20 Great Two-Season Shows for Quick Binge-Watching

In an era where there are so many entertainment options, television shows that are ideal for quick binge-watching are preferable. But how long should such a kind of show be? A single season might appear too short, while three seasons might seem too much, so two is arguably the perfect number for anyone seeking to cover a story quickly and get to something else.

A few of the great two-season shows were designed that way, while others were subjected to abrupt cancelations due to a variety of factors. Whatever the side of the seesaw they sit on, they are all wildly captivating and are likely to leave any viewer appreciative rather than regretful.

The storylines are addictive, and many of the characters are written much better than those in lengthy shows. Here are 20 examples of TV shows with only two seasons that are perfect for binge-watching.

20 Magic City (2012 – 2013)

More often than not, people find themselves shaking hands with the devil to ensure their survival. That’s what the Miramar Playa hotel owner Ike Evans (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) does in Magic City. His business faces stiff competition from mob-owned hotels in ’50s Miami, so he opts to make a business deal with a deadly Jewish Don. This turns out to be a terrible idea.

A Perfect Blend of Crime, Business, and History

Like the cocktails served at the Miramar Playa, Magic City is a perfect conflation of various tasty things. While many other crime shows tend to gloss over the business side of things, the drama series goes into detail as to how organized crime members launder their money, and how a few civilians benefit from the operation.

A couple of history lessons are also offered, notably how the Cuban Revolution helped grow Miami’s economy. Best of all, the show is visually pleasing. The Miramar’s interior lighting, combined with the pools and trees on the outside, create a paradise feel. Additionally, the costumes are all classy and expensive — after all, this is the mob’s playground after all, where money isn’t a problem.

Stream Magic City on Peacock

19 Mindhunter (2017 – 2019)

The FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit often gets neglected in movies and TV shows, yet its members do most of the legwork when it comes to capturing criminals. Mindhunter not only gives the department the attention it deserves, but it also takes viewers back to its origins in the ‘70s, examining the challenges that agents faced when criminal profiling was still a fresh concept.

David Fincher at His Best

David Fincher just doesn’t have critically panned shows in his resume, and Mindhunter was never going to be the first. His major trademark that is evident here is the journey to uncover the truth. Movies like Se7en, Gone Girl, and Zodiac all feature characters trying to get to the bottom of things, and the formula is maintained in this highly acclaimed show.

The FBI agents are wise and relentless, leaving viewers awed at their passion for the job. The reliance on real events, such as the Atlanta child murders and Edmund Kemper’s reign of terror, also helps create a general realistic feeling.

Stream Mindhunter on Netflix

18 American Vandal (2017 – 2018)

Viewers who enjoy following investigative work mostly have to settle for police and private investigator procedurals, but American Vandal offers distinctive screen cuisine by using this blueprint in a high school.

In it, two friends dig into various law-breaking incidents, seeking to find the real culprits. Like skilled law enforcement officers, they gather evidence quickly and piece together clues easily, never getting distracted by red herrings.

Related: 15 Mystery Comedy TV Shows That Will Make You Laugh and Keep You Guessing

Hilarious Crimes Are Properly Investigated

Whether it’s tracing the person who contaminated the school lemonade, causing everyone to have diarrhea, or figuring out who drew penis images all over the school, the investigators do it all.

The nature of the crimes is truly hilarious and juvenile, but the execution is perfect, and the investigations are even better. The decision to adopt a mockumentary format was also a wise one, as everything seems as though it’s lifted right out of a true-crime documentary.

Stream American Vandal on Netflix

17 I’m Sorry (2017 – 2019)

Like many critically acclaimed situational comedies, I’m Sorry doesn’t complicate itself too much. It keeps simple by covering the parenting, marital, career, and social lives of the writer Andrea Warren (Andrea Savage).

Her misadventures range from her clashing with other parents at her child’s school to getting caught up in fights, while serving as a wing-woman to her divorced friends.

Unapologetically Edgy

Right from the pilot episode, I’m Sorry goes the ‘edgy’ route and never reverses. Whether it’s addressing the pros and cons of silicone breasts or the dangers that racist children pose, the sitcom’s writers never shy away from walking on hallowed ground.

Fans will find it a little similar to Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld, except that everything is shown from a female perspective here, making the show more unique.

Stream I’m Sorry on Max

16 Castle Rock (2018 – 2019)

Castle Rock is inspired by settings, themes, and characters in the renowned author Stephen King’s works, rather than one particular story. The horror series is set in the town of Castle Rock, Maine — which features prominently in many of the author’s books — and follows its residents as they encounter various horrific scenarios.

Easter Eggs Galore

Casual viewers might give it a try if they so wish, but this is a show specifically tailored for Stephen King fans. There are numerous Easter eggs from the author’s books and adaptations, though catching them requires some keenness.

King’s favorite locations, like Shawshank State Penitentiary and Jerusalem’s Lot, appear frequently as nods to the author’s other works. The casting is spot-on too, and actors such as Sissy Spacek, Bill Skarsgård, André Holland, and Melanie Lynskey all give performances of a lifetime.

Stream Castle Rock on Hulu

15 Agent Carter (2015 – 2016)

Events in Agent Carter take place after those of Captain America: The First Avenger, and center around Agent Peggy Carter as she works for the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) in the ‘40s. In secret, she aids Iron Man’s innovative father Howard Stark in navigating government bureaucracies while solving strange crimes.

A Treat for Espionage Lovers

Even though it’s an MCU show, Agent Carter models its heroine after great fictional spies like Nikita and Evelyn Salt. Carter is unrivaled in infiltration, information gathering, and fleeing.

She is also a symbol of feminism as she is an unmarried career-focused woman in an era where men are seen as the breadwinners. This, coupled with stunning cinematography and costume design make it one of the must-see women-led superhero shows.

Stream Agent Carter on Disney+

14 Carnivale (2003 – 2005)

Set in the Depression era, Carnivale covers two plotlines that slowly intertwine. The first is about Ben Hawkins (Nick Stahl), a man with healing abilities who becomes part of a carnival after it passes near his home. Soon, he begins having strange visions.

The second story is about the preacher, Brother Justin Crowe (Clancy Brown), who has the same prophetic visions as Ben.

Spectacular Production Design

In a television landscape where there are too many similar shows, Carnivale deserves to be lauded for its uniqueness. The supernaturally-linked characters keep shocking viewers with their bizarre mannerisms, while the innate mythology leaves plenty to ponder over.

Additionally, the production design — which keenly captures the Dust Bowl era — leaves plenty to be admired. All the costumes used were drenched in soil to create a ragged look. It’s not surprising that the show received 15 Emmy nominations, winning five.

Stream Carnivale on Max

13 Togetherness (2015 – 2016)

Togetherness’ main characters are the married couple of Brett and Michelle. The latter happens to have reached the ‘bored phase,’ so she sees every good-looking man as a potential partner for an affair.

The two are soon forced to live with Brett’s friend, Alex, a strolling actor who has just been evicted, and Michelle’s sister, Tina, who believes she can help Alex break his trend of getting typecast as a “best friend.”

An Oscillation of Happy and Sad Moments

Everyone is likely to find Togetherness relatable, because the character’s experiences are the “everyday” kind. These events keep oscillating between fun and quite unfortunate.

From Michelle getting anxious before having sex with Brett (because she doesn’t love him anymore), to Tina vandalizing her ex-boyfriend’s house with tissue paper because she is mad about him moving on, there is no scarcity of memorable moments. It’s the kind of show that should have lasted a little longer, but viewers will be happy with what they get.

Stream Togetherness on Max

12 The Arrangement (2016 – 2018)

The Arrangement should arguably come first for anyone looking for recommendations on TV shows about Hollywood. Loosely based on the Church of Scientology and Tom Cruise’s early career, the series follows the Hollywood power couple of Kyle West (Josh Henderson) and Megan Morrison (Christine Evangelista), as they juggle their careers and their roles in the fictional religious organization, the Institute of the Higher Mind.

Examines the Rumored ‘Dark Powers’ of the Entertainment Industry

The entertainment industry has always been rife with rumors of secret organizations that control everything and determine who becomes successful. It’s probably all not real, but The Arrangement’s writers craft entertaining plots from these conspiracy theories.

Kyle and Megan see all their dreams come true, but they pay for the success in various ways and are forced to bear with micromanagement from the Institute of the Higher Mind’s condescending leader. Besides that, the performances are marvelous, and it’s quite a mystery why the cast members never received numerous acting nominations.

Rent The Arrangement on Prime Video

11 For Life (2020 – 2021)

Executive-produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, For Life tells the true story of Isaac Wright Jr., who was falsely convicted of being a drug trafficker in the early ‘90s. While behind bars, he studied law and became an attorney. With time, he not only helped overturn the wrongful convictions of over a dozen inmates, but was also able to prove his own innocence.

An Inspirational Story That Points Out the Justice System’s Flaws

The show is ideal for anyone needing inspiration. It not only emphasizes the importance of accepting outcomes and adapting to new surroundings but also encourages everyone to never give up.

Rather than sit back and pity himself, Wright Jr. makes the most out of his time in prison, and through his experiences, the show gets to point out everything wrong with America’s criminal justice system.

Stream For Life on Hulu

10 Dollhouse (2009 – 2010)

In science fiction, the rich are always up to no good, and the case is no different in Dollhouse. In the show’s universe, there is a mega-corporation that wipes out peoples’ memories and reprograms them as controllable individuals named Dolls, or Actives.

For a high fee, the elite can hire the Actives as sex slaves, therapists, or assassins. The transactions go on well until one of the Actives becomes self-aware.

A Blurry Line Between Ethics and Monetary Gain

Dollhouse uses technology to show how thin the line between ethics and monetary gain is. Those who volunteer to have their memories wiped out for five years feel there is no moral problem with the procedure. After all, they get paid handsomely in return.

And the corporation that makes it happen turns a blind eye to the abuse and focuses on the dollar signs. The plot isn’t realistic, but it’s not that far from what happens in the real world and the way humans exchange servitude for money, so the majority of viewers will find it relatable.

Rent Dollhouse on Prime Video

9 The OA (2016 – 2019)

The OA’s creator Brit Marling stars in the show as Prairie Johnson, a young woman who reappears seven years after she went missing. She can now see, despite having initially been legally blind, and has scars on her back. She refuses to cooperate with the FBI and instead gathers a team of four students and a high school teacher to help her locate other missing people.

The Abrupt Ending Still Pains Fans

Suspense, tension, and an air of mystery make The OA a wildly addictive show. Marling remains in Emmy-worthy form too, throughout the show. Sadly, Netflix opted to leave the show at the two-season mark, instead of the planned five seasons, and fans were so furious that they started a #SaveTheOA hashtag.

New viewers are still likely to feel the same level of attachment, but are unlikely to be bothered by the fact that there are only two seasons. After all, only a few plot lines were left hanging.

Stream The OA on Netflix

8 The Knick (2014 – 2015)

Set in New York City in the early 1900s, The Knick revolves around employees of the Knickerbocker Hospital and the ambitious Chief Surgeon Dr. John W. “Thack” Thackery (Clive Owen), who happens to be a cocaine and opium addict.

The character is based on Dr. William Stewart Halsted, M.D. who discovered a radical new procedure and was one of the founding members of Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Steven Sodebergh’s Midas Touch

The Knick is the kind of show that feels like a lengthy Oscar-nominated drama film. After all, each of the episodes is directed by Steven Soderbergh. The filmmaker’s usual trademarks are plastered all over the show, whether it’s sustained and focused close-ups, or audio beginning before a character is shown.

Besides that, plenty of time is spent analyzing capitalism. At some point, Knickerbocker’s management even comes up with a rule to admit rich patients only, because money is more important than a cure.

Stream The Knick on Max

7 PEN15 (2019 – 2021)

In PEN15, comedians Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle (who were in their ‘30s when the show began) play 13-year-old versions of themselves as students in the early 2000s. In an interesting contrast, the rest of their classmates are real 13-year-olds. The friends tackle various issues daily, ranging from the challenges of puberty to academic performance.

A Perfect Way to Reminisce

Everything that happens in PEN15 feels very familiar to the generation of Millennials who grew up in the ’90s, and that’s because everyone is likely to have gone through what Marya and Anne go through.

One cannot help but laugh when the boys look hard through TV scenes, trying to spot thighs and cleavage, or when the girls use weird phrases to describe good-looking boys in school. At first, the main characters’ age might appear odd, but it soon becomes a part of the comedy, with their maturity frequently played for laughs.

Stream PEN15 on Hulu

6 Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2010 – 2011)

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles ignores the events of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and picks up right after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Fans are once again reintroduced to Sarah Conner (Lena Headey), who is now working with her son, John, to stop an early version of the sentient A.I. system Skynet, so that it doesn’t take over the world in the future.

The Dangers of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence seems to be all that everyone is talking about nowadays, and because of this, the show feels more relevant now than at the time it was released. There is the fear that A.I. systems might one day become too powerful, and that’s exactly what The Sarah Connor Chronicles addresses.

After watching the two seasons, many are likely to become vigilant and hope that Sarah’s effort to prevent Skynet from growing too big will be emulated in the real world, to prevent other AI systems from going out of control.

Stream Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles on Hulu

5 The Riches (2007)

Fictional con artists are never short of clever ideas. In The Riches, members of an Irish family get involved in an accident that kills a wealthy American couple. Eager to make a better life for themselves, they masquerade as the dead couple and move to a Baton Rouge, Louisiana, gated community where they try to fit in while continuing with their criminal activities.

The ‘American Dream’ Gets Debunked

A lot of people spend their lives chasing the American Dream, but The Riches argues that everything is not as glamorous as it seems. After becoming ‘successful,’ the Irish family ends up having more problems than it initially had.

The drama series poses many relevant questions about elitism and socio-politics while sprinkling in a few laugh-triggering moments. Like The Sopranos, it has the kind of shady family that is easy to root for.

Stream The Riches on Hulu

4 Pushing Daisies (2007 – 2009)

Pushing Daisies has a rather weird protagonist named Ned the Piemaker (Lee Pace). Apart from having an affection for pies, he has a special ability that allows him to resurrect every dead person he comes into contact with.

Thanks to this ability, he gets to have a successful career as an investigator solving murders by questioning murdered victims after raising them from the dead.

Related: 20 Best TV Miniseries You Can Watch Right Now

Clever Dialogue

More than its mysteries, Pushing Daisies excels because of the clever dialogue. The characters frequently make use of metaphors, wordplay, puns, and double entendres. All these add a fresh, humorous layer to the somber tone triggered by the senseless killings.

In addition to that, the show has distinctive visuals. Thanks to the Kindergarten-esque color scheme, the scenery almost feels like it’s been plucked from a Technicolor movie. Apart from that, each of the supporting characters gets proper character development, making them appealing to viewers.

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3 Enlightened (2011 – 2013)

Enlightened is about Amy Jellicoe (Laura Dern), a 40-year-old woman who gets demoted by her boss (who she was having an affair with), after suffering a mental breakdown at work. She is forced to go to rehab and, after completing her stint, she gladly accepts her new low-paying job while secretly planning to expose the company’s dirty secrets.

Laura Dern Gives a Powerful Performance

Laura Dern is a cheat code for any movie or show hoping to get awards. The actress has been nominated for eight Emmys and three Oscars in her career, and her talent is once again evident in Enlightened.

Here, she conveys her character’s desperation and frustration perfectly, enabling fans to root for her every step of the way. Aside from the wonderful performance, the show feels richer because it tackles serious topics like miscarriages, mental health, and workplace discrimination.

Stream Enlightened on Max

2 Underground (2016 – 2017)

Set during the antebellum period (pre-American Civil War), Underground chronicles the adventures of a group of slaves at a Georgia plantation as they plan and execute a daring escape. They make good use of the Underground Railroad (a hidden network of routes), but they are met with endless challenges along the way.

High-Octane Action

Underground stays true to its purpose by condemning slavery and racism, and by leaning towards historical facts. However, it isn’t a mere Roots imitation. It distinguishes itself by offering better action sequences.

For the most part, it plays out like a heist movie. The characters plan well, and when it comes to the mission, they move forward bravely. The only unfortunate thing is that the story doesn’t end. This is because the show was canceled during the attempted purchase of Tribune Media by the Sinclair Broadcasting Group.

Stream Underground on Hulu

1 Flight of the Concords (2007 – 2009)

Members of the New Zealand band Flight of the Concords play fictionalized versions of themselves in the sitcom Flight of the Concords. Their dream of finding success in New York City is stalled by their lazy manager and a series of misfortunes. The two are also forced to deal with an enthusiastic fan who won’t stop trying to get their attention.

A Long List of Catchy Songs

Because it’s a show about a folk band, Flight of the Concords plays to its strengths by packing in plenty of catchy original songs. Many of them parody other music genres, hence complementing the dialogue when it comes to humor.

During its run, the show received 10 Emmy nominations, as well as numerous other awards, making it one of the most decorated short-lived comedies to ever air in America.

Stream Flight of the Concords on Max