Being a junior with 20 credit hours, extracurriculars, and multiple jobs isn't always a piece of cake. When I do have downtime, you can bet that most of it is spent binging Netflix or Hulu. In the midst of couch potato-ing it out, however, it can feel good to get more than a laugh out of a show. Here are ten choices that will let you feel like you're maybe not spending four hours of your Saturday in bed for no reason!
Bojack Horseman
Sure, a story about a washed-up Hollywood star who is also a talking horse seems a little bizarre. So do the misadventures he gets into with his human and animal friends (plus one very friendly dog-nemesis). The nihilist and existentialist themes behind the characters, however, are directly from the philosophy books. It's a great way to have a laugh and wonder why we're here at the same time.
The West Wing
Leave it to a 2000s-era White House drama to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside one moment and tearing up the next. Referencing the law, the Bible, and a handful of philosophers, it's a show that keeps you on your toes while enamoring you with lovable, hard-working characters always fighting for the American people. Thankfully, there are SEVEN entire seasons to binge.
Westworld
GiphySure, there's controversy behind the use and ever-changing technology of artificial intelligence. Then there's the way "Westworld" handles AI. Besides being a stunningly crafted story, the writing and plot elements will make your head spin. And possibly fear the toaster.
Black Mirror
On the topic of technology, it would be a sin to not include the legendary (and terrifying) television icon. Although episodes can be hit-or-miss, you really can't go wrong with the third and fourth seasons to make you consider big life questions thanks to satire and great acting.
Over The Garden Wall
Yes, it is a show aimed at kids. Yes, it does tell the enchanting and super spooky tale of two brothers lost in a mysterious woods pitted against a sinister force. YES, the easy-to-watch episodes give way for wild plot twists and characters you'll be rooting for the whole time. The ending will get you thinking about your own childhood, I promise.
Electric Dreams
Have you ever watched "Black Mirror" and said, "Hey, this doesn't have enough sci-fi!"? Then this show is for you. Imagine all the haunting questions and skilled design you crave, combined with some of the most talented actors in the business making you gasp, cry, and seriously question existence. Based on the works of Phillip K. Dick, this show is a wild ride.
The Twilight Zone
https://giphy.com/gifs/4KszoHlOkfVscYou can't mention "Black Mirror," "Electric Dreams," or "Westworld" without giving credit to the OG science fiction philosophical thriller! The added bonus of watching "The Twilight Zone" is getting to see how, even decades ago, we found ways to create tension and ask big questions with the given technology. It's like a lesson in film studies and a way to relax all in one.
The Good Place
Immanuel Kant himself couldn't write a better TV show! If you felt like you needed a comedy about heaven, hell, and the biggest questions in moral philosophy, then do I have the choice for you. This show is one of the quirkiest, funniest, and easiest to watch shows of the past five years. Seasons one and two will fly by faster than an angel... or a demon? You decide.
Happy watching!
