While not all TV shows are worth rushing through, and some are better enjoyed slowly, certain series are ideal for watching back-to-back. Though older shows like Friends and Gilmore Girls are often linked to binge-watching, plenty of newer series are also perfect for a weekend marathon.
Certain shows, such as Severance, are best enjoyed slowly, with viewers continuing to think about the story between episodes. Popular shows like The White Lotus also benefit from a shared weekly viewing experience. However, other highly engaging shows are designed to be watched all at once.
The Pitt
2025-Present
Image via Max
Watching The Pitt can be emotionally draining, but thatâs precisely what makes it so compelling. The show uses a unique, fast-paced style â the entire first season unfolds in real-time, covering just one 15-hour shift in an emergency room. Binge-watching the whole season allows you to experience the story in a way that mirrors the charactersâ intense, continuous journey.
Healthcare professionals have applauded the show The Pitt for how realistically it portrays the intense pressures of their jobs. The show’s fast pace and focus on difficult cases are emotionally and physically exhausting to watch, and itâs understandable to need a break after just a few episodes. If it feels overwhelming for viewers, it really highlights the daily reality for doctors and nurses. With the new trailer for season 2 out now, itâs a great time to binge-watch season 1.
Six Feet Under
2001-2005
HBO’s unique drama about a funeral home is definitely worth watching all at once. Each episode starts with a new death the Fisher family handles, but the show is surprisingly about appreciating life and making the most of it â and you really get that message when you binge-watch it.
Throughout Six Feet Under, seemingly separate storylines â like Davidâs hidden desires and the unusual focus on celebrating life at funerals â surprisingly unite to encourage viewers to truly live. This all builds to a perfect series finale that, despite centering on death, is ultimately about fresh starts.
Russian Doll
2019-2022
After the fantastic first season of Russian Doll felt like a complete story, a second season seemed unnecessary. However, the show surprised everyone, delivering a surprisingly emotional and meaningful follow-up that actually surpasses the original.
Nadia’s birthday takes a bizarre turn when she finds herself reliving the same day over and over, similar to the movie Groundhog Day. This quickly becomes a journey into her family’s past, as she experiences life through the perspectives of her mother and grandmother. Through these experiences, Nadia gains a deeper understanding of her family history and ultimately learns to accept herself. Russian Doll is a complex showâat times, things get incredibly strangeâand is best enjoyed by watching all episodes at once to fully appreciate its emotional weight and fast-paced story.
Friday Night Lights
2006-2011
You’ll likely find yourself unable to stop watching this show. The first episode is exceptional â it brilliantly introduces a cast of familiar high school characters, and their lives are dramatically changed by the season’s first football game. It doesn’t rely on a cheap cliffhanger, but instead tells a compelling story that naturally makes you eager to see what happens next.
Beyond its compelling characters, Friday Night Lights delivers some of the most exciting sports moments on television. Each football game is filled with intense drama and genuine emotion, and the playersâ performances reflect their personal lives and struggles. It’s a fantastic blend of classic high school drama and an uplifting sports narrative.
The Haunting Of Hill House
2018
If you’re looking for a scary series to watch all at once, start with Hill House â it’s the show that really made Mike Flanagan a name in TV horror. He’s created other excellent series like The Haunting of Bly Manor and Midnight Mass, and The Fall of the House of Usher is a fantastic adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe, but Hill House is still his best work. Let’s just say The Midnight Club doesn’t quite measure up.
What really stands out about Flanagan’s work is how he takes existing stories and transforms them into fresh, contemporary narratives. He consistently improves upon the original material. For example, while The Haunting of Hill House is based on Shirley Jackson’s novel, the series quickly develops its own unique identity.
The story follows a woman who isn’t strong enough to cope with the terrifying presence of a haunted house â a familiar plot. However, the TV series elevates the material, particularly through the character of the Bent-Neck Lady (who isn’t in the book). She beautifully represents the fear of death itself. Now is a great time to watch Hill House, as director Mike Flanagan is about to release his adaptation of Carrie on Prime Video.
True Blood
2008-2014
What made True Blood so good was how well everything connected. The show wasn’t about any single episode; it was about carefully building a story over time, with clues and hints appearing early on that wouldn’t pay off until much later â sometimes even seasons later. For example, the show didn’t reveal Sookie’s fairy heritage until the end of season 3, but looking back, it’s clear that everything before that was deliberately setting it up.
What makes True Blood so compelling is how cleverly it builds its story over time. While some later seasons werenât as popular, the showâs careful foreshadowing proves they werenât just tacked on. This makes it ideal for binge-watching, as youâll appreciate all the subtle clues when their significance is finally revealed.
Malcolm In The Middle
2000-2006
Larry Watson / TV Guide / TM and copyright © Fox Network/ Courtesy Everett Collection
Even today, Malcolm in the Middle remains a truly original show, especially for its target audience. While some of its humor and themes might seem grown-up, the show is ultimately seen through the eyes of a child, making it relatable for younger viewers.
The show Malcolm in the Middle cleverly presents mature themes through a child’s perspective. Using point-of-view shots that show the world as Dewey sees it, and with Malcolm narrating most of the story, even the adult characters of Hal and Lois take a backseat. The show doesn’t avoid tough topics like social class, popularity, and even sexuality, recognizing that kids are often aware of these issues. Itâs definitely worth watchingâor rewatchingâto see how skillfully it handles these subjects, especially with a revival planned for 2026.
Hacks
2021-Present
Image via Max
Deborah and Ava are now well-known figures, but what often goes unnoticed are their imperfections. The term “hack” appears frequently in the first season of Hacks, and how each woman interprets it highlights the gap between their generations, revealing a central idea of the show.
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Deborah believes success in entertainment comes from consistently working hard, even when the work isn’t enjoyable. Ava, however, thinks staying true to yourself is more important than how much effort you put in. Both have valid points, and each could benefit from considering the other’s viewpoint.
One of the biggest weaknesses of Hacks is that, like many sitcoms, its characters don’t change much over time, often reverting to their old habits. While Deborah and Ava are definitely learning from each other, it happens gradually. To really appreciate the showâs developmentâand enjoy plenty of humorâwatching multiple episodes back-to-back is the way to go.
Slow Horses
2022-Present
If you’re looking for a show to get hooked on, try Slow Horses. It’s an engaging spy series with a unique format â each season tells a complete, self-contained story. This keeps things exciting and makes it perfect for binge-watching, as a new mystery unfolds every few episodes.
Slow Horses is a gripping and cleverly plotted show with characters who feel both original and believable, and itâs surprisingly funny at times. Itâs consistently enjoyable to revisit the world of Slough House, even after storylines wrap up, making it a show you can reliably binge-watch. A new season has been released each year since 2022, and season 6 is anticipated in 2026.
Daisy Jones & The Six
2023
As a critic, I’m left feeling like Daisy Jones & The Six was a flash in the pan, when it truly deserved to be remembered as a television landmark. What really impressed me was the show’s commitment â they didn’t just tell us this band was amazing, they actually released a full album, performed by the cast, and honestly? It’s fantastic â exactly as good as the show makes it out to be.
Even though it’s set in a glamorous world, the show feels incredibly real and energetic, largely because of the fantastic performances from the cast, especially Riley Keough, Sam Claflin, and Camila Morrone. As a quick-paced, 10-episode series, Daisy Jones & The Six is completely captivating and well worth watching.
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2025-12-21 22:32