There's no apparent rhyme or reason to when seasons begin and end. No standard season length. If it wasn't for DVR this would be an extremely difficult time to be a viewer.
Thankfully we do have that advantage. As well as Netflix and a host of other great options. Instead of watching shows in weekly installments now we can pick a show and devour it in all our free time. We define our own seasons and schedules. When I find some free time here's how I've been assaulting my eyes:
Mad Men:
For my money this is currently the 800-pound gorilla of television. Since I don't watch reality tv I consider this to be the show at the moment. It keeps you captivated with strong and flawed characters, and still manages to produce a couple watercooler moments each season. Don Draper, top-shelf advertising professional with a Midas touch and a closet full of skeletons introduces you to the transforming cultural landscape of the 60's and the cutthroat world of advertising. While everyone puts on a bold and ambitious front, you'll find that every character has at least one fatal flaw (beside the standard alcoholism and infidelity) a host of fears.
Watch Mad Men if you like:
- 1960's Culture and historical events
- Skinny ties
- Advertising/Commercial media
- A little of this:
Justified:
While Mad Men may stand at the top of the mountain in my TV universe, I would say Justified is the show that gets far too little acclaim. Flying beautifully under the radar (possibly because it's on FX, a severely overlooked network in most people's universes), it features strong characters in a complex and ever-twisting plotline. US Marshall Raylan Givens is reassigned to his former home in Harlan, Kentucky after the high-profile shooting of an Miami crime-boss. In addition to old friends (as well as enemies) and the quiet simplicity of country life, he discovers more than enough less than legal activities and personal vendettas to keep him busy. One of Raylan's constant banes, Boyd Crowder, is one of the strongest characters on TV as far as I'm concerned.
Watch Justified if you like:
- Westerns
- Crime Drama
- Dukes of Hazzard meets The Sopranos
- Gorgeous images of the Kentucky countryside
Breaking Bad:
Admittedly not for everyone, I actually avoided this show for a long time. It seems to have a strong following. Surprising when you consider that it's about a science teacher turned meth cook. Turns out the strong following is for good reason. The show is dark to be sure. And frankly, Walter White frequently drives me crazy. In fact, he's a "hero" that it's practically impossible to like. Quite an accomplishment for a cancer patient. One of my favorite parts of Breaking Bad is reoccurring shot they use throughout the series. The camera is placed below a pane of glass and gives you an upward perspective on the action taking place above (ie: pouring toxic chemicals into beakers, stashing money/drugs in the toilet, chopping vegetables).
Watch Breaking Bad if you like:
- Seeing people pushed to the brink
- Glimpses of hope
- Sticking it to the man
- Getting frustrated/angry/annoyed at the characters
There are a couple other shows I should weigh in on, but this is getting rather lengthy. Another time perhaps!
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