From The Colbert Report to Louis C.K. — here are the Emmy winners you really should be watching.

HERE they are: the Emmy award winning shows you really should be watching (but aren’t).

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 25: Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, winner of the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Award for Veep (Episode: "Crate"), poses in the press room during the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on August 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. Jason Merritt/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

SO many shows, so little time. We get it. Life is busy. There’s only so many hours you can spend plunked in front of the telly, so to get the most out of scheduled downtime, you must make good decisions.

Fortunately, in these heady days of smart TVs, box sets and the internet (the whole freaking internet!) we’re not limited by network programming. So if you haven’t already, these are the Emmy 2014 award-winning shows you should seek out.

EMMYS 2014: Winners, nominees, opening jokes and more

RED CARPET: Best and worst dressed

The Colbert Report — Outstanding Variety Series

Get it while you can — The Colbert Report winds up at the end of the year. Stephen Colbert is going to retire the satirical news parody, in which he hams it up as a faux-conservative commentator (ie. poorly informed idiot). Next year, he takes over The Late Show when David Letterman retires. Top moments from the past decade include a roller-disco with Bryan Cranston, inventing the word “truthiness” and generally hanging crap on America’s conservative media.

— The Colbert Report is on Comedy Central weeknights, express from the US.

Louis C.K. — Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

He tries to be a good guy. He really does. And sometimes he succeeds. At other times, Louis’s awful ineptitude at dealing with everyday life has you squirming uncomfortably and wishing for his endless stuffing of foot in mouth to end. Louis’s special brand of self-critical honesty has been hard to come by in Australia. Earlier this year the comedian revealed he was puzzled at having so many Aussie fans before the show had aired here. Fortunately, it’s on now.

— Louis C.K. is on Comedy Central on Tuesdays.

Orange is the New Black — Uzo Aduba, Best Actress in a Comedy Series

What else is there do in prison except fill your days with sex, violence and witty conversations? Add to that flashbacks of the sad situations that landed the ladies in Litchfield Penitentiary and you’ll find a lot to love about Orange is the New Black. With such a huge cast it’s hard to single out a favourite but there’s no doubt Uzo Aduba made her mark as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren. This win in a comedy category is a bit dodgy, as it’s more of a darkly funny drama. But hey, we’ll take it.

Season two of Orange is the New Black is now showing on showcase.

Fargo — Outstanding TV Miniseries

SBS screened Fargo, the TV show inspired by the Coen brothers 1996 film. If you missed it, set aside a full weekend for a mesmerising binge. Set in snowy Minnesota it’s visually stunning, and Billy Bob Thornton’s calm killer Lorne Malvo will haunt your dreams. Also stars British actor Martin Freeman, who has cornered the market on quirky, Colin Hanks, Allison Tolman and Breaking Bad’s Saul, Bob Odenkirk.

It’s not currently airing, so get thee to a DVD store. But SBS will show season two next year.

Veep — Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Outstanding Actress in a Comedy

The Seinfeld curse is well and truly broken. Not only did Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus win an Emmy for playing Veep’s Selena Meyer, she celebrated by making out with Bryan Cranston on her way to accept it (Seinfeld dating flashback, he played dentist Tim Whatley who dated Elaine). Set in the world of American politics where public image is everything, HBO’s Veep co-stars a grown-up Anna Chlumsky (My Girl) and Tony Hale (Arrested Development’s Buster). What more could you want?

Season three airs on Tuesdays on Showcase, or grab the DVDs to schedule a sweet comedy binge.

Originally published as From The Colbert Report to Louis C.K. — here are the Emmy winners you really should be watching.