My Top 10 TV Shows
As promised, below are my top 10 TV shows in no particular order. Some classis like Breaking Bad, The Wire etc aren’t on there as I’ve only watched a few episodes and didn’t’ think it was right.
1. Lost
Before the plot got convoluted and that ending, Lost was one of the most exciting shows ever put on TV. Its premise was simple- Castaway the 
TV show. What it became was an amalgamation of sci fi, drama, romance, horror and much more. Whilst the show was full of questions (many of which went unanswered), it was essentially about people and there were plenty of interesting characters in the Lostverse. Whether you liked Sawyer, Hurley, Jin, Richard or even Kate and Jack, there was something for everyone. Lost changed the landscape of TV, if it weren’t for the disastrous final season (Who the hell was Walt?!) then it would hold its own amongst the great TV shows.
2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy is a guilty pleasure beyond any doubt, but it was also one of the most exciting shows aimed at the teenage demographic. From its episodic appeal, through to the drama, romance and big bads there was rarely a duff episode. Although its later series flagged in places, with Joss Whedon at the helm he delivered 7 spectacular seasons. The King of Ensemble Casting (just look at how well The Avengers worked), Whedon was able to make you care about each character beyond any doubt. We followed Buffy from high school through to the end and it was one hell of a ride.
3. Castle
Although this show seems to be mainly a cult pleasure in the UK, it’s currently one of my favourite shows. There’s nothing original about it – mystery writer teams up with New York cop to solve crimes – but it’s done with such humour and tenderness that I can’t help but love it. Season 1 was a bit shaky, but in Season 2 it came into its own with the development of the central relationship. Nathan Fillion has always been watchable, but with his character Richard Castle he’s created a TV hero.
4. Desperate housewives
Although some say it was too cliché and went on for too long, in my opinion out of its 8 seasons there was only one season that didn’t work – 5. The characters were engaging, and the important thing is that they had fun with it. Whether it was amnesia, murder, suicide there was always something happening on Wisteria Lane. Desperate Housewives was easy to watch and when it needed to it would pack one hell of an emotional punch. The show ended perfectly and its final episode reminded me of what made the show so great.
5. The X Files
Quite possibly the greatest sci-fi series ever (quiet Star Trek fans), The X Files did the impossible and made sci-fi engaging for everyone. The central relationship was nurtured beautifully by creator Chris Carter and the mix of conspiracy and “monster of the week” episodes made it a delight to watch. The X Files started when I was quite young and I’ll be honest it did frighten me at times – psycho doll, how creepy is that – but it always thrilled. It did lose steam after Mulder left, but it was still a step above most shows out there.
6. Twin Peaks
David Lynch’s influential TV show was one I discovered a couple of years ago and I was hooked. Although it was cancelled and left on the most annoying cliff-hanger ever, it was a quality show that made you think. The question of “who killed Laura Palmer” was a great hook and with everything happening in the town, the overlay of drama was thrilling to watch. No one can forget the dwarf in the red room, and even now when I think of it I want some cherry pie.
7. Supernatural
Despite this series losing its way somewhat, its first 5 seasons were some of the best I’ve seen. The show follows two brothers who hunt the things hiding in the dark. It was a combination of witty dialogue, implausibly attractive people, classic rock and horror that made each episode better than the next. Although it’s now weighed down by the “big bad”, there is still some of the charm that made its first 5 seasons so charming. I would recommend watching Supernatural if you like a good scare and you want to laugh. Hopefully its recent falter will get everything back on track, but it still stands as a fantastic TV show.
8. Grey’s anatomy
Now I know what you’re all thinking, but I have a soft spot for Grey’s Anatomy. It’s cheesy, overly dramatic and everyone is stupidly attractive, but Shonda Rhimes created a world of likeable characters. Grey’s is essentially ER with more sex and more humour. It hasn’t been a perfect TV show with some series not hitting the mark, but with stunning season finales, engaging characters and interesting medical drama, it’s definitely up there for me. With season 9 set to start soon, I’ll update you on my thoughts.
9. True blood
With the vampire craze showing no signs of abating, I had avoided most things vampire related – except for Twilight because it’s that bad it’s hilarious – but after some surgery I couldn’t think of anything to watch so I figured I would give it a go. To say I was surprised is an understatement, the show is witty, it never takes itself too seriously and there’s plenty of sex and violence to go round. I think the reason it works is that the seasons are shorter and it feels different to the usual vampire drivel.
10. Arrested development
The only sitcom on my list but it beat out Dexter (which I’m working through and may end up on this list one day) due to the fact that Arrested Development is that rare gem – an American comedy that is actually funny. You recognise everyone in it and although the family are laughably abhorrent to each other, Arrested Development didn’t get dull for a second. Cancelled after only a few seasons, I cannot wait to see the new episodes and movie that they’re going to come out with. With Arrested Development there was no canned laughter, no overly PC talk, it made you laugh and surely that’s the point.
The Evolution of TV
Over recent years have any of you noticed how TV has become more popular than films?
When I come home after work I seem to prefer watching a couple of episodes of something rather than a whole movie. TV shows have become an entirely different medium to what they were 10 years ago.
I think Lost might have started this back in 04. No one had ever seen a show that expensive and captivating (ignoring the last season, what happened there Lindelof?). At the same time Desperate Housewives turned up and since then we’ve had House, Breaking Bad, True Blood, Homeland, Grey’s Anatomy and much more. Now we see major Hollywood stars on the small screen; think of Steve Buscemi in Boardwalk Empire.
I think the economic crisis might have something to do with this. Sounds preachy but here me out. We all ran out of money so it’s logical to think that more effort is being put into TV which is essentially free for viewers. Accessibility is what studios were looking for and TV is the way to capture people’s attention, imagination and money.
TV shows are now more like mini films each week and this trend looks like it’s going to continue. I love the cinema but it definitely isn’t cheap.
Coming this afternoon… My top 10 TV Shows
FromTheRedSofa 