22 TV Shows So Good They Force You to Binge

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There’s nothing better than finding a new TV show that ticks all the boxes: interesting characters, a good plot, and interesting themes and ideas. Even better, maybe there are several season to the show!

But then the inevitable happens: it’s so good you can’t stop watching. Then the new show that was going to take you next several months to watch is in the past in a matter of weeks because you just couldn’t turn it off.

We get it. Some series are so good they’re just binge-able. Or so good you can’t not binge them. Whether you’re in the mood for horror, crime, drama, comedy, or sci-fi, these ten shows will have you glued to the TV from start to finish. So if you’re looking for a new show to watch all weekend, or if you want to make an attempt at pacing yourself, keep reading!

1. Breaking Bad

Though it was hardly popular when it first aired in 2008, Breaking Bad has become the pinnacle standard of excellent television. It’s the highest-rated show on IMDb, with a 9.5 rating by 1.9 million users.

It follows the character arc of a chemistry teacher turning to cooking illegal substances, who becomes the most powerful and sought-after kingpin in Albuquerque, all in an attempt to earn money for his family after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. The writing from show creator Vince Gilligan is unmatched. It’s a must-watch for anyone who values gripping stories with compelling characters.

2. Better Call Saul

Another remarkable achievement by brilliant Vince Gilligan (and Peter Gould) is Better Call Saul, the prequel to Breaking Bad. When this show was first announced, everyone predicted it would be a failure that couldn’t possibly live up to the impossible standard set by Breaking Bad. Boy, were they wrong.

The series takes some time to unfold compared to its forerunner but ultimately gratifies those who remain committed to it. Boasting an IMDb rating of 8.9, it ranks as the 34th most highly-rated program on the platform and has earned a staggering 60 Emmy nominations.

3. Severance

We were pleasantly surprised to mention Severance because it’s criminally underrated. The program delves into the consequences of technological progress that enables individuals to “disconnect” their minds via a surgical process, separating their personal and professional existences and generating two distinct individuals.

While only one season has aired so far, it’s easily one of the best sci-fi shows we’ve ever seen and is a top contender with the greatest shows of all time, like Breaking Bad. It’s rated 8.7 on IMDb and won 2 Emmy Awards. Adam Scott excels in this dramatic role, even though it falls outside his usual comedic repertoire.

4. House of Cards

The first five seasons of this show were brilliant, gripping, and dark, but since Kevin Spacey had to be cut from the show, the creators had to keep going without the series’ main character. If you need to, just pretend season six never happened.

Despite the disastrous last season, it remains highly rated, at 8.7 on IMDb, and won seven Emmys. It chronicles the political scandals and the rise to power of a corrupt congressman and his equally scheming wife as they seek vengeance against those who have crossed them.

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5. Degrassi: The Next Generation

Degrassi ran from 2001 to 2015, and was massively popular with very high ratings. It follows the lives of various students attending Degrassi High. The show is a trailblazer for exploring dark and taboo subjects teenagers face, such as eating disorders, substance abuse, self-harm, gender identity, and firearm violence. Rapper “Drake,” known then as Aubrey Graham, got his start on this show.

There are 14 seasons, and though the show starts to morph into a story following entirely different characters toward the end, there are still at least nine solid seasons with about 20 episodes each season.

6. Mr. Robot

Mr. Robot is another underrated gem from 2015 to 2019. Though it’s not as popular as some other successful shows, it received praise from those who did watch it. It’s rated 8.5 on IMDb, earned 3 Emmys, and launched the successful career of Rami Malek.

Malek plays Elliot, a socially awkward software engineer by day and vigilante computer hacker by night, who tries to take down the evil corporation he works for with a group called FSociety. There are 45 episodes spread across four seasons, and you’ll want to watch them all day and night. The only bad part is that feeling you get once it’s over.

7. True Blood

Several recommend True Blood, which aired from 2008 to 2014. Yes, it’s a show about vampires, but no, it’s not some cringy teenage show. It stars Anna Paquin as Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic human/faerie hybrid who becomes acquainted with the supernatural world of vampires in her small Louisiana town.

Seven seasons and 81 episodes are worth watching, but the last season loses some steam. Nevertheless, it’s rated 7.9 on IMDb and was nominated for numerous Emmys. One commenter says they love the show but that it lost them when they diverged from the books.

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8. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Law & Order SVU has earned the title of longest-running live-action primetime TV series in U.S. history, with 532 episodes and 24 seasons. With 24 Emmy nominations and six wins, this iteration of Law & Order has been a fan favorite. It follows the NYPD’s Special Victims Unit detectives, which investigates crimes and offenses around abusing and taking advantage of others.

This show has many compelling performances, from its stellar cast to its phenomenal guest stars. It’s no mystery why it’s still rated 8.1 on IMDb after all these years.

9. Succession

Fans insist that Succession is the most binge-able drama on this list. It’s an easy show to keep watching one episode after another in succession, and it’s an easy rewatch; many viewers find something new to enjoy with each viewing. It has one of the highest ratings on IMDb at 8.8 and has won 13 Primetime Emmys.

The show follows the Roy family, a powerful family in control of the world’s largest media and entertainment company when their father suddenly steps down. Members of the Roy family employ calculation and cunning as they vie for the position of successor. So far, there are three seasons, and a fourth one is coming.

10. The Expanse

Rated 8.5 on IMDb, The Expanse takes place in the 24th century in a world where humans have inhabited other planets in the solar system. The characters must untangle a vast conspiracy that complicates diplomatic relations between Earth and other planets, such as Mars. From 2016 to 2022, The Expanse aired six seasons packed with cutting-edge sci-fi, excellent writing, and world-building.

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11. Friends

There’s nothing quite like the crazed adventures of six friends living next door to each other in New York City. From Monica’s high-strung nervousness to Chandler’s sarcasm and Rachel’s pampered personality, these six unlikely people stick beside each other though good and bad through ten season with sass, humor, compassion and a good dose of reality.

12. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

While later seasons of this show take a dive by reviving old villains to keep the tired plot going, the first several seasons are excellent. The character arc of Daisy Johnson (Chloe Bennet) from hacker living in her van to inhuman superhero, and all the twists and turns of the plot that bring here there, are a compelling watch that’ll keep you going from one episode to the next long past your bedtime.

13. Once Upon a Time

Every single episode of Once Upon a Time brings a tiny clue about how the fairy-tale characters trapped in a modern world can escape back to the realities they should inhabit. And each episode also brings a heart-breaking setback. This plot will keep you skipping ahead to the next episode, hoping that somebody will finally catch a break from the cruel plots of Mr. Gold/Rumplestiltskin and the evil queen/Mayor Regina Mills.

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14. Sherlock

This is a TV show that acts more like a series of movies; each episode is about 90 minutes and contains as much plot as a full movie. But the episodes are tied together nonetheless, and you’ll be watching them as fast as you can once you get started. Unlike most other interpretations of the famous Sherlock Holmes, this series doesn’t only feature crimes and detective work, but a real character arc for the enigmatic Sherlock Holmes himself, ending with a character development and a backstory that’ll break your heart a little. It might even leave you wanting to watch the whole thing again!

15. Emily in Paris

we’ll be the first to admit that Emily in Paris is a guilty-pleasure show. The characters are dramatic and sometimes back-stabbing, the show caricatures French people and culture, and there’s no way Emily could afford those expensive clothes on an average marketing employee’s budget. But all the same, the twists and turns (and the fashion!) will keep you watching this show long after you promised yourself you’d turn it off. It’s just that attention-grabbing.

16. Gilmore Girls

There’s something so compelling about the small community and laugh-worthy characters of Stars Hollow. If you didn’t grow up in a small town yourself, Gilmore Girls will have you wishing you had. The adventures of Lorelai, Rory, and their community are packed with sass and spice and real friendship. You’ll want to watch all seven seasons right in a row. Rory’s dreams of college and career and Lorelai’s dreams for the hotel and her love life play out in the setting of an everybody-knows-everybody community and the upscale drama of Lorelai’s parents; all in all, it’s a must-watch series.

17. Community

At the beginning of the show Community, seven college students band together in a study group; some hoping to learn, and some just hoping that their friends will do the studying for them. By episode two, you’ll be convinced that every character on the show is terrible, but the good news is that there’s nowhere to go but up. But as the 20-minute episodes continue, each of them begins to learn not just Spanish and economics, but how to be a better friend. You’ll be hooked enough to keep watching one episode after another about the struggles of attending community college.

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18. The Great British Baking Show

There’s no show better for relaxing than the real-life drama in The Great British Baking Show. It’s low stakes enough to not keep you tense like other shows, but as the competitors are narrowed down one by one until there’s a final champion, you’ll be watching the episodes as fast as they come out. You might even go back to old seasons just to binge-watch those while you wait for new episodes to drop. Trust us; the Baking Show is pure gold.

19. Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey is famous for showing not only how the wealthy elite lived in the early 20th century, but how the lives and dramas of servants played out as well. This show features everything from will-they-won’t-they romances to plots and intrigue, question of inheritance, and competition between servants, friends, and sisters. In the setting of the years just before and after World War I, the classism of England begins to falter, women gain a larger role in society, and the wealthy Crawley family begins to wonder how they’ll make ends meet for the first time in their lives. The drama builds slowly, but it’s intense enough to keep you clicking on the next episode every time you finish another!

20. Stranger Things

The TV series Stranger Things features a unique mix of 80’s culture, paranormal activity, and small town appeal, all portrayed by excellent actors. This blend of perfect ingredients sets the stage for a town that’s turned inside out by the portal to another dimension, Upside Down, that opens in their town. Throughout the show, portals open and close to the Upside Down dimension, characters are inhabited or possessed by forces from Upside Down, and others display psychic powers. All together, the show is a fan favorite, and if you haven’t seen it, we’re giving this one two thumbs up!

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21. The Good Place

What if the whole idea of the afterlife … is wrapped up in a joke? Like Community, The Good Place begins with characters who don’t have a whole lot going for them, except that they all think they’re good enough to end up in heaven. But when they uncover where they really are, they’re faced with the question of why. There are more questions than answers in the beginning of this show, and each episode is just going to make you want to watch more as you try to figure out what in the world, or out of it, is going on here.

22. The Office

The Office is one of the greatest relaxing shows out there. For nine seasons, follow along with Jim and Pam and all the others as they plan parties and pranks just to try to cope with a day-job that none of them love. As time goes on, their lives become more tied together, and they each form the most unlikely of friendships. You may just find yourself watching whole seasons at a time to see the dry humor and caricature of office life played out in this show.

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