As a new tally by FX revealed this month, a whopping 559 scripted series — just scripted! — were released in 2021 across broadcast, cable and streaming. In other words? You’ve got a lot of choices when you’re scanning through your watchlist for a new show to start.
But as tempting as it might be to catch up on a veteran series with three, five or even 10-plus seasons under its belt, sometimes you’re simply looking for an easy, day-long binge — the kind of show with only one or two seasons that doesn’t require weeks of commitment. And in the list below, we’ve compiled 20 series that meet those criteria.
A note about our list: We kept our picks to closed-ended series only, with the exception of HBO’s The White Lotus (which will return for Season 2, but, as an anthology series, can be enjoyed as a standalone show). As much as we wanted to recommend ongoing series like HBO Max’s Starstruck or Peacock’s Girls5eva, we’ve stuck with shows you can watch in their entirety during an afternoon, without the commitment of eventual future episodes.
And though the recs below do include recent favorites like HBO’s Mare of Easttown and Disney+’s WandaVision, you’ll also find some older fare, including the British sitcom Spaced, Michaela Coel’s terrific Chewing Gum and HBO’s wonderfully awkward Hello Ladies.
Scroll through our list of ideal one-sitting binges, then drop a comment with your own suggestions!
Where to Watch It: Netflix
Episode Count: Six
How Long It’ll Take You: Four hours, 59 minutes
This Netflix thriller, which follows a single mom who has an affair with her boss and befriends his wife along the way, is delightfully bonkers. Even as new twists make you say, “Wait, what?!” you won’t be able to resist watching the entire, absurd thing just to see how it ends.
Where to Watch It: Netflix
Episode Count: Six
How Long It’ll Take You: Six hours, two minutes
Our advice? Take a good, long intermission from your binge after Episode 3 or so; Bodyguard is excellent and gripping, but it’s also intense, and you might want a little breather halfway through the run. But Game of Thrones’ Richard Madden is utterly magnetic here as David Budd, a police sergeant tasked with protecting a politician whose beliefs clash greatly with his own.
Where to Watch It: Netflix
Episode Count: Six
How Long It’ll Take You: Three hours
Netflix served up one of 2021’s breeziest, most enjoyable binges with this collegiate comedy, which stars Sandra Oh as the first woman ever appointed chair of Pembroke University’s English department. It’s almost too short… but then you’ve still got time to start another show on this list.
Where to Watch It: HBO Max
Episode Count: 12
How Long It’ll Take You: Four hours, 32 minutes
If you’re only familiar with Michaela Coel from her marvelous 2020 mini I May Destroy You, then run, don’t walk, to wherever you do your best binge-watching and enjoy her phenomenal 2015 comedy about a young woman who’s determined to lose her virginity.
Where to Watch It: Netflix
Episode Count: Six
How Long It’ll Take You: Two hours, 20 minutes
Though Netflix opted not to renew Katherine Ryan’s sharp, sassy comedy for Season 2, its six-episode run is still quite satisfying, packing in lotsa heart alongside its rapid-fire punchlines as Ryan’s character tries to find the right man with whom to conceive her second child.
Where to Watch It: Netflix
Episode Count: 16
How Long It’ll Take You: Five hours, 42 minutes
At 16 installments, this British dark comedy boasts the highest episode count on our list, but it’s not a slog. Centered on James and Alyssa, two teens who embark on a road trip together for very different reasons, it’s a witty, weird gem of a series, with episodes that run 20 minutes on average.
Where to Watch It: Prime Video
Episode Count: 12
How Long It’ll Take You: Five hours, 11 minutes
You’ve likely had at least two friends recommend Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s comedy to you in the past, especially after its acclaimed second season scooped up award after award in 2019. If your response at the time was, “I’ll definitely put it on my list!,” know that you can cross it off said list in just over five hours — and Waller-Bridge’s hilarious, heartfelt turn as the title character will keep you pressing play.
Where to Watch It: Prime Video
Episode Count: Eight
How Long It’ll Take You: Four hours, four minutes
Not to be confused with ABC’s Ioan Gruffudd drama from 2014 — though that did make our list of one-season shows we still miss! — this Forever stars SNL’s Fred Armisen and Maya Rudolph as Oscar and June, a married couple whose relationship is, uh, forever changed on a fateful ski trip.
Where to Watch It: HBO Max
Episode Count: Eight, plus one follow-up movie
How Long It’ll Take You: Five hours, five minutes
If cringe comedy is a genre you enjoy, then bask in the awkwardness of this series, which stars Stephen Merchant as a man looking for love in Los Angeles.
Where to Watch It: Hulu
Episode Count: 10
How Long It’ll Take You: Four hours, 53 minutes
Hulu’s take on the 2000 John Cusack film was, frustratingly, cancelled after just one season. But the 10 existing episodes are a fulfilling binge on their own, with Zoë Kravitz delivering one of 2020’s most charismatic performances.
Where to Watch It: HBO Max
Episode Count: Six
How Long It’ll Take You: Four hours, 28 minutes
There aren’t many true-crime docuseries we’d recommend finishing in one sitting, as many of them are too bleak or gruesome for sustained viewing. But The Jinx — whose subject, convicted murderer Robert Durst, died earlier this month — is a fascinating watch, with the kind of twist ending you’d expect from a scripted HBO miniseries. Speaking of which…
Where to Watch It: HBO Max
Episode Count: Seven
How Long It’ll Take You: Six hours, 55 minutes
Kate Winslet does some of her very best work as Mare Sheehan, a detective investigating a recent murder in a suburb of Philadelphia. And though the series is tonally darker than most others on our list — you’ll want to take a break or two during your binge, if only to satisfy your sudden hoagie craving — Mare is also so addictive, you can’t help but cue up episode after episode.
Where to Watch It: Prime Video
Episode Count: Six
How Long It’ll Take You: Six hours
Already watched Disney+’s Loki and seeking more Tom Hiddleston content? Look no further than this miniseries adaptation of John le Carré’s novel, which follows an undercover operation to infiltrate an arms dealer’s inner circle. Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, Olivia Colman… honestly, what more persuasion do you need?
Where to Watch It: Hulu
Episode Count: 12
How Long It’ll Take You: Five hours, 39 minutes
This sexy, stirring adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel topped our list of 2020’s best drama series, thanks in large part to Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones’ mesmerizing performances. The pair stars as Connell and Marianne, two high school (and later, college) students who strike up a steamy, secret relationship with each other.
Where to Watch It: Netflix
Episode Count: Seven
How Long It’ll Take You: Six hours, 33 minutes
If Netflix’s miniseries failed to make your watchlist during quarantine in 2020, we still endorse watching the breathtaking drama during a free afternoon. Anya Taylor-Joy, as you’ve likely heard by now, is completely captivating as Beth Harmon, a chess prodigy who struggles with drug and alcohol abuse while attempting to become one of the game’s greatest-ever players.
Where to Watch It: Prime Video
Episode Count: 14
How Long It’ll Take You: Five hours, 47 minutes
We’re going a little farther back with this one, a 1999 British sitcom starring Shaun of the Dead’s Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson. They play Tim and Daisy, two strangers in London who decide to move in together and pose as a couple in order to score the only apartment they can both afford. Antics ensue, naturally.
Where to Watch It: Netflix
Episode Count: Eight
How Long It’ll Take You: Six hours, 12 minutes
Given its release on New Year’s Eve, you may have missed this Netflix mini when it first came out last December. Based on Harlan Coben’s novel of the same name, Stay Close follows a soccer mom (Cush Jumbo), paparazzo (Richard Armitage) and homicide detective (James Nesbitt), whose lives are upended by a man’s strange disappearance.
Where to Watch It: Disney+
Episode Count: Nine
How Long It’ll Take You: Five hours, 57 minutes
Disney+’s decision to release WandaVision on a weekly basis made perfect strategic sense; the show’s buzz ultimately built so high, you could hardly open Twitter on a Friday morning without getting spoiled right away. But with all nine episodes now available, the Marvel Studios series is perfect for all-at-once viewing, as answers about Wanda and Vision’s bizarre life in Westview are carefully doled out.
Where to Watch It: HBO Max
Episode Count: Nine
How Long It’ll Take You: Eight hours, 43 minutes
At nearly nine hours, Damon Lindelof’s recent take on the Watchmen comics is the longest binge on our list — but man, it’s a good one. Led by the always-terrific Regina King as Angela Abar, Watchmen’s ensemble is stacked with compelling performers, and Lindelof’s unique approach to storytelling — the kind that puzzles you at first, then delivers payoff after payoff — makes the series nearly impossible to quit until it’s over.
Where to Watch It: HBO Max
Episode Count: Six
How Long It’ll Take You: Five hours, 51 minutes
The White Lotus will be back for a second season on HBO, but its freshman run tells a compact, standalone story about the vacationers at a swanky Hawaiian resort. Come for the mystery of which White Lotus character will perish before the season ends; stay for Jennifer Coolidge’s memorable turn as the wealthy, wacky Tanya McQuoid.
The one and only “Spaced”, must see. At least for me.
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Would add “Starstruck,” which I accidentally watched in a single sitting!
They specifically mentioned Starstruck as not eligible because it is a continuing series (season 2 premiere next month in the UK and likely soon after on the US).
My wife and I watch Spaced once a year. We love it
Avoid The Duchess. The ending ruins the entire show
I came here to say the same about the Duchess..that has to be the worst ending or any show or season. That was really horrible and makes me regret watching the show to begin with.
The ending of “The Good Wife” was pretty terrible.
Nice to see so much UK content listed, most of which is available freely to us on either iPlayer or All4 (The BBC and Channel 4’s streaming platforms respectively).
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I’d also heartily recommend the original UK version of House of Cards, which was 3 mini-series of 4 episodes each. Vastly superior to the US version, and is (or at least was) available on Netlfix alongisde their version.
I feel like they are avoiding listing anything that would be over 10 hours.
That’s why I mentioed that it was 3 mini-series, I’m not suggesting binging all 12 hours in one go as that would be a bit much to digest.
But the article is about shows to watch in one sitting.
Being pedantic, it is three seperate series. House of Cards, To Play the King and The Final Cut. So qualifies.
@cruachan – You’re being ridiculous. We get it, you’re a fan. I’ve watched it, and so am I. But it doesn’t fit the parameters of this article. It ain’t rocket science.
BBC’s House of Cards is tighter and more concise than the US version. But also, it’s dated and very weird at times. I think seasons 1 and 2 of the US version were done much better but then it went downhill at super-speed.
No doubt it’s of its time, and there are quite a few references to British politics and the monarchy that non-Brits wouldn’t understand, but IMO it’s worth it just for Ian Richardson’s performance.
I’d agree on the sterling quality of the original, and add that watching it as a ‘murican, I had no problems with the references (though I’ll admit I’ve been watching BBC output for a few (a crap-ton of) decades now). ;-)
I have watched and enjoyed Bodyguard and The Night Manager numerous times and they just get better. Still haven’t re-watched Mare but that will happen. Forever was a nice day of something a bit different. I’m beyond thrilled that there is going to be a season 2 of Bodyguard! ❤
Bodyguard is returning??? This just made my month!! Richard Madden was beyond awesome in that role.
Yep, it was announced back in September.
Little Drummer Girl belongs on this list alongside The Night Manager.
I’d add Giri/Haji’s 8 episodes (which total just under 8 hours) to that list. It’s streaming on Netflix.
YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! YES!!!
I never understood the concept of binging – find a show you love and rush through it, and it’s done. But, for those who like that, it’s a good list. I’ve seen most of them. Just not on a binge!
I’m with you, I may watch 2 episodes back to back but for the most part I give myself time to watch any series.
Some shows are fun to binge to get the whole story. Many times I like the story enough to watch it again, either more slowly or binge it again. It’s like reading a book you can’t put down.
The trouble is that in the current era if a show drops all it’s episodes at once then it can be very hard to avoid spoilers. It’s also become the norm to a large extent on streamers, remember the backlash The Boys got for dropping the first few eps of S2 and then going weekly?
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I’m with you though, I’ve realised how much nuance I’ve missed in various series that I’ve binged when I’ve gone back and watched them again.
Binge releases became the norm for a while, but now other than Netflix most other streamers have changed to that same 2 or 3 episodes the first day then weekly schedule.
And that’s why I wait until the last episode drops so I can binge. I think it’s stupid not to drop them all if we are paying a fee for the service. We still have cable for sports so if I’m going to pay for Hulu or prime…l dump all the episodes at once.
Yea, the whole binge thing was new and exciting for a while, but I feel you miss so much just ripping through a show. My ‘binge’ watching is when I watch the whole series one ep a day. When I watched Russian Doll, I would rewatch the previous episode right after I watched the following ep. (If that makes sense to you) But I do find it funny that most streamers are going “back” to weekly eps!
If you experience serious secondhand embarrassment, you will not finish Chewing Gum in the stated time. You will have to pause repeatedly, often for minutes at a time, to ask how one woman’s life can be this chaotic. (Worth it tho.)
You forgot “Brain Dead”. My absolute favorite. It ran in CBS. A series from the King’s – who brought you The Good Wife. Political satire that speaks to today, mystery, love story, comedy, and a bit of a musical. Available on Amazon Prime amd Paramount + 12 hour long episodes.
Add Dopesick on Hulu to the list. It’s about the opioid crisis. Very well acted. Sad, but very interesting. Thought Dr. Death on Peacock was pretty interesting, too.
Yeah, maybe you can binge them in a day. But I’d argue that quite a few of these are best enjoyed over a period of time, giving yourself time to savor each episode before beginning the next. It’s not a race.
That’s how I feel about all good tv… I rarely want to watch more than one episode in a sitting (nor do I have time lol)
‘Stay Close’ was mentioned but there are other Harlan Coben TV miniseries adaptations on NetFlix worth viewing. I recently saw ‘Defending Jacob,’ from Apple TV+, and would add that. Plus, ‘I Am the Night,’ from TNT.
I found White Lotus repellent.
I loved it. We’re all entitled to our opinions.
Two of my favorite short series: Undone on Prime (and IMDbTV) and My Dead Ex on Netflix (although I watched it on the now-defunct go90 app.) Both have 8 episodes of about 30 minutes. There’s also In the Flesh, a UK series of 9 hour-long episodes over two seasons, which is on both Prime and Hulu (and tubi, too.)
The latter two involve zombies; one is a comedy and one is a drama. Undone almost defies description, and saying too much would be unfair for those who want to discover the twists and turns themselves.
In the Flesh!! I’ve watched it twice. Absolutely love it.
Never, ever, EVER mention there is a twist. NEVER DO THIS.
Not having a “twist” is a twist.
Surprised there was no mention of Squid Game (9 episodes) or Maniac (10 episodes) both of which totally broke the mold for series with unique concepts. Like White Lotus, Squid Game will probably be back for a second season, but Maniac was clearly one and done. For a more conventional but edgy mystery type series, the eight-episode Sharp Objects is an excellent one-time binge.
A couple others are Jericho, Julie and the Phantoms and Alex Rider.
Jericho is 29 episodes.
Alex Rider is ongoing.
Behind Her Eyes and End Of The F*cking World are both incredible.
Containment really should be on your list. With the story of a deadly virus mishandled by the government, you’d think someone could see into the future. Also, Chris Wood gives a great performance!
WandaVision is the only one on the list I want to watch
Check out Normal People, excellent!
One of the most engrossing 13-and-done shows was “Defying Gravity” if you like strong characters and a novel plot and aren’t too hung up on realism or action in your SF.
It was marketed by total idiots as “Grey’s Anatomy in space” which was just about totally wrong and repelled anyone who might have liked it.
The Queen’s Gambit, WandaVision and Normal People – soooooo good!
Can I throw the Sci Fi series Eureka. It’s one season on Peacock and highly rated. It is well written, interesting and sort of funny at times. Thanks.
It has too many episodes to binge in one sitting BUT I love that show.
Fantastic show. We miss those quirky people.
Eureka has five seasons, unless this is a different version.
Honestly surprised no one’s mentioned RUSSIAN DOLL, starring the fantastic Natasha Lyonne. Only eight episodes, each running 30 minutes or less, so you can watch the whole thing in four hours (which is what I did, although I hadn’t intended to). It’s a one-season show as of now–I’ve heard there are plans for a second season, but nothing has been announced yet as far as I know. Brilliant, brilliant show.
Ongoing series.
I just recently binge watched “The Defeated” (8 episodes, 6 hours) on Netflix because I couldn’t stop. It’s not an easy watch, the setting being Berlin right after WW2 but it’s well worth the time.