For the final installment of my mid-season assessment, I’m looking at the shows that top my watch list. These are the ones that I will always watch first, that I can’t stop thinking about, and that I will probably be watching over again well after they go off the air.
(Warning, Watch Out for Spoilers!)
The Good Wife–
This show’s critical acclaim is probably higher than almost any other and while critical acclaim doesn’t equal viewership, here is a show where it should.
The funny thing about my love of The Good Wife is that at a glance, it is exactly the type of show I would not enjoy. I generally do not like shows about lawyers trying cases (no Law & Order for me), and more often than not, when shows try to push a side-plot of the political persuasion, I find it hurts rather than helps the show. (I don’t mean shows like The West Wing or Scandal, I mean how Teddy’s political career is probably Nashville’s weakest point.)
But The Good Wife always makes the law cases interesting (who would have thought there was so much to say about internet usage?) The politics, though not front and center most of the time, are what launched the show (Julianna Margulies’s Alicia Florrick returns to practicing law after her husband Peter goes to prison following a sex scandal and she stands by him). The political storylines remain on the fringes of the show most of the time, occasionally moving to the forefront when Peter runs for office. And they work.
When you combine the fantastic cast (especially the guest stars) and the sharp writing (it is Season 5 and the writing is at its best) you get one of the best shows on television right now. If you aren’t watching, you don’t know what you’re missing. I hope your FOMO (fear of missing out) is kicking in, because it should be.
Parenthood–
The only show that can compete with The Good Wife for quality of cast and writing is Parenthood. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t initially watch the show out of Gilmore Girls nostalgia (Lauren Graham is pretty captivating), but it only took the pilot for me to realize this show had so much more to offer.
If you are going to talk about the acting, you need to look at Max Burkholder who plays Max Braverman on the show. He began the show at thirteen with a role that very few actors (much less child actors) could pull off—his character has Asperger syndrome. He feels real—you experience his frustration and anxiety and confusion just as well as you can feel the Braverman clan’s perplexity and fumbling as they try to figure out how best to help him. He is the type of character that we should be seeing more of on television.
Parenthood’s strength is in how deftly it handles family without being overly dramatic (and without feeling like its just piling on issues for the sake of creating drama). Every episode is heartwarming and heart wrenching at once. Some people criticize it for being too real, too emotional, for not being enough of an escape, but that is exactly why I love it.
Parks and Recreation-
Let’s talk about Leslie Knope, who had can’t accept the word “no”, or Ron Swanson who doesn’t believe in government regulation but runs an entire department for the local government (largely so he can ensure that nothing is ever accomplished), or Chris Traeger whose body is literally like a microchip, or April Ludgate who can deadpan anything. These are only a few of the characters populating Pawnee’s Parks & Recreation Department and every one of them is funny.
The first season revolved around a pit. And while I didn’t realize it at the time (because I didn’t see how it could get even funnier), it started slowly. Then the show moved on from the pit, shed some deadweight and brought in Rob Lowe and Adam Scott, and the show really found its sweet spot.
For some reason, the best shows seem to struggle with ratings and like The Good Wife and Parenthood, Parks & Recreation is no exception. Come on people! Do I need to tie you to a chair to force you to watch? Once you start, you’ll be hooked.
Doctor Who–
Doctor Who is the longest running show in history for good reason—it’s one of the most creative, dynamic, funny, and continually re-inventive shows out there. This was another show that took a second viewing for me to embrace (but unlike with Glee, I have not an ounce of hatred or dislike for this one). I didn’t get the British humor, the evil aliens looked ridiculous, and there was a lot of running. I mean, a lot of running.
But then you realize that the silly looking aliens are part of the Who tradition (and that they actually are pretty dangerous, no matter what they look like). You relax into the silliness of it all (and accept that you probably won’t understand all of the timey-whimey-ness). That’s when you discover that there is so much cleverness to enjoy. So, kick back and observe, or maybe hit the gym so you’ll be prepared when the Doctor tells you to come along.
Orphan Black–
Orphan Black hails from the Great White North (as Robin Scherbotsky would call it). [Insert joke about Canada here, then discard because none of them apply.] Orphan Black snuck in under the radar when it first started but soon gained attention as people realized just how impressive lead actress Tatiana Maslany is. She plays seven characters in Season 1. Every single one of those characters feels different and unique. (Most actors can’t even manage seven uniquely different characters over the course of their entire career.) You can’t help but watch with awe (or you couldn’t if you weren’t too busy being drawn into the episode itself).
In only ten episodes, Orphan Black left an impression every other show hopes to make. Are you as excited for the upcoming season 2 as I am?
Well, TV watchers, what shows are you addicted to? Got any little known shows I should be checking out? And, if you haven’t looked at them already, check out Part 1: Shows I Don’t Care About Anymore and Part 2: Shows I Wish I Hated (And Maybe Do…) of my Mid-Season Assessment.
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