My top 10 TV shows.

I like to think of myself as a bit of a student of pop culture. I studied Film, Television and Media at university and have had a keen interest in various different forms of media over the years. Throughout university I was really into film and the relative depth of analysis that we were forced into as part of our studies - all of the best writers, directors and (especially) actors were involved only with film, and for someone to cross over from television to film was nearly unheard of.

However I feel that is changing, television now has many facets that are on par with film, and whilst it still remains far behind in terms of production, there are some aspects where I feel an investment in a TV show will reap far greater entertainment benefits than a film. In particular the depth of character and long story arcs enabled by TV's extended time frame really draw in viewers and leave them wanting more.

I have watched a shit load of TV over the last few years, often opting to watch the next episode of my current soup du jour instead of sleep. This list is a brief overview or review of some of my favourite shows, and why I like them so much.Off the top of my head I tried to compile a list of shows that I have watched at least one full season of, and came up with this:

Scrubs, House, The Sopranos, 24, Prison Break, The Office (UK), The Office (US), Extras, The In Betweeners, Skins, Luther, Parks & Recreation, Sons of Anarchy, Dexter, Californication, The Wire, Avatar – The Last Airbender, Archer, Modern Family, Cougar Town, Community, How I Met Your Mother, Gossip Girl, Glee, Chuck, Heroes, The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Friday Night Lights, Leverage, Weeds, Bored to Death, Heston’s Feast, Summer Heights High, 7 Periods with Mr Gormsby, Kyle XY, X-Files, Arrested Development, Band of Brothers, The Pacific, An Idiot Abroad, Entourage, Jericho, Boston Legal.

Most shows I have watched all episodes, some are fairly new & finding their feet, and others I wasn't a huge fan of, so gave up after a season or two. Also, I have not included the various documentary series that I have watched (The Ascent of Man, BBC Planets, BBC Planet Earth, Louis Theroux series, Stephen Hawking's Universe etc- probably another 15 or so). There are also a few shows that I have started that come highly recommended, which I am yet to get through a whole season of - Boardwalk Empire, Battlestar Galactica (2003) and Deadwood. I expect these 3 shows to be right up there in terms of quality due to their widespread acclaim, am already enjoying what I have watched. Lastly, it's not going to be a 'top 10' in the sense that there is a #1, I'm mostly just wanting go over my favourite 10 shows. I actually wrote a list of TV icons on a messageboard a few years ago, so some of this info has been taken from that.

1. Scrubs

Scrubs was really the first show that I sat down on watched series by series, instead of catching the occasional episode on the box. It lasted 8 real seasons (the 9th was a flop, owing to wholesale character change by the moronic ABC network), and was really aimed mostly at 20-35 year olds. It centred on the adventures of a character called JD (played by Zach Braff), and his journey through his final year of medical school internship at Sacred Heart Hospital. An insecure and eccentric Gen-X type character himself, the show focuses very much on modern moral quandaries, and tells the tale of a handful of tightly interwoven characters as they grow into adulthood. Some of the best comedy in the early seasons comes from his unwavering desire to befriend his mentor, Dr Cox, and Cox's subsequent ongoing rejections and petulant rants toward the new interns. JD was also much of a dreamer throughout the whole series and the show would often jump to a zany day dream as he would drift off from the reality of his life. Overall, it is really just a coming of age story of a group of young people dealing with the things that most of us deal with. Career, love, insecurities and growing up. At times dramatic, but mostly light hearted, quirky and very endearing.

2. The Sopranos

Heralded as one of the best shows of all time, and for good reason. As I mentioned in my intro, television has become a much more credible and well produced medium, and shows like The Sopranos are the reason for this. The story of Tony Soprano, his family and his organised crime syndicate was told over 6 seasons from 1999-2007, and had more depth and character than any show had really been able to capture before it. This was a landmark show for the HBO network, and many networks have looked to emulate similar commercial and critical success with TV franchises of their own. It was nominated for outstanding drama series Emmy every year it was on air. At times the show was as subtle and as gritty as it gets, while still other times it was in your face with the raw reality and slowly dying dealings of the New Jersey mafioso. The show was always much, much more than the tales of a 'king pin' - Tony Soprano was merely the head of a small band of meagre men; and grappled himself with depression, insecurity and doubt. The final scene of the show was one of the most talked about, and analysed pieces in all of television - a brilliant display of tense yet subtle writing, and a genuine demonstration of marketing know-how by a television network. We owe so much of current television's overall quality to this show, I think any fan of the medium should start here.

3. The Office

Some people will have only watched the US version (now into season 7, over 130 episodes), while others will tell you that you should only ever watch the UK version, and leave it at that. The truth is they're both wrong, so I'll cheat here a little bit and encourage anyone to watch both. The UK version was groundbreaking- it took the mockumentary to a new level, placing the viewer right into the most awkward of office situations - a boss with delusions of grandeur and a bunch of no-hope paper salesmen, each with their own bizarre personalities to make you cringe like never before. David Brent is the hypocritical, delusional and self promoting middle manager that everyone imagines to be in his type of position, only much worse than most could dream up. He wants to be everyone's friend and mentor. He imagines that everyone finds him very funny and loves being around him, yet still respects him and looks up to him as a boss and even a father figure. He is, of course, spectacularly wrong- his employees find him tolerable at best and often irritating. He believes himself to be amazingly talented at everything from sport, to music and comedy. One of the key aspects of Brent's personality is his complete obliviousness to how other people actually see him, and he lashes out strongly whenever his carefully-built veil of ignorance is pierced. A landmark for comedian Ricky Gervais, who has experienced worldwide fame, wealth and popularity ever since, with sold out international comedy tours & DVDs, roles in Hollywood movies, and has gone on to produce a number of other shows (including the very funny 'Extras' and 'An Idiot Abroad'). The show's success allowed it to franchise (and translate) overseas - most notably to the hugely successful US version. Both shows owe much of their success to the enigmatic lead actors - Gervais in the UK, and in the US the main boss is played by Steve Carell, a man now hugely famous in film & TV across the globe. The US version is a lot more quirky, but such is the case when a situational comedy like this extends well into its 7th year.... It started off as a direct emulation of the British version in the first 2 or 3 episodes of season 1, which was clearly a bad idea that they abandoned in favour of a bit more slapstick and brash American style. Watching The Office will provide you with hours and hours of laughter, guaranteed.

4. Prison Break

For me, Prison Break redefined the meaning of suspense. At that stage I hadn't watched any '24' and this was the first attempt at a real action packed, suspenseful thriller... and what an introduction. Following on from shows like the X-Files the overall story of Prison Break is one of corruption of the highest order. Initially, a genius younger brother (Michael Schofield) gets imprisoned with his older brother who he believes to be framed. By tattooing the prison plans in a cryptic design on his body, Michael uses his unmatched intelligence to break out of a maximum security prison. Not only full of action and suspense, Prison Break is filled with rich and interesting characters on both sides of the law - and despite initial network concerns that the show would lack longevity past season 1, the following seasons proved to be a huge rollercoaster ride that combined the corruption and espionage of 24 with the thrilling adrenaline of The Fugitive. I recall losing more than one night's sleep to Prison Break marathons - it is the ultimate in addictive television.

5. House

House is what they call a Situation Drama, where every episode is based around a single problem or conflict. Based at the fictional (obviously) Princeton Plainsborough Hospital, House and his medical team diagnose and attempt to treat obscure medical conditions beyond the capability of anyone else... on the planet. Played by the incredibly talented and charismatic Brit, Hugh Laurie, Dr Greg House is an anti-social, manipulative and bitter middle aged doctor, who uses his brilliance and pain from an old accident as a pair of crutches to excuse his absent social skills. His callous and uncaring demeanour have carried the show through 7 seasons of high drama and comedy. As the show marches on it has developed many long stories and underlying themes, and individual episode problems have taken somewhat of a back seat - House tends to come across on a season by season basis, a real time investment to get the whole reward, but ultimately worth it in the end. I'm still dumbfounded by Hugh Laurie every time I watch an episode, remembering of course that his natural speaking voice is distinctly British. There are few actors on television that can rival the longevity and success of Laurie.

6. The Wire

The more I think and hear about it, the more I believe that The Wire is the best drama to ever grace the small screen. Unmatched in its critical acclaim, it seems sit above even The Sopranos and Deadwood in its universal popularity. The Wire shrugs off a lot modern TV conventions, and chooses to deliver its powerful punch through a raw and gritty look at a city slowly being choked of its life and spirit. The 5 seasons of The Wire each tell a slightly different story of the gradual, and seemingly inevitable decline of Baltimore, Maryland. Many people who are turned off 'cop dramas' often cite that as a reason not to watch this show (I did in the past), but that's really no excuse... The Wire requires no feigned mystery or clunky episode plots to drive the narrative; it even begins with the true story of Baltimore gangster Avon Barksdale, and is more often than not shot on location in real environments around the city. Tales of drugs, corruption, betrayal, destitution, media, violence, crime, homelessness, hopelessness, tragedy and redemption play out every day on the streets depicted in The Wire. No character is immune to the churning cogs of decline, and eventually every story plays out again despite the best intentions of the characters within the whole. You won't find built up cliff hangers, Macguffins or other bad plot devices. What you will find is an expertly crafted story, complex and difficult characters, superb acting and an unforgettable viewing experience.

7. Arrested Development

"It was far too clever for Americans" - Daniel Towgood

That says it all in an instant really. The video above outlines how the show really missed the American public, or really they missed the real humour of the show. Despite poor ratings, its cult following manged to get Arrested Development through to its third season, before inevitable cancellation amidst intense ratings pressure. Not before it produced some of the funniest moments in television though. Personally I think AD is the most original comedy to ever come out of the US, and probably the funniest. From a land that has given us such gems as Two and a Half Men (sigh) and Everybody Loves Raymond (double sigh), and creates a culture that allows those shows to last for the better part of a decade, we have to take the ratings with a fairly significant grain of salt. Given the fact that the US has also produced a huge wealth of great comedy and drama over the years, I'm wary of being too harsh, but let's be honest it's not a culture that embraces the 'quirky'. The proof comes more from the 6 Emmys and being named in Time Magazine's Top 100 TV Shows of all time. Anyway - AD is a show about the most dysfunctional family you can think of - The Bluths are a formerly wealthy family that time and time again prove themselves to be little else than completely crazy. Even in their most sincere attempts to be normal they manage to present themselves as entirely strange. The variety of stories and themes in the show make it difficult to give a real overview, but if you have an affection for fringe comedy, then I suggest finding yourself a copy of Arrested Development.

8. Boston Legal

Rarely does a spin off show out shine its original to this extent - although I can't confirm totally having not watched any of The Practice (hah!) - but Boston Legal seems to leave its predecessor in its wake. The Practice was a legal drama, and in its 8 seasons won 2 Emmy awards. Boston Legal was a lot more light hearted, often verging on being a straight comedy. In 4 seasons BL was nominated for 22 Emmys and had 5 wins. The show itself was was centred around the exploits of Allan Shore and Denny Crane, although much of the story is told by an ensemble cast. Never before has a show brought the 'bromance' into light like Boston Legal - Denny and Allan share many profound moments over a stogie & scotch on the balcony, but that's not really what gave the show its charm. Boston Legal was littered with rich and interesting characters, and managed to walk the fine line between eccentric and relevant. Many an episode was based around current events, and social commentary became an important part of its nearly 100 episodes. Situated in Boston, MA, Boston Legal represents a part of American Culture that all too often goes unmentioned by people abroad. Liberal, clever, witty and self deprecating it has a depth of humour and intelligence rarely seen by legal dramas or comedies on the small screen.

9. Dexter

Having just finished its 5th season, Dexter is Showtime's most successful programming franchise ever. The finale of season 4 was the single most viewed episode of television in the network's history. The reason for this is obvious - Dexter is simply awesome. The show is set around a central character called Dexter Morgan who, by day, is a mild mannered forensic analyst for the Miami Metro PD, but by night is a vicious vigilante who hunts down criminals and ritually executes them on his killing table. Much of the show's drama comes from Dexter's internal struggle as he constantly battles his 'dark passenger' (his name for his inner demons that drive him to murder), and his ability to keep his habits hidden while leading a normal life. When the show begins we get introduced to Dexter as somewhat of a cold hearted and emotionless sociopath - his desire to kill had been channeled away from innocents by his (now dead) father Harry. We meet Harry through a series of flashbacks that walk us through Dexter's troubled childhood, and it really gives the viewer a sense of empathy that you wouldn't ordinarily feel for such a character. Each season sees a huge amount of growth in Dexter's character as he runs up against a new ally or nemesis, and the potential consequences of his actions create a level of tension that other shows struggle to match. I know a few people who refuse to watch Dexter week by week, and wait until the whole season is ready to watch in a marathon, such is the tension and excitement at the end of each episode.

Dexter just scrapes in as my favourite current drama ahead of Breaking Bad, another superb show that was very close to getting on this list!

10. Entourage

Entourage is truly the ultimate boy's show. The first season was based loosely on Mark Wahlberg's experiences (he is also an executive producer) as a kid from a poor city neighbourhood making it big in Hollywood. The story is based around the adventures & exploits of 4 main characters; Vince, the main man & Hollywood star; Eric, the brains and emotional rock of the group; Johnny 'Drama', far less successful actor & eccentric older brother; and Turtle, the stoner tag along. As Vince comes into millions of dollars the whole 'entourage' all move to Hollywood and begin to live the life of kings, celebrity status, VIP treatment, women, drugs and excess surround them, providing a lot of humour and a fair amount of drama too. The show's real nugget (pun intended) though is Vince's agent, Ari Gold. Played by Jeremy Piven, Ari is a petulant, driven and aggressive character that takes no prisoners at any stage of his life. He hurls abuse at those around him and will to absolutely anything to gain more wealth and power. Time after time we see Ari fly into a rage caused by a failing negotiation or deal, and his venting really gives the show an x-factor that it would otherwise be lacking. The show has completed 7 outstanding seasons, and has announced that a shortened eighth will be its last. There is talk of a feature film after the final season, but that is unconfirmed at this stage. Entourage, like many comedies, has shorter length episodes and can be thrown on at any time - and in true blokey fashion has a precession of beautiful women gracing every episode... not the least of which is one of the hottest women on the planet, Emmanuelle Chriqui, who plays Eric's girlfriend Sloan. A show like Entourage could only be made in today's era of celebrity adoration, and I think it's an interesting social commentary on the way we view money and celebrity. Definitely worth the 8 season time investment!

Well that's it - there were a few tight calls, but I think I've given a pretty good list of my favourites, but more specifically the range of shows I like to watch. If you haven't seen any one of these shows I definitely recommend getting onto it asap!

NT