Looking for something to warm up your evenings at home? There are loads of interesting shows to follow on television. Whether you enjoy stories about troubled teens, crime thrillers, or workplace romance, you’ll surely find something you fancy. Here is a collection of reviews to help you pick the iconic show of your liking. Read on.
1. Better Call Saul
If you’ve not watched this show, it’s about time you do. Its mode of attack is the slow pace but character-focused drama. Since its premiere in 2015, Better Call Saul, a legal crime fiction series, is riveting.
The show was written by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould as a prequel to Breaking Bad. Interestingly, the character in Breaking Bad is one of the tragic protagonists in Better Call Saul. The complex characters, compelling storylines, impressive performances infused with high emotion, and lots of internal conflict are something to look forward to.
They bring in unique, better characters than in their earlier drama, Breaking Bad. Consider Nacho Vargo, Chuck McGill, Kim Wexler, and Howard Hamlin. Lalo Salamanca’s character as a villain could surpass television legends such as Gus Fring. Jimmy McGill started as a struggling law firm consultant based in New Mexico.
The story progresses, and Jimmy changes into a morally bankrupt lawyer, who was Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad. In this formerly small-time attorney, you’ll encounter a conman, a money-loving and uncaring criminal lawyer. His relationship with Kim Wexler is a riveting romance.
The story is totally immersing, with the visual storytelling carrying powerful dialogue. The show, set in 2002, provides flash-forwards to events after Breaking Bad. These flashes into the future give an added layer of intrigue to the iconic show.
2. CSI
The CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) is an iconic show in its own right. The crime has been committed, and the crime scene is set. Then comes the time for it to be investigated. The team of Las Vegas criminalists are working at their Las Vegas forensics lab, all doing the graveyard shift.
The team leaders are Gil Grissom and Catherine Willows. The rest of the team, Nick Stokes, Warrick Brown, and Sara Sidle, all hunting for clues. Each crime is a new set of eyes to look at, getting new perspectives on the case. The scenes, at times, have graphic images that can disturb viewers.
Meet the main man of the computer forensic business, Gil Grissom, who is the boss of CSI. He is portrayed well by William L. Peterson. He’s well-educated and wise but a loner.
The people working with Grissom are Catherine Willows, played by Marg Helenbeger; Nick Stokes, played by George Eads; Warrick Brown, played by Gary Dourdan; and Sara Sidle, acted by Jorja Fox. Sidle is eager to be the best in her work and can be a loner like Grissom. Willows is a modern woman who’s dedicated to both work and motherhood. It’s tough to balance these two at times for her. The manly men are Warrick and Stokes, and are constantly competing to prove who is the best of the two.
3. Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is an iconic show for binge-watching. Set and filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the gripping story is about Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston. White is an underpaid yet burned-out high school chemistry teacher. He’s also diagnosed with stage three lung cancer.
He decides to join the world of crime and partners with his former student, Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul. Together, they produce and distribute crystal meth to secure a sound financial base for his family before he dies. The production and sale of the drug leads the former teacher into joining drug rings. He teaches himself how to negotiate with drug dealers and other criminals.
The transformation of White is a slow sort of slide, as he is tested in various ways just inside his chemical analysis lab. At one point, he had to hold someone hostage in the basement. White’s family includes Skyler, his son R.J. Mitte, and Skyler’s sister, Besty Brandt. White’s brother-in-law is Hank, a drug enforcement (DEA) agent. White’s attorney is Saul Goodman, played by Bob Odenkirk.
The story has style and substance, with thought-provoking, tense dialogue. The humor is also dark and wicked. The story is texturally rich, intimate, and tense, with a deliberate pace. The show has bagged many awards, like eight Satellite Awards, two Golden Globe awards, two Peabody Awards, and 16 Primetime Emmy Awards.
The production is so good that it got two Critics’ Choice Awards and four from the Television Critics Association Awards. The actors also bagged many awards. Aaron Paul took home the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor three times in a drama series.
Anna Gunn won the same actress role award twice. The show was entered as the most critically acclaimed show of all time In the Guinness World Records. This should be enough reason to binge-watch the iconic show.
4. Grey’s Anatomy
Picture this: It is April 2020, and Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital staff are in the stormy early stages of battling the COVID-19 pandemic. The facility is handling only Covid cases. The hunt for protective gear (PPE) turns out to be one enormous and long-running nightmare of regulation after regulation.
Meredith Grey, an intern, is responsible for COVID patients. She’s losing so many of them, who are mostly dying alone. Meanwhile, a teen is brought to the E.R. with severe burns when they fall victim to a wildfire while attending a party.
The teen is quickly put on IV drip therapy. Another young man is brought in with kidney failure and gets a lease of life when he receives a kidney transplant. However, his new kidney is skewered on a tree branch!
Grey’s Anatomy is an iconic show that premiered in 2005, as a show by Shonda Rhimes. There’s romance in the medical madness, with medical intern Meredith Grey having a one-night stand with Dr. Derek, the attending brain surgeon at the hospital where the intern works. The show introduces different and diverse characters over time.
5. The Office
The Office is hilarious, remarkable, and comically portrays today’s workplace. The American version of the iconic show is charmingly funny, emotional, and dramatic. The two actors, John Krasinksi, playing Jim Halpert, and Jenna Fischer, playing Pam Beesly, are obviously well matched as their chemistry is off the charts.
The Jim-Pam story is the spine upon which the series is built, becoming forklifts for the entire plot. The office slut is portrayed by Meredith Palmer, and interestingly, such characters are found in nearly every workplace. There is a love-hate relationship between Kelly Kapoor and Ryan Howard. Then there is Toby Flenderson, who is hated by nearly everyone in the office despite his best efforts to please his colleagues. Oscar Martinez is the office gay worker, also portrayed as one of the ordinary workers.
Angela Martin acts like the office nun but has a different character altogether. Jim’s nemesis is Dwight Schrute, and they bring depth and breadth to the show’s proceedings. The show’s characters become like family over the nine seasons.
Steve departs the show near the end of season seven. In short, this show teaches you love, empathy, and finding joy in the simple, everyday things in life. Watch it and immerse yourself in life as it really should flow every day.
6. Freaks and Geeks
Freaks and Geeks, Paul Feig’s 1999 comedy-drama, takes on the universally troubling teen substance abuse. The iconic show was produced by Judd Apatow. Set in a fictional Detroit 1980s suburb, the show follows siblings Lindsay, played by Linda Cardellini, and Sam Weir, played by John Francis Daley.
They’re supported by their cliques in William McKinley High School. The siblings are like outcasts of different kinds. Lindsay wants to shed her good-girl image and ditches her religious best friend.
She then takes her father’s old army jacket and joins pot-smoking groups. Her virtuous nature still sets her apart from these gangs despite her efforts. Sam doesn’t like being taunted as a geek, so he harbors dreams of reinventing his life with his friends.
Their parents, Joe Flaherty, and Becky Ann Baker, protect their children. They must, however, learn to let them go. The show explores topics on fidelity, bullying, sexuality, and ableism from the perspective of a teenager.
7. Trailer Park Boys
There are three main characters: Ricky, Julian, and Bubbles. Ricky is emotionally driven and is the irrational one. He puts himself into troublesome illegal issues and then comments that it’s no big deal. He also tries to conveniently pass off the blame. Julian cares for his friends and is considered the brains of the crew. Though his heart is rightfully placed, he’s in this adventure for his own gains. He demonstrates this clearly by the decisions he makes.
Bubbles is this special lad who loves kitties. He’s the voice of reason in the group and, at times, seems more sympathetic and special. He, however, finds himself in bad situations due to his friends’ faults.
Jim Lahey is the drunk supervisor of the double wide trailer. He can be vengeful and always looks for how to get even with the three boys. You must watch these ridiculous characters whose mannerisms make you love the iconic show.
8. Euphoria
The story is set in a narrative of a universe with a dysfunctional family. The high school focused show features teens who have out of normal behavior. The girls in the show engage in extreme sex and their parents are, in a way, non-existent.
The iconic show has characters like Maddy. She’s annoying and seems to have a predictable pattern. Then there’s Zendaya, whose acting is impressive. Nate does some pretty insane things on the show as well.
The episodes capture serious, alarming topics among teens, such as emotions and poor self-expression that many teens suffer. Self-perception, especially after tough moments, also affects young people and drug abuse. The storyline is about teens, but it may not be suitable for teens to watch.
9. The Sopranos
The story is about a family man dealing with the everyday life and problems of raising a family. But this man is in the mafia and lives a criminal life under the veneer of his normal life. James Gandolfini plays Tony Soprano, who is the Italian Mafia lynchpin.
He also has a life beyond the Mafia circles. Tony’s wife Carmela is a deeply religious woman who supports her husband through all his sins. Tony has to deal with running his mafia family. Then, his own normal family, an experience that gives him panic attacks, leading him to see a therapist.
Tony’s psychiatrist is Dr. Jennifer Merlhi. She fears him yet must give him therapy. A darker twist is that she is attracted to him. The writers have used powerful symbolism, metaphorical imagery, and shocking violence. But still, it has themes of honor, love, and respect for the traditional family.
Some strands within the iconic show are yet to be explored. As in real life, though, some events go unnoticed forever. The Sopranos may need a criminal defense lawyer. Or maybe never. Give credit to David Chase for this excellent creative show, and then watch this iconic show.
10. Orange is the New Black
This iconic show follows the lives of inmates and guards of a women’s prison. The story starts with a woman sent to prison for carrying drug money to her former girlfriend. The lead character is Taylor, and her sexual orientation is among her many dilemmas while in prison.
She was gay but now has a boyfriend. However, her old girlfriend is now in prison for federal crimes. In Season Seven, a three-day prison riot takes the rest of the season to unravel.
Taystee fell for the riot but faced life without parole for her actions, a sad outcome. It explores current issues and problems of the present-day lives of American women while weaving together a talented cast. The characters are loveable but can make you depressed because of the terrible things they go through. The stories move from class, race, sexuality, and gender, all mixed up in drama and comedy.
Beyond reading these reviews, you must watch these shows yourself. Grab some popcorn and venture into the worlds of the different shows. They’ll give you insights into various worlds and the people living those lives.
