What to binge-watch this holiday season - CNN

What to binge-watch this holiday season

By Emanuella Grinberg, CNN

Updated 1207 GMT (2007 HKT) December 23, 2015

Showtime's espionage thriller "Homeland" thrives on twists and turns -- some of which threaten the fate of the world -- with a splash of romantic tension and family drama thrown into the mix. If you love high stakes or secretly wish you were a government spy, this is your show.
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'Homeland' – Showtime's espionage thriller "Homeland" thrives on twists and turns -- some of which threaten the fate of the world -- with a splash of romantic tension and family drama thrown into the mix. If you love high stakes or secretly wish you were a government spy, this is your show.
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With six seasons, "Downton Abbey" gave us drama and a big dose of history as the action began the day after the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and wrapped up in 1926. The PBS series about the British aristocracy and their servants ended its run in 2015.
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With six seasons, "Downton Abbey" gave us drama and a big dose of history as the action began the day after the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and wrapped up in 1926. The PBS series about the British aristocracy and their servants ended its run in 2015.
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With dozens episodes so far, including some that ran more than an hour, we can't imagine watching the first five seasons of "Game of Thrones" in one sitting. But one Redditor <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/2llwhe/what_television_series_is_so_good_its_worth_binge/clw0ny9" target="_blank">claimed</a> to have watched three seasons in two and a half days, so anything's possible.
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'Game of Thrones' – With dozens episodes so far, including some that ran more than an hour, we can't imagine watching the first five seasons of "Game of Thrones" in one sitting. But one Redditor claimed to have watched three seasons in two and a half days, so anything's possible.
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Issa Rae stars on HBO's 'Insecure.'
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Issa Rae stars on HBO's 'Insecure.'
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Wagner Moura as Pablo Escobar in the Netflix series "Narcos"
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Wagner Moura as Pablo Escobar in the Netflix series "Narcos"
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus stars in HBO's "Veep"
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus stars in HBO's "Veep"
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Each season of "American Horror Story" has a different storyline, so binging this show is a bit like choosing your own adventure (or nightmare). Here are some more suggestions for binge-worthy shows and series.
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'American Horror Story' – Each season of "American Horror Story" has a different storyline, so binging this show is a bit like choosing your own adventure (or nightmare). Here are some more suggestions for binge-worthy shows and series.
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Christian Slater, left, plays the titular character on "Mr. Robot," the anarchist leader of a hackers collective that includes Rami Malek. The pilot premiered online and via streaming services in May and was renewed for a second season before its USA network premiere in June. Malek's main character has drawn praise for his portrayal of a security engineer and vigilante hacker who struggles with social anxiety disorder and clinical depression. Often, plot lines dealing with national security and privacy ring true to life.
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'Mr. Robot' – Christian Slater, left, plays the titular character on "Mr. Robot," the anarchist leader of a hackers collective that includes Rami Malek. The pilot premiered online and via streaming services in May and was renewed for a second season before its USA network premiere in June. Malek's main character has drawn praise for his portrayal of a security engineer and vigilante hacker who struggles with social anxiety disorder and clinical depression. Often, plot lines dealing with national security and privacy ring true to life.
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Viewers either love or hate Tina Fey's Netflix passion project, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," starring Ellie Kemper. Fans gobbled up the campy comedy when it launched, with many making it through the first 13 episodes in one sitting.
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'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' – Viewers either love or hate Tina Fey's Netflix passion project, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," starring Ellie Kemper. Fans gobbled up the campy comedy when it launched, with many making it through the first 13 episodes in one sitting.
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With a reboot on the way there's no better time to binge-watch "The X-Files," which originally aired on Fox for nine seasons from 1993 to 2002.
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'The X-Files' – With a reboot on the way there's no better time to binge-watch "The X-Files," which originally aired on Fox for nine seasons from 1993 to 2002.
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With only two seasons and 18 episodes to its name, "Silicon Valley" was a highly rated choice for binge-watching. Each episode is packed with raunchy jokes and cringe-inducing nerdiness to make viewing a breeze.
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'Silicon Valley' – With only two seasons and 18 episodes to its name, "Silicon Valley" was a highly rated choice for binge-watching. Each episode is packed with raunchy jokes and cringe-inducing nerdiness to make viewing a breeze.
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With a reboot of David Lynch's cult series "Twin Peaks" planned for 2017, there's no better time to catch up on the backstory of who killed Laura Palmer (played by Cheryl Lee).
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'Twin Peaks' – With a reboot of David Lynch's cult series "Twin Peaks" planned for 2017, there's no better time to catch up on the backstory of who killed Laura Palmer (played by Cheryl Lee).
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Hit comedy "Master of None" made its debut on Netflix in November. Comedian Aziz Ansari plays a 30-something struggling to make sense of life in New York City in a way that anyone who's even been a 30-something will relate to.
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'Master of None' – Hit comedy "Master of None" made its debut on Netflix in November. Comedian Aziz Ansari plays a 30-something struggling to make sense of life in New York City in a way that anyone who's even been a 30-something will relate to.
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Krysten Ritter is winning over fans and critics in "<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/19/entertainment/jessica-jones-netflix-feat/">Jessica Jones</a>," the story of a semiretired superhero turned private eye based on Marvel Comics' "Alias." It's the latest comic book adaptation for adults about an ongoing mystery in Jones' life that's hard to interrupt once you load the series on Netflix.
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'Jessica Jones' – Krysten Ritter is winning over fans and critics in "Jessica Jones," the story of a semiretired superhero turned private eye based on Marvel Comics' "Alias." It's the latest comic book adaptation for adults about an ongoing mystery in Jones' life that's hard to interrupt once you load the series on Netflix.
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The premise of "Bloodline" could appeal to anyone who's ever had family tension. But a taste for the macabre is required to sit through the first season of this Netflix drama, which stars Kyle Chandler ("Friday Night Lights"). The second season is expected in 2016.
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'Bloodline' – The premise of "Bloodline" could appeal to anyone who's ever had family tension. But a taste for the macabre is required to sit through the first season of this Netflix drama, which stars Kyle Chandler ("Friday Night Lights"). The second season is expected in 2016.
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"The Honourable Woman" is an unfolding mystery, holding back just enough in each episode to keep the intentions of powerful businesswoman Nessa Stein hidden until the very end. This eight-episode political thriller, which won Maggie Gyllenhaal a Golden Globe for best actress, won't have a second season, so it's perfect for a quick, one-day binge.
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'The Honourable Woman' – "The Honourable Woman" is an unfolding mystery, holding back just enough in each episode to keep the intentions of powerful businesswoman Nessa Stein hidden until the very end. This eight-episode political thriller, which won Maggie Gyllenhaal a Golden Globe for best actress, won't have a second season, so it's perfect for a quick, one-day binge.
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With the fourth season of "The Americans" starting in March 2016, there's no better time to catch up on this Cold War thriller. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys star as two Soviet KGB officers posing as an American couple in the suburbs of Washington. From there, it's one plot twist after another to see how things will end for them.
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'The Americans' – With the fourth season of "The Americans" starting in March 2016, there's no better time to catch up on this Cold War thriller. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys star as two Soviet KGB officers posing as an American couple in the suburbs of Washington. From there, it's one plot twist after another to see how things will end for them.
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With only six episodes to a season, British sitcom "<a href="http://www.channel4.com/programmes/peep-show" target="_blank">Peep Show</a>" was a popular choice among Redditors for being "easy to knock out a few in the afternoon," and hilarious to boot. Anyone new to the mundane world of South London roommates Mark Corrigan (David Mitchell) and Jeremy "Jez" Usborne (Robert Webb) will have plenty of hours of inner monologues and point-of-view shots to wade through. The show debuted in 2003 and is now in its ninth season.
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'Peep Show' – With only six episodes to a season, British sitcom "Peep Show" was a popular choice among Redditors for being "easy to knock out a few in the afternoon," and hilarious to boot. Anyone new to the mundane world of South London roommates Mark Corrigan (David Mitchell) and Jeremy "Jez" Usborne (Robert Webb) will have plenty of hours of inner monologues and point-of-view shots to wade through. The show debuted in 2003 and is now in its ninth season.
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For some American history buffs, the World War II series "Band of Brothers" is worthy of an annual viewing, even if it takes 11 hours. The 10-part miniseries based on the World War II journey of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne's Easy Company features an ensemble cast of stars before they became famous -- Michael Fassbender, Ron Livingston, Marc Warren, Simon Pegg, Damian Lewis, James McAvoy and Tom Hardy, to name a few.
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'Band of Brothers' – For some American history buffs, the World War II series "Band of Brothers" is worthy of an annual viewing, even if it takes 11 hours. The 10-part miniseries based on the World War II journey of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne's Easy Company features an ensemble cast of stars before they became famous -- Michael Fassbender, Ron Livingston, Marc Warren, Simon Pegg, Damian Lewis, James McAvoy and Tom Hardy, to name a few.
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"Dead Like Me" earned points for being "funny as s---t" thanks to a cast that included Mandy Patinkin, Jasmine Guy and Ellen Muth playing grim reapers who walk among us. "They knew when to cut and run before it got stupid," one Redditor said. Binge-watchers can draw their own conclusions over whether "Dead Like Me" -- which was created by Bryan Fuller ("Hannibal," "Wonderfalls") -- was canceled prematurely after two seasons while breezing through its 29 episodes.
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'Dead Like Me' – "Dead Like Me" earned points for being "funny as s---t" thanks to a cast that included Mandy Patinkin, Jasmine Guy and Ellen Muth playing grim reapers who walk among us. "They knew when to cut and run before it got stupid," one Redditor said. Binge-watchers can draw their own conclusions over whether "Dead Like Me" -- which was created by Bryan Fuller ("Hannibal," "Wonderfalls") -- was canceled prematurely after two seasons while breezing through its 29 episodes.
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Political thriller "House of Cards" may be binge-worthy by design as a Netflix original series that comes out one season at a time. But some recommend only watching a few episodes in each sitting to better savor the saga of Frank and Claire Underwood's conniving ways. The series stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright.
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'House of Cards' – Political thriller "House of Cards" may be binge-worthy by design as a Netflix original series that comes out one season at a time. But some recommend only watching a few episodes in each sitting to better savor the saga of Frank and Claire Underwood's conniving ways. The series stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright.
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Ron Moore's Peabody Award winning-remake of the 1970s sci-fi classic "Battlestar Galactica" aired for four seasons, ending its run in 2009. Darker and more somber than the original, the series perfectly reflected the fears and anxieties of our post-9/11 lives (and the end of its second season featured one of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0519777/" target="_blank">best cliffhangers in TV history</a>). Be warned, it's easy to "over" binge-watch this show. Just ask the folks from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njr3aFpTMyQ" target="_blank">"Portlandia." </a>
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'Battlestar Galactica' – Ron Moore's Peabody Award winning-remake of the 1970s sci-fi classic "Battlestar Galactica" aired for four seasons, ending its run in 2009. Darker and more somber than the original, the series perfectly reflected the fears and anxieties of our post-9/11 lives (and the end of its second season featured one of the best cliffhangers in TV history). Be warned, it's easy to "over" binge-watch this show. Just ask the folks from "Portlandia."
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If the intriguing plot isn't enough to keep you hooked from one episode to the next of HBO's "True Detective," what about Matthew McConaughey's performance? His transformation from clean-cut to grizzled alone makes the first season a prime candidate for binge-watching -- though <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/features/what-went-wrong-with-true-detective-season-2-20150810" target="_blank">fans weren't as thrilled with season 2</a>.
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'True Detective' – If the intriguing plot isn't enough to keep you hooked from one episode to the next of HBO's "True Detective," what about Matthew McConaughey's performance? His transformation from clean-cut to grizzled alone makes the first season a prime candidate for binge-watching -- though fans weren't as thrilled with season 2.
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"Watching the first episode of 'Firefly' and deciding to binge-watch the rest is like getting into a relationship with someone you know will die in 24 hours." That pretty much sums up how fans felt after FOX pulled the plug on the Joss Whedon cult hit in 2003. It also makes "Firefly" short and captivating enough to watch in a day.
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'Firefly' – "Watching the first episode of 'Firefly' and deciding to binge-watch the rest is like getting into a relationship with someone you know will die in 24 hours." That pretty much sums up how fans felt after FOX pulled the plug on the Joss Whedon cult hit in 2003. It also makes "Firefly" short and captivating enough to watch in a day.
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"Arrested Development" lends itself to multiple binges for all the inside jokes that are easily missed on the first, second or third viewings. "That and the foreshadowing," said one Redditor. "Lots of foreshadowing." <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/2llwhe/what_television_series_is_so_good_its_worth_binge/clw05ax" target="_blank">Read this thread</a> for a refresher on some of the dysfunctional Bluth family's more memorable moments.
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'Arrested Development' – "Arrested Development" lends itself to multiple binges for all the inside jokes that are easily missed on the first, second or third viewings. "That and the foreshadowing," said one Redditor. "Lots of foreshadowing." Read this thread for a refresher on some of the dysfunctional Bluth family's more memorable moments.
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With so many plot twists and the ongoing character development, AMC's "Breaking Bad" was a popular choice for binge-watching from beginning to end. Season 2 posed a problem for some, but "if you can get over that season 2 hump, you'll probably enjoy it a lot," <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/2llwhe/what_television_series_is_so_good_its_worth_binge/clw430j" target="_blank">one Redditor said</a>.
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'Breaking Bad' – With so many plot twists and the ongoing character development, AMC's "Breaking Bad" was a popular choice for binge-watching from beginning to end. Season 2 posed a problem for some, but "if you can get over that season 2 hump, you'll probably enjoy it a lot," one Redditor said.
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The saga of "Dexter," America's favorite forensic expert/serial killer, went on for 96 episodes over eight seasons, so it's probably not possible to binge-watch from start to finish in one sitting. But one Redditor <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/2llwhe/what_television_series_is_so_good_its_worth_binge/clw1zss" target="_blank">claimed </a>to watch four seasons in about a week, so there's a starting point.
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'Dexter' – The saga of "Dexter," America's favorite forensic expert/serial killer, went on for 96 episodes over eight seasons, so it's probably not possible to binge-watch from start to finish in one sitting. But one Redditor claimed to watch four seasons in about a week, so there's a starting point.
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Even with what many consider to be an unsatisfactory ending, Redditors agreed that HBO's "Deadwood" is a prime candidate for binging thanks to its sharp writing and memorable characters. "It's a slow burn of a show, but once you are hooked ... you ARE IN FOR LIFE. Or 3 seasons," <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/2llwhe/what_television_series_is_so_good_its_worth_binge/clwanfz" target="_blank">one Redditor said</a>.
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'Deadwood' – Even with what many consider to be an unsatisfactory ending, Redditors agreed that HBO's "Deadwood" is a prime candidate for binging thanks to its sharp writing and memorable characters. "It's a slow burn of a show, but once you are hooked ... you ARE IN FOR LIFE. Or 3 seasons," one Redditor said.
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"So easy to binge watch because it's so short," as one Redditor said, and, "like 'Firefly,' you'll feel heartache when it's over." Judd Apatow's short-lived "Freaks and Geeks" captured the awkwardness of high school in one short season from 1999 to 2000. It also shows stars Seth Rogan, James Franco and Jason Segel getting their start in front of the camera.
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'Freaks and Geeks' – "So easy to binge watch because it's so short," as one Redditor said, and, "like 'Firefly,' you'll feel heartache when it's over." Judd Apatow's short-lived "Freaks and Geeks" captured the awkwardness of high school in one short season from 1999 to 2000. It also shows stars Seth Rogan, James Franco and Jason Segel getting their start in front of the camera.
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Political drama "The West Wing" ran seven seasons from 1999 to 2006, drawing critical and popular acclaim. Though some debate the quality of the show after creator Aaron Sorkin's departure after season 4, the characters and dialogue kept audiences hooked, making it a strong candidate for reruns and binge-watching.
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'The West Wing' – Political drama "The West Wing" ran seven seasons from 1999 to 2006, drawing critical and popular acclaim. Though some debate the quality of the show after creator Aaron Sorkin's departure after season 4, the characters and dialogue kept audiences hooked, making it a strong candidate for reruns and binge-watching.
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"Orphan Black" fans have eagerly tuned in each week to see the talented Tatiana Maslany act opposite herself as clones, sometimes assuming up to five roles in the same episode. Cliffhanger endings in each episode make binge-watching all the more satisfying, especially while fans await season 4.
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'Orphan Black' – "Orphan Black" fans have eagerly tuned in each week to see the talented Tatiana Maslany act opposite herself as clones, sometimes assuming up to five roles in the same episode. Cliffhanger endings in each episode make binge-watching all the more satisfying, especially while fans await season 4.
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Another from the "short but great" files, "Better Off Ted" only lasted for two seasons and 26 episodes on ABC. "The marketing made it seem really awful and stereotypical. I avoided it like the plague until it came up on Netflix. Now I wish I had helped its ratings more on network TV," <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/2llwhe/what_television_series_is_so_good_its_worth_binge/clw8352" target="_blank">one Redditor said</a>. The show concerns a single father who works for a ruthless corporation, Veridian Dynamics (motto: "Money before people"), and was created by Victor Fresco ("Andy Richter Controls the Universe").
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'Better off Ted' – Another from the "short but great" files, "Better Off Ted" only lasted for two seasons and 26 episodes on ABC. "The marketing made it seem really awful and stereotypical. I avoided it like the plague until it came up on Netflix. Now I wish I had helped its ratings more on network TV," one Redditor said. The show concerns a single father who works for a ruthless corporation, Veridian Dynamics (motto: "Money before people"), and was created by Victor Fresco ("Andy Richter Controls the Universe").
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One of the most popular choices among Redditors, "Stargate: SG-1" picks up where the 1994 feature film "Stargate" left off as a secret military team (SG-1) sets out to explore new worlds. The popular sci-fi show hooked viewers for 10 seasons from 1997 to 2007 through memorable characters, scenes and quotable dialogue, creating a passionate fan base that seems eager to return to the show multiple times. "When I first binged the series, multiple times I noticed that it was 5AM. So many 'just one more episode,' " <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/2llwhe/what_television_series_is_so_good_its_worth_binge/clw5288" target="_blank">one Redditor said</a>.
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'Stargate: SG-1' – One of the most popular choices among Redditors, "Stargate: SG-1" picks up where the 1994 feature film "Stargate" left off as a secret military team (SG-1) sets out to explore new worlds. The popular sci-fi show hooked viewers for 10 seasons from 1997 to 2007 through memorable characters, scenes and quotable dialogue, creating a passionate fan base that seems eager to return to the show multiple times. "When I first binged the series, multiple times I noticed that it was 5AM. So many 'just one more episode,' " one Redditor said.
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No list of binge-worthy TV shows would be complete without HBO's "The Wire," which began to take off in the middle of its five-season run thanks to binge-watchers. Good news for those who want to binge-watch the old-fashioned way, with DVDs: The series was released on Blu-ray in 2015.
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'The Wire' – No list of binge-worthy TV shows would be complete without HBO's "The Wire," which began to take off in the middle of its five-season run thanks to binge-watchers. Good news for those who want to binge-watch the old-fashioned way, with DVDs: The series was released on Blu-ray in 2015.
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Claire Danes Homeland season 3downtonGame of Thrones season 4 finale'Insecure'Narcosveep july01 pop culture witchesmr robotunbreakable kimmy schmidt 02 awardsseasonX-Filessilicon valley twin peaksMaster of None 12 Netflix Marvel's Jessica Jonesbloodline netflixhonourable womanthe americans tv showpeep showband of brothersdead like mehouse of cards spacey wrightbattlestar galacticaMatthew McConaughey True Detectivefireflyarrested development10 bryan cranstonintro dexter killsdeadwoodfreaks and geeksThe West Wingorphan black 11Better off Tedsg1the wire

(CNN)'Tis the season to catch up on all the shows you missed while you were out hustling in 2015.

With so many options, it's hard to know where to begin. Sure, compelling plot and characters are a must. Otherwise, there's no one thing that makes a show a good candidate for binge watching.
Watching long-running epics with multiple plot points back-to-back minimizes the risk of forgetting key details in between episodes. On the other hand, breezy comedies require minimal investment of time or attention but (presumably) deliver laughs in rapid succession.
    Some shows grab you at the end of each episode with a gripping cliffhanger, all but guaranteeing you'll dive right into the next one.
      We started thinking about the best shows for binging last year, inspired by a Reddit conversation. We've updated our list this year with releases new and old. What would you add? Tweet us at @CNNEnt.