The TV shows that you should be watching on your staycation
Right, it’s decided. You’re off work for a couple of weeks but you’re saving up for something (new car, wedding, crack cocaine), so you’re forgoing a holiday this year and instead you’re treating yourself to a staycation. You know what? There could never have been a better time to do so!
That’s because there’s a whole new shows for you to gorge on just like you’d have gorged yourself on tacos & tequila if you’d decided to roll down to Tijuana for a week instead. With those narrowly avoided hangovers in mind, let’s take a look at some especially bingeworthy shows you can watch from the comfort of your own home.
America To Me
Documentarian Steve James brought viewers this Starz 10-part docuseries from 2018 following the students and community at Oak Park and River Forest High School. Complex issues such as race and privilege remain front and center in a way that still feels sharper than waking up in the streets of TJ with an alley chicken pecking your head.
The Shop
LeBron James stepped back from hosting duties, and the show returned in June 2026 on YouTube with new hosts Travis Bennett and Steelo Brim. The barbershop setting continues to host unfiltered discussions about personal matters and wider cultural topics, which still beats finding yourself in the “Tijuana Hilton” after “accidentally” buying weed off an undercover cop.
Jack Ryan
John Krasinski starred in four seasons of the Prime Video series from 2018 to 2023, based on Tom Clancy’s work and shaped by the co-creators of Lost. The franchise carried forward with the May 2026 release of the film Jack Ryan: Ghost War, which remains more enjoyable than getting actually lost south of the border and drunkenly wandering into the desert hoping to meet the ghost of Jim Morrison.
Castaways
ABC premiered this single-season reality series in August 2018. It offered a reality-TV version of the hit show Lost, with a group of regular people attempting to survive as castaways on a tropical island. Watching it still feels safer than trying to climb out of the window of a bordello after you genuinely thought it was just another bar, but then they tried to make you pay for something you really didn’t want to be involved with.
Esme and Roy
This Sesame Workshop animated series ran for two seasons on HBO and PBS Kids between 2018 and 2019. It follows the title girl-and-monster pairing as they run a daycare center of sorts for other monsters who need their help. The premise still seems more promising than getting caught up in a shootout with the Jimenez Cartel members whom you definitely didn’t stiff after a deal gone bad, you swear.
Random Acts of Flyness
Terence Nance created this HBO series that aired in 2018 and 2022. It mixes music, documentary, and animation into a late-night format that still feels like a real shot in the arm. Watching it remains even better than accidentally becoming the mayor of Rosarito after a drunken yet surprisingly savvy weekend political campaign.
Lodge 49
AMC aired this comedy-drama for two seasons from 2018 to 2019 before canceling it due to low ratings. The series follows a former pool repairman who stumbles into a new life with a local secret society that not even its members fully understand. It still sounds a lot more fun than having to step down as the mayor of Rosarito because the hours conflict with that internship at your dad’s accounting firm.
One Dollar
CBS All Access aired this single-season anthology series in 2018. It tracks the journey of a one-dollar bill across an American town with a strong cast and director. Watching it still feels like a better use of your time than looking at your bank account and thinking: “Why have I only got one dollar left? Oh yeah, because I went to Tijuana for the week.”
The Bear
Season 5 arrives in June 2026 on FX and Hulu as the final season of the acclaimed comedy-drama. The show has maintained consistently high Rotten Tomatoes scores while carving out a lasting place in the cultural conversation. Its kitchen-set intensity and ensemble energy make it an ideal binge for anyone staying home and looking for something that rewards extended viewing without ever leaving the couch.
House of the Dragon Season 3
The third season premieres June 21, 2026 on HBO and continues the sprawling Game of Thrones universe with epic scope and political intrigue. The fantasy return offers the kind of large-scale storytelling that works perfectly for a multi-day staycation, giving viewers dragons, succession battles, and enough episodes to fill long stretches of unstructured time.
Industry Season 4
The financial drama continues on HBO in 2026 with another season of sharp writing and addictive plotting. Frequently cited among the strongest shows of the year so far, it delivers adult-oriented storytelling about ambition, risk, and power plays inside a high-pressure London bank. The series rewards close attention and works especially well for viewers who want something sleek and fast-moving to fill their days at home.
Widow's Bay
Apple TV+ launched this new series blending horror and comedy, and it quickly appeared on multiple 2026 best-of lists. Matthew Rhys stars in a story set on a cursed island where strange events keep residents on edge. The tonal mix and contained setting make it a distinctive binge pick for anyone looking for something fresh and unsettling without needing to leave the living room.
The mix of returning favorites and current seasons gives staycation viewers plenty of options that feel current rather than recycled. Whether you prefer the grounded intensity of a kitchen brigade, the sweeping scale of a fantasy saga, the high-stakes tension of a finance drama, or the off-kilter tone of a horror-comedy, the streaming landscape has plenty to offer without ever requiring a passport or a hangover recovery plan.
