5 Max Shows to Watch to Procrastinate Midterms

by Avery Thunder

Midterms are horrible. They feel particularly bad this year, although this feeling may come from my overdramatic interpretation of everything that happens to me at any given moment. Despite this, I still find it to be a perfect time to ignore the stress by napping, doom scrolling, and binge watching shows! So, to enable you and your bad habits, here are 5 shows to watch while you ignore midterms. 

1. The Penguin

The beauty of The Penguin and other limited series is that they end, and not in an unsatisfying, unresolved way like most shows because they cancel everything without warning. This is also the only non-comedy on the list, as I was attempting to keep it lighthearted – school is making life painful enough. This show takes place in the Reeves’ The Batman universe, so maybe watch that before. If you’re an angsty superhero fan or enjoyer of shows where the main character is horrible (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, etc.), this could be for you. There’s some gratuitous violence, which is always fun, and some amazing writing. There isn’t a single character in this series that feels pointless or like filler, which can be pretty hard to find in modern shows. I highly recommend it! And there’s no rush to watch it, as it seems like The Batman 2 will not be coming out until we’re all in the retirement home. 

2. Insecure

Insecure is one of my favorite genres of show – everyone is a disaster. Basically no one in this show makes the right decisions. Ever. You will hide your face in a pillow from second hand embarrassment, you will have to pause the show and take a deep breath, but it’ll be worth it. The show follows two best friends as they navigate their early 30s and the struggles of careers, relationships, etc. Created by the witty and increasingly popular Issa Rae, even though it ended in 2021, it has cemented itself as a uniquely 21st century sitcom that focuses on characters and scenarios that are often ignored in other popular shows. The episodes are short and funny, the characters are flawed and loveable. Give it a watch!

3. Veep

What’s not to like about Veep? One of the most critically acclaimed comedy shows of all time, this series focuses on the fictional vice president of the United States. As a political science major and someone who has now interned in the federal government, I find this show to be particularly funny and accurate. If you ever wonder what people in the government are doing in their day to day lives, it's this. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is hilarious and charming in everything, but this seems to be her stand out role. The show particularly plays on the joke that vice presidents don’t do anything, but it simultaneously has subtle and thought provoking criticisms of the federal government and the attitudes, actions, and personalities of the people who lead our country. Give it a shot, the episodes are only half an hour. It’s easy to pretend like you’re going to let it play in the background and then get sucked into.

4. Hacks

I’ll admit that I’ve only seen the first season of this show, and I badly need to catch up. However, the new seasons seem to speak for themselves with the sheer amount of awards and nominations they’ve garnered. Hacks is also a great show for people who love eccentric and horrible rich people, think Jessica Walter in Arrested Development or Kris Jenner in real life. The show follows a comedy legend and she becomes a sudo-mentor to an aspiring comic, set in Las Vegas, the show is funny and sometimes distressing, but impressive in both writing and acting. Definitely a good option, and one that only gets better as you watch.

5. Abbott Elementary

Another critically acclaimed comedy series, Abbott Elementary is funny and heartwarming. The show isn’t as vulgar as most comedies, but it doesn’t use that as an excuse. It is incredibly popular, well written, and still being made. So, if you watch it, there will be more! This series has shown no signs of slowing down production, and their audience isn’t complaining. Created by the remarkably talented Quinta Brunson, who I first saw in her Buzzfeed skits, the show follows the staff of Abbott Elementary, a school in Philly that is full of dynamic personalities who (mostly) want the best for their students. Although the students aren’t the main characters, they are one the highlights of the show during their bits of screen time. The show is overflowing with charm and a phenomenal binge watch.