The Night Manager
Starring Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie, this brilliant AMC mini series tells the story of a British army official recruited by MI6 to infiltrate an elite circle of international arms dealers. Although it is only six episodes, the series is extremely satisfying. I binge-watched four episodes in a row in one night and then finished the show the next day! Fun fact- Taylor Swift is now supposedly dating Tom Hiddleston.
Barely Famous
This non-reality show reality show is a stroke of genius. Starring dynamic sister act Sara and Erin Foster, a camera crew follows the two girls as they attempt to become A-List celebrities. The entire program is a spoof on reality TV, and the writing is off-the-charts brilliant. You will be laughing hysterically in every episode, and the celebrity cameos are fantastic – think Jessica Alba, Rachel Zoe, Kate Hudson, Nicole Richie, Kevin Connolly, and Courteney Cox.
Blindspot
This incredibly captivating TV show focuses on an unidentified, mysterious tattooed woman found in Times Square in New York City. She has lost her memory and does not know her own identity; she is dubbed Jane Doe. In the first episode, the FBI discovers that each tattoo on her body leads them to a clue involving a specific crime. Jane Doe assists the FBI in her own investigation– unrealistic, I know! However, Blindspot is so addictive! Throughout the first season, Jane tries to figure out who she is and where she came from while the FBI attempts to decipher all of her tattoos, which ultimately lead to a crime larger than anyone could have ever imagined.
Friends
If you haven’t already watched one of the best TV shows ever made, it’s time for you to catch up! Over the course of ten seasons, more than 200 episodes were made. The show focuses on a group of friends in their twenties, who live in unusually nice apartments in New York City despite their incomes, spend their days drinking coffee, and share hilarious misadventures with each other. When it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year, you can always rely on Friends to make you laugh! If you haven’t seen this amazing show, then you’ll understand my theme song references after you watch Friends.
The Royals
Starring Elizabeth Hurley as the queen consort of England, The Royals is the first scripted series from E! Let’s be honest – a TV series that casts Elizabeth Hurley as a member of the Royal Family is already going in the right direction. It’s hilarious! The Royals is a soapy drama series that follows the crazy, eventful life of the British royal family. The fashion featured on the show, particularly on Alexandra Park’s character, Princess Eleanor, is equivalent to that of Gossip Girl. I binge-watched the entire show in less than two weeks (but when I first watched it, the show was only at the beginning of the second season, so I don’t feel like a total couch potato.) I recommended it to one of my friends, and she powered through the entire series in four days. Yes, four days. It’s addictive. And a guilty pleasure.
Entourage
Loosely based on Mark Wahlberg’s experiences, Entourage chronicles the acting career of Vince Chase, a young, successful actor, who moved to Los Angeles with three of his close friends from Queens, New York. The members of Vince’s entourage include his much less successful half-brother, Johnny “Drama” Chase, his childhood friend, Eric, his manager, whose only prior experience was managing a local pizza shop, and his uncontrollable yet extremely loyal friend, Turtle. Of course, if you have already watched Entourage, no one can ever forget the one and only Ari Gold, Vince’s agent. It is highly entertaining to see the group navigate the unfamiliar terrain of Hollywood, and the cameos are fantastic. Jimmy Kimmel, Eminem, Matt Damon, Bono, Mark Wahlberg, Anna Faris, Kanye West, and many others have guest-starred as themselves throughout the series.
Prison Break
You may be wondering: why should I spend my time watching a TV show about prison? The name of the show is slightly deceiving; Prison Break is a smart, gripping TV show that will be sure to have the audience’s hearts racing. The plot revolves around two brothers, one of whom has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. His younger brother, on the other hand, is a free man who is also a mathematical genius. He devises an extremely clever, detailed plan to break his brother out. Six other prisoners manage to escape with them along the way (sorry; spoiler alert!) and are dubbed The Fox River Eight. The second season follows the group on a massive manhunt, and I can guarantee that you won’t be able to stop watching. Were you obsessed with the news story from last year when two prisoners broke out of a jail in upstate New York? I swear– the elaborate way they escaped was directly inspired by Prison Break.
24
The Homeland before Homeland, this show is a must-watch if you are a fan of the Showtime hit. Each season is 24 episodes – all taking place in an action-packed 24 hour time period. Something I particularly love about 24 is the fact that it takes place in Los Angeles! So many films and TV shows are filmed in the city but often take place somewhere else. Starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counterterrorism Agent Jack Bauer, you will be hooked from the first episode. Poor Jack Bauer. He has many extremely long days ahead.
Blue Bloods
Blue Bloods focuses on the Reagan family, each member being involved in law enforcement in one way or another. Tom Selleck portrays Francis “Frank” Reagan, the Police Commissioner of New York City. The series also stars Donny Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, and Will Estes. Wahlberg’s character, Danny Reagan, is a first-grade NYPD detective, while Moynahan’s character, Erin Reagan, is an assistant district attorney. I personally find Estes’ character the most compelling of all – he portrays Jamie Reagan, who went to Harvard Law School but then decides to become a police officer. So far, there are six seasons of Blue Bloods, and I cannot wait to finish the series!
Veronica Mars
Maybe you aren’t a “marshmallow” – not yet, anyway. As soon as you begin this drama-mystery TV show, you won’t be able to stop. Kristen Bell stars as a teenage private detective and high school student on this girl-power TV show.
Image Sources: IMDB, TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly, Pinterest, The Odyssey Online, NBC, Deadline, Renew Canceled TV, and 24 Spoilers.