It’s a simple fact: There’s just too much TV to watch it all. While the streaming boom has slowed down a bit, there’s a huge backlog of pretty great stuff out there, and there’s always something new arriving to push the older releases further and further down your queue. (I mean, what are you gonna do — miss out on enjoying the Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives memes in real time?) Plus there’s the fact that you’re a parent, and your free time probably isn’t exactly abundant.
But there really are some gems out there that you probably missed on the first go-round, and many of them stand the test of time. So the Scary Mommy editors put our heads together to recommend some of the shows we’re rewatching, or recently watched for the first time, years after everybody else. Bonus: Turns out if you’re almost a decade late to a show and you’ve avoided spoilers this long, you’re pretty much guaranteed to get a perfect viewing experience, uninfluenced by other people’s revelations or opinions. It’s the dream!
1. Halt And Catch Fire, 2014-2017
I came to this show literally a decade late, and now I’m walking around looking for somebody to talk about it with. The show is basically Mad Men, but for the dawn of the personal computing age. It follows a core group of characters over the course of the 1980s and early 1990s as they try things, screw up in spectacular ways, make friends, alienate friends, tank relationships of all kinds, and then build them back (and then tank them AGAIN). The characters are just so vivid, and every time I turn on an episode, I feel like I’m about to catch up with a group of brilliant but chaotic and self-destructive friends. It’s excellent. Stream it on AMC Plus. — Kelly Faircloth, Executive Editor
2. Friday Night Lights, 2006-2011
This was actually on at what should have been a peak watching time for me — my college years. But during that time, I was busy pursuing my own acting dreams and spent pretty much every night at rehearsal or doing a show. Football also never appealed to me until I married my football-obsessed husband, and I was never a big teen drama show kid. I preferred all the happy sitcoms! But watching it now is just the best; it bonds my husband and me (he definitely watched it when it was on), and it’s the perfect mixture of ridiculous drama and crushingly sweet moments. Stream it on Netflix or Hulu. — Samantha Darby, Senior Editor, Lifestyle & Entertainment
3. Up All Night, 2011-2012
Who doesn’t love Christina Applegate and Will Arnett? I’ll wait. This is a too-short-lived sitcom about new parents trying to stay relevant. I watched it while on maternity leave with my second kid, and it’s perfect for that; the episodes are short and funny. It’s a great going-to-bed show, too. Stream it on Prime. — Kate Auletta, Editor-in-Chief
4. Black Sails, 2014-2017
I started watching this because I wanted a dumb historical drama to shut off my brain. While there’s no shortage of swashbuckling, I quickly realized this show was way better than I assumed it would be. Set in the Golden Age of piracy, the series highlights actual pirate history — Calico Jack and Anne Bonny! Blackbeard! Charles Vane! — and serves as a prequel to the greatest pirate fiction ever: Treasure Island. We meet Captain Flint in his attempt to seek treasure and secure a pirate republic in the Bahamas, and John “Long John” Silver, who soon discovers his accidental foray into piracy might just be his life’s calling. The story itself is captivating and exciting, but it’s the interpersonal relationships between well-drawn characters that make this one you don’t want to miss. Stream it on Netflix or Starz. — Jamie Kenney, Associate Editor, News & Entertainment
5. Sanditon, 2019-2023
This is classic Masterpiece Theatre. This is based on Jane Austen’s posthumous book, and the show is just pure English soap. Come for the period costumes and scenic British seaside, stay for the classic wit and delight that is Jane Austen (even if it’s been adapted). Stream it on Prime. — Kate Auletta
6. Episodes, 2011-2017
Sean and Beverly Lincoln are a married couple who have just won yet another BAFTA for their hit British series, when a Hollywood mogul persuades them to remake the show in Los Angeles on a major network. It isn’t long before they realize Hollywood will radically change the show into something it’s not, starting with the series lead: Once played by an elderly English man, the studio decides it will now be played by Matt LeBlanc. Yes, Matt LeBlanc plays himself and dare I say it’s his funniest role ever. The show is hilarious but heartfelt and, of course, there are multiple Friends cameos. Stream it on Paramount+. — Jamie Kenney
7. Odd Mom Out, 2015-2017
As a brunette from the Upper East Side of Manhattan, I can (sort of) relate to Jill Kargman’s character in this wildly under-appreciated comedy. If you like a comedy in which a mom is real and honest about the truly comical pain points of motherhood — even if she’s a wealthy New Yorker — you’ll enjoy this. Stream it on Prime. — Kate Auletta
8. The Walking Dead, 2010-2022
There is honestly so much TV I’ve missed that I will never catch up on. But, as someone who read the graphic novels this show is based on, I started wanting to catch up with the episodes. It’s genuinely so good, and you don’t have to have read the books to enjoy it. A cop wakes up from a coma to find a world ravaged by a virus that turns people into zombies. So, he goes to find his family, and wow, the places this story goes from there. I have fond memories of watching this after work with my boyfriend (now husband) while we ate dinner in our first place together. Stream it on Netflix. — Katie McPherson, Associate Editor, Lifestyle & Entertainment
9. The Durrells, 2016-2019
Based on an autobiographical book series, this show, which lasted four seasons, is about a British widow who moves her family to Corfu for a change of pace. The cast is absolutely stellar — Josh O’Connor, Keeley Hawes, and Callum Woodhouse are among them — and the beauty of the scenery is like taking a Xanax and sitting back and relaxing. It’s a dreamy, funny show. Stream it on Prime. — Kate Auletta
10. The Other Two, 2019-2023
When Cary and Brooke’s teenage brother, Chase, rises from Internet-famous to international stardom, the hapless duo attempts to ride his coattails to success themselves. Stream it on Max. — Jamie Kenney
11. Playing House, 2014-2017
I am SUCH a fan of Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair. The real-life besties play best friends going through their 30s together, and the ups and downs that all that growing and aging brings. It’s funny and easy to watch, and their comedic chemistry is magic. Stream it on Prime. — Kate Auletta
12. The Vampire Diaries, 2009-2017
Around this time period, I was mostly over One Tree Hill and my other fave high school dramas and deep into MTV’s reality offerings, so I missed The Vampire Diaries when it was on the CW (RIP). I watched the entire thing postpartum when I was home with a fresh baby. A high school girl starts falling for an abnormally hot dude with an even hotter brother, only to find out they’re vampires and get sucked (sorry) into their tangled web of otherworldly enemies. It’s the perfect low-stakes drama when you’re sleep-deprived and can’t emotionally withstand an intense show. For context, I watched this and Heartland interchangeably at the time. Stream it on Peacock or Max. — Katie McPherson
13. The Night Manager, 2016
This adaptation of the John Le Carre novel stars Hugh Laurie and a (pre-Taylor Swift) Tom Hiddleston. It is suspenseful, engaging, and totally binge-worthy. While I pretty much watch any limited series out there, this is definitely top three in my book. Stream it on Prime. — Kate Auletta
14. The Comeback, 2005-2014
Lisa Kudrow plays Valerie Cherish, a struggling, out-of-work actress who is a total hysterical pain in the ass. If you like Hacks now, you’ll want to have watched this. Stream it on Max. — Kate Auletta
15. Secret City, 2016
You’ll find yourself saying, “I didn’t know they were Australian!” more times than you can count watching the actors on this gripping, limited spy series. It’s a great show to watch with your partner when you need a not-too-scary but boy-friendly show. Stream it on Netflix. — Kate Auletta
