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9 TV Shows Perfect for Any Mother-Daughter Duo

The family that binges together stays together.
December 29, 2017
10 mins read

Let’s be honest: Binging shows is, like, every college student’s hobby, and most of the time college students binge television by themselves or with a couple close friends. But by only binging with friends or by yourself, you ignore a person who would probably love to binge watch TV with you and is fun to binge watch television with: your mother.

Yes, while not the most conventional binge-watching partner, if you are close with your mom, binge-watching shows becomes next-level when with your mom.

1. “Gilmore Girls”

This is the OG in shows to watch with your mom, hands down, no contest. It’s about a mother, Lorelei, and daughter, Rory, who are more like friends. This show is so engaging and perfect to watch with your mom.

There are so many things you can probably relate to in this show if you’re BFFs with your mom, from telling her major life stuff first to gossiping about your boyfriend to her. Besides, Lorelei and Rory are such a relatable mother-daughter duo to watch, whether on a TV or a tablet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGGNNSmGDpU

Added bonuses in this show include the best small town ever, Stars Hallow, quirky but lovable townspeople and a tense but entertaining relationship between Lorelei and her own mother, Emily. This show also has seven seasons with about twenty-two episodes each season, so this show will last you hopefully longer than other shows you are inclined to watch.

2. “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”

This show is a relatively new show, available through Amazon Prime Video, about Miriam “Midge” Maisel, a 1950s housewife who decides to pursue stand-up comedy after her husband leaves her. “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” is written by Amy Sherman-Palladino, who wrote “Gilmore Girls,” so you can expect the trademark fast dialogue and witty remarks that Palladino is known for.

Unfortunately, “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” only has one season with eight hour-long episodes, so binging this show won’t take too long in the scope of binge watching. But this show is incredibly engaging and not surprisingly feminist as well, both of which are perks.

 3. “The Handmaid’s Tale”

This show is increasingly becoming more relevant due to today’s climate and perfect for the mother-daughter feminist duo. Adapted from Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel of the same name, this dystopia is about the United States where a Christian fundamentalist society has taken over and forced women to be subservient to men in a completely patriarchal society.

While this definitely is a binge-worthy show, it also might be beneficial to digest this show in small swallows because it’s kind of depressing how relevant it is in today’s climate and it can get heavy watching so much of such a dramatic show in such a short time frame.

 4. “Jane the Virgin”

“Jane the Virgin” is a delightful show when you want to indulge in a little escapism from the craziness of 2017 and the craziness that 2018 is sure to bring. A take on telenovelas, “Jane the Virgin” is about the accidental artificial insemination and subsequent consequences of said insemination of Jane, a woman with a boyfriend who is saving herself for marriage.

This TV show features some realistic but supportive relationships between Jane and her mother and grandmother, it’s also fun to watch for the romantic elements of the show. “Jane the Virgin” has three seasons currently available on Netflix with the fourth currently airing and the seasons vary in episode count from twenty to twenty-two, so this is a show you can spend quite a bit of time binging.

5. “Bob’s Burgers”

This seems like an unconventional choice, but as someone who has binged a lot of “Bob’s Burgers” with her mom, I can assure you this is a great option. This animated show is about the crazy antics of a burger restaurant-owning family, but if you’re a college student you’ve probably already heard of this show.

With all the seasons, including the one currently airing, on Hulu, this show is perfect for binging and completely hilarious. Besides, if you haven’t watched “Bob’s Burgers” you are seriously missing out on a terrific show.

6. “Parenthood”

If your current obsession is NBC’s “This Is Us,” you are going to love “Parenthood.” In the same dramatic genre as “This Is Us,” “Parenthood” follows the Braverman family who consists of two grandparents, their children, and their grandchildren as they juggle realistic struggles like raising children, romance and medical issues. If “This Is Us” is a show you watch with your mom, then definitely give “Parenthood” a try.

Fortunately, this TV show has six seasons, all streaming on Netflix, with the episode count ranging from thirteen to twenty depending on the season. If you decide to binge this show with your mom, you won’t be short on episodes, that’s for sure.

 7. “New Girl”

“New Girl” is a better show than it may look from previews. While it is pretty quirky in terms of its main character, it’s surprisingly funny and appealing. “New Girl” stars Zooey Deschanel as Jess, a wacky teacher, who moves in with three guys after a break-up with her boyfriend due to his infidelity, which she walks in on. This is a great comedy for the mother-daughter duo looking for something light-hearted but with some romance too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8Hfph2wXIY

This show has six seasons with its seventh season slated to be its last; each season has roughly twenty-two to twenty-five episodes and seasons one through five are currently available to watch on Netflix. This show is funny, quirky and perfect for mom-daughter TV binge time — .

8. “The Crown”

Listen, everyone loves the British royal family and now that there’s a show about the history of the modern royal family, America’s obsession has increased ten-fold. Nothing is better than enjoying the drama of the royals from the sidelines, so “The Crown” is a perfect show to quench your thirst for anything surrounding the royal family, especially after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their engagement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME2umFQ_xBA

This show, which airs on Netflix, recently released its second season and each season includes ten hour-long episodes. And once you finish “The Crown,” you can watch the real-life drama of the royals unfold following the recent royal engagement.

9. “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”

As my sister and mom watch this show together, I can guarantee this show is binge-worthy for any mother-daughter duo. This show follows Rebecca Bunch as she impulsively moves from New York to West Covina, California, to follow an old romantic fling, giving up her fancy apartment and partnership at a law firm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu3FE7BswYI&t=4s

This show is special in that it’s a musical, so depending on whatever is happening in the show, you can probably expect a musical number to follow. “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” has three seasons, two of which are available on Netflix, with the third currently airing on the CW. Seasons two and three vary in episode count, ranging from thirteen to eighteen. And as for the best musical numbers, definitely check out “Heavy Boobs.”

Lizzy Spangler, University of North Texas

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Lizzy Spangler

University of North Texas
Digital and Print Journalism

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