What to binge watch while you wait for the next season of ‘Riverdale’

Popcorn at the ready.

Is there any greater pastime than bunking down at home, wrapped in a doona, binge watching a great TV show? Forget going out, give us a Netflix subscription and we’ll happily stay on the couch all day.

To our heart’s despair, we’ve only got a couple of episodes left before Game of Thrones wraps up. There’s also still a little while longer until we can sink our teeth into new seasons of Riverdale and Stranger Things.

We thought you might need a few seasons to tide you over, and it just so happens that we have some recommendations. Because God knows, we’ve watched a lot of TV in our time.

How to Get Away with Murder  

“I’m close to heart palpitations with every episode, and I’m three seasons in. The drama-legal series follows Annalise Keating, a law professor and criminal defence attorney, and her team of student interns. The series plays with timelines, flashing back and forth to reveal details that bring the audience closer to the truth. And fitting with the title, there’s a lot of murder. NB: contrary to popular belief, this series will not teach you how to become a lawyer.”

Similar to: Scandal
Watch it on: Netflix

Lovesick

“Brits always do things better, especially when it comes to romcoms. The show follows Dylan (played by folk singer Johnny Flynn), as he reconnects with all of his past sexual partners to let them know he’s got chlamydia. It’s sweet, romantic and has plenty of witty British humour.”

Similar to: All the best British romcoms
Watch it on: Netflix

Big Little Lies 

“This one is based on Liane Moriarty’s book of the same name but translates so well to the big screen. There are so many questions I need answering. It’s safe to say I’m hooked. Oh and the cast is insane.”

Similar to: Desperate Housewives meets a much better show
Watch it on: Foxtel Now

The Night of

“One of the most gripping shows I’ve seen in a long time. It follows Naz, a good, nice boy who goes home with a girl one night, only to find her stabbed to death the next morning. Naz has little-to-no recollection of what’s happened and is charged with her murder. How it all unravels is pretty intense.”

Similar to: Law and Order SVU, but from the defendant’s perspective
Watch it on: iTunes

Freaks and Geeks

“An oldie but a goodie. If you haven’t seen Judd Apatow’s ’90s high school drama, you need to. It follows a group of misfits in the ’80s and stars young James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and Busy Philips. It’s funny, relatable and heartwarming. Worth it for the cast alone.”

Similar to: My So Called Life
Watch it on: Netflix

Broadchurch

“A young boy in a small town is found dead in an apparent suicide. It’s pretty heavy, but the series is punctured with good humour, thanks to the two investigating police. They’re like chalk and cheese but have this great dynamic between them. The ending is shocking and Broadchurch also has a second season, so that’s two more reasons to press play.”

Similar to: The Fall
Watch it on: Netflix

Please Like Me

“This show is equal parts sad and hilarious. Josh Thomas does an incredible job of turning tragedy into comedy in this series, which he stars in and created. I think the most incredible part of this show is how relatable it is. I might think that because I also live in a Melbourne share house (where the majority of this show takes place). But more than that, I think it’s because nothing unbelievable happens. The subject deals with sexuality, mental illness, familial obligations, friendships and relationships – all in a really light hearted way I swear! I would definitely recommend giving the first episode a watch to see if it’s to your taste.” 

Similar to: nothing I can think of
Watch it on: Netflix

Westworld

“Imagine a place where humans could become anyone they wanted, play out their darkest fantasies, walk away a happy customer and totally scot-free. Welcome to Westworld. The high-tech park is populated by human-like robots, whose ‘memories’ are wiped after each night. What could go wrong? The show is based on Michael Crichton’s 1973 film and sci-fi/thriller fans may want to cancel their plans for the next 10 hours.”

Similar to: Black Mirror
Watch it on: Foxtel Now

Younger  

“You might say that Younger is a commentary on the ageism women face when trying to re-enter the workforce after raising children. But on closer examination, it’s really just the hilarious and far-fetched story of a 40-year-old woman who gets a job in publishing by lying about her age. Almost overnight, Liza Miller (Sutton Foster) goes from housewife in New Jersey to a single 26-year-old living in Brooklyn where she hangs out with her new gal pal Kelsey Peters (Hillary Duff) and new love interest (Nico Tortorella). It’s admittedly a bizarre plot but it’s executed really well. It also helps that Sutton Foster looks damn good for her age.”

Similar to: Sex and The City
Watch it on: Stan 

Vikings

“If you’re a fan of Game Of Thrones then I think you’ll really love Vikings. It’s a fast-paced show that chronicles the rise of Ragna Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel). It’s debatable whether Ragna was actually a man or a legend. Though we do know that his sons are real historical figures. This dramatised historical series involves a lot of Norse traditions and pagan beliefs, which are interesting to learn about. I honestly loved watching the last three seasons because the battles and raids are based on fact. There are rivalries between countries and between characters, which makes for a juicy plotline. The production value improves with every episode, so keep with it.” 

Similar to: Game Of Thrones
Watch it on: Netflix 

Love

“Another Judd Apatow watch, the story chronicles the meeting of two strangers. Mickey’s a self-described sex and love addict, drug addict and alcoholic who meets geeky, magic-loving Gus at the service station. It’s an easy watch with a few good laughs along the way.”

Similar to: Master of None
Watch it on: Netflix

Broad City

“Hands-down one of the funniest shows you’ll ever watch. Follow besties Abby and Illana as they navigate life as poor, 20-somethings living in New York. It details crappy jobs, recreational drug use, annoying housemates, living on a budget and dating.”

If you need any more reason, this is the show that gifted the world the phrase ‘Yas kween.’

Similar to: Girls meets The Inbetweeners
Watch it on: Foxtel Now

Illustration by TwylaMae who also makes these TV-themed T-shirts.