10. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Okay, so I'm cheating with this one as it began in late '99 but it really hit its stride in the mid 2000's. This show was different from the regular series, not just in the type of cases but with how the stories were structured. Unlike regular Law and Order, the focus was mostly outside the courtroom and actually delved into the personal lives of the two lead detectives, played by Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay, who brought a lot to their characters and made you feel connected with them. Like the regular series, there are guest stars by the score; one of my favorite guest stars being Martin Short, who gives a great performance as the perverted faux psychic. Unfortunately, like other crime shows, Law & Order: SVU became formulaic with the stories and went into familiar territory in terms of character development. But I believer the seasons from 2003 to 20 are the strongest in the series and well worth watching.
9. Criminal Minds
The show came in the wave of more scientific crime show (CSI, Numbers, etc) and what set this show apart for me was Mandy Patinkin as the lead investigator. I just love how Patinkin he delivers dialogue and seems to know what he's talking about rather than other shows where they just speak in technobable hoping that's enough to pass off as intelligent (okay, that's a bit snobbish but still it's a pet peeve of mine). The first couple seasons are really good but it falls into formula writing and trying to top itself in terms of "how sick we can make this guy?" But the first couple of seasons rise above that and deliver some truly engaging television.
8. Heroes
The first season and a bit of the second are some of my favorite television moments. Sadly the show has "jumped the shark," and lost all sense of direction. But when it started the had characters who I cared about and was interested in. Characters like Sylar, HRG, and Mr Linderman. Of course Hiro and Claire were the show's poster children and were pretty good characters as well. I think my favorite episodes would have to be the pilot and "Company Man," which features HRG and presents a really fantastic narrative. The reason Season 1 worked was the writers knew the endpoint of the season, the potential devastation of New York, and knew how to move the plot forward . Why the seasons that came after didn't work was because it seemed like the writers were just throwing stuff out and there and saw what stuck. But season 1 is good enough to overide that and make it as number 8 on my top ten.
7. Joan of Arcadia
Alright, I might get flack for two things, 1) this series can be considered a "chick show" and 2) the religious nature of the show. I, being a future theatre major, really don't follow what is guy or girl oriented in terms of entertainment, unless it's Twilight (sparkling vampires, need I say more) and by far am not a religious person, but there is something just so alluring about Joan of Arcadia. Some would say it is a morality play or a dignified after-noon special but I never felt that. I revisited the series and I still like it. I really enjoy the concept and the ensemble cast led by Amber Tamblyn. I really came to care for the characters and even the actors who play God were good. This may be in part due to the writing as the God character was not defined as Jewsih, Christian, or Muslim but as a general higher power, ie the god for agnostics. This was helped as instead of scripture, this God would quote songwriters, authors, and philosophers and remained a very friendly and even humorous God. Sadly the show, despite popularity and critical acclaim, was canceled in its 2nd season with a cliffhanger ending that leaves you wanting more. Still Joan of Arcadia was a great show that mixed comedy, drama, pathos, and philosophy all into a nice little package that makes it to number 7 on my list.
6.Lost
Like Heroes, Lost had a phenomonial 1st season, the 2nd and 1st half of the 3rd, like Heroes, felt as if they didn't really know where they were going. Thankfully, the writers decided on an end point and where able to map a coheasive story from there on. I like the ensemble cast as it gives the viewer a pick from several people to root for. I think the characters that really keep my interest are Locke, Ben, Desmond, and Sawyer. Each of these characters are fleshed out and were painted in shades of gray rather than black and white. Episodes like "The Constant," "Walkabout," "Man Behind the Curtain," "Through the Looking Glass," and "The 23rd Pslam," really show great storytelling ability. Its just about to start its final season and I'm really excited to see how it all ends.
5. The West Wing
Again I'm cheating as The West Wing started in the fall of '99 but the show's bulk occured from 2000-20006. The show was one of those revolutionary shows in how shows where filmed, how shows were written, and what tv shows could cover in terms of material. Granted political material had been covered by shows like Murphy Brown but the West Wing had optimism that most shows that cover politics do not. It was optimistic about government and politics in a time where politics became truly divisive, which was abreath of fresh air. It took complex issues and spoke about them in an intelligent and witty manner. Granted it did have a left-leaning view but thats because it took place in a democratic presidency and did bring in inteligent members of the opposition such as Arnold Vinick and Ansley Hayes. The cast was fantastic, from Allison Janney as CJ Craig, Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman, John Spencer as Leo McGarry, and of course Martin Sheen as President Jed Bartlet. Granted it did dip in quality in sesons 4 and 5 but the first 4 seasons and the last two seasons are fantastic. Classic episodes are "The Stackhouse Filibuster," "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen," "Two Cathedrals," "Bartlet for America," "Noel," "And It's Surely To Their Credit," the list of the really great episodes can go on and on and on. Which shows that when this show was at its strongest, it was powerful, witty, and memorable, and why it makes its way to the number 5 spot on my countdown.
4. Life on Mars
To answer your question, yes this was a tv series in America but the British original is far superior in terms of acting, storytelling, and visuals. The British show ran for two eight episode series that really tell a complete and engaging story. For those of you who don't know Life on Mars is about a modern day cop, Sam Tyler, who gets hit by a car and wakes up in 1973. On of my favorite movies is the original Back to the Future and I'm a fan of classic rock, which this show provides by the score. But it also has elements of the buddy cop genre and even a psychological drama as Sam doesn't know if he's in a coma, insane, or has actually traveled back in time. The buddy cop genre comes into play with the relationship between Sam Tyler, played by John Simm, and Police Chief Gene Junt, played by Phillip Glenister, who work really well of each other. When the ABC remade the show for America and I heard Harvey Keitel was taking over the Gene Hunt role, I was somewhat excited but sadly he really couldn't equal what Glenister brings to this role. I won't give away the story and I would really compel anyone who loves a good scifi, detective, or psychological show to watch it as it does have a little bit of something for everyone. Of the sixteen episodes, my favorites are the Pilot, episode 6 of series 1 and episode 1 of series 2. You can get the show on DVD now in America and if you can netflix it I would advise you to do so. As Bowie says in the titular song, "Take a look at the lawman" making his way to number 4 on my list.
3. Slings and Arrows
Okay for those outside the theatre world, I don't expect you to know this show as it is originally a Canadian show that aired on premium American cable. The entire series is available on DVD and it is worth watching! The show takes place at a failing Shakespeare Festival and each season has parallels to that season's flagship production: Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear. The idea of a show that has its bases in Shakespearean text may drive some away but Shakespeare or not it's a damn good drama. The show has some of the writers of Kids in the Hall and that dark humor does shine through but it also features some of Canada's best actors working today: Paul Gross, Martha Burns, Mark McKinney, Stephen Ouimette, Don McKellar, and a pre-famous Rachel McAdams. What I loes is despite the larger than life characters and concept the show still feels very real, just like any well performed Shakespeare play. The dialogue is some of the best I've ever heard: "Everyone cries when they're stabbed," "theatre ethics! That's like saying whore house morals," "Excuse me, we are trying to rehearse a play, would you mind shutting the fuck up?" The show lasted three seasons, six episodes each, and it feels like one flowing story, Like a good piece of Shakespeare, it is beautifully written, beautifully acted, beautifully paced, and it is just an amazing series. You can see the 1st and 2nd on youtube and you owe it to yourself to see what great TV our neighbors to the North can make.
2. Doctor Who/Torchwood
I am a huge lover of all things british and I love fantasy and sci-fi. While Doctor Who began in 1963, it was revived in 2005 with a sleak, new look, epic writing from Russel T. Davies, and new Doctor(s). For those who don't know Doctor Who is about a time traveling alien who can change is face and personality every time he "dies," so several actors can play variations on a single great character. The new series introduced the 9th (Christopher Ecceleston) and 10th (David Tennant) Doctors who have become two of my favorite characters. The show could be funny, dramatic, and even heartbreaking. One thing that helps that is Murray Gold's epic score that really sets the mood and has some memorable bits. My favorite episodes from 2005-2009 are "Blink," "Human Nature," "Midnight," "Father's Day," "An Empty Child," really I have some many favorite episodes of the new series. The show did have a spinoff, Torchwood, about a secret government agency that protected England against all extra-terrestrial threats, with a good deal of camp value to it. Sort of like X-Files meets Scooby Doo, but in a good way. The series had some great episodes during its first two seasons, "Small Worlds," "Everything Changes," "Countrycide," "Adrift," the deadman trilogy, and "Exit Wounds." But the third season was an amazingly tight narrative with some great acting especially from the main characters (John Barrowman, Eva Myles, and Gareth David-Lloyd) and Peter Capaldi that took some great dark turns and had some of the best moments in drama that I have seen in a long time. These shows are just sheer epic and I love every minute of them.
1. Boston Legal
My favorite show, I am serious, this is a show that I can watch again and again and again still laugh, still think, and still be engaged. The show's lofty writing style and quirky plot and character elements are sheer fun. What really grounds the show are the two leads: James Spader and William Shatner. This is one of the best bromances (yes I just used that word) in television. You really feel that these characters care for each other despite their differences. The fact that Shatner can crack me up merely by saying two words, "Denny Crane," at any occasion shows how great the comedy of this show is. The show has an amazing supporting cast: Christian Clemenson, Candice Bergen, Mark Valley, Julie Bowen, John Larroquette, and René Auberjonois. All of them have great comic timing but can switch to drama on the drop of a hat. One of my favorite non-Denny Crane(Shatner) or Alan Shore (James Spader) is Jerry "Hands" Espenson played by Christian Clemenson, who creates one of the most adorably awkward characters I have seen. The writing is both lofty and self conscious and witty, this show is notorious for breaking the 4th wall which makes the show all the more fun. The lofty writing comes in the form of closing arguements, usually by Alan Shore, who delivers a left-leaning political message but is still insightful and the writers know it can be preachy, as they mention when they break the 4th wall. My favorite episodes would be "Legal Deficits," "The Cancer Man Can (with a great guest appearance by Michael J Fox)," "Stick It," "Hired Guns," "Lincoln," "Dumping Bella," and one of my favorite episodes of any tv show, "The Son of the Defender." "The Son of the Defender," is a powerful hour of television that doesn't delve into any hot button issues but examines Denny Crane and the tricks he used as a young lawyer, leading to a great hostage situation with some flashbacks to a young William Shatner and great use of the song "And So It Goes," by Billy Joel.
Alright, I think that's all I have to say on Boston Legal. So those are my top ten dramas of the decade and remember it's my opinion and mine alone, if you feel I might have left something off the list comment about it. Tell me if you think I should post more lists or if I should just stick to writing about my life. Well until next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment