You can really tell a lot about a person based on the TV shows they watch. For example, my sister is a fan of reality TV. It’s not a guilty pleasure for her. She legitimately and outwardly enjoys it. She’s dramatic and likes the spot light, she’s vaguely judgmental, and very ambitious. But, she also loves various sitcoms an crime shows, especially true crime. She’s okay with reality, interested in stuff that’s actually happening. She likes to laugh. So, as a nice form of getting to know me, let’s take a look at my (rough) top 15 favorite TV shows. [Side bar: Animated shows are getting their own list so I don’t have to do a top thirty because wow I didn’t realize I watched so much TV].
15. New Girl
After a bad break-up, Jess, an offbeat young woman, moves into an apartment loft with three single men. Although they find her behavior very unusual, the men support her – most of the time.
I also thoroughly enjoy this program. The humor is quirky and off beat, all of the character are ridiculous. Again, I haven’t seen it in awhile, but the odd theme song is currently playing in my head. I am particularly fond of Schmidt. As well as being funny, this show has some emotional beats. But it’s only part romantic comedy – most of the episodes focus on the characters trying to accomplish something simple and failing completely because they are ridiculous people. This show is just ridiculous. I believe it’s also on Netflix instant watch. Give it a look.
14. Broadchurch
The murder of a young boy in a small coastal town brings a media frenzy, which threatens to tear the community apart.
I am a fan of BBC. Also a fan of David Tennant and Arthur Darvill. Detective shows. All that. This show is a match made in heaven for me. The major thing I like about this show is that they don’t close the case in one episode – we spend the whole season trying to figure it out. And you really are trying to figure it out. I haven’t actually finished watching it yet because it disappeared from xfinity ondemand, but what I have seen so far is something smart, enjoyable, and completely addictive. It’s like there are actual drugs in this show. I love it.
13. The Colbert Report and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
BA-DUM-BA-DUM-DA – I know it’s cheating to put these together but you can’t ask me to choose between them, okay? There are few things quite as funny as a liberal democrat pretending to be a conservative republican to satire all of their ideas. One thing that is definitely funnier than the idea of the show is the fact that some people seem to really think he’s a conservative republican. Because they don’t actually watch the show. It’s brilliant. There’s a bunch of this on hulu – check it out if you want some political satire!
What I love about this show is that Job Stewart makes fun of everybody. He’ll make fun of Fox news then have a go at the president. I love it. There are also correspondents used primarily for satire, which I appreciate. Just, I love this show and I can’t really tell you why. Well, I’m a dirty liberal. That’s why. It’s also on hulu. Go watch it.
12. Merlin
Young Merlin is a teenager, discovering and then learning to master his magical gift. Magister Gaius, King Uther Pendragon’s learned court physician to whom he’s assigned as humble page, teaches him medicine, coaches his magical self-study, and warns him of Uther’s strong aversion to magic. Merlin becomes squire to the noble but imprudent crown prince, Arthur, whose fate is linked with Merlin.
When I first started watching this show, I hated it. I had no idea why I kept watching it. I am a slave to the characters, and seem to have fallen in love with them. The show started off good, then by the third or fourth episode I was banging my head against the wall. By the end of season two, though, it was actually really awesome and I got drawn into cool stories as well as cool characters. While there are about a million things I would have done differently, you cannot beat the relationships these characters naturally form with each other and the personal arch of each character. They all effect each other, and they all make really, really stupid mistakes. It has a rocky first season, for me, but the rest is pretty much worth it.
11. The Big Bang Theory
A woman who moves into an apartment across the hall from two brilliant but socially awkward physicists shows them how little they know about life outside of the laboratory.
This show never fails to make me laugh. Because it’s funny. I haven’t watched it in awhile, but I still love it. I have the theme song playing in my head while I write this, and it will continue playing in my head until the theme song for the next show on the list gets stuck in my head. There is not one specific thing that makes this show for me. The jokes are nerdy and amazing and the characters are slightly perfect. I am particularly fond of Sheldon (Sheldon is one of my many nick names) and Howard. And Raj. And Amy Farrah Fowler. I cannot talk about her character without using her full name. Just, everyone is amazing. I recommended it for nerdy people who are able to get science jokes as well as comic jokes. If you fall into neither of those categories, you may still enjoy it. Just, ah. This show is great.
10. Supernatural
Two brothers follow their father’s footsteps as “hunters” fighting evil supernatural beings of many kinds including monsters, demons, and gods that roam the earth.
I love Supernatural. But it’s a love that quickly began to form into disappointment which became an outward loathing. Basically, I couldn’t get through season six. I read ahead through season seven and decided not to bother. By that point I was too far gone to make it to season eight or nine. It’s a sad story, my friends. Looking at the first five seasons, Supernatural is easily one of my top five favorite shows. The top three, even. But I could not in good faith include it on this list with my severe hatred for so much of the show. For me, Supernatural ended in season 5. My love of the first five seasons is large enough to make me want to forgo all hesitancy and just through it up on upper end of the list. I love the characters (especially Dean, Cas, and Bobby) and the stories leading to the bigger picture and the laughter and fun in the face of series issues (Pudding!) and now have a strange fondness for Carry On My Wayward Son. But then the rest of the show comes and round house kicks me in the face. And so here we are, a sad number ten filled with regret and disappointment based on what could have been in the face of what was. That being said, go onto Netflix and watch this show. Love the first five seasons, then give the rest of it the love that I never could.
9. The IT Crowd
Deep in the sub basement of the ambiguous company of Reynholm Industries, are not one, but two socially awkward IT guys. Moss, an electronics wizard and overly naive man and Roy, a lazy disgruntled co-worker have to provide support for Reynholm Industries with their inept boss, Jen, who doesn’t know the difference between hardware and software. The show revolves around Moss and Roy’s antics both at work and out socially, which always ends badly.
This show is pretty much perfect. I love every episode and it will always make me laugh way harder than I should. If you like the Big Bang Theory, watch this. I find it to be funnier in that it is much more ridiculous. Truly ridiculous things occur during this show. From the eccentric (to say the least) boss to the goth that lives in the boiler room of IT. And we can’t forget the ‘gay musical called Gay‘. This show it so funny. You can’t even comprehend. Just go watch it and come back and rave about it with me. Or, I mean, if you hate it I guess we can talk about that too.
8. Six Feet Under
A drama series that takes a darkly comical look at members of a dysfunctional family that runs an independent funeral home. With the prodigal elder son (Nate) returning home for the holidays to shattering news, the family must learn to deal with a death of their own, while figuring out how to go ahead with the business of the living. A funny and emotional look at a grieving American family…that just happens to be in the grief management business.
This will probably end up higher on the list at some point, but I haven’t finished watching it yet. I love this show. I really do. I’ve only see part of the first season, but goodness I love it. It’s a dark comedy (perhaps you’ve already gotten the sense that I prefer my comedies dark or nerdy) and there’s a lot of substance to it. It tackles real issues in family relationships and it all feel very really. I love watching the show. Few things have made me laugh as hard while simultaneously causing me to feel emotions and stuff. It’s wonderful.
7. The Walking Dead
Police officer Rick Grimes leads a group of survivors in a world overrun by zombies.
The emotional investment I have in this show is completely ridiculous. I don’t get emotionally invested with real people, mind you, just fictional ones. The show hurts so much. I think I might have actually had an emotional break down when the old guy died (spoiler alert: there are multiple old guys) and every time something happens to anyway I’m compelled to scream at the TV just to make sure they are okay. I’m particularly fond of Daryl and I haven’t watched the fourth season yet so don’t even try to spoil it for me okay? Anyway, this is a really great show, filled with painfully real moments and great twists. I can only handle it in small burst, but I love it nonetheless. And, if you need further encouragement beyond zombies and emotional investment in generally awesome characters (I hate Andrea so much you have no idea), know that the guy who creates this show was behind The Mist (great movie), The Green Mile (I can’t handle those feels), and the Shawshank Redemption (is perfect). So yeah.
6. Law and Order SVU
This show is like my solid old friend. On any given day I can sit down to watch an SVU marathon, saying ‘Oh, this episode!’ one to ten minutes into each episode and occasionally – occasionally – find an episode I haven’t seen. I can recite the introduction off the top of my head. Because in the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad know as the special victims unit. These are there stories. DUN DA. I love this freaking show, guys. Side bar: Alex is my favorite ADA, and I pretty much love all of the other main characters (including Huang and Warner).
5. The West Wing
When the erudite Democrat Josiah “Jed” Bartlet is elected U.S. president, he installs his administration. He places confidants from his electoral campaigns in the White House. Each of these people play a significant role in the Washington power game: the Chief of Staff (Leo McGarry), his deputy (Josh Lyman), Communications Director (Toby Zeigler), deputy (Sam Seaborn, and later, Will Bailey), and press secretary (CJ Cregg). Also in key positions are the assistants of each of the power players. We follow these people through many political battles, as well as some personal ones.
I love this show. There are politics, it’s funny and it’s serious and I mean come on Martin Sheen is the president of the United States. The show is not just about the president – it’s about his senior staff. The president is in every episode, and he certainly has a huge role, but it’s called ‘The West Wing’ not ‘President Josiah Bartlet’. It is essential my idea of the best case scenario for a president of the states. I want Josiah Bartlet to be the real president, and I want the Democrats and Republics he deals with to be as open to working with him. don’t get me wrong, they aren’t really open to working with him. But it’s better than what we have now. Also, the president is an economist. Not a lawyer. So you can trust him with the actual budget of the country. He spends a good chunk of time in one episode correct the official economy people. He’s an idealist (a good man and a good president), and his staff is perfect (I mean, they’re flawed but they are also idealists and very good at what they do). It’s one of those dream scenarios that probably will never happen. Well, I guess, a dream scenario if you’re liberal. Or really into that bi-partisan thing. I’m not saying it’s accurate, but I am saying it’s great. Republicans and Democrats getting along, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria. I don’t even know what I’m talking about anymore. This is a really great show.
4. American Horror Story
An anthology series that centers on different characters and locations, including a haunted house, an insane asylum and a witch coven.
This show is an absolute freakshow. It’s wonderful. It’s an anthology series, and it’s pretty much the same cast taking on different parts every season with wonderful regulars such as Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Denis O’Hare, Frances Conroy, and Jessica Lange. The first season will always have a special place in my heart (my favorite characters were Tate and Patrick). The second season is probably my actual favorite because it is so completely left field. There were so many what-the-actual-fuck moments. It was wonderful. Interracial relationships, serial killers, rapists, lesbians, nuns, a demon, an insane asylum, aliens – just, what. The third season was also thoroughly enjoyable, giving my closure on a relationship from season one (the characters weren’t there, but there were the same actors and they have amazing chemistry). Basically, this show is slightly addictive, really weird, and totally awesome. I’m super excited to see what they do next.
3. Dexter
Meet Dexter Morgan. By day he’s a blood spatter pattern expert for the Miami Metro police department. But by night – he takes on an entirely different persona: serial killer. But Dexter isn’t your average serial killer as he only kills people who fit a very prolific and precise “moral code” taught to him by his late father Harry (he didn’t kill Harry, honest), and developed very thoroughly throughout each kill.
My current binge is focused on Dexter. I just re-watched the first four seasons and can finally move on because they put the rest of it on Netflix. I’m really excited because I completely love this show. I was warned against the 5th season, but I actually really like it so far. The first two episodes are emotional, and it seems to be continuing with this sort of offbeat emotional feel that we didn’t really get in the first four seasons. Anyway, I love this show. I love the characters. I basically know what happens, but it’s still great to watch. it’s especially interesting if you’re into psychology and/or philosophy. This is kind of me filling up space that i don’t need to fill because i can’t really describe why I love this show so much. It’s just so wonderful.
2. Sherlock
A modern update finds the famous sleuth and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London.
I love this show with all of my heart. I connect so hard with Sherlock I can’t even and his relationship with Watson is perhaps the most beautiful thing. On top of that, the show is funny and generally cool. The cases don’t discount the complicated forensics we do now as most of them are logic puzzles and it’s really not one of those things where it seems the incompetent police have a new case for Sherlock ever single day. If you haven’t seen it yet, and people have told you you’ll love it, be warned: there are nine episode total. And there is often a long hiatus between each three episode long hiatus. the show is addictive and I am completely emotionally invested. The first episode is when Sherlock and Watson first meet, and from there you get to watch their relationship grown as they basically actually connect to someone for the first time (at least, in a long time in John’s case). It’s interesting and thought provoking and generally a very well made show. My favorite episode is the second episode of the third season. Sherlock’s best man speech. I can’t handle how much I love it.
1. Doctor Who
You really had to see this coming. If you’ve been with me for any amount of time, you would know that when I get going about Doctor Who, I really get going. So here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to copy and paste the snippet I keep using that describes my love fro the show in the best way I am capable, I am going to link you to my posts in which I discuss the insurmountable love I have for this show, then I’m going to cover the basics. Here we go.
The love I have for this show is incredible. Incredibly geeky, but incredibly pure. Because, for me, when it comes down to it, in each incarnation of the Doctor I see that desire to run, to be anywhere but where they are now. I see someone who is slowly going numb to things they once thought to be incredible, someone trying so hard to move forward from all the pain, only to face more every day. Someone who is lonely. Someone who can still smile. I am all about that life.
For more on that, check out my post Ode to Doctor Who.
Time for the lightning round.
Favorite Doctors: 10, 3, 4, 11, 7, 8 (also the war doctor)
Favorite Companions: Sarah Jane Smith, Donna Noble, Rory Williams, Captain Jack Harkness, Ace (also K-9 and Handles)
Favorite Episodes: Blink, Midnight, The Girl in the Fireplace, Spearhead from Space
References: *I’m definitely verbally making the TARDIS noise right now*, *Time to sing the theme song with noises I’m making with my mouth* [join me]
Okay. I’m done. For now. Please note that this list is imperfect. I managed to completely forget about House and Community (tis a mystery). What are you favorite shows? Do you like any on my list? Do you dislike any? I’ll never know if you just keep staring at the screen. Leave a comment, and have a nice day.
The Paradoxical Paradigm 