My Morning TV

Since 2000 there have been a lot of great television shows out there.  I have searched the internet for the best tv shows & I automatically run into a few situations.  1st – Most articles never extend outside of their borders, IE British, Australian, or American.  2nd – How many shows have the person writing the article actually seen? What shows haven’t they seen?  I hope that in this article you will see how different this is from my predecessors.

First I am going to start by notable tv shows I have not yet seen:  Vampire Diaries, Mad men (both british & American), Greys Anatomy, Big Bang Theory, Game of Thrones, Board Walk Empire,  Heroes & The Sopranos

Below is the 25 TV Shows you need to go out and watch if you haven’t already!

25. Camelot - I had high hopes for this show really because of my love for mythology and history.  Because there is very little history of Merlin and King Arthur this show has been able to capture a unique and satisfying storyline.  Joseph Fiennes is really the most fun to watch on the show as he portrays a Merlin character that no one has ever seen.

24.  Castle – With a long series on ABC, it can be hard to create twists and turns to a plot that really work, but the acting has been superb making the show worth while. Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle shows he can act in just about any role by playing a rich and fun writer that hasn’t lost touch with the real world in this crime fighting drama.

23.  Modern Family – The best family comedy on tv since Married with Children and it only took the same actor Ed O’Neill to do it.  This show succeeds in part because the cast but also in part because the story line so closely reminds us of situations that come up in the home all the time.

22.  Flash Forward – I would have placed this show a lot higher on the list if it was able to catch on for a second season. If you are a science fiction fan who loves bad ass characters this is the show for you. Again Joseph Fiennes plays a unforgettable role where he is breaking the code that with just a matter of time is ending the world as we know it.  I feel this show didn’t succeed in a large part because the world is just not ready for a show so complex and so out there.

21.  Detroit 187 – Michael Imperioli who played on the Soprano gets his first lead role as a strange yet bad ass cop on the streets of Detroit.  Him alone makes this show worth watching as he takes you on an adventure through the obstacles he faces day in and day out on the job.

20. Monk – AKA Tony Shalhoub  is quite possibly the strangest character ever on tv, Monk is someone who is unforgettable and just a pleasure to watch and get to know as the series evolves. For a long time I referred Monk as to the 2000′s version of Columbo and would say the writing is every bit as good.

19.  Shameless -Never has there been such a show with characters that have such strong personalities.  This show is the epitome of broken family that brings drama to tv in an extreme passion with Love, Laughter, Sadness, and turmoil. I’ve listed the American version here, but there is also a British version of this show 8 seasons long that I have not seen. It looks like they both follow similar plot lines  and because of that I definitely plan on watching the british show as well.

18. Misfits – So many super hero shows! So many, but this show.. well let’s just say they hit it out of the park!  This british show isn’t trying to be the action packed thriller or the sci-fi adventure but more of a drama about a group of teenagers gaining super powers and having to learn to live life with them.  This creates a great character ensemble, that the viewer can’t help but enjoy.

17.  Eureka – The best show on the Syfy Network! This takes place in a little genius town where scientists all are building the next big thing. Of-course, what great scientist isn’t just a little mad?  This is a great comedy that has sadly hit it’s maximum when it comes to ratings and SyFy is going to end the series next season in 2012.

16.  It’s always Sunny in Philadelphia – Maybe it’s because I live right around the block from Philadelphia that I love this show, or maybe it’s the song “Day Man” .. but, when it boils right down to it – this show is hysterical and has shown a long lasting 7 plus seasons of tv on the Comedy Central network.

15.  Falling Skies – The sci-fi adventure that aired the summer of 2011 impressed on many levels. The graphic representation of the creatures was superb, the videography was great, acting was near perfect and the story line ‘so far’ fit very well. I would have rated this show much higher if not for AMC having another very similar plot for a show called ‘The Walking Dead’.

14.  Psych – This is the only other USA Original series that made it on my list.  This show is purely one of a kind as it takes comedy and mixes in crime fighting so well.  James Roday &  Dule Hill work great in their roles as best friends who are opposites in so many ways yet love acting childish and reminding us that we don’t have to be serious all the time.

13.  Stargate Universe – Stargate SG1, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate universe are three amazing shows.  If I were to pick one of them for anyone It would have to be this one! First, the videoography in certain scenes are put together like an art form which can be a rarity in any show.  Second, this show unlike the other Stargate series dives right into the characters and gets into their psyche. The actors especially ‘_______’ do an exceptional job and really keep you in love for the ride. I would recommend this show to just about anyone!

12.  Curb your Enthusiasm – Seinfeld was great and if this was greatest shows of all time it would have made my top 25 list, no doubt! But, Larry David really goes wild in this show!  The reason this comedy is an instant classic and completely unique is because of Larry Davids ability to take something so simple and so normal and bring it to an extreme.  I would tell you to watch this show, but if you do – I have to caution you!  You might end up becoming a bit like Larry David and that means saying things you probably wouldn’t normally say.

11.  Entourage – The mans version of Sex and the city but with much better acting and a stronger plot line.  Adrian Greenier plays a young Movie star in Vincent Chase who brings all his friends with him to Hollywood as he begins his new career. The show has tons of drama, heartache and comedy. A must see for any guy, but good enough that your girlfriend would enjoy it to.

10. The Inbetweeners – The greatest British comedy I have ever seen! A story about four typical teenagers growing up in the suburbs. I strongly suggest you tune into this show to watch these guys experience the great things in life: ones first car, sex, the hot girlfriend, and more!  Each day I beat myself up for not flying to England when The Inbetweeners Movie came out in 2011! Aghh.. Great show!

09. Merlin – This is a show about magic, love, and the growing of King Arthur.  If you read number 25 you already know how the stories of King Arthur & Merlin have mostly been lost as it happened at a time where much of history wasn’t well documented.  This show builds on an amazing story line with a sub-plot for each and every episode.  You won’t be able to help yourself fall in love with the characters as they make the show what it is.

08. Breaking Bad – I know people who have battled and beat cancer, and I sadly know a few others that have fell to the scariest disease I have seen in my life time.  This original story headed by Bryan Cranston is at his best in this show by playing a drug producing/dealing character on the brink of destruction. He is funny, mean, scary, and straight up crazy!  This is just a great show especially for anyone looking to learn about dealing drugs.

07. The Walking Dead – If you read number 15 on my list, I reference this show having a similar yet amazing plot style to it.  The Walking Dead rates much higher on my list though for a few reasons. 1. It came out about six months earlier then Falling Skies & 2. Zombie stories are sadly much rarer then the typical Alien tv show.

06. Sherlock – The Sherlock Holmes movie came out a few years back, but every time I goto watch it – i’m just not that interested! The sad thing is, it’s because of this show.  Sherlock is a new BBC Series that takes the characters of the Sherlock Holmes series and places it into the 21st century.  Watching Sherlock mess with people using modern day technology is bloddy brilliant and just a fantastic show! Funny, Dramatic, Action Packed and just some of the greatest acting seen on television.  The show is an hour and a half long and beats the movie to bits it does.

05. Dexter –  Do you enjoy Killing people? Hopefully not!  But, Dexter does and more importantly he works for the Miami Police. This show has a unique plot about a young boy growing up as a killer whose father has trained him to only kill murderers. In this series you would follow dexter on the trail of sick serial killers and watch them die by his hands.  A show that is filled with gore, romance, and plenty of drama – this is a great show for just about anyone.

04. The X-Files – David Duchovny is Immaculate in the Sci-fi show that aired on fox for 9 seasons. This is a story about two FBI agents exploring the unanswered questions and mysteries surrounding us such as: Lochness Monster, Aliens,  Bigfoot and more.  Although the overall plot to this show was a bit complex and a bit confusing for some – the show lasted more off the acting and the new story lines each week.  The perfect mix of detective work and fantasy really made the X-Files one of the scariest and most dramatic shows ever on television.

03. FireFly -  Some years in the future the Human race has grown large enough to expand out into different planets.  This series is based on the Human Race now living in a solar system with many planets that are capable of maintaining human habitat. Staring Nathan Fillion, he again makes for a special character who is a crooked yet caring captain of a transporter ship in this wild galaxy.  I can’t help but wish there were more episodes to this show, because every minute was just to fun to watch.

02. Arrested Development -  This show was sadly short lived on FOX as it had to sum up everything in just 3 short seasons.  Part of the down fall for this show is that it was much different then your typical comedy. One can’t just jump in and begin watching from any episode – Instead the episodes build up on each other much like a drama – which in turn made the punch lines that much greater. Arrested Development kickstarted many careers as well: Jason Batemen, Will Arnet, David Cross, & Michael Cera. The cast was top notch & the story was just as great. A different kind of comedy that bleeped curse words & didn’t have a laugh track. Be careful when you laugh watching this show, because your guaranteed to miss another joke!  Just in – Huffington Post Has told us AD is coming back for 10 more episodes and a movie

01. LOST – Greatest show of all time!  Once you turn this show on it’s hard to turn it off. If you haven’t seen the show yet then you are one of the lucky ones!  The rest of us had to wait months at a time to find out what would happen next.. Characters were written beautifully – each one was very relatable and yet very unique.  The story was never told before and developed very well through all 6 seasons.  You will laugh, Cry, Stress out, and be scared out of your minds!  This is the show of the decade!

Notable shows that I love but just couldn’t validate to place on this list: Robin Hood, Spaced,  Haven, Green Wing, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Testees, The League, Wilfred (both australian & american versions), Bones, Castle, Workaholics, Survivors, The Event, Persons Unknown, Two & a Half Men, Outsourced, Burn Notice, House, 4400, Gavin & Stacey,  -  Possibly with more seasons & more plot development some of these shows could eventually change my mind.

Other TV shows I’ve seen: The Cape, Happy Endings, Mike & Molly, Raising Hope, The Under Covers, Mr. Sunshine, Chase, No Ordinary Family, Shit My Dad Says, Life on Mars, Glee, Suits, Un-Hitched, True Blood,.. Really this list can go on forever!