The Sopranos: The hands down best drama ever produced on television, a fly on the wall look at a family man who also happens to be the Don of New Jersey. At once the epitome of evil and a man who loves his own, Tony Soprano is perhaps the best conflicted character in television history, a man torn between allegiances that will never abandon either. The Sopranos stayed away from stereotypes as often as it embraced them.
Sons Of Anarchy: The adrenalized pulp action of SOA is balanced by character development reminiscent of The Sopranos. It's a show about realistic people in epic situations. More importantly, its a show independent movie fans and mainstream popcorn folks can comfortably agree on. The tao of Jax Teller is as much Scorcese as it is Spielberg.
Six Feet Under: Alan Balls gorgeous funeral home drama was possibly the most emotionally investable show ever written. Grounded almost completely in reality, its dark humor and excellent, deeply affecting storylines were something cable had never seen. The story of the Fishers is very American, in a modern sense, and it touches a nerve with everyone.
Deadwood: High vocabulary, high art western drama with no flaws unless you're uneducated, which in turn means you'll never know whats going on. Al Swearengen is the easily the most likable villain in television history. He knows he's the bad guy. He has no illusions about it. That's what makes the show work, along with David Milch's excellent dialogue. This is perhaps the most underrated show maybe ever.
Rescue Me: Denis Leary's brilliant, comically dark firefighter drama was amazingly as funny as it was offensive, shocking and raw. The searing dialogue, like stand up insult comedy from hell, was always relatable to its audience. The endearing asshole character Leary played was bar none one of the best love him or hate him travelers in the pantheon of that kind. Rescue Me was never given its due.
Madmen: The best glacially paced drama to ever hit network televison. It's a show where a lot happens but very slowly, to the point where we get to know the characters uncomfortably well. Don Draper also happens to be the best fictional character on television today, thanks to his literal and unfailing struggle with honesty. This is appointment TV for thinkers and talkers.
Dexter: Dexter is straight comfort food, but its filet mignon. It's a weekly hour of quirky bloodshed and who dunit plot excercise...and its endlessly engrossing. No show about a serial killer has ever contrasted light heartedness with dark, visceral violence quite so well. Gotta love it.
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