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I haven't been watching much in terms of actual shows for a good while, then while listening to a podcast a host casually mentioned they had rewatched Chernobyl, how it still holds up, that there's a reason it got as much acclaim as it did, etc. So I thought I'd give it a go and wow, loved it (still one episode left to watch).
Had me thinking, what else have I missed out on? What are some "absolute cinema" TV shows that still hold up and and are considered must watch?
I would say: Daria
It seems like a sitcom at first (I hate most sitcoms), but you slowly get to realize it actually is way more of a social critique of the american (neoliberal) society and it's impact on children and teens.
Edit: I know it's a spoiler but I can't really find a way to let it reach it's intended audience any other way.
Speaking of Chernobyl, watch Andor next (lots of the same actors). Go in ignoring the fact it has anything to do with Star Wars and you'll have a great time. It's peak television.
I love me some Sci-Fi but yeah, the fact that it's Star Wars had me ignoring this one despite all the amazing reviews and hype. Is Andor still enjoyable without having seen anything but the first six movies and the first two of the sequels? I know it's closely linked with Rogue One and I didn't watch that either. Still recommendable with that little knowledge of the current expanded universe?
I went in having only seen those movies too, you really don’t even need that much familiarity to enjoy this. Don’t sleep on it, it’s quite good.
I watched Rogue One after I finished Andor and I was pretty disappointed, it’s an alright movie I guess but a huge downgrade from the show IMO.
I think the only thing you need to know is the Empire are fascists and baddies. They make that pretty clear even if you don't know that. Imagine a political spy thriller made by someone who doesn't care about Star Wars lore, because that's what it is.
I'm really surprised The Expanse didn't get more of a mention here. Great scify series, and I don't like series in general.
Its closer to hard sci fy than prob anything else, it has pretty realistic politics of exploitation, rebellion and inyterdependace in the near (few hundred years) colonisation of the solar system. There's some gritty pewpewpew in space, balanced out by some space opera, with spectacular characters that have more depth than most and a story arch thats likely to make you binge it.
As an added bonus the series is 6 out of 9 (/10) books it is based on. There are some notable differences by the end but still you can... expand beyond what the series shows.
What resonated me the most in The Expanse is how tribalistic humans still are. Our lizard brain is having a hard time evolving with human development.
It's biggest problem was the arguably not so good first season I think. Also the ending is kinda eh.
Other than that, it's my favorite series since TNG. I absolutely loved it and I pity the people that couldn't see past the first season
The Good Place. Season one is just to set it up, please stick with it through at least S2
My gf and I like to say that, based on the premise, The Good Place had absolutely no right being as amazing as it was. Phenomenal.
I always plug Scavenger's Reign. It's a a sci fi survival show about a set of people who get stranded on an alien planet animated kind of like a graphic novel. The creators used a bunch of nature documentaries as inspiration to create a truly alien and interdependent ecosystem, but the theme tells you everything you need to know about the tone.
Also, animated sci fi comedy, The Venture Bros
The creator behind Scavenger's Reign, Joe Bennett, has animated for the FXX series Cake, and he also created Adult Swim's Common Side Effects, as well as soon to be on Netflix Dealies which is based on one of his Cake shorts.
Everything he does is excellent, even his illustrations for Joe Pera's bathroom book "A Bathroom Book for People Not Pooping or Peeing but Using the Bathroom as an Escape" are wonderful.
Also the artistic inspiration for Scavenger's Reign is french graphic novelist Jean Henri Gaston Giraud, also known as Mœbius, if you're looking for similar artwork.
/infodump
I'm always ready to plug Bojack Horseman. Yes, it's an animated show about an anthropomorphic horse, with tons of silly, animal puns and visual gags, and cartoon-ish storylines, and it will sometimes just rip you open emotionally. Will Arnett is a phenomenally gifted voice actor. And despite this, one of the best episodes of television I've ever seen is one in which he has barely any lines.
The usual advice, of course, is that it takes until the middle of the first season to get really good. (The first few episodes aren't bad, they're just light comedy.)
It did some really cool experimental stuff as well, such as:
An episode that's 90% the main character's monologue, delivered straight into the 'camera'.
An episode from the perspective of someone with advanced dementia, where a lot of the important details are scribbled out.
An episode from the perspective of someone who's (perhaps) dying, and it's all explicitly stated to be a hallucination as their neurons are misfiring.
A lot of exploration into themes of nihilism and pointlessness.
And it all works. That show is amazing.
DARK on Netflix.
It's not for everybody but I loved every second of it. In summary (without spoilers):
I tried watching it on two occasions, but I felt like I needed a spreadsheet in hand to keep track of things.
There is a supporting website: select the series and the episode you've just finished and it'll give you a family tree and a plot update.
Here's a short selection of series that really stood out for me over the past few years.
All are there for different reasons, but they were all quite amazing IMHO. (also, I've included spoiler-free summaries 😉)
Devs
A software engineer investigates the secretive quantum computing division of her cutting-edge tech company after her boyfriend goes missing.
This felt like some of the best early Black Mirror episodes, stretched out over the length of a well-paced short TV series. In a way, it's also similar to Severance, in the best of ways.
Our Flag Means Death
An 18th-century aristocrat abandons his life of luxury to become a pirate.
Funny, touching, extremely intelligent... if you like the work of Taika Waititi and his friends (What we do in the Shadows), this is a must-watch.
Scavengers Reign
When a deep-space freighter crashes on a beautiful but profoundly perilous alien planet, the scattered surviving crew must navigate a surreal, violently interconnected ecosystem in a desperate bid for rescue.
The best Sci-Fi series I've ever seen. This may be the first tv series I've seen that actually translates the vibe of some of the best Sci-Fi/space-opera writing I've read.
Killing Eve
A bored MI5 security officer and a glamorous, unpredictable assassin become locked in a deadly, globe-trotting game of cat-and-mouse.
Amazing actresses playing terrible people. It is so we'll made I think everyone needs to watch this one.
Utopia (UK)
A group of online forum members unearths a bizarre graphic novel rumored to predict global disasters, suddenly finding themselves hunted by a ruthless, shadowy organization.
This show is SO unique. The way it looks, the vibe, the story... everything hits SO hard! Just the intro sequence had me HOOKED! (Note: it was never finished; but it does have a pretty good ending regardless).
I loved Mr Robot
Edit- I’d also throw in Fargo. The season with Chris Rock and Jason Schwartzman was weak but the rest are great (Especially seasons 2 & 5)
Better Call Saul https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Call_Saul
This show is better than Breaking Bad IMHO.
better than Breaking Bad
Loved breaking bad but I've always said the same.
Nobody seems to have watched it, but "Counterpart". It's a mind fuck Science Fiction show. Only 20 episodes, so manageable.
It was cancelled, but the writers knew beforehand and wrote an absolute perfect conclusion for the last episodes.
Also it's best to go in blind. There are events predicted in the show that later happened for real (I don't want to spoil it), and it's fun to think "oh that is how and why it happened"!
Also J.K. Simmons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterpart_(TV_series)
I can't recommend this show enough.
Ted Lasso. Surface level it's a "fish out of water" story of an American College Football coach going to England to coach Professional Football (soccer). In actuality it's a show about loss, growth, relationships, and packs more emotions than you'll know what to do with. I know a lot of people gush about it, but I'm not being hyperbolic when I say that it might be the most perfect show I've ever watched.
Similarly, Schitt's Creek. A lot of similar themes, also a nearly perfect show. I will say that it took me a little bit to get past the first couple of episodes because it seemed like all of the characters were kinda awful, but that's really setting things up for character growth.
Severance is amazing and worth watching multiple times.
The Walking Dead through the end of season 6
Futurama
Ted Lasso
The Good Place
3rd Rock From The Sun
Band of Brothers
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (don’t let the trailers fool you— it starts kinda slow but it’s an adult storyline and is phenomenal from like middle of Season 1 on. The last four episodes are iconic for me. You can skip the movie.)
Long Way Round (sequel Long Way Down is excellent also)
The IT Crowd
Marvel’s The Punisher
Chapelle’s Show
Haunting of Hill House / Haunting of Bly Manor
Fringe
The Expanse
Simpsons through season 7
Firefly,
For less cinematic my favorite fun ones are
The good place, and Better off ted
I’ll mention one that hasn’t been mentioned by others yet: Mind Hunter.
how it still holds up
Jesus Christ, the show came out in 2019... Are we really asking if things from 2019 "still hold up"?
A short list
I slept on the Battlestar Galactica reboot from 2003. I'd catch glimpses of it when it was on air, but since it was a continuous storyline, I bounced off it and was lost. Recently decided to try it out, and I was immediately hooked. Great acting and a really interesting scenario.
Andor is superb, as others have said.
Firefly is a fantastic space western, beloved for good reason.
Turn: Washington's Spies is a great historical spy series based on real spies in the American Revolution. Starts a bit slow but it really gets rolling after a couple episodes.
My family has had great things to say about Black Sails, a historical Pirate show.
If you haven't seen Breaking Bad, strongly recommend it.
Common Side Effects is a masterpiece.
If you're interested in Anime that goes for more adult themes, I can recommend Spice & Wolf, Cowboy Bebop, and Black Lagoon.
It’s a bit older, but the HBO series ROME is amazing. There are two seasons and I’ve watched both at least 11 times each. Hell, you could throw it on right now and I’d sit down to watch it.
Andor!
Best Star Wars content in a lonngggg time
Better Call Saul! I like it even more than Breaking Bad
"How it still holds up". Chernobyl came out in 2019. That's not that old! It's only 7 years. It might be a long time but not enough for a show to get dated like that.
I always feel like The Leftovers on HBO doesn’t get anywhere near enough love. The first few episodes, while still good, are admittedly a bit slow (even for a slow burn) but holy shit once it gets going it is SO damn good. 3 seasons of some of my absolute favorite “what-the-fuck-is-happening” television. The story and writing and characters are phenomenal, and the acting is even better. Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, Christopher Eccleston, and Ann Dowd are just incredible, and Damon Fucking Lindelof just ties it all together
Season two examines the 1997 murder of legendary fashion designer Gianni Versace outside of his Miami Beach mansion by serial killer Andrew Cunanan, interweaving storylines involving the lead-up to the murder and the criminal investigation that includes a nationwide manhunt for Cunanan.
A comedic thriller that follows the bizarre adventures of eccentric “holistic” detective Dirk Gently and his reluctant assistant Todd. An adaptation of Douglas Adams’ wildly successful comic novels.
In the future when technological enhancements and robotics are a way of life, Major Motoko Kusanagi and Section 9 take care of the jobs that are too difficult for the police. Section 9 employs hackers, sharpshooters, detectives and cyborgs all in an effort to thwart cyber criminals and their plans to attack the innocent.
Set in 1960-1970 New York, this sexy, stylized and provocative drama follows the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising.
After learning heretical teachings about the Earth and the Sun, a child prodigy searches for his master's hidden research while evading the Inquisition.
Follow the intergalactic adventures of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and his loyal crew aboard the all-new USS Enterprise NCC-1701D, as they explore new worlds.
The body of Laura Palmer is washed up on a beach near the small Washington state town of Twin Peaks. FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper is called in to investigate her strange demise only to uncover a web of mystery that ultimately leads him deep into the heart of the surrounding woodland and his very own soul.
The Utopia Experiments is a legendary graphic novel shrouded in mystery. When a group of strangers find themselves in possession of an original manuscript, their lives suddenly and brutally implode.
Everyone else sees Wilfred as just a dog, but Ryan sees a crude and somewhat surly, yet irrepressibly brave and honest Australian bloke in a cheap dog suit. While leading him through a series of comedic and existential adventures, Wilfred the dog shows Ryan the man how to overcome his fears and joyfully embrace the unpredictability and insanity of the world around him.
Apparently I like War, Mystery, and Comedy. List:
Andor: Is great, even if you aren't a Star Wars fan. Each 3 episode arc is better than the last. Only planned as 1 season, but did so well they made a Season 2 and Season 2 is better. You can use Rogue One as a cap to the series.
Veronica Mars: watched all of it for the first time this year. It holds up 20+ years later.
Ted Lasso: Comedy about a college American Football coach coaching English Football/soccer.
The Good Place: Strangely a philosophy heavy comedy. It slows in places, but is absolutely worth watching.
Schmitt's Creek: Comedy about unlikeable rich people becoming poor. It takes a bit to start, but each season is better than the last and nails the landing.
Possibles:
Altered Carbon (Season 1): Great murder mystery set in a cyberpunk, dystopian future.
Shogun: Medieval Japan samurai "game of thrones"-esk show. Only planned as 1 season, but did so well they are making a Season 2.
Band of Brothers: War show about American rangers in WW2.
Altered Carbon season 1 was so good!
Shame they never made a second season… (/s)
Didn't see anyone mentioned it but Gravity Falls and the original Avatar The Last Airbender is really, really good.
Also Fallout TV series is nice too, not worth the subscription but worth your time, if you catch my drift.
Altered Carbon season 1. The worldbuilding and story is very good. Premise: People have managed to create chips on which you can put someone's consciousness. In this world, everyone has one. Once a body dies, your life is not necessarily over, but the standards differ vastly for the poor and the rich. One such rich man has had an attempt on his life: someone shot him in his chip, and then tried to hack his backup to truly kill him, but failed. He awakens an old rebel to solve who murdered him (this is all episode 1 exposition, so not really a spoiler).
It's one of those sci-fi series where, if you accept that one specific thing is possible, everything fits perfectly. Good story, great worldbuilding, good cast, and good music. Highly recommended!
I'm not sure if there's any more of it being made now, but I remember season 2 being just a run of the mill boring-ass action series. Turned it off halfway episode 3. But season 1 is very good, and absolutelt worthy of the praise that it got!
Better than the rest
The Wire & Homicide: Life on the Street (David Simon Box Set) Atlanta The Expanse
Comedy
Sci-Fi
Drama
Intense Drama (TV-MA and little levity)
Anthology shows
Animated
Perpetually on deck for me
Haven’t seen it mentioned yet, so I’ll go ahead and give a shoutout to The Queen’s gambit. It’s easily one of the best shows of the past 20 years and it’s a limited, 7 episode (iirc) series.
