Best Binge Worthy Shows (After the Kids Go To Bed)

Alexandra F.:  It's hard not to fall in love with the Pearson family as you watch the lives of the three adult siblings unfold, with frequent flashbacks to their past along with tantalizing scenes from their future. This modern drama is all about the incredible characters and excellent story telling, as it masterfully weaves past, present and future to always leave you wondering about what comes next, or how things get to where they are.

Kelly R:  We have binge watched this whole series twice so far, and it just gets better! Falling on hard times, the Rose family leaves their pampered life and heads for the only thing they have left: Schitt's Creek, a town they once bought as a joke. The characters and the situations are ridiculous and hilarious, but the show still has a whole lot of heart.

Kelly R:  When a money laundering scheme for a drug cartel goes awry, a Chicago financial adviser relocates his family to the Ozarks with a risky plan that he hopes will make things right.

Kristy Pepping:  We recently started watching this Netflix show. It's a story of an orphan, Beth, who attends a boarding school set in the 1950s. While she is at the boarding school, she learns how to play chess from the janitor. Beth is naturally great at the game. The show follows her life as she grows up and works her way up the chess circuit all way dealing with addiction.

Kelly R:  When her comfortable life is shaken up, a 1950s housewife tries to make it in New York as a stand-up comic. A sharp and funny show about a woman finding her voice and learning to stand on her own.

Kelly R:  We tried Abbott Elementary after hearing good things, and it totally hooked us! It's a sweet and laugh-out-loud funny show about teachers at an elementary school in Philadelphia. Sort of like The Office, but in a school. The principal is hilarious.

As an opulent Yorkshire estate struggles to find its footing in the 20th century, Downton Abbey follows the dramatic, funny and scandalous stories of the aristocratic family that lives there and the household staff that works downstairs.

Kelly R:  Facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, high school chemistry teacher Walter White teams up with a former student to produce and sell meth and provide a future for his family after he's gone. The drama of watching Walter progress from chemistry teacher to kingpin makes it one of the best binge worthy shows, especially because so many of the episodes end with a surprising payoff or plot twist.

Ted Lasso is a heartwarming comedy about an American football coach who is hired to manage a struggling English soccer team. Despite his lack of knowledge about the sport, Ted's optimism and kindness win over the team and the fans.

Kelly R:  This Netflix series follows the personal and political life of Queen Elizabeth II, and the blurred lines between. The seasons span many years, from her wedding in 1947 to the Princess Diana days (and counting), with the show recast after every two seasons to keep up with the progression of time.

Alexandra F.:  We loved it decades ago and when we aren’t watching anything new, my husband and I always come back to this hilarious show about nothing. Based on the stand up comedy of Jerry Seinfeld, the show follows the lives of a fictional Jerry and his three best friends, who make some pretty funny and spot-on observations about the regular stuff of life as they go about their days.

Kelly R:  We watched this without kids when it was new, and then I rewatched it with my 7th grader when some of his peers were getting into it. I think it was the first more "grown-up" show he watched, and he loves it. I think season 4 is way more scary than the previous ones...more of a horror feel than sci-fi...but it was never really too much for him.

Alexandra F.:  This series starring Ted Danson and Kristen Bell quickly became one of my favorite shows ever, and after sharing it with our older tween and teen it has become theirs, too. The main character finds herself in "the good place" after dying, but thinks she may be there by mistake. The story that unfolds is seriously hilarious and also offers some thoughtful reflections about what it means to live a good life. Just beware of the Mindy St Claire scenes (which are pretty rare, and can easily be skipped!), as they usually involve a lot of sex and drugs talk.

Sarah Calamita:  A series about best friends Tully and Kate who support each other through good times and bad. Based off a book (equally as good as this Netflix series!)

Kelly R:  Storytellers imbibe and talk about notable events in history, and their often-incoherent stories are acted out by a rotating cast of famous actors. The episodes stand alone so you don't need to watch them all or go in order, but don't miss the episode with Lin-Manuel Miranda talking about Hamilton.