TV Series of the Month – Big Love

This month’s TV Series: Big Love (2006-2011)

This HBO drama is about Bill Henrickson and his three wives Barb, Nicolette and Margene and how they navigate in modern Salt Lake City where polygamists are treated as outcasts (especially given polygamy’s shared past with the Mormon religion). Bill and his wives, however, just want to raise their children in a happy home and be productive members of society – they also hope that their secret will never get out.

The series was created by Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, who have since followed it up with another on HBO: the comedy Getting On.

Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny, and Ginnifer Goodwin star in the series. The main cast also includes Douglas Smith, Grace Zabriskie, Matt Ross, Joel McKinnon Miller, Amanda Seyfried, Shawn Doyle, Melora Walters, Mary Kay Place, Harry Dean Stanton, Daveigh Chase, Bruce Dern, Tina Majorio, and Mireille Enos. Big Love has some great supporting performances from Anne Dudek, Aaron Paul, Branka Katic, Zeljko Ivanek, Adam Beach, Patrick Fabian, Ellen Burstyn, and Sissy Spacek as well.

Big Love ran for five seasons, seemingly getting darker and darker as the Henrickson family finds it harder and harder to stay hidden in plain sight. The series is filled with great characters and drama that really pulls the viewer in. While it is not one of HBO’s very best, it is still a very good show and well worth checking out for fans of family dramas.

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD and Video On-Demand

TV Series of the Month – Eastbound & Down

This month’s TV series: Eastbound & Down (2009-2013)

This HBO comedy is about Kenny Powers, a major league ballplayer who flamed out. Now, with no other options left, he must return to his hometown to gather himself and try and mount a comeback. Assuming, of course, he can ever get out of his own way.

The series is created by Ben Best, Jody Hill and Danny McBride. They are the team behind The Foot Fist Way, Observe and Report and Your Highness. Jody Hill and David Gordon Green direct most of the episodes.

Danny McBride also stars as Powers and is fantastically brilliant. Steve Little, Katy Mixon, Elizabeth De Razzo, John Hawkes, Jennifer Irwin, and Andrew Daly have supporting roles in the series. The guest star list is also great, including: Ben Best, Jillian Bell, Tim Heidecker, Ken Marino, Ike Barinholtz, Jason Sudeikis, Don Johnson, Michael Pena, Will Ferrell, Craig Robinson, Matthew McConaughey, Lily Tomlin, Adam Scott, and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Eastbound & Down is hilarious as Kenny Powers just gets himself into more and more trouble. He is an egomaniac but lovably so. We root for him to win in the end, even if he makes it hard on us. McBride is wonderful, but so are the supporting actors. Steve Little is so funny as Stevie, maybe the world’s most pathetic man. Will Ferrell’s cameo as Ashley Schaeffer is also a stand-out moment. This is a must-see series for fans of crude humor, as it is maybe the best the genre has to offer. The series played for four seasons.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

TV Series of the Month – DuckTales

This month’s TV Series: DuckTales (1987-1990)

After Donald decides to take a job on a ship requiring constant travel, he entrusts his uncle Scrooge McDuck with the care of Huey, Dewey and Louie. McDuck is one of the wealthiest inhabitants of Duckberg. McDuck leads quite an adventurous life as he tries to secure and grow his wealth; and in turn, Huey, Dewey and Louie find themselves going on many grand adventures.

DuckTales is the first of three fantastic animated shows that the newly formed Walt Disney Television Animation put out during the late 1980s/early 1990s (the other two being Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers and TaleSpin – both of which I also love).

DuckTales aired for three seasons. It is still my favorite cartoon. The theme song is great. The characters are fun and the adventures feature strong storytelling. DuckTales is a staple of many of our childhoods and well worth revisiting. The video game is also really good (it was recently remastered).

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD (Volume 1 and the Film that opens the series)

TV Series of the Month – The Office (U.S.)

This month’s TV Series: The Officer (2005-2013)

The workplace mockumentary follows the employees of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company’s Scranton, PA, branch, both their work and personal lives. It is a remake of the British series of the same name.

The show is created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, who also created the British series; however, it is developed for American audiences by Greg Daniels.

The show has a great cast. It is stars Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Steve Carell, Ed Helms, Craig Robinson, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Kate Flannery, Creed Bratton, Oscar Nunez, B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling, Paul Lieberstein, and Ellie Kemper. During the show’s long run, it also featured many fun supporting performances from Zach Woods, Melora Hardin, Andy Buckley, Catherine Tate, Rashida Jones, James Spader, Idris Elba, and Amy Ryan (among many, many more).

In many ways, The Office was able to differentiate and maybe even outshine its British counterpart. The first season was a bit rocky as it tried to find its place, but from the start of season two the series found its voice, creating a very funny and heartfelt show. Yet, as funny as the show is, its best attribute is its great characters. Over the course of nine seasons, these characters are developed and become people the viewer comes to really care about. It is one of the best sitcoms of recent memory.

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD and Video On-Demand

TV Series of the Month – Luther

This month’s TV Series: Luther (2010-2013)

The crime drama series follows DCI John Luther, a brilliant yet troubled investigator. Though his private life is rocky and his temperament is a bit unpredictable, he is the man for the toughest cases. Will he be able to keep things together or will he wind up behind bars himself? On his first case back from psychological leave, he meets the mysterious sociopath Alice Morgan. She seems to have clearly murdered her parents but Luther cannot seem to prove it. The two seem to find an odd fascination in each other.

The series is created by Neil Cross (who wrote the entire series). He also worked on MI-5 previously.

The cast is fantastic. It stars Idris Elba, Warren Brown, Dermot Crowley, and Ruth Wilson. Michael Smiley, Paul McGann, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Steven Mackintosh, Saskia Reeves, Indira Varma, Sienna Guillory, David O’Hara, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Kierston Wareing, and Anton Saunders feature in support.

Luther is among the best recent detective series, second only to Sherlock. Idris Elba and Ruth Wilson have created two of the most compelling and dynamic character with Luther and Alice, respectively. Their relationship is electric. The series does everything well: character development and performance, writing, style and tone, and the cases are all themselves interesting and thrilling. This is a must-see series for fans of detective shows. The show features three seasons.

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD and Video On-Demand

TV Series of the Month – Dexter

This month’s TV Series: Dexter (2006-2013)

Dexter Morgan is a serial killer; but, he is a different type of serial killer. He only targets bad people who have slipped through the cracks of conventional justice (like the police). Dexter is perfectly situated to feed his need to kill, working as a forensic blood-splatter analyst for Miami’s Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Division. He has an inside track to those escaping their due justice. And yet, for Dexter to maintain his forced persona as a normal guy, he must try to fit into the normal world (which is hard for him, as he is a sociopath) – meaning that he must interact with friends/family and find a girl to settle down with all while continually going out at night and murdering criminals. It is a tough juggling act – and worse, his own sister, Debra, happens to also be a cop. Dexter constantly walks a thin line between being free and a condemned criminal himself.

Running eight seasons, the series is based on a novel series from Jeff Lindsay, which James Manos Jr. adapted for television.

The cast of Dexter is fantastic. Michael C. Hall stars with Jennifer Carpenter, David Zayas, James Remar, C.S. Lee, Lauren Velez, Desmond Harrington, Julie Benz, Geoff Pierson, Aimee Garcia, and Erik King rounding out the other main series actors during its run. The show also features a wonderful array of guest actors, including: Yvonne Strahovski (who plays one of my personal favorites in the whole series – Hannah McKay), Keith Carradine, Colin Hanks, Jimmy Smits, John Lithgow, Sean Patrick Flanery, Julia Stiles, Charlotte Rampling, Edward James Olmos, Jaime Murray, Ray Stevenson, Jonny Lee Miller, and Christian Camargo (among many others).

Overall, Dexter is a brilliant drama series – probably the best that Showtime has produced to date; however, there is somewhat of an asterisk next to its name now due to it having a fairly awful ending (as well publicized online) that does somewhat destroy all its goodwill (something that was already weakened by the atrociousness that is season six). That said, I still highly recommend the series, especially seasons one through three, and I do love the Dexter-Hannah relationship in seasons seven and eight (it is just too bad that the show ends as it does). Also, Michael C. Hall is incredible as Dexter (especially in the first few seasons before the character became overextended by hit-and-miss writing), delivering one of the best characters in television history. Jennifer Carpenter’s character arc as Deb is also very strong. Dexter probably should have been five seasons maximum with a full character arc mapped out ahead of time (saving it from itself), but as it is Dexter is still one of the best things to ever be on TV. It is a must see for fans of dramas on the darker side.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray

TV Series of the Month – Breaking Bad

This Month’s TV Series: Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

Walter White is a chemistry genius who through a series of circumstances has found himself a high school teacher while his former business partners have gone on to great wealth; and to make matters worse he has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Seeing only a bleak future for his family, Walter decides to recruit a former student (Jesse Pinkman) with the intention of producing and selling his own crystalized methamphetamine. What could go wrong?

Creator Vince Gilligan previously was a writer on The X-Files before coming to AMC with an idea for a new series. Initially, the show was given a small episode order and a low budget, but with each season the buzz and popularity grew. The series ended with five seasons, considered by many as one of television’s finest shows (season five in particular is one of the most brilliant and thrilling pieces of TV I have ever seen). While the series featured a lot of good work from many collaborators, director Rian Johnson stands out as possibly its best (directing a few of the most iconic and wonderful episodes – most notably Ozymandias).

The series also features a great cast led by Bryan Cranston (who is absolutely superb as Walter White, creating one of television’s most interesting antiheroes) and Aaron Paul. Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte, Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, and Giancarlo Esposito are all excellent in support.

Breaking Bad is a must-see for fans of crime drama televisions series, as it is one of the most compelling both in terms of the fantastic character work done and the overall narrative. As Walter gets pulled further and further into a life of crime, he sees his morals ever give way to his unruly ego and hunger for power. Along with Mad Men, the series put AMC on the map as cable television’s leader in producing quality dramas (a mantel usually held by HBO, and is now again). Breaking Bad started out with a meager production budget and low viewership, but by the end of its run it was one of TV’s most popular and talked about series. It became event programing. Again, if you like crime dramas, this is a series you must invest in.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

TV Series of the Month – Treme

This month’s TV Series: Treme (2010-2013).

Treme follows an ensemble of characters who try to put their lives back together in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The show is also about the city of New Orleans, its culture, politics, and music.

The HBO series is created by Eric Overmyer and David Simon. Simon previously created the HBO series The Wire and the miniseries Generation Kill. Overmyer worked with Simon on The Wire and Homicide: Life on the Street. Anthony Bourdain also works on the show as a writer (helping with the restaurant/food service oriented storylines).

Like most HBO shows, Treme features a wonderful cast (full of HBO alumni). It stars Khandi Alexander, Rob Brown, Kim Dickens, Melissa Leo, Lucia Micarelli, Clarke Peters, Wendell Pierce, Steve Zahn, Michiel Huisman, India Ennenga, Phyllis Montana LeBlanc, David Morse, Lance E. Nichols, Jon Seda, and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine. It also featured some good guest stars and lots of musician cameos.

Treme is probably at its best when it takes its viewers inside the music of New Orleans, exploring all that the city has to offer (both in terms of genres and venues). I also enjoyed its look at the food and politics of the city as well. Creator David Simon is very good at putting together ensembles and stories that both engage the audience and inform them. The series led me to visiting the city myself (something I will continue to do on a regular basis, as it is a very fun place with fantastic food). The series lasts three full seasons with season four acting as a shorter wrapping up of the characters' stories. While it is not among the elite HBO dramas, Treme is very good and well worth checking out.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

TV Series of the Month – Bottom

This month’s TV series: Bottom (1991-1995)

The British comedy series is about best friends Edward and Richard (Eddie and Richie) who share a flat together, living off the government and doing nothing with their time. These episodes showcase their hijinks.

The series is created by its stars Adrian Edmondson and Rik Mayall (who star in and write all eighteen episodes), Ed Bye produces the show.

Bottom is the third series with Edmondson and Mayall. The first is the brilliant The Young Ones (Christopher Ryan from that show also shows up in a few episodes of Bottom) and the second Filthy Rich & Catflap (which I have only seen the pilot of, as it is included on The Young Ones’ DVD set). Bottom lasted three seasons before Edmondson and Mayall took the characters to the stage performing live shows. While The Young Ones is probably the best of the three series, Bottom is also incredibly funny and is a must-see for fans of that show.

Trailer: Here (well, really, the first episode)

Available on: DVD and Video On-Demand

TV Series of the Month – Reaper

This month’s TV Series: Reaper (2007-2009)

Reaper is an adventure/comedy series about Sam, who on his 21^st birthday finds out that his parents sold his soul to the Devil before he was born. Now, he must work as a bounty hunter for the Devil, capturing escaped souls and returning them to Hell. The problem is: he is just a slacker barely doing his job at a Home Depot-like store; how is he going to capture escaped souls?

The series was created by Tara Butters and Michele Fazekas. The writing team of Butters and Fazekas went on to work on Dollhouse, Hawaii Five-O, and the new series Resurrection.

Reaper has a sneakily great cast for its genre. The series stars Bret Harrison and co-stars Tyler Labine, Rick Gonzalez, Missy Peregrym and Ray Wise. It also features reoccurring characters played by Andrew Airlie, Donavon Stinson, Valarie Rae Miller, Jenny Wade, Ken Marino, Eriko Tamura, Michael Ian Black, Armie Hammer, Sean Patrick Thomas, Jessica Stroup, and Lucy Davis.

While the series only lasted two seasons before being cancelled (it was way too cool/quirky to last), Reaper is a very fun cult show structured as a monster-of-the-week with strong character arcs that progress over the course of the show. The series also does not have a proper series finale; however, the episode that ends season two does serve as a solid, if ambiguous ending (I liked the way it ended). At its worse, Reaper is a silly, entertaining show and at its best a very engaging and fun adventure/comedy. This is worth checking out for fans of things like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Misfits, Supernatural, and Pushing Daisies.

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD and Video On-Demand

TV Series of the Month – Robin Hood

This month’s TV series: Robin Hood (2006-2009).

The classic story of Robin Hood – a man who fought in the crusades for five years only to return to his home in England to find it is under the merciless rule of the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham. To make things right, Robin turns outlaw and with a band of merry men he robs the rich to feed the poor.

The series is created by Dominic Minghella and Foz Allan. Minghella is also known for his series Doc Martin, while Allan worked on Casualty for a long period of time.

The series has a great cast of fresh faces – a few of which have gone on to make bigger things. Jonas Armstrong stars as Robin Hood. Gordon Kennedy, Sam Troughton, Joe Armstrong, Richard Armitage (who you might recognize from The Hobbit), Keith Allen, Lucy Griffiths (who you might recognize from True Blood), Harry Lloyd, Anjali Jay, Michael Elwyn, David Harewood (who you might recognize from Homeland), Joanne Froggatt (who you might recognize from Downton Abbey), Lara Pulver (who you might recognize from Sherlock), and Toby Stephens (who is in the new series Black Sails) make up the strong supporting group.

This is one of the best incarnations of the Robin Hood character to date (my personal favorite is Disney’s Robin Hood – but mostly for nostalgic reasons, well and also because it is great). What works so well is that the TV series format allows for much more character depth for not only Robin but the supporting players as well. The show also balances a great light/heavy tone allowing it to maximize its comedic and dramatic moments. In many ways, it reminds me of a Joss Whedon show in that way – plus it does not pull its punches. It also offers something for female fans as well, as there are strong female characters that join the fight.  For fans of the Robin Hood story, this is a must-see.

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD and Video On-Demand

TV Series of the Month – Skins (Second Generation)

This month’s TV series: Skins – Second Generation (2009-2010).

The second generation of Skins begins in Series 3 of the show (and continues through Series 4). The show details the lives of nine high school students as the make their way into adulthood – be it preparing for college or facing life after school in the ‘real’ world. The show deals with love, happiness, depression, friendship, betrayal, and just about everything young people deal with (all set to a great soundtrack).

The series is created by Jamie Brittain and Bryan Elsley.

The second generation stars Kaya Scodelario (who is also in a few episodes of the first generation seasons, as she plays Tony’s younger sister Effy), Luke Pasqualino, Jack O’Connell, Ollie Barbieri, Kathryn Prescott, Megan Prescott, Lisa Backwell, Lily Loveless, and Merveille Lukeba. Giles Thomas, Klariza Clayton, John Bishop, and Chris Addison feature in support.

Overall, the second generation does not have the same star power as the first generation, and their stories do not seem to quite connect as strongly – but, all that said, the second generation still provides very entertaining and emotionally compelling material and stories. Kaya Scodelario in particular is fantastic in the show (as are Jack O’Connell and Lily Loveless, even if their characters can be annoying at times). While this generation is not as vital as the first, it is still must-see television for fans of teen dramas as again with these new characters Skins is top notch.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Series 3 DVD and Series 4 DVD

TV Series of the Month – Curb Your Enthusiasm

This month’s TV series: Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-2011).

The comedy series from HBO delves into the (fictional) life of television writer Larry David – his family life and career. However, most of his encounters quickly deviate into arguments about some opinion that Larry has, usually playing out for comedic effect.

The series is created by Larry David, who also co-created Seinfeld (and I would argue that this show is even better and funnier).

In addition to David, the series stars Jeff Garlin, Cheryl Hines, and Susie Essman, as well as featuring tons of great guests (like: Richard Lewis, Bob Einstein, J.B. Smoove, Ted Danson, Vivica A. Fox, Wanda Sykes, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kaitlin Olson, Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Mary Steenburgen, Mel Brooks, Michael York, Ben Stiller, David Schwimmer, Richard Kind, Michael Richards, Ricky Gervais, and Michael J. Fox).

What is great about Curb Your Enthusiasm is that the entire series is unscripted (dialog wise). The actors use improvisation to create every scene and comedic bit, often resulting in very funny lines and material. The show is at its best when David finds himself in awkward situations, which is most of the time, as he is the master of mining the awkwardness for every bit of comedy. It is fantastic. This is a must-see for Seinfeld fans and those who like the work of Ricky Gervais, as David is certainly one of his big influences.

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD and Video On-Demand

TV Series of the Month – Fringe

This month’s TV series: Fringe (2008-2013).

The sci-fi mystery series follows FBI agent Olivia Dunham as she is brought into the Fringe unit to investigate strange and classified cases. To help her, she recruits a brilliant but mad scientist Walter Bishop and his estranged son Peter.

The series is created by J.J. Abrams (his best show to date), Roberto Orci, and Alex Kurtzman, but J.H. Wyman, Jeff Pinkner, and Akiva Goldsman are also very influential in the show’s creative development. This group of writers is responsible for many of the biggest recent Hollywood films (like A Beautiful Mind, Star Trek, Super 8, and the upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and 3).

Abrams is known for ability to find great female leads, and with Fringe he found maybe his best in Anna Torv. She stars with Joshua Jackson and John Noble. Jasika Nicole, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown, Michael Cerveris, Kirk Acevedo, Seth Gabel, Mark Valley, Leonard Nimoy, Jared Harris, and Georgina Haig feature in support. The cast is fantastic overall.

Fringe follows in the steps of The X-Files, feeling very much as a modern update of that series. In today’s overly generic and commercial network TV landscape (basically, the networks know they have already lost and are just counting the days to extinction, so they are trying to make the most of it money wise and not it terms of making what is even close to quality television) it is shocking that a show like Fringe, especially with its production values, lasted as long as it did, and was able to remain as weird and great as it does. Network TV needs good sci-fi, but sadly Fringe might be its last best effort. It is a must-see for fans of the genre.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

TV Series of the Month – Sex and the City

This Month’s TV Series: Sex and the City (1998-2004).

The series is about four women in New York City and their pursuit of love, sex, careers, and happiness, centered on freelance reporter Carrie Bradshaw who writes about sex from the perspective of a modern 1990s’ woman, using her life and friends’ gossip for inspiration.

Darren Star created the show, coming off the successes of Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place. However, writer Michael Patrick King sort of took over the show’s creative responsibilities. Although, he also wrote both of the awful feature films that follow the series (and essentially kill all its goodwill).

The series stars Sarah Jessica Parker (as Carrie), Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon, while Chris Noth, David Eigenberg, Willie Garson, Kyle MacLachlan, John Corbett, Evan Handler, and Jason Lewis feature in support. A few other notable guests include James Remar, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Ron Livingston, and Candice Bergen.

Sex and the City is primarily thought of as a show for woman, and while that may be the case it is also a highly entertaining well-made series about people trying to find their place in the world, which can and should be enjoyed by all (man or woman). It is easy to dismiss the show as a comedy, and it is very funny, but personally I think it is more of a drama (though on the lighter side), as each of these four women must overcome multiple major struggles in their lives of the course of the show. The series helped launch HBO’s brilliant original programing and the Golden Age of Television. It is not to be missed for fans of light, funny dramas (I mean, do you really want to watch its reboot/prequel The Carrie Diaries instead?).

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD and Video On-Demand

TV Series of the Month – Terriers

This month’s TV Series: Terriers (2010).

The series follows two down and out private detectives Hank Dolworth and Britt Pollack who stumble onto something a little too big and a little too deep when one of their friends ends up dead.

The show’s creator is Ted Griffin. He also wrote the films Ocean’s Eleven and Matchstick Men, making the material a good fit. While it was his first television project, Shawn Ryan (The Shield) and Tim Minear (Angel) also served as executive producers with Griffin, fostering a strong creative team.

The show stars Donal Logue and Michael Raymond-James, and features Laura Allen, Kimberly Quinn, and Rockmond Dunbar in support.

Like many other projects that Shawn Ryan is involved in, Terriers was great but short-lived. FX typically does well with its great gritty dramas, but it could not find an audience for this overlooked gem. It is well worth checking out for fans of crime dramas that have a gritty, but fun feel. The show mostly works episodically, but there is a main narrative that hangs over the full season and ties everything together. The series also has a satisfying ending, despite being cancelled.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Video On-Demand

TV Series of the Month – Kings

This month’s television series: Kings (2009).

Based on the biblical story of King David, this series is a modern day (alternate-universe) story focusing on a soldier David Shepherd, who after a heroic act on the battlefield is taken in by King Silas Benjamin as a symbol of hope. However, when it seems like the people love David more, King Silas fueled by petty jealousy lashes out at David. Can David bring peace to the kingdom ruled by the tyrannical king?

Kings was created by writer Michael Green. He also worked on Smallville, Everwood, and Heroes before getting his own series.  After the end of Kings, Green wrote the film Green Lantern and is currently working on the film adaptation of The Flash. The series features strong directing from Francis Lawrence as well.

The series has a fantastic cast. Ian McShane and Christopher Egan star as King Silas and David, respectively. Susanna Thompson, Allison Miller, Eamonn Walker (who is brilliant in the series), Sebastian Stan, Dylan Baker, Wes Studi, Macaulay Culkin, Leslie Bibb, and Brian Cox feature in supporting roles.

Kings succeeds on its wonderful performances (lead by the powerful and dynamic Ian McShane, doing work equally good to his on Deadwood) and great writing (the show has a very interesting religious aspect to it as well – similar to that of ancient Rome). It is very unfortunate that NBC decide to ax the show at the end of its first season leaving it without a proper ending. As is, it still works on a narrative level, as season one is for the most part self-contained, and is well worth checking out (there was not a better new drama in 2009).

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD and Streaming

TV Series of the Month – Friday Night Lights

This month’s TV Series: Friday Night Lights (2006-2011).

The series follows the ups and downs of a high school football team in the small town of Dillon, Texas – where every week is built around Friday night’s game. The show focuses on the coach, Eric Taylor, his family, a few of the key players (Tim Riggins, Landry Clarke, Matt Saracen, Jason Street, Brian ‘Smash’ Williams, Vince Howard, and Luke Cafferty), and their friends.

In 2004 director Peter Berg made a film about high school football in Texas called Friday Night Lights, which was a surprise commercial and critical success. The series of the same name was then developed by Berg and Jason Katims to expand on the idea.

The series stars Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Aimee Teegarden, Taylor Kitsch, Jesse Plemons, Brad Leland, Zach Gilford, Derek Phillips, Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki, Scott Porter, Gaius Charles, Michael B. Jordan, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Matt Lauria, and Dora Madison Burge – all of whom are fantastic.

What makes Friday Night Lights special is the writing and how much the writing staff seems to care about their characters (both in developing them and not being afraid to put realistic and dramatic obstacles in their paths). The show also does something extraordinary at the end of season three – it completely changes things up, which allows the series to tell the story from a new perspective. It is one of the most brilliant network dramas in recent memory. It is a must-see for fans of sports dramas (and really anyone who loves great TV).

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD and Streaming