As we continue to power through the spring semester, it’s important to take some time to catch up on some good ol’ self-care. College, more than most other chapters of our life, presents a unique opportunity when it comes to free time. Regardless of one’s schedule, we could all use a destresser once in a while. Yes, there’s always music, working out or some other recreational activity — but nothing quite hits the same itch as binge-watching some good television. What better way to spend some free time than to kick back and get invested in some excellent storytelling?
The issue in binge-watching, however, becomes the moment you decide you would like to watch some TV. You lay down on your bed, you open up your laptop or flip through your Roku and then, to your brain’s dismay, you sit there and flip through rows and rows of shows and movies trying to figure out only what is good, but what you are in the mood for. It’s taxing work! And as previously mentioned, you don’t get this time often so you better use it wisely.
Well, as someone who has found some good free time to check out some shows, I’ve made it my mission to find the gems so you don’t have to waste your time finding out what to throw on. Across all the different platforms, here are the five shows I think you would most enjoy binging during your free time.
Starting with some zany fun, Netflix’s “Murderville,” is a really funny and unique take at a murder mystery, which also features Will Arnett as a grizzled crime detective, who is paired with a guest celebrity partner in each episode. The twist? The guest star is completely improvised… meaning they have to stumble their way through one silly mystery after another without any script. It’s short, sweet and a ton of fun.
Continuing with the murder mystery theme, what do you get when you mix a comedy legend, a wizard and Jack Frost? Well, if you throw those three into a heartfelt, funny murder mystery, you get Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building”. The show stars Steve Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short as three complete strangers who are brought together to solve a mystery. It’s a pretty random concept, right? Well, that’s the thing, the show is so fun and unique that by the second episode you’ll fall in love with this bizarre trio and their detective shenanigans.
Moving onto a personal choice is the excellently filmed and scored documentary series for the influential (and controversial) music and fashion icon, Kanye West. The three-part doc, titled “Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy,” just premiered on Netflix. It has garnered rave reviews, as it places the viewer in the shoes of a friend of Kanye’s who decides to drop everything and record the highs and lows of West from the very beginning of his career. While the subject of the documentary may be quite a polarizing figure today, here he is portrayed at his embryonic stage — a confident kid with big dreams who will stop at nothing to achieve the success that we know today he eventually finds. For anyone interested in the artist, music history or wants an uplifting pick-me-up, Kanye’s story is a refreshingly nuanced story of rags to riches.
Next, for all the fans of the ever-dominant superhero genre is the HBOMax original series “Peacemaker,” directed by James Gunn (Scooby-Doo, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 & 2) starring John Cena as the titular character. Coming off the heels of the surprisingly brilliant DC Comics film “The Suicide Squad,” also directed and written by Gunn, is this unruly spinoff that blends action, comedy and a shocking amount of heart. John Cena puts in a star turn as the main character, an anti-hero who is essentially Captain America mixed with Star-Lord and a touch of Deadpool, and the supporting cast of characters is so colorful and fun that you’ll be rooting for this raunchy band of superhero misfits. A second season from this show was just confirmed, as well as buzz for potential movie appearances from the characters. If you’re into this style of show, it will make for a fast-paced, high-energy romp of a miniseries.
To round out the bunch, we have the most basic of the group — the show I’m sure everyone has heard of HBO’s “Euphoria”. Now, if you have seen the show, I’m sure you know that this beast of a drama is unlike any other. The acting is superb, the score and soundtrack will leave you obsessed and the subject matter is topical and poignant (especially for this generation of audiences). Now if you haven’t watched the show, it really is a no-brainer, with one big caveat: it’s a very, very intensely graphic show. Much like other HBO romps like Game of Thrones, this show does not shy away from showing mature subjects in full display. But, if you can stomach some intense content, the writing and stylish directing make Euphoria an absolute must-watch.
So whether you’re in the mood for something lighthearted and fun, serious and captivating or just something to throw on in the background, these shows could be exactly what you’re looking for. Do yourself a favor and take some time to check these out for yourself! Speaking from experience here, you won’t regret it.
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