The modern TV landscape can be quite overwhelming—so many good shows to watch, and so few hours in the day to watch them all. The fall television schedule is getting ready to start up again and many popular shows will be returning to the airwaves with brand new episodes. Most viewers know of shows like The Walking Dead, Mad Men and Game of Thrones, but there are a few lesserknown programs that any true couch potato should be aware of. Here are some of our favorite lower profile programs.
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Overhyped
We feel these shows get more credit than deserved; however, we still watch them.
The Big Bang Theory Poorly written, cliché and trivial.
The Americans
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Justified
This superb drama is full of genuine suspense and thrilling surprises. It focuses on two KGB spies who are posing as married American citizens in the U.S. during the 1980’s Cold War. Actress Keri Russell shines as the female half of the Russian spy couple and is able to display a strength she hasn’t really been allowed to show in her past roles. Hopefully the show can expand on its first season and continue to develop its first-rate cast of characters.
There may not be a better marriage of character and actor on television currently than Timothy Olyphant and his portrayal of U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens. Olyphant’s charm and bravado are enough to carry almost any television series to a high level, but the show itself is so well crafted that it is enhanced by its star; yet in no way dependent on him. Sharp dialog and excellent writing are always on display in each episode. Justified seems to get far less recognition than deserved; it’s worth every viewer’s valuable time.
The Mindy Kaling Project Mindy Kaling is easily one of the top comedians in show business and her immense talent is firmly on display in her self-titled sitcom. Much like her previous television show The Office, Project is filled with offbeat characters that are easy to connect with and that has contributed to it being one of the best comedies on TV. Ike Barinholtz’s character Morgan Tookers often steals each scene he is in and at times Project is worth watching just for his contributions.
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Hannibal
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Sherlock
It’s difficult for any Hannibal Lecter story to top the classic film, Silence of the Lambs. This disturbing program separates itself from the Hannibal motion pictures with its unique style and displays a level of quality few network programs can rival. It’s quite surprising what this show is able to get away with in terms of violence and genuine shock value. Mads Mikkelsen definitely honors the legacy of Dr. Hannibal Lecter with his performance and allows the audience not to miss Anthony Hopkins all that much.
There seems to be no shortage of Sherlock Holmes projects right now—the Robert Downey Jr. films and a CBS hour-long drama all deal with the greatest detective that ever lived. Despite that oversaturation of the product, this BBC series feels amazingly crisp. The performances and writing allow Sherlock to be more than just another filmed version of the iconic character. Star Benedict Cumberbatch has made a permanent place for himself in Holmes’ mythos.
Modern Family Forced comedy and often annoying.
Revolution Another hit to J.J. Abrams’ legacy.
Jaws is such a truly realistic horror film; I think that is why most still find it so scary. Set in the small beach town of Amity, the poster and other images from the film still remain iconic to this day. ( I happen to own three Jaws shirts and a Zippo I’m fanatical about.) The recently re-released Blu-ray looks even more glorious than the original and not all older films translate well to Blu-ray, in my opinion. There is something about Jaws that remains truly terrifying. No psychotic killer, no zombies, nothing imaginary—just a large shark terrorizing a small
town and leaving a trail of blood along its beach. It’s one of my top five all-time favorite movies and also the ultimate summer horror flick! Jaws is often credited as being the very first true cinematic blockbuster. When it opened in June of 1975, studios for large-scale films did not yet heavily target the summer season. The other three films on this ‘Fab Four’ list may not have been possible without Jaws and its unprecedented success nearly 40 years ago in the warmest season of the year.
No. 024 THE STNDRD LIFESTYLE - THE ARTIST ISSUE
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