The Season of Netflix Binge Watching

Summer. Sunshine. Swimming. And... Netflix binge watching?! Of course! With no responsibilities with school, there's no better time to start/finish your favorite show (or ten shows you're currently juggling, if you're like me!).

I wrote a post on my fav Netflix shows forever ago, so many of my favorite shows have changed since then, but here are some oldies but goodies. It's funny how much my style has changed since last year!

Portlandia: I'm currently watching this fun, satirical, quirky show. It's full of skits in Portland, Oregon. I didn't really get it at first, but you learn to love it. On the other hand, it's definitely an acquired taste. People who are sarcastic, witty and (typically) liberal will love it. Carrie reminds me of my all time favorite person, my AP English teacher, Ms. N. If you like Saturday Night Live, you might like this show. I'm a huge fan and it makes me want to go check out Portland for real! ;)

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The West Wing: My new all-time favorite show. I've talked about it before briefly here. After taking AP Government & Politics this semester, I think I might want to major in polysci! My parents are not thrilled... but I'm not sure yet. I really love politics and government. This show is so interesting and makes me really want to work in The West Wing! I love all of the characters. It's a very smart show with lots of wit. There's nothing better than a great political show (and young Rob Lowe! That man doesn't age!).

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Parks & Recreation: If The West Wing isn't my favorite show, it'd be Parks & Recreation. Hands down. Similar to The Office (but better in my opinion), Parks & Rec is the most adorable, witty, wonderful show of a parks and rec department in Pawnee, Indiana. I am literally Leslie Knope. I would be content with being her for the rest of my life. I'd love to have her job (and am considering it!).

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Scandal: I think J would shun me if I didn't include this show. While I used to be obsessed, the obsession has now passed onto J. Olivia Pope is such a BA and she's so fierce. After the first episode, you're like "I want to be Olivia Pope. I want to be Olivia Pope. Olivia Pope, I want to be." She is a gladiator in a white hat. The show really gets to you, as you learn more and more about the characters. Huck, 7:52... that's all I'm going to say. Another show set in DC, but more drama than politics.

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House of Cards: Another political show (Do I love politics or what?!). This one is filled with drama, corruption, and the search for power. Definitely a guilty pleasure. Frank Underwood is an evil genius. The first five minutes is enough for you to be like "What?! Give me more..." The show is great and really puts you into the mind of a genius, an evil genius, but nonetheless a genius. I can't help but find myself cheering for Frank.

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Arrested Development: Another quirky, hilarious show about quite a family. It is a little weird, and after the first episode, I was like "what even is this show?..." but I'm a huge fan. The characters are quirky and lovable.

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My taste in shows has changed A LOT since my last post on Netflix shows... check it out here!

Summertime Beginnings

I wanted to start this post with this photo.
It's from a few years ago and I went with my Girl Scout troop to the beach.
A friend took this photo without me knowing after sunrise.
We woke up early to go see the sunrise, and it was amazing.

I have had my first two days of summer! Today is day 2 of summer vacation. It's been pretty good. I'm really hoping for the chance to do stuff this summer. Experience summer. Not just sit around and watch Netflix.

Although I am expecting to catch up on some Netflix and watch some new movies and shows. Any recommendations? I want to watch some more Audrey Hepburn movies.

Oh, I'd love to read some books too. John Green's Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska. I pinned this Buzzfeed article, "17 Books To Read If You Liked "The Fault In Our Stars." The books Zac and Mia and Anna and the French Kiss sound good!

I also pinned the Refinery 29 article "The 10 Best Beach Reads, According to Us," which has some great reads: Crazy Rich Asians sounds hilarious and relevant to myself, The Secret History is my ideal story dealing with mystery and Young Money sounds like an interesting read about Wall Street.

Another pin (Pinterest obsession? Yes.) led me to Ellie Hutchison's 2013 Summer Reading In Review post, which introduced me to some great reads. Interesting fact: I love non-fiction books, especially business books. Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead sounds amazing! I love books about women in power.

And... another pin to this book review. I love these types of books. Going out in the world, learning about yourself and your values, discovering the world around you. A Year Without Make-Up sounds like the perfect summer read! And I love to travel, so I'll be wanderlust during this summer.

After my first slideshow of books from Refinery 29, "Book Recs, Courtesy of L.A.'s Best Authors:" I love books written in letters Love, Nina sounds great and again Crazy Rich Asians and Where'd You Go, Bernadette. Yes please!

Let's do this summer. Let's do this!

A Few of My Favorite Things... Netflix TV Shows

My guilty pleasure is... Netflix. Surprise, surprise? Probably not a surprise! Who doesn't love Netflix? My friends and I are always tweeting "Netflix recommendations?" My friend SS and I had a time when we were at the same episode in Grey's Anatomy, so all we did was text each other our reactions to the episode! It was so much fun.

Although I feel very guilty when my Friday nights are now consumed by Netflix marathons, and relaxation was just turning on the television, instead of reading books. I would love to read more, and reading more is a personal goal I have for myself, especially over break. There are many books I want to read... we'll get to that in another post. ;)

I had to share my favorite Netflix picks of TV shows with you. Please let me know what you like, and any recommendations you have! I'm making a separate post about Netflix movies... if that says anything about my love for Netflix.

Gossip Girl: Started the show through Netflix, and thankfully finished in time to watch the final season live! It's my all time favorite show. I'm obsessed with Blair Waldorf's style, attitude and personality. I'd love to be Blair in another world. Don't even get me started on my love for Chuck Bass. Another reason why I'd love to be Queen B. Chuck Bass is the love of my life. Gossip Girl has a little bit of everything: drama, suspense, romance, scandal, and funny moments. And it's set in New York City, with real sites there. Romanticizing New York City in a TV show is an A+ in my book. AND the fashion, swoon. Gossip Girl is the perfect combination of everything I love the most. No wonder it's my favorite show.
The complete series of Gossip Girl is currently on Netflix. (Seasons 1-6)

The fashion in Gossip Girl is so beautiful; it makes me sad that I'm not a wealthy Upper East Sider with millions of dollars to spend. 

Image via fashionista.com

Chuck and Blair: the dream couple.  It's embarrassing how many times I've cried over Chuck and Blair scenes... especially the scenes I've seen hundreds of times... and still bawl at.

Image via Pinterest

New Girl: Another favorite show. Jessica Day is me. The show is cute, quirky, upbeat, light, and always makes me laugh hysterically. Jess is awkward, cute, and almost every girl can relate to her in some way or another. The actress for Jess, Zooey Deschanel is gorgeous and adorable, and is the writer of the scripts for New Girl- so impressive! Jess is an elementary school teacher, who's cute, quirky, and different. She ends up moving in with 3 guys she met on the Internet, and it is the cutest show ever. Must watch!

Seasons 1 & 2 of New Girl are on Netflix. New Girl is currently on its 3rd season.

Image via TV Rage

Who can't relate to this? Oh, and in this episode, Winston gets his man period. Intrigued yet?

Image via Pinterest

White Collar: If Matt Bomer isn't a good enough excuse to watch White Collar, the intriguing storyline is. Matt Bomer plays Neal Caffrey, the suave, handsome con-man who has many talents. Neal helps a FBI agent catch other white-collar thieves by using the skills he would've used to commit the crime. In addition to helping out the FBI agent, Neal has an ulterior motive. The show is witty, fresh, exciting, and while each case is different, there is a story line throughout the season, that keeps you hooked. If the show's story line isn't enough... there's always the chance to watch Matt Bomer.

Seasons 1, 2 & 3 of White Collar are on Netflix. White Collar is currently on its 4th season.

How cute is he?!

Image via White Collar Wiki

Arrow: Every time I was texting my friend A, (which is quite often) she was watching Arrow. We have similar taste in TV shows, and Arrow looked really interesting. I started it, and instantly became hooked! If you like superhero and action & adventure movies, this show is made for you. If not, you'll still like it. Arrow has revenge, adventure, mystery, drama, suspense and plot twists all throughout the show. Who is good? Who is bad? You find out more about Arrow's mysterious past, his secret identity, and those associated with his past. Warning... season 1 ends on a total cliffhanger! And I am dying to know what happens next. I'm really hoping Netflix adds season 2 as soon as possible. (Oh, and did I mention the main character is not too bad to look at??)

Season 1 of Arrow is on Netflix. Arrow is currently on its 2nd season.

Image via Arrow Wiki

Psych: Hilarious and focused on a mystery. Psych is one of the funniest, wittiest shows out there. While there isn't much of a story line, the hilarious episodes keep you wanting more! Shawn Spencer, the son of a police detective, grew up learning about observation skills. Shawn pretends that he is psychic and gets hired by the Santa Barbara police department, however he is just observant and pays attention to details people miss. A hilarious show with the best episodes.
Seasons 1-6 of Psych are currently on Netflix. Psych is currently on its final season, its 8th.

Image via Psych Wiki

How I Met Your Mother: Light, funny and cute. As Ted  Mosby tells the story of how he meets his wife to his kids; there are many crazy adventures that lead up to meeting the mother, with his friends Marshall, Lily, Robin, and Barney. Like Gossip Girl, How I Met Your Mother is set in New York City. With creative episodes, like racing via different transportation modes, and finding the best hamburger in NYC... How I Met Your Mother is perfect for any time.

Seasons 1-8 of How I Met Your Mother are currently on Netflix. How I Met Your Mother is currently on its last season, its 9th.

Image via Idolol

Image via Rebloggy

Sherlock: British TV show. Shall I say more? So witty, creative, and who doesn't love a good mystery? Episodes are 90 minutes long, and keep you hooked til the very last minute. Sherlock and his friend Watson make quite the duo, and Sherlock himself is quite the character; mysterious, observant, intelligent and arrogant. It's hard not to fall under his spell. The story line is so crazy; the end of season 2 will have you begging for season 3. One of the best shows ever written. The storyline and episodes are phenomenal. 

Seasons 1 & 2 of Sherlock are currently on Netflix. Sherlock is currently on its 3rd season.

Image via BBC

Dexter: I haven't finished this show yet, but it's so different and so good! Dexter is different than everyone else, he enjoys killing. However, he is forced to act normal as much as he can, so people don't suspect him. He works for the police department along, and while the police department isn't the brightest- Dexter is. Dexter has an ulterior motive to take down the criminals, (not your typical stole money type, hurting innocent people, etc.) and make them suffer. Dexter shares his point of view in the show, and the storyline gets really interesting starting in the first episode with a man who knows about Dexter's secret... who is he? What does he want with Dexter? Well Dexter accepts this man wants to play a game with him, and Dexter is ready to play. Pretty morbid, highly addicting.

The entire series of Dexter is on Netflix. (Seasons 1-8)

His nickname? The avenging angel.

Image via Vostfr-Stream

Mad Men: This show is a time machine back to the 1960's. Also set in New York City, the glamour of the advertising agency is shown. Don Draper is quite the man, and all the characters definitely have a bit more to them, than the normal ad man. The cultural differences are shown: wives as housewives, female employees as secretaries, and the sexism shown. Such an elegant show which really brings back the glamour of living in the 60s with the advertisement world. My love for marketing is definitely a reason I love the elegance and glamour of this show.
Seasons 1-5 of Mad Men are currently on Netflix. Season 7 of Mad Men (its last season) premieres this Spring.

Image from Capitalism Magazine

One Tree Hill: While the first episode didn't hook me, after hearing everyone talk about their love for One Tree Hill; I decided to give it another shot. I'm so glad I did, this is the show I'm currently watching. And. It. Is. Good. Half brothers and basketball superstars Nathan and Lucas Scott rival on the basketball court, and off. Over time, you'll be shocked by how much the characters' personality have changed. Some of these personalities are enough to keep you hooked. And so much drama! I don't want to spoil it, but AH. You'll want to try this show out. 

The complete series of One Tree Hill is on Netflix. (Seasons 1-9)

Image via Wikipedia

Honorable Mentions: Ugly Betty, Drop Dead Diva, Chuck, Leverage, DC Cupcakes, Ted Talks: Life Hacks, Doctor Who, Melissa & Joey, Last Man Standing, Tanked, Grey's Anatomy, Alias, Best Food Ever

Is there any show I missed? What are your favorite Netflix shows? What do you think about my favorite shows? Netflix movies will be another post soon!