Over the years I've watched quite a bit of TV. Mostly, TV shows. And a lot more so recently given that I have been using Netflix. This makes me want to talk about my top ten shows. Of course, I'm not going to say they are of all time because maybe there is something that I enjoy more than these but I just haven't found it yet. There may not be a lot said about certain shows, and that means that you will have to just find out more about it yourself. And without further ado.... my top ten.
Number Ten:
Family Guy
Honestly, I have to say that this was overlooked. Probably should be higher, but when I thought back and realized I needed some animation, I didn't feel like rearranging my list. I really do like Family Guy and I think that it is quite amazing. Seth McFarlane is pretty much one of the best comical minds of this generation. I love pretty much everything he has done. But this especially is great because of it's pop culture references and it's kind of nice that there is very little character arch. It's moderately comforting to know exactly how a certain character is going to act.
The plot is pretty much a less than normal family that lives in a less than normal world. The reason that they are less than normal is because they have a dog that speaks and is smarter than everyone else as well as a baby that makes numerous attempts to try and kill his mother. Yeah, less than normal. The things that work are numerous for this show, but it is one of the most popular ever so let's move on a little bit more.
Number Nine:
Orange is the New Black
Despite only having one season, this is definitely up there with the rest of these shows. Basically the girl in the middle on that picture helps the girl on the far right up there traffic drugs ten years before the shows beginning. The DEA somehow finds out about the trafficking and well, because drug trafficking is bad, they are both going to prison. Little does she know that they are going to end up at the same place. See, she's moved on with her life from her lesbian drug trafficking days. She has a fiance and a completely different life. She's named in the case and is sentenced to 18 months in prison. There are a couple of complications in the form of adjusting to life in prison and having to deal with her ex.
Of course, it is a really new show and it is a Netflix exclusive but there is much potential here, especially with the people in it and the characters they play.
Number Eight:
The Walking Dead
Not only do I like this show, but I feel like I will be murdered if I do not include it on the list. I think that it is really good, but an overplayed idea. Zombies zombies zombies.......
RAAAAAWWWWWWRRRRR!!!!
Aaaanyways, my question is who mows all the lawns? No really, Who?
In all seriousness this is a new take on an old idea. There are zombies and they start taking over. I like it and it would be higher if the idea would be less played out.... Way less played out. Yeah, it's not a lot being said, but they isn't much more to say. Relationships are tested and life gets crazy because of the zombies. Not really a head scratcher.
Number Seven:
Arrested Development
First off, let me say that I feel wrong using a picture of the cast from season 4... Like, they are all SO different. Except for Michael Cera that is, he will never age past 12 it seems. Anyways, it will become pretty apparent that I LOVE awkward comedies and this is the first. I good show that thankfully got revisited and the loose ends were filled up by Netflix. Good on them.
The plot real quick eh? This is a show about a wealthy family that goes from being wealthy to being not so wealthy after the head of the family, George, is charged with several criminal offenses. Basically there companies are shut down and their accounts are frozen and it becomes the job of Michael to save the family. As you can assume there are many complications that arise and an awesome narrator. In fact, I really want him to narrate my life. That would be really cool.
Number Six:
Breaking Bad
If you don't know this show you probably live under a rock that's inside a cave on the outskirts of the Sahara desert... seriously. Regardless, guy gets cancer, guy cooks and sells meth to make money for treatment and then gets a little too involved. That's a quick synopsis but I want to spend more time for later shows in this....
Number Five:
Breakout Kings
A show that I consider to be a hidden gem is Breakout Kings. It doesn't have nearly enough episodes for the quality of show that it is but what they have is good. A quick synopsis is a special team of officers is hired to catch fugitives. What makes it so interesting is how they go about doing this. They enlist convicts to help capture these fugitives. Pretty interesting with really memorable characters. The only bad thing is that they ended it at a really unfavorable spot.
Number Four:
How I Met Your Mother
http://colored-media.blogspot.com/b/post-preview?token=Pw9rnkIBAAA.ceDz5nqT8VsvEuJP1iM4tg.6Ug_uuh1RQLrllTDMg81Sw&postId=7440692760278318639&type=POST
I've done an extensive piece on this show already so go enjoy that!
(I think my top three are going to show a bit of variety)
Number Three:
The Office
I... I feel like I am disrespecting this show by putting it in the number three slot. It is also because I absolutely love this show. The characters, the story lines, the awkward comedy, and that most of all. That is the beauty of this show and it makes it why there are people who love The Office and why there are people who hate it. It really is a hit or miss with people but for me, it was a complete HIT. It is something to watch a show end, it is another thing to watch a show end that you have watched for six years... You really do become attached to the characters and get involved in their lives... Beyond that, there is much to this show.
The show is surrounded by an American office displaying normal office problems. Yes, it does not sound like it would be the best of all shows, but it really is a damn good plot line. The reason that the plot line actually works is mostly because of Steve Carell and his character Michael Scott. He is by far my favorite character from the show. His craziness is really what makes the show move on from being just a camera crew following the people in a paper company. Of course the others have extremely good story lines as well and some of them are only on screen for a few hours throughout the course of the show, but they are, in all reality, the thing that makes this show great. Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, and Jenna Fisher all do their thing and randomly the other characters to come of the bench of this all star cast and they get their opportunity to shine. This.... really is all the plot, I am trying to be spoiler free here
The creators' and writers' ability to make a series of shows that can really be watched in any order, but yet they still tie into one overarching story and it is incredible and really, almost unmatched. The reason I mentioned earlier though, is really why I love the show so much. The reason is the type of comedy that is involved in this show. Let me start by saying that it is not for everyone. There may be a few laughs here and there, but it won't be a very enjoyable experience for you. One of the reasons that they hooked me on this show, is how unique of a concept it is. Of course it originally stems from the UK version (Good job Gervais), but this is the first one that I watched so it is unique for me. The idea of going around and filming the employees of an office during not only their work, but capturing tidbits of their personal lives is something that was completely foreign to me. It also brought along another great show that didn't quite make my list, Parks and Recreation. Obviously inspired by The Office.
Number Two:
Number One:
Number Three:
The Office
I... I feel like I am disrespecting this show by putting it in the number three slot. It is also because I absolutely love this show. The characters, the story lines, the awkward comedy, and that most of all. That is the beauty of this show and it makes it why there are people who love The Office and why there are people who hate it. It really is a hit or miss with people but for me, it was a complete HIT. It is something to watch a show end, it is another thing to watch a show end that you have watched for six years... You really do become attached to the characters and get involved in their lives... Beyond that, there is much to this show.
The show is surrounded by an American office displaying normal office problems. Yes, it does not sound like it would be the best of all shows, but it really is a damn good plot line. The reason that the plot line actually works is mostly because of Steve Carell and his character Michael Scott. He is by far my favorite character from the show. His craziness is really what makes the show move on from being just a camera crew following the people in a paper company. Of course the others have extremely good story lines as well and some of them are only on screen for a few hours throughout the course of the show, but they are, in all reality, the thing that makes this show great. Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, and Jenna Fisher all do their thing and randomly the other characters to come of the bench of this all star cast and they get their opportunity to shine. This.... really is all the plot, I am trying to be spoiler free here
The creators' and writers' ability to make a series of shows that can really be watched in any order, but yet they still tie into one overarching story and it is incredible and really, almost unmatched. The reason I mentioned earlier though, is really why I love the show so much. The reason is the type of comedy that is involved in this show. Let me start by saying that it is not for everyone. There may be a few laughs here and there, but it won't be a very enjoyable experience for you. One of the reasons that they hooked me on this show, is how unique of a concept it is. Of course it originally stems from the UK version (Good job Gervais), but this is the first one that I watched so it is unique for me. The idea of going around and filming the employees of an office during not only their work, but capturing tidbits of their personal lives is something that was completely foreign to me. It also brought along another great show that didn't quite make my list, Parks and Recreation. Obviously inspired by The Office.
Number Two:
Game of Thrones
This is by FAR one of the best stories of all time. As of now. Seeing that it isn't finished yet, he could possibly take it the wrong way and ruin the whole thing, but I am an optimistic person and I will give him the benefit of the doubt. Alright, that said, I am going to be talking about the story and mentioning George RR Martin because he is the architect behind the story for both the books and the story. I will also be as spoiler free as possible and let you know when they pop up. So right then, lets start.
I would first like to applaud the producers and directors for translating this story almost exactly how the books portray it. I presumed the show was over-hyped when I first heard about it. At the time, I had only read the first book and was extremely impressed by it. I continued reading the books and decided to try out the show expecting to be let down... I wasn't. They were able to take Martin's story and translate it into something truly magnificent. I mean really, just look at the damn wall.
It's beautiful. This actually exceeded my expectations for this as well as many other things. Visually, this show is amazing except for one thing: The direwolves. These are really the only things that could have been done better. Other than that, the visuals and aesthetics are top notch. It's not something that I can really explain without showing you pictures of the battles, the landscapes, and everything else. I can however, tell you how magnificent the acting in the show is.
So, the plot... This is going to be fairly hard to do. So the story opens up with the Stark family and it goes through some average daily things. Then it is said the king is coming to town after the death of his right hand man, the "Hand". The King shows up and asks that Ned Stark, the main character to this point, to be his new Hand of the King. Ned accepts and takes half of his family with him. Then, the shit show begins. I can't really say too much more than this. It would be spoilers galore and it really is something that would just have to experience for yourself. There are other aspects that I can discuss without giving away too much.
The cast assembled is one of the best of any TV show that I have ever seen. There are quite a few big named actors as well as a few people who are, or were, considered no names. Despite that, they all play their parts perfectly. The characters are brought on the screen just as they are imagined while reading the book. There are a few differences between the two, but the base story remains as amazing as ever. Martin's apparent lack of care about the characters in the story is actually refreshing. Nowadays, we know how 99% of stories are going to end. The good guy wins. In this story, it's kind of difficult to tell who will win. And honestly, depending on your stance on morals, it can be fairly difficult to determine just who the good guy really is. There is one person that we do know is just an ASS. But anyways, that is the beauty of this show and story. Everyone can have a different stance on the show and it can be fairly valid if it's made for the right reasons. I could really go on and on forever about this, but it truly is an experience that you either have to watch, or read, all on your own. Either way, it's going to paint a beautiful picture and keep you enthralled for hours. With all that said, this could easily have been my number three show, all on the coin flip.
I would first like to applaud the producers and directors for translating this story almost exactly how the books portray it. I presumed the show was over-hyped when I first heard about it. At the time, I had only read the first book and was extremely impressed by it. I continued reading the books and decided to try out the show expecting to be let down... I wasn't. They were able to take Martin's story and translate it into something truly magnificent. I mean really, just look at the damn wall.
It's beautiful. This actually exceeded my expectations for this as well as many other things. Visually, this show is amazing except for one thing: The direwolves. These are really the only things that could have been done better. Other than that, the visuals and aesthetics are top notch. It's not something that I can really explain without showing you pictures of the battles, the landscapes, and everything else. I can however, tell you how magnificent the acting in the show is.
So, the plot... This is going to be fairly hard to do. So the story opens up with the Stark family and it goes through some average daily things. Then it is said the king is coming to town after the death of his right hand man, the "Hand". The King shows up and asks that Ned Stark, the main character to this point, to be his new Hand of the King. Ned accepts and takes half of his family with him. Then, the shit show begins. I can't really say too much more than this. It would be spoilers galore and it really is something that would just have to experience for yourself. There are other aspects that I can discuss without giving away too much.
The cast assembled is one of the best of any TV show that I have ever seen. There are quite a few big named actors as well as a few people who are, or were, considered no names. Despite that, they all play their parts perfectly. The characters are brought on the screen just as they are imagined while reading the book. There are a few differences between the two, but the base story remains as amazing as ever. Martin's apparent lack of care about the characters in the story is actually refreshing. Nowadays, we know how 99% of stories are going to end. The good guy wins. In this story, it's kind of difficult to tell who will win. And honestly, depending on your stance on morals, it can be fairly difficult to determine just who the good guy really is. There is one person that we do know is just an ASS. But anyways, that is the beauty of this show and story. Everyone can have a different stance on the show and it can be fairly valid if it's made for the right reasons. I could really go on and on forever about this, but it truly is an experience that you either have to watch, or read, all on your own. Either way, it's going to paint a beautiful picture and keep you enthralled for hours. With all that said, this could easily have been my number three show, all on the coin flip.
Number One:
Doctor Who
Ah, yes. Anyone who has watched only three episodes or so knows why this is on the list. And why it is so high on this list. I am mostly touching on the plot of the show from 2005-2013 given that I have seen all of these and have just barely begun to scratch the surface of Classic Doctor Who.
So. For those of you who haven't seen this show I will give a brief synopsis of the plot. The is an alien who is the last of the Time Lords who goes by the alias of "The Doctor". His time machine is a T.A.R.D.I.S (Time and Relative Dimensions In Space) that is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. Oh, also, it can travel through time AND space. The Doctor ages extremely slowly, and given that he is the last of his kind, he gets fairly lonely. This is why he likes to travel with an entourage. Sometimes his companions are alien, sometimes human, and sometimes it's a tin dog. Yes, a tin dog. Given this reason, he convinces Rose Tyler to accompany him on his journeys through space and time. I've met a few people that point out no one in their right mind would go with this complete stranger. Well, one, he saves he life so he has that going for him and two, who wouldn't want to travel the galaxy going anywhere you want during whatever time period? At least that's my opinion. Anyways, things are always going wrong for the Doctor and Rose and they have to fix it. That is the basis of the show in the first season. Given that the original idea came about in 1963 I say that this is a damned original idea. From this season and on to 2013 there have been two other Doctors (David Tennant, Matt Smith) and both have been brilliant. There has also been a plethora of companion changes but the show itself keeps its original premise which makes it unique.
Not only is the idea itself interesting, but they execute it much better than you would ever think possible. It keeps the show fresh and new. At some point, people will grow to tire of actors, but with this show that really isn't possible. The Doctor changes but so do his companions which makes it extremely fun to watch. There are alternate universes, aliens, paradoxes, time wounds, empty children, clock people, cybermen, cat humans, perfectly integrated history lessons/settings, and of course, daaaaaaaallleeeeks. Daleks. Sorry, got a bit carried away there. But yes, there is pretty much everything that a science fiction fan could ever hope for. And we can not forget the Doctor. The Doctor is probably my favorite character from anything that actually has characters, no matter who the actor is. Yes, he changes. There have been 11 (er 12 if you've seen the 50th anniversary special) Doctors total since 1963 and the character is both the same and different. This is something that was completely ingeniously done by the creators to let the actor leave, but they maintain the ability to keep the show on the air. What makes it a completely... shall I say, fantastic idea (other than keeping the show on the air in 1969 when the original Doctor left) is the fact that the creators don't shy away from the fact he's different. In fact, they work it into the story and each Doctor keeps his base character but they have their own quirks and of course they have a different appearance. And he never. Fucking. Cares. The Doctor does whatever the fuck he wants....
All of that makes this a show to love, but there is more! So much more. I wish I could get into all of it here but I am not going to start spoiling things for potential watchers. If you like science fiction, then do yourself a favor and watch Doctor Who. Once you do and you like it, you'll be asking fellow fans "Whose your doctor?"..... Well , thats that! Allons-y!
Ah, yes. Anyone who has watched only three episodes or so knows why this is on the list. And why it is so high on this list. I am mostly touching on the plot of the show from 2005-2013 given that I have seen all of these and have just barely begun to scratch the surface of Classic Doctor Who.
So. For those of you who haven't seen this show I will give a brief synopsis of the plot. The is an alien who is the last of the Time Lords who goes by the alias of "The Doctor". His time machine is a T.A.R.D.I.S (Time and Relative Dimensions In Space) that is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. Oh, also, it can travel through time AND space. The Doctor ages extremely slowly, and given that he is the last of his kind, he gets fairly lonely. This is why he likes to travel with an entourage. Sometimes his companions are alien, sometimes human, and sometimes it's a tin dog. Yes, a tin dog. Given this reason, he convinces Rose Tyler to accompany him on his journeys through space and time. I've met a few people that point out no one in their right mind would go with this complete stranger. Well, one, he saves he life so he has that going for him and two, who wouldn't want to travel the galaxy going anywhere you want during whatever time period? At least that's my opinion. Anyways, things are always going wrong for the Doctor and Rose and they have to fix it. That is the basis of the show in the first season. Given that the original idea came about in 1963 I say that this is a damned original idea. From this season and on to 2013 there have been two other Doctors (David Tennant, Matt Smith) and both have been brilliant. There has also been a plethora of companion changes but the show itself keeps its original premise which makes it unique.
Not only is the idea itself interesting, but they execute it much better than you would ever think possible. It keeps the show fresh and new. At some point, people will grow to tire of actors, but with this show that really isn't possible. The Doctor changes but so do his companions which makes it extremely fun to watch. There are alternate universes, aliens, paradoxes, time wounds, empty children, clock people, cybermen, cat humans, perfectly integrated history lessons/settings, and of course, daaaaaaaallleeeeks. Daleks. Sorry, got a bit carried away there. But yes, there is pretty much everything that a science fiction fan could ever hope for. And we can not forget the Doctor. The Doctor is probably my favorite character from anything that actually has characters, no matter who the actor is. Yes, he changes. There have been 11 (er 12 if you've seen the 50th anniversary special) Doctors total since 1963 and the character is both the same and different. This is something that was completely ingeniously done by the creators to let the actor leave, but they maintain the ability to keep the show on the air. What makes it a completely... shall I say, fantastic idea (other than keeping the show on the air in 1969 when the original Doctor left) is the fact that the creators don't shy away from the fact he's different. In fact, they work it into the story and each Doctor keeps his base character but they have their own quirks and of course they have a different appearance. And he never. Fucking. Cares. The Doctor does whatever the fuck he wants....
All of that makes this a show to love, but there is more! So much more. I wish I could get into all of it here but I am not going to start spoiling things for potential watchers. If you like science fiction, then do yourself a favor and watch Doctor Who. Once you do and you like it, you'll be asking fellow fans "Whose your doctor?"..... Well , thats that! Allons-y!
These are some shows that juuuuust missed the cut:
The Sopranos
Parks and Recreation
The Simpsons
South Park
P.S.
Who's ready for Peter Capaldi?
