Freaks and Geeks

Freaks and Geeks was cancelled after only one season, but still managed to create some of the most likeable characters in television history. It’s set in the early 80’s and focuses on high school students, but it has a totally different feel than most shows about high schoolers. Its best episodes, which include 1.2 “Beers and Weirs,” 1.10 “The Diary,” and 1.18 “Discos and Dragons,” walk the line between hilarious and emotional better than anything else on this list.

The Office

The Office is a hilarious and lighthearted mockumentary about a group of people who work at a paper company. All of the characters are great, and the relationships between them create uniquely fun situations each episode. There’s nine seasons, but you can jump in at any point for a quick, fun episode. Some classics are 1.2 “Diversity Day,” 2.17 “Dwight’s Speech,” 5.14 “Stress Relief,” and 7.3 “Andy’s Play.”

The IT Crowd

Another workplace comedy, The IT Crowd is about three people who work in an IT department. The characters and the situations they get into are hilariously awkward. Some of the best episodes are 1.4 “The Red Door,” 3.2 “Are We Not Men,” and 4.5 “Bad Boys.”

Peaky Blinders

Peaky Blinders is about the rise of a crime family in 1920s England. It’s intense and violent, the characters are flawed and interesting, the family dynamic is equal parts touching and disturbing, and the cinematography is beautiful. It’s got a really tight and intriguing narrative, so it’s best watched from start to finish.

The Walking Dead

If you’re not already watching The Walking Dead, you should be. The show is about a group of survivors in the zombie apocalypse. I didn’t start watching it until earlier this year because I’m not a fan of zombies or gore, but once I started this show, the characters and intense story line had me hooked. This is another one you should watch straight through to avoid spoilers, but if you’ve already seen it and are looking to revisit some great episodes, I’d recommend 2.7 “Pretty Much Dead Already,” 4. 4.8 “Too Far Gone,” 4.16 “A” 5.10 “Them,” 6.9 “No Way Out.”

Star Trek: The Next Generation

It’s probably best known for being nerdy and cheesy, and it is, but Star Trek: The Next Generation is, at its worst, fun to laugh at, and at its best, a dramatic exploration of social issues that are still relevant today. It focuses on crew members in a star ship who encounter aliens, new planets, and other weird space situations. 1.22 “Skin of Evil,” 2.9 “The Measure of a Man,” and “4.14 “Clues” are some of the best serious episodes, but if you just want to laugh at terrible special effects and alien make up, almost any episode will work.

Lost

Lost is an engrossing show about of group of people stranded on an island after a plane crash who have to deal with mysterious and dangerous occurrences and inhabitants on the island. The show has diverse and interesting characters and a super engaging plot, so it’s really easy to get swept up in if you’re a new watcher. If you watched Lost before, revisit some of the landmark episodes like 1.9 “Solitary,” 3.22 “Through the Looking Glass,” 4.5 “The Constant,” and 5.17 “The Incident.”