It’s funny, moving, and a whole lot more interesting than a lot of the stuff they air on SyFy today. The story follows a ragtag crew of smugglers as, in the far future, they traverse the galaxy making trouble and generally causing an uproar. None, however, are probably as resilient and faithful as those surrounding the sci-fi western Firefly. Joss Whedon hasn’t always been the most commercially successful writer/director/creative, but the cult followings that each of his properties garner are undeniable. So, if you’re gonna watch this one, you should get started before the next season hits the airwaves. As it stands right now, there have only been 3 seasons, but FX – the network on which the show appears – is open for a fourth. In fact, each season stars a different cast and follows a different storyline, some stranger than others. Rather it is an anthology inspired by the setting, story, and characters seen in the film.
There’s also rumors of a movie in the works, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up.īased on the Coen brothers’ film of the same name, Fargo the TV show is not actually a continuation of the story from the movie. Timothy Olyphant, who went on to star in another excellent western show called Justified, plays the straight-laced sheriff character in perfect disharmony with Ian McShane’s lawless bar-owner/crime lord, but while they are certainly the highlights of this show, the entire cast of characters will keep you coming back for more. And while there’s no sci-fi spin on this period-action-drama, the world and characters are so rich that there never needs to be a twist. Westworld was not the first time that HBO whet their fangs on the western genre – that accolade goes to Deadwood.
Even if you just want to watch Daredevil to prepare for the upcoming Punisher series (which promises to be a super-fun bloodbath), it’s worth watching. Yes, they are still about superheroes, but these characters are humanized, vulnerable, and a lot more interesting thanks to it. If the Marvel films and TV shows of the 2000s were an example of how not to tell gritty comic book stories, Daredevil and the new class of Marvel-Netflix shows are the exact opposite – with, perhaps, one yellow-fisted exception. And, in case that’s not enough, it’s worth noting that it was inducted into the Guinness World Records as the most critically acclaimed show of all time. It should also help, for some, that this show features a lot of thematic similarities to westerns, mafioso-style gangster movies, and (perhaps obviously) modern drug cartel crime films. If you can look past the fact that this is a show in which the protagonist is a murderous meth dealer, you’ll discover a shockingly rich character drama. If you find your tastes somewhere in the quirky range of R-rated comedy (we’re looking at you, Wes Anderson fans), this one’s for you. Schwartzman plays a down-on-his-luck noir fiction writer who decides to pursue detective work, using the knowledge he garnered from reading and writing hard-boiled novels. Yes, that’s correct, these are real war heroes and their true-to-life tales.Ĭertainly an oddity when it compared to the more mainstream shows on our list, Bored To Death is no less a captivating, albeit goofy comedic television show – which is perhaps no better explained than by listing the three cast leads: Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis, and Ted Danson.
It’s full of action, drama, and suspense, all of which compounded by the fact that it’s based on a non-fiction book of the same name by Stephen E. It’s short compared to some of the other selections on our list (having only 10 parts to the limited series), but it’s arguably the best television depiction of any wartime event ever. Set in Europe during WWII, this HBO series chronicles the missions and members of Easy Company – the 506th Regiment of the U.S. It’s clever, quick, and – if you can ignore the most recent Netflix-exclusive season – every episode is worth watching a couple times. This short-lived show follows the Newport Beach, California Bluth family, an inexplicably well-off collection of the most self-centered, narcissistic, money-grubbing, screwed-up people in the world – who also all happen to be related in some form or another. In the case of Arrested Development, however, it’s the cherry on top of the cake.
In real life, family disfunction is generally no laughing matter. And don’t think the fact that it’s an animated show make you think it’s not grown-up enough, because this definitely-not-for-kids episodic could make even a brothel madam blush. This genre-bending adult cartoon comedy is as raunchy as it is quick-witted and its pull-no-punches approach to lampooning is second only to, perhaps, Rick and Morty. If you think that James Bond meets early-2000s Adult Swim (we’re talking Space Ghost and Sea Lab 2021-era) sounds like your cup o’ tea, then Archer is going to be right up your alley.