Okay, we’ve got the “I Love TV” disclaimer outta the way. I wanna take a moment, now, to get all Mr. Rogers on you and drop a little knowledge. I have, after all, 21 years of summers under my belt spent of watching the best that television has to offer, so lets dive in, shall we?
Arrested Development
This show is first for a reason:
- It is on Netflix Instant Watch. I give you permission to stop reading this blog and GET. ON. THAT. NOW.
- Perhaps it’s because it was ~underrated and ~misunderstood during its time or perhaps it’s because it has an ensemble cast with no weak links. Whatever the reason, this show is one of the best comedy shows in television history. Get outta here Two and a Half Men fans! You got nothin’ on this show!
I’ll try and keep my fangirl to a minimum and make this short and sweet: Arrested Development is a show about a family o’ crazies, from the sane straight man played by Jason Bateman, to the Final-Countdown-As-An-Entrance-Song-Never-Gets-Old brother played by Will Arnett to the batshit crazy mom played by Jessica Walter to the so innocently stupid and loveable Buster played by Tony Hale (I could literally continue describing the phenomenal cast in this way but I’ll contain myself). In the way that many of its legendary comedy show predecessors did, Arrested Development is a character-driven comedy, each episode a ridiculous adventure warped around the different ways in which every character reacts to it. The writing is smart and the acting is better. Fox Execs were poppin’ dem crazy pills when they cancelled it after just three seasons, and now years later—with a cult-following and teases of a movie reboot—Arrested Development has become a classic that has set a comedy standard.
Freaks and Geeks
Breaking News! Before the Judd Apatow Crew was the JAC (when that becomes a thing, remember where you read it first!), they all worked together on a show so minuscule, if you blink you’d miss it. For those of you short on time, this show is perfect as it only lasted a mere season before succumbing to the sad demise of cancellation. Executive Produced by Apatow and Company, the creator was a guy, Paul Feig, who directed a handful of Arrested Development episodes (sensing a pattern here?) and was most recently the directorial genius behind Bridesmaids. Freaks and Geeks—with baby faced Jason Segel and the not-yet-over-achiever James Franco among others—is about a group of teenagers growing up in the 80s and dealing with the crap that plagues most teens: first-time drinking, bullying, teenage love (and the subsequent heartbreak), and yet still finding friendships among it all. All together now: Awwwwwww.
Degrassi
Maybe I’m alone in this pick but I will stand by this choice: Degrassi is a sickly sweet series, like a teenybopper soap opera, perfect for a marathon. I personally lost touch when (spoiler alert!) the producers had the balls to kill off JT but, if high school melodrama, Canadian accents (sorey!) and before-he-was-rapper-Drake Aubrey Graham in a wheelchair sounds like something of a good time to you, then I would urge you to check out this show ASAP. Donchaknoooow, eh?
Lost
WHAT IS IN THE HATCH?? is only the beginning of the mind trip a marathon that Lost ensures. This is one of those shows that from season one episode one to the series finale, you will not want to turn it off. So say goodbye to that social life of yours, because as soon as you turn it on, the drug-induced Lost coma begins.
Breaking Bad
The underdog of this list, really, Breaking Bad is revolutionary television. As the plot progresses the main character does something completely unknown of television tradition: he changes. Most typical shows strive to show character growth—the bachelor dude finds love, the archetypal bitch finds a softer side, etc—but Breaking Bad goes one step further. It tells the story of Middle America’s Man Walter White—a high school chemistry teacher, a father, a husband—who discovers he has inoperable lung cancer and becomes obsessed with the notion of leaving his family some financial footing for once he’s gone. Unlike the typical financial vices (the lottery, gambling, etc), White decides to utilize what he knows, chemistry, and make something with it. Literally. He approaches an old student of his and inquires about establishing a crystal meth drug partnership, and in a triumphant moment of the pilot exclaims: “You know the business, and I know the chemistry.”
Unlike the other shows on this list, Breaking Bad is still going on. With a crapload of Emmy’s under its belt (for Bryan Cranston’s portrayal of Walt, three times over, as well as newcomer to the Emmy scene, Aaron Paul, who plays conflicted yet good minded accomplice to Walt, Jesse Pinkman), the ever-anticipated fourth season begins this Sunday, July 17th on AMC. From its breathtakingly beautiful cinematography to its bone-chillingly perfect performances to its intelligent and intricate plot, Breaking Bad is in the process of making television history.
Consolation Prizes
- Friends (don’t think I’d ever go neglecting this show)
- Modern Family
- How I Met Your Mother
- Cougartown (fans of Scrubs - don’t underestimate it)
- Dexter
- Parks and Recreation (hits it stride halfway through Season 2, stick with it)
- and for da ladies: Sex and the City.
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