Finally, summer is here! This is what we have been waiting for all year. On top of going out with friends and family, we need some time for ourselves.
The perfect way to spend some time alone is by watching television! Want to binge some shows on Netflix or Amazon Prime? Don't worry, I've got you covered!
Narrowing down the queue is hard; there’s just too much good content to choose from. But here are some of my favorites you should give a try this summer.
1) The Vampire Diaries (2009 - 2017), IMDB - 8.5/10
Team Delena or Team Stelena?
The Vampire Diaries is one of the most epic series on television. This show consists of Vampires, Witches, Werewolves, and more. Join the adventure this summer and discover love, hate, anger, twists, and a cliffhanger in each episode.
This show was heartbreaking. I cried every other episode. This show proves that love can change anyone, anytime.
I love the epic relationship between Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) and Elene Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and all the twists and turns in every single episode. If you've finished watching TVD, there are two more series by the same creators, The Originals and Legacies. Vampire Diaries consists of 8 seasons.
It is available on Netflix and Amazon Prime. Are you ready to become a vampire?
TW: Blood, Killing, Intimate scenes. Suitable for the ages of 16 and above.
“I Just Have To Say It Once. You Just Need To Hear It. I Love You, Elena." - Damon Salvatore
2) The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022 - Present), IMDB - 7.4/10
This Love (Taylor's version) takes me to heaven.
Romantics, who loved the trilogy To all the boys I have loved before, here's the next perfect show also by our beloved Jenny Han. This show focuses on Belly (Newcomer Lola Tung), who is caught in a love triangle. This coming-of-age story is multigenerational, which also focuses on Belly's mom, her relationship with her daughter, and her long-lasting best friends.
And, this series featured Taylor Swift's This Love (Taylor's version) and Lover, which got the swifties (including me) hyped up. Recently, author Jenny Han announced that this series has another season! I loved the trilogy, and I'm trying not to give any spoilers. This is available as a book and is out on Amazon Prime Video.
TW: Cancer and Body Shaming. Suitable for ages 14 and up.
“Best friends are important. They're the closest thing to a sister you'll ever have.” - Belly Conklin
3) The Gossip Girl (2009 - 2012), IMDB - 7.4/10
How many headbands do you own?
Based on Cecily Von Ziegesar's bestselling YA series of the same name, the show was instantly a cultural phenomenon and the sole reason for a brief but intense resurgence of headbands. This show followed a group of Upper East Siders and a lonely boy, Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley) from Brooklyn. As they manage to live in their complicated rich teen New York Socialities, someone broadcasts their every move on an anonymous blog.
This show is one of my comfort shows, and the cast is incredible. Again, the show was sexy, and I still ship Chuck and Blair.
TW: language, sexual content, and drug use. Suitable for ages 16 and up
"We Make Our Own Fairy Tales." - Blair Waldorf
4) 13 Reasons why (2017 - 2020), IMDB - 7.5/10
Why would Hannah lie? She's dead, isn't she?
13 Reasons Why originally followed the story of Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette) and his former crush Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford), a young teen who died by suicide and left behind a series of cassette tapes for those who contributed to her death. The series consistently makes some grave miscalculations, but its impact on teens and adult viewers cannot be discounted. Plus, the writers and actors succeed in convincing viewers to support their characters, despite some truly vicious events they’ve been a part of—not an easy accomplishment.
It is based on the book written by Jay Fisher. As a fair warning, this show and the book had some serious mental health effects on some people, and it even got banned in some countries.
TW: Sexual assault, suicide, or substance abuse. Suitable for ages 17 and up.
"Maybe love is how you understand infinity. When your love has no limit. When it goes on forever. Maybe that feels like infinity." — Hannah Baker
5) Stranger things (2016 - 2022), IMDB 8.7/10
Major spoiler alert: Vecna appeared in Season 1. Yup, you heard it right.
Stranger Things centers around numerous supernatural events that occur in a small town called Hawkins. This is specifically due to the connection to a hostile alternate reality called the Upside Down after a link between it and Earth is made by a child experimentation facility run by the government.
The series stars a group of kids including Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), who is the girl with supernatural powers and can communicate with the Upside Down. Stranger Things is a mixture of investigative drama alongside supernatural elements portrayed with horror, science fiction, and childlike sensibilities, which makes it a perfect series for anyone to enjoy.
TW: Horror, fear, language, gore, and smoking. Suitable for ages 15 and up.
“I’m betting the fate of the planet that you’re one of the good ones.” - Sam Owens
The majority of them are my comfort television, and I enjoy how each plot line is unique. I concur that television is fantastic—some could even argue essential—all year long. But there must be a reason why we all get so excited when we think about major summer concerts. Our nights in front of the TV seem more luxurious and fleeting because of the season's change in pace, the debilitating temperatures, and the indulgence in wanderlust.
Are you ready to have the perfect summer of your life?
