Casey Duby is an avid TV writer, watcher, and reviewer. She graduated from Emerson College in 2021 with a focus in Writing for Film and Television, where she wrote several pilots and watched countless more. She's been working in television ever since.
Casey loves thoughtful content that makes her ponder our world and the people in it, and she's learned that any genre can surprise her. With favorites in every genre from horror to politics, family to action, nothing is off limits.
Casey has experience working in TV development, as well as writing both narrative and host-driven shows. Currently working as a Writer in Los Angeles, with an AMC A-List membership to boot, she is always hunting for the next good story and great theme song.
Not every TV show is good enough for a binge-watch, and others are best viewed at a slower pace, but some series hit the spot when watched as quickly as possible. Older classics like Friends and Gilmore Girls may be the shows most often associated with the idea of binge-watching, but there are some newer series that also make for perfect weekend binge-watches.
Some shows, like Severance, are meant to be digested over time, as new thoughts about the series often sprout up before the next episode drops. And when it comes to ultra-buzzy shows, like The White Lotus, there's something to be said about participating in the ritual of weekly Sunday night viewing. Yet other binge-worthy shows feel like they were built to be downed in one sitting.
The Pitt 2025-Present
The Pitt is pretty emotionally taxing to binge, but that's exactly why you should. The show successfully employs a 24-style real-time format, with all of season 1 covering a single 15-hour emergency room shift. By watching the whole season in one sitting, viewers would be mimicking the experience of its characters.
The Pitt has been praised among healthcare workers for its realism. The events of the show are physically and mentally draining for its doctors, and the real-time format really drives this point home. It's common to feel a need for a break a few episodes into The Pitt's relentless trauma and tragedy, but if that's the case, imagine how actual nurses and doctors must feel. With the release of the Pitt season 2 trailer, now is the perfect time to catch up on season 1 -- and do it all in one sitting.
Six Feet Under 2001-2005
HBO's oddball funeral home drama warrants a binge because it's just that good. It puts an unusual spin on the monster-of-the-week format, opening each episode with a death that the Fishers will plan a funeral for. Despite its subject matter, Six Feet Under is actually about living life to the fullest, and this theme comes through most clearly on a binge-watch.
Different elements of the show, from David's repressed sexuality to funeral attendees who insist on celebrating life rather than mourning it, consistently come together in an unexpected call to action, urging viewers to take advantage of their life while they have it. It all culminates in Six Feet Under's flawless series finale, which, while all about death, is really about a new beginning.
Russian Doll 2019-2022
Russian Doll's second season seemed ill-advised after the first (excellent) installment played more like a limited series. Yet the sophomore outing of Natasha Lyonne's twisty time loop story proved doubters wrong, imbuing the series with such emotion and purpose that season 1 now pales in comparison.
What started out as a Groundhog Day-type situation on Nadia's birthday escalates into an exploration of generational trauma. Nadia travels through time, viewing the world through the eyes of her mother and grandmother, in the process coming to better understand her family and accept herself. There's a lot going on (at one point Nadia gives birth to... herself?), so Russian Doll is best watched in one sitting to maximize its momentum and emotional impact.
Friday Night Lights 2006-2011
It's almost impossible not to binge-watch this show. The pilot episode deserves a spot in the TV hall of fame with its perfect introduction of stereotypical high school characters, every single one of whom has their life turned upside down by the climactic first football game of the season. It's not a cliffhanger so much as just pitch-perfect storytelling that leaves you wanting more.
Friday Night Lights also boasts some of the best sports storytelling on TV, with every Panthers game being an emotional, edge-of-your-seat nailbiter. The way each player performs in the game speaks directly to their personality and what they've been experiencing off the field, making the show the perfect combination of high school drama and inspirational sports story.
The Haunting Of Hill House 2018
Hill House deserves a binge as the series that launched Mike Flanagan to well-deserved fame in the TV horror space. The Haunting of Bly Manor and Midnight Mass are also stunning titles from him, and The Fall of the House of Usher is an impressive narrative collage of Edgar Allan Poe's body of work, but Hill House remains the strongest series (we should all forget about The Midnight Club entirely).
Most notable about Flanagan's writing is his use of source material, taking the kernel of an idea and elevating it into something completely modern and new. Invariably, Flanagan's version is better. The Haunting of Hill House is inspired by Shirley Jackson's novel of the same name, but the series quickly becomes something all its own.
The novel, in a somewhat tired tale, depicts a woman too mentally weak to withstand being preyed upon by a haunted house. The show, through the Bent-Neck Lady (its strongest element, which does not exist in the book), becomes a rich character study, personifying the idea of one's biggest fear being their own death. This is a perfect time to binge Hill House as Flanagan gears up to launch his Carrie adaptation on Prime Video.
True Blood 2008-2014
True Blood's greatest strength is its cohesion. More than any one episode, the fantasy series stands out for its deliberate storytelling, consistently planting narrative seeds that wouldn't be sown until several episodes -- or even seasons -- down the line. Sookie's fairy identity isn't revealed until the end of season 3, but it's clear that everything until that point was intentionally leading the story there.
For attentive viewers, this is what makes True Blood such a rewarding watch from start to finish. True Blood's later seasons were less well-received, but the long game the show played through its deep foreshadowing disproves any accusations that they were an afterthought. It's also what makes it a perfect show to binge, as all of True Blood's breadcrumbs will be top of mind when they finally reach their payoff.
Malcolm In The Middle 2000-2006
Malcolm in the Middle still stands the test of time as one of the most unique shows ever made for kids. It's debatable if it actually was made for kids, given its mature content and out-there tone, but ultimately, Malcolm's focus and perspective prove that it was built with a younger audience in mind.
POV shots showing the world through Dewey's eyes, Malcolm serving as primary narrator, and the comparatively minor roles of adults Hal and Lois are all ways that Malcolm packages its often adult messaging into a kid-shaped package. It doesn't shy away from topics of class, status, and even sex, effectively acknowledging kids' awareness of these things, whether they like it or not. It's worth a binge to see how the show does it, especially before the Malcolm in the Middle revival drops in 2026.
Hacks 2021-Present
Deborah and Ava have become icons, but their most underrated qualities may be their flaws. The word "hack" is thrown around a bit in the first season, but the idea of what being a hack means to the two Hacks protagonists really sums up their generational differences and speaks to the deeper theme of the show.
Screen Rant Report Dive into the world of movies and TV shows with Screen Rant, your source for news, reviews, and exclusive content. Subscribe Screen Rant Report Dive into the world of movies and TV shows with Screen Rant, your source for news, reviews, and exclusive content. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
To Deborah, relentless hard work, often in the form of something you don't really want to be doing, is how one earns their place in entertainment. But to Ava, it's not about how much work you do; it's just about never sacrificing your authentic self in the process. They both make good points, but benefit from a dose of the other's perspective.
However, Hacks' greatest flaw might be the common sitcom trait of regression, rarely allowing its characters to grow too much before returning them to their status quo. Ultimately, the two have and are learning from each other... slowly. A binge-watch is likely the best way to see the true progress Hacks has made -- and get a ton of laughs in along the way.
Slow Horses 2022-Present
Slow Horses is another show that's hard not to binge, and there's no need to fight it. The underdog spy series has a bit of an anthology feel, as each season features a contained story. This makes for a great binge as the show stays fresh, launching into a new adventure every six episodes.
Slow Horses maintains a tight, twisty narrative, unique yet realistic characters, and just the right amount of unexpected physical comedy. Even when one story feels neatly resolved, the familiar characters and air of pleasant adventure make Slough House rewarding to return to season after season. The show is a reliable binge -- season 6 is expected in 2026, with Slow Horses consistently releasing a new season every year since 2022.
Daisy Jones & The Six 2023
It feels like Daisy Jones had 15 minutes of fame when what it really deserved was a permanent place in TV history. This show put its money where its mouth was by not only depicting a fictional chart-topping band, but actually releasing the fictional album, recorded by the cast, that sounds as good as the story tells us it does.
Despite its glamorous setting, the show has a palpable emotional rawness and electricity to it, thanks in huge part to career-bets performances from Daisy Jones & The Six cast members Riley Keough, Sam Claflin, and Camila Morrone. As a 10-episode limited series, Daisy Jones & The Six goes down fast and is worth every second.