TV Preview 2013/2014 – 25 Must-Watch Series, Part 3: 15-11

Part 2: 20-16

Downton Abbey

Rank: 15

Genre: Period Drama

Creator(s): Julian Fellows

Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Lesley Nicol, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Siobhan Finneran, Joanne Froggatt, Rob James-Collier, Phyllis Logan, Sophie McShera, Allen Leech, and Maggie Smith

Channel: Masterpiece Theatre on PBS

Current Season: Fourth

Season Premiere Date: January 5, 2014

Plot Summary: The series looks into the lives of a wealthy English family the Crawleys and their servants in the early twentieth century.

Why It’s Worth Watching: Downton Abbey is addictive, dramatically engrossing, and wonderfully well written. It features many of television’s best characters as well. Two of the most beloved characters were written off the show in season three due to actors asking to leave the series, causing creator Julian Fellows to alter his plans somewhat (and massive fan outrage), but there is no doubt that Fellows will continue to create new stories that will continue to entice and captivate his audience.

Supernatural

Rank: 14

Genre: Horror/Drama

Creator(s): Eric Kripke

Cast: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, and Misha Collins

Channel: The CW

Current Season: Ninth

Season Premiere Date: Fall 2013

Plot Summary: Sam and Dean Winchester hunt and kill all manner of demons, monsters, and supernatural creatures, following in their father’s footsteps.

Why It’s Worth Watching: Supernatural has a ten season plan. Originally, creator Eric Kripke planned the story to be told over five seasons, and after season five he left to pursue his new series Revolution. Sera Gamble took over as the showrunner for seasons six and seven telling a great two season arc. Now new showrunner Jeremy Carver has taken over and has been able to keep the show fresh and just as good as it has ever been.  Fans of fantasy/horror drama need to be watching this show.

Sons of Anarchy

Rank: 13

Genre: Crime Drama

Creator(s): Kurt Sutter

Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal, Mark Boone Junior, Kim Coates, Tom Flanagan, Maggie Siff, and Ron Perlman

Channel: FX

Current Season: Sixth

Season Premiere Date: Fall 2013

Plot Summary: Jax Teller and Clay Morrow are locked in a deadly power struggle for control of the SAMCRO motorcycle club.

Why It’s Worth Watching: Sons of Anarchy is a great gritty crime drama. In many ways it resembles The Shield (which Kurt Sutter wrote on) in its style, tone, and storytelling. Creator Sutter takes risks with his characters and is not afraid to make them complex and even unlikable in moments, but he does it all to enrich the overall narrative (the characters and drama). The series gets its hands dirty, exploring the darker corners of humanity – and it is utterly compelling.

Luther

Rank: 12

Genre: Crime Drama/Mystery Thriller

Creator(s): Neil Cross

Cast: Idris Elba, Warren Brown, Dermot Crowley, and Ruth Wilson

Channel: BBC America

Current Season: Third

Season Premiere Date: September 2013

Plot Summary: DCI John Luther is a brilliant but troubled police detective in London.  His inner darkness makes him particularly equipped to take on the most ruthless killers, but it also often leads him down a path towards self-destruction. 

Why It’s Worth Watching: There are too many procedural cop series on television right now – far too many. Yet, Luther (and Sherlock) feels totally fresh. This is due to Neil Cross’s stellar writing and Idris Elba’s fantastic performance as Luther. The dynamic between Luther and meticulous killer/friend Alice Morgan is one of the best and most interesting on television (and yes, she returns for season three). After a hiatus Luther is finally back.

The Walking Dead

Rank: 11

Genre: Horror/Drama

Creator(s): Frank Darabont

Cast: Andrew Lincoln, Steven Yuen, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden, Norman Reedus, Lauren Cohan, and Scott Wilson

Channel: AMC

Current Season: Fourth

Season Premiere Date: October 2013

Plot Summary: Zombies have overrun the world. Lead by police officer Rick Grimes, a small group tries to survive as they seek shelter.

Why It’s Worth Watching: Original showrunner Frank Darabont (who developed the graphic novel for TV) was fired by AMC after season one due to creative differences – but in all honesty, season one was very disappointing. Glen Mazzara took over for seasons two and three and the show became one of the best series on television, but Mazzara is leaving the show now too due to creative differences with AMC regarding where to take the series. Scott Gimple has been promoted to take over running the series. Will The Walking Dead remain brilliant or will it fall back to being the lessor series it was during season one? We shall see. Gimple wrote many of the great episodes of the series, so my hopes are high.

Part 4: 10-6

TV Preview 2013/2014 – 25 Must-Watch Series, Part 2: 20-16

Part 1: 25-21

True Blood

Rank: 20

Genre: Horror/Fantasy Drama

Creator(s): Alan Ball

Cast: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Alexander Skarsgard, Deborah Ann Woll, and Joe Mangeaniello

Channel: HBO

Current Season: Sixth

Season Premiere Date: June 16, 2013

Plot Summary: Sookie Sackhouse, a telepathic waitress in a small backwater Louisiana town, finds her life in constant peril when she starts a relationship with a vampire Bill Compton.

Why It’s Worth Watching: True Blood is a highly entertaining series to watch (with its often insane storylines). Creator Alan Ball’s writing is very interesting as he makes comparisons to the issues of our times using vampires, werewolves, witches, and all other manner of supernatural creature. However, season six will be the first without Ball in charge, as he has left to run his new series Banshee. Brian Buckner has taken over as the series showrunner. He has been a writer on the series since season one (working before on Friends and Spin City). Can the show continue to be as crazy, fun, and engaging without Ball?

Archer

Rank: 19

Genre: Action Comedy

Creator(s): Adam Reed

Cast: H. Jon Benjamin, Judy Greer, Amber Nash, Chris Parnell, Aisha Tyler, and Jessica Walter

Channel: FX

Current Season: Fifth

Season Premiere Date: January 2014

Plot Summary: Archer is an international spy working for ISIS who often gets himself into trouble thanks to his extreme ego and pettiness.

Why It’s Worth Watching: Archer is hilariously genius. The cast of crazy characters all trying to undermine each other, bickering like spoiled siblings, is wonderfully brought to life by phenomenally funny voice-actors (especially H. Jon Benjamin as Archer). The shenanigans and inside jokes that build with each season are what make this comedy such a pleasure. While often over-the-top and ridiculous in its comedic endeavors, its characters are still rich enough for the series to also engage from a narrative standpoint. There is no finer animated series on television right now.

Parks and Recreation

Rank: 18

Genre: Comedy

Creator(s): Greg Daniels and Michael Schur

Cast: Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Platt, Jim O’Heir, Retta, Adam Scott, and Rob Lowe

Channel: NBC

Current Season: Sixth

Season Premiere Date: Fall 2013

Plot Summary: Leslie Knope is an ambitious public official in Pawnee, a small Indiana town. This is a documentary-style show about her life and political career.

Why It’s Worth Watching: Parks and Recreation, like Community, has again overcome low ratings (despite critical acclaim and adoring fans) to again be renewed. It is one of the funniest sitcoms on TV, with a fantastic comedic cast. The characters are also well developed – the viewers care just as much about the characters as the jokes (probably more). With The Office coming to an end (and really not being nearly as good since Michael Scott left), Parks and Recreation has taken over as NBC’s best comedy (that is not as weird as Community), and is a must-see for fans of The Office that have not yet discovered it.

Louie

Rank: 17

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Creator(s): Louis C.K.

Cast: Louis C.K.

Channel: FX

Current Season: Fourth

Season Premiere Date: Summer 2014

Plot Summary: The everyday life of Louis C.K. – a standup comedian living in New York City.

Why It’s Worth Watching: Louie has been off the air since 2012, and Louis C.K. took a hiatus to pursue other creative projects. However, it is finally set to return in 2014 (I assume in June). While Louie is very funny (especially his standup routines) with wonderful awkward humor and situations, it works wonderfully as a character drama as well. Louis C.K. struggles with relationships and taking care of his two young daughters, presenting his daily grind in a very relatable way. It is one of the best-written shows on television.

Girls

Rank: 16

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Creator(s): Lena Dunham

Cast: Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver, and Alex Karpovsky

Channel: HBO

Current Season: Third

Season Premiere Date: January 2014

Plot Summary: Hannah, Marnie, Jessa, and Shoshanna are four girls in their early twenties who live in New York City – Sex and the City, but set in Brooklyn and for a different generation.

Why It’s Worth Watching: Lena Dunham has such a fresh and unique voice. She is fearless in her writing. All of which seems to make Girls a very polarizing series. Some hate it, while other (myself included) think it is brilliant. The show also has a fantastic rawness to it – a vitality that makes it so compelling. For some it may just be a guilty pleasure, but for me it is a wonderfully written look into the pains of growing up and finding your place in the world.

Part 3: 15-11

TV Preview 2013/2014 – 25 Must-Watch Series, Part 1: 25-21

The Americans

Rank: 25

Genre: Period Family Drama/Political Thriller

Creator(s): Joseph Weisberg

Cast: Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, and Noah Emmerich

Channel: FX

Current Season: Second

Season Premiere Date: January 2014

Plot Summary: Elizabeth and Phillip Jennings seem like the typical 1980s American family, but they have a secret. They are deep-cover Russian spies.

Why It's Worth Watching: The Americans is a fantastic cold war thriller that explores both its characters as a family drama and the politics of the 1980s (the tension of the cold war). Keri Russell is brilliant on the series (and should be up for an Emmy). What is interesting about the series and what makes its different than Homeland is that it is about KGB agents – the heroes of this series are really villains. This is a must-see series for fans of spy dramas.

Shameless

Rank: 24

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Creator(s): Paul Abbott

Cast: Emmy Rossum, William H. Macy, Justin Chatwin, Ethan Cutkosky, Emma Kenney, Cameron Monaghan, and Jeremy Allen White

Channel: Showtime

Current Season: Fourth

Season Premiere Date: January 2014

Plot Summary: The Gallagher clan lives in Chicago, doing whatever they must to stay together even though their mother has left, their father is an alcoholic, and they are dirt broke. So, they must scheme and cheat, but family is the most important.

Why It's Worth Watching: Shameless is wonderfully funny and dramatically engaging due to its superb ensemble cast, lead by Emmy Rossum and William H. Macy. At its heart, it is a family sitcom, but without many of the tired troupes that usually infect the genre. Instead, it succeeds on its great characters and strong writing. And, being that it is on Showtime – it can take its characters to very raw and outrageous places, which is very fun to watch.

Hannibal

Rank: 23

Genre: Crime Drama/Horror

Creator(s): Bryan Fuller

Cast: Hugh Dancy, Mads Mikkelsen, Caroline Dhavernas, and Laurence Fishburne

Channel: NBC

Current Season: Second

Season Premiere Date: Spring 2014

Plot Summary: Serving as a prequel to the Hannibal Lecture films, the series explores the relationship between a young FBI profiler Will Graham and his psychoanalyst Dr. Hannibal Lecter (who begins helping out on cases, and more).

Why It's Worth Watching: While NBC has yet to decide whether or not Hannibal will return for a second season, the show is too brilliant to leave off this list of the twenty-five best series on television for the 2013/2014 season. Bryan Fuller is one of TV’s most imaginative writers (with past series including: Dead Like Me, Wonderfalls, and Pushing Daisies). He brings such a rich texture to this crime drama (when it easily could have just been a slight twist on the boring procedural formula). The cast, especially Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen, is phenomenal as well. Hannibal is one of the bright spots for drama on Network television (and the only non-cable drama to make this list). UPDATE: NBC has picked up Hannibal for a second season.

Community

Rank: 22

Genre: Comedy

Creator(s): Dan Harmon

Cast: Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alison Brie, Ken Jeong, and Jim Rash

Channel: NBC

Current Season: Fifth

Season Premiere Date: 2014

Plot Summary: Six friends (formally seven) make their way through Greendale Community College – attending odd classes, making dioramas, and going on adventures.

Why It's Worth Watching: The fourth season of Community was very disappointing (which is why it has fallen out of the top five all the way back to twenty-two). It lost its creative soul when Sony/NBC fired creator Dan Harmon. But, the cast is still the best among any sitcom and it still has its moments of sheer joyful and hysterical bliss. Somehow, despite its perpetual low ratings, it is back for a fifth season (and like season four, it will only have thirteen episodes). Season four showrunners David Guarascio and Moses Port simply tried so hard to copy Dan Harmon’s version (and failed) instead of making the show their own. Sony and NBC are looking for a new creative head. Surprisingly, there is a rumor Harmon might be returning. Also, Chevy Chase has left the series (but if Harmon returns, will Chase return too?!?). UPDATE: Dan Harmon is returning!!!!

The Vampire Diaries

Rank: 21

Genre: Horror/Romance/Drama

Creator(s): Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec

Cast: Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Steven R. McQueen, Kat Graham, Zach Roerig, Michael Trevino, and Candice Accola

Channel: The CW

Current Season: Fifth

Season Premiere Date: October 2013

Plot Summary: Elena Gilbert was seemingly just a typical high school girl until her life became filled with vampires, werewolves, and witches. Now she finds herself torn between two vampire brothers Stefan and Damon, both of whom she loves.

Why It's Worth Watching: The Vampire Diaries is at times overly melodramatic (after all it is targeted at teenagers and is on The CW), but mostly it is a very engaging fantasy drama, which often features wonderful story and character arcs (and to some extent fills the void left by Buffy the Vampire Slayer). With Klaus and his siblings finally leaving Mystic Falls (for their own spin-off The Originals), the series can explore much-needed new stories and villains (I feel that Klaus narratively overstayed his welcome by about two seasons, which impaired the storytelling progression).

Part 2: 20-16