Top 5 Favorite Dramas

This is a companion post to the "Top 5 Comedies" post I did previously...





5.) Battlestar Gallactica

This is of course the remake, not the original (although I used to love that one when it was originally on). While this is a show that is set in space, it was so well written and acted; the setting was only one very small aspect of the overall story. It should have appealed to fans of good drama, rather than just sci-fi fans. Unfortunately, very few people watched it. I told the story of the last survivors of a race that was pushed to the brink of extinction by their own creations and their search for a new home. Over the course of this search (and 5 seasons), the show dealt with family conflict, loss of identity, political struggles, morality, and an increasing sense of futility in a way that really made you care about the characters the way a good episodic show needs to. While I didn't care for the way they wrapped up the series in the last episode, that doesn't diminish how much I loved the show up to that point.



4.) Buffy the Vampire Slayer

You are probably thinking, "Come on. How can a show about a bunch of kids fighting vampires be THAT good." That is the same thing that I thought before I started watching this show (I didn't watch this show when it was originally on, but only caught it in syndication and on DVD). HOWEVER... the dialog in BTVS has to rank up there with some of the best on a TV series ever. Writer/Mastermind Joss Whedon has the fantastic ability to combine pop culture, sarcasm, humor and tension in a way that really gives his characters life. Plus, he knows how to really write a kick ass story - every season blends one-off monster of the week episodes with the overall story arc episodes that ratchet up the tension until everything explodes at the end in a satisfying conclusion, before starting all over again the next season. In addition, each season builds on the overall series story arc - taking Buffy from an unsure high school girl fighting vampires with her friends and transforming her into the mature leader of an entire army of slayers. It is a very fun, action packed and sometimes sad ride getting from the beginning of that journey to the end.



3.) Lost

This is the only series on this list that is still ongoing, so depending on how the last season plays out, it may move up the list (I don't see it moving down; the first 4 seasons were so good that they would really have to piss me off in season 5 to give me a lesser opinion of this show). The way this show slowly parcels out answers to its various mysteries while at the same time serving up plot points that raise 5 or 6 more questions each is masterful. Never have I shouted "what the fuck!?!?!" (in a good way) so many times at the end of an episode as I have with this series. It is the most riveting story (books, movies and other tv shows included) that I have ever experienced.



2.) The Sopranos

Very rarely have such despicable characters been so lovable. Tony, Sil, Paulie and the rest are killers, cheaters, thieves, yet you sympathize and root for them. That's because these characters were so well defined. Tony wasn't just a mobster. He was a man who spent his whole life trying to please his awful mother, which was an impossible task. He suffered from anxiety and guilt because of his decisions. He would turn on family to protect what he had, when necessary. You wanted him to stay on top, no matter what horrible things he did (and there were a LOT of horrible things - poor Christopher).



1.) The Wire

Hands down the best show ever on TV. The other 4 shows on this list are great, but this one is at the top of the list for one reason - how rewarding a show it was to watch. To enjoy this show, you needed to invest a little time and attention. Each season, characters are introduced and the plot is rolled out slowly in the first few episodes and it requires a little effort on your part to get to know these characters. That's part of the reason that this show didn't do well in the ratings. Not many people want to invest that kind of time. However, having put a little effort into watching this show makes the payoff that much better when each season's story concludes. Another fantastic thing about The Wire is that it doesn't try to present any happy endings or tie things up neatly. Just like in real life, there are consequences to your actions and just because you scored a victory over drugs or corruption, the struggle keeps right on going.