12 of the best shows you should stream right now, before fall TV starts

Summer is the season where everyone is expected to enjoy the outdoors lounging in flamingo pool floats and sipping tiki cocktails, but let’s be real, do you really need to spend ALL summer roasting under the sun? Nope. Sometimes, all you need is an afternoon (or two, or three) in front of the TV to feast your eyes over new series, and those shows you always swore you’d watch but never do. But, if you haven’t got any idea which programs you want to immerse yourself into, below is a list of suggested viewing that runs the gamut from old classics, to popular hits, to underrated gems that you may want to indulge on before the avalanche of fall TV sets in. Enjoy!

Glow

Strap on your leg warmers, put on some glittery eyeshadow, and step into the ring of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling: GLOW. This Alison Brie-led Netflix gem tells the story of an out-of-work actress who unexpectedly finds herself joining the world of women’s wrestling as a last-ditch effort to make it in Hollywood. She joins a bunch of other misfits and forms a group to make wrestling great again. Come for the colorful spandex, stay for the sisterhood and lady throwdowns.

Where to binge: Netflix

This Is Us

If you’ve been living under a rock and have no idea which Jack everyone is crying about on a weekly basis, then I’ll have you know that it’s NOT Jack Dawson from Titanic (although we’re always going to bawl our eyes over him). The Emmy-winning family drama revolves around the lives of the Pearson family — their successes, their tragedies, and everything in between. Watching this show will make you laugh, cry (HARD), and want to call your ‘rents and sibs just to tell them you love them.

Where to binge: Hulu

Humans

Now that season 2 of Westworld just ended, you might be hankering for another show filled with robots that act like humans…that may or may not be robots after all. Well, you’re in luck, because Humans is a lot like the HBO series in the sense that actual humans interact with synths. A synth is a humanoid personal assistant that does everything you tell it to do, from doing household chores to driving you around to even…romancing. Ever wondered what will happen if Siri or Alexa came to life? Watch Humans and you won’t have to wonder.

Where to binge: AMC, Amazon Prime Video

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately, one of them is the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Before the second part of the fourth and final season drops on Netflix, take a trip down memory lane and watch it from the start. It’s always fun to witness Kimmy navigate the world she got isolated from for years — a world she previously thought didn’t even exist anymore.

Where to binge: Netflix

Patrick Melrose

Do you miss seeing Benedict Cumberbatch on the small screen? Same. We have no idea when Sherlock is coming back (or if it will EVER come back), but we do know where to get your Cumberbatch fix. Catch him on Patrick Melrose, a five-part limited series based on the novels by Edward St. Aubyn, where he stars as the titular character. He plays a man struggling to fight his addiction that is rooted from a troubled childhood.

Where to binge: Showtime

Little Women

Sorry to burst your bubble, but this is not the Greta Gerwig-helmed Little Women that stars Meryl Streep, Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, Emma Stone, and Florence Pugh. But we’re also not implying that this PBS adaptation is a flop, because it’s the total opposite. Starring Big Little Lies‘ Kathryn Newton, Maya Thurman Hawke, Harry Potter‘s Michael Gambon, MTV Scream’s Willa Fitzgerald, and the amazing Angela Lansbury, Little Women tells the quintessential coming-of-age tale of the March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy.

Where to binge: PBS

Sweetbitter

If Sex and the City and Masterchef had a baby, it would be named Sweetbitter. Starring Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children’s Ella Purnell, this series chronicles a 22-year-old Tess struggling to adapt to New York City life and ends up snagging a job she’s unqualified for — a waitress at one of NYC’s best restaurants. While she thinks it’s merely a short pit stop in an otherwise bigger adventure, her job soon becomes her whole world.

Where to binge: Starz

Suits

If you were ever curious about the show that catapulted Meghan Markle to fame, now’s your chance to catch up. Suits is about an insanely bright college dropout named Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), who somehow manages to nab a coveted associate job at a top-rated New York City law firm, despite never actually having stepped foot in law school. There, he solves case after case with his boss Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) and falls in love with the office paralegal turned law school student Rachel Zane (Markle).

Where to binge: Netflix, USA, Amazon Prime Video

Queer Eye

Does this show really need any more introduction? If you want a giant dose of good vibes, look no further than Queer Eye. Featuring the Fab Five — Antoni Porowski (food), Jonathan van Ness (grooming), Tan France (fashion), Karamo Brown (culture), and Bobby Berk (design) — this show highlights their journey across different towns to turn people’s lives upside down.

Where to binge: Netflix

The Bold Type

As evidenced in films like 13 Going on 30, How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days, and The Devil Wears Prada, working on a magazine is no easy feat. You have to deal with long hours, evil bosses, and impossible tasks. The Bold Type deals with exactly that. It is a girl power-infused dramedy about three women — Jane, Sutton, and Kat — as they slave away every day to put together the best issue of Scarlet they could muster, but not without a bunch of mishaps and drama along the way of course.

Where to binge: HuluFreeform

Picnic at Hanging Rock

Summers are usually reserved for Game of Thrones, but given that it won’t return until next year, it’s up to us to fill the void. While Picnic at Hanging Rock won’t remind you of Westeros, it does star a familiar face: Natalie Dormer. Based on a book by Joan Lindsay, this show tells the tale of a group of girls who mysteriously disappears on Valentine’s Day 1900. The incident disrupts their school and the rest of the town, and long-hidden secrets start to emerge.

Where to binge: Amazon

Daria

Of course, our favorite sarcastic highschooler gets a special mention. I’m sure you’ve heard by now the news of MTV planning to revive the ’90s classic, so even before that reboot hits the streamers, it’s your responsibility to get all caught up on all her shenanigans. Watch Daria navigate the high school jungle and listen intently to her snarky remarks about pop culture, social classes, gender, and more.

Where to binge: Hulu

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