10 Binge-Worthy Shows

Article first published as 10 Binge-Worthy Shows on Seat42F.

The leaves are turning, the air is growing chillier, and it’s beginning to be the season where a lot of us just want to curl up on the couch and stay inside. For just such an occasion, I have a list of ten television dramas (sorry comedy fans) that would make great binge-watching projects this winter. They are not in any particular order, but all are worthy of your time.

Gilmore Girls ~ Last week, Netflix announced it was making a brand new season of Gilmore Girls! What better time to relive the seven previous years than right now? Netflix has the entire quirky, charming series ready to welcome you back to Stars Hollow. Just have some tissues ready whenever Richard Gilmore comes on screen. His presence will definitely be missed when the show returns.

The X-Files ~ Similarly, FOX is bringing back The X-Files in January. Some people say it may be a little late to tackle all nine seasons, but personally, I think it’s a challenge to accept. You’ll get all the Mulder and Scully, all the weird aliens, and all the Smoking Man. Just login to Netflix or Hulu and let the marathon begin! (And invite me over, because this is the one show on this list that I haven’t managed to get to yet, but I know it’s awesome!)

Lost ~ For my money, Lost is one of the best shows ever made. The twisty ABC drama kept fans obsessed and guessing for six years, all of which are now free for Netflix subscribers. This is definitely a series that begs for binge-watching, as so many little details dropped in one hour matter several installments later. The ending was admittedly polarizing for fans, but if you enjoy character-driven programs, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer ~ As far as rewatchability goes, Buffy is at the top of my list. The tale of the Slayer, who faces the demons and forces of darkness, never gets old. From the goofy high school days, to the uber-depressing sixth season, to the heart-breaking series finale, Buffy is great all the way through. It’s the perfect mix of humor, action, and compelling drama. And while you’re at it, stay on the Joss Whedon kick and go through Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. (On Netflix and Hulu.)

Fargo ~ Looking for a show that’s still on the air to get into? Might I recommend FX’s Fargo? Season two just began, so you can plow (sic) through the first year’s ten episodes in a weekend on Hulu, if you’re so inclined. It’s an outrageous show in the style of ‘true crime,’ with a top-notch cast that includes Martin Freeman, Oliver Platt, Kate Walsh, Colin Hanks, Keith Carradine, Allison Tolman, Key & Peele, and, surprisingly enough, Billy Bob Thornton. (Trust me, Thornton is the best you’ve ever seen him.) Whether you’ve seen the movie or not, you should definitely check out the series, which tells a different tale. And season two has a new cast and story, so you can jump in at any time.

The Wire ~ Are you tired of all your friends telling you that The Wire is the absolute best show ever made and you having no frame of reference? I was, too, but now I’m almost done with season one, and I totally get it. Last year, HBO released all five seasons of the David Simon drama in HD for the first time ever. If you already have an HBO subscription through your cable company, you can login via HBO Go to watch. If not, HBO Now is available as a stand-alone service you can sign up for directly, and if you start soon, you’ll be all ready when Game of Thrones comes back in the spring. (Or binge watch Game of Thrones on the service, too.) Simon’s excellent Treme is another great one to check out.

Justified ~ Like Westerns? FX has a doozy of one that recently came to an end in Justified. Starring Timothy Olyphant, each of the six seasons found a lawman tangling with various gangsters and locals in the underpopulated, heavily treed state of Kentucky. The first scene of the pilot will hook you right away, Olyphant’s smoldering hero radiating cool, and the ending of the show is about as perfect as any series finale I’ve ever borne witness to, with four words just as meaningful as those that famously conclude 1984. It’s all available now on Amazon Prime.

The West Wing ~ If the craziness of the current presidential election primaries are bumming you out, why not go for the ideal administration? President Bartlett saved me from my second-term-Bush woes, and I’m sure he can do the same for you, no matter which side of the aisle you fall on. With a smart, witty staff, whose dialogue is as sharp as the ideals represented, I cannot recommend it enough. Bonus points if you make it an Aaron Sorkin trilogy and take in Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip and The Newsroom as well. (I wanted to recommend Sorkin’s Sports Night, too, but it’s a comedy, and this list is only for dramas.)

Felicity ~ The original Crazy (not quite) Ex-girlfriend, Felicity is a coming-of-age drama about a girl (named Felicity, duh!) who travels across the country for a guy, and it’s available on Hulu. For four seasons, there were only a few hints of weirdness underlying the surface (the shoe box episode, Pink Power Ranger Amy Jo Johnson’s small screen return, Greg Grunberg and Ian Gomez). Then, after the series finale the writers wanted, its forced resurrection resulted in a handful of hours that push the show far outside of its genre, and give answer to the concerns of those that think Felicity ultimately chose the wrong guy. Plus, see Jennifer Garner before she was famous! (Then continue on the J.J. Abrams train and check out Alias, which features Bradley Cooper before he was famous.)

Star Trek: Deep Space 9 ~ What can I say? I’ve been a Trekkie since long before I got into television. Deep Space 9 has always been the black sheep of the franchise, never being on the air alone, trapped between more popular siblings The Next Generation and Voyager. Yet, being confined to a single locale made it different than any other Star Trek series. Seven years of religion, politics, hopeless war, and a recurring cast of dozens make this one of my favorite shows of all time, and if you missed the overlooked gem, now is the time to redeem yourself. It is available on both Netflix and Hulu.

Honorable mentions ~ The original programs made by the streaming services themselves! We’re still in the early days of high-quality, long-form shows that you can’t get in your cable package. But from Netflix’s House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, to Amazon’s Transparent and Mozart in the Jungle, to Hulu’s… well, Hulu will get there some day, there are very good shows on a variety of platforms. Scroll through the offerings on each of these, and you’re likely to come across some really neat stuff.

Burn Notice "Eyes Open"

     Normally, USA's Burn Notice delivers fantastic finales, but disappoints on openers.  With the two-part season format, it gets two chances at each every year.  This past Thursday, the second half of season premiered with "Eyes Open".  Coming less than three months after the first batch of episodes, half is really a misnomer, as this run will be much shorter.  That's a shame, because this episode was remarkably better than most of the show's previous premieres.

     I like Burn Notice best when it focuses on Michael's (Jeffrey Donovan) efforts to get his name cleared, rather than on the case of the week format the TV shows feel they need to follow to get viewers (sadly, this is probably true).  "Eyes Open" found a middle ground, with a case of the week that tied into past plots, and allowed a little more depth.  Plus, it was a hell of a story.

     Michael's sleazy lawyer client from August's finale (Danny Pino, Cold Case) is bent on revenge against the people who kidnapped his child.  He hires a bomb maker named Dennis (James Ransone, The Wire, Generation Kill) to take them out.  But Dennis is a little crazy, thinking that it is his duty to rid the world of bad guys, and not minding if some collatoral damage, a.k.a. innocent lives, is lost in that mission.  Michael decides that he must put a stop to Dennis.

     Poor Michael is still recovering from injuries sustained in the finale, and isn't able to get away when Dennis comes home while Michael is breaking into his house.  Pretending to be a huge fan of Dennis's work, Michael tries to get in with the bombmaker, learning that his devices are incredibly unstable, and that some have already gone out.  Michael is eventually able to figure out where the bombs are and stop the destruction, of course.

     What might be the most intersting part of the episode, though, was Jesse's (Coby Bell) growth.  Feeling betrayed by Michael and company after he discovered that they accidentally burned him, Jesse was the one who shot Michael, albiet in the way that saved his life.  Jesse agrees to help Michael recover a list of people involved in Michael's burning, but only to bring criminals to justice, not to help Michael.  The dark turn, though, comes when Dennis is trapped in a house, surrounded by police, carrying one of his unstable bombs.  Rather than risk any innocent lives as cop go in after Dennis, Jesse triggers to bomb, killing Dennis and blowing up the house, but protecting any innocent bystanders.

    The shock on Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) and Sam's (Bruce Campbell) faces as Jesse blew up the house mirrored my reaction precisely.  What has happened to Jesse that he is willing to kill, even if it is a criminal?  Michael, Fiona, and Sam would not have chosen that option, at least not lightly and without discussion.  Jesse did it so casually, it was shocking.  What will the new Jesse mean to Michael's crew as the end of the season plays out?

     Besides the current run of episodes, Burn Notice was already had two more seasons ordered, so whatever happens, Michael Weston isn't going away anytime soon.  Tune into new episodes Thursday nights at 10pm on USA.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional tv news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

Burn Notice wimpers through season premiere

     USA's Burn Notice is a great show... sometimes.  Last night was the season four premiere, "Friends and Enemies".  When last we saw Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan), he had been hauled into a tastefully decorated room, where he had been brought against his will.  Turns out, that room belongs to Vaughn (Robert Wisdom, The Wire, Prison Break), who wants Michael's help to take down some bad guys.  Michael is torn between helping people he hates and fighting the good fight, or staying out of it.  Michael and Vaughn are soon in a jungle being shot at by a predator drone.  All of that was awesome!

     And then Burn Notice went back to it's case of the week format.  I know that there are still plenty of people out there who like formula shows, where they can tune in any episode at random and find a complete story to enjoy.  I dare say most television viewers fall into that category.  Unfortunately, that's today's version of pulp fiction, and it holds back a great show, limiting it to just a good show.

     Sure, the case of the week was interesting enough.  Michael and friends had to call off a biker gang's hit order on a lawyer.  Plenty of fist fights, shoot outs, and explosions made it exciting.  But aside from Michael's brief reunion with Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), the story failed to highlight the wonderful storytelling that sometimes goes into the show.

     That's not to say that episode was without great moments.  Michael's teary conversation with his mother (Sharon Gless, who has finally become an indispensable part of the cast) at the end has proved that Donovan has grown as an actor, and Michael has grown as a character.  Three years ago, when he was just a burned spy dumped in Miami, he had few personal connections, and cared about no one all that deeply.  Now he balances deep affection for his mother, romance towards Fiona, and a best friend, Sam (Bruce Campbell).

     This season will feature a new character who was only briefly glimpsed last night, but whose name has joined the opening credits as one of the stars.  Jesse (Coby Bell, Third Watch, The Game) is a spy that Michael accidentally burned by stealing information.  Next week, he will attempt to clear Jesse's name.  Something tells me that won't work, since Jesse is slated to join their little crew and shake things up.  It has potential for an exciting, new arc.  However, it will likely only get a few minutes an episode, in between whatever victim Michael helps that week.

     Please Burn Notice stop catering to the mindless viewers just watching for entertainment at the end of a long day and give us some intricate, fascinating story telling.  Not that there's anything inherently wrong with that technique, but there are plenty of other shows that do it, and so few that really stretch their boundaries and show great story telling.  I know you're capable of being one of the latter.  Burn Notice airs Thursday nights at 9pm on USA.

Treme a study in a delightful, resilent neighborhood

     Treme, is a neighborhood in New Orleans of less than a square mile and with a population of a little less than 9,000, or so the U.S. Census in 2000 counted.  Considering what the area has been through since then, it may be considerably less right now.  And that's what HBO's new series, Treme, shows viewers.  Beginning three months after Hurricane Katrina, the place is a near deserted, dilapidated mess.  Yet, residents are starting to trickle back in, and a few never left.

     One such couple is Toni and Creighton Bernette (John Goodman and Melissa Leo).  Toni sued half the cops in town, but is only hated by some of them.  In the pilot, she goes well out of her way to help a friend locate her missing brother, not seen since the storm.  Goodman is back in fine form as Creighton, and his rants at the media provide a necessary levity, as well as a show of strength.  Equally profane is rule-breaking and borderline criminal Davis McAlary (Steve Zahn, in his first series regular role), but he is still very likable.

     The major focus, though, seems to be the music.  Wendell Pierce plays Antoine Batiste, an incredibly talented trombonist, who seems to find gigs easily enough, but is still living hand to mouth.  Pierce also starred in the series The Wire, which was created by David Simon, who, along with Eric Overmyer, has also served up this show.  I did not watch the previous one, but in just eighty minutes I can see why they wanted to keep working with Pierce.

     Another colorful character returning to town is Albert Lambreaux (Clarke Peters), an Indian chief who wants to bring his tribe back to the neighborhood.  In the meantime, his own house destroyed, he has taken up residence in an abandoned local bar.  One can't help but wonder what will happen when the owner returns.  Or perhaps he or she won't.  Many residents did not.

     It is a large cast, and I can't pinpoint specific plots for each character.  Yet, the city and its spirit seem to be captured wonderfully.  It was a fantastic pilot, with plenty to draw viewers back.  The music is what really sells the series, with local musicians from the area popping up to grant authenticity.  I look forward very much to the rest of the season, and I don't usually say this after a pilot, but years to come.