The recent news that the CW's fare is going to live on Netflix, and that full seasons will arrive on the streaming platform earlier than they have in the past, is good news for TV fans. These days, very few networks marry episodic storytelling to the kind of long-term arcs that encourage binge viewing as well as the CW, and it's generally so on target that even its missteps have potential.

“DC's Legends of Tomorrow,” for example, is not on Netflix yet, but I'll still check it out when it returns for its second season. If the inconsistent and patchy superhero show pulls itself together, it could well turn into a weekly addiction.

But weekly viewing is so last century. What if you want to go nuts on entire seasons of TV right now? Restricting my recommendations to only ongoing CW scripted fare, there's a lot to choose from. You could try the first five seasons of “Supernatural,” the first season of “The Flash” and the second season of “Arrow,” both seasons of the great “Jane the Virgin” and the first season of “iZombie.” Of course, there are other shows and other seasons to sample, but that's a representative and potentially addictive starting array.

One reason CW fare is worth checking out is because it uses recognizable formats to take tonal and thematic risks, and no show epitomizes that more than “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” which debuted last fall and is now on Netflix.

Though I'm a few episodes from the end of the season, I can highly recommend immersing yourself in its lovably eccentric and emotionally compelling worldview. Not only has the hourlong comedy progressed intelligently beyond its pilot in a number of interesting ways, it's used music and light comedy to lend pathos to its sensitive depictions of unhappiness, dissatisfaction and mental illness.

TV is rarely deeply interested in depicting complicated friendships between women, especially if those friendships delve into strange and transgressive areas, but there are signs that may be changing a bit.

“Crazy Ex's” lead character, disaffected lawyer Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom), uprooted her life to move to the bland suburban town of West Covina, Calif., where she met Paula Proctor (Donna Lynne Champlin), a co-worker who distracts herself from her troubled marriage by encouraging Rebecca's worst ideas and impulses. In that sense, the relationship recalls that of Quinn and Rachel on “UnReal,” which also explores the ways in which an older woman encourages her depressed younger friend to find some sort of relief by doing things that allow her to feel proactive but likely aren't good for her.

As is the case with so many CW shows, “Crazy Ex's” secret weapon is its terrific range of supporting characters. Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III) is the greatest bro on TV: sensitive, caring, optimistic and sweet. There's also White Josh (David Hull), who, like Josh, is not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, but both men present an idea of empathic, compassionate bro-ness that is wonderfully subversive. All things considered, I am deeply invested in the idea of a relationship between White Josh and Rebecca's boss, the daffy but helpful Darryl Whitefeather (Pete Gardner); do not tell me if that potential romance is doomed, because I'll be crushed.

The best character might well be Heather Davis (Vella Lovell), the bored student who lives in Rebecca's apartment complex. In her measured, highly amusing monotone, she passes entirely rational judgments on these hot-mess characters and their self-destructive actions. It's as if she's binge-watching the silly adventures of Rebecca and her crew, or compiling material for a research paper on how people try hard to avoid dealing with what's really wrong with their lives.

I'm not making any predictions about the rest of the season, except to say I bet Heather gets an A on her final paper.