I’m a bit of a geeky dude, so I end up watching a lot of geeky TV shows. It’s just what I do. Lately, I’ve gotten tired of not being able to talk about these shows with anyone, so I decided to start asking people to watch them. If I could force you, I would. Uh, moving on, here are my favorite TV shows that are amazing, but no one knows about.
Firefly
This is the most important one on the list. You can stop reading after this one because this is really all I want to get across: Watch "Firefly." Do it. "Firefly" falls under the unique category of space western - let me repeat that: space western. And, it's directed by Joss Whedon. You might know him from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," or a little flick called ... "The Avengers." This show ran for one season before it was canceled. This is a very sensitive subject. Moving right along, the show is great. The characters are real, it’s in space, they shoot bad guys, and basically, it’s amazing. I could talk about "Firefly" forever, but I’ll end with this: Please, watch it.
The 4400
I have a soft spot for this show because it’s set in my hometown of Seattle (bring back the Sonics, baby). Basically, the plot is 4,400 people who have gone missing around America over the past 50 years all appear in a great big ball of light in the Cascade mountain range, exactly the same age as when they went missing. Yeah, that is weird, but you just have to get past that part. The people who came back don't remember anything, and eventually, they start start developing superpowers, and understandably, shit hits the fan. The thing that really makes this show stand out is that it’s less about the abilities these people posses, and more about how the world reacts to those powers. There are a few goofy plot devices that really make no sense, but the great acting and realistic responses make it overall a great sci-fi series.
Young Justice
OK, yes, this is an animated kids' show, but hear me out. In "Young Justice," a bunch of sidekicks from the DC comic universe get together and form their own team, similar to the Justice League. These guys all run around, and fight bad guys, and do the classic superhero thing, but what really makes the show shine is the dynamic among the characters. You’ve got Batman’s sidekick Robin, a Martian girl, a clone of Superman, an Atlantean warrior, a kid with super speed, and somehow, they manage to have the most real connections I’ve ever seen on an animated show. Not only that, there are some major adult themes in this show. For starters, Superman is freaked when he finds out someone managed to clone him. He straight up ignores Superboy for most of the first season. Miss Martian, the resident alien shape-shifting telepath, ends up messing with people's minds so much that she turns them into catatonic drooling zombies. This series isn't without its crazy shit, but I highly recommend it.
Wilfred
This is a show about a depressed man who sees a man in a dog suit instead of his neighbor’s dog, and smokes pot with it. Somehow, they pull that off. Based off an Australian show with the same premise, "Wilfred" is absolutely hilarious, but also poses some big questions about life: What is insanity? Is insanity OK? When is it appropriate to lie? Why is that man in a dog suit humping a giant stuffed bear? Who keeps spiking my tea with Peyote? Those sort of questions.
So, there you go. I hope you go watch, and enjoy some of these. But, if you have to pick one, watch "Firefly." Actually, watch "Firefly" right now. Pull up Netflix. You know you want to do it.
