Newlyweds tend to find themselves with a good amount of free time to spend together, and chances are a high percentage of that time is spent in front of the TV. My husband and I are no exception. We have our weekly TV routine, an active Netflix account, and a full DVR of favorite shows. If you and your husband are anything like us, you might be in the market for a new show to get hooked on. It can be difficult to find shows that will please both sexes, but there are a few gems out there you may not have discovered yet. Here are five of our personal favorites.
1. Dexter. This dark drama has the romance, humor, plot twists, and character depth that covers the bases of many couple's taste—if you can stomach the gore. It centers on the life of Dexter Morgan, normal blood spatter analyst by day, serial killer with an interesting moral code by night. My husband and I started watching the show on Netflix on a whim and got completely hooked. I actually forced myself to stay awake at least two hours past my bedtime on a work night just to see the end of the first season. Season 6 of this popular Showtime hit will air on September 25, 2011.
2. Parks and Recreation. This comedy features an irresistible cast of characters and a witty script that will keep you in stitches. Amy Poehler plays the adorable Leslie Knope, an over-enthusiastic and fiercely loyal Department of Parks & Recreation employee in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, and her eclectic crew of friends and colleagues. My husband and I watched the entire first two seasons of this show on Netflix while sick with the flu, and when the third season aired on NBC, we already felt like long-time fans.
3. Chopped. The Food Network airs this fast-paced cooking competition during which talented chefs face off to prepare a meal using mystery ingredients. There are three rounds—one for each course of the meal—and one chef is eliminated each round, leaving two to face off in the dessert round for the $10,000 prize. My husband and I are addicted to watching the creative genius and quick problem solving the competitors execute—and we've learned a little about cooking along the way.
4. Property Virgins. Much of what my husband and I knew about purchasing our first house came from watching real estate shows on HGTV. Our favorite is Property Virgins. We love watching the articulate, savvy real estate agent, Sandra Rinomato, work with first-time home buyers. If you're thinking about purchasing your first home, tune in to learn what to look for in a property, what you can get for your money in different areas of the country, and how to go about making an offer on the right house for you.
5. How I Met Your Mother. If you were obsessed with Friends when it was on the air (or after, like me), you are sure to love How I Met Your Mother. Now in its sixth season, the series follows Ted Mosby's life in New York City as an architect who spends all his free time hanging out with his best friends and finding himself in and out of relationships that will eventually lead to "the one." Not only do we love the unique story telling, humor, and endearing characters, we get a kick out of trying to piece together any hints the writers leave about where and when "the mother" will finally be met.
On the next lazy day when you want nothing more than to cuddle up in front of the TV, ask your husband to give one of these shows a try. Before you know it, maybe you'll both have a new favorite to look forward to each week!
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