Recently I have found myself watching more TV shows than movies. I'm currently binging on two series', and have recently discovered a third. So, why not a list of my favourite TV shows? I doubt anyone will actually be interested in this, but I don't really care. My blog, my lists.
So, I hope you enjoy reading my personal favourites. It was a little difficult to choose them, and how I should choose the ones to go on my list. In the end it came down to three things; nostalgia, re-watchability, and whether or not I actually waited to watch them on an actual TV when I did actually watched TV.
Because I'm weird, or awesome as I prefer to think, I don't watch a lot of TV serials. So, shows like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, True Blood, and Boardwalk Empire won't appear on this list. Just getting that out of the way now so you won't be disappointed. Expect more comedies and mystery shows. You also may have noticed that there are 20 titles on this list. This is because there were some shows that I just could not bear to leave off, and it consequently brought the list up to 20. Sorry.
But enough banter, let's get on with the list!
20. The Mighty Boosh
I won't say that this was my first foray into absurd comedy, but The Mighty Boosh was definitely the first bit media that I actively sort out fanfiction for. And it introduced to me the wonder of slash fiction. Apart from initiating me into what fandom is, Mighty Boosh is also a pretty hilarious show. The double act of Howard Moon and Vince Noir is brilliant, and the crazy adventures they find themselves on are both genius and silly beyond words. The supporting characters are also funny, especially Naboo the enigma (who is probably my favourite character) and the Hitcher (who I may or may not have dressed up as at one point...). The live shows are also hilarious, especially the first one. And who could forget the songs! I still know the Hitcher's song off by heart, and will break into it if prompted! If you haven't heard of this show, where have you been living?
19. Jonathan Creek
And now we come to the first of the mystery series that I spent way too much time watching over and over again. Actually, this is probably the only show that I didn't watch over and over again. It spoils the mystery if you watch it too many times. While other mystery shows focus on who did it or why it was done, Jonathan Creek instead focuses on how it was done, which leads to a lot interesting lock door mysteries. I always had so much fun trying to beat the eponymous hero in figuring out how things were done, and even though I never got them right it was still really interesting to see what actually happened. And it stars Alan Davies as Jonathan Creek, who is an awesome grumpy magician's assistant who lives in a windmill. What more could you want?
18. Life on Mars
So, this is one of the shows that I would wait to watch on ABC every Wednesday night. I don't get attached to drama shows that often, but this one was different. It had an interesting premise that didn't get stale through the run of two seasons. And I kinda liked that the situation was never really explained, which is one of the problems I had with the sequel series Ashes to Ashes. The whole universe of the show lost its magic for me when it was explained. But in Life on Mars, the mystery was kept up for 2 seasons! And I was hooked for the entire run! Plus, it also introduced the world to one of the greatest characters ever created! Gene Hunt, the biggest bad-ass of them all!
17. Agatha Christie's Poirot
Agatha Christie has become one of my favourite authors, and I'm sure that favouritism was fueled by this TV show detailing almost every case of Agatha Christie's famous Belgian detective. If you watch every episode in order (something I have yet to do, but do it I will!), then you notice a change come over the show as it moves from the rather light seasons of the 90s, to more darker tones and subtexts in the 2000s. It really interesting to watch how they change small things in the books to make the stories more cinematic or dramatic. And David Suchet is the best Poirot ever (sorry Peter Ustinov!). Suchet is also the first actor to appear in adaptations of pretty much every Poirot novel and short story (from what I've read, there's only one short story that hasn't been adapted with Suchet as Poirot). For that, he deserves a medal and every acting award!
16. Star Trek
While the picture may be of the original series, this spot is kinda reserved for all the Star Trek's. Or at least all the Star Trek's I've watched so far, namely TOS, Next Generation, and Deep Space Nine. I think in my heart, the original series will hold a very special place since it was the first Star Trek I watched, and it was the first time I was really introduced to the acting genius that is William Shatner.
The thing that really stands out about the original series in particular is that it's not about conquest, it's about discovery, finding new species and making friends with them, and maybe accidentally destroying said species in the process. Kirk might have ignored the Prime Directive more than once, but his loyalty to his crew and need to protect them is truly admirable. He's not that bad a captain. And the original series theme music is cheesy and brilliant and awesomely 60s!
15. Black Books
I don't return to this series as often as other ones on this list. But every time I do, I find myself watching every episode from every season in one huge binge! The world's grumpiest book shop owner, Bernard Black (played hilariously by Dylan Moran) has appeared on this blog before as the most loveable jerk you ever met. And the other characters are equally as awesome. Every actor who appeared on here has gone to other shows and movies, but I do love them in this the most. The strange scenarios they find themselves in become a little hit and miss in later seasons, but there are still some excellent jokes and one-liners to be found in even the least good of the episodes. British black comedy at its finest!
14. RuPaul's Drag Race & The Great British Bake Off
There are a couple of doubles on this list, because it's my list and I couldn't bear to leave any of these off. These two are put together because they are both reality TV shows, though their subject matter couldn't be any different.
I have a strange fascination with drag queens. I think it's cause I find them so talented in creating an illusion that most of the time looks better than the real thing (better than my best day, at any rate). I think that's why I got into this show, but I stayed because I fell in love with the drag queens. The show might be a bit manipulative, but then what show isn't. And they do take a lot time to show how talented each of the queens are. And I do like the message that drag queens create their own family that is hidden between the bitchiness and cat-fights. Plus the fashions that they all come up with! I have seen every season of this show at least two times, and I don't regret any of it!
Now, this show is almost the complete opposite in terms of tone, but that's what makes it so good! While other reality shows rely on bitchiness and scandal to sell themselves, The Great British Bake Off instead uses politeness and constructive criticism to keep it's audience. The judges are always fun to watch, and though they do critique the bakes quite hard sometimes, they always offer advice and try to offer a compliment to even the worst bakes. And the contestants are all really supportive of each other, and that means that you get really upset whenever any of them leave. I never thought baking could be tense. And the hosts, Mel and Sue, are so awesome! The puns they come up with! All the bun puns! Brilliant!
13. 2 Broke Girls
So, this is the most recent show on this list. I'm not that big a fan of modern sitcoms, I think a lot of them are annoying and stupid. But I like this one, and I think a lot of that comes from the excellent casting of the two leads. Kat Dennings is awesome in everything, and Max Black is now one of my favourite characters ever! But Beth Behrs is also really good as the straight man to a lot of Max's jokes, and I don't think she gets the credit she deserves a lot of the time. The whole premise of the show is also one that people can relate to, since almost everyone has been broke at some point in time (me more than others, it seems). I know the humour can sometimes be crude and obvious, but I still like it, and I think there should be more sitcoms with excellent female characters and actors.
12. Heart and Soul, aka All the Small Things
I loved this show so much when it first came out that when I missed one of the episodes, I looked it up on youtube to watch it! I doubt many people remember this. It was a fairly light, 6 episode dramedy from the UK about the trials and tribulations of a small town choir. Each episode would focus on a different member of the choir, with an overarching story involving the strife of the family of the choir master. It's quite gentle, and the music is excellent with some awesome covers of modern rock songs (check out the acapella version of 'What's My Age Again'). It's one of those shows that whenever I watch it, I have to watch all 6 episodes in order in one big binge. I just have to, I get so caught up in the characters I need to know everything that happens! If you haven't heard of this series, but like little British TV shows, then I would definitely recommend this!
11. Daria
When I first watched this when it first came out, I don't think I really got it. I was too young to understand it. But after re-watching it a year or so ago when I was craving nostalgia, I fell in love with it completely! I love the character of Daria, the perpetual high school outsider (so much so, that I might have dressed up as her for a party at some point). The other characters are also great, and even though most of them don't turn up in Australian high schools, are still recognisable enough to everyone. The animation is also good, and while it is simple if fits the premise perfectly. One of the best kids show ever made, and now one of my favourite shows ever!
So, that's it for part 1! Part 2 will be up eventually. Until next time, readers.
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