The Golden Age of Television
Sleigh bells, Christmas lights, pine-scented candles – it truly is that time of year again. Thus, in the spirit of giving, I am giving a gift to myself: another self indulgent blog post.
As a fervent enjoyer of television, since discovering Netflix in middle school, I have spent the last few years refining my fine palate of TV shows. Like a wine sommelier, but for the screen.
Although perhaps my parents would disagree, I don’t think watching TV is (entirely) a waste of time. At the very least, from each of the shows I’ve mentioned, I’ve learned a little bit more about effective storytelling. These are all shows that have made me laugh, cry, and run to IMDB to have critics validate my feelings. The ability to tell a compelling story, whether through dialogue, music, or visuals is a power I envy.
So, taking a page out of Chris Rowe’s handbook, for my final blog of the year, I’ve decided to review some of my favorite shows.
Breaking Bad // Better Call Saul
Breaking Bad (and its spinoff Better Call Saul) is a masterclass in ambiguity. Rife with black humor, Breaking Bad details the transformation of Walter White, a chemistry teacher who begins to produce and sell meth to pay for his cancer treatment; Better Call Saul is about the rise and fall of Jimmy McGill, Walter White’s lawyer. Vince Gilligan, the creator of the show, so effectively captures the idea of the moral gray ground that your allegiance to a character or a storyline changes from episode to episode – you’re never consistently rooting for or
against the main character, and that’s what keeps you hooked. I usually have a hard time getting into dramas (looking at you, Succession and Peaky Blinders) – I find them slow and, ironically, lacking drama, but Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul was a happy exception.
Gilmore Girls
Perhaps it’s a little odd that 2000s teen slice-of-life dramedy Gilmore Girls is appearing right after the somber pair of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, but like the Breaking Bad-verse, the characters of Gilmore Girls are painfully, beautifully, imperfect. They make mistakes and pay for them. Set in the idyllic small town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, Gilmore Girls chronicles the growth of mother-daughter pair Lorelai and Rory Gilmore over the course of multiple years, as both manage relationships, work, and school. The seemingly simple premise of the show allows it to focus on the minute, everyday emotions of life; for Rory, of growing up, for Lorelai, of confronting her past. Aided by the quick, witty, pop-culture reference filled writing of Amy Sherman-Palladino, Gilmore Girls has blossomed into a cultural phenomenon of its own – and with good reason.
Arrested Development
Arrested Development has the best writing of any show I’ve ever watched. Period. Detailing the shenanigans of the dysfunctional Bluth family and their real-estate business, this witty, fast-paced 2000’s ensemble sitcom weaves together storylines – not just across multiple episodes, but multiple seasons – so masterfully that by the end of each episode one can only sit in awe, jaw agape, in breathless amazement at the Herculean feat that has just been accomplished. The show has also mastered the art of the callback, bringing back recurring jokes, not just in passing, but so that they form major plot points as well (Her?). A must watch for any fan of comedy.
Taskmaster
I discovered this show last winter break, and boy am I glad I clicked on that random Youtube recommended clip. Hosted by Greg Davies and Alex Horne, this British game show features a new cast of five British comedians who compete in a series of ridiculous “tasks” over the course of each season. Tasks include trying to draw a rainbow in the dark and ordering a pizza without saying the word “pizza” (and other related words). Hilarity ensues. For someone who has always been a fan of that punchy, sarcastic, style of British comedy, this show was right up my alley, even if it wasn’t something I would have sought out on my own.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Straying away from the world of fiction, British comedian John Oliver’s late night show delivers a sharp 20 minute segment each week as Oliver offers his take on some of today’s most pressing social and political issues. Last week, for example, he covered the human rights abuses committed by Qatar in light of the World Cup. Pulling quotes from interviews, statistics from news articles, and clips from local news segments, Oliver’s carefully researched program brings together a variety of to build a compelling argument, making the show not only a news source, but a valuable lesson in writing powerful editorials as well. Interspersed with Oliver’s jokes and comedic musings, I credit Last Week Tonight with helping spark my interest in current events and making the news, which can often feel daunting, much more accessible.
Let me know if you’ve watched any of these shows or have any recommendations – I’m always down to talk TV. Happy Holidays!