Fresh off a rewatch of my favorite TV show (see below), I can’t help but want to share this great show and the other shows I love with everyone. So, here’s a list of my TV recommendations, including my top 3 favorites and some honorable mentions.
Whether you like sci-fi, horror, comedy, or drama, I’ve got something for you.
TV Show Recommendations – Top 3 TV Shows
1. Stranger Things
Stranger Things is my favorite TV show of all time. I remember watching the first season when I was in high school, and I was hooked. The mystery. The characters. The setting. The music. The writing. It’s all so good!
And each season has continued to deliver, building on the first season so well. If any show deserves the hype, it’s this one.
Stranger Things—if you don’t know—takes place in Hawkins, Indiana in the 1980s. When a boy named Will goes missing, his friends search for him but uncover something far more mysterious: a girl with a shaved head and strange powers.
I could go on and on about this show; it deserves its own post. But for now, I’ll just say watch it. Seriously.
2. The Queen’s Gambit
It was 2021, and I was quarantined because two of my roommates had COVID. I had nothing else to do, and I’d heard The Queen’s Gambit was worth watching.
I binged the whole thing in one day.
I mean, it wasn’t hard. There are only 7 episodes—7 fantastic episodes.
In The Queen’s Gambit, we follow Beth Harmon, an orphan with a gift for chess, as she grows up, struggles with addiction, and seeks to become a chess champion during the Cold War.
Don’t worry if you don’t know much about chess. You don’t need to.
This show has excellent casting and a wonderful story, and Beth Harmon will never cease to be a fascinating character to watch.
3. Avatar: The Last Airbender (Original Animated Series)
Yes, this is a children’s show, but don’t let that stop you from watching this. Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the best kids’ shows out there, and, in my opinion, one of the best shows out there. Period.
Yes, it’s silly sometimes. Yes, some of the jokes are aimed at 10-year-olds. But this show also explores things like grief, war, forgiveness, gender discrimination, love, friendship, and redemption to name a few.
I may be a bit biased with this one because part of why I love it is nostalgia; I watched it growing up. But I do genuinely think it’s a well-written, entertaining show. I’ve rewatched it time and time again, and I never get sick of it.
Avatar: The Last Airbender follows a boy named Aang who is the Avatar, the person who can control all four elements. He is supposed to bring balance to the world. The only problem is that the world has been at war for 100 years.
You can also check out the recent live-action adaptation on Netflix, which certainly has its flaws but may interest you if you’re hesitant about the animated series (I’d still recommend trying the animated series first).
TV Show Recommendations – Honorable Mentions
In no particular order, here are the shows that don’t quite make the top 3 but are still fantastic.
The Haunting of Hill House
If you’re looking for a great horror show with excellent writing and casting, The Haunting of Hill House is a brilliant choice. The show does a great job of making you care about this family, and the tension throughout is so good.
I’m not usually one to watch a lot of horror (unless my sister forces me to), so for me to love and recommend this one, you know it’s gotta be good.
The Artful Dodger
I just wrote a whole blog post about this show (which you can find here), so I’ll keep this brief. The Artful Dodger is funny, charming, and heartwarming. It’s a period drama set in colonial Australia with wonderful characters and a great story.
Teen Wolf
If you’re looking for something funny and a little cheesy and dramatic, Teen Wolf will give you just that.
I watched it in high school, so part of my love for it is nostalgia. The show is mostly just a fun watch. It definitely has flaws. However, season 3 in particular actually has some decent storytelling, and Dylan O’Brien really steals the show.
If you do watch it, be warned: season 6, especially the second half, is not great. In fact, you might consider not watching the second half of that season.
Bridgerton
I know everyone’s talking about this, so you might be tired of hearing about it. I’m going to talk about it anyway.
When I first heard about Bridgerton, I thought it would be all about the spicy scenes with no story or character depth. I finally gave it a try, and to my surprise, it actually has a great story and characters, especially in season 2.
Bridgerton has a nice modern spin on the period drama. I love how they experiment with costumes and music and don’t feel the need to be 100% accurate to history. The characters are delightful, and it’s quite funny too.
Shadow and Bone
High fantasy? Check. Cool magic? Check. Excellent worldbuilding? Check. Amazing casting? Check.
Shadow and Bone does all this and more. It’s based on two book series by Leigh Bardugo: the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the Six of Crows duology. Whether you’ve read the books or not, this is a fun show. I think it actually improves on the original Shadow and Bone trilogy.
And if you like the show, you should absolutely go read the Six of Crows duology (one of my favorite book series!). You can read the Shadow and Bone trilogy too; it’s just not quite as good as SoC.
Thanks for listening to me ramble about all my favorite shows. Drop your TV show recommendations in the comments! And if you’ve watched any of these, let me know what you think of them!
One response to “TV Show Recommendations – My Favorite TV Shows”
I’m always looking for new shows. I’ll have to check these out!