Top TV Shows You Should See before You Die
Based on the TV Shows from this millennium and in no particular order. (In progress)
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- CreatorDavid ChaseStarsJames GandolfiniLorraine BraccoEdie FalcoNew Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano deals with personal and professional issues in his home and business life that affect his mental state, leading him to seek professional psychiatric counseling.The flagship presentation of HBO and one of the most gritty and compelling drama to ever air on American television. Enough said.
- CreatorVince GilliganStarsBryan CranstonAaron PaulAnna GunnA chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine with a former student in order to secure his family's future.Breaking Bad is the greatest show I have ever seen. Its 5 years of TV at its pinnacle, meandering through. The plot twists are so brilliant, resilient and unexpected, you can literally taste the fumes coming off of this wild thing. Plus, it will also be the blackest comedy you will ever see.
- CreatorDavid SimonStarsDominic WestLance ReddickSonja SohnThe Baltimore drug scene, as seen through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement.Hunter and the hunted duel in this audacious crime drama based on the Baltimore drug scene. Brainy drug lords, bent cops and crooked politicians may defer them all they like but a group of honest cops are hell-bent on eradicating the drugs from their city. One of the all-time greats.
- CreatorDavid BenioffD.B. WeissStarsEmilia ClarkePeter DinklageKit HaringtonNine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.Betrayal, revenge, magic and otherworldly beings, all exist in this TV incarnation of George R.R. Martin's classic, medieval fantasy novel "A Song of Ice and Fire". Not to mention brutal surprises.
- CreatorNoah HawleyStarsBilly Bob ThorntonMartin FreemanAllison TolmanVarious chronicles of deception, intrigue, and murder in and around frozen Minnesota. All of these tales mysteriously lead back one way or another to Fargo, North Dakota.Anthologies seem to be the order of the day during these last couple of years and Fargo is definitely an anthology done right. It grabs hold of your attention in a vice-like grip, episode after episode. Never relenting in its suspense for one bit. Truly, one of the best new shows to come out in recent years.
- CreatorTom FontanaStarsErnie HudsonJ.K. SimmonsLee TergesenA series chronicling the daily activities of an unusual prison facility and its criminal inhabitants.The series marks HBO's foray into airing original productions and it couldn't have asked for a better start. Writing, cinematography and character weaving are all top-notch. This series also chronicles the horror of a prison in a very true way unlike the stereotyping you will witness in the likes of 'Prison Break'.
- StarsScott GrimesDamian LewisRon LivingstonThe story of Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division and their mission in World War II Europe, from Operation Overlord to V-J Day.A one-of-a-kind production; it is raw, moving and delivers quite a punch. It is probably one of the greatest TV series of all time.
- CreatorShawn RyanStarsMichael ChiklisCatherine DentWalton GogginsDrama series following the lives and cases of dirty cop Vic Mackey and the corrupt LAPD unit under his command.One of those TV series that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Each episode gets down to business with no respite. Although it has some gory and racial elements that won't sit too well with certain people but it is more than worth a shot if you haven't seen it yet.
- CreatorJames Manos Jr.StarsMichael C. HallJennifer CarpenterDavid ZayasHe's smart. He's lovable. He's Dexter Morgan, America's favorite serial killer, who spends his days solving crimes and nights committing them.The contrast makes this series an epic. Sinisterness and humor coexist in each episode. Showtime's best drama so far.
- CreatorMark GatissSteven MoffatStarsBenedict CumberbatchMartin FreemanUna StubbsThe quirky spin on Conan Doyle's iconic sleuth pitches him as a "high-functioning sociopath" in modern-day London. Assisting him in his investigations: Afghanistan War vet John Watson, who's introduced to Holmes by a mutual acquaintance.An acclaimed British-production that has garnered quite a following. It features the classic duo of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in modern times. This series is sharp, funny and has a lot of cliff-hanger moments that would keep you on the edge of your seat. A masterpiece.
- CreatorTerence WinterStarsSteve BuscemiKelly MacdonaldMichael ShannonAn Atlantic City politician plays both sides of the law by conspiring with gangsters during the Prohibition era.If 'The Sopranoes' had unlimited gore then 'Broadwalk Empire' has unlimited style. Based on the Prohibition-era Atlantic City and the convoluted links between rival Mafia families, with a healthy dose of political intricacies and entwined love stories. Martin Scorsese is the executive producer of this series, if that helps.
- CreatorMatthew WeinerStarsJon HammElisabeth MossVincent KartheiserA drama about one of New York's most prestigious ad agencies at the beginning of the 1960s, focusing on one of the firm's most mysterious but extremely talented ad executives, Donald Draper.Mad Men is synonymous with class. This show does so many things right. Things that many of today's TV shows overlook - the dialogue crackles with brilliance, the cinematography is so great that you can enjoy the show even on mute, the characters are very well done and the music is true to the show. Plus you won't see the 1960s done any better than this.
- CreatorAlan BallStarsPeter KrauseMichael C. HallFrances ConroyA chronicle of the lives of a dysfunctional family who run an independent funeral home in Los Angeles.Another HBO classic. A drama encompassing the lives of a family living in a funeral home and those directly linked to it. The finale was the most moving TV episode I have ever seen.
- CreatorKurt SutterStarsCharlie HunnamKatey SagalMark Boone JuniorA biker struggles to balance being a father and being involved in an outlaw motorcycle club.SoA is brilliant; it is crass, bare-knuckled and unforgiving. It is not for all tastes but if you get yourselves hooked on to this one after the first season then boy, you are in for a wild ride.
- CreatorBeau WillimonStarsKevin SpaceyMichel GillRobin WrightA Congressman works with his equally conniving wife to exact revenge on the people who betrayed him.The brilliant Kevin Spacey is in this show! That speaks volumes about its quality alone. It is great and unpredictable with superb writing and a healthy peppering of sarcasm, psychomanipulation along with the power of technology. However you won't like being bombarded consistently by Apple products.
- CreatorJulian FellowesStarsHugh BonnevillePhyllis LoganElizabeth McGovernA chronicle of the lives of the British aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the early twentieth century.This show is worth-watching for the effort taken to replicate the World War I era alone. The costumes, buildings, decoration and exterior are all true to the time. The acting and story is also of the highest caliber.
- CreatorNic PizzolattoIssa LópezStarsVince VaughnColin FarrellRachel McAdamsAnthology series in which police investigations unearth the personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within and outside the law.The first season was great, one of the best I have seen in recent times - exceptional acting, story and direction. The show would have been placed higher if it hadn't messed up on several accounts in season 2.
- CreatorGraham YostStarsTimothy OlyphantNick SearcyJoelle CarterEnforcing his own brand of justice, U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, a strong-willed, quiet law-man haunted by his past, returns to his native town to see that justice is served to those in need.This is one TV Show that deserves to be seen. A modern take at the Western Sheriff era, this series is very well scripted and acted out. Timothy Olyphant is superb in this one (I didn't even know him before this series but believe me after the pilot he made my A-list).
- CreatorDavid CraneMarta KauffmanStarsJennifer AnistonCourteney CoxLisa KudrowFollows the personal and professional lives of six twenty to thirty year-old friends living in the Manhattan borough of New York City.One of the cult classics and an all-time great comedy series. Very well written and relateable. No wonder it ran for 10 years straight.
- CreatorSteven LevitanChristopher LloydStarsEd O'NeillSofía VergaraJulie BowenThree different, but related, families face trials and tribulations in their own uniquely comedic ways.The funniest show on television at the moment. Enough said.
- CreatorFrank DarabontStarsAndrew LincolnNorman ReedusMelissa McBrideSheriff Deputy Rick Grimes wakes up from a coma to learn the world is in ruins and must lead a group of survivors to stay alive.One of the scariest shows on TV at the moment. Top-class terror. Although the story-line needs a bit of work but hey, who doesn't like a show centered on surviving a Zombie-apocalypse?
- CreatorDan HarmonStarsJoel McHaleDanny PudiDonald GloverA suspended lawyer is forced to enroll in a community college with an eccentric staff and student body.A super comedy with a diversity of characters and scenarios. It is not your normal stagnant comedy; it forays into other genres and keeps surprising you. You will find sci-fi, mystery, horror and even westerns blended in here. Too bad NBC is streets behind and this series doesn't get the exposure it deserves.
- CreatorLouis C.K.StarsLouis C.K.Hadley DelanyUrsula ParkerThe life of Louie C.K., a divorced comedian living in New York with two kids.Although it hasn't enjoyed much commercial success but believe me this is one comedy series you CANNOT miss. It is laden with funny takes at everyday scenarios but at a level much deeper than seen anywhere else. An insightful comedy in the true sense.
- CreatorRob McElhenneyGlenn HowertonStarsCharlie DayGlenn HowertonRob McElhenneyFive friends with big egos and small brains are the proprietors of an Irish pub in Philadelphia.A comedy that doesn't appeal beyond the scope of the targeted audience, however great it may be. So, if you are a fan after the first couple of seasons then you are a Sunny for life otherwise don't waste your time.
- CreatorMitchell HurwitzStarsJason BatemanMichael CeraPortia de RossiLevel-headed son Michael Bluth takes over family affairs after his father is imprisoned. But the rest of his spoiled, dysfunctional family are making his job unbearable.Arrested Development is the highest rated comedy on IMDB as it takes a comical look at a dysfunctional family plagued by financial woes. The family is held together by its only mature member, Michael, who tries to rid it of its troubles. I myself didn't like it consistently but it was still good enough to be on this list.