14 Shows The BuzzFeed Staff Is Binge-Watching In October

Get ready to find your new favorite show!

Hey guys! Hannah here! Welcome to a new monthly roundup of all the best shows the BuzzFeed staff are currently binge-watching.

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We'll be including new and old shows — whatever we're loving right now and think you will too!

1. The Vampire Diaries

The CW

"I was one of those 'I have no time to watch television, my GRADES!!' teens who missed the boat on The Vampire Diaries, but I'm so glad I did, because I was fully meant to watch it in 2020. I love it because it is this WILD time capsule of 2010s fashion, the friendships and relationships are so fleshed out and well-explored, and the pacing?? Is so??? Phenomenal????? I went from 'I'm only watching the pilot of this ironically' to 'why haven't the actors who play the Salvatore brothers released that bourbon they promised us at the beginning of quarantine' in, like, three days flat."

—Emma Lord

Watch The Vampire Diaries on Netflix!

2. Mad Men

AMC

"My family just finished bingeing Mad Men and I miss it already! It was a rewatch for my parents, but I had somehow never seen it. I can 1,000,000% see why it's such an all-time classic and 10/10 recommend it if you (like me) are still quarantined with your family and looking for something everyone can agree on. My dad and I had long conversations dissecting the symbolism and clever details in each episode, it gave me a wonderful taste of NYC while I'm away, and the '60s fashion is amazing. Plus, badass women! If Halloween were more of a thing this year, I'd probably be going as Peggy Olson."

—Katy Herman

Watch Mad Men at AMC or Amazon!

3. Harley Quinn

HBO Max

"This show has been one of the best escapes for me right now. My friends kept telling me about it and I finally started, and it is amazing. The series follows the notorious Harley Quinn after her breakup with the Joker. She ends up forming her own villain crew in Gotham alongside Poison Ivy and other iconic villains. Not only is this show funny, but it has an amazing LGBTQ storyline. I cannot recommend it enough, and it was just renewed for Season 3, so this is the perfect time to catch up. Episode I can't stop thinking about: 'There's No Place to Go but Down' (Season 2, Episode 7)."

—Nora Dominick

Watch Harley Quinn on HBO Max!

4. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

The CW

"I am currently bingeing Crazy Ex-Girlfriend for the third time, and I swear it just gets better and better each time I watch it! It’s a musical comedy-drama starring and co-created by the sensational Rachel Bloom and it’s available on Netflix. If you are a theater kid, a lover of musicals, a fan of female narratives, a comedy nerd, or a masochist who gets a kick out of falling in love with fictional characters, this show is for you."

—Hannah Dobrogosz

Watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend on Netflix!

5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The WB

"I started watching Buffy at the recommendation of some friends in my writing group, and though the special effects can be pretty cheesy, the show has so much heart that I fell in love with it. The dialogue and tropes are done so well — it's so cheeky and fun and escapist, while also being empowering and emotional. I've seen a ton of supernatural shows and teen dramas, and it's wild seeing how much they've borrowed from Buffy. Even though it's an older show, the themes of growing up and sexism feel really relevant today."

—Hannah Marder (That's me!)

Watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Hulu!

6. James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction

Shudder

"I downloaded Shudder because I want to spend the spooky season (OK, *all* year) watching good horror because 1) it's my favorite genre and 2) it's *the* best escape for 2020. I've spent a huge chunk of time watching the docs on it, including the docuseries James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction, which is basically a bunch of scholars, directors, writers, actors, and more nerding out on different subjects like aliens and time travel. If you're into hearing Guillermo del Toro chat monsters or Keanu Reeves recollect how The Matrix script was mind-blowing from the get-go, you'll love this. In a year where people joke, 'OK, is the alien invasion next?' I think it's worth exploring real-life parallels with sci-fi films that have to do with disasters, invasions, violence, and how one person's dystopia can be another person's utopia."

—Elizabeth Lilly

Watch Story of Science Fiction on Shudder!

7. Indian Matchmaking

Netflix

"I’ve just started watching Indian Matchmaking on Netflix and I am hooked. I love learning about other cultures through shows like Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations and love all kinds of silly romance-oriented shows like The Bachelor and 90 Day Fiancé, so this show has been the perfect combination of the two.

While watching, I find myself absolutely awestruck by the matchmaker — she is a force! But also so reserved and respectful! It’s been so fun cheering on the men and women who are looking for love because we all are, aren’t we?

Also, as someone who has been with my partner for over a decade, I don’t really know anything about dating. I’ve heard all about my friends' dating app horror stories, but this show really dives deep into the process of Indian matchmaking. It’s just so interesting and definitely makes it a show you want to watch straight through!"

—Heather Braga

Watch Indian Matchmaking on Netflix!

8. Ted Lasso

Apple+

"I love Ted Lasso. It's such a feel-good show and I look forward to it every Friday when it comes out. There's nothing great on Apple+, but this is worth paying the price for it alone."

—Matt Dorville

Watch Ted Lasso on Apple+!

9. Taskmaster

Channel 4

"The British panel/game show Taskmaster is positively majestic. The show revolves around British comedians completing absurd tasks (e.g., 'Do something that will look impressive in reverse') and getting judged on their efforts. It's the perfect distraction in these bananas times and I couldn't recommend it more."

—Hope Lasater

Watch Taskmaster on UKTV or CW Seed!

10. Elementary

CBS

"I’m rewatching Elementary and it’s perfect if you love mysteries or have any appreciation for Sherlock Holmes. Not only does the show talk about issues with sobriety and mental health in the modern world, but it’s an amazing display of what true friendship looks like! Sherlock is HILARIOUS and sassy, while empathetic Joan Watson (played by the wonderful Lucy Liu) banters/plays well off of his chaotic energies. There’s so much chemistry between the main cast — it’s super easy to binge many episodes at once with this show!!!"

Watch Elementary on Hulu.

11. Cable Girls

Netflix

"I started Las chicas del cable as a way to work on my Spanish (don’t worry, it’s also translated to English if you prefer). Little did I know that it would quickly turn into my new favorite show! Set in Spain in the 1920s, this period drama follows the lives of women who work for a telecommunications company. The show is easily one of the most feminist on Netflix. It explores the strength of female friendships, the power of queer relationships, and the fight for independence in a patriarchal society. What’s not to love?"

—Morgan Sloss

Watch Cable Girls on Netflix!

12. PEN15

Hulu

"I've spent the last few weeks watching Pen15 for the first time and I absolutely love it! I decided to finally hop on the bandwagon after seeing that Season 2 came out. Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle star as seventh-grade versions of themselves trying to navigate middle school together, and it's hilarious but also SO ACCURATE. It'll take you right back to all the crushes, awkward feelings, and puberty, but in the best way possible. I also love that it does a great job of covering serious topics surrounding that time in our lives, like divorce and discovering your sexuality. If you have Hulu and haven't binged it already, do yourself a favor and stream it right now!"

—Shelby Heinrich

Watch PEN15 on Hulu!

13. The Newsroom

HBO

"Once a year, I return to my journalism roots to rewatch The Newsroom. Although it’s only three seasons long, it’s easily one of the best television shows of my generation. It's smart, witty, and comedic dialogue paired with the reimagined true stories of American history make for a compelling show that is worth the occasional binge. It’s a wonder as to why it hasn’t been revived! I mean, 2020 is prime material for any news-centered series."

—Kit Stone

Watch The Newsroom on HBO Max!

14. And finally, Cobra Kai

Netflix

"Cobra Kai is two seasons of pure fun, thrilling action, and nostalgia. It’s based on the original Karate Kid movies and continues the story 34 years later. The Cobra Kai–Miyagi-Do rivalry is still alive and well, but this time, Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso's kids are involved. The cast is phenomenal and I promise you'll fall in love with them immediately. So really, if you haven't started watching this show yet, what the heck are you even doing?"

—Lauren Garafano

Watch Cobra Kai on Netflix!