There’s a call for celebration when you find a good TV show you can binge-watch. I missed that feeling during the school year. But this summer, I wanted to find those shows and make the most of free time without classes looming. That being said, I think you can watch any of these shows in one weekend (before prelims start, of course, let’s not kid ourselves) and have a good time.
Overcompensating and Adults (2025—)
How could I not include two branches from the same tree? Both of these shows were released in May, and a good number of people confused the two with each other. Overcompensating is set in college around 2014-2015: an absolute homage to the freshman-year experience. Adults takes place after college, following five roommates and the troubling aspects of adult life. The humor is absolutely there in both of them. The episodes are quick (20-30 minutes) and filled with lively plotlines. If you’re looking for a lighthearted show with the same touch of hilarity from 2000s sitcoms, either show is for you.
Department Q (2025—)
Time for a thriller. Department Q is one of Netflix’s best shows to date. Detective Carl Morck (Matthew Goode) is pulled from the field after an attack and is assigned to a new cold case department: Department Q. The ending alone from the first episode solidified the show as a top 10 in my book. Each character is developed and given their own story, but not some traumatic background to create some surface-level personality; their stories emerge on their own, and you long to know them better, aching for another season. I knew mid-season it was too good to be an original, and of course, it’s a book adaptation. I might read the books while I wait for the next season. Out of this entire list, this show is enthralling from beginning to end: perhaps the most binge-worthy.
MobLand (2025—)
There are plenty of shows and movies featuring mob families. MobLand stands out for its exceptional casting: Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren all star in the series. The dialogue is sharp, and the stakes are high. The family dynamic takes center stage and grabs your attention off the bat. Tom Hardy plays the “fixer” in the series, resolving or eliminating any problems the Harrigan family faces. The series presents external challenges while the internal challenge of which family Hardy belongs to — his own or the Harrigans — plays out.
The Recruit (2022–2025)
I did not expect much from this show at all. I thought it would be lighthearted, weak action scenes and minimal stakes; I was proven wrong. Needless to say, I needed to finish the series the moment I started. The Recruit follows Owen Hendricks (Noah Centineo), a lawyer recently hired by the CIA. It would be quite boring if he stayed at his desk, but on his first day, he travels to Yemen for information on a graymail case. The series is fast-paced, and the character, Hendricks, is one you can root for. Unfortunately, the series was cancelled this year, but season two ends with a satisfying conclusion.
New Girl (2011–2018)
I have been missing out. I’m only on season three, but New Girl has become a comfort show. 2025 is missing the type of series with 25-episode seasons and 20-minute episodes. The comedy in New Girl is witty and quick, and who doesn’t love Nick and Schmidt? And I love how any storyline can reappear at the most inopportune time. If you haven’t watched New Girl, give it a try. I wish I had done so earlier.
HONORABLE MENTION: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (On Audible)
Okay, this does not belong on a list of binge-worthy TV shows — it’s a book, yes, but hear me out. When I listened to it on Audible (which I never do), I was entranced. The narrator, Ray Porter, gives life to the characters whose voices need to be heard, not read. The sci-fi novel leans heavily on the science side, but the characters are so lovable and the scenes so vivid. It’s being turned into a movie set for release in March 2026, starring Ryan Gosling. Please read or listen to the book before the movie comes out. If you love adventure and the type of saving-all-of-humanity novel, you need to check it out.
Sophia Romanov Imber is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at sromanovimber@cornellsun.com.
"Are You Still Watching?” is a column spotlighting what the Cornell community has been streaming. It runs every Wednesday.
Sophia Romanov Imber is a member of the Class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is an assistant arts editor of the 143rd Editorial Board. She can be reached at sromanovimber@cornellsun.com.
