At a recent family gathering I was talking to my uncle about TV. He recommended BBC's Luther, saying, "It's almost as good as Sherlock." Naturally, I had to check it out on Netflix, and I'm extremely glad that I did.
Luther stars Idris Elba, whom you may know as Charles Miner on The Office, as DCI John Luther, who must confront his personal issues along with his murder cases. Sounds like every other crime drama on TV, right? That's why I was skeptical at first, as I am not usually a fan of police procedurals. However, Luther takes the genre and brings it to a new level with some very interesting cases, to the point that the show resembles a thriller film. That, along with Elba's great acting as the temperamental detective, make this show worth watching.
The show also features one of the most intriguing television characters I've seen since Lost's Ben Linus: Alice Morgan, played to perfection by Ruth Wilson. In the pilot episode, Alice is suspected of murdering her parents. She becomes a regular character in the series, as she and Luther develop an...odd relationship. I wish I could say more about Alice Morgan, but I don't want to spoil the most intriguing aspect of the show.
All in all, Luther is a must for fans of crime dramas, thrillers, or British TV. All ten episodes are on Netflix, and a third season of four episodes has been commissioned and will likely air in 2013. Check it out, then come back and tell me what you think.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Introduction and Top 5 Shows
So here it goes. My very first post on my very first blog. I figured I'd use this post as an introduction to the blog and the person behind it.
I can't tell you when my love of TV started. What I can tell you is that over the past five years or so, I've followed so many shows, I can't even count them all. Believe me, I've tried counting them on a few occasions and failed miserably. It has gotten to a point where while most people dread the end of summer, I welcome it because it means that the fall TV season is starting soon. So I've finally decided to do something productive and start a blog where I can ramble on about my favorite shows, while simultaneously work on my writing skills. See? TV can be good for you.
Now before I get angry comments in the future, let me warn you that, while I watch a lot of shows, I don't watch all of them. That means I may not write about your favorite show. Believe it or not, there are some shows that I don't like and refuse to watch. That said, I am always open to new TV shows, so if you would like to recommend a show to me, please do. All I ask is that you make a case for it, and perhaps recommend a certain episode that would get me hooked. If I get around to watching it, I just might write a review.
Now to the fun part. I decided to include in this introduction post my 5 favorite TV shows of all time along with a brief description of why I like them.
5. Smallville
While this may not be the most well-made show, it holds a special place in my heart. This show, about a teenage Clark Kent before he becomes Superman, sparked my fascination in DC Comics. It took the well-known comic book characters and created a whole new universe around them. Like any show that lasts 10 years, it had its bad seasons, but overall it told a great coming-of-age story with one of the country's most famous characters.
4. Psych
This show, about a fake psychic detective, is, in my opinion, one of the most consistently funny shows on TV. The jokes are very well-written, and the chemistry between the two leads, James Roday and Dulé Hill, is undeniable. In recent seasons, the show has focused on themed episodes, including the acclaimed Twin Peaks episode. The upcoming seventh season will include a musical episode, which promises to be great, especially since the actors have already proven that they can sing.
3. Suits
Now in its second season, Suits has proven to be one of the most smartly-written shows on TV. The pilot episode includes one of my favorite scenes in any pilot ever, in which Mike Ross, a college dropout with a photographic memory, convinces big-shot lawyer Harvey Specter to hire him as an associate at New York's most prestigious law firm. This season has raised the stakes exponentially, and every episode so far has been phenomenal. If I had to suggest only one show to catch up on, it would be a tough choice between this and...
2. Sherlock
This one just barely beat out Suits for number 2. While Suits may be more fun, Sherlock is more well-written and well-acted. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are great as the famous pair of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The great thing about this show is that each episode is 90 minutes, so each one is like a whole movie. The bad thing is that each season is only three episodes, with about a year between seasons. But that is easily overlooked because of how good the show is and how much plot is fit into those three episodes.
And that leaves my favorite show of all time...
1. Lost
Lost is easily my favorite show for a number of reasons. First of all, it created a mythology that transcended the show and engaged fans worldwide. Secondly, and more importantly, it succeeded at something with which many shows struggle: character development. From the very beginning, Lost made us care about the characters by providing flashbacks in every episode to various characters' lives before the crash. Say what you will about the show not answering all of the questions that it raised, but one thing it never lost track of was what the show was ultimately about: the characters.
Thus ends my list and introduction. Sound off in the comments with your thoughts or your own top 5. And if you like what you read, please subscribe, follow, share, tweet, or whatever it is that you do.
I can't tell you when my love of TV started. What I can tell you is that over the past five years or so, I've followed so many shows, I can't even count them all. Believe me, I've tried counting them on a few occasions and failed miserably. It has gotten to a point where while most people dread the end of summer, I welcome it because it means that the fall TV season is starting soon. So I've finally decided to do something productive and start a blog where I can ramble on about my favorite shows, while simultaneously work on my writing skills. See? TV can be good for you.
Now before I get angry comments in the future, let me warn you that, while I watch a lot of shows, I don't watch all of them. That means I may not write about your favorite show. Believe it or not, there are some shows that I don't like and refuse to watch. That said, I am always open to new TV shows, so if you would like to recommend a show to me, please do. All I ask is that you make a case for it, and perhaps recommend a certain episode that would get me hooked. If I get around to watching it, I just might write a review.
Now to the fun part. I decided to include in this introduction post my 5 favorite TV shows of all time along with a brief description of why I like them.
5. Smallville
While this may not be the most well-made show, it holds a special place in my heart. This show, about a teenage Clark Kent before he becomes Superman, sparked my fascination in DC Comics. It took the well-known comic book characters and created a whole new universe around them. Like any show that lasts 10 years, it had its bad seasons, but overall it told a great coming-of-age story with one of the country's most famous characters.
4. Psych
This show, about a fake psychic detective, is, in my opinion, one of the most consistently funny shows on TV. The jokes are very well-written, and the chemistry between the two leads, James Roday and Dulé Hill, is undeniable. In recent seasons, the show has focused on themed episodes, including the acclaimed Twin Peaks episode. The upcoming seventh season will include a musical episode, which promises to be great, especially since the actors have already proven that they can sing.
3. Suits
Now in its second season, Suits has proven to be one of the most smartly-written shows on TV. The pilot episode includes one of my favorite scenes in any pilot ever, in which Mike Ross, a college dropout with a photographic memory, convinces big-shot lawyer Harvey Specter to hire him as an associate at New York's most prestigious law firm. This season has raised the stakes exponentially, and every episode so far has been phenomenal. If I had to suggest only one show to catch up on, it would be a tough choice between this and...
This one just barely beat out Suits for number 2. While Suits may be more fun, Sherlock is more well-written and well-acted. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are great as the famous pair of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The great thing about this show is that each episode is 90 minutes, so each one is like a whole movie. The bad thing is that each season is only three episodes, with about a year between seasons. But that is easily overlooked because of how good the show is and how much plot is fit into those three episodes.
And that leaves my favorite show of all time...
Lost is easily my favorite show for a number of reasons. First of all, it created a mythology that transcended the show and engaged fans worldwide. Secondly, and more importantly, it succeeded at something with which many shows struggle: character development. From the very beginning, Lost made us care about the characters by providing flashbacks in every episode to various characters' lives before the crash. Say what you will about the show not answering all of the questions that it raised, but one thing it never lost track of was what the show was ultimately about: the characters.
Thus ends my list and introduction. Sound off in the comments with your thoughts or your own top 5. And if you like what you read, please subscribe, follow, share, tweet, or whatever it is that you do.
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