Netflix | Illustration by Kayli Thompson | The Wright State Guardian
Thanksgiving break this year will be a time for college students to relax and enjoy time away from their schoolwork.
While students fill up on mashed potatoes and take a breather from their classes, they have the opportunity to watch popular television shows on their favorite streaming services.
Here are eight binge-worthy television series worth a watch this Thanksgiving.
“Supernatural” (2005-2020)
The series completed its 15-year run on Nov. 19, concluding the adventures of brothers Sam and Dean Winchester and angel Castiel as they fight demons and other supernatural creatures. The longest-running American live-action fantasy series to date, Supernatural features a blend of action, adventure, and mystery that, coupled with its rich mythology, has helped the show last. This show can be found on Netflix.
“Community” (2009-2015)
Dan Harmon, who went on to create the hit show Rick and Morty, launched “Community” in 2009 and it soon gained a cult following. This show follows a study group of seven misfits as they navigate the absurd hijinks at the fictional Greendale Community College.
The ingenious and highly quotable writing from Harmon and his staff as well as excellent performances from the cast makes this a great watch. The series takes concept episodes to a new level, showcasing paintball fights paying homage to Star Wars and spaghetti westerns, a stop-motion Christmas special and a confrontation between pillow and blanket forts in the style of a Civil War documentary. Each episode is around 20 minutes in length, making them easily bingeable.
The show is available to watch on Hulu and Netflix.
“Stranger Things” (2016-present)
Each season of the Duffer Brothers’ nostalgia-filled romp through 1980s Hawkins, Ind. feels like a film, which makes binge-watching the show more satisfying. The stellar performances from the cast and a compelling story help anchor “Stranger Things,” and the combination of new material and homages to the past gives it a familiarity that doesn’t overstay its welcome. The soundtrack is incredible as well and the show can be found on Netflix.
“Cobra Kai” (2018-present)
A sequel to the Karate Kid films, Ralph Macchio and William Zabka return to their iconic roles as Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence and clash once again. This time, Lawrence has reopened the Cobra Kai dojo, to LaRusso’s ire, and what follows is a series of brilliant fights, family drama and callbacks to the original films. “Cobra Kai” began on YouTube Red before being acquired by Netflix last June.
“The Queen’s Gambit” (2020)
A new Netflix limited series, “The Queen’s Gambit”, follows female chess prodigy Beth (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) as she navigates the world of competitive chess playing in a quest to become the best chess player in the world. The story was adapted from the 1983 novel by Walter Tevis and features an electrifying lead performance from Taylor-Joy.
“The Midnight Gospel” (2020-present)
Utilizing interviews from the popular podcast The Duncan Trussell Family Hour and trippy animation from Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward, “The Midnight Gospel” follows Clancy Gilroy, a “spacecaster” (podcaster in space) who travels the cosmos in search of interview subjects for his spacecast.
The conversations featured touch on philosophical subjects such as magic, self-awareness and death with a variety of guests, including Drew Pinksy, Damien Echols and Trussell’s late mother Deneen Fendig. The conversations and visuals mash together in a beautiful audio-visual experience that spans eight half-hour episodes on Netflix.
“The Mandalorian” (2019-present)
John Favreau takes viewers on a trip to a galaxy far, far away in this live-action Star Wars series, which is set before the sequel trilogy and follows a bounty hunter known as the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal). Accompanying Mando through the galaxy is the internet’s favorite creature, Baby Yoda, and a slew of guest stars.
Each episode is half an hour long, and these half-hours are spent deepening the lore of the universe while giving its audience plenty of adventure and action to digest. With the second season continuing to premiere on Disney Plus each week, binge-watching “The Mandalorian” is the way to go.
“Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” (2020-present)
Apple TV and creator/star Rob McElhenney put a hilarious new spin on the workplace comedy with “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet”. The show takes a look inside a video game studio and its dysfunctional staff and features Charlotte Nicdao, David Hornsby (It’s Always Sunny) and Danny Pudi (Community) in supporting roles.
With ten episodes averaging half an hour in length, this series can be finished in a single afternoon, and its combination of satire and heart helps the show connect to its audience.
