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 audiences, 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 the third installment of this list, so if there's a show you feel that is missing there's a chance that it may have been featured on the first two parts..
If I had to choose what the weirdest show on TV (Adult Swim shows aside), it may be this one. "Lady Dynamite" is a surrealist comedy that revolves around a fictionalized version of the show's star Maria Bamford. Maria is an actress and a comedian trying to revitalize her career after she spent time at a mental health facility for depression and bipolar disorder. The movie touches on some heavy and sensitive subjects such as mental health, depression, and isolation; but at the same time it manages to be hilarious. Jumping back and forth between multiple timelines, you get to see all of Maria's crazy shenanigans as she attempts to expand her personal life while getting her career back on track. Above all else though, she attempts to make herself happy again. "Lady Dynamite" is a surprisingly great show, and I'm so happy that a third season is coming soon.
In all honesty, I enjoyed this show so much more than I thought it would. "UnReal" is about a film crew behind a show that's basically "The Bachelor," and all the stuff that they have to deal with in both their professional and personal life. This is one of the shows along the lines of "Scandal" and "How to Get Away With Murder," it is drama for the sake of drama. From start to finish, every episode is ridiculous and crazy. There is no normal moment, or even a second to breathe, during this series; but by setting the show up like this, it is constantly entertaining. I actually discovered this show by accident. A while back I went to Rotten Tomatoes to look up some movies, and on the right hand side of the screen they showed the new TV episodes airing that night; "UnReal" was on that list with a 90-something-percent approval rating. Without even Googling the show I find a stream online and give it a shot. I then binge-watched both seasons in a weekend. A third season is set to premier in the next few months, and I can't wait to see where the show goes from here. I only hope that viewership picks up with future episodes.
I started watching "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" about five episodes into the first season after I heard great things about the show. After the first episode I wasn't impressed, and outright didn't like the first three or four episodes; but I decided to stick with it, and to my surprise it became one of my favorite shows on TV. "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" follows Rebecca, a big shot layer from New York who hates her life and suffers from depression. After a particularly bad day she runs into her first boyfriend, Josh, on the street. She thinks this is a sign and wants to give it another go to him, unfortunately he's moving to California; so Rebecca takes a chance and moves out to California as well in the hopes of starting a relationship with Josh. "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" is a musical comedy, filled with outrageous characters, catchy songs, and always funny dialog. I liked this show more than I thought I would, and I'm very happy that a third season has been confirmed and is on its way.
This is the third installment of what I consider to be the most underrated shows on TV; and of all the series I've written about, "American Crime" has something special. This is the only show I've featured that actually pulls good numbers. While the ratings have fallen since the series premier, the second season still managed to pull a few million viewers per episode. Despite these great impressive ratings, I still feel that this show is wholeheartedly underrated. Towards the end of the year when people discuss the best shows of the previous year, no one mentions "American Crime." Despite being well written, well acted, and doing a great job discussing controversial and timely topics, most people forget this show exists the second the season is done. If you're in the mood for a heavy drama mini-series, "American Crime" is one of the best on TV right now.
"Halt and Catch Fire" is one of those rare shows that seem to keep getting better as time goes on. While the first season was good, it wasn't special enough to stand out among the countless dramas on TV. But with the second and third season, it's become one of the best series on cable. The show begins in the 80s, where an ambitious businessman and two computer geniuses decide to team up and create a new computer. With the second season the group breaks apart, with each member going in their own direction, and this trend continues into the third with a lot more back stabbing and infighting. "Halt and Catch Fire" went from a decent drama to one of the best on TV. Featuring some of cable's best writing and acting, as well as solid production, interesting story lines, and compelling characters, this show should be killing it in the ratings. Unfortunately, people just don't seem interested. Viewership has been dropping with each season, with no episode from the third season pulling in over 400 thousand views. A fourth and final season has been confirmed to air this year, and I'm sad to see it go. If you have the time, and you want to watch something truly great, I think "Halt and Catch Fire" is worth a shot.
The "Evil Dead" franchise is a legend among horror cinema, with the first two installments considered to be true classics (the third installment, "Army of Darkness," is less horror and more slapstick comedy). So when it was announced a few years back that a TV series was on its way, many fans were skeptical to say the least. Fortunately though, the final result is absolutely fantastic. "Ash vs. Evil Dead" continues the story of Ash Williams, a deadbeat who spends his time drinking, doing drugs, have sec with bar skanks, and working at a local superstore. He also happens to have an ancient, cursed book called the Necronomicon in his possession; and one night when super high, he reads from it releasing an ancient power known as the Evil Dead. He then sets out with some co-workers to rid the world of the evil. Straddling the line of horror and humor perfectly, "Ash vs. Evil Dead" is a bloody good time. Maybe not for the faint of heart, this is one of my favorite shows on TV, and one of the most underrated. While the show has received acclaim from critics, viewership has been incredibly poor. The second season only averaged around 300 thousand viewers per episode. Despite this, a third season has been confirmed; and if the third season continues the quality of the first two, "Ash vs. Evil Dead" is sure to become a modern comedic classic.
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