If there was an award for the weirdest show on TV show of all time, "China, Il" would certainly be in the running. Premiering in 2011 with 15 minute episodes, the show quickly gained a following for it's over the top and off the wall humor. During the second season the show started airing full half hour episodes, and a third season was quickly announced. The show revolves around several teachers and students at the worst school in America. And as for any show that airs on adult swim, it is completely insane. The show is not for everyone, it's weird and idiotic brand of humor will turn people off; and the animation style can be somewhat jarring to look at for some. But if given the chance, "China, Il" is one of the most enjoyable shows to watch on TV. While the future of the show is in question, my hopes is that Adult Swim will continue their tradition of supporting great content that may not pull great numbers.
"Mozart in the Jungle" premiered in 2014, and was so overlooked by critics and audiences it is a shame. An Amazon Prime original series, I think the problem is that it came out so close to the release of another Amazon Prime show that received overwhelming critical acclaim, "Transparent." To be honest I haven't seen "Transparent" yet, but all I know is that it received all the glory while "Mozart in the Jungle" was left out in the cold. The show revolves around a genius musician and conductor who has been hired to lead a prestigious orchestra in New York. I got Amazon Prime earlier this year for the free two day shipping, but watching this show was the first thing I did. From the first episode to the satisfying finale, this was one of the best new shows of the year. With a second season on its way, hopefully it will soon receive the recognition it deserves.
Never in a million years would I have thought that a show from the Disney Channel would be one of the best on TV. "Gravity Falls" is a very unique animated show that debuted back in 2012. The show revolves around two siblings (Dipper and Mabel) as who are visiting their great uncle Stan in a little backwoods town, but things are not as they seem in the small town that seems to be constantly plagued by the paranormal. So Dipper sets out to find out what is really happening in the town of Gravity Falls. This show is certainly one of the strangest on TV, and while it may be a Disney show this is not something I would let a young child to watch. Seriously, at one point a guy is straight up killed when he is disintegrated with some sort of death ray. "Gravity Falls" was not a show I expected to like, it was recommended by a friend and after I started watching it I fell in love. It is a smart, funny, and mysterious show that has a surprising amount of depth and emotion for an animated series.
The youngest show on this list premiering in late 2014, "The Knick" might also be the most promising. Developed by Cinemax, the show takes place at a New York hospital in the year 1900 and follows Dr. John Thack. A brilliant surgeon recently put in charge of surgical operations at the hospital after his colleague killed himself, Thack suffers from an addiction to liquid cocaine (which was still being used as medicine). At the same time the hospital decided to hire a brilliant black surgeon named Algernon Edwards, who Thack is uninterested in working with because of his race. "The Knick" is like a more serious, R-rated version of the show "House M.D.," except this show might turn out to be better. With the second season set to air late this year, "The Knick" is shaping up to become one of the best shows on TV.
I only started watching this show recently after I saw the first season on Netflix, and I'm actually a little upset with myself that I had not been watching it since its premier. "Broadchurch" is a British show that follows two detectives investigating a murder of a young child in a fictional sea side town in England. Since its debut in 2013 the show has actually reached a high level of success in England, drawing millions of viewers for each episode; but surprisingly the show has yet to become widely popular here in the US. And considering the success of shows such as "Doctor Who," "Sherlock," and "Luther," it's a bit strange that it hasn't found much mainstream success in the US. "Broadchurch" is an intense, beautiful series that builds a strong emotional bond between the viewers the characters. Season two wrapped up recently with a third on its way, and as a fan of the show I can't wait.
When I first came up the idea to write this list, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that this show should be at the top of this list. "The Americans" first premiered in 2013 on FX; the series follows Elizabeth and Philip Jennings, two Russian sleeper agents that were tasked with committing covert operation in the United States. Elizabeth and Philip were paired together at a young age, told to set up shop in the US and start a family to help make them seem more normal; the series chronicles their covert operations as well as their personal interactions with each other, their children, and their friends. "The Americans" isn't just the most underrated show on TV; it is simply one of the best. The acting, writing, storytelling and just about everything else are on par with the best shows currently airing. Simply put, if you're not watching "The Americans" you are missing out.
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