Grab the popcorn and cuddle up to read about what Auburn students have to say on the most binge-worthy TV shows of the year.
Throughout 2021, there were several TV shows that made waves through pop culture and social media, and Auburn students submitted their top choices through a survey to select the most binged shows of the year.
One of the popular shows of this year is Euphoria, an HBO teen drama that leans into the dark side of addiction, trauma and friendship.
According to Deadline.com, 2.4 million viewers tuned in to view the premiere of the second season on HBO Max, breaking records for the streaming service.
While the show originally aired in 2019 and is loosely based on an Israeli miniseries of the same name, the artistic cinematography and iconic makeup looks caused the show to increase in fame.
Madison Tyler, junior in psychology, said Euphoria was one of her favorite and most binge-worthy shows of the year.
“The drama is so fun to watch," Tyler said. "There are parts you can relate to, but often the storylines are so dramatic you have to watch the next episode for the resolution but then more drama ensues."
Another popular show among students was Squid Games, which premiered on Netflix in early September.
The show revolved around a contest of over 400 players who are all in debt and must play a series of deadly children’s games for the chance to win 45 billion dollars.
The show was a massive success and quickly became the most-watched show on Netflix, according to Variety.com.
Taryn Fox, senior in communications and English, said she loved Squid Games because it had the perfect combination of murder, mystery and comedy.
“It was intriguing, and I have ADD and was able to binge it without issues and that is saying something,” Fox said.
Yellowstone, a western drama that premiered on Paramount in 2018, was another popular choice among students.
While the show originally premiered in 2018, the suspense and hype around the release of season four in 2021 made it one of the most popular shows of the year.
Roya Adkins, junior in management, said she loved Yellowstone because of the good storylines.
“It is so bingeable because each episode left you hanging, so you wanted to keep watching to figure out the answers,” Adkins said.
Another popular show this year was Outer Banks, a mystery teen drama created by Netflix.
The show premiered in April 2020 and quickly became one of the most popular TV shows among teens.
The second season premiered early this summer and was reported to have been viewed a total of 2.1 billion minutes over its 20 episodes and was ranked number one on Netflix.
Sara Graves, freshman in health services administration, said she loved the plot and love stories within the show.
“The actors are all amazing, and they really make the stories realistic,” Graves said. “There are also a lot of cliffhangers that force you to watch the next episode.”
While most of the shows can be found on various streaming services, one major drawback is that the cost of multiple subscriptions can add up over time.
Auburn students have also weighed in on their recommendations for the best streaming services that are worth the cost.
Danielle Simmons, sophomore in political science and theatre, said her favorite streaming services are Netflix and HBO Max.
“These two are a good combination for seeing all of the current popular shows and some good movies too,” Simmons said.
Olivia Oakley, freshman in undeclared liberal arts, said she too enjoys HBO Max as "it has some hidden gems.”
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Kara Mautz, senior in human development and family studies with a minor in journalism, is a culture writer at The Auburn Plainsman.
