if you’re going through a breakup or trying to make sense of a life change. Or, if you just want to soak up love-triangle melodrama featuring Katie Holmes, James van der Beek, and Joshua Jackson set to a nostalgic, late-’90s-early aughts soundtrack.
Length: 6 seasons, 128 episodes
Watch on: Hulu, Prime Video
Weeds
Centering on a woman who starts to sell pot in order to afford the lifestyle she and her kids have become accustomed to after her husband dies, Weeds is 100% a testament to the amazing talents of Mary-Louise Parker: She’s captivating, hilarious, and heartbreaking all at the same time. Fans of High Maintenance, Broad City, and Orange Is the New Black are sure to be more than satisfied.
Length: 8 seasons, 102 episodes
Watch it on: Netflix, Prime Video
Gossip Girl
The Upper East Side is a fierce place, especially when it’s your hometown. The ultimate book series turned TV series centers on a group of fashionable teenagers whose lives are chronicled by a mysterious onlooker who informs everyone of everyone else’s business. Suffice it to say, there’s no guilty pleasure quite like Gossip Girl (except maybe Emily in Paris, another contender for this list).
Length: 6 seasons, 121 episodes
Watch it on: Netflix, Prime Video
Parks and Recreation
Nobody on television will make you feel as good as Leslie Knope does: head of the parks and recreation department of Pawnee, Indiana, Amy Poehler’s character takes bureaucracy and office politics and turns them into a charming, hysterical adventure. The ensemble cast (including Aziz Ansari, Aubrey Plaza, Rashida Jones, and others) is delightful; you can’t not love the endlessly hilarious cameos by everyone from Fred Armisten to Michelle Obama. Fans of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Master of None, and Veep: take note.
Length: 7 seasons, 125 episodes
Watch it on: Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube
Entourage
Loosely based on the story of Mark Wahlberg’s rise to fame, Entourage follows a group of 20-somethings from Queens who accompany their celebrity friend (Adrian Grenier) to LA and live a life they’re unaccustomed to: being part of the Hollywood elite. Though it takes place in the early aughts, it feels both timeless and historic—a glimpse into a world that no longer exists, but feels just out of reach. (And Jeremy Piven’s Ari Gold—reportedly based on real-life agent Ari Emanuel—is unforgettably hilarious.)
Length: 8 seasons, 96 episodes
Watch it on: Max, Prime Video