Ahh, binge watching. It’s something that’s become more and more common as our media and the way we watch TV is changing. With live streaming from Netflix and Hulu, you can watch an entire season at once, sometimes in one sitting if you are truly devoted to the show.

A few years ago, I did a blog post about all the TV shows I was watching. Check it out here. Now, this part 2 is about all the shows I am streaming and binge watching. Streaming devices such as Google Chromecast, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and TV Stick, Roku, and more are now replacing DVRs and allowing for instant access and more flexibility. Currently, I still use a DVR and Netflix as well as watch live TV. I am thinking about trying out Hulu for a little while because they have exclusive shows that you can’t watch anywhere else. However you watch, it’s still great entertainment!

This is what I’m currently streaming:

Dexter:  Off air, 8 seasons
From Showtime’s website: “He’s smart, he’s good looking, and he’s got a great sense of humor. He’s Dexter Morgan, everyone’s favorite serial killer. As a Miami forensics expert, he spends his days solving crimes, and nights committing them. But Dexter lives by a strict code of honor that is both his saving grace and lifelong burden. Torn between his deadly compulsion and his desire for true happiness, Dexter is a man in profound conflict with the world and himself.”

At first I didn’t like this show. I thought it was too gory. But then the story-line and Dexter’s personality drew me in. The only thing that really creeps me out now is the intro. I know he’s just shaving, getting dressed and making breakfast, but the way they filmed it is so detailed that it just gives me a funny feeling. Despite the fact that Dexter is a serial killer, I still really like his character and am rooting for things to go his way.  I’m only on season 3 of Dexter and I can’t wait to find out what else is going to happen. The final episode of Dexter aired in 2013.

Parks and Recreation: Off air, 7 seasons
From NBC’s Website: “Parks and Recreation” is a hilarious ensemble comedy that follows Leslie Knope (Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Amy Poehler, NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” “Baby Mama”), a mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana, and her tireless efforts to make her quintessentially American town just a little bit more fun.

In the Pawnee Parks and Recreation Department, Leslie’s office mates include Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe, “Brothers and Sisters,” “The West Wing”), a health nut who wants to live to be 150 years old, and Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari, “Human Giant,” “Scrubs”), a fashion-obsessed wannabe player whose greatest dream is to own his own nightclub. Leslie’s boss, Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman, “Children’s Hospital”), hates the very government he works for, and sports one of the most impressive moustaches on primetime television. Rounding out the cast are: Adam Scott (“Friends with Kids,” “Party Down”) as Leslie’s husband and former campaign manager, Ben Wyatt; Rashida Jones ( “Celeste and Jesse Forever,” “The Office”) as her best friend, Ann; Chris Pratt (“Zero Dark Thirty,” “Moneyball”) as shoeshine boy extraordinaire Andy Dwyer; and Aubrey Plaza (“Funny People”) as Andy’s wife, April, who doubles as Ron’s sullen assistant. Also starring are Retta (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) as the fun-loving Donna Meagle and Jim O’Heir (“Castle”) as the department’s punching bag, Jerry Gergich.”

This show is so funny! I love watching the overachieving Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and hearing about all of her great ideas. All the characters are great and hilarious. I’m glad I took a chance on this show. It didn’t seem like something I would like while it was on the air. I’m currently on season 5. The final episode of Parks and Recreation aired in 2015.

Fuller House: Netflix original series, One season
From Netflix: “The Tanner family’s adventures continue as DJ Tanner-Fuller shares a home with her sister Stephanie and friend Kimmy who help raise her three boys.”

Full House was my favorite show as a child. I grew up in the 90’s and watched Full House when it was on T.G.I.F. As a child, I didn’t know how corny the show actually was. The sequel is just as corny, but it’s really a good show — at least to those who grew up with Full House. I love how some of the plots are the same as the original. Only now, the kids being all grown up and dealing with kids of their own. It’s great that they show clips of the original too, sometimes side-by-side with the current season. I thought it was hilarious when the cast called out Michelle (The Olsen twins) on how they couldn’t be there. Maybe we’ll see them on season 2 because Netflix renewed Fuller House for a second season thought to air in 2017.

Jane the Virgin: Currently on air in its second season
Online Summary: “The daughter of a teen mother, Jane Villanueva grew up determined not to repeat her mom’s mistakes. At 23 her life is on track; Jane is studying to be a teacher and engaged to a handsome detective who supports her decision to remain a virgin until marriage. Then a routine clinic visit flips her life upside down. Inseminated by a specimen meant for a patient in the next room, now-pregnant Jane is in a situation made only more-insane when she learns that the sperm donor is her boss, Rafael. As her meticulously planned life gets more like the telenovelas she loves, she faces a lot of complicated decisions about where to go from here.”

At first I thought Jane the Virgin was a bit weird, with all the narration and words appearing across the screen. But, after the fist few episodes, this show really grows on you! I am so hooked. I love watching this show and seeing all of Jane’s drama. Only season 1 is available on Netflix. Since season 2 is currently on the air, it won’t be on Netflix until October or so. I missed out on the beginning of season 2 and the CW website only has full episodes of Jane the Virgin starting mid-season. So, I’ll just have to watch my other shows while I wait patiently for October.  New episodes of Jane the Virgin air Mondays at 9 on the CW.

Binge Re-watching:

The Office: Off air, 9 seasons
It’s funny what you pick up on when you re-watch a show, especially while binge watching it. I originally thought that it took such a long time for Jim and Pam to get together, but after watching this great show again, I realized it wasn’t as long as I thought it was. It’s even better the second time around. Between the pranks with Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and the comedy of Michael Scott (Steve Carell) this show has me still laughing out loud. This second time around, I have really gotten to appreciate the character of Kelly Kipoor (Mindy Kaling). I always liked her on the show, but after reading her two books (Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? And Other Concerns, and Why Not Me?) I see what a cool person she is and it has made me want to watch The Mindy Project once we get Hulu. I wrote about The Office in my first blog post about TV. The final episode of The Office aired in 2013.

Malcolm in the Middle: Off air, 7 seasons
Online Summary: “The Cleavers they ain’t. Mom is a screaming control freak, Dad is a goofy human hairball, oldest son Francis escaped the family at a young age, Reese is just criminal, Dewey is a space cadet and young Jamie is the scapegoat. The middle kid, Malcolm (who delivers the narrative for the capers of this whacked-out clan) is a brainiac who doesn’t want to be burdened by his genius.”

I really don’t remember too much about this show besides the fact that I really liked the main character, Malcolm (Frankie Muniz). This show is about a dysfunctional family and the craziness four boys can get into. It’s pretty funny and sort of new to me since I watched only a handful of episodes so long ago.  It is also notably the first memorable character for Bryan Cranston who just happens to be the main character of the next show I will write about. The last episode of Malcolm in the Middle aired in 2006.

These are shows that I have streamed in the past:

Breaking Bad: Off air, 5 seasons
From AMC’s website: “Breaking Bad follows protagonist Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a chemistry teacher who lives in New Mexico with his wife (Anna Gunn) and teenage son (RJ Mitte) who has cerebral palsy. White is diagnosed with Stage III cancer and given a prognosis of two years left to live. With a new sense of fearlessness based on his medical prognosis, and a desire to secure his family’s financial security, White chooses to enter a dangerous world of drugs and crime and ascends to power in this world. The series explores how a fatal diagnosis such as White’s releases a typical man from the daily concerns and constraints of normal society and follows his transformation from mild family man to a kingpin of the drug trade.”

Even though this show had gore and a lot of drug use, I came to really like it. I was always rooting for Walter White, or shall I say “Heisenberg.” This show always kept me on my toes about what was to happen next. I really did not like the women in this show. Skylar (Anna Gun) and Marie (Betsy Brandt) had their flaws and were not strong female characters, in m opinion. I felt bad for Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) because he was always screwing up his life. Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) was on of my favorite characters because of his great attitude, even though he was a shady lawyer. Last year, Bob Odenkrik got his own spinoff from Breaking Bad called Better Call Saul, which is a really good show. The last episode of Breaking Bad aired in 2013.

Master of None: Netflix Original Series, 1 season
From Netflix: “New Yorker Dev takes on such pillars of maturity as the first big job, a serious relationship, and busting sex offenders on the subway.”

I really enjoyed Aziz’s original show that he produced, starred in, wrote and directed. He is one of my favorite stand-up comedians, and he was great in his role as Tom on Parks and Recreation, a show I talked about earlier in this post. Master of None is funny and entertaining. I especially liked the episodes where Dev and his friends hung out with their parents and learned interesting facts about them. Master of None was renewed by Netflix for a season 2, which should air in 2017.

Parenthood: Off air,
6 seasons
Online summary: “The four grown Braverman siblings — Adam, Sarah, Crosby and Julia — share the joys, heartaches and headaches of parenthood in their California hometown. As their parents deal with life and marital issues, the four lean on one another while tackling the challenges of modern family life in an updated reimagining of the 1989 film by the same name.”

I absolutely love this show! I wish I would have watched it while it was on the air. The Bravermans are great. Who wouldn’t want to be in their family? They all really care about one another and the show gives you such a warm and happy feeling. Parenthood is one of the best shows I have ever watched. The storyline is very interesting and it’s just a phenomenal show. If you don’t stream this, you’re missing out. The last episode of Parenthood aired in 2015.

Halt and Catch Fire: 2 seasons
Online summary: “It’s the early 1980s, and the spirit of innovation in personal computing is about to catch fire. Hot on the trail is a renegade trio — a visionary, an engineer and a prodigy — who risk everything to realize their vision of building a computer that can change the future. Not long after IBM corners the market with its flagship PC, a flaw is discovered in its operation, opening the door for competition. In steps Joe MacMillan, a former IBM executive who now works for Cardiff Electric. MacMillan plans to reverse-engineer IBM’s technology, putting Cardiff in the thick of the personal computer race. He enlists the help of engineer Gordon Clark, who dreams of creating a revolutionary computer, and Cameron Howe, a volatile prodigy who puts her future on the line to join MacMillan’s rogue project.”

This show has its share of drama, but part of the fun is that it takes place in the 1980’s so everything is reflected of that period, from the clothes, to the home décor, to the cars. What’s really interesting is seeing how the technology was back then compared to what it is now. I was just a small child in the 1980’s so I don’t know what computers were like then. I never thought I’d love a show about the 1980’s PC revolution, but I do. I enjoy all the characters, and especially Cameron (Mackenzie Davis) and her quirkiness, and Joe MacMIllan (Lee Pace) who often has a hidden agenda.  Season 3 of Halt and Catch Fire airs on AMC in summer 2016.

What I am still catching on the DVR:

• The Walking Dead: Everyone’s favorite zombie apocalypse show based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman.
• Better Call Saul: Spinoff of Breaking Bad where Goodman is Jimmy McGill, a small-time attorney hustling to make a name for himself.
• Castle: Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion), a best-selling mystery novelist, and Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), an NYPD homicide detective, solve various unusual crimes in New York City.

Maybe I watch too much TV, but I don’t care! It’s entertaining!