Winter break is here!! It's that time of the year, where students pack up their dorms and head home. That time to see family and friends. Open presents, relax, and have some good old hot chocolate. This is also the time where students can catch up on movies they missed in theaters during the semester, and catch up on their favorite shows. Oh yes, ladies and gentlemen its time for the bingeathon. This is marathon that allows every student to participate, can be done in four ways. Hulu, On Demand, Amazon Prime, and the most popular option Netflix. During this great marathon, students are getting caught up on shows they missed while at school, or discovering new shows to watch. Because it's that time of the year, I will be giving a list of shows that I recommend for your next winter bingeathon. Before we get going I would first like to point out that this list is in no particular order. If a show is number one, that doesn't mean that it's necessarily better than number twelve. To sum up if it's on the list, it's good.
1. The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a TV series still on AMC. It tells the story of a group trying to survive the zombie apocalypse. Not only does it show the group trying to survive zombies, but it shows them surviving human beings as well. This is what gives the show its unique angle on the zombie Apocalypse genre. Instead of showing how humans try to stick together to survive. It shows how when the rest of the world has gone down, the crazies will come out. If you like the show well enough i would then suggest it's spin off Fear the Walking Dead.
2. Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is another TV series from AMC. The only difference is that this show was cancelled after five seasons and The Walking Dead is still running. Breaking Bad is about a chemistry teacher who after being diagnosed with cancer starts making meth with a previous student of his. Throughout the series you see the rise of the main character in the criminal underground, but also the effect it starts to have on his family.
3. Sherlock
We've all probably heard of this high functioning sociopath in some form. If not, this is a three season series with only three episodes per season, and a Christmas special. Now you may be thinking," Only three episodes? That's it?" Well each one of those episodes is about ninety minutes long. Your essentially sitting down to watch three movies spread out into four seasons. The show itself is about the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson. But instead of being set in Victorian London, it takes place in modern London. It helps give the idea of what Sherlock would be like solving crimes today.
4. Merlin
Merlin is the story of King Arthur and his knights. We've all heard the legend of King Arthur's knights, Camelot, and the wizard Merlin. But what is instead of an old wise man Merlin was a teenager, and was the servant to King Arthur instead. Not only that but magic is also illegal in Camelot, and if caught your sentenced to death. I highly recommend watching this five season twist on the classic tale of Camelot.
5. Gilmore Girls
Gilmore girls is a great series about the relationship between a mother and her daughter. It's a seven-season series, with four episodes that Netflix just recently released. It's a great show to watch if you’re looking for a laugh, or are in the mood for some sarcastic whit. It's also a great series to watch if you’re looking for a little drama. Not too much, but enough to keep your interest peaked.
6. House of Cards
House of cards is a Netflix original drama. It currently has four seasons and continues to be a big hit among Netflix's customers. The best way to summarize it is by simply stating that it's a political drama that shows your worst nightmare. Everything you've ever feared a politician for possibly doing. It brings forth those fears of the idea that a politician will do whatever it takes to get to the top. Even murder if they must.
7. Downton Abbey
Downton Abbey is a historical drama. The series starts with a Lord's family discovering that the next heir for Downton, died on the Titanic. After discovering who the next Lord would be, we take the journey of what happens next. Not only are you getting the upper classes point of view for this series but you also get the servants point of view. As the world changes around Downton you get to see how it affects those living in it. How it affects the Lords, Lady's, and their servants.8. Hannibal
Hannibal is televised version of this terrifying character. What's different with this form is that you're right in the middle of things. Instead of see the cannibal already locked up, or becoming the character we all fear. The series shows what Hannibal was like in his prime. We see what he was like as a psychiatrist and serial killer still on the loose. It's interesting to see Hannibal before his arrest, and how the FBI discover that he's the serial killer.
9. Doctor Who
Most people have heard of the Doctor. A timelord, aka alien, who can travel through time and space. Who also makes a point to stop by the United Kingdom more than any other country on this planet. What's great about this series is that you can start at the very beginning, when the show was still in black and white. Or you could start when the rebut aired. You can start with the very first Doctor, or the ninth one.
10. Robin Hood BBC
The Robin Hood BBC series is only three seasons long. It gives a more recent perspective on Robin Hood and his merry-men. There isn't a whole lot to say about this other than it’s just fun. It brings back those memories of mom and dad telling you about an outlaw that steals from the rich to help the poor.
11. Black Sails
Who doesn't love a good show about pirates. Black Sails is show about the pirates that ran Nassau, Bahamas during its pirate reign. You get to see the story of Billy Bones, Jack Randall, Black Beard, Captain Flint, Anne Bonny, and many more. While the show shares some factual events of these pirates it also takes its time to fun with it. So sit back relax and enjoy some good ole’ piracy.
12. Vikings
Vikings is a still running series on the History Channel. While most people have heard of the Vikings in history, it's told from the perspective of their victims. We hear about how they come on ships stealing and killing anything in their path. But what this series does is show the Vikings perspective. We're able to learn about their religion, why they live the way they do, and what it was like when they pillaged across Europe.
13. Tudors
Tudors tells the story of King Henry the eighth and his many wives. With only four seasons we see how Anne Boleyn becomes queen and England left the Catholic church. We see how the King rules and how he chooses his six brides. But most importantly we see how and why his wives died. It’s a much more dramatized version of these historical events, but it’s still entertaining to watch.
There's the list. I know that it’s not a lot but it's a good starting point for a marathon. It's also on the short end because this isn't the point of the holiday's. So, while there will be moments where you can do a bingeathon the holidays are about family. It’s that time of the year where you get spend time with your loved ones. Maybe you can even do a marathon with the family. While there is time for a bingeathon, it's more important to spend this time with the ones you love. Happy Holiday's.