3 Feb 2011

(Current) TV Shows You Should Be Watching. Right. Now.

*Most of these shows are available on TV channels on both sides of the Atlantic. For the ones that aren't, though, it's called "the internet", people. I mean, c'mon, now.

1. Mad Men - The best show currently on television and possibly (it's only real challenger being The Wire) the best TV show ever made. It's a work of art...a true work of art.

2. Breaking Bad - it makes no sense that, despite the intriguing story (boring chemistry teacher gets cancer, starts to cook crystal meth, gets involved with Mexican mafia in New Mexico), this show is so fucking excellent.

3. Real Time with Bill Maher - no pretense at being balanced here. If you're a Democrat, left-leaning and/or a liberal, you'll love it. If you're not, you suck.

4. The Apprentice (UK version) - as reality competition shows go, this is the best. Lord Alan Sugar is so much more entertaining and smart than Donald Dumbfuck could ever be. And because we're grown-ups in Europe, we allow full-on swearing, etc. on regular TV channels after 2100, so it has more edge.

5. Survivor - another consistently good reality competition show. Despite the repetitiveness of the conceit, strangely never gets boring. And Russell rules.

6. Modern Family - easily the funniest network-TV U.S. sitcom. Owes a huge debt to The Office (UK).

7. Curb Your Enthusiasm - easily the funniest sitcom. Period. Owes a huge debt to The Office (UK)...which owes a huge debt to Larry David. Chicken and egg, see?

8. Justified - modern-day Western based on an Elmore Leonard (Jackie Brown, Out of Sight, Get Shorty) short story. Timothy Olyphant = most badass chracter on TV.

9. True Blood - just simply trashy fun. Vampirey, bloody, sexy, nudie, violent-y, funny, scary fun.

10. Glee - the musical numbers alone are the reason this makes the list...'cause it ain't anything else about it.

11. Archer - easily the funniest cable-TV sitcom. Owes a huge debt to, well, I don't know, actually. Animated spy hijinks. Adults only.

12. Friday Night Lights - ostensibly about high-school (American) football, but oh, it's so much more than that. Some of the best acting on TV.

13. America's Next Top Model - I have no real reason WHY you should be watching this except for "TYRA MAIL!" and "Two beautiful girls stand before me, but I only have one photo and this photo represents the girl who's still in the running toward becoming America's Next Top Model."

14. The Trip - Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. Two comedic geniuses. Consistently brilliant.

15. The Office (US version) - though it's kind of fashionable to hate on this right now and proclaim it to be not as good as it once was, it's still hilarious and the haters can suck it.

16. 10 O'Clock Live - a kind of British "The Daily Show" and "Real Time with Bill Maher" in one, with the awesome Charlie Brooker and the slightly less awesome David Mitchell, Lauren Laverne and Jimmy Carr.

17. The Rachel Maddow Show - though you may not agree with her politics, you can't say she isn't completely fair (unlike Olbermann, Maher, etc.). Possibly the smartest person on TV.

18. The Daily Show - though it's been said before, it's still pretty amazing to think that in order to get "un-spun" news, you have to watch Comedy Central.


3 comments:

Cam-Fu said...

You should check out Portlandia. A new fave of mine.

Carlos said...

Yeah, I did...we liked it, even more than Onion News Network. Have only seen the first episode so far, though...will be downloading more.

Cam-Fu said...

Cool. The second episode is good, too. Third episode plays tonight! Totally my style of humor, so I really enjoy it. Plus, it's about Portland, and Portland is awesome.