When I was a kid, watching TV was pretty much just flipping through like 13 channels and then picking the best show on at that moment.
Today, we have thousands of shows available to us at any time of day or night. And with so many choices, it can be overwhelming to decide what to spend your time watching.
I wish I could tell you that I spend all my free time reading classic novels, but the truth is, I love watching television and show production and quality is better than ever these days.
Here are some of my favorites…let me know some of yours!
#1 Reboot
I just finished the first season of this Hulu comedy by Steven Levitan (creator of Modern Family). Keegan-Michael Key, Rachel Bloom, Judy Greer and Paul Reiser play actors and writers trying to reboot a 20 year old sitcom. The casting is great and the jokes are solid.
#2 The Outlaws
Christopher Walken leads an eclectic cast of lawbreakers in this highly-rated dark comedy on Amazon Prime Video.
#3 Hacks
Jean Smart is brilliant playing a legendary Las Vegas comedian who is in danger of losing her residency at the Palmetto Casino. Her agent sends her a young comedy writer, and well, they don’t exactly click. Drama and comedy ensue.
#4 Virgin River
I’m including this one on my fall list even though Season 4 came out a couple of months ago. It’s a sweet show, set in a small town, and the scenery is incredible. Even though the premise is a bit cliche’ (girl from big city moves to small town, meets rugged boy), it somehow all works without being too cheesy LOL.
#5 Severance
A psychological thriller starring Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, Christopher Walken, and John Turturro, among others. The show has a very original premise: it’s about office workers whose memories have been surgically divided between their work and personal lives. It took me probably three episodes to get into it, but after that I was hooked.
#6 Loot
The funny and talented Maya Rudolph starts in this show about a woman who gets an 87 billion dollar divorce settlement. It’s funny, but also has heart.
#7 Abbott Elementary
This funny sitcom on ABC is about a group of dedicated teachers at a Philadelphia public school. The show is a favorite with critics with a whopping 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Plus the main character’s name is the same as mine (Janene), which I don’t see too often! Season 2 is out now on ABC.
#8 White Lotus
This show is on the quirkier side, but I enjoyed it. It’s about several groups of strangers and their stay at a luxury resort. Jennifer Coolidge steals the show, as usual.
#9 House of the Dragon
I didn’t see a single episode of Game of Thrones the first nine years it was on. Just wasn’t at all interested in some dragon show. And then one Mother’s Day, I got sick and ended up on the couch for like three days, and I decided to see what all the hoopla was about. By episode 5 I was hooked and I then binge-watched the series faster than I had ever watched anything in my life. House of the Dragon is a prequel, but you really don’t need to have seen Game of Thrones to watch, it takes place 200 years prior, so all of the characters are different. I just finished Season 1 and I’d say it’s not quite Game of Thrones good yet, but still worth a watch!
#10 Grey’s Anatomy
Ok, I know this one isn’t new, but it’s back this fall for Season NINETEEN. Also, it’s fairly new to me, because this was a quarantine binge for myself and my teenage daughter. At this point, I feel like I could perform a double organ transplant, no prob. Kidding.
Since Netflix is a popular streaming service, here are a few older shows I recommend, all on Netflix:
- Ozark
- The Queen’s Gambit
- Bridgerton
- Maid
- Ginny & Georgia
- Shameless
