Media Maven Musings

Summer is the season of possibilities. We spend time lying by the beach or pool, going on vacations, trying out new activities we don’t have time for during the rest of the busy year. If you’re like me, summer is the time for watching TV shows on DVD. Our regular primetime favs are all on hiatus, and with our new summer-esque flexible tv schedule, there is ample opportunity to explore those tv shows we’ve been meaning to check out but haven’t yet had time for.

So fire up those Netflix accounts, because I’m about to reveal to you the 10 best shows on TV that you simply must catch up on this summer, in order to be ready for the next new season, whenever that may be. As always, a few parameters: I’m not going to include shows no longer on the air (but if you’re wondering, Extras, Veronica Mars, Arrested Development, Deadwood and Rome would be some of the best options there), shows I know are good but haven’t yet watched myself ( like The Wire ), shows that are popular enough that I assume you already watch them (like Heroes, The Office, The Sopranos or Entourage), or shows that don’t require any catching up on to enjoy (like 24 or My Name Is Earl). That being said, here are my top ten choices, in order, for shows you simply must catch up on before the next season debuts (NOTE- I’ve also included my favorite episode of each show. These are some of the best episodes of tv ever. If you can only watch one from each show, let it be these):

10. 30 Rock – Season 2 premieres Fall 07 on NBC

This show’s buzz has been getting louder and louder with eac h episode, as critics and fans alike have begun tuning in to what has become one of television’s best comedies. Somehow, this series written/starring/executive produced by Tina Fey, is able to display the very funniest essence of each of its main characters. Tina Fey is equal parts lovable and laughable, Tracy Morgan plays crazy/absurd better than just about anybody (remember his Woodrow sketch on SNL?), and Alec Baldwin is downright hysterical as Jack Donaghy, stealing every scene he’s in. Most people also find Jack McBreyer as Kenneth the NBC Page to be funny in his simple sort of way, though with powerhouse comedians Baldwin and Morgan in the cast, anytime to devoted to other actors is wasted time in my book. The show’s premise is simple, as each episode takes us behind the scenes at a late-night NBC sketch show run by Fey’s character Liz Lemon, starring Morgan’s Tracy Jordan, and overseen by boss Baldwin. Based on Fey’s own experience at Saturday Night Live, each episode is short and sweet, full of guaranteed laughs. In terms of plot, there’s no need to catch up because there aren’t really any serialized story arcs to follow, but believe me, this a show you’ll want to enjoy from the very first episode.

Favorite Episode: Season 1 – “The Rural Juror”

9. Scrubs – Season 7 premieres Fall 07 on NBC

Miraculously, despite Zach Braff’s asking price of 350,000 smackeroos per episode, Scrubs will be back this fall for its seventh and final season. For the past six years, Scrubs has consistently been one of the most original, innovative and charming comedies on television. One of the very first single-camera comedies (think back to 2000–can you even think of another single-camera comedy back then?), Scrubs has thrived on its perfect blend of absurd and surreal humor mixed with very real and relatable personal issues and emotional poignancy. Led by a stellar core cast of comic actors both young and old (most overrated – Braff as Dr. John Dorian, most underrated – Ken Jenkins as Chief of Medicine Bob Kelso), Scrubs is constantly bending and breaking its own rules of narrative discourse. The operational aesthetic, a term I used in described last week’s post on the Lost season finale, is constantly at work, as we are treated to episodes like “My Musical,” an episode done entirely in song, or “My Life in Four Cameras,” an episode shot to look like an old-fashioned sitcom. You’ve only got one season left before this show is gone for ever, and plot-wise, the stakes have never been hire for our old friend J.D. While catching up on the most recent season will help you most in terms of story, the real gems of the series come from the middle seasons, like 3-5, where the show really hits its stride comically (TV Scholar note- doesn’t it always seem like comedies take a couple of years to hit their stride? Think about Seinfeld or Friends. The exception of course is Arrested Development, which was perfect from episode 2.) Don’t miss out on this television rarity before it’s too late.

Favorite Episode: Season 5 – “My Way Home” **This is one of my favorite tv episodes ever. It’s simply brilliant.

8. South Park – Season 11 continues 10/03/07 on Comedy Central

There’s no doubt that all of you have heard of South Park, and I’m guessing that most of you have even seen an episode or two. If you aren’t an avid watcher, you probably had the same thoughts as I did when you first saw the show, something along the lines of “This is really funny, but it’s mostly toilet humor, mostly about a bunch of kids, and it’s for teens, not adults.” Well, though show may have begun like this back in 1997, I can assure that this is no longer the case. On the contrary, South Park is one of the sharpest and best written social satires ever to be on television. In the same way that Sacha Baron Cohen can make the everyday American look like a humongous idiot, Trey Parker, the main brain behind SP, ridicules everyone from Tom Cruise to hippies to Hillary Clinton to P.E.T.A. to Michael Jackson to the religious right. No famous individual or public interest group is safe from the scathing sketches of Parker and Co. on this witty, brilliant show. With it’s easy to produce animation, no other show on television has to ability to be as current and topical as South Park. If someone makes an ass of themselves in the media on Tuesday, you can bet that South Park will make an ass out of them on Wednesday. While you’ve got 10 previous seasons of hilarity to choose from, I would suggest watching anything from seasons 5-10, as nearly every episode is a true gem of maniacal mockery. Not watching this show is like not watching The Daily Show during the presidential elections– you’re just depriving yourself of the very best humor in the field.

Favorite Episode: Season 10 – “Make Love, Not Warcraft”

7. Big Love – Season 2 begins 06/11/07 on HBO

One of the most underrated shows to debut last year, Big Love is the perfect summer treat. It’s dramatic without being heavy, beautifully shot and acted, and truly unlike anything else on television. The show stars Bill Paxton as modern polygamist Bill Hendrickson, father to 3 sets of children and 3 very different wives, who each live in their own house on the same stretch of sidewalk. There’s older, wiser first wife Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn, who is sensational in this role), selfish, destructive second wife Nikki (Chloe Sevigny, the wife you love to hate), and young, winsome third wife Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin, who is as endearing as she is heartbreaking). Season One requires a bit of patience to get through, as the first few episodes serve more to ground us in the crazy life of the Hendrickson clan before kicking of the season’s main action. But once the ball gets rolling, it doesn’t quit until all hell breaks lose in the season finale. As you can always expect from an HBO program, the series is intelligent, unique, easy on the eyes, and better than about 90% of anything else on television. The first season is only 12 episodes long and is currently available on both DVD or HBO On-Demand. I would suggest you start watching now so you can catch up in time for the Season Two premiere in a few short weeks. If you get to episode 6 and are still uninterested, you can quit, but give it at least that long to get hooked. Like the Soup Nazi’s Malagitani that needs to simmer before its perfect, let this patient series unfold and I promise you won’t be sorry.
Favorite Episode: Season 1 – “Affair”

6. Weeds – Season 3 begins 08/06/07 on Showtime

As with the rest of the shows on this list, Weeds is not quite like anything else on television. The premise alone distinguishes it from being even closely related to any other series: Weeds follows one Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker, sure to be a fixture at the Emmy’s as long as this show is on the air), a newly widowed mother of two who, as a perennial bad decision-maker, becomes a pot dealer in order to keep her fatherless family afloat. The heart of the program is this and other similar paradoxes: on the surface, everything is hunky dory in the affluent California valley suburb of Agrestic, but behind closed doors, everyone has more than their share of issues and unorthodox behavior (to say the least). The show is your quintessential dramedy, with each shocking or dramatic moment balanced by an equally shocking moment of hilarity. While the writing and storylines of the series are extremely compelling, the show only works as well as it does because of its sensational ensemble. Parker inhabits Nancy Botwin so completely that it’s a struggle to remember that she’s only acting. While the main dramatic action circles around the human whirlwind that is Nancy, the real treasures on this show are Nancy’s family and friends. Kevin Nealon as Doug and Elizabeth Perkins as Celia steal every single scene their in, as does Nancy’s youngest son, Shane, played to perfection by the young Alexander Gould. I could go on and on, listing every wonderful character, but in truth, there isn’t a single character I don’t enjoy watching (except maybe Season Two’s Peter. Yeah, I hate that guy.) This show will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will certainly make you think. And with it’s August start date, it’s the perfect way to end your summer on a “high” note.

Favorite Episode: Season Two – “Cooking With Jesus”

5. Friday Night Lights – Season 2 begins Fall 07 on NBC

The fact that I can even include this series in this list is remarkable, for if this show were on any other network, you can be sure it would’ve been canceled after this year’s basement-dwelling ratings. But the good folks over at NBC, lead by recently deposed head Kevin Reilly, made the right call in giving this Peabody winner (in it’s first season!) a shot at a sophomore season. I’m shocked that I haven’t blogged about this show yet in full, disgusted in fact, because if there’s a show on here that will truly appeal to everybody, its probably FNL. There is football action for the boys, a plethora of common adolescent ailments (love, abuse, betrayal, college applications, you name it) for the teens, the most realistic portrayal of a married couple I’ve ever seen on television for the adults, and the exploration of a variety of social relevant issues (without ever seeming forced or preachy) from steroid use to the war in Iraq to racism and everything in between for, well, everyone. I defy you to find a person who cannot empathize with or somehow relate to the characters on this show. The acting is superb and subtle, led by the fantastic Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton as Coach Eric Taylor and Mrs. Tami Taylor. Every teen actor is also terrific and totally natural. This show is so understated and organic it often feels like a sports documentary because it just seems so realistic. I dare you to watch this show and not become completely absorbed with these characters; when they win, you win and when their dreams are dashed, it feels like yours are too. So, if I haven’t yet been clear, let me try again: As far as traditional dramas go (meaning I’m not including cult tv shows like Lost or Heroes), THIS IS THE BEST ONE ON TELEVISION. You can quote me on that now and thank me later. Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!
Favorite Episode: Season One – “Git ‘Er Done”

4. Battlestar Galactica – Season 4 begins 01/08 on Sci-Fi

This show will go down in history as one of the best cable tv series ever. I know it seems like a tall order, but it’s God’s honest truth. There’s so much to say about this show, it’s difficult to know where to begin. I guess I can start by saying that its one of my five favorite shows currently on television, and I haven’t even caught up with the most recent season(3) yet! The production value on this show is enormously high. The special effects are superb, the sets and costumes are all wonderful, and the show is consistently well written, well directed, and ALWAYS well acted. Led by veterans Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonald (the white lady in Dances With Wolves. “Ohhh, her!”), the large ensemble cast (a mainstay of cult tv shows like this, Lost, Heroes, etc.) is just fantastic. James Callis as Dr. Gaius Baltar is especially good, and I can assure that if the Emmy’s and Golden Globes (and every other awards show ever) were based on actual talent and not a popularity/who has the most buzz contest, he would be a lock for Best Supporting Actor (I’ll be giving you my own Dream Emmy Ballot soon, have no fear). Add all this to one of the best premises for a tv series I can think of (All but 50,000 humans are annihilated by a race of robots called Cylons, who were created by man. The surviving humans must roam the galaxy under the protection of a single military vessel, the Battlestar Galactica, as they are continually pursued by the Cylons, who, by the way, are indistinguishable from actual humans. Crazy.) The show starts off with a mind-blowing 3 hour miniseries that sets the entire rest of the series in motion. If you can get through that miniseries without wanting to immediately watch every single episode of Battlestar in existence, I will eat my own fracking words.

Favorite Episode: Season 2 – “Lay Down Your Burdens”

3. Lost – Season 4 begins 02/08 on ABC

You read that correctly. February 2008! 9 long months from now! I can hardly bear it! But on the bright side, it means that all you people who have been living under a rock for the past three years and haven’t gotten into Lost have ample time to do so. I spoke a lot about what makes Lost one of the most important and innovative shows in the history of television in my previous post, but I’ll recount the reasons here briefly. Just as shows like Hill Street Blues, Cagney and Lacey, and St. Elsewhere revolutionized their respective genres and serialized television in general, so too is Lost revolutionizing narratively complex television. When Lost is good, (which isn’t always, but is most of the time), it’s television at its very best and at its highest potential. With an ensemble cast loaded with Emmy-deserving actors, more so than any of the programs I mentioned above, there is a hardly a dull moment on this program. Even better, the producers have shown that no character, no matter how pivotal to the plot, is safe from dying (around a half-dozen or so main characters are already sleeping with the fishes), a statement I can’t make about any other show I’ve ever seen. The structure of each episode, with half the episode focused on the present and half focused on a specific character’s past, is wildly innovative. The enormous scope of the show’s underlying mysteries is staggering and incredibly compelling. Each season finale turns the show completely on it’s head, throwing the audience for a loop and making us re-examine everything we thought to be true. There has never been anything remotely like this on television, ever. And now, by setting an end-date (May 2010) and agreeing to produce only 16 episodes per season, Lost is going to get even better because there won’t be room for anything other than crucial plots without any sort of filler episodes. Furthermore, Lost has the distinction of possessing the single best pilot I’ve ever seen. That’s right. It’s my favorite pilot ever. Just watch this one episode and I swear you’ll never look back.

Favorite Episode: Season 1 – “Pilot”

2. Dexter – Season 2 begins Fall 07 on Showtime

Like some of the other shows on the list, the premise for Dexter should be enough to more than whet your appetite. Dexter Morgan (played to perfection by Six Feet Under’s Michael C. Hall; if he doesn’t get an Emmy nom, I quit life), is a serial killer and like all other serial killers, he has an M.O., a certain type of victim he prefers to kill. Dexter’s favorite victims? Other serial killers. And did I mention that Dexter is a cop? And again, as with many of the other shows on this list, there are numerous other factors that make this show the 2nd most important show you should be watching but aren’t. The production value is extremely high– the show teeters ominously between the violence of Dexter’s leisure time and the unsettling placidity with which he dutifully carries out his “work.” The program also draws a lot of flavor from its setting, the bright and beautiful Miami beach, the perfect innocuous backdrop for the murderous activities that go on when no one is looking. Dexter’s freshman year was without a doubt one of the best first seasons of a show I’ve ever seen, more so than any other show on this list (except maybe Lost). The violence can be a bit gruesome for those of you with a weak stomach for blood, but this is no slasher movie. This is a psychological dramatic thriller of the highest caliber and without a doubt, one of the five best shows on television today. It’s highly intelligent, beautifully shot, terrifically acted, very funny at times, and always highly compelling. Like Lost, there’s never been a show even remotely similar to this one, which is not at all surprising because Dexter is so superior to almost everything on the airwaves. You don’t even need to watch the pilot to get hooked on this one– just watch the opening credits.

Favorite Episode: Season 1 – “Born Free”

1. The 4400 – Season 4 begins 06/17/07 on USA

Once we got to around #5 on this list, it became extremely difficult to rank the remaining series because they’re all so damn good. Maybe I’m biased towards The 4400 because its returning to television the soonest or because I’m currently on disc 4 of Season 2 (I’m just tearing through these babies), but honestly, I think it’s because I was shocked that this show that has no buzz and is generally so underappreciated that I felt I had to go to bat for it and give it the strongest endorsement I possibly could. If you’re a fan of shows like Heroes, Lost, or The X-Files, this will be your new favorite show. It narrowly clocks in ahead of Battlestar as my single favorite cable show and here’s why: 1) With its short, 13-episode seasons, there are no filler episodes and no wasted time. The stakes are incredibly high every single episode and the pace never lets up, not even for a second. 2) The premise is off the chain. Between 1950 and 2003, 4400 people around the globe went missing, each mysteriously disappearing in a flash of light. One day in 2004, all 4400 reappear at the same time with no memory of ever having been gone, only some of them return with incredible abilities. It isn’t comic-booky like X-men or Heroes. These aren’t superheros. These are people with strange, unique gifts that change them and the world forever. 3) Like all good narratively complex television, for every answer we’re given, another question arises to take its place, but we never have to wait too long for that one to be answered as well. It’s a constant flow of mystery then reveal, mystery then reveal, always leaving you satisfied and yet always leaving you starving for more. 4) As with the other cult shows mentioned here, there is a large ensemble cast, comprised mostly of actors totally unknown to any casual viewer, and of course, they are all just fantastic (well, almost all of them). 5) The show is my new favorite example for balancing the episodic with the serial. While each episode introduces us to at least one new member of the 4400 who we will never see again in a future episode, important ground is always covered in terms of the series larger story arcs. Everything feels so organic, its like watching a 13 hour movie rather than a television series. Like Battlestar, 4400 starts off with a 3 hour miniseries, which will suck you in from the first minute and leave you wanting more until you’ve rented the whole series. You’ve only got 2 weeks until season 4 returns. If there is any show that I recommend you fill your summer days with, it is this one. If you’re a fan of narratively complex television or cult tv shows, you owe it to yourself to watch this program. It’s completely original, perfectly executed, and wildly entertaining. So do yourself a favor and watch this show because I promise you will not regret it.

Favorite Episode: Season 2 – “Life Interrupted”** — This is one of the most brilliant episodes of tv I’ve ever watched. If i redid my top ten favorite episodes list, this would be a top 3 pick.

Have you seen these shows? Do you plan on watching them now? Let me know what you think of them!