The Wire currently holds the spot of the greatest TV drama of all time for me. You simply will not find another show out there that weaves such a tapestry of characterization, smart and authentic dialogue, multi-threading of intricate plots while still managing to be just plain badass. Some of the most memorable characters EVER (in fiction, literature, television, movies, whatever) have been spawned from this show. Behind it all is the city of Baltimore, acting as an amazing backdrop to this series. It's not because Baltimore itself is such an awesome city... but the way they manage to take a different aspect of Bmore and highlight it in such subtle yet enriching ways in every season is just pure skill.
And the Wire nevers dumbs itself down for the audience. It never compromises for shock value or for the easy way out. Characters and plot are both motivated by smart, realistic factors. The dialogue is some of the best ever, with different voices possessing true originality and style. Mixed in with the drama and the ambitions of the individuals is the political landscape and the addressing of social issues that go far and beyond what most television shows aspire to preach about today.
It's just fucking art.
Breaking Bad will be in super serious contention for the title of best TV drama ever if it holds to the quality it's been displaying for a couple more seasons. The Wire is an ensemble show and Breaking Bad has a strong cast of supporting actors, but it is really carried by the main actor Brian Cranston. It's mindblowing how a dude who cracked you up as Malcolm in the Middle's dad has somehow dropped the comical facade and revealed some serious acting chops. His Emmies are well deserved and if it weren't for the sheer monopoly aspect of it, I think he deserves at least like 2-3 more.
It's not as wide in scope as the Wire, but it is no less ambitious. Every episode of BB is an INTENSE experience. Sometimes, you can guesstimate what's going to happen in an episode of some show and coast, go to the bathroom, ignore the dialogue for a while, jerk off. Not so with Breaking Bad. Every minute of every episode is so fucking intense.
I don't mean intense in that there are explosions every second or some crazy shocking thing is happening. That would be cheap and eventually boring. BB is nonstop exciting because the story is so fucking smart and fast-paced. There is no room for nonsense filler, the plot is riveting and rich enough that you can just feel the story and the depth of these characters straining to fit into the 48 minute time limit. Once again, characterization and dialogue are superb. Some of the supporting actors were weaker in the beginning but have truly grown. There are no weak links among the supporting cast by the end of Season 3.
How To Make It In America is just good, mindless fun. It's hilarious when you're high and just a good show to chill out with friends to overall. Strong throwbacks to the early seasons of Entourage (1-2) in terms of male camaraderie. However, if your brain is even slightly turned on while watching this show, be prepared to feel a strong conflict between mocking disgust for the show and a sincere appreciation for it.
The reason for this is because HTMIIA has some really smart moments. It has some random moments where the dialogue will really surprise you and make you laugh at the sheer wittiness of it. Then... there are a lot of moments where you just want to strangle somebody because the show was just... so... stupid.
I don't mean stupid in that it's unbelievable or predictable or whatever. The show tries to keep things unpredictable and interesting. However, the stupidity comes from the fact that you sometimes just don't want to root for the main guys. In a show that's so strongly based on Entourage, it's essential that you are rooting for the main guys. Entourage was a huge success because not only was the male camaraderie believable and inspiring, it made you really wish for Vince's success.
In HTMIIA, I found myself sometimes wishing the main guys would just fail. Because really... they DESERVE to fail. I know several entrepreneurs myself and self-started businessmen. The most admirable thing about self-starting hustlers is not just their confidence - it's just motivation, intelligence, and their dedication. It's their ability to really GRIND and just fucking hustle all day, erry day. In HTMIIA, these main characters do some really really dumbass shit and coast by a lot based on luck or miracles. I don't mean "dumbass funny" like they do comical things. I mean they just literally do unintelligent, retard-level things from the perspective of an even average-level businessman. You don't have to be Donald Trump to win my heart, but the show sometimes makes me wonder: "Do I want to keep watching when the only reason these guys are not knee-deep in debt and filing for bankruptcy half the time is because they're just getting really really really lucky?" Maybe I'm picky, but that unsettles me. And then some really hilarious, witty dialogue comes along and I chortle, take a hit of my blunt, and keep watching.
It helps that the episodes are super short and fast-paced, so I don't have time to dwell on it too long while watching.
I'm still in the process of watching Mad Men so I will reserve my judgment till I'm caught up. However, if the first season is any indication of the rest, it is already in my top 5 all-time. But we'll see. I can say however, that the subtle way in which they reveal 1960s culture to us bit by bit is both fascinating and unique. Toss your traditional perceptions of the 60s with all its hippie, liberal-dominated stereotypes out the window and prepare to immerse yourself in a REAL world... a world which was merely a handful of decades before our time, with aspects that seem so familiar at certain times and yet so surreal and alien at others.
Also, as an honorary mention, I don't know if you're American or not, but if you have even the slightest knowledge or interest in American football, you should watch Season 1 of Friday Night Lights. The show seriously went downhill for a while after Season 1 (Season 5 seemed promising but networks are being gay), but I consider Season 1 of FNL to be one of the most perfect standalone seasons of any TV show out there. Yes, it has its cliche moments and its predictable sellout moments. Yes, the producers were idiotic at times and thought gratuitous solutions to random shit and rampant shots of oversexed teenagers equated to television. But you can forgive them their moments of weakness because overall, the show is both inspiring and yet gripping at the same time. The very things about this show that are cliche are the things that people consider "chic" like teen sex, drugs, etc. The things that most people consider outdated and traditionally cliche like good people being good, inspiring leadership, and the victory of honor, loyalty and hardwork over all odds... these traditionally "boring" things are brought to LIFE in this show. And personally, the evolution of Matt Saracen from shy, restrained, self-esteem-lacking loser into the skilled gridiron commander with nerves of steel and the creativity to make magic happen is one of the best arcs in any show ever.
Sorry for the long post and overly long reviews. I have a lot of recommendations and many more on my hate list as well, but these just stuck out in my mind. |
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Canada. Aug 30 2010 18:47. Posts 20070
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