Current shows bolded…
Black Sails – it’s about Pirates!
Vikings – it’s about Vikings!
The Americans – it’s about Ameri…er…Russians!
Atlanta – fantastic comedy drama from Donald Glover. The flashback episode from Season Two involving kids teasing others for wearing knockoff clothes to school back the 90’s is one of the most relatable episodes of television I’ve ever seen.
Baskets – The best comedy in ages. Louie Anderson absoutely killed it as Zack Galifinakis’ mom.
Bates Motel – Freddy Highmore also kills it as Norman Bates in this imagining of Psycho. The step-brother character is a drag, and Rhianna can not fucking act, but really fun show.
Better Call Saul – I’m sure you’re already aware of.
Bloodline – Family crime drama set in the breathtakenly beautiful Florida Keys. Really strong performances, three seasons, each is a drop in quality over the previous. Ben Mendohlson steals the show in the first.
Broadchurch – Really heavy investigation show set in a small English town, Season One and Three are great.
The Exorcist (season one) – Waaaaay better than it has any right to be. Quality stuff you don’t typically see on broadcast televison.
Fargo – Wonderful expansion on the film, even the last season which just ended which went off the rails a bit. The second season (set in the 70’s) is its best.
Frontier – mediocre but watchable Jason Mamoa period piece about the fur trade in the French Canadian Territories.
Hannibal – This is how you reboot a property, might be the most graphic series to air on broadcast television. Gets super pretentious, almost to the point showrunner Bryan Fuller was challenging NBC to cancel them, but mannn…it’s a great adaptation of the characters. If only they had the rights to Clarice Starling back then as they were tied up at Lifetime.
Legion – The best thing Fox ever did with the X-men license.
Longmire – modern day western detective show set in Wyoming. Does a lot of things Yellowstone tries to and fails. Like giving it’s Native cast members actual fucking material to work with, not just to have them around because the setting requires it.
Luther – A decent Idris Elba detective series featuring a female villain on the level of Hannibal Lector, unfortunately every season after is a little bit worse with the last two being pretty infuriating. Stop after first.
Mr.Inbetween – a really awesome Australian import focusing on a single father for hire fixer who’s trying to get back into the dating game while dealing with his colorful “business” associates. Super binge-worthy show as episodes are only like a half hour with only six eps a season.
Ozark – It’s Breaking Bad with hillbillys, and nearly as addictive.
Peaky Blinders – arguably the best drama on Netflix, London based organized crime post WWI leading into a movie (after the upcoming final season) which may be set during WW2.
Pushing Daisies – quirky lighthearted mystery show in the vein of The Addams Family, if the Addams Family was bright and cheery about a pie baker who has the ability to bring the dead back to life with one touch, and back to death with another. Problems arise when he resurrects a gal he falls for.
Snowfall – a look at the drug trade of the 80’s through the eyes of the CIA, Mexican, and South Central characters. So far it’s been a more compelling fleshed out version of Scarface.
The Son – short lived western show involving multiple generations of a Texas oil baron family starring Pierce Brosnan after Sam Neill backed out of the lead role. The show probably would’ve been better with Neill, Brosnan’s accent is pretty spotty. also, the Mexican gal in the show looks more like Jake Gyllenhaal than Jake’s actual sister.
The Strain – so dumb, but so fucking fun. Zombie vampires with snakes that come out their mouths. Zombie Vampire SWAT teams. Cool WW2 backstory. A kid actor you will hate and root for his death with a passion.
Taboo – Great period piece where Tom Hardy does his damn thing a long missing British sailor who returns home to reclaim his inheritance and get his shipping operation up and running. There was supposed to be a second season, but homeskillet’s schedule has been stacked.
Yellowstone – kinda dumb but watchable modern day western soap opera from Cormack McCarthy which isn’t nearly as good as his movies which are usually top level affairs.
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