Cutting the Cord: What to binge when done with 'Orange is the New Black'

Binge-watching can be such sweet sorrow. You've burned through Orange Is the New Black, for instance, now what to watch tomorrow?

Like many other fans of the Netflix series, my wife, Julie, blasted through the third season of the prison-situated TV show within days after it landed on the streaming service three weeks ago. As a result, she has a case of binge-watching withdrawal.

Lucky for her — and the rest of us — there's a growing catalog of binge-able TV series on Net video services. But how to choose? I went to social media for some advice on good next binge-watching choices.

The series that got the most recommendations from friends on Facebook and Twitter: Bloodline, another Netflix series in its first season.

Executive-produced by the creators of Damages (Todd Kessler, Glenn Kessler and Daniel Zelman), Bloodline stars Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights), Linda Cardellini (Mad Men), Sissy Spacek (Big Love) and Sam Shepard (Klondike) in a drama about a family fracturing with the return of the oldest son.

Our friends were spot-on: The first episode sets a great scene, and the show — set in the Florida Keys — looks impressive. We got to watch on an Ultra HD TV in 4K resolution, four times that of standard HD. One episode and she's hooked.

Several other Netflix series were recommended, including Marvel's Daredevil, House of Cards (already a favorite) and The Fall, starring Gillian Anderson (The X-Files). Also suggested and in Netflix's library: Breaking Bad. (We binged that. She loved it.)

Competitor Amazon got some love, too, for its growing library of original series, such as multiple Golden Globe-winning series Transparent, detective show Bosch and comedy Mozart in the Jungle.

TV lovers also suggested several series in Amazon's streaming catalog, including HBO originals The Sopranos and The Wire, FX's Cold War spy drama The Americans and BBC's sci-fi clone series Orphan Black. Many episodes and seasons can be streamed for free by Amazon Prime members (annual fee $99), as well as rented and purchased. Like many series, these are also available for sale on Google Play and in Apple's iTunes store by season ($16.99-up) and episode ($1.99-up).

Hulu has free and subscription offerings — with advertisements — and is stocking its own original content library and one of its shows, United Kingdom import Moone Boy, which stars Chris O'Dowd (Bridesmaids), was suggested.

Despite the wide variety of suggestions sent in by social media, I thought it best to also consult an expert, USA TODAY TV critic Robert Bianco, who sits conveniently about 20 feet from me.

His advice: "I usually start by telling people to go to The Wire, because it's one of the best dramas ever made — and because it benefits from being watched in large batches. It makes it easier to fall into the show's rhythm, and keep track of the show's story and characters." (He's right. If you haven't watched this series, it's a must-watch.)

Another suggestion: Justified, an FX original that has finished its sixth season, "just because it's such a good and entertaining show — with the second season being the show at its peak."

"I also love The Americans and Masters of Sex," he said. Since he knows my wife, he also recommended Lost, "which was a pioneer in the kind of slow reveal of backstory that Julie likes in OITNB." (We watched that as it aired, but I could see a return visit in the future.)

For comedy lovers, Robert mentioned the classic U.K. comedy The Black Adder starring Rowan Atkinson, found on iTunes and Amazon. "That works well as a mini-binge," he said. "Every season is like a tiny comic miniseries."

Lastly, Julie, who is now hooked on Justified as well as Bloodlines — and Netflix's Grace and Frankie — offered her own binge-worthy option: ABC's Nashville, found on Hulu, Amazon and iTunes. "I like the music and the intrigue."

"Cutting the Cord" is a regular column covering Net TV and ways to get it. If you have suggestions or questions, contact Mike Snider via e-mail. And follow him on Twitter: @MikeSnider.