Directory
24 Through the course of eight seasons, 24 detailed threats of both foreign and domestic origin and turned main character Jack Bauer into an icon of “whatever it takes” action and hero for the resulting Age of Terrorism. The consequences, meanwhile, ultimately took their toll on the fictitious Bauer as he lost family and friends in the process —in the end making 24 a true Shakespearean tragedy.
Alcatraz According to the FOX drama Alcatraz, the closure of the infamous island prison was precipitated by the disappearance of its inhabitants on March 21, 1963. Close to fifty years later, the worst criminal elements of the past are reappearing in the present with no signs of aging or explanation regarding their apparent time traveling. The series thus uses a traditional “crime of the week” format to create a uniquely entertaining sci fi romp.
The Big Bang Theory During an age when the majority of television sitcoms are “dumbed down” in order to appeal to the widest audience possible, along comes the CBS comedy, The Big Bang Theory. While neither groundbreaking nor straying far from a traditional format, the series nonetheless proves it is possible to be both intelligent and funny.
The Buffy 'Verse Buffy the Vampire Slayer, along with spin-off series Angel, contains a rich universe ripe for exploration and while both shows may no longer be on television, their stories continue in the form of comic books and graphic novels. Family, love, friendship and betrayal all play roles within the narratives, making both Buffy and Angel a unique and insightful commentary on the meaning of life in a seemingly meaningless universe.
Castle On the ABC series Castle, Richard Castle is a fun-loving, best-selling crime novelist while Kate Beckett is a non-nonsense homicide detective. Add a drama queen mother and wise-beyond-her-years teenage daughter for the former and a supporting cast of colleagues for the latter, and Castle has all the ingredients of a modern day update of old-school storytelling.
Dexter The Showtime drama Dexter is not merely the story of a serial killer but a psychological study of an empty human being attempting to fit into a society he finds foreign, while learning the meaning of love, friendship and family in the process. In short, Dexter is a character study of anyone struggling to find their place in what can often be a lonely and unknown world.
Dollhouse Although lasting only twenty-six episodes, the FOX drama Dollhouse still managed to become a genre-breaking classic in its own right. With a very non-network television premise, creator Joss Whedon was able to explore the nature of fantasy, produce an dissertation on identity, create a first-class conspiracy thriller and provide a cautionary tale of the dangers of unchecked technological advances.
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog Despite consisting of simply three fifteen-minute acts and produced by a Hollywood insider, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is still arguably the webseries that fully put the medium on the entertainment industry map. Telling the story of “a low-rent super-villain, the hero who keeps beating him up, and the cute girl from the laundromat he’s too shy to talk to,” the webseries garnered praise from Time magazine, Entertainment Weekly and The Hollywood Reporter.
Falling Skies The TNT drama Falling Skies follows the remaining survivors of an alien attack that has left mankind decimated and is not so much about the aliens as it is the perseverance of human beings. Such themes as family, faith and finding a way to survive in a world turned upside-down are often contained within each episode, making Falling Skies a sci-fi drama that is as much about the drama as it is the science fiction, much like the best of its genre.
Firefly Firefly follows a rag-tag group of space scavengers struggling to make a living on the outer reaches of the universe while likewise remaining under the radar of the far-reaching Alliance government. The characters are richly drawn and fleshed out with shades of morally grey, making Firefly void of true heroes or villains. It is those characters, however—along with crisp writing and intelligent narratives—that make the series a true classic.
Fringe In the FOX drama Fringe, a special government unit investigates peculiar phenomenon on the outer rims of what is known as “fringe science.” While the series may be considered “science fiction,” its plots of possibilities, and questions of moral responsibilities in regards to scientific experimentation and research, actually transforms the series into a cautionary tale for our times.
Grimm In the NBC drama Grimm, fairy tales are real and the descendants of the Brothers Grimm are tasked with slaying the evil entities contained within the stories. The series thus has a supernatural element but it is also a modern-day procedural—with the Portland police department unkowingly investigating the various crimes committed by these mythological creatures—making Grimm an Old World fairy tale and Twenty First Century crime drama rolled into one.
The Guild While ostensibly about online gamers and the worlds they create, in actuality The Guild is a very funny situation comedy about a group of dysfunctional loners discovering the rewards that genuine friendship provide while one struggles with personal identity and the difficulties of real life. With crisp writing, a solid plot and great acting, The Guild proves that the webseries medium can be just as entertaining and enjoyable as television.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is not your traditional television sitcom. Instead of laugh tracks or happy endings, the FX comedy is populated with unsympathetic characters entwined in very politically incorrect situations that inevitably turn out badly for those involved. The series may not be a comedy for everyone, but with its humorous exploration of the underside of acceptable behavior it is one of the best sitcoms on television nonetheless.
Justified The FX drama Justified follows US Deputy Marshal Raylan Givens and his efforts to uphold the law in Eastern Kentucky. Givens is not a typical modern day government agent, however, but a throwback to the classic Marshals of old, replete with cowboy hat and boots. The Kentucky of today may not be the Old West of yesteryear but it is in need of a law enforcer like Raylan Givens nonetheless—and television itself is better off with the quirky, literate and well crafted drama known as Justified.
The Killing The AMC drama The Killing follows a pair of Seattle homicide detectives as they investigate the murder of a teenage girl. With its dreary atmosphere, slow moving pace and numerous red herrings, the series is neither perfect nor for everyone. The Killing is not so much about “Who Killed Rosie Larsen?” however, as it is about the effects of the murder on those caught in the aftermath. Nothing is ever what it seems on the series—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Leverage Taking a cue from the 1960s series Mission: Impossible, the group of former criminals on the TNT drama Leverage launch elaborate cons and subterfuge to recoup the financial losses of their clients and bring the guilty parties to justice. The “operating outside of the law” element, meanwhile, conjures memories of the 1980s drama The A-Team. The series is also entertaining, rewarding and highly addictive television viewing in its own right.
Lost In many ways, the ABC drama Lost acts as a metaphor about the life and struggles of every man (or woman) but taken to an epic level. Religious and philosophical analogies abound as the purpose of our very existence is argued on an island void of morals and reason. Suffice it to say that Lost is not always easy entertainment, but it is intelligent and meaningful on a variety of levels.
Mad Men Set during a time period in the not-so-distant of a past to be relatable but just enough long ago to feel nostalgic, Mad Men has a sense of intelligence and style seldom depicted on television while offering a bird’s eye view of one of the most tumultuous eras in the nation’s history, one that inevitably shaped modern day society.
The Mercury Men The webseries The Mercury Men is a finely-tuned thriller about a plot by inhabitants of the planet Mercury to destroy the Earth by pulling the Moon directly into its path. In addition to the cliffhanger nature of old-school serials, The Mercury Men is equally inspired by 1950s sci-fi, Alfred Hitchcock and Star Wars. Creator Christopher Preksta has taken the best elements of classic storytelling and transformed them into something fresh and contemporary—as well as entertaining.
The Office Corporate America serves as the brunt of the jokes and hijinks on the NBC comedy The Office. The sitcoms has a cast of characters that can be identified by anyone who has ever worked in an office setting, while the weekly plots—although extreme and exaggerated—likewise resonate. The Office is a spot-on satire of the struggles the majority of Americans face while trying to make a living in a white-collar work environment.
Person of Interest On one level, the CBS series Person of Interest follows a basic procedural drama format. Instead of centering on law enforcement officials, however, the drama features two “vigilantes” intent on preventing violent crimes before they take place. Add a crooked cop and determined police detective—as well as veiled commentary regarding government intrusion and personal freedom—and Person of Interest is actually a modern day drama instead.
Rubicon The AMC drama Rubicon is a conspiracy thriller that is more cerebral than action-packed, a masterful combination of connect-the-dots mystery and cat-and-mouse suspense with in depth characters that bring the narrative to life in a believable fashion. Viewers expecting a roller coaster action piece featuring guns a-blazing may be disappointed, but Rubicon’s smart and savvy stylings make the series gripping nonetheless and raise the level of intelligent, quality television to even greater heights.
White Collar Neal Caffrey is a smooth conman, expert forger and master thief with a penchant for Rat Pack-era stylings and an appreciation for wine and art. Peter Burke, meanwhile, is a down to earth FBI agent with a suburban townhouse who enjoys cold beer and watching basketball. In the USA Network drama White Collar, these two polar extremes team up to solve crimes in New York City—making the series both old style television and a modern day classic.
Television Reviews Television has transformed itself from its early beginnings into the dominant narrative device of contemporary times. The best shows are a form of modern day literature that are not only gripping and entertaining but serve as windows into the souls of culture and society. Whether it’s great writing or character development, a psychological study or social critique, television indeed has it all.
Webseries Reviews The Internet landscape is dotted with a variety of webseries—averaging around ten-minutes per episode—created by both relative unknowns like Felicia Day (The Guild) and television veterans along the lines of Joss Whedon (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog), with many being just as good, if not better, than what can be found on traditional TV.
The Television Industry While only a few short decades ago television consisted of three networks and a cumbersome television set, television now contains a multitude of entertainment choices and numerous means of viewing. Faced with this changing landscape, the industry is now forced to reconsider previous business models and contemplate shrinking audiences and ever-changing modes of distribution.
The Webseries Medium Technological advances have had an effect on the television industry, including the webseries becoming a potential kindred-spirit of visual narrative entertainment. This new medium is still in its infant stages, however, with unanswered questions surrounding such issues as revenue generation, the best distribution methods and how to raise the profile of its creations.