10 Shows to Get You in the Mood for Summer

Nothing says summer to me like having a cozy show to binge — preferably something from the 90s or 2000s with at least 22 episodes per season. But even better than having something to watch this summer is having a something to watch that actually feels like the season. So, I have put together a carefully curated guide for the best summer shows to check out starting…now!

Without further ado…

1. The O.C. (2003-2007)

   

   Obviously The O.C. is my top choice for this list…this is the show that inspired this post in the first place! I’m a sucker for an early 2000s teen drama. Even better if it takes place in a scenic location. Evennn betterrr if there’s an iconic ship to root for. Aka, this show is absolute perfection. For those who haven’t seen it (what are you doing??), The O.C. follows Ryan Atwood (Ben Mckenzie)— a teen from the wrong side of the tracks…ie Chino — who after some troubling circumstances, finds himself in Newport Beach, a very rich pocket of California's Orange County. This cast is one of my faves (Adam Brody, Mischa Barton and Rachel Bilson the icons you are). A few things to note about why this show is the best: first, I raise you the greatest theme song ever made (maybe debatable, but this is definitely one of the greatest). Next, this show is genuinely funny and well written for anyone wondering. Finally, Yogalates! iykyk.

   I also recently uploaded this to honour the start of summer…enjoy!

2. H2O: Just Add Water (2006-2010)

   

   I associate this show SO strongly with summer — not just because it follows mermaids living in a beachy Australian town — but because I used to watch it every day after camp in middle school. Picture this: just off the bus, exhausted, flopping on the couch with a popsicle or a cream soda Freezie (the best flavour) and this show. H2O is extremely fun, extremely nostalgic and extremely important to the culture (what culture you ask?…TEEN GIRL culture duh). Teens (and especially teenage girls) must all eventually experience the horrors of puberty…you know body changes etc etc…well these three Australian girls have it worse, because their body changes occur in the form of…becoming mermaids?? And that’s not all, because navigating magic powers while keeping them a secret is almost as hard as surviving high school. This truly is the coming of age summer show of all time. It’s also addictive so prepare to watch all 3 seasons in a week! Let’s not talk about s3 Zane and Riki though…it’s been years and I’m still not ready for that…

3. Hart of Dixie (2011-2015)

   

   By now most of you who follow me (or anyone who has even glanced at my Substack) will know how obsessed I am with underrated gems. I think of Hart of Dixie kind of like the middle child of Josh Schwartz produced shows— with The O.C. being the impressive older sibling and Gossip Girl being the spoiled baby of the family. I won’t be discussing Chuck…I could never get into it. But I digress…Hart of Dixie follows New York doctor Zoe Hart (Rachel Bilson) who after failing to secure a fellowship in New York because of her poor bedside manner decides to uproot her life to Alabama. You see, she has inherited half of the practice from a father she never knew. When she arrives in town, she discovers that the man has died and left her his half of the practice in his will. This show is kind of like Northern Exposure meets The Hannah Montana Movie. Fun fact, it was also filmed in the Gilmore Girls lot! I don’t know what else to say to convince you to watch it except that this show has one of my favourite ships of ALL TIME! Zade forever <3

4. Dawson’s Creek (1998-2003)

   

   What says summer more than messy, emotionally damaged people by the water?? I mean…that’s like half of this list. Dawson’s Creek — like the O.C. — is a perfect summer show because it checks all the boxes: teen drama? (check!), 90s? (check!), iconic ship to root for? (check!). And the best part: the backdrop of the creek which is SO cozy and nostalgic and just screams summer. In this classic teen soap (and let me tell you it’s so soapy you could practically wash your dishes with it), we follow the lives of wannabe filmmaker Dawson Leery, his best friend Joey (Katie Holms), who has been in love with him since childhood, other best friend Pacey (Joshua Jackson), and the new girl next door Jen (Michelle Williams). When it comes to shows, my interest falls into a certain category which is: treating teen dramas (and especially girly teen dramas) with the gravity they deserve. Because no matter how dramatic they get, there is nothing I love more than shows like this that treat teenagedom — which often does involve feeling like the world is ending — seriously! I could talk about this show and my opinions about it forever so for now…just go watch it, preferably with a cold drink on a hot summer day!

5. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017-2023)

   

   Okay so technically this is not fully a summer-themed show. HOWEVER, it has some very memorable seasonal episodes and so I will take any chance to talk about it. Most have probably heard of this show, (or at least fans of Gilmore Girls have), and that’s for good reason. In The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, a 1950s housewife Miriam "Midge" Maisel has the perfect life — a husband, two kids and an elegant apartment on New York's Upper West Side. That is, until everything goes up in smoke when she discovers her husband has been cheating on her with his secretary. The truth leads Midge down a surprising path when she discovers a hidden talent she didn't previously know she had…stand-up comedy?! Acting, costumes, sets etc. I love this show. It’s inconsistent at times but also a complete joy and made me reallly want to summer in the Catskills (which I did a few years ago!). Highly recommend for a much needed dose of escapism and classic ASP fast paced dialogue. Chefs kiss!

6. One Day (2024)

   

   In one of my previous lists 25 Movies to Get You In the Mood for Summer, I mentioned how an essential aspect of summertime is (as Lana made clear): soul- crushing sadness. And so, here is my entry into the saddest summer show you will ever watch. One Day follows the decades-spanning relationship of Emma (Ambika Mod) and Dexter (Leo Woodall), who meet on the night of their college graduation. The story checks in on the pair on the exact same date (July 15) every year for nearly 20 years, showing how they grow, drift apart, and profoundly impact each other's lives. I loved this show so much when I watched it 3 summers ago and picked up the book immediately after the credits rolled on the last episode. In fact, this show is SO good, it is included in my selective club of: movies/TV that are way better than the book. Beautiful scenery, travel, romance and greif, I say we re watch this every summer to honour Dex and Em’s annual love story (and it’s okay to skip the last episode when we do…to protect our mental health of course)…

7. Big Little Lies (2017)

   

   Remember two shows ago when I said nothing says summer more than messy, emotionally damaged people by some water?? Well…case in point…here we are again! For those who haven’t seen it, Big Little Lies follows a sparkly world of glamorous moms, successful husbands, intelligent children, and stunning homes. But under all that surface-level magic exists a festering darkness: cheating, abuse, lust and even (gasp) murder?? Told through the eyes of three mothers, Madeline (Reese Witherspoon), Celeste (Nicole Kidman) and Jane (Shailene Woodley) — the series explores our society’s domestic myths regarding parenting, marriage and perceived perfection. A few things about this one: the cast!!! Also, this is my favourite Laura Dern role ever. ALSO, I still won’t believe season 3 is real until it is on my screen actively playing before my eyes. Here’s hoping it’s better than whatever happened with s2…

8. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015-2019)

   

   Remember three shows ago when I said I love an underrated gem?? Well…okay I’ll stop (we all know I won’t). I think Crazy Ex Girlfriend maybe has finally…possibly become more mainstream?? And thank goodness for that, because it is SUCH a good (and important) show. The series follows Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom) a successful lawyer who seems to have it all figured out — fancy Manhattan apartment, a great job, lot’s of money etc. But after a chance meeting with a former childhood crush, Rebecca impulsively decides to give up her life in New York and follow him to West Covina, California (not in a creepy way obviously!). This show is delightful, fun and full of amazing original music. It is also surprisingly deep and one of the best representations of BPD out there. I didn’t watch this in the summer (I actually binged it back in February 2022 when I had covid for the first time…) but the sunny location made me long for summertime and the freedom of not being sick. Time for a rewatch!

9. Dollhouse (2009)

   

   Guys. I’m about to tell you about ONE of my favourite shows of all time. Not just for summer, but for every season. The only reason Dollhouse isn’t first on this list is it really isn’t a super summery show. HOWEVER, I was absolutely obsessed when I binged this whole masterpiece last July that I now associate it SO strongly with that month…therefore here we are! When I say this show is a masterpiece…I mean it. In Dollhouse, a secret facility, the aforementioned “Dollhouse,” is home to a group of actives who regularly have their personalities erased so they can assume any relevant personas to complete missions for the wealthy, powerful and well connected. After each assignment, the actives are subjected to a personality wipe so they can enter the next scenario with no memory of an earlier one. At least, that’s the plan…until one active, Echo (Eliza Dushku) begins to retain her wiped memories, and begins to slowing piece together her true identity. Buffy is my favourite show of all time so I knew I’d probably enjoy other Joss Whedon projects. The truth is, I didn’t really…until this one. Unfortunately this show was cut short at only 2 seasons — it was meant to have 5 — but is still very much worth the watch!

10. Cruel Summer (2021)

I thought it might be fun to end this list with a show I haven’t seen yet but am planning to watch this summer! Cruel Summer has been on my list for YEARS and I think I will finally get to it this month. There were some bts issues after season 2, but I just heard they may be coming back for a s3. So, if I love it, it will end up in my June roundup. If I hate it…well let’s pretend I never mentioned it here! If you have seen it please share…what did you think?

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