Clear your schedules, we’re about to run-down ten must have box-sets and the shows you NEED to see before you die ...
GREATEST EVER? ... The cast of The Sopranos
The Sopranos
A staple of 21st century American culture, The Sopranos is often
referred to as the most successful and greatest show of all time.
Revolving around mobster boss Tony Soprano and his inability to juggle his two “families”, it still remains one of the most revered TV shows in history despite ending in 2007. A massive ratings hit for HBO in the States, and Channel 4 in the UK, The Soprano’s cleaned up on numerous occasions at the major award ceremonies winning 21 Emmys and five Golden Globes.
Mystery and conjecture still surrounds the show’s ending with creator and writer David Chase refusing to comment on how it should be interpreted. Rumours persist about the cast reuniting for a money-spinning movie but at this stage that seems unlikely.
The episode where Chris and Paulie get lost in the woods still remains one of the most darkly comedic episodes of television ever created.
BAD ASS SHOW ... Jesse and Walt
Breaking Bad
That’s right, the dad from Malcolm in the Middle is the main character in Breaking
Bad but this TV series deserves your attention for so much more than
that.
Created by Vince Gilligan, the AMC drama is set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico and follows the life of Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston, who is a high-school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer.
In a bid to leave his wife and two kids in the best financial position when he dies, he teams up with former student Jesse Pinkman to create and sell the purest crystal methamphetamine – but it’s far from plain sailing with crime and controversy key features of the show.
The five-season thriller has been nominated for four Golden Globes and 16 Emmy Awards, winning two, while continuing to receive critical acclaim as it moves into the final stages of the fifth season.
Breaking Bad Ass!
STAR OF THE SHOW ... David is now a star in front of the camera
Curb Your Enthusiasm
It would’ve been hard to imagine that after the gigantic success surrounding
Seinfeld that co-creator and writer Larry David would go on to a funnier and
almost as popular show but that’s exactly what he achieved with Curb
Your Enthusiasm.
Despite not hitting the same commercial heights as Seinfeld, Curb, which showcases David playing a skewed version of himself, has managed to build up a dedicated and loyal audience since its debut in 2000 and has now been running for 8 seasons. The show is a unique comedy in the sense that whilst the actors know the outcome of the scene, almost every shot is improvised, providing hilarious consequences.
It’s also a playground for some of Hollywood’s biggest stars as many have had their arm twisted in recent seasons to play a fictionalised version of themselves. Martin Scorsese, David Schwimmer, Ricky Gervais, Michael J Fox and Shaquille O’Neal are just some of the names that Larry David has persuaded to cameo on Curb.
The episode with Ben Stiller and the cocktail stick can be summed up in one word: perfection.
ON THE WIRE ... West as Jimmy McNulty
The Wire
Another in a fine line of HBO television dramas, The Wire is widely
regarded as one of the best ever.
Starring Englishman Dominic West, the show focuses mainly on the police and drug trade in the city of Baltimore but also delves into the seaport system, city government and schools.
The word gritty is thrown about all too often when it comes to TV shows but it definitely applies to The Wire.
PRESIDENTIAL QUALITY ... The West Wing ran until 2006
The West Wing
Set in the West Wing of the White House, the political drama follows
the ever-changing fortunes of Martin Sheen’s President Josiah Bartlett and
his Democratic administration. The show won critical praise for its tightly
written script and its accuracy in depicting the stresses and problems
encountered by the US President in an ever evolving political landscape.
The show’s lead writer Aaron Sorkin is now one of Hollywood’s most sought after writers and won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for writing The Social Network.
Undoubtedly a classic, must-see and timeless TV show.
A-LIST ... The cast of Entourage
Entourage
Any show with a large helping of fast cars, celebrity stars and scantily clad
woman is sure to go down a storm but Entourage does show business
better than Gordon Smart.
Although the rise of actor Vincent Chase as a Hollywood A-lister seems like the main plot, the HBO comedy-drama also follows his ‘entourage’ of close friends and colleagues.
From Vinnie’s older half-brother Johnny “Drama” Chase who struggles to emulate the achievements of his younger sibling to Ari Gold, the abrasive but loveable agent, brilliantly played by Jeremy Piven, Entourage is a must-see for anyone with even the remotest interest in what goes on in the Sunshine State.
A MODERN FAMILY ... The Pritchett and Dunphy families
Modern Family
Critically acclaimed for its mockumentary style portrayal of three
dysfunctional families, American comedy doesn’t come much better than Modern
Family.
Quite frankly, the Sky One series has everything. Jay Pritchett, a wealthy businessman, heads the family with his young attractive wife Gloria, played by Sofia Vergara, and wise beyond his years stepson Manny.
His highly-strung daughter Claire and gay son Mitchell are married to the two stars of the show in the clumsy Phil Dunphy and affectionate Cameron Mitchell – and their children provide added comedy to the smash-hit show.
The laughs just keep on coming as Modern Family moves towards the end of its fourth season – you’d be mad to miss out!
LEADING MAN ... Jack Bauer was made for Kiefer Sutherland
24
A truly unique and original programme, 24 follows the daunting
challenges faced by all-American action hero Jack Bauer as a counter
terrorist agent constantly trying to save the world from impending doom.
Each 24 episode season charts an hour in Bauer’s life with each season
ending in a thrilling cliff-hanger.
As well as becoming a massive ratings hit, the show rescued and resuscitated the career of troubled star Kiefer Sutherland turning him into a household name.
The end of season one is up there with the most thrilling and shocking climaxes in modern day television.
FANTASY ... Game of Thrones has been an epic hit for HBO
Game of Thrones
The epic fantasy drama based around George R. Martin’s best-selling novels has
taken the world by storm since it first aired in 2011. Starring Brit Sean
Bean, and filmed partly in Belfast, Game of Thrones chronicles the
violent dynastic struggles among the realm's noble families for control of
the Iron Throne in the fictional Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
The first series was nominated for a massive thirteen Emmy Awards but that figure only hints at the success lying in wait for the HBO show. A period of television domination seems like a formality.
CULT FOLLOWING ... Jason Bateman and Jeffrey Tambor
