Movies today are less original than in the past, relying more and more on sequels and franchises instead of telling great stories. It’s not surprising, then, that high quality television has begun to fill the void: so we present to you our list of top shows that you should be watching this year.
The problem with television is that you end up dedicating more than the two hours of your life it takes to watch a feature film. Since we do not want to waste your time on less than superior television, we decided to include all genres and focused on pure entertainment value. Most of the shows are not on network television so you’ll need to watch them on cable or rent the DVDs. But trust us when we say that even though some shows on this list take little longer to get hooked and you may have to go out of your way to see them, they are all worth the investment.
10. Heroes (NBC)
“Save the cheerleader, save the world” or perhaps “Save the writing, save the show”. Despite some weak concluding episodes, season one got us addicted to the ensemble cast of superheroes on this NBC drama. With its clever mix of past, present and future storylines, intertwined families and impressive special effects, this series has everything for the sci-fi fan in all of us. As good as season one was, however, season two struggled somewhat to maintain the momentum and excitement of the earliest episodes.
But by revealing the reason our heroes have powers at all in season three, the creators gave the story and characters renewed life. The pseudo-villain Sylar has seen an increase in screen time–his scenes are among the best-written and most interesting–while fan-favorite Hiro has felt the sting of a reduced role due to the loss of his ability to stop and travel through time. It’s getting better all the time but the show still has a way to go in winning back the cult following it gained after season one. It’s got a lot of potential… fingers crossed for season 4!
9. Californication (Showtime)
Sex, drugs, and more sex sum up this Showtime gem. Hank (played by David Duchovny) is a talented and successful writer who has acquired a bad case of writer’s block due to his conflicted relationship with the mother of his teenage daughter. Duchovny nails the portrayal as he takes on his character’s sex addiction (no doubt an example of art mirroring real life), his role as a father and the struggles with his craft.
A crucial scene involves Hank getting punched in the face while having sex with an girl he doesn’t know is underage: it forces him to think about the road his life has gone down and why it keeps circling the drain. The show’s fundamental premise is to identify and explore how someone, who seemingly is living every guy’s fantasy life, could still be so unhappy. Definitely one to keep an eye on.
8. True blood (HBO)
Leave it to HBO to make a vampire drama that doesn’t “suck”. Oozing with synthetic blood, vampire culture comes out of the casket and moves in next door. The show is loaded with occult fun including werewolves, shape-shifters, and some really pissed-off Christians that bring the war between good and evil right into your living room.
Starring Anna Paquin (Rogue from X-Men fame) and created by Alan Ball, the genius behind “Six Feet Under” and producer of “American Beauty”, True Blood is riddled with great, yet not over-the-top special effects, steamy sex scenes and good old-fashioned gore that give the viewer something to sink their teeth into on movie night.
7. East Bound & Down (HBO)
The essence of a man’s man show, Danny McBride plays a pitcher that soars to fame and fortune in the big leagues and, almost as quick as his fastball, loses it all due to his reckless and cocky behavior. With nothing but a worn-out arm, a mullet and a tacky Jet Ski, he moves back home and gets a job at his old high school as a gym teacher. After developing his own brand of motivational self-help cassette tapes he quickly lets you know that “you’re fucking out, and he’s fucking in”.
Between McBride’s gigantic ego and his delivery of nonstop raunchy humor, the result is a laugh-out-loud comedy. What’s beautiful about this show is that watching it makes you feel so much better about your own life. Season one finished up with only six episodes, so we hope that they renew season two, but nothing has been announced yet.
6. Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
When Larry David left Seinfeld we all wondered if he could replicate the humor of the show and, in biting fashion, Curb Your Enthusiasm hasn’t let us down. The show has no script, just loose story lines, and plays out as a fictional documentary with David starring as himself. The brilliance lies in the cast’s ability to take the writing, usually about everyday occurrences, and mold them into a humorous and entertaining portrayal of a real-life Larry David and his intermingling with a fictional Los Angeles.
While the series has been on hiatus for two years, a new season is in the works and everyone is excited to see if David is still up to his “take no crap” antics after adopting “The Blacks,” an African American family of Hurricane Katrina refugees, as his new family. Will he get back with his wife? Will his agent stop adding to the trouble or simply will Larry start caring about those around him as much as he cares about himself? One thing is for sure, this comedy manages to get better every season.
5. Entourage (HBO)
The only thing bad about this show is that we only get it for a half hour. Entourage is HBO’s male answer to “Sex and the City,” without the fruity martinis. The premise: what would happen if your best friend became a millionaire movie star?
Adrian Grenier plays Vinnie Chase, a successful movie star with commitment and insecurity issues. Vinnie keeps a brood of his three childhood friends with him at all times, including Kevin Connolly (remember him from Porky’s?), who plays his best friend and manager. His older brother, played by Kevin Dillon, is a faded TV star trying to jump-start his career after appearing on the now defunct “Viking Quest”. Finally, Turtle is Vinnie’s driver, played by Jerry Ferrara–somebody who no doubt reminds you of someone in your own life. Entourage is produced by (Marky) Mark Wahlberg and is loosely based on his rise to stardom.
But we can’t leave out the best part of the whole show: Jeremy Piven’s portrayal of super agent Ari Gold is pure genius as he slithers his way around Hollywood manipulating those around him, while giving us small glimpse of his humanity every now and again. His acid tongue combined with brilliant comedic timing make him a character that will live on in the annals of TV lore.
4. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
Put five screw-ups in a bar in Philadelphia and what do you get? One of the funniest shows to come around in recent years. We find it hard to believe that someone made up such a diverse and quirky cast of characters: they must be based on real people. From Charlie huffing glue non-stop and sharing his bed with Danny DeVito (who joined the cast in season two), to Dennis thinking he is God’s gift to women, to Mac secretly dating a pre-operative transsexual named Carmen, and finally to Deandra “Sweet Dee” who has an “elderly” phobia and can’t hold down a relationship to save her life, every episode is consistently entertaining. It’s honestly like watching “Seinfeld” meets “Curb Your Enthusiasm” on the rocks with a twist.
3. Weeds (Showtime)
Showtime lit a big spliff and exhaled heavily with this show. The story is based on a stay-at-mom home with two kids, a dead husband and a lack of income, who sees no other alternative to keeping up her high maintenance lifestyle than to start selling weed. She is constantly getting in over her head and decides to escape trouble by torching her house and moving away from the “cookie cutter town made of ticky-tacky little boxes”. Now in its fifth season, this witty drama has reinvented itself more times than an undercover DEA agent. Its tremendous writing and clever humor makes this half hour well worth your time. Besides, what else do you have to do? cough, cough, wheeze
2. 30 Rock (NBC)
A TV show about a TV show–haven’t we seen this before? The premise has been done many times before but nowhere near this good. Tina Fey, where have you been all my life? With your corny jokes and your sexy plain Jane looks. Why am I enjoying Alec Baldwin? I hate him but he is so good on this show playing a very conservative smooth talking executive. Tracy Morgan is confusingly funny in which he plays Tracy Jordon a trouble seeking comedian that sometimes comes off quite retarded. I love this show so much I want to take it behind a middle school and get it pregnant! There is a reason why it has 20+ Emmy Nominations, its just so darn clever and funny. Season 4 is starting Oct. 15 and I’m counting the days.
1. Dexter (Showtime)
You have to love a show about a serial killer that kills other serial killers. Miami police department blood specialist by day and almost perfect killer by night, Michael C. Hall as Dexter performs poetic justice in every elegant “feeding of the thirst” he performs. His interactions with his sister, girlfriend and co-workers are constantly threatening his anonymity. The in-depth detail into the mind of a conflicted psychopath is hypnotic and addicting as it is performed with a mastery seldom seen on the small screen. Based on the books by Jeff Lindsay, Hall’s Dexter is riveting, dark and creepy. You know he is a killer, but you find it hard not to root for this deranged anti-hero. Each season is scripted beautifully and walks us through all of the insecurities and inadequacies that our protagonist displays as he gets closer and closer to being caught.
We at the Pulp List are desperately and impatiently waiting for the fall, as season four is set to resume and there will be further evidence as to why this show tops out our list.