8 Shows to Binge Watch Over the Holidays

The winter break is coming and you finally have free time to catch up on TV shows. But what should you watch while your favourites are on their winter hiatus? The following shows are some of my top picks to dive into during this break:

Shameless

Each minute of every episode of Shameless contains its own bit of drama. This show focuses on Fiona and her siblings, showing how they make their lives work with questionable parents. It’s a quick series to catch up on, with only 12 episodes in each season. You’re going to want to catch up quickly since the US sixth season premieres on January 10^th. The first four seasons are available on Shomi.

iZombie

Feel like zombies are played out? This show will make you think again. The focus in iZombie isn’t only on an impending zombie apocalypse, but on zombie detective Liv. She helps solve murder cases by pretending to get visions, when she actually just inherits the memories after eating the victims’ brains. Shomi has the first season, ready for endless consumption.

Cristela

Love sitcoms but looking for something different? Cristela is a new show to Netflix, making  binge watching very easy. Main character Cristela works as an intern in a law firm and lives with her sister and her family. The show introduces some diversity, but still has the sitcom gags we all love.

Marvel’s Jessica Jones

A Netflix original, Jessica Jones follows the success of Daredevil. Jessica Jones is a show based on the character from the Marvel comics. Jessica is a former superhero, now a private investigator, working cases in New York City. The full first season has recently been added to Netflix and has already captured the attention of the fans of the Jessica Jones comics.

Once Upon a Time

With its fifth season currently on hiatus for the winter, this is the perfect time to start watching Once Upon a Time. Mixing fairy tale characters and throwing them into the real world, this show takes the familiar and pieces it all together into a new story. You’re in luck because Netflix has the first four seasons.

Criminal Minds

Chances are, you’ve already seen some episodes of Criminal Minds since it airs every day on a number of different channels. Though many of these episodes can stand on their own, you only begin to appreciate the main cast when you can see their overarching storylines, and some sets of episodes are made so much better when you know the history behind the them.

Big Brother Canada

Though Big Brother is a show best watched when it’s happening live, watching (or re-watching) the first three seasons of the Canadian show can get you pumped for the fourth season, which will air in the spring. In this show, sixteen houseguests are isolated from society as they compete to win a $100,000 grand prize. There are various competitions each week to see who gets the power to make game-changing decisions. The first three seasons are all available online at globaltv.com.

Jane the Virgin

The first season is available on Shomi and you won’t regret starting this show. Though it plays up the telenovela style, I can guarantee you’ll be hooked from the first episode. Jane is 23, has big plans for her life and she’s following them. Until something unexpected happens. With murder, drug lords, romance, and comedy, this is not a show you won’t want to miss.

Photo by Robert S. Donovan via Flickr

Monika is the Marketing Director/Social Media for On the Danforth, summer issue. When she isn’t buried in a book, she spends most her time checking out various events in Toronto and turning her life into article pitches. You can check out her Twitter here.