A friend asked me to recommend some shows that she could stream either on Netflix or Amazon Prime. She requested that the series already be over so that she could just binge the whole thing. I tried to come up with shows that were not the obvious choices (e.g. Gilmore Girls, Friday Night Lights, Breaking Bad, etc.), mostly because you should have watched those already, and also shows that had more than one season, so here is what I came up with:

1. Spartacus, will be available on Netflix starting February 1st
Based on the real story of Spartacus, this follows the man from when he became a gladiator until his death. It is pretty graphic, both with blood and sex, but it is mostly driven by the stories of its characters which are very compelling. The performances are all amazing and it is just a really fantastic show from start to finish.

2. Bomb Girls, only available on Netflix
It takes place in Canada during World War 2 and follows several women who risked their lives while working in a munitions factory building bombs. I do not want to spoil it too much, but something kind of gruesome happens at the very end of the first episode that did initially turn me off. However, I gave it a second chance and the rest of the series was great.

3. The Tudors, available on Netflix and Amazon Prime
The show takes us through the reign of Henry VIII as the King of England, including all six of his wives, over four seasons. It is interesting to see how Henry’s decisions and opinions changed over the course of his monarchy depending on his age or his advisors. I am especially fascinated by how much history was influenced by men’s sex drives!

4. Chuck, only available on Netflix
Chuck Bartowski works at a Buy More and is part of the Nerd Herd. That is until his former college roommate sends him an encoded email which embeds all of the United States’ spy secrets in his brain. Chuck is then recruited by the CIA and the NSA to hunt down international terrorists. You have to get past the fact that, despite this being a show about spies, it is completely unrealistic, but it is a whole lot of fun.

5. Tremé, only available on Amazon Prime
Named after a neighborhood in New Orleans, this show begins three months after Hurricane Katrina. It follows the musicians, chefs, Mardi Gras Indians and all the other residents as they try to rebuild their lives, their homes and their unique culture. It is gritty and realistic and reminds us just what the Gulf Coast went through after the storm and is still dealing with today in some places.

6. Deadwood, only available on Amazon Prime
Set in the town of Deadwood, South Dakota during the gold rush in 1876, this show is also based in history. While the stories may not be historically accurate, several of the characters were real people that lived in the town during this time. Timothy Olyphant and Ian McShane are the obvious stars, but it is really the supporting characters that really make this show shine. Just be prepared for lots of people’s throats getting cut.

7. Warehouse 13 , available on Netflix and Amazon Prime
The series follow United States Secret Services Agents Myka Bering and Pete Lattimer after they have been assigned to Warehouse 13 in South Dakota, which houses supernatural artifacts. They must travel around the world retrieving missing artifacts before they cause any more damage. At times, it can be a little cheesy, but it is also funny and endearing.

8. Flashpoint, available on Netflix and Amazon Prime
This takes place in Canada and follows a Strategic Response Unit (or SWAT team). Each episode is about a different crisis that they must deal with ranging from hostage situations to bomb scares. They deal with a different case each week but, it delves more into the psychological aspects of the subject so that the SRU can talk them out of the situation they are in. They are an elite group of police officers with high tech gear and sniper training. Plus, they wear such cool pants!