15 Addicting TV Shows Returning in 2017
Was “Netflix and chill” everyone's favorite activity in 2016? It sure seems like it. Everyone loves to hang out, get cozy, and binge-watch their favorite TV shows. 2016 was a crazy year, but there were lots of good TV shows to help distract us from everything going on. Addicting TV shows are the best escape from reality. Everyone's wondering if 2017 is going to be anything like 2016, but right now, only one thing is certain no matter what happens in 2017, lots of awesome TV shows are coming back for new seasons. We all like to check out the new shows that are released every year, but there's something special about seeing your favorite characters return to the small screen for another season of entertainment. Get ready to spend some more time hanging out with your favorite characters again here are 15 addicting TV shows that are returning in 2017.
15 Sherlock
There's just something about Benedict Cumberbatch that makes him perfect for the role of Sherlock. This show has a unique quality it's suspenseful, but it's also weirdly funny, and even if you spend a ton of time watching and getting to know the characters, there is always room for something unexpected. This crime drama based on the classic detective series is endlessly entertaining and will have you on the edge of your seat for every hour-long episode. That's right you get a full hour of every episode, so there's plenty more Sherlock coming your way. The fourth season premieres on January 1, so if you're a huge Sherlock fan, 2017 will be off to a great start! Get ready for more mysteries that will have you analyzing every clue and questioning every move. And once it's over, you'll be waiting anxiously for more we get about three episodes of Sherlock every year, so savor it!
14 New Girl
Everyone fell in love with New Girl when it premiered back in 2011, and now that it's been around for about five years, it's only gotten better! Zooey Deschanel is the perfect choice to play Jess, the adorable and quirky star of the show. But the rest of the cast is just as good who doesn't love Max Greenfield as Schmidt? Be real, you would probably date any of the guys on the show, and you're a little jealous that Zooey gets to hang out with all of them! When New Girl first came out, some people criticized it because they felt Jess's character was just a “manic pixie dream girl” without much substance of her own, but she's actually a great character who's super relatable. New Girl's new season premieres on January 3, so when you're done recovering from your New Year's celebrations, chill out and tune in before going back to class.
13 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is definitely one of the funniest shows that has ever graced our TV screens. If you don't agree, you probably just haven't seen it. Always Sunny breaks every taboo and somehow makes you fall in love with some of the worst characters of all time. What would you give to spend a night drinking in Paddy's Pub-the worst pub in America? A day of adventures with the gang sounds like a crazy adventure that could easily land you in jail, but the good news is you can live vicariously through every episode. The new season comes out on January 4, so you only have a couple more weeks to wait until you can reunite with the gang and spend hours laughing your butt off. Always Sunny might be crass and crude, but it's undeniably funny, and the creators aren't afraid to push boundaries in the name of comedy.
12 Grey's Anatomy
Yes, this whole list is about addicting TV shows. But there's one particular TV show that takes the cake when it comes to addictive qualities, and that TV show is Grey's Anatomy. You've probably spent many nights staying up glued to the screen watching your favorite fictional doctors fight, fall in love, and save lives. Some people might think that being obsessed with Grey's is cheesy or cliché, but honestly, it's popular for a reason, and being obsessed with Grey's is totally normal. There have already been thirteen seasons of Grey's, but there can never be enough. The fourteenth season premieres on January 19 what better way to spend your first week back of the semester than binging on Grey's instead of doing your readings? Have no shame in your Grey's addiction. Just fully embrace it and spend a few hours reuniting with your favorite doctors and getting emotional over the new season.
11 Scandal
2016 was probably the craziest year for politics in recent history. Between the American presidential election, the Brexit vote, and tons of fighting and debating between parties, things are really heating up in the political world. You might have gotten into a few debates yourself! If the events of the past year have pushed you to get more involved in politics, you might want to tune in when the next season of Scandal premieres on January 19! We know it might be tough to balance watching Scandal with Grey's Anatomy, but hey, life is all about managing your priorities. Scandal is all about Olivia Pope, who works in crisis management in Washington, D.C. And if you think what happens in the show is wild, imagine what really goes on behind the scenes in Washington! This show is perfect for political junkies who also love a thrilling, suspenseful story, so don't miss out!
10 How to Get Away With Murder
Do you love a good murder mystery? Were you also totally engrossed in Making a Murderer? Well, if you haven't already started watching How to Get Away With Murder, you're in for a treat. How to Get Away With Murder returns on January 19 (add it to the list along with Scandal and Grey's Anatomy), so don't worry, you have time to watch the previous seasons before you inevitably get addicted. HTGAWM has gotten lots of critical acclaim, so binge watching is totally worth it who really needs to do homework, anyway? The show revolves around Viola Davis, who plays Annelise Keating, a law professor. Annelise and five of her students end up entangled in a murder plot. Who can you trust? Who's telling the truth? Who's next on the list? And who's going to get away with murder? Well, you'll have to watch and see if you can figure it out!
9 Jane the Virgin
Lots of people were skeptical about the concept behind the show Jane the Virgin when it premiered. But the skeptics were quickly proven wrong, and the show went on to become a hit! Jane the Virgin is about a young Latina girl, Jane, who accidentally becomes pregnant after a medical procedure gone wrong. Needless to say, her world is turned upside down. Some people were worried that the show would play off stereotypes and promote some harmful ideas, but Jane the Virgin actually has some strong characters that have done a lot of good for Latina representation on television. When Jane finds out she is pregnant, she has to make a lot of tough decisions, and the process is never easy but this girl has a backbone, and throughout the show, she stands by her values and beliefs. Get ready for more of Jane's new life when the new season premieres on January 23!
8 Supernatural
The show Supernatural has been around for years now since 2005, to be exact and it seems like every year, more and more people fall in love with it. The Supernatural fandom is huge online, so if you spend enough time on the Internet, you're bound to encounter huge fans of the show who will probably get you interested in watching yourself. The premise of the show is summed up in the name, brothers Sam and Dean spend their time hunting down supernatural creatures and facing their greatest fears. So far, there have been eleven seasons of the show, and each one has been more entertaining than the last! The twelfth season premieres on January 26. If you're into horror movies and urban legends, Supernatural just might be your new addiction. Make sure to tune in next month when it starts up again you never know what creatures Sam and Dean will encounter next!
7 The Fosters
There are lots of TV shows that fit within the “family genre” category, and who knows, maybe there are a few TV families you wish you could move in with! But doesn't it seem like a lot of TV families are pretty similar? There's really not much variety there. The parents have a decent relationship, the teenage daughter feels like her family just doesn't understand her, her little brother annoys her day in and day out… not very original character ideas. But the show The Fosters, which returns on January 31, offers up something different. The Fosters is all about a lesbian couple, Stef and Lena, who are raising their mixed race family. Stef and Lena have one biological child and four adopted children. The Fosters breaks down boundaries and gives representation to many groups that don't often see themselves on TV. It's definitely worth watching to get some new perspectives!
6 Switched at Birth
Do you ever wonder who you would be today if your life started off a little differently? What if you had been born to a different set of parents? What if you grew up in a different state or a neighborhood just a couple hours away? What if you had no siblings, or what if you had a brother instead of a sister? And what if there was a TV show that explored these questions, and maybe gave a few answers? Well, if you've ever been curious about these ideas, you might want to catch up on the show Switched at Birth before the new season premieres on January 31. Switched at Birth is about two teenage girls, Bay and Daphne, who were switched at birth and grew up in two very different environments. Daphne is also Deaf, and the show has been praised for positive representation of the Deaf community.
5 Criminal Minds
There are a million crimes dramas out there, and even though the genre has gotten kind of cliché over the years, it's still super addicting. You end up glued to your TV for hours, wondering if the team of detectives is going to catch the murderer this time or find out who really robbed the safe when there are tons of fingerprints to go through. You end up feeling like you've earned a degree in forensic science when you finish a season of one of these shows! If you're into crime dramas, you probably just can't get enough of Criminal Minds. The show has been around since 2005, and it returns for its thirteenth season on February 1. The show is not just about solving crimes, it's about getting to know the characters on a personal level, and as an ensemble show, there are bound to be new faces every season.
4 The 100
Sure, 2016 made it seem like the world was going completely off the rails, but it's not like we experienced the apocalypse. However, lots of dystopian films and TV shows have been popular over the past few years just think about how much everyone loved The Hunger Games. If you love dystopian, futuristic stories, you'll definitely want to check out the TV show The 100. Have you ever imagined what would happen if only a few humans were around after an apocalyptic event and they had to somehow recreate society as we once knew it? Well, that's one basic premise of The 100. The series is set many years after a nuclear apocalypse, which some people had survived as they were on space ships outside Earth's orbit. When their ship starts failing, they choose 100 teenager prisoners, called “expendables,” to return to Earth and find out if it is habitable once again.
3 The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory has been on for years, and it's won tons of awards. If you're into all things “nerdy,” you probably already love Big Bang Theory. And if you've never seen it, what are you waiting for? The characters on Big Bang Theory are unlike any other TV show. They're super awkward and super funny. And when it comes to anything scientific, they all know their stuff. Big Bang Theory has already been around for ten seasons, and the eleventh season begins on February 2. So if you haven't already started watching, you have a bit of catching up to do but there's plenty of time! Even though the characters on Big Bang Theory are smarter than the average person, you can probably still find someone to relate to. Between the endless pop culture references and the countless nerdy jokes, Big Bang Theory is the kind of show that has something for everyone.
2 The Vampire Diaries
Remember a few years ago when vampires were all the rage? Everyone was obsessed with Twilight, and you and your friends probably had some heated debates about Team Edward vs. Team Jacob. Sure, the world has pretty much moved on from the vampire craze, but there are still a few ways to get your fix if you're still into it. The Vampire Diaries returns for its midseason premiere on February 10, and the series finale is only a couple months away! We're all sad to see it go, but the show has had a great run, so it's always better to end on a good note. Plus, you can spend the rest of 2017 rewatching it after the finale. The folklore and vampire mythology of Mystic Falls was super interesting, and The Vampire Diaries stood out from other vampire love stories that were popular when the series initially began airing.
1 Girls
When Girls first came out, it was a pretty controversial show. It seemed like there were no taboos that creator Lena Dunham wasn't willing to break. The show got hit with a ton of criticism, but it also got a lot of praise along the way. The main appeal of Girls was its relatable characters. They were messy, confused, frustrating, and unapologetic. For the past few years, we laughed and cried along with Hannah, Shoshana, Marnie, and Jessa, and if you give the show a chance for its final season, it's sure to draw you in. Girls comes back to HBO for its last season on February 12, really, that's reason enough to get HBO if you don't already have it. This show has definitely gotten some strong reactions from both fans and critics over the years, so you know that you don't want to miss out. Girls is a pretty wild ride.