Finding a new show is difficult for a lot of different reasons, but starting a series and sticking to it with another person is a challenge many couples try their best to attempt. Date nights spent at home and lazy Sundays with your significant other are great for movie marathons and binge-watching shows, but when it comes to a whole series, there are a few things to consider: attentions spans, interests, and time commitments. Can you and your partner keep up with an hour-long episode, or is less than 30 minutes more your speed? Do the two of you need a decent blend of comedy and drama, or are you more interested in the serious genres? Lastly, consider how long the two of you are willing to stick to a series because some shows have more than a few seasons.
With all these things in mind, Netflix has gladly created different categories to make choosing a binge-worthy series easier, such as “Trending,” “Bingeworthy TV Shows,” and “Watch in One Weekend” just to name a few. If you and your partner find yourselves stuck in a rut, check out these 20 shows on Netflix that couples can successfully binge-watch together.
20 Squid Game (1 Season)
It is hard to believe that it took the creator of Squid Game 10 years to find a company to take an interest in his idea. When Netflix released the show in 2021, it did not take long to hit the top of the charts. Millions of people easily binged the single season in one night or over the weekend, and they’ve been craving more ever since. The concept is entirely unique and begs the question about how desperate average people have to be to literally risk their lives over a large cash prize. Per Esquire, a second season is rumored to release in 2023 or 2024.
19 Down to Earth With Zac Efron
Zac Efron has come a long way since being the beloved Troy Bolton in High School Musical, and one of his latest projects, Down to Earth with Zac Efron, involves him traveling around the world with a friend and getting to know more about different cultures. Efron and Darin Olien meet some amazing people on their travels who openly discuss different lifestyles, food and resources, and sustainable living. It’s truly inspiring to see how millions of people live very differently and are more in touch with their experiences than the hustle and bustle American life many of us are accustomed to.
18 The Witcher (3 Seasons)
If you and your partner are looking for something full of magic and drama, look no further than The Witcher. Henry Cavill, who is best known as DC’s Superman, has hung up the cape and now hunts down monsters in this medieval series. Destiny plays a big role throughout the storyline, but there is not a typical and-they-lived-happily-ever-after feeling to the plot. As of right now, the series has been renewed for a fourth season, and Liam Hemsworth will replace Cavill as the titular role.
17 Narcos (3 Seasons)
Pablo Escobar was a well-known drug lord in the United States, but a few individuals thought his story was so interesting that it deserved to be told to the masses. The first two seasons of Narcos focus on Escobar’s earlier years and how he managed his corrupt success, and the third season centers around the aftermath of Escobar’s death and how the cartel continued the business. This series is binge-worthy if you are looking to educate yourself as well as be entertained.
16 You (4 Seasons)
Penn Badgley has put his Gossip Girls days behind him and adopted a few new identities within a single series. You follows Joe Goldberg (Badgley), a narcicisstic murderer, who cannot help but become severely attached to different women to the point of obsession. There are times when he meets his match, but fans still find themselves rooting for Joe to get away with everything. Four seasons, more than a dozen deaths, and one main culprit will have you and your partner screaming at the television for many different reasons.
15 Ozark (4 Seasons)
Jason Bateman and Laura Linney star in the crime drama series, Ozark, as a regular couple who just happens to make a living by laundering money for a Mexican drug cartel. Marty (Bateman) and Wendy Byrde (Linney) move their family to Missouri thinking they will escape issues and competition back home in Chicago, but they are sadly mistaken. From personal drama to life-threatening professional conflicts, this show is filled with a lot of intensity as well as relatable moments.
14 Stranger Things (4 Seasons)
Millie Bobby Brown has become a household name for just about anyone with a Netflix account due to her performance as the supernatural being, Eleven, in Stranger Things. This series is nostalgic as it is set in the 1980s, and the characters are lovable and relatable in their own unique ways. The main storyline follows Eleven and her friends as they try to save their town and loved ones from dark and evil forces and creatures. A fifth and final season is in the making, but due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike, fans do not know when to expect a release date.
13 Breaking Bad (5 Seasons)
More often than not, teachers in the United States feel overworked and underpaid. Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston) felt this reality for a while in Breaking Bad before he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Instead of focusing on the good things in his life, Walter decides to take matters into his own hands and use his talents for something worthwhile. He recruits a former student, and the two go into the meth-making business together. This series is more dramatic than comedic, but the commentary between characters and the sheer stupidity will leave you laughing and in tears.
12 The Circle (5 Seasons)
Reality TV is not for everyone, but with social media being such a dominant aspect in many people’s lives, the premise of The Circle is actually very interesting. Players have to stay in a new apartment complex and interact with others who are a part of the experiment only through an app. In other words, they never meet face-to-face until someone is sent home. The goal is to be likable (whether that means being authentic or pulling off a great catfish persona) to earn higher ratings which eventually results in someone earning quite a bit of cash. This competition show is lighthearted and humorous, and it’s fun to play along with your partner from the comfort of your own home.
11 Lucifer (6 Seasons)
Some may think that Hell and Los Angeles are the exact same place, but for Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis), the previous King of Hell, the two are vastly different. After growing tired of his expectations and torturous ways down under, he decides to open a nightclub in one of the most populated cities. Humored by the way humans live their lives, Lucifer ends up helping a detective solve crimes. The supernatural aspect of Lucifer is a great gimmick, but the drama and highly anticipated love story will definitely bring you back again and again.
10 Black Mirror (6 Seasons)
The beauty of watching Black Mirror is that you can pick and choose your episodes because it’s an anthology series. No two episodes deal with the same plot or characters, but after a couple of hours, you’ll quickly find that you want to watch all 28 crazy episodes. Having a sense of dark humor or a healthy appetite for the wrongdoings in our society being exploited will definitely help when you and your partner start this series. Be prepared to have many conversations at the end of each episode.
9 Chef’s Table (6 Seasons)
Documentaries can be rather difficult for a binge session with someone else because personal preferences are so different. However, with Chef’s Table, the focus is on food (which everyone loves) and how a variety of chefs approach their dishes and feelings about people’s relationships with their meals. This is not styled like a reality show nor is it a competition. Each episode highlights a different successful chef as they talk about their personal philosophies with food and how they do things in their own kitchens.
8 How to Get Away With Murder (6 Seasons)
Viola Davis is one of the most talented women in the entertainment business, and with her at the head of the classroom teaching college students how to get away with murder, a great storyline commences in How to Get Away with Murder. Anyone can guess that characters are going to personally get wrapped up in an actual murder case or two, but their motives and abilities to cover it up make fans want to never turn off the television. From secrets built upon secrets to the number of cliffhangers and head-scratchers, this mystery thriller is definitely worth the few binge sessions it would take to finish seven seasons.
7 The 100 (7 Seasons)
Post-apocalyptic shows are great because they make audiences question the “what if” scenarios. Eliza Taylor stars as Clarke Griffin in The 100, a seemingly regular teenager who wants to make peace and just live her life on the ground. However, the true “grounders” don’t like that her kind has invaded their lands, and battles and wars ensue. From the violence to the love stories, these seven seasons are easy to binge with just about anyone.
6 Suits (9 Seasons)
Much like medical and crime shows, there is something that pulls people in with drama series that focus on the legal aspect of things. To shake up the regular tropes, one college dropout, Mike Ross, manages to land himself a job with one of the most successful attorneys in the business. Mike has a leg up with his photographic memory, but he doesn’t disclose this to many people. From the acting to the storylines that focus on character growth, there is a reason Suits stayed on Netflix’s “Top 10” for quite some time.
5 Shameless (11 Seasons)
Do you or your partner feel like you have dysfunctional family members? What about your whole family? The Gallaghers in Shameless will put everyone to, well, shame with how wild they are. From a drunken father who would sell each of his kids for a bottle of booze to the five children doing anything and everything they can to get by, there is always something chaotic going on. This show is not for the faint of heart with its language and nudity, but it does make for some great laughs and good “what would you do” conversations.
4 The Walking Dead (11 Seasons)
It seems like nearly everyone these days has a “zombie apocalypse plan” in place, but in 2010, Rick Grimes was simply winging it along with everyone else in The Walking Dead. Some characters are easy to love or hate, but then there are the ones who, by some form of sheer luck or will, simply won’t die. This show is easy to binge with your partner because you will find yourselves taking down notes on what to do and what to avoid when the time comes. From love stories to some of the most gruesome scenes, there is a lot to take in with this series.
3 Supernatural (15 Seasons)
Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki have been stealing hearts for quite some time, but when they were cast as the Winchester brothers back in 2005, hearts simply imploded. Supernatural starts out with the two brothers reuniting to track down their missing father, and they meet, kill, and put to rest many creatures and spirits along the way. Angels and demons come into play, and the brothers constantly feel like they are in over their heads. There is something for everyone in this show, whether that be the crime-solving aspect, the interesting characters, or the brotherly love.
2 Grey’s Anatomy (19 Seasons)
There’s a reason many fans flip back to Grey’s Anatomy Season 1 right after they finish this series; it’s a great show to binge! In the beginning, there are five medical interns with wildly different personalities, histories, and secrets. Watching them juggle their professional and personal lives is ridiculous yet relatable. Picking a favorite seems easy at first, but as characters grow, leave, mess up, and die, preferences shift, and you’ll find yourself likely rooting for someone else.
1 NCIS (20 Seasons)
Solving crimes alongside Leroy Jethro Gibbs (played by Mark Harmon) and his quirky but loyal team can feel like an honor. The premise of NCIS is that special agents of the Naval Criminal Investigative Services investigate criminal activities that involve the United States Navy and Marine Corps. While crimes change nearly every episode, the relationships and quick wit of Gibbs’ team remains the same.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
