There are some shows that everyone knows — "The Walking Dead," "Friends," and "NCIS." Even if you don't watch any of these shows, you've most likely heard about them while flipping through channels, trying to find something interesting on Netflix, or the inundation of posts about certain episodes on Facebook and Twitter. Of course theses shows are good — they wouldn't be so popular if they weren't. Did you ever stop to think, though, about all of the absolutely brilliant shows that aren't so popular?
At one time, I believed that a show couldn't possibly be any good if it wasn't as well-known as "The Walking Dead" is today. However, that's clearly untrue. There are plenty of reasons that a show may not be well-known, even if it is amazing. If you're looking for something a little more low-key than the go-to "Friends" episodes on Netflix, check out some of these wonderful, relatively obscure TV shows.
1. "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland"
You may have heard of "Once Upon a Time," but have you heard of its sister show, "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland?" If you haven't, it's worth checking out. Because the two shows have several overlapping characters, as well as overlapping timelines. If you enjoy "Once," you're sure to enjoy "Wonderland."
"Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" tells a different story of "Alice in Wonderland" than the one that most of us are familiar with. After Alice (Sophie Lowe) visits Wonderland as a child, she returns as an adult and falls in love with a genie. When she thinks that he's been killed, she returns to Victorian England to tell her father about her journey and her lost love. Though no one believes her and she is sent to live in an asylum, Alice holds on to her belief in Wonderland. As the asylum becomes more dangerous, Will Scarlet, also known as the Knave of Hearts (Michael Socha), follows the White Rabbit (John Lithgow) to save Alice and to let her know that, no matter what she believes, her genie is alive and can still be saved.
2. "Torchwood"
If you're a huge fan of "Doctor Who" (like myself), you've probably heard of, or even watched, "Torchwood." Where "Doctor Who" is marketed for adults and children alike, "Torchwood" is undeniably adult. Some episodes are beyond weird and the show addresses many sexual topics, but its definitely worth a watch if you enjoy science fiction.
Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), a reoccurring character in "Doctor Who," heads the Torchwood Institute in Great Britain to protect the earth from extraterrestrial threats. "Torchwood" tells the stories of the individuals on the Torchwood team, how they deal with their high-stress job, and their relationships with each other.
3. "Fullmetal Alchemist"
Many people look at anime and think "Wow. This is for children." Honestly, though, "Fullmetal Alchemist" is an amazing show, no matter your age. It deals with several really heavy topics in a way that's humorous and entertaining.
After losing their mother and being abandoned by their father, Edward Elric and his younger brother, Alphonse, perform taboo alchemy to try and bring their mother back from the dead. They fail, and Edward is left without an arm and Alphonse loses his entire body. By giving up his leg, Edward is able to bind Alphonse's soul to a suit of armor. Edward then chooses to join the military in order to access classified information about the Philosopher's Stone, with the hope that, one day, Edward and Alphonse will be able to return to their original bodies.
Though the original "Fullmetal Alchemist" came out in 2003, there has also been a more recent version called "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood." Don't be put off by the fact that there's two of them — they're vastly different. They contain the same background story, but "Brotherhood" more closely follows the "Fullmetal Alchemist" manga than the original series.
4. "The Pretender"
"The Pretender" is the oldest show on this list, having started in 1996 and ending in 2000. However, it was a great show at the time and remains so now. It tells the story of Jarod (Michael T. Weiss), a man who can instantly master any skill as he attempts to run from a secret agency that wants to study his abilities. To escape them, Jarod becomes The Pretender and slips into different personalities and personas to take on different jobs across the country. As Jarod runs, he searches for the family that he was taken from as a young child, hoping to figure out what really happened.
5. "Leverage"
"Leverage" is a modern day Robin Hood and his Merry Men. Nathan Ford (Timothy Hutton), a former insurance claims investigator, takes charge of a group of criminals. This group takes cases from citizens who have suffered governmental injustices and are unlikely to succeed through any legal means. Each member of the team plays a vastly different role, varying from hacker to thief to grifter. Though the team gets along, for the most part, "Leverage" deals with issues that arise due to romantic relationships, different views on jobs, and the pasts that come back to haunt the members of the team.
