How long it takes to binge 'The Office,' 'Game of Thrones,' and 50 other famous TV shows

- Time it takes to binge: 4 days, 3 hours

In 2005, a group of Americans was given the task of adapting the British hit “The Office” for American networks. The result was nine seasons of groundbreaking and original comedy; a sitcom that Rolling Stone ranked 48th on its “100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time” list, despite NBC’s initial pessimism about the success of the series. Those looking to binge can stream the entire show on Netflix.

- Time it takes to binge: 470 days, 1 hour

It would take you a little under a year-and-a-half of constant watching to binge every episode of “Days of Our Lives.” The soap opera has aired on NBC nearly every weekday since its Nov. 8, 1965, premiere. The soap has lasted for more than 13,000 new episodes. Initially, episodes were 30 minutes long but switched to a full hour in 1975. What remains unchanged, however, is the show’s commitment to storytelling and drama.

- Time it takes to binge: 6 days, 10 hours

Set in the west wing of the White House, “The West Wing,” an American political drama created by Aaron Sorkin, aired on NBC for 7 seasons between 1999 and 2006. The show, which was written on the heels of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, is widely regarded as one of the best-written TV shows of all time: The Writer’s Guild of America ranked it #10 on its “101 Best Written TV Series” list.

- Time it takes to binge: 21 hours

Deriving its name from the switched-off screens that surround us every day, “Black Mirror” is a science fiction anthology series that airs on Netflix. Each episode features a new type of technology that brings about some unanticipated consequences. The series also features some of Hollywood’s biggest names, both as actors and writers. In the 21 hours it would take you to watch all five seasons, you could almost swim across the English Channel.

- Time it takes to binge: 3 days, 2 hours

A defining show of the 1990s, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" reportedly only made it on air because star Will Smith owed the IRS $2.8. His financial advisors pushed Smith, who played the title character, to sign on to the show to pay back the sum, despite his lack of acting experience. The gamble quite literally paid off—Smith paid the government everything he owed, and fans loved the show so much they convinced NBC to bring it back for two additional seasons after a near fourth-season cancelation. In the time it takes you to binge all six seasons, you could travel to the moon.

- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 9 hours

American surgeon and writer H. Richard Hornberger and writer and war correspondent W. C. Heinz in 1968 collaborated on a novel titled “MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors” based on Hornberger’s personal Korean War experiences. In 1972 the book, which was first a movie in 1970, inspired an 11-season TV show simply called “M*A*S*H.” Veteran screenwriter Larry Gelbart wrote the pilot in two days for $25,000. Years later, the series finale became the most-watched finale ever with 105.9 million viewers tuning in. “M*A*S*H” is currently available on Hulu for instant binging.

- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 7 hours

When it made its debut in 1997, “King of the Hill” was a genuine hit, pulling in 9.5 million viewers in its early seasons. Ten seasons later, Time magazine named it one of the 100 greatest television shows ever. After 13 seasons, the audience for the cartoon about a propane salesman and his family in Arlen, Texas, had shrunk considerably. But still, for many, the finale cemented it as “one of the best family comedies on TV.”

- Time it takes to binge: 4 days, 14 hours

Set to return for its 10th season on Nov. 3, 2019, “Shameless” is set to become Showtime’s longest-running scripted series. The show tells the tale of the Gallagher family, and their alcoholic father played by William H. Macy. In the time it takes you to binge the dramedy (found on Netflix) you could fly across the country, from New York City to Los Angeles, some 18 times.

- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 12 hours

In 2006, Slate called “The Wire” “the best show ever broadcast on American television.” The show, which was part crime drama and part police procedural, was lauded for its literary themes and the realism with which it portrayed its subject matter. While it never won any awards during its six-season run, it’s widely regarded as one of the best shows of all time. In the time it would take you to watch all episodes, you could take a commercial flight around the world (and have some hours to spare).

- Time it takes to binge: 6 days

Created by Joss Whedon, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is an ironic play on the popular "high school is hell theme." After burning down the gym at her old high school, Buffy (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar) is forced to move to Sunnyside where she fights evil forces as a slayer. In the time it would take fans to binge the first seven seasons as they prepare for the recently announced reboot, one could drive 3,500 miles across the country, depending on the route.

- Time it takes to binge: 474 days, 22 hours

“General Hospital,” created by husband-and-wife team Frank and Doris Hursley, is the longest-running scripted drama and the longest-running American soap opera. The show celebrated its 55th anniversary in 2018, and has been praised by numerous national organizations for the awareness it brought to health and social issues, like LGBTQ+ issues and HIV/AIDS. In the time it would take for a dedicated daytime soap fan to watch the show, one could be more than halfway to Jupiter (flight time from Earth is about 640 days).

- Time it takes to binge: 7 days, 8 hours

“House” is a medical drama that focuses on the prickly but genius Dr. Gregory House and his many confounding cases. Dr. House, who is based on fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, is played by Hugh Laurie. In 2008, “House” was the most popular show in the world, with over 81.8 million people tuning in each week. The fame wasn’t easy for Laurie, who admitted he stopped doing regular tasks like going to the grocery store because he couldn’t handle the attention.

- Time it takes to binge: 7 days, 10 hours

Set in the 24th century, “Star Trek: The Next Generation” follows Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his team on the U.S.S. Enterprise as they traipse around the universe “seeking out new life and new civilizations, and going boldly where no man has gone before.” The show ran for seven seasons and 177 episodes, despite its rocky beginning. Reportedly, creator Gene Roddenberry clashed so frequently with writers and producers, that 30 writers left the show during its first season. Today, however, “Star Trek: The Next Generation” is widely regarded as one of the best sci-fi series of all time.

- Time it takes to binge: 3 days, 18 hours

In 2019, “Seinfeld” celebrated 30 years since the release of its pilot episode “The Seinfeld Chronicles.” The official verdict of that first episode was that it was “weak,” but 30 years on, the show is acknowledged as a hit. “Seinfeld,” the show famously about nothing, changed the way sitcoms were written and shot, and when its finale aired in 1998, 76 million Americans tuned in to watch. Bingers can find all nine seasons on Hulu.

- Time it takes to binge: 9 days, 2 hours

One of the longest-running science fiction series in network history, "The X-Files," starring Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny as Dana Scully and Fox Mulder, respectively, ran for a total of 11 seasons. The initial run of the show, from 1993 to 2002, was so popular that "The X-Files" was brought back in 2016 for another season, and again in 2018 for a final season. At this point, the show's stars and network have both said there won't be any more seasons, but devoted fans are still crossing their fingers that the two FBI agents will uncover a little more paranormal activity.

- Time it takes to binge: 15 days, 19 hours

Now in its 17th season, the time it would take to watch the Naval Criminal Investigative Service solve crimes and restore justice only continues to grow. With an all-star cast, including Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly, “NCIS” has been nominated for a handful of primetime Emmy Awards, but has yet to bring one home. In the time it would take fans to watch all current episodes, they could take a steamship from New York to London with a few hours to spare.

- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 8 hours

A period piece set between 1912 and 1926, “Downton Abbey” follows the lives and dramas of the Crowley family and their host of servants. Produced by Carnival Films, the show aired on PBS in America as a part of the network’s Masterpiece series. With major stars like Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, and Michelle Dockery, the show quickly became a cult favorite, and with its 69 Emmy nominations, the most nominated non-U.S. series in Emmy history. In 2019, a full-length feature film was released starring the original cast.

- Time it takes to binge: 4 days

A forensic technician by day and a serial killer by night, the title character of Showtime’s “Dexter” spent eight seasons torn between his deadly compulsion and his desire for true happiness. The first season of the show was based on a book by Jeff Lindsay, titled “Darkly Dreaming Dexter,” but over the course of the rest of the series, the show strayed far from the source material. Dexter was awarded a shelf full of Golden Globes and Emmy Awards throughout its run, but in the end, fans were overwhelmingly unhappy with how it all ended.

- Time it takes to binge: 6 days, 9 hours

Set in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, “Gilmore Girls” followed mother-daughter pair Lorelai and Rory Gilmore (played by Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel), as well as a host of colorful characters who populated their small New England town. The show first aired on the WB in 2000 and its hundreds of pop culture references have made it a time capsule of sorts. In 2016, nine years after the show’s cancellation, Netflix brought it back for a four-part revival called “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.” Die-hard fans are still holding on to hope that creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino will bring their beloved series back for yet another revival.

- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 14 hours

In 1999, Matt Groening launched "Futurama" an animated classic about a pizza delivery boy, Philip J. Fry, who was cryogenically frozen on Dec. 31, 1999, only to wake up New Year's Day 3000. Fry and his mutant friends traveled around the universe for a total of seven seasons: four on Fox, one season of direct-to-DVD films produced by Comedy Central, and two half-hour-episode-long seasons on the Comedy Central network. For all of its side-splitting humor, "Futurama" tackled some pretty heavy scientific topics, including creating a new mathematical theorem in the episode "The Prisoner of Benda."

- Time it takes to binge: 3 days, 20 hours

Set in 1960s New York, “Mad Men” follows the lives and careers of the advertising men and women of Madison Avenue. Cable Network AMC’s first try at an original series, “Mad Men” made history when it became the first cable series to win the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row. Behind the scenes, “Mad Men” stood out as well: In 2009 The Wall Street Journal revealed that seven of the show’s nine writers were female, and 13 episodes of season three were directed by women.

- Time it takes to binge: 4 days, 6 hours

Eric, Kelso, Hyde, Fez, Jackie, and Donna were the pot-loving, Point Place, Wisc., teens who filled our screens on “That ‘70s Show.” The comedy, which aired for eight seasons, took place over four years of fictional time, ending on the last day of the 1970s. The departure of several main characters, as well as falling ratings, were both factors in the show’s cancellation.

- Time it takes to binge: 4 days, 9 hours

“Sons of Anarchy” ran from 2008 to 2014 for a total of seven seasons on FX, before coming to its natural end. The biker gang featured in the show, Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original, was allegedly based on the real-life motorcycle club Hell’s Angels, the same way the show itself was based on Shakespeare's iconic play “Hamlet.” During its original run, “Sons of Anarchy” was controversial for the intense and grizzly violence it often featured.

- Time it takes to binge: 3 days, 14 hours

Ten years after its 2007 finale, The Guardian called “The Sopranos” “the most masterful show ever.” Starring James Gandolfini as Italian American mob boss Tony Soprano and Edie Falco as his wife, Carmela, “The Sopranos” was dubbed the greatest TV show of all time by Rolling Stone and the best-written TV show of all time by the Writer’s Guild of America. In the spring of 2018, it was announced that New Line Cinemas had purchased a “Sopranos” prequel movie titled “The Many Saints of Newark,” but a release date has yet to be announced.

- Time it takes to binge: 13 days, 5 hours

The beloved crime drama "Criminal Minds" came to a close in 2020 after 15 seasons. To refresh their memories on storylines past and present, "Criminal Minds" fans could spend just under two weeks, or about how long it would take to hit the major sites and cities driving on Route 66, binge-watching all existing episodes.

- Time it takes to binge: 19 days, 4 hours

“Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” achieved a major milestone in 2019 with the premiere of season 21—the show is now the longest-running drama in TV history. Mariska Hargitay, who plays Olivia Benson, is the only character to remain from season one, and according to USA Today, the “compassionate detective has become a seminal TV heroine, bringing a listening ear and a drive for justice to a show that puts ‘special victims’ at the forefront.”

- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 18 hours

It’s a tale as old as time: many of television’s biggest successes were not instant hits. “Cheers,” about a Boston bar where everyone knows your name, is a perfect example. The comedy premiered in 1982 to dismal ratings (77th out of 100, according to Nielsen ratings), but when Ted Danson announced his exit at the end of the 1992–93 season, and the subsequent end of the series, 84.4 million viewers tuned in for the last call. In the amount of time it would take to watch 275 episodes of “Cheers” a fast hiker could summit Mount Kilimanjaro.

- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 23 hours

In 2019, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” will air its 14th season and tie the record for longest-running live-action TV comedy. But it hasn’t all been sunshine for one of FX’s first hits. In fact, the show, about five friends who get into all sorts of hijinks in the bar they own and work at, has garnered a lot of criticism for how politically incorrect and insensitive its jokes are. For example, one 2013 episode featured a character in blackface.

- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 1 hours

In the late aughts, “Gossip Girl” became must-watch TV for teens and 20-somethings across the country. Based on Cecily von Ziegesar’s book series of the same name, the show followed a group of wealthy and privileged teens on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The show’s occasional lack of a moral compass and similarity to real-life prompted several elite private schools in New York City to ban their students from watching it. In June 2019, HBO Max ordered a reboot of the series, which will follow the next generation of Manhattan’s teenage upper class.

- Time it takes to binge: 15 hours

An animated Adult Swim comedy, "Rick and Morty" follows an alcoholic scientific genius, Rick Sanchez, and his teenage grandson, Morty Smith as they travel out and beyond the known universe. Season three of the dark comedy ended in 2017, and no new episodes have aired since. However, in May 2018, 70 new "Ricky and Morty" episodes were ordered by the network and season four is set to debut in November 2019. In the same amount of time it would take to binge all existing seasons, viewers could hike the Grand Canyon from rim to rim.

- Time it takes to binge: 54 days, 12 hours

Created by Lorne Michaels and Duncan Ebersol, “Saturday Night Live,” the late-night sketch comedy show, has been airing since 1975. Currently in its 45th season, “SNL” has helped launch the careers of some of comedy’s biggest stars, including Will Ferrell, Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Adam Sandler. Comedy aficionados could spend almost two months watching every “SNL” episode ever, or, in the same span of time, could summit Mount Everest.

- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 1 hours

The year 2004 was big for ABC: “Lost,” “Desperate Housewives,” and “Grey’s Anatomy” all made their debuts at the beginning of the fall television season, revitalizing the network. “Lost” in particular, which lasted 121 episodes over six seasons and told the story of a group of airline passengers stranded on a desert island, stood out from much of the other programming on TV at the time. The J.J. Abrams creation, with its huge ensemble cast, use of flashbacks, and cinematic camera work and storytelling changed the way television shows would be constructed and made over the next decade.

- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 15 hours

Initially conceived as a spin-off from “The Office,” “Parks and Recreation” never ended up having direct ties with its predecessor, but it did share a mockumentary format and creators Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. The first season of the NBC show wasn’t received well by critics, but by the time season two aired many of the formerly negative critics changed their tunes, praising the series’ humor and writing. While there are no imminent plans to revive “Parks and Recreation,” fans still have plenty of episodes (125 total) available for a good binge session.

- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 17 hours

Another Michael Schur hit (he’s worked on “The Office,” “Parks and Recreation,” and “The Good Place”), “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” centers on Andy Samberg’s character Jake Peralta, a talented but horribly immature police detective working at Brooklyn’s 99th precinct. The sitcom, which originally began airing on Fox in 2013, was nearly canceled in 2018 until NBC picked it up and gave it a sixth and now seventh season. Fans of the “NINE-NIIINE!” can expect the gang to return to their televisions in early 2020.

- Time it takes to binge: 6 days, 8 hours

"South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone met in 1992 in a film class at the University of Colorado. It was in this class that they begin developing their famous characters—Kyle, Kenny, Stan, and Cartman—out of pure boredom. Five years and thousands of hours of work later, in 1997, "South Park" premiered, pulling in almost 1 million viewers for the first episode, and over 5 million viewers for episodes later in the season. Over 20 years later, there are nearly 300 episodes of the adult cartoon, which would take almost a full week to watch back to back.

- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 22 hours

A totally surreal cartoon meant for adults and children alike, “Adventure Time” was a surprise hit when it premiered on Cartoon Network in 2010. In the fall of 2018, the show came to an end, but not before becoming a cultural phenomenon. “Adventure Time” won everything from an Emmy Award to a Peabody Award, showed up at Comic-Cons around the country, and its merchandise lined store shelves across the country. Viewers won’t have to worry about getting bored as they binge the cartoon: Each episode is only about 11 minutes long (two episodes usually aired back to back to fill a 30-minute time slot) and storylines vary so wildly there’s always something to keep one engaged.

- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 19 hours

“The Big Bang Theory” ran on CBS for 12 seasons, from 2007 to 2019. The sitcom, which followed a group of scientists and their assorted friends, significant others, and colleagues, was a Chuck Lorre production. “The Big Bang Theory” was largely disliked by critics, but audiences liked it enough that it was given a spin-off, “Young Sheldon” in 2017.

- Time it takes to binge: 3 days, 19 hours

Based on Piper Kerman’s memoir of the same name, “Orange Is the New Black” was one of Netflix’s first original programs in 2013. The show, about a women’s prison and its various inmates, set the example for what streaming services could do, and what future Netflix Originals would look like. Praised for its diversity and complexity, “Orange Is the New Black” is currently the platform’s most-watched original, with over 105 million households tuning in for at least one episode over the series’ seven-season run.

- Time it takes to binge: 5 days

Stephen Hillenburg was a marine biology professor before he became the “SpongeBob SquarePants” creator. Aspects of the Nickelodeon cartoon, which has now been on the air for 20 years, making it the longest-running Nickelodeon series ever, were drawn from Hillenburg’s real-life expertise. Although the show hasn’t always released new episodes consistently—for example, there was a two-year hiatus from 2013 to 2015 as the team worked on a full-length feature film—there are still enough 11-minute episodes that it would take one five full days of constant viewing to see them all.

- Time it takes to binge: 7 days, 3 hours

In 2009, "The Vampire Diaries" made its debut on The CW and instantly became the network's most-watched premiere. The high school vampire drama succeeded not only because it came at a time when vampire stories were having a cultural moment, but also because it masterfully built a world and mythology. Eight seasons later, as viewership fell and ratings declined, the show came to an end with 1.19 million people tuning in to say goodbye to Mystic Falls and its supernatural residents.

- Time it takes to binge: 7 days, 2 hours

A cornerstone of Japanese anime, and a bonafide cultural phenomenon, “Dragon Ball Z” dates back to 1984. The complicated, multi-character story has spanned several animated series, as well as film-length “episodes” and various TV specials. Fans can watch all of the canon episodes in a little over a week of constant viewing, but including every non-cannon sequel would certainly add several days of viewing time.

- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 11 hours

Andrew Kirkman began publishing “The Walking Dead” comic books in 2003, and seven years later, in 2010, AMC brought the zombie thriller to the small screen. Currently in its 10th season, “The Walking Dead” has been renewed for the 11th season and has inspired two other post-apocalyptic spin-offs, “Fear the Walking Dead” and a yet-untitled offshoot. Fans of gore, suspense, and good storytelling could currently immerse themselves in Kirkman’s creepy world for five-and-a-half days.

- Time it takes to binge: 4 days, 8 hours

“How I Met Your Mother” spent nine seasons in a primetime slot on CBS. Over the course of 200 episodes, Ted Mosby told his children the winding story of how, exactly, he met their mother, dated other women along the way, and navigated New York City with his four best friends. In 2017, Deadline announced that a possible sequel called “How I Met Your Father” could be in the works.

- Time it takes to binge: 21 days, 9 hours

The Pokémon franchise has its roots in a 1980s Japanese gaming magazine called Game Freak. On April 1, 1997, the card game turned videogame turned cartoon, made its debut in the United States. There have been several different anime series over the years, as well as a handful of feature-length films, and in the time it would take you to watch every chapter of the Pokémon story, you could sail across the Atlantic Ocean.

- Time it takes to binge: 6 days, 21 hours

Another adult cartoon, this time from the brain of comedic genius Seth MacFarlane, "Family Guy" follows dimwitted but lovable Peter Griffin; his wife, Lois; his three children; and their talking dog, Brian, through their daily lives and fantastic escapades. Originally intended to be a series of shorts for MADtv, "Family Guy" ended up running on Fox as a standalone series in 1998. The cartoon has been canceled twice, once by Fox and once by Cartoon Network, but fans rallied behind the series and brought it back to life. The 18th season of "Family Guy" premiered on Fox in the fall of 2019.

- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 14 hours

A television phenomenon, “Breaking Bad” followed a soft-spoken chemistry teacher’s transition into a drug kingpin. Ranked third on Rolling Stone’s “100 greatest TV Shows of All Time” list, the show was passed on by three major networks before finding a home on AMC. More than 10 million people watched the show’s 2013 finale. Since then, a spin-off show, “Better Call Saul,” has been keeping audiences’ appetites fed, and the 2019 film “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” garnered a lot of buzz among devotees.

- Time it takes to binge: 14 days, 7 hours

“Grey’s Anatomy” has aired on ABC since 2005, for a total of 15 seasons, 342 episodes (and counting), and two spin-offs. Shonda Rhimes’ first series, the medical drama has had a huge cast of characters over the years. However, in 2017 Rhimes told E! News the show won’t go on without lead actress Ellen Pompeo. “Ellen and I have a pact that I’m going to do the show as long as she’s going to do the show…If she wants to stop, we’re stopping,” Rhimes said.

- Time it takes to binge: 1 days, 6 hours

In an alternate universe, where the world is divided into four elemental nations—the water tribes, the earth kingdom, the fire nation, and the air nomads—war has broken out, and only one person, a master of all the elements, can save humankind from imminent decimation. That’s the story of Nickelodeon’s hit cartoon “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Show creator Michael DiMartino left “Family Guy” to work on “Avatar,” which lasted for three seasons for a total of 61 episodes.

- Time it takes to binge: 13 days, 22 hours

The original adult cartoon, “The Simpsons” made its debut in 1989. The family first appeared on TV in shorts that accompanied “The Tracey Ullman Show” in 1987, but it wasn’t until they got their own show that they became cultural icons. Now in its 32nd season, “The Simpsons” is the longest-running primetime comedy series in television history, but recent reports indicate the show might be coming to an end sooner than we think.

- Time it takes to binge: 5 days, 1 hours

Perhaps the most quintessential show of the 1990s, "Friends" celebrated its 25th anniversary in September 2019. During its 10-season run, the show charted the growth of Joey, Ross, Chandler, Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe as the 20-somethings took on New York City and responsible adulthood. Insanely popular during its heyday, the show has garnered recent criticisms for some of its out-of-date jokes and storylines, but fans still regularly press the stars and creators for a reboot. For the record: it seems we'll never get one.

- Time it takes to binge: 20 hours

“Stranger Things” is a Netflix Original that combines 1980s nostalgia with the paranormal. The show is popular with TV aficionados and binge-watchers alike—after the July 4, 2019, release of season three, Netflix announced that 40.7 million households had watched at least one episode during its first four days of availability, and 18.2 million households had finished the entire season. There’s good news for fans who just can’t seem to get enough: creators Matt and Ross Duffer just renewed the show for a fourth season, which may be the last.

- Time it takes to binge: 2 days, 22 hours

Leading up to its eighth and final season, which aired in early 2019, fans spent hours catching up on old episodes of “Game of Thrones,” as it had been nearly two years since the previous season finished. The fantasy drama, based on George R.R. Martin’s book series of the same name, had long since passed where the written story left off. So it’s no surprise that nearly 20 million viewers, desperate for some resolution, tuned to watch the finale. Today, fans can binge all 72 episodes in just under three days.

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