Have you ever started watching a show and immediately you fall in love? It might be the costuming, the colors, or something unnameable, but you just love it and can’t stop watching. Yeah, these are my favorite. These are the shows I will sit down and watch in a 24 hour period. There is just something about it that feels good to watch. It is pleasing to the eyes. It has a je ne sais quoi. It has an aesthetic.
Most of these shows I found by scrolling through Netflix and getting drawn in by the cover image alone. These are the ones that caught my eye. I came for the looks and I stayed for the content.
This post is going to include a variety of aesthetics, so check them all out. One aesthetic may work for some and not for others.
1. The Politician
The aesthetic: bright, colorful, pastel
Genre: comedy, drama
To start this off I am picking one of my favorites, The Politician. This show is one of the best shows I have watched on Netflix and it is SO AESTHETIC. The colors, the costumes, the characters, the actors. Everything is consistent and it all comes together to create something beautiful. I sat down and watched the first season of this show in one day. I just couldn’t help but click play on the next episode until there were no more left.
Ben Platt is wonderful in the role of Payton Hobart, an ambitious high school student with aspirations not only to become class president but to become the president of the United States. And he is aided by a tenacious group of equally ambitious yet messy friends/campaign team members.
If you like well-dressed students with more power than they should probably have, watch this show. If you like rich people in pastel clothing fighting over a high school class election, watch this show. If you just like good acting, a little drama, and a lot of heart, watch this show.
The best part? Season 2 was just released on June 19, so you are now able to watch two whole seasons, one after the other. Perfect binge-watching material.
2. Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame C.J. Walker
The Aesthetic: Bright, Colorful, floral
Genre: Drama, Inspiring
This series is the opposite of The Haunting of Hill House. It takes away the fog and the creepy vibes and replaces it with bright colors and vibrant characters.
The cinematography in this Netflix Original series is some of the best I have seen. The beautiful camera work, the gorgeous costumes, and the lighting work together to create a piece of art on our small screens. And the ever-presence of florals is something I absolutely adore. This craft of this show is top-notch.
Not only do you get something pretty on your screen, but you also get a story that is motivating and real. Some of my favorite films and tv series are based on real-life stories, and this is exactly what you get when you watch Self Made: Inspired by C.J. Walker. This Netflix series is inspired by the first self-made woman millionaire. This story is as inspiring as it can be, and it will give you all the warm and fuzzies.
3. Stranger Things
The aesthetic: 80’s, colorful, neon
Genre: Fantasy
Now, this is another of my favorites. When the first season of Stranger Things was released in 2016, it blew up. I saw everyone on twitter talking about it. So, when I finally watched it, I wasn’t expecting much. I am just so used to tv shows, movies, and books never living up to the hype. But I was so wrong with this one.
This show is magnificently dark, yet it is filled with loveable and relatable characters. It has quickly become one of my favorites. There are dramatic bits, funny bits, and everything in between. But more importantly, it has a FEEL, and that feel is the 80s.
Every single atom in this show is dedicated to depicting the 80s. From the costumes to the setting, the viewer is transported. I am baffled by the set designer’s ability to turn modern places back in time, all the way down to the style of the coke cans. Even if you aren’t the biggest fan of this time period, there is still something for you in this show. There is action, adventure, and a lot of heart. I am impatiently waiting for the release of season 4. I can’t wait for my yearly rewatch during the Halloween season. The perfect time for a show like this.
4. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
The aesthetic: dark, witchy
Genre: paranormal teen drama
This show isn’t a top fave for me, even though I am a sucker for a paranormal teen drama (Teen Wolf, Vampire Diaries, etc.). It was good, but I didn’t watch it in one day like some of the others on this list. Just trying to be honest with you all. However, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is nothing if not aesthetic.
I love witchy content. What can I say, my favorite time of year is Halloween. So of course, Sabrina, the teenaged witch, has been a part of my entire life, from childhood until now. I am planning on naming my future cat Salem.
This recent remake of a classic character does incredible things. The costuming is consistent throughout, the setting feels witchy, and the editing ties together the whole spectacle.
It is creepy and dark. Everything I could ask for in a show. The actors portray the mystic and wonder perfectly, bringing these characters to life in new ways. And seeing Sabrina in her classic red color is powerful and true to who the character is.
5. The Haunting of Hill House
The Aesthetic: spooky, dusty, grey
Genre: Horror
This is a show to watch when you are in the mood to be spooked! Without even getting through the first episode, I knew this show would be ominous and thrilling. You never know what is going to pop up around each corner.
It is as if a layer of fog covers the entire series, creating the dark and gloomy tone that the creators wanted. This series is based on a book by Shirley Jackson. I haven’t had the fortune of reading this book yet, but based on reviews, it is just as spooky.
With this show, it is more the editing and setting than the costumes. The actors are seen in common, modern clothing. However, these bleak outfits put into the eerie setting of the haunted house tied the whole affair together.
6. Hollywood
The aesthetic: old hollywood, sepia
Genre: Historical Drama
This is a more recent release, but it is well worth the hype. Not only does it have interesting characters in a unique story, but everything about this series screams Hollywood during the 1900s. The costumes, set, and dialogue scream Hollywood, and the sepia overtone ties it all together in a neat aesthetic bow.
I am telling you, every inch of the set and costumes was pulled straight from the past, and it was so fun to watch. It didn’t hurt that the story was just as intriguing pulling me in, and forcing me to hit that “next episode” button.
I started watching this show because it was trending on Netflix, being a part of the Top 10 in the US. I was in search of a new show, and this one looked perfect. Lately, with everything going on in the world, I have been obsessed with picking the first show I see. I haven’t had the energy to care about what I am selecting to watch. I am usually drawn into these shows because of the look. The cover has an aesthetic that prompts me to think I might enjoy it.
Luckily, this time around it turned out incredible. This show is beautiful in all sense of the word, and it transports the viewer straight into old Hollywood.
Just scrolling through this post, I can clearly feel the different and unique aesthetic of each show, and it is so… nice. I enjoy it. You can catch me doing some rewatching in the next couple of weeks. I have already started rewatching The Politician!
There are so many more I could add to this list, but then this post would never end. Maybe I will do a part 2! But please let me know in the comments below what the most aesthetic show you have ever watched. I need to add more shows to my Netflix watch list.
