Southern Belle in Training

Fashion, Travel & Lifestyle Blog || Est. 2012 || Virginia Beach, VA

June 18, 2019

MY 10 ALL-TIME FAVORITE TV SHOWS.

   
     Time to talk one of my favorite subjects on the blog: favorite TV shows! For the past couple years, I've been writing a Fall TV Picks blog post at the beginning of the annual TV season. As much as I look forward writing that post each year, I realize that I've never done a post rounding up my absolute favorite TV shows. A few of these have been off the air for many years, so it's fun to have a place to round them all up together. All but one of these are available on popular streaming services, so if there's one you haven't seen it should be easy to find! Make sure you read to the end of the post- I'm also participating in a fun Rafflecopter giveaway with other bloggers today!




      If you've been reading my other posts this month, you know that my weekly blog series for June has been talking about my favorite things. In the first blog post, I shared about the weekly dinner club that my girlfriends and I have started. Last week, I chatted about my newfound love for blue light glasses, and how they're helping me at work. And in today's post of course I'm talking about favorite TV shows! This sure has been a fun monthly series.

     My taste in TV is pretty basic and I admit that! I'm fairly picky about the shows that I like. I don't like anything scary or gory, medical dramas, reality TV, crime shows or animated shows. I realize that takes out of a lot genres- haha! What do I like? Well, sitcoms are my favorite. I also like some dramas and dramedies (drama/comedies) as well.

    Here are my 10 favorite TV shows of all time! Starting with #10 and going all the way up to my most favorite show in the world. I apologize in advance for the lengthy descriptions of each show- I just really love talking TV!


     10. Sister, Sister (1994-1999, The WB, not on streaming): Oh this show brings back so much nostalgia for me! Backstory: when I was growing up, we only had a very basic cable package until I was in 10th grade (getting a cable box was actually my Christmas gift that year- haha!). Anyways, we only got the basic major networks and a couple other random channels, not channels like Disney or ABC Family. One random channel that we got (WGN America I think is what it was called?) used to play old episodes of Sister, Sister every afternoon when I was in middle and high school. I fell in love with this show, and it was one of the few shows I really loved that played on a channel we got at home!
    Okay now for actual information about the show! Sister, Sister follows the story of two identical twins (played by Tia and Tamera Mowry) who were separated at birth and each adopted by a different single adoptive parent. The parents, Ray and Lisa, decide to move in together so that the girls can finish high school together and finally be sisters. The cast in this show is hilarious, and it's a great look into high school in the 1990s! Sadly this is the only one on the list that isn't available on any streaming services currently.

     9. Gossip Girl (2007-2012, The CW, Netflix): I'm assuming most of you have heard or seen Gossip Girl, and are familiar with the premise! In the case that you aren't, the short story is this show follows the life and drama of a group of rich kids attending prep schools in Manhattan's Upper East Side. Gossip Girl follows them all into their post-college years... personally I like the later seasons of the show best, but I know most people prefer the early seasons.
     Gossip Girl is definitely the most explicit show on my favorites list. Most of the content in this show definitely doesn't represent Christian morals in any way. I'm honestly glad my parents wouldn't have let me watch this in high school- I don't think this would be the healthiest show for someone that young to watch! With all of that said, if you take the behaviors of the characters in the show with a grain of salt, it is still enjoyable. I love the fashion in this show- Blair and Serena's wardrobes are just unbelievable. I know there are mixed views on the ending... I personally liked it!

     8. Jane the Virgin (2014-2019, The CW, Netflix): This is a satirical telenovela show that is truly one of a kind! The last season is currently airing on The CW this summer. The show begins by follow Jane Villanueva, a woman in her early 20s who is on track to finish school and become a teacher, and engaged to her police officer boyfriend. She is a Catholic who believes in waiting to have sex until marriage (hence the show title). Before the pilot episode is finished, Jane finds out she is accidentally inseminated and pregnant, after a routine gynecological visit goes seriously wrong. The show ends up following Jane's romantic drama, her journey to accidental motherhood (she keeps the baby), Jane's family dynamic (her long lost dad comes back into her life in the first season as well)... and in addition to all of these things there's also a crime and murder plot that's running through all the seasons! This show took me awhile to get into- I honestly didn't love the first season but got really into it in the second. One reason that I do love this show though is because it features a main character who has proud beliefs about waiting until marriage. (I'm not going to spoil anything in later seasons, but Jane is a virgin for a good part of the show!) Jane the Virgin is also one of few TV shows that has made me cry!

     7. Parks & Rec (2009-2015, NBC, Netflix): Oh I just love this show! Unpopular opinion: but I would pick Parks & Rec over The Office any day. Both are filmed in comedy/documentary style. This show follows the iconic Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler), who works for her small Indiana city's Parks and Recreation department, but has very big political dreams and aspirations. While the character of Leslie Knope is great, it's the supporting characters that I think truly make this show! Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford is one of my personal favorites, as is his buddy Jean-Ralphio (Ben Schwartz). Honestly- Jean-Ralphio might be the best recurring guest character in any sitcom ever. I also think it's hilarious the local media is portrayed in this show/ (I get a huge kick out of the local TV reporters and radio hosts- it's so different from how it actually is haha!)
    I did not like the first season of Parks & Rec at all! I actually finished it, and then didn't watch the show on Netflix again for another full year. Season two gets much better though, and then I was hooked!

     6. Hart of Dixie (2011-2015, The CW, Netflix): This is my favorite CW show of all-time, and just truly a heartwarming TV show. Hart of Dixie follows Dr. Zoe Hart, a native New Yorker whose dreams of becoming a surgeon in Manhattan quickly fall apart. A deep dive into her past brings her to small-town Alabama, where much to her dismay she begins working at a doctors office there. Throughout the course of the show, Zoe slowly learns to tolerate the Deep South, and then falls in love with it. The supporting characters in this show are also phenomenal! Hart of Dixie has everything from comedy to drama to truly heartfelt moments. It is feel-good but not corny, sexy but not explicit, and entertaining without being over the top dramatic. I have a love/hate relationship with the fact this show ended after four seasons- I think the writers did choose to end it while it was still really good (instead of dragging it on for a ton more seasons), but at the same time I feel I could've watched this forever!

     5. How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014, CBS, Hulu): Officially made it to my Top 5 Favorites! Of course HIMYM had to make the top half of the list. This show is iconic! Another unpopular opinion- but I think HIMYM is MUCH better than Friends... honestly no comparison in my opinion. This show stands the test of time and is laugh out loud funny in every episode. I will say that I don't think HIMYM is the best show to watch random episodes of out of sequence- there are a lot of long running plots and jokes that go season to season, so context is needed. This is one show that I quote and reference frequently! #LegenWaitForItDary #HaveYouMetTed
     How I Met Your Mother follows the the life and times of Ted Mosby, a 20-something in NYC who is searching for his future wife. Of course, Ted goes through a ton of dating mishaps throughout the course of the seasons, and as do his best friends Robin, Barney, Marshall and Lily. The ending of HIMYM is extremely disputed... a lot of people hated it, I personally thought it was perfect! Marshall is my favorite character- I frequently reference this scene (Marshall has a daiquiri) and this scene (Marshall's video montages). I think he and Lily are one of the cutest sitcom couples ever.

     4. Superstore (2015-present, NBC, Hulu): My favorite show that's currently on TV! I am consistently shocked over how few people I know have seen this show. It's HILARIOUS! In my opinion, the best workplace comedy of all-time. There is a very diverse and talented cast on the show, and it's remained very funny throughout the first four seasons.
     Superstore follows the staff of a midwest location of the fictional Cloud 9 big-box store, which is a lot like a Walmart or Target. It mainly focuses on some of the managers and full-time floor workers, but much like an actual retail store location, there are part time employees (guest stars)  a swell. While I have never personally worked in a superstore type retail setting, I have had numerous types of retail jobs in the past so I feel like I really relate to some of the funny scenarios with customers. This show has made me laugh harder than any other show I've seen currently on TV- if I'm in a bad mood I know that Superstore will always put a huge smile on my face.

     3. The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019, CBS, Hulu): This show wasn't #1 for years and critically acclaimed for nothing! I truly believe BBT is an American comedy masterpiece. The show originally focused on four socially awkward scientist colleagues, Sheldon, Leonard, Raj and Howard, and one aspiring actress, Penny, who moves in next-door to them. Over the seasons, characters Bernadette and Amy, the love interests of Howard and Sheldon, are also added as regulars. BBT just wrapped up this past spring, and I can truly say that I enjoyed each and every one of the 12 seasons. I feel like there aren't a lot of TV shows (especially sitcoms) that stay that good for that long, but this one managed to! It is incredible to look back and older episodes and see how much character development happened. This is a show that I'm always thrilled to catch a rerun of, and I don't think you have to watch it in order necessarily! The spin-off, Young Sheldon, is also really cute.

     2. That 70s Show (1998-2006, Fox, Netflix): Forever my all-time favorite comedy! Also the first show I ever watched on Netflix years ago. There is no comedy like this one that perfectly captures the essence of how awkward the high school years are, and what it's like to grow up in a town where there's not a ton going on. This show is one that I've seen over and over again, and each time I see an episode I laugh like it's the first time I saw it! The content in this show isn't always the cleanest (a lot of dumb, crude humor), but I find it to be hilarious nonetheless, and rewatching it is nostalgic for me at this point. I also think it's adorable that Kelso and Jackie (Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis) ended up together in real life!

     1. 7th Heaven (1996-2007, WB/The CW, Hulu): My absolute favorite #1 show... probably for my entire life! This one is just so special to me. I first discovered 7th Heaven in middle school, and I used to find ways to watch it online when I was in high school on sketchy foreign free streaming websites (this is pre-Netflix days!). I'm pretty sure one website I used to watch this on literally killed an old laptop of mine- but oh well. 7th Heaven follows the Camden family- Reverend Eric Camden, his wife Annie, and their seven children. There are few shows that have ever been popular that portray a Christian family with Christian values as well as 7th Heaven did, and I think few will ever be able to do that again. Lucy Camden is one of my favorite TV characters of all time- I loved her (and the actress who plays Lucy, Beverly Mitchell) so much in high school that I named my car Lucy!
     As much as 7th Heaven is and will always be my favorite TV show, I actually never formally finished it! 7th Heaven was supposed to have 10 seasons, and the 10th season finale (supposed to be the series finale) was incredible. Since the ratings were so high that year, the network brought it back for an 11th season... which was terrible. Most of the original cast didn't even sign on for that. I made it about halfway through season 11 and never finished actually finished it! I like to pretend the show ended with season 10.

     So there you have it- my very favorite shows! I would love to know which of these you've seen and loved as well! Yesterday on Instagram Stories I shared that the next shows I need to watch include Gilmore Girls, Parenthood, Schitt's Creek, The Goldbergs, Friday Night Lights and One Tree Hill. I sure have a lot of binge watching in my future!

     I'm so excited to also be participating in a fun Rafflecopter giveaway with other bloggers today!


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     God Bless,

  
     xoxo Annaliese
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6 comments

  1. I enjoyed this so much Annaliese! Your tastes are very similar to mine! You brought back so many memories when you talked about Sister, Sister and 7th Heaven. I loved both of those shows. Parks and Rec, and How I Met Your Mother are at the top of my list as well. You've really inspired me with this post! I may have to share my favorites in the future!
    -Kristen www.kristenwoolsey.com

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  2. Your favorites are similar to mine! I am currently re-watching That 70s Show for the millionth time on Netflix. I've seen Parks & Rec about 3 times and will still put on a random episode here and there.

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  3. You totally need to watch One Tree Hill- you would absolutely love it!

    xoxo,
    Katie
    chicincarolina.blogspot.com 

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  4. PARENTHOOD!!! Grab your tissues it will make you cry (in the best way!) I love it! And Friday NIght Lights if you're into football and texas :)

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  5. We definitely have the same taste in TV my ultimate favorite shows are Gossip Girl (I’ve watched it twice), Hart of Dixie & Parks & Rec. Somehow I haven’t watched much 7th Heaven, but I need to.

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  6. You had some good throw backs in that list! I loved Hart of Dixie I binge watched the entire thing on Netflix and love it!
    Xo, Kelsey
    www.petiteinherheels.blogspot.com

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