TV Series of the Month – Sports Night

This month’s TV series: Sports Night (1998-2000).

The drama comedy is about the making of a nightly sports show (like ESPN’s Sports Center), but more so it is about its characters.

It is the first series from phenomenal writer Aaron Sorkin – his other TV credits include The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (a strong one-season show), and his new HBO series The Newsroom. He also has written the films A Few Good Men, Charlie Wilson’s War, The Social Network, and Moneyball. Suffice to say, he is among the best writers on television.

The cast is also fantastic, starring Josh Charles (now on The Good Wife), Peter Krause (who went on to be incredible in Six Feet Under – he is now on Parenthood), Felicity Huffman (went on to Desperate Housewives), Joshua Malina (went on to The West Wing – now on Scandal), Sabrina Lloyd (you may also know her from Sliders), and Robert Guillaume (from Benson).

Sorkin’s witty, snappy dialog is what makes Sports Night great, especially with it wonderfully deep characters. It is one of the shows that directly contributed to the Golden Age of TV we now enjoy. It is a must-see for fans of Sorkin and great drama/comedy series. It only lasted two seasons (as many great shows lead short lives on network television).

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD and Streaming

TV Series of the Month – Six Feet Under

This month’s TV series is Six Feet Under (2001-2005).

The drama is about a family that operates an independent funeral home in California. When the head of the family dies suddenly, his two sons must work together to keep the family business afloat. The show is by Alan Ball (American Beauty and True Blood) and stars Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy, Lauren Ambrose, Freddy Rodriguez, Matthew St. Patrick, and Rachel Griffiths. It also features a number of great guest appearances through its five seasons. Six Feet Under was part of HBO’s conquering lineup of fantastic series (including shows like The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Sex and the City, The Wire, Band of Brothers, and Deadwood) that made the name HBO synonymous with great TV. Its writing is among the best of any show before or since, and the writers and actors were not afraid to delve into subject matter generally avoided (especially on network TV). The show felt so real, and the characters so real, that sometimes it was a little depressing to watch (almost like it was not an escape for the real world). But, this only strengthened the characters. I also loved that every episode began with someone dying – sometimes unremarkable, and sometimes in a crazy way (my personal favorite might be the mountain lion). I cannot think of a better TV drama that is just about a family and does not rely on adventure, crime or another genre. I highly recommend it for fans of HBO series; it is one of the best. Check out the trailer.

Available on DVD and Streaming