These shows are ranked in order of quality.
1. Daily Show with Jon Stewart - the first popular talk show ever that addresses real issues with a hard, smart, funny edge coming from the left wing with pride. An ongoing and much-needed critique of the mainstream television media--FOX news in particular, CNN, NBC, et cetera. Jon does something rare. He brings humor to liberal politics. I'm not sure anyone pulls it off as well as he does. He's better than Carson, Leno and all the rest. Those guys are good, but Jon hits on real topics and digs deep.
2. Mad Men - fans of retro will love this show about ad agencies in the 1960s. This is well-written drama at its finest, mildly subversive, and has plenty of sex appeal.
3. Peep Show - this comedy gets low ratings in the UK and is not well known in the USA. However, DVD sales are very high, which has resulted in the show's contract being renewed for a sixth season. Don't pay attention to ratings--this show features the best writing on television, period. I explained why here.
4. That Mitchell and Webb Look - featuring the same actors as in No. 3. A British variety show little known in the USA, this is one of the funniest comedy shows around.
5. Little Britain - a hilarious but decidedly unintellectual comedy that gets laughs on its abundance of humor concerning gays, fat people, old people, the handicapped and transvestites. Despite the potential for causing offense, this show comes across as light-hearted and not mean-spirited in any way and is very funny. However, it has received criticism from some in the media that may not discern the subtle messages in the humor. My advice? Lighten up. These guys are poking fun at themselves for the most part. Think about it. As for the criticism over the vulgarity, well, yes, the show is quite vulgar. Don't let your grandmother watch it unless she is down with that.
6. Torchwood - a science fiction fantasy drama based in Cardiff, Wales, concerning the heroic work of a group of independent agents invested with the task of defending Earth from aliens. I know what you're thinking. This is better than it sounds. For one thing, it's sexy, whether you're straight or gay. There's a little something for everyone, or rather a lot of something. Also, the writing is pretty good, and the lead character is a tough, bisexual, good-looking stud, John Barrowman. This show is closely related to the Doctor Who series and has co-opted much of the Doctor Who plotline. In fact, Doctor Who and related characters make occasional appearances in this show.
7. Beautiful People - here is an example of something I never thought I would see in my lifetime, a comedy about a gay thirteen year-old! I wish television had shows like this when I was growing up. It would have made my life about ten times easier, just knowing I wasn't the only one! The show is not perfect--its script isn't top-notch like Peep Show. But it's a refreshing novelty from the UK, where so many good shows originate.
8. Doctor Who - I rank this at the bottom only because of its inconsistency. Some shows are outstanding, while others, about 25%, are mediocre at best. This show is targeted to children, and the plot tends to be super-cheesy, whereas Torchwood's plot is merely cheesy. However, it's worthy of mention, and its relatedness to Torchwood merits a watch. I was disappointed when David Tennant replaced the former Doctor Who, Christopher Eccleston. Tennant's face, while prettier, seems to only be capable of one expression. I preferred Christopher Eccleston, a better actor by any measure. The departure of Billie Piper as the Doctor's companion was a major loss, because she injected much-needed sex appeal into the show.
No comments:
Post a Comment