Because I am so into TV these days, I wanted to dedicate an entire post to my favorite shows. Prior to some serious list-making, I decided to group the shows based on three main genres - Dramas, Comedies and Dramedies (drama-comedies, duh). In addition to these genres, I am also going to discuss a couple of my favorite miniseries'. So without further ado, let us begin.
1. SIX FEET UNDER
Why I love it.
Well, it's my all-time, hands-down favorite show so I don't feel like I should have to explain myself anymore than that, but I suppose I'll indulge you. The show is centered around the Fishers, a quirky family that runs (and lives in) a funeral home. It is very dark, heavy and emotional at times, but occasionally you'll catch yourself laughing hysterically. The main reason why this is my favorite show is because every single episode is flawless. Some shows will have an episode here or there where not a whole lot actually happens and you get bored and are tempted to get on Twitter or check your email, but NEVER during Six Feet Under. It is so so so incredibly entertaining and rich with drama, you will never want to stop watching. I was devastated when I had finally watched the entire series; I wanted more!
Get excited.
The ever-so-sexy Justin Theroux makes an appearance in a few episodes!
Beware.
A "younger" Dexter is the middle brother of the Fisher family and he is in a romantic relationship with a buff, black cop that sort of resembles Sgt. Dokes in Dexter. Kinda funny, but off-putting at the same time.
Best Character.
Claire Fisher (Lauren Ambrose). Not only is she drop-dead gorgeous, but she's such a fun, creative character. She wears her heart on her sleeve which causes a few problems for her, but it's fun to see her figure things out and make her way out of adolescence.
Worst Character.
Brenda Chenowith (Rachel Griffiths). This woman just always rubs me the wrong way! She always acts like her life is so complicated, and she and Nate are never on the same page which is annoying. She also kind of reminds me of an ostrich for some reason. I sort of feel sorry for her toward the end of the series, but not enough to not hate her.
2. BREAKING BAD
Why I love it.
It taught me how to make meth. Duh. (Only kidding)
Let's see...there's a lot of blood, crazy drug lords and crackheads, but it's mainly great because of the acting. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are actor gods basically. You can almost feel their anger and their pain during all of the wild circumstances and predicaments they are thrown into.
Get excited.
You will see half of a man's face blown off. It's pretty awesome.
Beware.
There is a crackhead prostitute named Wendy. She is gross. Oh, and if you don't like purple, brace yourself for any and all scenes that Marie is a part of.
Best Character.
Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). That guy takes a million beatings and is quite good at looking "throwed."
Worst Character.
Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk).
He can be funny, but mostly he's just annoying and kind of grosses me out.
3. BOARDWALK EMPIRE
Why I love it.
Jason and I recently watched the first two seasons of this show, and I immediately fell in love. I just ooh and aah at everything - the time period, the music, the fashion, the hairstyles, the gangsters, etc. It's just such a wonderfully intense, dramatic show. Most of the characters are even based off of actual historical figures present during Prohibition. Who doesn't love a good "based on true events" story, eh?
Get excited.
Michael Pitt is shirtless quite a few times.
Beware.
Steve Buscemi is shirtless quite a few times.
Best Character.
Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt). Young, restless soldier returning home after fighting in WWI trying to find his abandoned place back in Atlantic City. He's pretty much a walking corpse without fear, and a handsome boy to boot!
Worst Character.
Jimmy's deranged, psycho mother Gillian Darmody (Gretchen Mol). She is just awful and controlling and sickening. She lusts after her own son and makes everything miserable for him. Manchurian Candidate, much?
4. MAD MEN
Why I love it.
Mad Men isn't just a show about advertising in the '60s. It's largely about the role and attitude of women during the era, and as the show progresses, it has a lot to do with the rise of feminism and the partial liberation of women. I say partial because, of course, in many ways we still have a ways to go here in 2012. Aside from the serious stuff, it's got super sexy actors, old school charm, superior dialog and a wardrobe to envy.
Get excited.
If you're a '60s fan like myself, you'll drool over the nods to prominent historical and social events such as the JFK assassination, the British invasion, the introduction of LSD and the Civil Rights Movement.
Beware.
Sometimes, especially in the first couple of seasons, the chauvinism can sting a little, but hang in there, the tables do start to turn.
Best Character.
Peggy Olson (Elizabeth Moss). I just love her transformation from the start of the show to where she is now in season five. She is for sure a character to be admired.
Worst Character.
For the most part, I like all of the characters, but I'm not the biggest fan of Lane Pryce (Jared Harris). It's mostly the accent. Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not too keen on foreign accents.
5. TRUE BLOOD
Why I love it.
Now I know many former True Blood fans have given up on this show, but I still adore it. Granted, it has gotten super crazy, but that's partly why I love it. It's obviously not supposed to be real in any way, shape or form; that was a fact from the start, but how can you not love all the new creatures they bring in each season?? Let's see if I can name them all - vampires, werewolves, werepanthers, shape-shifters, mutant evil shape-shifters, fairies, witches, demons, voodoo spirits...and I think I got everybody in there. So outlandish, so steamy, so violent, so fabulous!
Get excited.
Joe Manganiello is the cream of the crop as far as werewolves are concerned. Hot, hot, hot.
Beware.
This show is not for the squeamish. There is an excessive amount of blood-sucking.
Best Character.
Do I really need to say it again? I think so. Alcide Herveaux (Joe Manganiello!)
Worst Character.
Well, as much as I hate to say it, I'm really sick and tired of Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin). She is a severe waffler if I ever saw one, and her voice just isn't cute anymore.
6. DEXTER
Why I love it.
The story line is just so very original. How clever to come up with a protagonist that's a nerdy blood spatter analyst who leads a double life as a sociopathic serial killer but knows how to channel it to benefit mankind. Yeah, it gets a little out of hand from time to time, but with all of the idiot chumps running rampant in our society, can you really blame him? Michael C. Hall is an absolute doll as Dexter...a doll that's out for blood, that is.
Get Excited.
Seasons 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 are super entertaining and television gold in my opinion.
Beware.
Season 5 is a different story. Not sure what happened here, but the plot was boring and whoever decided it was okay to cast Julia Stiles was on some serious crack. NAP ALERT. Season 5 is the reason Dexter is so far down my list of best dramas, basically.
Best Character.
Aside from Dexter, his wife, Rita (Julie Benz) is my fave. Yeah, she goes a bit insane and judgey in season four, but it's okay. She deserves to be like that. Period.
Worst Character.
Well, Lumen Pierce (Julia Stiles), but I'm also not too fond of Lt. Maria LaGuerta (Lauren Velez). She's a pill that I refuse to swallow.
7. THE KILLING
Why I love it.
It's about a female detective not afraid to get her hands dirty, go a little schizo (literally) and break some laws to find justice for a murdered teenage girl's grieving family. GIRL POWER! Mirelle Enos is amazing as Sarah Linden. She may be little, but she is fierce.
Get excited.
As a viewer, you kind of get to be a detective yourself because you only know as much as Linden and Holder, so you're ingesting each piece of evidence and trying to piece together the puzzle as well. I guess it's not that much different than other cop shows on TV, but still, it's a little exciting, right?
Beware.
There are a few episodes here and there where not a whole lot happens, so it can move a little slow at times.
Best Character.
I'm partial to Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman). He's an interesting, ever-evolving character. Just when you think you've got him figured out, something new is revealed and he's nothing like you thought.
Worst Character.
Pretty much everyone in the political side plot. That stuff just bores me for whatever reason.
8. LOST
Why I love it.
As crazy and bewildering as it was, there is no denying this show had some of the best writing ever at times. What a cool scenario...plane crashes out on some deserted island and a ton of people actually "survive" and have to figure out what next. I love how season one takes a special look at each character individually to illustrate how they ended up on Oceanic Flight 815.
Get excited.
This show is a roller coaster.
Beware.
This show is a roller coaster. Many things will happen that leave you with puzzling facial expressions and endless questions floating around in your brain. You think you will get answers in the next few episodes, but it doesn't happen. The show is called "Lost" for a reason, people.
Best Character.
James "Sawyer" Ford (Josh Holloway). I found Sawyer's story to be the most interesting, and I found Sawyer to be the most attractive.
Worst Character.
Not a fan of Benjamin Linus (Michael Emerson). He is a mousy little weasel, and I just don't like him.
9. MY SO-CALLED LIFE
Why I love it.
It's teen angst at its most brilliant. Plus, I am obsessed with Claire Danes! She's been one of my favorite actresses for a long, long time. Who better to represent all the tears, diary entires, bad friendships, psychotic thoughts and school girl crushes of high school hell than her? No one.
Get excited.
It's the Nineties. This means nineties music, nineties plaid, nineties hair and so much more!! Just relish in the possibilities. Oh, and Jared Leto is in it pre-30 Seconds To Mars, so yeahhh. Dreamboat.
Beware.
It can get pretty dramatic from time to time. I remember the Christmas episode in particular being especially weird, but hey, it's a drama and it's TV, so what didya expect? Gotta keep those ratings up so it won't get cancelled...
Best Character.
I've got to go with Angela Chase (Claire Danes). Her teenage mood swings are just too good to deny her of this.
Worst Character.
Rayanne Graff (A.J. Langer). Rayanne is Angela's new BFF that her mother does not approve of, and I have to say, I'm with Mom on this one...that girl is rude and just plain annoying. I don't care how many times the show tries to make me feel sorry for her; it's just not going to happen.
10. GOSSIP GIRL
Why I love it.
This is a recent favorite, and I have to admit, I'm only at the beginning of season three, so my opinion is strictly limited to what I've watched so far. With that said, I'm surprised I actually enjoy this show. It's not something I would normally be into, but it caught me off guard and I'm quite pleased. I get such a thrill from watching a bunch of rich kids screw up their lives and then sit back and relax while it all magically falls back into place. Oh, you little Upper East-Siders.
Get excited.
Lizzy McGuire is currently on the show (at least the part I'm on) and it's pretty fun watching her try to be deviant.
Beware.
Gossip Girl makes you think it's okay to drink underage and go out on school nights without parental supervision. Look out. It gets WILD.
Best Character.
It varies depending on how their attitudes change throughout the show, but currently, Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick) is my favorite brat. I hated him at first, but he has definitely grown on me. There's just something about that low-whisper and charming eyebrow raise.
Worst Character.
Well I don't like Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg) because she's pure evil and every time I look at her I see Harriet the Spy. And I don't like Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) because I don't like Blake Lively. She sounds like a 40-year-old.
This concludes Part One: Dramas of my "Let's Talk Television" post series. This one took me forever because I had a little mishap and accidentally deleted it when it was almost complete the first time, but I'm counting on that not happening again so hopefully i'll be back with Dramedies real soon. You know you love me. xoxo. (hehe, I had to).
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment!
I appreciate any and all feedback from my readers.
xoxo