I’ve always been a huge fan of watching long TV shows that pull me in episode after episode. Not a lot of things hit as much as curling up in bed and binge-watching a show for hours on end. Here are seven shows available on Netflix that I keep coming back to again and again.
8
Gilmore Girls
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I’m the biggest fan of shows set in the early 2000s, especially those in small, cozy towns full of charm and heart. Gilmore Girls is one of the shows I’ve found that fits that vibe perfectly. I’ve watched the entire series nineteen times (probably even more), and it never gets old.
The show follows the lives of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, a mother and daughter navigating their extremely close-knit town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. The duo experience everything you can think of — from quirky (read: absolutely hilarious) town events and heartfelt family moments to the ups and downs of friendship and love.
What’s so great about Gilmore Girls is how easy it is to follow and get into. The dialogue is so fast-paced and sharp that it keeps you on your toes, making every episode a delight to watch. The show is the definition of comfort TV. Ironically enough, an episode is playing right next to me as I write this!
7
Gossip Girl
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If you love a good mix of glam, drama, and scandal, Gossip Girl is an absolute must-watch. Set in the Upper East Side of New York City, the show follows the lives of wealthy teenagers as their secrets and relationships are exposed by the mysterious blogger known only as “Gossip Girl.”
The show is filled with jaw-dropping betrayals, complicated friendships, and steamy romances that keep you glued to the screen. After Gilmore Girls, I think it makes the best watch in the background while you’re multitasking. It’s addictive enough to keep you hooked but light enough to follow even if you’re only half paying attention.
6
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
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This is probably the show I finished the fastest, even though it had nine seasons. Brooklyn Nine-Nine follows multiple police detectives stationed in, well, the 99th precinct of the New York City Police Department.
It’s a hilarious mix of crime-solving, office antics, and quirky characters who somehow make police work endlessly entertaining. Unlike the rest of the shows on this list, Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s episodes are short and snappy, but packed with non-stop laughs.
Each character is brilliantly written, with unique quirks and personalities that make the squad feel like a close-knit family you want to be part of. Though the show was canceled by Fox in 2018, NBC fortunately picked it up, giving fans plenty more hilarious episodes to enjoy. If you’re looking for a show that’s equal parts funny and heartwarming, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is an absolute must-watch.
5
How to Get Away With Murder
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There aren’t many shows that have come close to convincing me to change my career path, but How to Get Away With Murder did just that. After watching it for the first time, I was tempted to drop out of my computer science major and enroll in law school instead. That’s how great the show is. How to Get Away With Murder follows five ambitious law students, known as the Keating Five, who work closely with their brilliant and mysterious professor, Annalise Keating.
Each member of the group, along with Annalise’s trusted associates, quickly finds themselves caught up in a series of high-stakes murder cases that test their morals and the law itself. The show masterfully intertwines legal drama with psychological suspense, revealing secrets piece by piece through non-linear storytelling.
Each episode ends with a cliffhanger that leaves you itching to watch the next one, no matter how late it is. The characters are complex, flawed, and just… incredibly real. Throughout the show’s six seasons, you watch them grow, break, and rebuild themselves in ways that feel both heartbreaking and inspiring.
4
Stranger Things
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Out of all the shows on this list, this is probably the one you’ve heard about multiple times, even if you’ve never seen an episode. Stranger Things is a sci-fi horror adventure series set in the 1980s in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana.
The story begins with the mysterious disappearance of 12-year-old Will Byers, which sets off a chain of events involving secret government experiments, supernatural creatures from an alternate dimension known as the Upside Down, and a girl with telekinetic powers named Eleven. Stranger Things is the perfect blend of suspense and nostalgia, with a cast of lovable characters and plenty of twists to keep you hooked from start to finish.
Just keep in mind this is the only show on the list that hasn’t finished airing yet, so you’ll have to wait for the final season to see how it all ends. The Netflix Original’s final season has been split into three parts, with the first volume releasing on November 26, 2025, the second on December 25, 2025, and the finale episode dropping on New Year’s Eve 2025.
3
Vampire Diaries
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If you’re into supernatural drama with a mix of mystery and romance, The Vampire Diaries is a must-watch. The show is set in the town of Mystic Falls and follows Elena Gilbert, a high school student coping with the recent loss of her parents in a tragic car accident. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets the mysterious Stefan Salvatore, who just so happens to be a vampire.
Things get even more complicated with the arrival of his older brother, Damon, whose dark and unpredictable nature stirs up trouble. Over eight seasons, you’ll get a perfect blend of love triangles, ancient curses, witches, werewolves, and of course, plenty of vampire drama. The Vampire Diaries is the kind of show you’ll end up binging late into the night, and no matter how many times I watch it, I always find myself drawn right back into the supernatural chaos.
2
The Originals
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The Originals is a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries that you can still enjoy as a stand-alone series. It follows the original vampire family, the Mikaelsons, as they return to a city they helped build centuries ago: New Orleans.
The three ancient Mikaelson siblings, Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah, soon find that old rivalries, dangerous alliances, and new enemies threaten everything they once ruled. The five-season show blends supernatural drama, political power struggles, and intense family dynamics, exploring themes of loyalty, betrayal, and redemption, making it a series that keeps you hooked from start to finish.
1
Shadowhunters
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Another supernatural show I just can’t get enough of is Shadowhunters. It’s based on The Mortal Instruments book series by Cassandra Clare, which is the primary reason I even gave it a shot in the first place. The series follows an art student, Clary Fray, who discovers on her 18th birthday that she’s a Shadowhunter — part-angel warriors sworn to protect the human world from demons.
Before she knows it, she’s pulled into a dangerous new reality filled with demons, warlocks, vampires, and werewolves. Her mother, Jocelyn, is abducted by the extremist Valentine, forcing Clary to navigate this new world while trying to rescue her and uncover the secrets of her own past.
Along the way, she forms bonds with fellow Shadowhunters like Jace, Alec, and Isabelle. It’s the perfect show to binge-watch if you’re into action-packed fantasy dramas with supernatural politics.
The only warning I’d like to give is that the show did end up getting canceled after its third season, so don’t expect every plotline to get tied up neatly. That said, I do think watching the show is still worth it, and it’s a binge you’ll find yourself thinking about long after the final episode. Every time I binge-watch it again, I’m tempted to pick up the books all over again.
