by Emma Stanco
- The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
The Queen’s Gambit is a Netflix Original mini-series set during the Cold War era about chess prodigy Beth Harmon. Beth is an orphan and struggles with addiction as she works her way towards becoming the world champion chess player in a male-dominated world. This series will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, cheering for a chess match as if you were at a football game. With only seven episodes, it makes for a perfect quarantine binge-watch.
- The Midnight Gospel (Netflix)
The Midnight Gospel released its first season of the trippy cartoon series this year. Based off of creator Duncan Trussel’s podcast, the show follows Clancy Gilroy (voiced by Trussel) as he ventures into different worlds using a universe simulator to interview guests for his “spacecast”. Ranging from life, death, drugs, and magic, the show takes episodes with Trussel and actual guests and turns them into fantastic cartoon adventures.
- Big Mouth Season 4 (Netflix)
If you loved the first three seasons of Big Mouth for their wildly inappropriate jokes and gross sense of humor, season four will not disappoint. The animated series created by Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg follows a group of friends as they navigate their way through puberty and all the emotions that come with it, like depression, shame and anxiety. In season four, the group goes to summer camp, makes new friends, and returns to middle school at the top of the food chain as eighth graders.
- Dave (Hulu)
Dave follows the semi-true story of Lil Dicky, a goofy Jewish rapper who is convinced he could be the greatest of all time. Dave Burd, who is also a comedian, plays himself as he navigates the world of rap, relationships, controversy and doubt. The comical series includes tons of guest stars like YG, Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, Benny Blanco, Macklemore, Trippie Redd, and more.
- Solar Opposites (Hulu)
Created by Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland, Solar Opposites is an animated Series about a family of aliens who are stuck on earth until they can repair their spaceship. Living in a suburban neighborhood, the family attempts to integrate themselves into their community without getting into too much trouble. If you love Rick and Morty for its dark sense of humor, Solar Opposites is a must-watch.
- I Am Not Okay with This (Netflix)
Although it wasn’t renewed for a second season, I Am Not Okay with This is a wonderful comedy-drama about a witty teenage girl, Sydney Novak, who discovers she has strange superpowers. It has a similar blunt sense of humor as The End of the F***ing World as Sydney learns to navigate not only her newfound abilities, but also her sexuality, family-life, and school.
- Sex Education Season 2 (Netflix)
Sex Education is a British comedy series which chronicles James, an awkward teenage boy who begins to give out sex advice to his classmates, despite his lack of knowledge and experience. His mother, who is a sex therapist herself, is a delightful and intrusive character in James’s life.
- Pen15 (Hulu)
If you love Big Mouth for its inappropriate jokes that cover the humor of puberty and middle school, then you will love Pen15. The show follows comedians Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle, who play themselves in middle school. The show has two seasons out so far, perfect for binging.
- Euphoria (HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video)
Euphoria blew up when it hit Hulu and Amazon Prime this past year. Zendaya gives an incredible performance as Rue, a 17 year old drug addict dealing with everything from mental health disorders, her sexuality, making amends with her family, and her drama-filled high school.
- Shameless Season 11 (Showtime, Netflix, Hulu)
Shameless, which first aired in 2011, released its 11th and final season this past year. The comedy-drama series, starring William H. Macy as the drunk patriarch of the screwed up (but lovable) Gallagher family, will finally give bittersweet closure to long-time fans for all of their favorite Showtime characters.