As someone who loves pop culture, Hollywood and streaming services, I spend an embarrassing amount of time watching television. I have spent countless hours exploring shows across various genres and searching for the best entertainment. Here’s a list of television recommendations that are both well-executed and enjoyable to binge.
This list draws from the 2023 Emmy Awards and the 2024 Emmy Nominations. This year’s nominations were announced on July 14. The winners of the nominations will be announced on September 15. At the top of the list for the most is “The Bear” with 23 nominations — making a record for the most nominations a comedy series has received on the award show.
Although award shows are commonly criticized for pushing a specific agenda or being swayed by Hollywood forces, they serve as a general guideline for what’s popular on streaming services right now.
Succession
Succession is one of the best shows of this century — that’s an opinion I will relentlessly defend. The four-season series boasts hour-long quality episodes filled with amazing acting, writing and production design. Don’t even get me started on the theme song — imagine the Beastie Boys blended with Beethoven. Succession is hip, impactful, hilarious and entertaining.
Logan Roy is a successful and filthy-rich CEO of a media company called Waystar Royco. However, he’s getting old and approaching retirement. His four children are power-hungry and are fighting to be named the next CEO of the company. Follow the dysfunctional family, see the business deals made in the board room and watch relationships change. You’ll probably recognize Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck, Nicholas Braun or Matthew Macfadyen.
Be warned: it’s a complex and rich script. Since the series is about a corporation, it is heavily business focused. If you aren’t into stocks or don’t plan on getting an MBA, maybe sit this one out. If this sounds up your alley, you can watch it on HBO Max.
Abbott Elementary
Imagine The Office sitcom meets an elementary school in Philadelphia. Quinta Brunson — you might recognize her from BuzzFeed — created a workplace comedy that centers around a group of teachers at an elementary school. Despite being underfunded and overwhelmed, these teachers make it their mission to educate the kids in their classrooms. The humor is tasteful and has a millennial flare to it.
This series is a perfect mindless and low-maintenance show to watch. The plot is more focused on individual episodes rather than entire seasons of character development, so it’s easy to pick up. Season four premiers October 9, catch it on ABC or Hulu.
The Crown
The Crown is a six-season show that spans the entire reign of Queen Elizabeth. You’ll see her coronation in the first season and follow her throughout her time spent in Buckingham Palace. The series focuses on Princess Diana and Charles in season four and finishes off with Princess Kate and William in the final season. You’ll see famous British figures such as Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher sprinkled throughout the series.
If you’re a history buff or a fan of the royal family, this show is perfect for you. At times, the plot is heavy, so if you aren’t familiar with the deep history, some context from the internet is needed. The costumes and acting are great along with a powerful soundtrack. Besides that, the production is high-quality — it could be mistaken for a movie.
Prince Harry admitted to Stephen Colbert that he’s watched The Crown, although most of the royal family has not acknowledged the show. Chances are, someone you know is obsessed with the show. You’ll also be great at random trivia about British monarchs. Watch it on Netflix.
Daisy Jones & the Six
Taylor Jenkins Reid originally wrote the book “Daisy Jones & the Six,” but thanks to the help of Reese Witherspoon and Amazon, the book was also released as a ten-episode limited series. The series tells the story of a band in the 1970s loosely inspired by Fleetwood Mac. Think of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham in the context of Rumours — the drama is palpable. Follow the band as they record in the studio, go on tour around the United States and hear from the musicians in a rockumentary-esque interview.
In addition to the acting, the series also adapts the lyrics in the book to real songs. You can check out the album “Aurora” on Spotify — they’re branded as an actual band on streaming platforms. You can check out the series on Amazon Prime — it’s easily bingeable.
My friends have yapped my ear off about Only Murders in the Building, The Boys, and Ted Lasso. There’s only so much time, but they’re on my list.
