I guess this could also be called, “Some of My Favorite TV Shows”, but first, let me tell you what this post is not. This post is not supposed to be ten tv shows you’ve never heard of, but if you can find at least one show out of this “best tv shows you’ve never seen” list, and you A) Watch it, and B) Love it, then I’ve done my job.

Let us know if we missed any shows in the comments below.

1. Freaks and Geeks

I caught this show on syndication a few years after it came out. Freaks, Geeks, Burn-outs, nerds, jocks, if you’ve been to high school, you can relate. This show is set in the 70’s and is one of my all time favorites.  I don’t know anyone who actually watched it when it originally aired, but this show introduced us to a ridiculous amount of up and coming stars: Judd Apatow (writer, director, 40-Year Old Virgin), Seth Rogen,  James Franco, Lynda Cartellini (Scooby Doo), Jason Segel (How I met Your Mother, Forgetting Sarah Marshall), John Frances Daley (Sweets on Bones), Busy Philips (You’d know her if you saw her), and seriously I could go on, but I have to get through ten of these.

Why you haven’t seen it: You are in two camps, either you have heard of it, or you haven’t. Maybe you were in college at the time and didn’t watch a lot of television like me. Maybe you were too young, or maybe, NBC didn’t market it properly because even after being over 10 years old, this show is timeless tv gold.

Why You should see it: Freaks and Geeks is a 70′s high school good time anyone can relate to it. Timeless tv gold on instant streaming and dvd.

Where you can watch it: If you have a Netflix account you can rent it on dvd. Sorry no netflix streaming for this one. No Netflix? Get 1-month of Netflix free by signing up for Netflix’s free trial.

2. The Wire

The wire is HBO’s critically acclaimed cop drama that I put off watching for years. I finally got around to watching the first episode but it was incredibly hard to get through. I tried again a few months later and flew threw 5 whole seasons. Omar Little is possibly the best television character ever written and I know what you’re thinking; you don’t watch cop shows. Cop shows are for your parents. To quote myself from the first Ten Best TV Shows post: “calling The Wire “a cop show” is like calling Chili’s Chicken Crispers, ‘a chicken strip.’”

Why you haven’t seen it: You’re not alone. Most of my TV junky friends haven’t seen this one yet. I wouldn’t be surprised if you skip it all together, but…

Why you should see it: The Wire introduces you to new aspects of society from corner drug runners, to the politics of the Baltimore P.D., but it does it in an interesting way.  Do yourself a favor and don’t skip it.

Where you can watch it: HBO Go (if you already have a cable subscription with HBO), you can buy The Wire Seasons 1 – 5 on itunes, and Amazon Prime video for $1.99 an episode.

3. Arrested Development

I tried to watch “Arrested” back in 2003 when it first aired and only made it through the first episode. Fast forward to 2010 and my brother calls me out of the blue and tells me I HAVE to give it another shot. He had just finished all 3 seasons in just over 24 hours.  The Bluth’s are an incredibly dysfunctional and very wealthy family who try to cope after their patriarch, George Bluth is sent to prison for tax evasion. Hijinx seriously ensue.

Why you haven’t seen it: it’s ANOTHER critically acclaimed show that only the critics watched so either you don’t like funny TV or it’s just too smart for you. (I’m not giving you a choice here)

Why you should see it: Arrested Development is a laugh a second. It’s a constant and complex network of setups and payoffs that demands multiple viewings of each season.

Where you can watch it: You can buy all 3 seasons of Arrested Development on itunes, currently Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime Video all have Arrested Development available for viewing. In fact Netflix has just signed a deal to exclusively show brand new episodes of Arrested next year. Wasn’t there something about a movie too?

4. Better off Ted

Better off Ted was one of my favorite netflix finds. I often give the shows I haven’t heard of a chance once they hit Netflix streaming (since i don’t have cable), and this one is fun. It has the quirkiness of scrubs, but it is set on the office floor of a huge “evil” corporation and follows the employees, (managers, cubicle dweller’s, scientists, and security guards) as they deal with the never ending crisis that inevitably plague an office. Especially and evil one.

Why you haven’t seen it: This is a case of ABC not understanding what it was selling. They were marketing a trite office comedy for 40-year-olds,  but the quirk of the show really calls for a younger audience. Looking at the promos on YouTube, I definitely see why I never heard about or cared about this show.

Why you should see it: If you enjoy quirky comedy’s like scrubs or Arrested Development you will enjoy Better Off Ted.

Where you can watch it: Netflix Instant Streaming and Amazon Prime Instant Video or you can buy both seasons of Better Off Ted on itunes.

5. Sherlock

The first BBC show on the list, Sherlock, is a modern take on Sherlock Holmes. It’s definitely edgier and hip-er than your grandma’s Sherlock.  British show’s normally have shorter seasons and this is definitely no exception. It only has 3 measly episodes but is really well done.

Why you haven’t seen it: You’re American and don’t have access to BBC television?

Why you should see it: This modern retelling of Sherlock is top notch. Yes, Sherlock is young, but not annoyingly so, and his knack for solving things is presented as almost an OCD quirk in an extremely intelligent human being who doesn’t understand social connections, but connects extremely well when it comes to the human condition.

Where you can watch: Netflix Streaming has it or you can purchase episodes for $4.99 on Amazon Prime Video. You can also buy season 1 on itunes.

6. Parenthood

I have to admit, I thought this show would be totally lame and would be nothing like the 1989 movie of the same name directed by Ron Howard (which I really enjoyed when I was younger), but it is surprisingly amazing.  In fact, I watched the trailer for the 1989 movie recently and was shocked at how similar they were.

Why you haven’t seen it: It looks lame.

Why you should see it: Parenthood is an enigma that transcends it’s cheesy family oriented outer shell and Dax Shepherd is incredible as the black sheep of the family. (really).

Where you can watch: Netflix Streaming, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime Instant Video for $1.99 per episode, or can buy the first 3 seasons on itunes

7. Avatar: The Last Airbender

“Avatar: the Last Airbender”  follows the adventures of a young boy destined to keep peace in a world where nations are divided by people who can control one of 4 elements: Earth, Water, Fire, and Air.  This engaging story begins after he has been missing for 100 years.  I have to thank my brother for hounding me to watch this American made anime-style phenomenon.  I am so glad I did.

Why you haven’t seen it: For the same reason I almost didn’t.  It’s an American made anime-style children’s cartoon from Nickelodeon.  It seemed destined to suck all over your eyeballs.

2. Why you should see it: It’s an American made, anime-style children’s cartoon from Nickelodeon that is simply genius–in storytelling, humor and heart.

3. Where you can watch: Netflix streaming, Amazon Instant Video or you can buy all 3 seasons on itunes.

8. Spaced

The second British show on the list is a real gem. Spaced ran for 2 seasons (6 episodes each) in 1999 and 2001 and was written by and starred Simon Pegg & Jessica Stevenson AND directed by Edgar Wright. Sound familiar?  Pegg and Wright are both responsible for the classic comedies, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

Why you haven’t seen it: You weren’t born yet, or you are American and don’t have the internet.

Why you should see it: Spaced is fun, weird, quirky, and really funny. These guys are fan boys at heart and it really shows with their nods to Buffy, Scooby Doo, and many other references throughout the show.

Where you can watch: Netflix Streaming AND Hulu plus both have it.

9. Doctor Who

“Doctor Who” is coming up on his 50th Anniversary in 2013 and…Wait, what’s that? Who is Doctor Who? Well he’s a clever alien humanoid called a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who gallivants around time and space in an old school British police box called the Tardis of course!  Okay I’ve lost you.  I appeared in an enormously successful “Doctor Who” American fan series called Doctor Who 2009 which spawned a single episode, “Fire and Ice” (YouTube my shameless self promotion!)…I researched the crap out of the series after years of eye-rolling and fell in love… WITH A DOCTOR!! Oh, Mother!!

Why you haven’t seen it: Out of context, this series can look cheesy to the naked eye, and there are sooo many episodes.  Where would you begin? Also the only “Doctor Who” fans you know are ANNOYING about it.  Like ALL CAPS ANNOYING.

Why you should see it:  R. T. Davies 2005 DW series update is obsession worthy and a wonderful place to start. You will also own at least one shiny Who inspired toy by mid second series.

Where you can watch: Netflix instant streaming,  Amazon Instant Video or buy all 6 seasons on itunes.

10. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” says it all in the title.  Based on the cheesy movie of the same name, Joss Whedon, the writer of the movie and series creator, wanted to show us just how bad ass the movie should have been.  The TV series centers around Buffy, a teenage vampire slayer, and her best friends as they save the world every May.  Ashamedly, I only watched the first episode of Buffy back in 1997 and wouldn’t pick up on it again until my friends started talking about Angel’s story arc in the second season.  It became one of my favorite television series of all time.

Why you haven’t seen it: Because you love every episode of “Charmed” and “Alias”/You are an awful person.  Maybe because these are High school students and you feel like you are too old.  One friend who discovered it later in life said he never watched it because he thought it took itself too seriously, like “Charmed”, and assumed ridiculousness and cheesyness.

Why you should see it:  A series that could be serious and dramatic because it had a great sense of humor about itself is so hard to find…  And Willow!

Where you can watch: Netflix instant streaming, Amazon Instant Video or you can buy all 7 seasons on itunes.

 Ten Best TV Shows Followup

I know, I know, we left out one or all of your favorite shows. Tell us what it is and why we should watch it in the comments below!

Most of these shows can be found on Netflix Instant Streaming. To find out more about Netflix and the Netflix Free Trial, check out our Netflix Review.

I am  not a part of the Leno hate and even stated in our weekly podcast that this past summer’s ”Leno hate is bullshit” because it was. He’s not a bad guy. He’s just a lame duck who can’t quite let go and honestly….who hasn’t been put in that position before? Obviously not the position of a host of a comedy institution but of not wanting to let go of a place that you felt welcome, loved and successful. That was Jay and so I get it.

Jay Leno simply should not have accepted the 10/9 offer. I think he should’ve tried something new and a bit different. I  would love for Jay to host a show in which he talks to his guests about entertainment. You can’t argue against his interview style that relaxes most. A 30 minute show in which Jay and company discussed movies, television, music, past/future projects. That would be awesome.

It is a sad state that even if you’re out to promote your incredibly moving drama you must go on a comedic talk show to do it. Tell us a funny anecdote before we show your clip about atrocities of the holocaust I think Jay could deftly handle a show that is part Charlie Rose/part Dinner for five with a small bit of Inside the Actor’s Studio…. But that’s just my idea.

Most believe the move for Conan to the Tonight Show was far too early and its unfair that Jay was dethroned so quickly  but we’ve all read the stories or watched the movies about Jay’s succession of Johnny Carson. Jay must’ve knew that karma of his actions during that situation was bound to resurface and resurface it did. Johnny never struck me as a vengeful person but I hope he is smiling somewhere.

Conan deserves this shot and the Tonight show is an institution that can work, will work, and deserves to work in its rightful time-slot. To move it to 12:05 (technically the next day) was a ridiculous idea. I don’t want Conan to leave NBC but he is so very right in not accepting the time-slot jump. Conan  took his time and thought this decision out. He didnt make it lightly and most importantly he didn’t do it for his self. I truly believe he did it not just for his staff who work to put a show on every day but for the Tonight Show itself… Lest it fall into the pit of network maligned shows.

So Conan I know your parents will tell you this and perhaps quite a few sycophants but here is a fan who just thinks you do a pretty good show and knows this decision wasn’t easy and I want to say I’m proud of you man. I truly hope to see you at 11:35 for many years to come.

Chilren of Earth was shite. Pure shite. Oh okay that’s going a bit far what was good about it? Well of course the best thing you have going for you is Captain Jack Harkness who is brilliantly played by John Barrowman and you have the fascinating world of Torchwood , spinoff of the absolutely amazing revamp of Doctor Who.  Outside of that you have the idea that if you were to show us a miniseries then you would have a captive audience so good on you for realizing that and then you have……..crap.

We start with a somewhat interesting concept of all of Earth’s children stopping/speaking in unison. a message, an otherwordly message we come to believe, is emitting from them. What is going on? It’s crazy and mad. We also have ,for some idiot reason, the government trying to shut down Torchwood (set up, in essence, to deal with this sort of thing). Of course its because they are trying to cover up a shameful past. Right, whatever.  I won’t explain the miniseries any further. If you’ve seen it then you know what happened.

So first off tell me why am I supposed to be afraid of something called 4,5,6. Is sequentaility something fearful in the UK? In the rest of the world its nothing more than a random bit of numbers. It is a lazy name and all I can think is that the name came about like R2D2 except we got a funny sort’ve interesting name there and here we got laziness.

So what the fuck is the 4,5,6? Why should I be afraid or it?  I understand it came to earth in a blaze of fire and an annoucement that controlled all children to make them scream, speak and point at the same time.  Other than that why am I to be afraid of them? At no point did it show any kind of power that would cause all the nations of this earth to bow down to this alien and give it 10% of the Earth’s children? Are you insane? At least blow up the white house, toppel the eiffel tower or burn down London Bridge. Do SOMETHING to show that we should be completely afraid of this power but come about in a blaze of fire and speak in a gassy chamber and never be completely seen? Fuck right off.  I’d be more afraid of Freddy Krueger than this farty gassy alien.  But whatever.

Also Is this it? Is Russell T. Davies and party damned and determined to make us all think that all people in Natonal government are spineless people ready to roll over on anything? My God I’ve never seen a more pathetic form of propoganda than the fact that during EVERY single involvement of the govenment  they do more harm than good.  But fine continue your good anarchist fight there Russell.

And we pause just for a moment to tell BBC America that they need to learn when to cut away from a  show better.

Next we have Gwen Cooper ready to cry every few minutes. The makeup artist on that show simply must have invested in the best run-free mascara and eyeliner as they use it in gobs on her and then she is ready to cry at the drop of a hat.  Should she not be made of tougher stuff?

Last we have Captain Jack acting out of character for half of the show. Is this done to add new depth to the character or just because it seemed like a good way to add drama to the show? Whatever your reasons are…stupid move.

So wow 5+ hours of my time to see this absolute pile of poo.

Thanks! Thanks a lot! At least I may be able to count on you to not cast a gothy/twilight person as the next Doctor. Oh wait….

If Jimmy Fallon didn’t suck so hard then I never would’ve known how great Craig Ferguson is but I do now.

Thank you Fox for continuing to be utterly shite.

I remember as a baby touching the TV (one of those big floor units). I was hoisting my baby self up by using the television as support and the reason I was wanting to stand up was because I wanted to touch the cartoon version of Michael on my TV. As I’m not old enough to have been around when the first show was aired I’m sure it was a rerun or perhaps a special but I remmeber it. They were all jumping around but the one I liked the most and the one I tried to catch with my hand was Michael….That is when I fell inlove.

Throughout my life on a variety of venues I would see Michael Jackson. He would show up at various award shows and when he would perform oh wow it was bliss. I loved him. I got a tingly feeling all over my body, one that I would argue rivals the feeling I have felt when falling in love. It wasn’t an obsession. At no point did I start to collect pieces of hair or even every copy of his music in various forms but I did own a casette of off the wall and I played his cd’s over and over again. I can’t begin to tell you how great it was to see interviews when he’d reveal small details that made me respect him even more as an artist and as a person.

I’ve never fainted at seeing him in person because sadly…I never got the chance to see him in person. As I was young and he was young I was always waiting for that moment in which he’d announce another set of North American tour dates and I was going to be there. Recently I curiously thought how cool it would be to see all the Jackson 5 get back together just once more and part of me really thought it was going to happen one day.

I loved Michael Jackson so very much that at this point I simply can not be online and part of me barely is leaving the house. There are far too many reminders all over the internet. Also I am completely off all network television. I’ve started playing xbox for the first time in my life. I simply can’t deal with any of the news surrounding his leaving us. I’m not sure how much time it will take for people to stop talking about it but as people love the dirty details of life then this will take some time.

I loved Michael. Purely and true. I’m not talking about a fan who just thought he was cool or even just adores his work. After all I love Joss Whedon but when he dies (heaven forbid it’ll be anytime soon) I will be sad but I won’t mourn like this. I’m also not talking about a person who is obsessed with him ( I suppose if I were then I would be heading to the viewing but logically I just can’t). I’m not even talking about how you’re in love with someone in a relationship but just pure love. Not asking anything more of him except for what he had already given me….wonderful music, a great spirit, and most importantly something extraordinary put into the world whose likes will never be seen again.

So this is my brief forway into the internet for the first time in a week and I say it here publically because love should be shared with the world (yes that is cheesy).  But Michael should any of the various theories exist where you are able to read this then please know that there is an ache in my heart because I do so very much miss you being in this world and I love you. You were…….Phenomenal.

Follow Amber on Twitter (amber_benson) for updates and thoughts.

Can I call you Dawnie? I think its a cute name and for some reason the use of this nickname on Buffy The Vampire Slayer always made me like that character better and perhaps it’ll work here. So anyway how are you? I can not admit to hoping you’re fine. In fact I really kinda hope perhaps your home is infested with termites right now. I would hope for worse. Coming as a rant from someone on the internet I should be hoping for worse but then I would come off as a nut and more importantly termites are really effin annoying in ones home.So I just watched the Season 4 Pitch of Veronica Mars and I gotta say. It was really great. I don’t know why I hadn’t watched it before now. I suppose because watching it would solidify the fact that the show was gone forever. However having seen it I’m kinda okay with that fact. Season 3 took Veronica in a weird direction though admirably the first part of the season and the last part were somewhat decent and the final episode more than recovered what it had before. Of course it was too late by then.  But then you and others were presented with this Season 4 pitch and its new possibilities for the likable character of Veronica Mars in the F.B.I. world and you turned it down.

Why? I think I deserve an explanation. A true one. Not some crap about feasibility but something about why you’d turn that show down. Sadly America is more than happy to give its time to pretty much any policing force type drama out there so you already have that market. You have the possibility of that audience but what if? What if someone aimed for something more than a man putting on and taking off his sunglasses slowly? What if someone decided that dialogue and true mystery might work? You had it handed to you on a silver platter with Rob Thomas and Kristen Bell (who will be a star yet especially after her turn in Forgetting Sarah Marshall).

But forget all that…. What I want to know is how you saw that pitch and turned it down yet greenlight some of the things that make it on CW’s air. Is it just cost? I admit that despite the fact the public knows far more about the TV industry these days I can’t quite understand this reasoning. Yes its more expensive than a reality show but its far better than privileged. Do you just want to put crap on the CW? I know CW has a far, far way to go before it ever becomes an award winning network for ya know…excellence in TV but surely you want to try to get there. Do you think its going to be happening any time soon with Chuck Bass? I promise you if you had (or will?) put Veronica Mars Season 4 on the air then she would’ve landed you an Emmy. After all the show came pretty close in the obscure land of UPN (and how often did that happen? you worked there you should know)

So as you are(strike through) reading (strike through) this in your termite infested home I just want to know….why? and I want to suggest fixing this right now. What about being the little network that gave a damn about what it puts on the air? I’m not saying all 7 nights heaven forbid! Keep your Gossip Girl and America’s Next Top Model. Even keep your 90210 remake which is really, really not good but what about a tiny little pocket in there. How about Tuesday? How about 8/7c and how about giving Veronica Mars Season 4 the opportunity it deserves to be seen by an audience who is more than happy to spend money on your advertising dollars if you give it good TV. Because sometimes it takes years for some networks to find the show that defines them as great. You have the opportunity right now. So ya know call up terminix and then get Rob Thomas on the phone. He is not doing anything important whatsoever right now because

Dear Rob,

No! Bad Rob Thomas! I am not going to watch cupid! I am not! No! Stop working on that show right now and work on getting Veronica back out there either a movie (even made for TV would work, comic, or ya know how about Season 4?

Thanks,

A fan

that is all.

oh and thank you Shonda. God bless you.