Television, Under the Radar

Last week, I mentioned some shows that were cancelled very early on in their short-lived tenures.  I thought I'd like to also go over some shows that may be under the radar for most viewers.  They may not be for everyone (since they're not exactly blowing up the ratings) but I enjoy them for what they are.  

With the merger of UPN and the WB, it's quite possible that many shows will get pitched to the wayside to make way for the CW Network.  One show I hope will not get tossed aside is Veronica Mars.  Kristen Bell stars in the leading role as the daughter of a prominent ex-sheriff/private investigator who tends to get mixed up in a mystery or two of her own.  On the surface, it's a teenage drama befit with mysteries aplenty, but beneath that there is whip-smart dialogue, compelling suppositions, and always a twist or two you never see coming.  The characters are rich and three-dimensional and motivations are never what they seem.  If there was one show on UPN that you should ever watch, it would be this one.  Disheartening is the news they will be moving it to Tuesdays after Gilmore Girls against both House and the awesomeness that is SCRUBS.  I need that third TiVo .

While there are very few successful science-fiction television shows both with the audience an with critics, there is one that manages to achieve it to such a degree as Battlestar Galactica.  Although the show itself tends towards melodrama, there are several reasons it has been lauded as one of the best shows on television many aren't watching.  Updated from the 70's version, the basic premise of humanity on the run from a vengeful sentient robotic population known as Cylons remains the same.  Character names are the same, but what is most striking is the treatment of the technology.  Barracks are cold and military, lasers are replaced with live ammunition, and instead of slick camera angles on CGI, you're treated to a documentary style view of space.  What this does is ground the show so well, you almost feel in the middle of the action.  Textured plot lines and characterization make for some very complex situations which in turn makes for great television.  If you don't get the SciFi network, here is a reason to catch it if you can.  Maybe NBC will actually run the miniseries sometime soon again?

Forensic dramas are really the flavor of the year.  I guess we all have CSI to blame for this, but what I do have to thank them for is Fox's entry into the fray, Bones.  With Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz in the leads, this show serves up not only a good look into the minds of forensic scientists and their methods but also a good helping of interpersonal drama.  The mysteries are always creative, the solutions may sometimes end up convoluted, but the trip there is what's fun.  The chemistry amongst the cast, however, is what sets it apart from the CSI's we are all familiar with and perhaps elevates it from copycat status into a show deserving of more viewers.  Knowing that it's been guaranteed a second season is a good thing, and wherever it travels I'll be sure to watch.

If anyone else has shows they've been watching, pass them my way.  There might not be enough room on the TiVo for all of them, but something new is always a good thing.  Check out these ones and I hope you won't be disappointed.