I know that with great weather comes more than enough reasons to spend all day outdoors, but no matter what the season, I'm always going to find an excuse to catch up on more TV. Nowadays, there are endless streaming possibilities, and I'm always finding shows that I've meant to watch but just haven't had the time for. When you have a few days with no social obligations coming up, why not find some shows you can binge in a weekend, regardless if the weather forecast subtly hints that you should hang out outside?
I'm far from being a master bingewatcher. I can barely handle an hour-long episode in one night, but if I'm faced with a short-lived series of half-hour episodes, I am in my prime. Thus, the majority of these selections range on the shorter side in both series and episode length. Some are also newer, currently airing shows with enough of a wait until the next season that you have time to catch up. Whether or not the show is still running, these binge-worthy picks could fly by so quickly that you might even have a bit of your weekend left to venture outside. Then again, if it's winter, don't even bother with stepping outdoors — after all, that's the reason Netflix exists!
Available on Netflix
Total Length: 2 Seasons
The source material for the American version of The Office is only 12 half-hour episodes and two longer Christmas specials in total, but that limited content must have been influential enough to inspire the States' hit series. As seen with the Steve Carell-helmed show, the UK series takes place at a paper company, following Ricky Gervais's bumbling office manager as he tries to be the "cool boss." And yes, there is a Jim and Pam equivalent here, so you have some office romance to look forward to. It could take you awhile to adjust to the dry British humor, but The Office is definitely worth trying.
Available on Netflix
Total Length: 2 Seasons (for now)
Dear White People just returned to Netflix with its second season, but half-hour episodes ensure that it can be a quick watch if you're a dedicated watcher. Introducing a group of black students at a predominantly white college, the show focuses on elements of social injustice that the students encounter. It tosses in relevant and fresh humor amidst the kids' difficult life lessons, so if you're currently in college, Dear White People will feel insanely familiar. It's also based on a 2014 movie with the same name, so check that out once you've seen the series.
Available on Netflix
Total Length: 1 Season (for now)
GLOW's second season is due out on Netflix on June 29, leaving you a nice chunk of time to tune in before new episodes arrive. Inspired by the true story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, GLOW is the answer to your search for an empowering drama that doesn't involve a crown (you know, because queens in the 1960s aren't for everybody). Struggling actress Ruth auditions for a women's wrestling league, but her former best friend also shows up for the opportunity, threatening the group's overall chance for success.
Available on Netflix
Total Length: 1 Season
This isn't your high school's interpretation of Pride and Prejudice. Based on a novel by P.D. James, Death Comes to Pemberley picks up six years after Elizabeth Bennet marries Mr. Darcy. Youngest Bennet sister Lydia visits the couple with her husband Mr. Wickham, who soon blames himself for a mysterious murder that happens near the Darcys' property. If you're a fan of period dramas, you literally have no excuse not to bang through this miniseries ASAP. The cast is also a who's who of actors often in historical drama shows — The Crown's Matthew Goode makes Wickham almost tolerable.
Available on Netflix
Total Length: 2 Seasons
Before she was a glamorous newspaper columnist in Manhattan, Carrie Bradshaw was a regular high school student in Connecticut with big city dreams. If you've finally exhausted yourself with multiple rewatches of Sex and the City, it's time to revisit The CW's slightly more innocent but just as fashionable prequel. I can't promise that it won't make you wait to watch the original show all over again, but we all need an occasional break from the often problematic adult Carrie, right?
Available on Hulu
Total Length: 1 Season
Before taking on several Marvel blockbusters, Joss Whedon created and wrote this short-lived but beloved sci-fi series. The show revolves around the nine crew members of the spaceship Serenity, which exists in a future timeline in which the characters are essentially space pioneers. Although it was cancelled after one season, Firefly later inspired a film called Serenity, bringing up the question of what the 2002 show could have done in today's era of social media fans often saving a series from cancellation.
Available on Amazon Prime
Total Length: 1 Season (for now)
Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino finally won critics' attention with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which introduces a 1950s Jewish housewife who finds her life in shambles when her husband abruptly leaves her. She turns to stand-up comedy as a means to reshape herself, but she learns that simply being funny doesn't guarantee comedic success. A second season is already in the works, but Season 1's eight episodes are a delight to get through. Lead actress Rachel Brosnahan has received much-deserved phrase for her portrayal of Midge Maisel, and you can definitely expect to see her name on a list of Emmy nominees later this summer.
Available on Amazon Prime
Total Length: 3 Seasons (for now)
Another British import, Catastrophe details the cringeworthy but funny aftermath of a vacation fling between an American guy and an Irish woman resulting in a pregnancy. Lead actors Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney also created and co-write the series, so watching their characters grow from strangers to co-parents feels like you're genuinely supporting Horgan and Delaney's passion project. A fourth season is reportedly scheduled for sometime this year, but each of the previous three seasons is only six episodes long, which practically screams, "Binge me!"
Available on Hulu
Total Length: 1 Season (for now)
I'm probably the only millennial writer out there who missed this show's run on Freefrom last year, but better late than never, right? Following three friends as they navigate the New York City magazine industry and their shifting identities, The Bold Type is essentially a Devil Wears Prada for the #MeToo, internet-savvy generation. Season 2 premieres on June 12, and the series officially has a third season in store too, so now is the time to watch all 10 episodes of Season 1.
Available on Netflix
Total Length: 1 Season
Cancelled after its first season launched on Netflix, Girlboss received mixed reviews, but its sudden ending just means that you can get through the series without worrying about a greater commitment to it. Based on businesswoman Sophia Amoruso's autobiography #GIRLBOSS, the series follows Britt Robertson's Sophia as a rebellious young adult who discovers a passion of selling vintage clothes online. If you spend your free time brainstorming the best way to run an Etsy shop, the entrepreneurial spirit of Girlboss is perfect for you.
Time to put on my sweatpants and start bingeing!
