Have plenty of time to kill but aren't sure what to watch? Want to binge watch, but aren't sure what to choose? Look no further! I've spent plenty of time sitting on my couch watching television and can make your life much simpler. Here are 15 shows on Netflix right now that are great for binge watching.
1. Arrow (2012-Present, 4 seasons)
After being shipwrecked, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) is left stranded on an island. Five years later, he finally makes his way home to Starling City where many things have changed. Though on the outside he appears to be the same carefree playboy everyone knows, Oliver is a changed man. He is determined to right the wrongs of his father and clean up the city by becoming a vigilante.
2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003, 7 seasons)
Set in the fictional town of Sunnydale, Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is the latest Slayer, a chosen female given the strength and skills to fight vampires and the forces of darkness. She is destined to save the world. She is aided in her quest by her Watcher and "The Scooby Gang". As if vampire slaying wasn't enough, a mysterious man named Angel (David Boreanaz) shows up to warn her that evil is coming. Buffy learns that high school can quite literally be hell when she finds out her school sits on top of a Hellmouth. Follow Buffy the Vampire Slayer as she experiences high school and college, falls in love, and battles the forces of evil over and over in an attempt to save the world.
3. The Crown (2016-Present, 1 season)
Chronicling the life of Queen Elizabeth II (Claire Foy), The Crown's first season starts in the 1940s and ends in 1955. The show follows Elizabeth from her wedding to Prince Philip (Matt Smith) to the death of her father, King George VI (Jared Harris) to her coronation and early reign. Already receiving critical acclaim for it's superb acting and wonderful script, The Crown manages to humanize a rather extraordinary family. Full of historical events, romance, drama, and one woman's drive to be a great queen, The Crown is one of the most binge-worthy shows on Netflix.
4. Friday Night Lights (2006-2011, 5 seasons)
In the fictional town of Dillon, Texas, football reigns supreme. Recently hired as the football coach for the Dillon Panthers, Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) quickly learns that Friday night is the most important night of the week in Dillon. Things don't start out well for Coach Taylor when his star quarterback is injured in the first game of the season. Coach Taylor must find a way to bring his team together and win a state championship if he wants to remain in Dillon. Friday Night Lights has received critical acclaim for its ability to realistically portray Middle America and the many issues within American culture - racism, drugs, abortion, school funding, and lack of economic opportunities. Friday Night Lights is a show full of heart and football that always reminds us: "Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose."
5. Friends (1994-2004, 10 seasons)
Monica (Courteney Cox), Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Chandler (Matthew Perry), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), and Ross (David Schwimmer) are six friends trying to find success and happiness in New York City. The series follows their lives over the course of ten years as the group experiences family troubles, romance, surprises, and lots of drama. Ultimately the show centers on the six friends as they learn what it really means to be friends.
6. Gilmore Girls (2000-2007, 7 seasons)
Gilmore Girls follows quirky single mother Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her genius daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel) who live in Stars Hollow, a town chock full of eccentric people. After getting pregnant at the age of 16, Lorelai ran away from her wealthy, appearance-obsessed parents to make a life for herself and her daughter. However, after Rory gets accepted into Chilton Preparatory School, Lorelai finds herself back on her parent's door in an attempt to get the money to pay for her tuition. The series explores many issues pertaining to family, romance, social class, and generation divides. It's unique characters, fast-paced dialogue, and many pop-culture references, make Gilmore Girls a show you should definitely consider binge watching.
7. Grey's Anatomy (2005-present, 12 seasons)
Set in Seattle, Washington, Grey's Anatomy follows a group of interns, residents, and attendings as they all work to become doctors. The show revolves around Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), the daughter of famous surgeon Ellis Grey, as she enrolls in an internship program at Seattle Grace Hospital. Things take a turn for the complicated when Meredith has a one night stand with a guy she met at the bar only to find out that he works at the same hospital she does...and he's married. Meredith and her fellow interns face many challenges and surprises as they learn how to balance work and their personal lives.
8. Lost (2004-2010, 6 seasons)
A group of plane crash survivors find themselves stranded on an island somewhere in the Pacific. This motley crew, which includes doctor Jack (Matthew Fox), fugitive Kate (Evangeline Lilly), con man Sawyer (Josh Holloway), lottery winner Hurley (Jorge Garcia), and the mysterious John (Terry O'Quinn), quickly learn that survival is all the more difficult because it is no ordinary island. Interwoven into the story of survival are flashbacks to the pasts of the main characters. As more discoveries are made, the survivors realize that it was more than a coincidence that brought them together.
9. Merlin (2008-2012, 5 seasons)
Loosely based on Arthurian legend, the show follows Merlin (Colin Morgan), a young sorcerer, who becomes servant to Prince Arthur (James Bradley) of Camelot. He discovers that the king has outlawed magic and thus must keep his powers hidden from everyone, including Arthur. After hearing a voice inside his head, Merlin journeys to a cavern under Camelot where he finds the Great Dragon (John Hurt) who tells Merlin of his destiny to protect Arthur, restore magic, and unite Albion. However, protecting Arthur proves to be more difficult than Merlin anticipated. It seems that there are many people out to harm the young prince and having to hide his powers makes the job all the more difficult.
10. One Tree Hill (2003-2012, 9 seasons)
In Tree Hill, North Carolina, the high school basketball team, the Ravens, is their pride and joy. The teams two most talented players are rival half-brothers Nathan and Lucas Scott. Nathan (James Lafferty) has always had to live in his dad's shadow and has been constantly pushed to be the best basketball player Tree Hill has ever seen. Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) was abandoned by his father and grew up only playing basketball for fun in the park. Conflict arises when the brothers must work together in order to lead their team to victory. Even more conflict arises when both boys find they are competing for the same girl. The two brothers who think they are so different must come to terms with who they are and the fact that they might have more in common than they thought.
12. Penny Dreadful (2014-2016, 3 seasons)
Penny Dreadful weaves together the origin stories of several 19th-century characters, including Abraham Van Helsing, Count Dracula, Dorian Gray, and Victor Frankestein, The show centers on explorer Sir Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton) and Vanessa Ives as they set out on a quest to save someone they both care about. The duo recruits sharpshooter Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett) to aide them.This dark and suspenseful series re-imagines some of literature's most well-known characters in Victorian London. It's many twists, turns, and thrills make it the perfect show to binge watch.
12. Sherlock (2010-present, 3 series)
Based on the stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlocktells the story of Sherlock Holmes (Bennedict Cumberbatch) in modern day London. Assisted by Dr. Watson (Martin Freeman), Holmes consults the police on a variety of crimes. Watson documents their adventures in a blog which makes Holmes somewhat of a celebrity. Holmes uses his exceptional intellect and observation skills to unravel even the toughest mysteries. The duo must also face Holmes' archnemesis Jim Moriarty, a man determined to destroy Holmes.
13. Supernatural (2005-present, 11 seasons)
Brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) follow in their father's footsteps and become hunters of supernatural creatures. They set out to rid the world of evil monsters such as vampires, werewolves, demons, and ghosts while saving innocent people along the way. They quickly learn that there is a lot more to hunting than just killing monsters. Sam and Dean are determined to do whatever it takes to save those they care about...even if it means going to hell.
14. The Tudors (2007-2010, 4 seasons)
Set in 16th-century England, The Tudors centers on the life of King Henry VIII of England (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), beginning with his ascension to the throne and ending with his death. The show focuses on his many romances including his six marriages. Henry VIII's desperate need for a male heir leads him to seek annulment of his first marriage. After several disagreements with the Pope, Henry VIII decides to separate the Church of England from papal authority and ushers in the divine right of kings. The Tudors is full of drama, romance, political intrigue, and history that you can't help but binge watch all four seasons.
15. The Vampire Diaries (2009-present, 7 seasons)
Both of Elena Gilbert's (Nina Dobrev) parents died in a car accident, yet somehow she survived. All she wants is for things to go back to normal but when she meets mysterious and handsome Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) she knows things are going to be far from normal. The two are instantly drawn to one another, but could Stefan's secret ruin everything? Their relationship gets even more complicated when Stefan's older brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder) shows up seeking revenge on his younger brother for sins of the past.