Monday, November 28, 2016

Underrated Shows Everyone Should Watch


There are so many shows available now, it’s hard to figure out what to watch. Here are some shows that you might have heard of and definitely need to watch.

Eureka
Jack Carter is transporting a fugitive, which happens to be his daughter Zoe, when they stumble upon the town of Eureka. Eureka is not your normal small town; its population consists of super geniuses. Carter and Zoe, on the other hand, have average IQs. Since nobody is supposed to know that Eureka exists, Carter and Zoe have to start a new life in town.

The father/daughter dynamic that Carter and Zoe have is truly believable. They have their own inside jokes, and Carter interacts, or rather chastises, Zoe with such ease. As an only daughter, it definitely reminded me of my interactions with my father.

I also love the town’s personality. The setting totally acts as a character. Although everyone in town is super smart, sometimes (almost weekly), they make HUGE mistakes. Somehow Carter always find the very simple solution.

Hercules
We follow Hercules and his friend Iolaus through Greece as they help innocent people and deal with the gods. I love how this show introduces people to Greek mythology, as well as sprinkling other mythos in later seasons. I know, as a kid, this was my first memorable experience with mythology.

Hercules and Iolaus are a great example of the hero/sidekick trope. Hercules’ call to action is the murder of his entire family by Hera (not really a spoiler). Iolaus is Hercules’ childhood friend and would do anything for him, including travel the world and righting wrongs.

Xena
Xena, although a fictional character, shows incredible growth as a person. We are first introduced to her as a side character in Hercules, and she’s a villain. Not exactly what you’d expect from a female character in this time of TV (this show premiered in 1995), but it’s a refreshing surprise.

Xena and Gabrielle are the epitome of girl power. They show that women don’t need men to solve their problems, and they can defend themselves as well. Gabrielle, for example, was a quiet girl who didn’t know what the world offered. Once she was trained by the Amazons (again, not really a spoiler), she gained so much self-confidence.

Enterprise
Enterprise acts as a prequel to the original Star Trek series with Kirk. Here, Captain Archer and his crew are just barely exploring space, and we get introductions to some of our favorite alien races, as well as some brand-new ones.

I really enjoyed what each crew member brings to the table. T’Pol is the necessary logical character, a la Spock and Data. Hoshi is this version’s Uhura, and she gets even more screen time than our original communications officer. Dr. Phlox is one of the new races that we encounter, and I love that he acts as a sort of comedic relief. Just as a warning: this show was cancelled while the writers and producers were writing another season, so the ending is a bit hasty.

Psych
Shawn and his friend Gus want to get involved in some detective work, so instead of applying for a job at the police department, they make the most logical decision and open up a psychic detective agency.

This is definitely a comedy, but I love some of the nerdy Easter eggs hidden throughout the show. In every episode, a pineapple is hidden somewhere, and it’s quite a fun party game to try to find it. There have also been themed episodes throughout the series, such as the ever-necessary musical and an Alfred Hitchcock-themed show.


What underrated shows are must-sees to you?

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