TV shows nowadays are prolonged films of similar and, at times, superior quality whose ultimate challenge is to keep people watching. A great and extensive list of shows is offered for viewing sans commercials and weeklong episode pauses, yet another urge satisfied by instant gratification. Netflix is the ultimate TV show source for the nostalgic, the curious and the impatient.
**”The Walking Dead”**
What would the world come to in the face of a zombie apocalypse? Robert Kirkman’s cult classic series of graphic novels, “The Walking Dead,” answers the question through its exhilarating and disturbingly believable AMC rendition pinning the living against the dead. Instead of delivering a romanticized performance like its sci-fi vampire counterpart, director Frank Darabont centers the show on a small group of survivors in Atlanta who must adapt to a life of constant paranoia without civilization. This isn’t a story about zombies; it’s a story about people trying to survive in the world they’ve taken over.
**”Dexter”**
Showtime continues to out-do itself with another tele-drama worthy of a viewer’s sympathy for its main character. This time around it’s a serial killer with a code of conduct, Dexter Morgan. Michael C. Hall’s acting in “Dexter” is riveting, primarily because he embodies the common mystique of a killer who is well-liked by his peers but dead in the eyes. Dexter is a blood-splatter analyst by day and vigilante by night for the Miami Metro Police Department, channeling his urge to kill towards murderers who slipped through the cracks of the judicial system. Prime-time TV has a serial killer with a conscious and, surprisingly, a heart of gold.
**”Friday Night Lights”**
Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose. DirecTV’s “Friday Night Lights” is an authentic show that surpasses its film predecessor by far. The always perseverant coach Eric Taylor transforms a promising high school football team into a group of honest men who bring purpose to Dillon, Texas. Social issues, family dynamism and modern teenage struggles are portrayed in a manner viewers can relate to. FNL had one of the most brilliant character transitions in TV history by turning a premature series cancellation into an unforgettable network capstone. Captivating from start to finish, FNL is guaranteed to leave viewers inspired.
**”The Good Wife”**
In a time of highly publicized political sex scandals, the public is left to wonder why these wives stand by their men in their time of infidelity. “The Good Wife” follows the life of Alicia Florrick, who struggles to re-ignite her career as a top firm lawyer while dealing with her husband’s indiscretion and incarceration. In a profession dominated by men, Florrick must prove herself to be an indispensable junior associate at the city’s prestigious law firm as she’s overshadowed by a tarnished name in Chicago. This show portrays the underbelly of politics as lawyers deal with obscure cases that leave them the only option of defending what’s defendable by law and not intuition.
**”The Office”**
Who knew a mockumentary of a paper supply company would serve as the premise for one of the funniest comedies aired in the past decades? Dunder Mifflin’s somber employees deal with their egotistical boss Michael Scott’s constant buffoonery on a daily basis while living in the opaque town of Scranton, Pa. The British import maintains its dry, straight-shooter humor that made the show so favorable in the U.K. What should be boring, everyday occurrences are actually uniquely realistic storylines that enchant its audience. Ordinary life never seemed so appealing as it does in the NBC remake, which gives the network the extra muscle it needs.
