Share Our Lives: Binge worthy shows!

It's that time of the month again to share some of my life and join in with the other Share Our Lives bloggers. This month the prompt is: Binge Worthy Shows!

Binge worthy shows are the main reason my armchair has permanent imprints in the shape of my backside. lol There’s something so comforting about getting lost in a series, ignoring the world outside and telling yourself you’ll just watch one more episode which somehow turns into an entire season. I could write a list of the best TV shows to binge watch and I know I have mentioned plenty in the past but I am going to go with something different and share what makes a TV show binge worthy to me!

Getting hooked from the start!

If the first episode doesn’t grab me within the first half hour the chances of me turning off are high. Life is too short to watch TV shows which don't have me hooked from the beginning! I need to be invested from the opening scene, whether it’s a mystery that immediately has me questioning things, a dramatic twist that makes me gasp or a character that I instantly love or love to hate! Some of my best binge watching memories are from shows that had me completely hooked in the first episode. I remember the first time I watched Breaking Bad, I was glued to the screen within minutes trying to figure out what would happen next.

Characters I actually care about!

A show can have the most stunning scenes or the cleverest plot twists but if the characters don’t make me feel something, I’m done. I need to feel love, hate, pity, amusement, just something! If I don’t care whether they live or die, I’m not sticking around for six seasons. Take Gilmore Girls. I can rewatch episodes over and over because the characters feel like real people. You grow with them, cheer them on, get frustrated with them and by the end of a show you feel like you know them!

Cliffhangers that torment me!

I have a love hate relationship with cliffhangers. I love them because they make it impossible to stop watching but I hate them because they can ruin a good night’s sleep. Nothing makes me press next episode faster than an "Oh no they didn’t" moment at the end of an episode. Season 6 of The Walking Dead had a huge cliffhanger which had me shouting at the TV and I was so annoyed that I had to wait for months to see who lived and died.

Pacing that makes me forget time exists!

Some shows drag and make every episode feel like a chore but binge worthy shows know how to pace themselves. I remember watching Stranger Things for the first time. Each episode felt like it was packed with energy, mystery and just enough going on to keep me interested. By the end of the first season, I realised I hadn’t done anything else that entire weekend but I didn’t even mind. That’s the magic of good pacing: time disappears and all that matters is the story unfolding in front of you.

A world I want to live in!

Sometimes it’s about escapism. It could be the glamour of Manhattan in Sex and the City, the fantasy world of Game of Thrones or the comforting charm of a small town cafe in Gilmore Girls. I want a place I can get lost in, if only for a few hours. It's not just entertainment, it’s a little escape from real life. I can laugh, cry, gasp and cheer without leaving my sofa.

What makes a show binge worthy to you?

I am linking up with:

Adrienne from Mom Life with Adrienne.

Dara from Not In Jersey.

Jen from Show me & Sweet tea.

Joanne from Slices of Life.