Must-watch TV Shows to get you out of that pesky slump!

How I Met Your Mother

This show will always be a comfort watch for me, as it got me through my first ever term of university. How I Met Your Mother is a show that navigates the complexities of trying to live in your twenties, and has the perfect balance of humour whilst dealing with serious topics, making it the best comfort watch. Whilst it may have a controversial ending, I strongly encourage you to watch this show if you are in need of an escape from the stresses of university – just watching Ted try to navigate his love life is certainly all the distraction that is needed, let alone the lives of the other characters.

Here begins the first mention of my supernatural shows, but Teen Wolf genuinely encompasses everything you need to get yourself out of a watching slump. Having just rewatched this show over the Christmas break, I could not believe how much I had forgotten – bear in mind I had seen this show three times prior. As Scott McCall explores living life as a teenage werewolf, you will be introduced to characters you will both love and hate, as well as villains that are genuinely terrifying but so well-written. There are plenty of episodes to get your claws into, and dialogue that will make you laugh – just please don’t blame me for the bad CGI – we all know it’s terrible.

Who remembers those Wednesdays last summer? Will Belly choose Conrad or Jeremiah? I would give anything to go back to those days, which is why I am recommending The Summer I Turned Pretty. Regardless of whether you have seen it or not, it is a show filled with love triangles, loss, and laughter. Similarly, My Life with the Walter Boys follows the classic trope of a love triangle with two brothers. Moreover, Never Have I Ever takes us through the life of Devi Vishwakumar, who attempts to navigate high-school life after the passing of her father and continuously embarrasses herself in her attempts to get a boyfriend, yet does so in style, and I can only applaud her efforts. These shows may be short, but they are thoroughly entertaining and easy to watch.

I thought I would conclude this list with my favourite TV show ever made, and one that I have seen at least seven times, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Many people consider The Vampire Diaries – or dare I say Twilight – as the original blueprint for the popularisation of vampires in contemporary media, and it is evident they have never laid their eyes on this incredible show. Buffy, having just moved to Sunnydale, is the Vampire Slayer, and she alone will kill the vampires and all the other demons she faces. However, with a change in location comes a host of new people, and she quickly forms a close network of friends who help in her fight against evil. The show explores intense themes of love, loss, and depression, and addresses these problems beautifully. Seven seasons explore 144 incredible episodes, ranging from one done with only 17 minutes of dialogue in a 44-minute episode, to the musical episode that pioneered tv show musicals in modern media. I have seen this one episode at least fifty times, and I will admit that with zero shame. Buffy will forever be my favourite character in any media, and I cannot recommend this show enough if you love vampires and are in need of a pick-me-up. Even better, once you’re done watching Buffy, you can move on to Angel, which follows the life of a vampire in LA. You can also watch them side by side, but this may become slightly confusing.