In recent times, I've been watching a lot more TV (due to a spell of sickness) and oh my Josh, there's some great Series around - aside from the usual Breaking Bad, Walking Dead and Game of Thrones (all amazing).
Here's a few of them with a YouTube link and a small Synopsis.
The Blacklist
[video=youtube;O434isu53A0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O434isu53A0[/video]
Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader - Fantastic Actor), a former officer of the United States Navy who disappeared twenty years ago and became one of the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, surrenders himself to Assistant Director Harold Cooper at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Taken to an FBI "black site", Reddington claims to share the FBI's interest in getting rid of criminals and terrorists he has associated with, that are so dangerous and devious that Cooper is unaware even of their existence. He offers Cooper his knowledge and assistance on two conditions: immunity from prosecution, and working exclusively with Elizabeth Keen, a rookie profiler newly assigned to Cooper. Keen and Cooper are suspicious of Reddington's interest in her, but he will only say that she is "very special". After Cooper tests Reddington's offer in locating and killing a terrorist in the first episode, Reddington reveals that this man was only the first on his "blacklist" of global criminals, which he has compiled over his criminal career and wants to eliminate.
As the series progresses, the mysteries of Reddington's and Liz's lives, and his interest in her, are revealed slowly. Twists are introduced involving other characters.
TL/DR - Crime solving thriller with the shows mythology driving each episode forward. It has superior acting and loads of cool guest stars for example PeeWee Herman as a Crime Lord.... Ron Perlman... Alan Alda.
The Strain
[video=youtube;DqcuyXeN8O8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqcuyXeN8O8[/video]
A plane lands at John F. Kennedy International Airport with the lights off and doors sealed. Epidemiologist Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll) and his team are sent to investigate. On board they find 206 corpses and four survivors. The situation deteriorates when all the bodies disappear from the morgue. Goodweather and a small group of helpers find themselves battling to protect not only their own loved ones, but the entire city, from an ancient threat to humanity.
The whole series has been shown and can be found online at various outlets.. ahem. It's a good filler, lots of action, good acting and a totally different take on the Vampire sub genre.
Stalker
[video=youtube;1kJjjKaZ1x8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kJjjKaZ1x8[/video]
Detective Jack Larsen (Dylan McDermott) is a decorated New York homicide detective with a tainted reputation, who has moved to LA to start over in a new role at the Threat Assessment Unit of the LAPD, an elite unit that handles all stalking and threat cases in the city including voyeurism, cyber harassment and romantic fixation. Larsen has a unique understanding of obsession and the triggers that propel stalkers to hunt their prey but clashes immediately with new boss Detective Beth Davis (Maggie Q); she cares deeply for the stalking victims, and is willing to do whatever it takes to help them.
Interesting crime series, Maggie Q is superb - some of the stories are quite harrowing.
Other Worthy Mentions
These are all in their second or subsequent series at the moment and have aged with style - well worth a catch up if you watched any of the previous series and failed to get hooked.
Agents of Shield
[video=youtube;WpCi_2MAY4g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpCi_2MAY4g[/video]
The cast has matured and with Coulson still taking the lead it's only got better in the second series. Some additions to the team have really made a difference and the stories told do not feel as cliche'd as in series 1.
Hannibal
[video=youtube;2HW9rtFYsEw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HW9rtFYsEw[/video]
Gripping, gross, shock tactics TV. Lawrence Fishburne, Gillian Anderson, Mads Mikkelson and Hugh Darcy all make this show fantastic. It's hard to look away from the action even though some of it is liable to make you upchuck.
Things to avoid
The Flash - Ugh. Childish adaptation of a great superhero, below par acting and stupid SFX.
Got any to add, or disagree? Sound off below =)
Here's a few of them with a YouTube link and a small Synopsis.
The Blacklist
[video=youtube;O434isu53A0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O434isu53A0[/video]
Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader - Fantastic Actor), a former officer of the United States Navy who disappeared twenty years ago and became one of the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, surrenders himself to Assistant Director Harold Cooper at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Taken to an FBI "black site", Reddington claims to share the FBI's interest in getting rid of criminals and terrorists he has associated with, that are so dangerous and devious that Cooper is unaware even of their existence. He offers Cooper his knowledge and assistance on two conditions: immunity from prosecution, and working exclusively with Elizabeth Keen, a rookie profiler newly assigned to Cooper. Keen and Cooper are suspicious of Reddington's interest in her, but he will only say that she is "very special". After Cooper tests Reddington's offer in locating and killing a terrorist in the first episode, Reddington reveals that this man was only the first on his "blacklist" of global criminals, which he has compiled over his criminal career and wants to eliminate.
As the series progresses, the mysteries of Reddington's and Liz's lives, and his interest in her, are revealed slowly. Twists are introduced involving other characters.
TL/DR - Crime solving thriller with the shows mythology driving each episode forward. It has superior acting and loads of cool guest stars for example PeeWee Herman as a Crime Lord.... Ron Perlman... Alan Alda.
The Strain
[video=youtube;DqcuyXeN8O8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqcuyXeN8O8[/video]
A plane lands at John F. Kennedy International Airport with the lights off and doors sealed. Epidemiologist Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll) and his team are sent to investigate. On board they find 206 corpses and four survivors. The situation deteriorates when all the bodies disappear from the morgue. Goodweather and a small group of helpers find themselves battling to protect not only their own loved ones, but the entire city, from an ancient threat to humanity.
The whole series has been shown and can be found online at various outlets.. ahem. It's a good filler, lots of action, good acting and a totally different take on the Vampire sub genre.
Stalker
[video=youtube;1kJjjKaZ1x8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kJjjKaZ1x8[/video]
Detective Jack Larsen (Dylan McDermott) is a decorated New York homicide detective with a tainted reputation, who has moved to LA to start over in a new role at the Threat Assessment Unit of the LAPD, an elite unit that handles all stalking and threat cases in the city including voyeurism, cyber harassment and romantic fixation. Larsen has a unique understanding of obsession and the triggers that propel stalkers to hunt their prey but clashes immediately with new boss Detective Beth Davis (Maggie Q); she cares deeply for the stalking victims, and is willing to do whatever it takes to help them.
Interesting crime series, Maggie Q is superb - some of the stories are quite harrowing.
Other Worthy Mentions
These are all in their second or subsequent series at the moment and have aged with style - well worth a catch up if you watched any of the previous series and failed to get hooked.
Agents of Shield
[video=youtube;WpCi_2MAY4g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpCi_2MAY4g[/video]
The cast has matured and with Coulson still taking the lead it's only got better in the second series. Some additions to the team have really made a difference and the stories told do not feel as cliche'd as in series 1.
Hannibal
[video=youtube;2HW9rtFYsEw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HW9rtFYsEw[/video]
Gripping, gross, shock tactics TV. Lawrence Fishburne, Gillian Anderson, Mads Mikkelson and Hugh Darcy all make this show fantastic. It's hard to look away from the action even though some of it is liable to make you upchuck.
Things to avoid
The Flash - Ugh. Childish adaptation of a great superhero, below par acting and stupid SFX.
Got any to add, or disagree? Sound off below =)