Whether you’re a serial procrastinator or someone who actually makes the most of dead week, everyone needs a break while catching up on all the studying they didn’t bother to do all semester. Netflix is the perfect way to take your mind off the fact that you’re only a fifth of the way into your syllabus or give you a quick change of scenery to refocus while you cram. Here are some of our top picks for you to watch this dead week:
- “The Haunting of Hill House”
If finals don’t scare you enough, this will. Save “The Haunting of Hill House” for a day you have lots of people to keep you company (trust me — you’ll thank us later). The show set the bar for horror pretty high and is a good mix of a gripping storyline with scattered jump scares. If you’re up for a few hours of really creepy ghosts intricately woven with personal storylines, this is a good option for you.
- “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”
There are no real jump scares here, but if you’re looking for something to follow “The Haunting of Hill House,” Sabrina’s adventures were part of the same breath of Netflix’s Halloween releases. Because your study guide is probably a lot scarier than Halloween was, it isn’t too late to catch up on these now. Even if you aren’t a fan of the half-witch, half-human high schooler or the plot that features witches worshipping Satan, if you watch “Riverdale,” it’s fun to search for small connections and references between the shows.
- “Gilmore Girls”
Horror isn’t for everyone, and if you want something gentle and fun to watch instead, “Gilmore Girls” won’t disappoint. The show takes you to the small, quaint town of Stars Hollow and follows the life of a mother-daughter duo. This is a great show for dead week because there are enough episodes to make sure you won’t run out during finals, and the show is light enough that you won’t feel like you have to focus too much.
- “The Princess Switch”
It’s finally cold in Berkeley, and since we’re only days away from winter break, it’s finally socially acceptable to watch cheesy Christmas movies. This is probably the first time many of us have seen Vanessa Hudgens on-screen since her “High School Musical” days, and we promise she’s a lot less annoying and doesn’t break into song every few seconds. The prince isn’t Troy Bolton, but for anyone who liked “The Parent Trap,” this twin-switcheroo flick could also be a good match.
- “A Christmas Prince” and “A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding”
If you didn’t hate “The Princess Switch,” you’re likely to (maybe secretly) enjoy the “Christmas Prince” movies as well. The movies follow Amber, a budding journalist, through a storyline you’d guess a couple of minutes into the movie. There are no surprises here, and the movies aren’t anything spectacular. Since they’re pretty forgettable, they’re a perfect option for short breaks during final review.
- “Dynasty”
If you don’t have the patience for sappy Hallmark-style Christmas movies, delve straight into drama and scandal in “Dynasty.” The show focuses on wealthy, dysfunctional families fighting over money, secrets, control and everything else you could think of.
- “Person of Interest”
This is the superhero show you didn’t know you needed. It spares us from lightning-speed, mind-reading, spandex-wearing people and instead gives us some high-quality writing and strong character development for the two main characters, Harold Finch and John Reese. The show will keep you on your toes without getting too dark or complicated.
