Best Entertainment TV Shows on Freeform & Lifetime

Freeform and Lifetime are two of the most-watched channels on any cable TV subscription that carries them. They are almost a staple in American home entertainment. I get Freeform on DIRECTV and being a family man, I am a huge fan of the family-centric entertainment it offers. My wife and daughters, on the other hand, are even bigger fans of the female-oriented programming Lifetime offers.

We recently sat down together as a family and tried to list the best shows on both channels. It was a fun activity, and I thought the list could help other TV fans.

The Best Shows on Freeform and Lifetime

My teenage son and I were on Team Freeform, mainly because the women of the house are inseparable. Freeform offers content aimed at teenagers and young adults, so it’s not like my daughters don’t watch it. But since Lifetime offers content that targets primarily women, my son refused to be on Team Lifetime. After many family deliberations, we reached a verdict of our four favorite shows from each channel. My son (and I) shortlisted the following four shows from Freeform:

1. Party of Five
2. Beyond
3. Shadowhunters
4. Stitchers

My wife and daughters had the following four shows from Lifetime on their list:

1. Bring It
2. Child Genius
3. Surviving R. Kelly
4. Project Runway

Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of some of these shows. I’ll do my best to offer a short description of each show without giving away any spoilers.

Top Five on Freeform

We saw above that Freeform primarily airs content geared towards younger audiences. It offers a mix of original content as well as popular reruns of off-network syndicates. There are a number of bingeable shows on the network, some of which we will discuss below.

#1 Party of Five

This Golden Globe-winning show is a treat for the whole family. The show centers around a family of five who lose both their parents in a tragic car accident. The show focuses on the emotional struggles of the young family as they attempt to navigate life without their parents’ guidance. Charlie Salinger, the eldest sibling does his best to keep the family business above water as he tries to bring up his younger siblings. A show the whole family can watch together and bond over.

#2 Beyond

Beyond is a mix of science fiction, coming of age drama, and plenty of thrills. The show follows Holden, a boy who wakes up after a 12-year coma and tries to adapt to present-day life. But there’s a significant twist as well. Holden now possesses supernatural powers, which interests a shady organization who start shadowing him.

#3 Shadowhunters

Shadowhunters is one of the most popular teenage fantasy dramas out there. The show is full of thrilling action sequences as well as intensely complicated characters. The Shadow World is a mysterious dimension where magic is real. Clary and her fellows fight to protect this hidden realm from a mysterious race trying to destroy it.

#4 Stitchers

Stitchers follow a team of homicide investigators but there’s a unique aspect to it. The investigators can stitch themselves into the memories of the recently deceased. Surprisingly, there’s nothing too morbid about the show. The team makes tons of quips, movie references, jokes, and cracks tough cases all in a single day.

The Best Picks from Lifetime

So we saw the most popular shows on Freeform. Now it’s time to discuss the best content on Lifetime. Being extremely picky about what they watch, my wife and daughters took considerably longer with their list. But they finally agreed on four shows that we are now going to take a brief look at.

#1 Bring It

When it comes to reality dance shows, Bring It is one of the best. The show centers in Jackson, Mississippi and focuses on acclaimed dancing coach Dianna Williams. “Miss D” and her team of Dancing Dolls take up the challenge to have a dance off with other rivals. The competition is fun to watch and the dance moves are intense.

#2 Child Genius

Imagine a show where your exceptionally brilliant child could put their bright brain to use. Child Genius is a show where children aged 8-12 compete for the ultimate prize: college. The 20 kids take up tough mental challenges for a $100,000 college fund and the Child Genius title.

#3 Surviving R. Kelly

Surviving R. Kelly is a six-part documentary chronicling the victims of the then-popular musician. Produced by Dream Hampton, the documentary presents the teeming allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct by R. Kelly. It focuses a lot on how the victims survived after the abuse. Insightful, heart wrenching, and enlightening.

#4 Project Runway

Whenever I come into the living room on a Thursday evening, this is what I see. I see the ladies of the house tuned to this show on Lifetime on DIRECTV. And God helps anyone who tries to interrupt their viewing. Project Runway is a fashion design-based reality show that airs on Thursday evenings. Designers compete to come up with the best clothes based on specific materials, themes, and time limits. If you have a flair for designing, this is one show you should definitely watch.