Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Why Trust Us?
What makes a show worthy of a binge? Depends on who you're asking. For a comfort viewer, a bingeworthy show is an easy watch, a show you've probably seen before or heard a lot about, one where you can jump in halfway through the series and get a contained story in one episode, like The Office or a procedural like Grey's Anatomy. Network television lends itself best to this type of person, where there's often 20 or so episodes per season. You can watch television in the background while folding laundry or cleaning the house.
For others, a great binge is an engrossing mystery or some kind of short series you can watch in a weekend and be done with forever. The show pulls you in right away, and you have to find out what happens next. You probably love Mare of Easttown or Only Murders in the Building and don't mind a one season series, because there's always another short but sweet show waiting in your Netflix queue. You might even enjoy a longer, multi-season show too, but don't rewatch shows all that often.
It doesn't matter what kind of television viewer you are, there's an endless amount of content out there for you to sink your teeth into. Whether you're looking for a quick comedy, or a six-season drama, we've got you covered. There's a lot of classic, critically acclaimed television in our list, plus a number of shows we think deserve a bit more attention. Happy binging!
Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston star in what's arguably one of the best television shows of all time. Breaking Bad follows a high school chemistry teacher who, when he finds out he's dying from cancer, decides to become a drug lord with the help of one of his former students.
Only Murders in the Building (2021–)
What's more bingeable than a whodunit? Only Murders in the Building has two comedy legends–Steve Martin and Martin Short–alongside the charismatic Selena Gomez. This half-hour comedy is an easy watch, even with a suspenseful murder to solve.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Bad Sisters (2022- )
This underrated Apple TV+ gem is a dark comedy mystery that will have you hooked from the first minute. A group of four Irish sisters have a big mystery to hide when their other sister's awful husband winds up dead. The show is smart, funny, well-acted, and everything you could possibly want in a binge-worthy show.
The Penguin (2024 - )
Batman who? The Penguin is technically a spinoff/sequel of sorts to the 2022 hit The Batman, but this crime saga—centered on Colin Farrell's despicable Oz Cobb—proves there's far more going on in Gotham City than the happenings of Wayne Manor and the Batcave. One of 2024's best and most watchable shows.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Agatha All Along (2024)
Has the Marvel Cinematic Universe been in something of a slump? Uh, yeah. Is Agatha All Along a delightful, fun, romp? Yes! Coming from the same team as WandaVision (which you'll find a little further down on this list), Agatha All Along is led by a really fun cast that includes Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, and Aubrey Plaza. It's a good time and also manages to introduce some vital and enjoyable Marvel lore to the mix as well. This should be a step back in the right direction for the mega franchise—and one you'll burn through in short order.
Ripley (2024)
Andrew Scott follows in the footsteps of Dennis Hopper, Matt Damon, and John Malkovich to play author Patricia Highsmith's famous con artist/sociopath/murderer Tom Ripley in Netflix's Emmy-nominated Ripley, The show is engrossing, wonderfully shot, and you won't want to stop watching once you get started.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Fallout (2024 - )
Who says video game adaptations can't be good? After The Last of Us and, now, Fallout, things are certainly trending in the right direction. Of course, it helps when you have Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy as producers and a cast led by the incredibly talented Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins—but Fallout is just a good old fashioned big show done well. You'll burn through season 1 and be raring at the big for season 2 in no time.
Presumed Innocent (2024 - )
Are we seeing the revival of the legal thriller? After Anatomy of a Fall made a splash as the Oscars, Presumed Innocent captivated attention all over the place. Based on the Scott Turow novel of the same name (and previously adapted into a wonderful Alan J. Pakula film starring Harrison Ford), Apple TV+'s Presumed Innocent series updates the story for the present day and stars a fantastic Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead role. There are lots of twists and turns and you will enjoy each and every one of them.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
The Umbrella Academy (2019–2024)
Marvel isn't the only one who can make gripping superhero shows. Based on a comic book series of the same name, The Umbrella Academy follows a family of superpowered humans years after their heyday who have to come back together to save the world one last time. Stopping the apocalypse can get weird, emotional, and even involve a dance sequence or two.
Stranger Things (2016–Present)
Netflix's premier sci-fi series takes everything you loved about the '80s and puts it all in one place. When a young girl is found lost in the woods, a small town in Indiana finds itself the center of a major government conspiracy. Dungeons and Dragons fans? This one's especially for you.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
HBO knows how to make great television. So it's no surprise they (mostly) excelled at adapting an epic fantasy series involving a large swath of characters with complex political and military conflicts. Don't get attached to too many characters though, as you'll probably see them meet a gruesome fate. After all, a world of magic and dragons is a ruthless one.
Mare of Easttown (2021)
In our opinion, the best detective shows aren't procedurals, but short series you can finish in a weekend. Mare of Easttown is one such show, starring Kate Winslet as the titular Mare, a detective who must investigate the murder of a teen mom in a small town near Philadelphia.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
The Bear (2022– )
Hulu's sleeper hit of 2022 is The Bear. The comedy-drama follows Carmy, a talented chef who used to work at the best restaurant in the world, but left to take over his late brother's Italian beef sandwich shop. The show only further catapulted actor Jeremy Allen White, who starred in Showtime's Shameless, to fame.
The Sopranos (1999–2007)
If you ask most television critics what one of the best shows of all time is, they'd probably say The Sopranos (or its HBO counterpart The Wire). The drama ran for six seasons with a total of 86 episodes–including a finale still talked about to this day. It's not finish in a weekend TV, but it's still essential viewing.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Yellowjackets (2021– )
Yellowjackets has a solid fanbase, but arguably deserves more recognition. In its first season, the Showtime series received seven Primetime Emmy nominations and after its November 2021 premiere, earned a season two renewal a month later. The show jumps between the past and the present, following a group of teenagers who survive a plane crash, and their present selves.
Lost (2004–2010)
When people talk about appointment television, they're talking about shows like Lost. The show ran for six seasons, and followed survivors of a plane crash who discover various mysteries and secrets on the island they're trapped on. If you're someone who enjoys an intense mystery, Lost is for you.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Grey's Anatomy (2005–Present)
Much like the crime procedural, a staple of cable television is the medical drama. The weekly mysterious illness is the perfect dose of high stakes drama to make weeknights after work worth it. Grey's Anatomy is a mainstay of the genre, with a rotating cast of characters who weave their interpersonal conflicts into the overall plot. It's the perfect show to pop in and out as a casual viewer, but also to stick around if you want to.
Succession (2018–2023)
Succession somehow makes business deals way more interesting than they actually are. The HBO drama is centered on a fictional media company and the family who owns it. When the patriarch of the family considers retirement, his children each scramble to try and take over.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Euphoria (2019– )
Based on a short-lived Israeli series of the same name, Euphoria at its core is a high-budget, stylized Degrassi in the absolute best way. Zendaya plays Rue, a high schooler who battles drug use, along with her friends, who grapple with romance, crime, and everything else high schoolers really really shouldn't be involved in.
Arcane (2021– )
Besides Pokemon, most video game adaptations are, honestly, awful. The League of Legends series Arcane, however, is a diamond in a sea of disappointing attempts. Set in the game's universe, two sisters find themselves in the midst of a conflict among a city's elite and poor. You don't need to have played the massively popular online game to enjoy the show, just sit back and watch.
