College has been a transformative experience—I have learned so much about myself as a person as well as a range of topics, such as anthropology, logic and art history. During my time in college, lasting memories with new friends were made along with new experiences with old friends.
No matter the occasion, during studying or the best-ever played game of Wonky, the TV was most likely on in the background. No doubt, we were flipping between music or the current binge-watched show. These are the shows that were on in the background of my college days and were watched more times than I should admit.
The first: “Futurama.” This one is at the top of my list because I have been watching it since my first semester in school. My EN 111 professor was a big fan, adding little images from “Futurama” even in the syllabus. She was an interesting lady and swore by its witty story lines. I gave it a chance and still watch it all the way through four years later. It’s full of small details and remarks that make an entertaining series. The writer Matt Groening, who also writes for “The Simpsons,” became one of my favorite cartoonists and writers.
The second: “BoJack Horseman.” This show came out a year after I had been in school and my curiosity was piqued when I came across this series. The illustrations are colorful and dynamic while the characters are painfully flawed. I really appreciate how they make the characters so relatable. For example, Mr. Peanut Butter is a dog-person, and he sleeps in a person-sized dog bed. Occasionally, he perks his ears up as a dog would in conversations, and he can’t resist being friends with his ex-wives. This is another show of witty comments, but the playful character traits and small nuances in story line set this
one apart.
Coming in third: “Friends.” Everyone remembers watching “Friends” when they were a kid. Rediscovering “Friends” on your own as a twenty-something really changes the perspective of this hardly-have-it-together group. None of them worry about things like rent or how they will pay for their endless cups of coffee. In a way, you grow with the characters as they get better jobs and build lives for themselves.
In fourth place: “The Office.”
Another classic to those of us binge watching instead of studying and trying to pick out which friend in our group is Jim. This one brings interest to the mundane lifestyle of those who work as sales people for a paper company. With the diversity in characters, we can all find someone we relate to, whether it’s Michael Scott’s daily shenanigans or Angela’s compulsion for order. Thanks to this show, we no longer fear the simplicity of office life and have endless memes to get through our day.
The fifth: “That ‘70s Show.” This show is the only reminisce of high school welcomed during your twenties. The friendly antics of these characters always lighten the mood whether you’re with your own crew or studying for a quiz. This show is always on my “Continue Watching” list on Netflix.
Lastly: “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” This show is incredibly relatable, and full of social irony thanks to the writer Tina Fey. It touches on equality issues of all kinds and a “sad but true” statement is surely heard in every episode. The catchy intro and eccentric characters will most likely brighten your day when you catch a sentence in the background and laugh a little. As much as it is a comedy, it also really has the ability to question our societal norms with the character development
throughout the seasons.
