“The Five Shows You Should Be Watching”

I am a TV freak. I love television. I don’t sit in front of one every second of my free time, or even the majority of it, but I love TV as a storytelling medium. I wince every time someone says “there’s never anything good on” or that they don’t own a television because “what’s the point?” Sure, a good 75% of television is utter mindless crap. But in the interest of picking out the diamonds from the turds, I present my five shows you should be watching.

(Note: For this post, I am limiting myself to shows currently airing. That means shows on hiatus, shows yet to air, or shows that have ended their runs are not included on this list. Also, I had trouble limiting myself to five, so at the end I included a few honorable mentions with a quick explanation for their exclusion from the top five.)

THE CURRENT TOP FIVE

The Cast of Community.

Community: This show started out slow last year, but came into its own with crazy pop culture references and hilarious performances. Standouts include Donald Glover as jock-turned-dork Troy and Danny Pudi as the wonderfully meta Abed, but the whole cast is terrific. The premise is this: Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) returns to community college to get the bachelor’s degree he faked long ago to get into law school and finds himself pulled into a group of misfits that grow into… (drumroll)… a community! Sure, the premise is familiar and simple, but the comedy is brilliant, and the ensemble cast doesn’t have a weak link in the bunch. Countless secondary characters like the Dean and a very British psychology professor played by The Daily Show’s John Oliver are brilliant. Not only that, but "Modern Warfare" may be one of the best episodes of television I have ever seen.

Community doesn’t let itself get stuck in the same old mold of other 30-minute sitcoms, and it has done everything from a mockumentary to a zombie invasion to a Goodfellas homage. To be sure, the show has struggled in its second season with its use of Chevy Chase as the increasingly dickish Pierce. But week after week, this show entertains like no other. If you loved Arrested Development, or any television and film from the past 40 years, you'll love this.

Key Episodes: “Contemporary American Poultry”, “Modern Warfare”

When and Where: 8 PM Thursday on NBC

The Chicago Code: The only brand new series on the list. A new and, frankly, hot police commissioner teams up with her old partner to take on corruption in Chicago, personified by none other than Ving Rhames (you know, Marsellus Wallace) Delroy Lindo. This show was created by Shawn Ryan, the creator of The Shield. Working on network television rather than cable has limited Ryan’s ability to go quite as haywire as he used to on The Shield. One of the main characters hates cursing, which explains why most of the cops magically forego swearing. The accents can be shaky, and the Irish Mob plot is clearly that of a fictional Chicago, but the drama is great. The Pilot alone has a really solid "gasp" moment near the end and Rhames never gets too hammy (as is his wont) as the corrupt politician.

The Chicago Code is brand new, true, but it has the potential for greatness. If you want to get in on the ground floor of a series without having to play catch-up, here’s your chance. The first five episodes are available on Hulu, and all the elements of both a good cop show and a great serialized drama are here for the curious viewer.

            Key Episode: “Pilot”

            When and Where: 9 PM Monday on Fox

The Cast of Parks and Rec.

Parks and Recreation: Originally conceived as a spinoff of The Office, Parks and Recreation became something much greater. Centering on the Parks and Recreation department of Pawnee, Indiana, this show is yet another where the whole gimmick of an office sitcom is really just a front for a show about family and community. A hilarious and highly talented cast led by SNL standout Amy Poehler (as Deputy Parks and Rec Director Leslie Knope) really started to blossom in the second season when the writers humanized Knope rather than turn her into a female Michael Scott.

However, the real gem in this series is Ron Effing Swanson. Ron Swanson is the man. His interests include brunettes, breakfast, and the pursuit of manliness. At the end of the second season, the series added Party Down’s Adam Scott and Rob Lowe as two auditors from the state government. Their characters have since been integrated seamlessly into the cast and in many instances have only improved what was already a gut-punchingly funny show. "Flu Season" offers perhaps the best line of Rob Lowe's entire career in just two impeccably delivered words. The best part of all this? You can watch it all on Netflix Watch Instantly.

            Key Episodes: “Sweetums”, “Flu Season”

            When and Where: 9:30 PM Thursday on NBC

Now with shiny jungle HD!

Survivor: I know, I know. I’m a huge advocate for scripted television over reality shows, but in all honesty, Survivor has the potential to be great television every season. Unlike the Real Housewives of Wherever or Jersey Shore, Survivor creates drama more naturally through competition. This season, Redemption Island, is the 22^nd iteration of what has been proven as a very successful formula. Eighteen contestants are dropped into the jungle where they have to live for 39 days while completing challenges and outwitting the other players through alliances and individual immunities. The winner has to make it all 39 days in these grueling conditions (often losing considerable weight in the process; this stuff is real) and retain the respect of his or her competitors to win a million dollars.

This season is shaping up to be a great one. Perennial players charming, clever Boston Rob and villainous hobbit Russell Hantz returned to join sixteen newbies, to widely divergent results so far. Another twist this season introduced Redemption Island, where the person voted out of his or her tribe must go to compete in a duel against the previous outcast for a chance to return to the game at yet-to-be-revealed later point in time. The new twist adds loads of drama. Add to that the eyecandy and amusement the newbies offer – not to mention the gorgeous HD views – and you’ve got yourself some good TV right thar. Beware the former federal agent in the droopy fuchsia briefs.

            Key Episode: “You’re Looking at the New Leader of Your Tribe”

            When and Where: 8 PM Wednesday on CBS

Chuck: Nerd Herd geek Charles “Chuck” Bartowski (Zachary Levi) is sent an e-mail by his old college roommate and gets the American government’s entire intelligence database (the Intersect) downloaded into his brain. Chuck is probably the iffiest entry on this list – not because it’s not as good, but because the show has been running for four seasons now, and it evolves in leaps and bounds every season. Originally Chuck was your average nerd everyman who was thrown into outlandish spy situations by his handlers, gorgeous Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski) and grunty John Casey (Adam Baldwin). In subsequent seasons, Chuck has downloaded updated versions of the Intersect that gave him muscle memory capable of amazing feats of acrobatics and martial arts.

Spy mythology and shadowy organizations operate alongside characters like Chuck’s not-quite-right co-workers Jeff and Lester (“Jeffster”) and his sister and her boyfriend, the appropriately nicknamed Captain Awesome. Like most modern spy shows, Chuck’s family comes into play in big ways, and everyone’s past gets to come back to haunt them in fun and thrilling ways. Something to watch for if you go back and watch the series as a whole to this point is the stunning but welcome evolution of Chuck’s best friend and right hand man Morgan Grimes (Joshua Gomez). This show has laughs, thrills, and heart: a perfect combination.

            Key Episodes: “Chuck Versus the Ring”, “Chuck Versus Phase Three”

            When and Where: 8 PM Monday on NBC

AND NOW, HONORABLE MENTIONS!

Supernatural: A show about brothers battling monsters, ghosts, and demons, Supernatural went from monster-of-the-week to a dense mythological saga… and then it didn’t end. The show returned for a sixth season this year after the fifth season featured the friggin’ apocalypse. Supernatural remains a fun show, but a new writing staff means the show has to find its footing again while balancing five years of story against a new beginning for the guys.

            Key Episodes: “Tall Tales”, “All Hell Breaks Loose”

            When and Where: 9 PM Friday on The CW

The Office: A remake of the original British hit by Ricky Gervais, the American Office has truly become its own legend. Steve Carell is brilliant as Michael Scott, even if the writers can barely manage him as a consistent character anymore. While lacking some of the magic from the days of the burned foot, it’s worth watching now for Michael Scott’s Farewell Tour alone. We’ll miss your silliness on Thursday nights, Steve Carell.

            Key Episodes: “The Injury”, “Classy Christmas”

            When and Where: 9 PM Thursday on NBC

How I Met Your Mother: I’m firmly in the camp that the show needs to go ahead and introduce the titular Mother and get it over. At this point I have been on 130 dates with this show; it’s time to quit teasing and give it up already. That said, the characters are lovable, even playboy Barney and pretentious douchebag Ted. The group dynamic is the best on TV since Friends, and while the comedy isn’t exactly groundbreaking, it’s solid entertainment.

            Key Episodes: “Girls versus Suits”, “Slap Bet”

            When and Where: 8 PM Monday on CBS

The Big Bang Theory: Again, not groundbreaking, but it’s solid, funny TV. Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) lead a group of nerdy college professors while befriending their neighbor Penny (Kaley Cuoco). Originally Leonard was the star, but as sometimes happens, Sheldon really became the breakout character, with Leonard and Penny alternating as his dependable straightmen. Sure, the show sometimes paints nerds or “nerdy activities” a bit too pathetically or entirely incorrectly, but the humor is generally pretty dead-on. And it’s just really funny.

            Key Episode: “The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis”

            When and Where: 8 PM Thursday on CBS

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So that’ll about do it! In the interest of maybe making this more participatory and less… just… what it is, feel free to tell me why I’m wrong or right, and what other shows you’d place in your top five currently on the air. Also, as a reward for reading this far, I'm embedding one of my favorite moments from recent television below.