We have all heard that a reader lives a thousand lives, but not everyone is as curious to pick up another book on their day off from work. Neither am I (guilty!). So, does that mean we get to live only one life, our monotonous, dull, and sometimes lost in the lane of existential crisis one?

Let me break it to you, reading is fun but there is nothing better to experience a character’s life when the character is living and breathing, and creating the perfect atmosphere for us to dwell on, which happens only with the help of great cinema. There is not a single thing more pleasurable than to sit down in front of your tv with a bowl of munchies, relax, and binge watch an exciting show that is recommended to you by your friends and family.

Besides, what better time to catch up with a few of the best TV shows to watch before you die then now when the entire planet in on standstill due to the pandemic. Let’s give ourselves a break from the horrors of the world and stress from all the work from home and dive into the world of fantasy as an escape from reality.

Here is a list of top 5 TV shows to watch before you die that I suggest to all my friends.

Top 5 TV Shows To Watch Before You Die

5. Dexter (2006 – 2013)

It’s been a long time since I was first introduced to this brilliant show by my cousins, and I haven’t been able to get it off my conscience. Dexter is one of the best crime shows I’ve ever seen, and when I say this, you have to take into consideration as I watch a lot of crime series, it’s my favorite genre. This 8 season long, showtime series is a rollercoaster ride for the watcher, constantly keeping you on your nerve and making you wonder why do I sympathize with this person? A murderer?

Here Are A Few Reasons That Make Dexter One Of The TV Shows To Watch Before You Die:

• Psychological Gore: 

  Did the last word come as a surprise to you? Well, Dexter is one of the goriest shows to air on tv. Dexter Morgan, the anti-hero of the series, is a psychopath and a serial killer who very conveniently works at the Miami Poice Department as a Forensic Technician and the Blood Splatter Analyst. The 2020 watchers are going crazy over the Netflix Original ‘You’ that revolves around a sociopath.

  Still, Dexter was so beyond its era, talking about Mental Health Issues, a person who is so much more than a psychopath trying to make himself fit in the society. Psychological Gore is a new Horror, even though it existed for a long time, unlike today, it was always undermind and was understood by very few.

• Code: 

  A show about a psychopath might seem to be absurd, like romanticizing the idea of killing, but the direction and the writing of the show forces you to feel for this person, empathize with the monster. The series reveals that Dexter, as a child, went through a traumatic incident forcing him to be who he is today, on the line of Sigmund Freud’s most of the theories. Dexter is adopted by a police officer who realizes very early in his life that Dexter is lacking certain emotions and he has an urge of killing which is out of his control so instead of just ignoring or repressing his needs, he shows him the right path, a way for him to channel his urges.

  Dexter is then taught certain principles, called codes that tell him how and who to kill. Since he works at the station, he has access to all the murderers on loose, hunting them and planning the perfect murder without anyone noticing.

• The Dark Passenger: 

  Dexter’s inner voice continuously narrates the series he calls his ‘Dark Passenger.’ He is the monster Dexter is continually fighting. As the show proceeds, you will see Dexter finally achieve control over him little by little, defeating his needs and finally able to explore his emotions. What cuts through Dexter’s darkness is other characters’ humor, especially his sister Debra’s. Her appearance is like a fresh breeze to all the gore. Another reason that places this show on the top TV shows to watch before you die list.

Available on: Amazon Prime

4. BoJack Horseman (2014 – 2019)

If Dexter is too intense for you, then take a tiny break and watch Netflix original Bojack Horseman, which is safe to say is a cartoon for adults. Yeah, an animated series is a downer for a lot of people but just episode, keep all your thoughts and prejudices away and then make a decision. This sublime and scandalous series is a must among other TV shows to watch before you die.

Revolving around a Character who was once a big celebrity in the 90s and is now living on his money, forgotten by most people. This character, a horse, is voiced by Will Arnett himself, giving a much-needed edge with his comic timing.

Here Are A Few Reasons That Make BoJack Horseman One Of The TV Shows To Watch Before You Die:

• Absurd And Satirical: 

  Dark Humor or Satire was once considered to be an elite thing, understood by only the rich, but it’s more like a coping mechanism in the contemporary world. Unlike Simpson or Family Guy, few of the most famous Adult Cartoons, BoJack series, is a combination of animals and humans living together as the same species, breaking the hegemony, taking its absurdity to the peak. The show is smart, witty, and filled with fantastic one-liners that will have you rolling on the floor from laughter, drenched in your tears.

• Relatable: 

  The series is a complete depiction of reality, a slap to the narcissistic world, and a reflection of the society. Bojack himself is an unlikable character, someone you can relate to your misogynistic boss. The show, though based on America, is very engaging as it surrounds multiple events that are going around the world like gender bias, sexuality, depression, mental health issues, and political corruption. It is also the first tv show to have an asexual character.

• Brilliant Content: 

  A lot of Netflix shows have crappy dialogues, especially Riverdale, but in Bojack, you can find substance in the content. There multiple puns and wordplays throughout the show, making you flip like Bojaack’s Book Publisher is a Penguin. Do you see that? Even the entire animation is mind-blowing, you can find hints in the background, and even in their clothes.

Available on: Netflix

3. Chernobyl (2019)

Do you enjoy Non-Fiction, Factual shows, a dive into history like myself? Then you would love HBO’s miniseries – Chernobyl. These 5 episodes (6 hours) long show is based on the explosion in Chernobyl Plant Reactor in Ukraine in April 1986, leading to radioactive material (Uranium) leaking.

Here Are A Few Reasons That Make Chernobyl One Of The TV Shows To Watch Before You Die:

• Quality Of Production: 

  The series needs a little patience to build up, half an hour into the show, and it will grip your mind into it. The production quality is mind-blowing, the make-up is on point, super real, even the outfits, the melting of the skin because of the radiation will make your hair stand to the edge. The overall animations, colors, set preparation, and the music provides such a great depth to the show, making it unsettling to see; hence it is one of the TV shows to watch before you die.

• True Catastrophe: 

  World’s first of it’s kind and the worst man-made catastrophe which could have resulted in the demolishing of Europe, erasing it’s existence entirely. Since nothing of it’s sort was ever known to the humans, none knew how to deal with it or the consequences that were to follow. Once the situation started running out of control, the entire city was evacuated. All the animals were killed, and the trees were burned to prevent the spread of contamination. Even after 30 years, most of the Pripyat is locked behind walls, preventing people and animals from entering as the air and soil in that area is still believed to be contaminated. The city is still known as the ghost city.

• The Real Heros: 

  Thy members, the show at the purest, celebrated and put light on the lesser-acknowledged Heros or the ones who were forgotten. From the civilians who were unaware of the circumstances, who lost their family members, their homes, and also their pets, to the firemen, mine workers, doctors, scientists, and so many more lost their lives trying to save others. The people who live around the city and the ones who are descendants of the survivors face side effects. It also talks about how political agendas priorities reputation over innocent lives.

Available On: Hotstar

2. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013 – 2019)

There have been many sitcoms that are famous among different generations. Whether it be Friends, How I Met Your Mother Or Big Bang Theory, they all are happily enjoyed even today with memes surfacing and breaKing the social media platforms year after year. But let’s face it, they are a little too overrated and are getting monotonous. A lesser famous comedy show in Brooklyn 99, a complete package of humor from a fresh perspective. This seven years-long series is a must-watch.

Here Are A Few Reasons That Make Brooklyn Nine-Nne One Of The TV Shows To Watch Before You Die:

• Diversity: 

  The cast of the show is a combination of people from different backgrounds and cultures. The series has 6 people in the main cast, 2 of them are Latin origin, and two are black Americans. The show celebrates the diversity and all the cultures without making any tacky comments about their race or cultures like other famous sitcoms who base their comedy mainly on humiliation, forgetting the sleek difference between humor and embarrassment. 

• Sexuality: 

  Just like the blend in culture, the show also celebrates different sexualities. The main cast has two characters who openly admit to their sexual orientation and are far from embarrassed from it, which you can hardly find in any other American sitcom. The captain of the station is a Gay Black American who breaks the stereotypical representation of the LGBTQ community. Rosa Diaz, who is one of the most influential women characters in the show, is also bisexual. 

• Writing Style: 

  From the past many interviews of the actors, it was revealed that the cast had a very loosely written script, they had the freedom to improvise the lines as much as they wanted so that they feel in sync with their character and the others as well. This helped them elevate the comic timing so well and providing hilarious content. There is no way you can not add this to your list of TV shows to watch before you die.

Available on: Netflix

1. Dark (2017 – Present)

With many foreign language series coming up on Netflix every day and produced in multiple languages for watchers across the globe like Money Heist and Sacred Games, this first-ever German series tops the list. Dark is one of the best TV shows ever produced in the history of Science Fiction. 

Here Are A Few Reasons That Make Dark One Of The TV Shows To Watch Before You Die:

• Time Travel To The Best: 

  The concept of time travel has been used in movies and series over and over in the history of cinema, but most of them miss the mark somewhere or the other while trying to play with it, even one of the highest-grossing movie Avengers: Endgame raised a lot of questions among the audience. It is a difficult concept to bind together as if meddled too much, it can lead to a lot of loopholes in the plotline. But this series will not just with time with perfect but also will blow your mind. 

• No Protagonist: 

  The show revolves around multiple characters from multiple time-lapse. You will not empathize with one character like most shows, where the protagonist is felt sorry for and is wished to be out of trouble. In this series, you will have conflicting thoughts about every character, justifying their actions to your thoughts. This highest-ranked series of Netflix is a must-watch in among the other TV shows to watch before you die. 

• A show you solve: 

  It’s an in-depth map of mysteries, with turns left and right. You will find yourself investing your mind into the series, looking for clues in every dialogue, every background in the frame, and once you figure out the twist. The anticipation of revelation becomes hard to contain; after every episode, you want to pause and call a friend to discuss your theories. 

Available On: Netflix

PS. The last season of the show is due to release on the 27th of June 2020; catch up with the show before it’s final season is out. 

This is where we conclude our list, do watch these series and let us know which one is your favorite. Please give your views in the comment section if you feel there are other TV shows to watch before you die. 

Last Updated on September 1, 2023 by somya909