Note: This list is comprised of my personal opinions regarding what I believe are the some of the most underrated shows currently airing episodes. While these shows may have received acclaim from critics and audience, they fail to pull in the ratings they deserve. It is also worth remembering that I do not watch every show on TV, so this list may be missing some shows that deserve a spot. This is a follow up to a list I put out early last year (original list: http://goo.gl/zNCg0k).
There
are a bunch of great comedies on TV right now, but this one might be my favorite. The
show follows a detective named Angie Tribeca as she gets into a bunch of silly
antics with her colleagues as they solve crime. Basically, this is "The
Naked Gun" the TV show. I'm a big fan of entertainment that is self aware
as well old school spoof movies, so this show is right down my alley. It never
takes itself seriously, and makes almost every case incredibly obvious right
off the bat. And like the old spoof movies, everyone in this show is an idiot.
But despite being one of the funniest shows on TV, the views it pulls in are
pathetic. The first season averaged a little under a million for the first half
of the season but dropped below 500 thousand by the time of the finale. And the second
season that began in June, 2016 has only averaged about half a million per episode.
The shows biggest problem is that it's airing on TBS, a channel no one ever
watches. If it was on CBS viewership would be ten times higher. But despite low
numbers the network seems dedicated to supporting the show and has already
renewed it for a third season.
Now
of every show on this list this might actually be the most watched show on this
list, that's because it's not on TV but on the internet. "The Man in the
High Castle" is alternate history series based off the 1962 novel of the
same name, and is an Amazon original. The show takes place in a history where
the Axis powers won World War 2; the United States was then split up with the
east given to Nazi Germany and the west given to the Empire of Japan. The show
follows several characters from all sides: Germany, Japan, and US rebels. And
the story mainly revolves around these film reels which show different outcomes
to WW2, with the rebels trying to collect them and the Axis powers trying to
get them out of circulation. This is a fascinating series to say the least, one
that never lost my attention. Unfortunately this is a show that has been
overlooked by its peers. Other Amazon shows like "Mozart in the
Jungle" and "Transparent" have received all the attention while
this one has been overlooked. But with a second season supposedly coming later
this year, it might get its just desserts.
"Jane
the Virgin" is one of the most unlikely enjoyable shows on TV right now.
When I first heard the plot of this show, it sounded to ridiculous to be true.
The story follows 20 something Jane Gloriana Villanueva, an intelligent
young woman who has built much of her identity around the fact that she has
decided to stay abstinent and save herself for marriage. But after a trip to an
OB/GYN, she is accidentally artificially inseminated with a sample from a rich
hotel owner whom she had met in the past and would go on to develop feelings
for. As ridiculous as the premise sounds, it pays homage to the shows that
inspired it. The show takes a lot of influence from Latin American Telaovelas,
but puts a North American spin on it while keeping with the tradition of
grandiose story lines and crazy twists. Funny and filled with several likable
and memorable characters, this has become one of my personal favorite shows on
TV. But despite being the best show on The CW, ratings are pathetic with most
episodes not bringing in over a million viewers. Despite this, a third season
has been confirmed. And due to the praise it appears that The CW will continue
the series as long as the show runners are willing to keep going.
"Silicon
Valley" is probably the most acclaimed comedy on TV right now, and maybe
the most acclaimed sitcom to air in years. The show follows a group of computer
programmers who form a company called Pied Piper after the founder creates a video
compression software that could be the next big thing. The series proceeds to
explore their development as a company, the bureaucracy of Silicon Valley, and
competition from larger companies. Despite receiving widespread praise and a
number of awards, only three of the 28 episodes reached over two million
viewers live. While the show has gained a strong following from dedicated fans,
and likely has much higher ratings when factoring DVR and HBO's online
services, this show doesn't seem to get the attention it deserves. The less intelligent,
less funny "Big Bang Theory" pulls 20 million viewers an episode
while "Silicon Valley" barely pulls a faction of those numbers. But
with more and more people being turned onto the series as word spreads, I have
hopes that viewership will increase in the coming seasons.
"Mr. Robot" is very arguably the best show on TV, and I came damn close to putting it at the top of this list. But with the second season airing right now, I couldn't justify putting it at number one without the current story line being complete. The way I've always described "Mr. Robot" was "Fight Club" the TV show (it even makes some direct references from "Fight Club"). The story follows Elliot, an incredibly intelligent, but unstable and socially awkward, computer programmer at a cyber-security firm during the day. But by night he is a hacker, mostly hacking those close to him since he has trouble connecting on a personal level, but occasionally he goes after criminals that he views are poisoning society. Out of the blue he meets the leader of a hacker group who invites him to join his organization, and what proceeds may lead to a new world order. "Mr. Robot" is one of the most intelligent, best written, well made, and fascinating shows I've ever seen; but unfortunately hasn't pulled great numbers, especially with its second season thus far. At the moment a third season has not been confirmed, but considering this is the most acclaimed show USA has ever made I doubt they would cancel it anytime soon.
Choosing which show would top this list was difficult, but it was hard to imagine
any other show being number one. "Fargo" is a dramatic miniseries
inspired by the movie of the same name. Each season follows a new story and a
new group of characters as they traverse the seedy underbelly of the northern
United States. Premiering in 2014, both seasons of the show have ranked among
the very best on TV for their respective years. The acting, directing, writing,
and story lines are phenomenal. It manages to pay respect to its source
material, but separates itself and stands on its own. Since its first episode,
"Fargo" received overwhelming acclaim from critics and audiences. But
even with such a warm reception, only two of the 20 episodes pulled in over two
million viewers; not so surprising when you consider that it airs on FX, but
still disappointing considering how good it is. A third season is on its way
and scheduled for a 2017 release, and if you have any common sense you will be
watching it on its first day.
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