TV Shows To Binge-Watch This Summer

By Elana Goodwin on June 17, 2014

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Summer’s here and for most people, that means a serious lack of television to watch as shows have finished up their seasons and aren’t set to air again until the fall. However, summer is the perfect time to binge-watch that show you’ve been meaning to start or discover a whole new series. Here are some of my top picks for TV shows to binge-watch this summer.

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1. “The Mindy Project.” Though there’s only been two seasons of TMP so far on FOX, this smart Mindy Kaling-driven comedy is one you’ll want to add to your watchlist if it’s not on there already.

Kaling stars, produces and writes the show which also stars Chris Messina, Ed Weeks and Ike Barinholtz. She plays Dr. Mindy Lahiri, an OB-GYN who runs a private medical practice alongside Messina and Weeks’ characters.

Each week basically follows Mindy and her man-of-the-episode as the show focuses heavily on her active dating life with witty banter, pop culture references and fast-paced dialogue thrown in. Kaling is outstanding and hilarious in this series, with lines like ”Tattling is when a little girl does it. When a hot woman does it, it’s called whistle-blowing,” “I fell asleep watching “Amelie”, and when I woke up, I had spilt so much red wine on me that I thought I’d been shot,” and more.

Kaling’s likability is only matched by Messina who plays loveable gruff Dr. Danny Castellano and Messina and Kaling’s sexual chemistry on the show is off the charts, making their characters’ friendship all the more fun to watch.

While a difficult feat, the show’s writers have managed to create characters whose will-they-or-won’t-they storylines don’t alienate or frustrate viewers but rather leave them coming back for more. “The Mindy Project” will be back for its third season on FOX sometime this fall.

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2. “The Big Bang Theory.” Most people have caught various episodes of TBBT over the years, as reruns are shown on numerous channels throughout the day, but not as many can claim they’ve watched every episode of the intelligent comedy in order from start to finish.

The CBS hit show–which stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons and Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting–wrapped its seventh season this year and has already been renewed for another three seasons. Galecki and Parsons play Leonard Hofstadter and Dr. Sheldon Cooper respectively, physicists who live across the hall from Cheesecake Factory waitress and wannabe actress Penny, played by Cuoco-Sweeting.

Parsons has won three Emmys and one Golden Globe for his work as socially awkward genius Cooper on the show. Though they’ll be heading into their eighth season this year, the show still manages to be fresh as the writers have slowly built and weaved the development of the characters into the episodes, making each an enjoyable experience.

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3. “24.” The 40-minute FOX drama ended in 2010 after eight seasons and a TV movie between seasons six and seven called “24: Redemption.”

The show follows Counter Terrorist Unit Agent Jack Bauer, played by Kiefer Sutherland, and also stars Mary Lynn Rajskub, among others (which vary almost every season). The winner of two Golden Globes, “24′s” episodes occur in real time and are packed with action and end with Bauer saving the day and the U.S. from whatever major disaster is looming ahead for the nation.

“24″ has also been revived this summer in the form of a 12-episode miniseries called “24: Live Another Day” which is already nearing its final episodes. One of the best things about the original series is that it managed to surprise viewers time and again as the writers demonstrated their willingness to kill off characters and push acceptable limits.

This is a perfect series to binge-watch this summer as by the time you get through all of the original series and “24: Redemption,” the miniseries will be over and you can immediately watch those 12 episodes as well to finish the whole franchise off.

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4. “Breaking Bad.” The AMC crime drama was only on the air for five seasons and won two Golden Globes.

Starring Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn, the show is about a chemistry high school teacher, Cranston, who has been diagnosed with lung cancer and starts selling crystal meth with an ex-student to help fund his family’s future.

The show had a devoted fan base who were saddened to see it end in 2013, though the series went out on a high note, on their terms, rather than waiting until they had overstayed their welcome or weakened their plot lines.

The show’s premise calls into question how a fatal diagnosis can affect a life and questions of morality and family loyalty. Because the show ended fairly recently, you can probably still find friends who can answer any questions you may have about the show as you watch it; plus they probably won’t mind discussing the show with you, either.

Of course, besides these TV series, there are other great TV shows to binge-watch this summer as well. If you’ve already been watching the above-mentioned series, look into “Parks and Recreation,” “Scandal,” “Once Upon A Time,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “House of Lies” and/or “Scrubs.”

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