Celebrate this Labor Day by getting cozy and hitting up your Netflix – or whatever streaming account – hard. Consider this the ultimate guide to some big time TV bingeing, courtesy of our favorite streaming apps.
All those hot shows you haven’t caught up on
These are shows that are either currently ongoing or on break until they return for a new season.
Game of Thrones
Sick of hearing about Game of Thrones? Then just watch it damnit. There are currently three seasons available, with the fourth scheduled for Spring 2014. You can start watching Season 1 and 2 digitally through Amazon for $2.99 per episode, iTunes for $3.99 per episode, and Vudu for $2.99 per episode. It’s available on Xfinity cable or you can stream it directly from HBO Go’s website if you have a subscription.
Suits
Need a badass law show to kill the day? Suits is currently in the middle of its third season, so you have a bit of catching up to do. You can stream Suits on Amazon if you sign up for a Prime account or buy each episode for $1.99. You can also get each episode for $1.99 through iTunes, YouTube, and Vudu.
The Good Wife
OK how about a badass law show that takes a few cues from the more sordid side of politics (cough Anthony Weiner cough). The series just finished its fourth season last April and its fifth season’s premiere is slated to air on September 29 – all the more reason to catch up and start watching now. The show can be streamed on Amazon with a Prime subscription, while every episode can be digitally downloaded for $1.99 on Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu. Seasons 1-4 will be available on Hulu Plus beginning September 2013.
Parks and Recreation
The first season can be a little bit dragging and has received mixed reviews, but trust me, it gets better so power through the first six episodes. It got so great that it was renewed for its sixth season, scheduled to premiere on September 26. It’s coming up, so go on and be up-to-date. The first four seasons are available on Netflix, but you can stream all five seasons with an Xfinity Streampix or Amazon Prime subscription.
Girls
The show has only had two seasons, but its incredible popularity has garnered it a renewal for a third season, scheduled to air in 2014. Each episode of Girls is available for digital download at $1.99 apiece on Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu. . It’s available on Xfinity cable or you can stream it directly from HBO Go’s website if you have a subscription.
Scandal
Seriously, just… just watch it. The name says it all. Its second season ended earlier this year, with the third premiering on October 3. All episodes can be streamed on Netflix and can be digitally downloaded for $1.99 at Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, and Vudu.
Homeland
This mind-bending political thriller is so addictive you may as well kiss your day goodbye. It currently only has two seasons done, so it shouldn’t be too hard to catch up before the third season premieres on September 29. Season 1 episodes are available on Amazon and Vudu for $1.99 each and on iTunes for $2.99 each (full Season 2 episodes will become available on iTunes beginning September 10). The show is available on cable with a subscription to either Showtime or Xfinity.
The Newsroom
Who doesn’t want to see Aaron Sorkin’s latest? Its second season is currently on air, scheduled to end this coming September 15, so yes, you can totally catch up in a day if you marathon the episodes, some of which are available for digital download for $1.99 each on Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu. You can catch it on Xfinity cable and HBO Go if you have a subscription.
Downton Abbey
If you thought British period dramas were boring, think again. Season 4 is currently filming and will be premiering in the US on January 5 next year. The show is available for streaming on Amazon and Hulu Plus, provided that you have a subscription. Digital downloads are available for $1.99 on Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, and Vudu.
Doctor Who (2005)
The reboot is already seven seasons long and the eighth scheduled to debut this December with a Christmas special and an introduction to a new actor playing the Doctor (oh, did I forget to mention that Time Lords can regenerate up to 12 times?). You can stream the first six seasons on Netflix if you have a subscription. You can download episodes for $1.99 each on Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu.
Burn Notice
It’s got humor, suspense, action, and a sexy love story. The show is currently on its seventh season, scheduled to wrap up with the finale airing on September 12, so if you want to be all caught up before it’s over, you have to haul serious butt. The show is available for streaming on Netflix up to the sixth season. You can digitally download episodes on Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu.
See the next page for some one-season television shows that you can get hooked on.
Awesome shows that only have one season so far – but are totally awesome
The heading is pretty explanatory. These shows are pretty great…we definitely want more in the future!
The Americans
KGB spies trying to fit into America? Yes please. It’s a pretty unique perspective of the “other side”, and the way the characters assimilate into everyday American life is interesting to watch. The second season is scheduled to premiere in January 2014. You can buy each episode for $1.99 on Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu.
House of Cards
If you need more proof of how life in the government can be serious, cutthroat, and messy, then all you have to do is watch this show. Once you start though, prepare for an all-nighter, because every episode is packed with so much awesomeness that you won’t be able to stop until all the episodes are gone. This show is pretty special because the whole season was released in one go on Netflix, but it’s now also available via digital download at $1.99 an episode on Amazon and Vudu.
Orange is the New Black
Just like House of Cards, all the episodes of Orange is the New Black’s first season were released at the same time, so it’s a pretty perfect show to watch in one sitting. All you need to know about the show prior to seeing it is already in the photo, so do yourself a favor and just go for it on Netflix.
The Mindy Project
Doctor shows don’t have to be under the drama category, and they don’t have to be an hour long every time you watch. The Mindy Project’s 20-minute eps give you just the right amount of MD and a bigger dose of the funnies. The fact that it was renewed for a second season (premiering on September 17, that’s coming soon!) should speak volumes. Watch the whole first season now using your subscription to Hulu Plus, or own every ep for $1.99 a pop via Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu – you’ll be done in no time.
See the next page for some shows that are about to end their run on television.
Watch these shows before their final chapters close
After a successful and substantial run on television as three of the most beloved shows on air, the men below are ready to bid adieu.
Breaking Bad
We’ve been amazed to see just how evil and how good at lying (and cooking meth) a cancer-afflicted Chemistry teacher can become. Now the world is ready to find out…what will happen to Walt and Jesse? There are only a couple of episodes left in Season 5 before we finally get our answer…so hurry and catch up! You can watch all seasons on Netflix until half-way through the last, and you can get all caught up by downloading episodes (including the most recent ones) through Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, and Vudu.
Dexter
It’s been fun witnessing how a serial killer disguised as a blood spatter analyst for the cops channels his demons into chopping bad guys into bits and pieces, but now we want to know how this all ends. Does he get away with it? Will he get what’s coming to him? Hopefully we all will gain proper closure when the show finally ends on September 22. Relive the gore by watching Dexter from the beginning by downloading every ep till the end of Season 7 on Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu for $1.99. You can also catch the show on its last season on cable if you have an Xfinity or Showtime subscription.
Mad Men
This show has had girls wishing their guys were as dashing and debonair as Don Draper for the last six years, but alas, all good things must come to an end. While creator Matthew Weiner has confirmed that next year’s seventh season will be the show’s last, the idea of splitting it in two parts Breaking Bad style is not out of the question. Which means, you have a lot of time to catch up! You can watch the first five seasons of Mad Men on Netflix, but you can download every episode available for $1.99 each on Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu.
To revisit shows that have already ended, see the next page.
Some classic shows that will never get old
These shows are constant winners, no matter how many times you watch them.
Friends
There’s a reason why this show lasted ten amazing seasons (and why every friend earned a million dollars per episode near the end). It’s that good. In fact, I’ll go as far as say that this show was one of the best things about the 90s. Go hang out again with Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe, and Joey at Central Perk by purchasing every episode for $1.99 through Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu.
House
Aside from creating hypochondriac fans that found possible diseases in every symptom imaginable, this show will forever be known for one of TV’s most iconic male characters in history. House is brilliant. Never mind his Vicodin addiction…I want him to pull out a tapeworm out of my stomach as a result of my toothache or whatever and yell “Aha!”. Watch all eight seasons by downloading every ep for $1.99 on Amazon, iTunes, and YouTube.
The West Wing
Want to know what it’s really like to be the President of the United States? The West Wing has all your political drama needs and more. Learn about the domestic and international affairs the government has to deal with on a daily basis by watching all seven seasons through a Netflix and Amazon Prime subscription. You also have the option of owning every episode for $1.99 via Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu.
