You probably already know that I’m becoming an expert at what to do when your husband is traveling, so this post is probably not a surprise!  And while I’d love to tell you that when the baby’s in bed I pull a book from my collection of classics, what I actually do on most nights is turn on the TV. 🙂

There’s a trick, however, to picking the right shows to watch when you’re home alone.  This is not the time to catch up on Grey’s Anatomy or Private Practice.  This is the time for no tears, female empowerment, light drama, the supernatural, and scandalous adventure (with of course as much romance as can possibly be squeezed in).

So here you have it – what to watch when you’re home alone (and by the way, these are all available on Netflix and/or Amazon Prime – so cut the cable bill to save yourself the money and you’ll feel even better about watching them):

 

 A list of the absolute best tv shows to watch when you're home alone!

 

Orphan Black

This is what I’m watching right now and it’s why I haven’t written a blog post in two weeks.  It’s THAT good.  It’s got the mystery of LOST with some edgy humor that is reminiscent of Desperate Housewives (which would have been at the top of this list had Netflix not removed it from it’s streaming list…you can, however, still get it if you have a DVD subscription with them). I’m not even sure how to accurately describe it without giving away a lot of the surprise.  The pilot is great, but there was a moment in Episode 2 where I wasn’t sure if they’d really be able to pull off a crazy plot line…but I promise you, they do.  Keep watching 🙂

Orphan Black is one of the great new additions to Amazon Prime that can’t be found on Netflix yet(at least not to stream).

 

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

unbreakableThis is another fabulous Netflix Original…but better yet – it’s directed by TINA FEY.  I hope that’s enough for you to start watching immediately, but if not, I can promise you it’s hilarious. The cast is top-notch and the shows are only ½ hour each, so it’s easy to squeeze in an episode if you’ve had a long day and just need to relax before bed. The premise is a little bizarre (a woman held captive in a bunker for 15 years is rescued and starts a new life in New York City), but I promise you’ll be smiling.

 

Revenge

I can not get enough of this show.  It’s currently available to stream on Netflix, but since it’s an ABC production you can also watch it for free on the ABC site. Here’s the basic gist – a young woman returns to the Hamptons to avenge her father’s death…in an epic way. After a few seasons I was afraid they weren’t going to be able to keep the suspense going (honestly, how long can you go on avenging the same people??) BUT they did it.  Kudos ABC!

 

Lost Girl

I’m not sure how I even came across this little gem, but it will certainly fulfill any craving for the supernatural.  In fact, Lost Girl will introduce you to supernatural creatures you didn’t even know existed (and those that are always welcome…like werewolves 🙂 ). It’s a Canadian production, so the cast were all new to me and there’s just something special about shows produced outside of the US.

 

Scandal

Here’s the fix for your political drama cravings with, of course, a ton of scandalous twists. Love triangles, super secret government agencies, and back-stabbing left and right are all a regular part of Scandal. The characters are addicting and the plot lines strike a good balance between being complex but still not too deep if you just need to zone out.

This, like Revenge, is an ABC show so you can get it both on Netflix and ABC.com.

 

Once Upon a Time

Classic fairy tales meet the real world. Finally!  Once Upon a Time is nostalgic, but at the same time modern. They basically touch on every fairy tale and find a way to weave them all together. This is definitely fun to watch and it’s still on the air, so more episodes are in the works. And this past season has already incorporated Frozen – they’re on top of things!

 

Big Love

Ok, Big Love is certainly not for everyone, but there’s a big reason it’s on this list – your husband is just never going to sit down and watch it with you! Also, Amazon Prime has finally started offering some HBO dramas and this is one to make the list. I love HBO, but when we decided to cut our cable bill, it was one of the casualties. The premise is simple – a polygamous family in Utah deals with all the issues you would imagine come with a polygamous family.  To be clear, this is not a reality show (it’s better 😉 ) and as is typically the case, HBO delivers on the crazy drama.

 

How to Get Away with Murder

How to Get Away with Murder was new to me this year and I am soooo excited that someone tipped me off to it! It is UNBELIEVABLE. In some ways, it’s your classic murder-mystery, in other ways it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before.  The structure of the show is a little different than your classic Law and Order style, which is exciting and refreshing.  It is also still airing, which is awesome because there’s more to look forward to!  In the mean time, catch up on the first seasons on Netflix! You will thank me 🙂

 

Happy Watching 🙂  If you need a break from TV dramas, check out my list of Inspirational Documentaries. Maybe it will ignite the fire 🙂

 

Related article: Documentaries that Will Inspire You to Change Your Life

Related article: 10 TV Shows to Binge-Watch with Your Husband

Related article: 7 Documentaries that Will Scare You Skinny

 

And of course check out my Pinterest board for other ideas on what to watch and read. 🙂

Follow Nikki @ MBAsahm’s board What to Watch and Read on Pinterest.

The Best TV Shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime to Watch When You're Home Alone

 

16 Comments on The Best TV Shows to Watch When You’re Home Alone

  1. Just finished a Series from Turkey called Seyit ve Sura, an historical romance which begins during WWI. If you don’t mind the subtitles/captions it’s a wonderful romance story with handsome soldiers, beautiful heiresses, trustworthy best friends and old friends who are evil in disguise. 46 episodes. A great series to follow.

  2. Great list!! I just discovered how awesome Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is. And I have loved Scandal up until this season, but, honestly? I’ve had about all of the B613 and Rowan Pope I can deal with. Mellie, though. 🙂

    • Lol, totally agree – I’m obsessed with Mellie right now! Pretty excited to see where the new season goes 🙂

  3. Great list! I don’t get much time at home alone, but I do know I’m taking an entire day off work for a little dental work, then I’m going to go home and watch Once Upon a Time! I’m considering biting the bullet next month and getting Amazon Prime….is it really worth it?

    • Nowadays I would definitely say it’s worth it. As far as TV goes, they’re starting to offer things that Netflix just doesnt have. Also, you automatically get other Amazon benefits, so it’s pretty nice – free 2 day shipping, music, books, etc. It’s at least worth checking out!

  4. I have recently acquired Netflix and it is already taking over my life! “Just one more ‘Portlandia'” seems to have become my daily motto…*sigh*

    I’ll be trying a couple of these out for sure (heard great things about “Once Upon a Time” and “Scandal”)! …Life outside of Netflix will just have to wait! 🙂

    #humpdayhappenings

    • LOL! Tell me about it 🙂 I wasn’t kidding when I said I hadn’t written in two weeks because of Orphan Black! Oh well, sometimes you just need a little break from reality 😉

  5. Great suggestions! I just finished the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. That theme song gets stuck in my head and doesn’t like to leave for days. 🙂 I found you via Frugal Friday and wanted to say hi!

  6. My sister just told me that I HAD to watch, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. That’s two recommendations in two days. I’m taking the hint. I also love Revenge and Once Upon Time. Great list! Thanks so much for sharing!

  7. I’m going to give some of these shows a try. Also, Big Love is for everyone — at least everyone who is anyone who is awesome. I wish they would bring that show back.

    • Lol!! It is so good to hear that you liked that too!! 😀 I was a little nervous to add it… but I definitely loved it!

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