Despite the lengthy production shutdowns of most film and TV studios this year, 2020 still saw the release of a ton of great TV shows. And there are always old standbys worth a rewatch as well. These 19 shows in particular are totally worth streaming over the Christmas weekend.
There’s something here for everyone, including a new series hitting Netflix on Christmas day. There are romantic stories, irreverent comedies, thrillers, soothing reality shows, and more. Take a break from watching your Twitter timeline become a garbage fire or hearing the latest mind boggling pandemic stats from a news anchor. Stay home, stay safe, and treat yourself to something fictional and, dare we say it, fun.
If you work really hard, and now it’s time to rest hard. Go ahead and burn through more than one entry on this list in the few days you have off. We believe in you.
Bridgerton
Stream it on Netflix
Marathon length: One day, 8 episodes
Mood: Steamy AF
Coming to Netflix on Christmas day, this Regency-era love story was executive produced by Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes. It’s part of the big Netflix deal that she made in 2017, and the show is based on Julia Quinn’s best-selling novel series.
The Bridgerton family consists of a widowed mother and her eight children, several of whom are looking for romance. But this isn’t your standard Jane Austen-style story — the sexy series features lots of sex and nudity on the path to true love.
The West Wing
Stream it on Channel 4
Marathon length: A week minimum, 154 episodes
Mood: Nostalgic for the days before Trump
On December 25, the entirety of The West Wing catalogue will hit Channel 4. There’s never been a more relevant time for a rewatch — considering everything that’s going down in the real White House these days.
Dash & Lily
Stream it on Netflix
Marathon length: One day, 8 episodes
Mood: Feeling the holiday spirit
This cute Christmastime romance landed on Rotten Tomatoes’ list of the top 10 TV shows of 2020. It follows the titular Dash (Austin Abrams) and Lily (Midori Francis) through their whirlwind holiday love story in New York City. Dash is the cynical one and Lily is full of optimism — so it’s one of those opposites attract stories with just the right amount of positivity for a year as hard as this one.
Sister, Sister
Stream it on Netflix
Marathon length: A week, 119 episodes
Mood: Nostalgic for the ’90s
A few months ago, Netflix finally added this ’90s classic to the streaming site. It stars Tia and Tamera Mowry as twins who reunite teens and have their worlds turned upside down. For anyone who loves The Parent Trap, a rewatch of Sister, Sister is definitely in order.
The Great Pottery Throw Down
Stream it on Channel 4
Marathon length: A few days, 24 Episodes
Mood: Jonesing for more The Great British Bake Off
For anyone who’s obsessed with the quaint calmness of Bake Off, this is the next series you have to try. It has the same general format and tone of the baking competition, only this time it’s all about pottery makers crafting with clay.
Grey’s Anatomy
Stream it on Netflix
Marathon length: Several weeks, 379 episodes (and counting) — though we suggest picking seasons 1-5 for a more bite-sized holiday watch
Mood: Distraught over the Grey’s midseason finale
Season 17 of the long-running series brought back several fan favourites to reunite with Meredith (Ellen Pompeo). But the brief scenes aren’t quite enough to sustain a fan missing Derek (Patrick Dempsey) or George (T.R. Knight), not to mention Cristina (Sandra Oh), Lexie (Chyler Leigh), and so many of the other doctors who have departed the show over the years. Now’s a great time to start a rewatch and get back to the days of vintage Grey’s.
Search Party
Stream it on Amazon Prime Video
Marathon Length: A few days, 30 episodes
Mood: In need of a good mystery
Although this show came out in 2016 on TBS, it’s seeing a new life on Amazon Prime. The comedy/mystery thriller starts when Dory Sief (Alia Shawkat) decides to probe into the missing persons case of a girl she knew in college. If you never gave the show a chance before, now is the perfect time. A fourth season hits in January.
Girlfriends
Stream it on Netflix
Marathon length: A week or so, 172 episodes
Mood: 2000s nostalgia (or a healthy and everlasting appreciation for the work of Tracee Ellis Ross)
Also a recent Netflix add, the early 2000s series is worthy of a rewatch just for Tracee Ellis Ross alone. The show is a little out of date at points, but it’s a comfort watch nonetheless. And it’s a great alternative to E!’s Christmas marathon of Sex and the City episodes, because 2020 does not need more Karens — I mean Carries. (Don’t at me. You know I’m right. Carrie would absolutely be skirting pandemic restrictions.)
The Queen’s Gambit
Stream it on Netflix
Marathon length: 1 day, 7 episodes
Mood: FOMO
This series has made it on just about every “best of” list for 2020 and is Netflix’s most-watched series. The premise sounds like it would be boring — it’s a show about a chess prodigy. But the series is so riveting and well-acted that it’s actually contributed to a boom in chess game sales. Trust me on this one — just watch it. You’ll be hooked.
Euphoria
Stream it on Amazon Prime Video
Marathon length: 1-2 Days, 9 episodes (but they’re heavy)
Mood: In need of Emmy-winning dramatic performance vibes
Zendaya stars in the critically acclaimed series about her teenage character Rue, fresh out of rehab but still struggling with her recent drug addiction. Her work in the first season won Zendaya the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama.
Fans are still waiting for season 2, but a Euphoria special just came out on Dec. 6 with another on its way in January. Even if you have already seen all the episodes, it’s worth a rewatch ahead of the new special.
Gossip Girl
Stream it on Netflix
Marathon length: A week or so, 121 episodes
Mood: Easy watch, high drama
Gossip Girl is leaving Netflix at the end of December, so now is your last watch it. There’s also a reboot of the series coming next year, so there’s no time like the present to catch up.
Southland
Stream it on Amazon Prime Video
Marathon length: A few days, 43 episodes
Mood: Regina King withdrawal
Watchmen probably isn’t getting another season, so fans who miss regularly seeing Regina King on their screens should give Southland a try. The five-season drama recently hit Amazon Prime Video and follows King’s character Detective Lydia Adams as she works cases for the LAPD.
I May Destroy You
Stream it on BBC iPlayer
Marathon length: 1-2 days, 12 episodes
Mood: Difficult storylines & dark humour
We can’t pretend that this series isn’t hard to watch at moments. It’s about a woman coping with her sexual assault. But although it’s not traditional holiday fare, it’s one of the best TV shows to come out of 2020, and its dark humour is definitely worth delving into.
Virgin River
Stream it on Netflix
Marathon length: A few days, 20 episodes
Mood: Out of Hallmark Christmas movies
As Hallmark wraps up its original holiday content for the year, fans will want to check out this Netflix series. It’s got the same kind of soapy romantic drama as a TV movie, only spread out over two seasons. Plus, it stars This Is Us actress Alexandra Breckenridge and Grey’s Anatomy‘s Martin Henderson as the leads, which is a recipe for romance.
Pose
Stream it on Netflix
Marathon length: A few days, 20 episodes
Mood: Glamorous, dramatic, & incredibly moving
Created by Ryan Murphy, Pose takes on New York in the 1980s as it dives into the glamorous dance world, LGBTQ life, and more. It’s not known when a third season of Pose is going to come out, but in the meantime, the first two seasons are streaming on Netflix.
The Royal House of Windsor
Stream it on Netflix
Marathon length: A day, 6 episodes
Mood: Out of The Crown episodes
This documentary series is a great follow-up viewing choice after you finish The Crown. If you have questions about what really went down between Prince Charles, Princess Diana, and Camilla Parker Bowles, check out episodes four and five specifically.
Terrace House Tokyo
Stream it on Netflix
Marathon length:
You may have heard of Terrace House, but now is the perfect time to check it out. Watching the reality show is super soothing, because it doesn’t rely on any of the dramatic tactics that most reality shows do. Instead, a group of “contestants” move into a house together and live their lives. Some of them fall in love and some of them just do things like play guitar or make pancakes. It’s a breath of fresh air in the genre.
The Flight Attendant
Stream it on
Marathon length: A day, 8 episodes
Mood: Twisty mystery with great coats
Kaley Cuoco’s first TV project after The Big Bang Theory is already a critical darling. Based on the book of the same name, it follows what happens when flight attendant Cassie (Cuoco) wakes up next to a dead body and must piece together the events of the night before.
Sex Education
Stream it on Netflix
Marathon length: A few days, 16 episodes
Mood: Whip smart dramedy
This year marked the end of Schitt’s Creek, but not the end of underrated comedies. For anyone who misses the Rose family antics, check out Sex Education. The series follows teenage Otis (Asa Butterfield), who decides to start an underground sex therapy clinic for his fellow students using the knowledge he’s gained from his sex therapist mother (played by Gillian Anderson). It’s all just as quirky, charming, and heartwarmingly deep as anything that happens on Schitt’s Creek.
The Mess You Leave Behind
Stream it on Netflix
Marathon length: A day, 8 episodes
Mood: Missing Élite
Paging all Élite fans, this new Spanish-language thriller is about to captivate you. The Mess You Leave Behind tells the story of a high school teacher who moves to a new town where she finds herself looking into a recent, suspicious death. Soon she unravels some seriously dark secrets.
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