If you’ve got a week off work, or you’ve got a hankering for lengthy dramas with tons of twists and turns, look no further than your Netflix account for TV’s best. Without further ado, here’s a few shows to rotate or binge-watch this December.
Best Netflix to Binge-Watch During Holiday Break
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The Office
The Office is a Netflix staple and one of NBC’s best situation comedies in decades. Simply put, it's fantastic. While the show starts slowly and eases the viewer into awkward situations that everyone deals with in daily working life, it also allows a huge cast of likable coworkers to shine from moment to moment. Obviously, Michael and his sidekick Dwight drive a lot of the hilarious action, but one can always look back fondly on one-liners from the likes of Meredith, Oscar, Creed, and the annex. Look out for fire drills!
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Breaking Bad
I’ve seen a few episodes of this show and it is one of the most stressful things on television, particularly as it gets the viewer to care about a pair of meth-cooking maniacs and the twisting, dangerous relationships they form with other narcotics dealers and one determined DEA agent. The entire show is available to watch on Netflix now, which means you won’t have to deal with any end-of-season cliffhangers. If you’ve managed to avoid a series finale spoiler up to this point, or you’ve conveniently forgotten the Internet’s ability to ruin things by boldly sharing key details, you’ll love the way this one wraps up.
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The Wonder Years
If you’ve never wanted to watch Fred Savage, you don’t have to watch The Wonder Years, but if you want to watch Fred Savage grow up you can do so faster than anyone should with all six seasons of The Wonder Years. Not only is Danica McKellar still one of the most endearing girls-next-door types written into a syndicated television series, but a lot of the plot lines hold up today by asking the viewer to imagine what life would be like without all the technology we drag around with us today.
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Star Wars: The Clone Wars
This Cartoon Network series took diehard Star Wars fans through the period of time that transpired between prequels. Anakin and Obi-wan have to go through quite a lot to ensure the Republic stands despite issues surrounding the conflict between the Senate and the Trade Federations. With six seasons to watch on Netflix, fans of the franchise shouldn’t wait around for another trailer. Get your Star Wars fix in the extended universe!
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Doctor Who
This British television series goes a long way to grab science fiction fanatics, but the time-twisting tales end up making it an entertaining series to binge-watch given the way nothing ever seems to go exactly right. Between aliens and personal dramas, the Doctor has his work cut out for him. Enter the TARDIS and find out why millions the world over love Doctor Who.
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Psych
The handful of episodes I’ve watched in the Psych television series left me with one impression: these guys love the 80s. I’m a 90s kid, I love 90s music, but what Shawn and his partner Burton do with the 80s often proves hilarious and counter to the mysteries they’re trying to solve. With seven seasons of the show on Netflix, try to watch at least the first season before you write it off. As is the case with many of these TV recommendations, binge-watching means you have to get a little drunk first.
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Batman Beyond
I love this future-facing vision of Batman, his detective skills, his gadgets, and Bruce Wayne’s desire to ensure peace for Gotham with or without his cape and cowel. You could say that Terry, the youngster taking up the Batman mantle after discovering the Wayne estate complains a bit too much, but that plays into a wonderful dynamic with Kevin Conroy as “Old Batman” as opposed to “Angry and Yelling at Blimps Batman” as seen in the (perhaps better) 90s cartoon series. Batman Beyond only lasts for three seasons, but in that time, viewers will find villains old and new. There’s also a Batman Beyond animated movie if you’re really dedicated.
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The West Wing
While most dramas lend themselves to binge-watching thanks to the way a lot of episodes feature cliffhangers or twists, The West Wing may do this better than most as one of the originators of full-season DVD sets and the trend that television was meant to be watched this way. Following President Bartlet through a few seasons will give you a sense of politics in America, though it may seem a bit dated today. By the end of the series, the focus turns to include the election process so make sure to add this to your queue before the next presidential debate.
