TV shows that deserve more buzz
NETFLIX’S Stranger Things was basically designed to be a cult hit – from the scifi premise to its virtually unknown creators and cast (Winona Ryder, notwithstanding). Now that it’s getting summer blockbuster-level buzz from viewers and critics alike, it might be more of a genuine hit than a cult one.
But there’s something oddly satisfying about discovering a show before everyone else catches on to how good it is. To help with that effort, we’ve compiled a list of shows that have managed to fly somewhat under the radar despite being really good.
An anthropomorphic horse (voiced by Will Arnett) tries to make a Hollywood comeback years after his glory days as a sitcom star.
People who appreciate subtle jokes and (animated) comedy with an air of sadness.
Animated comedies (at least, of the adult variety) are always kind of a tough sell, and, despite its cartoon format, BoJack Horseman can get pretty dark. But the show – currently in its third season – has earned a fair share of critical acclaim, particularly for its depiction of mental illness. That praise has not yet translated to Emmy nominations.
You can stream all three seasons on Netflix, but you don’t necessarily need to start from the beginning. Fish Out of Water, the third season’s fourth episode, might be a good place to start.
A 40-something divorcee pretends to be 26 to land an entry-level job in the publishing industry. Maids.
Fans of Sutton Foster or her co-star Hilary Duff; fans of creator Darren Star (of Sex and the City fame); anyone who knows what it’s like to be an assistant in the media industry; or a woman (especially of a certain age) in basically any industry.
Poised to start its third season next month, Younger has already outlived Foster’s other cult hit, Bunheads. And while TV Land probably isn’t the first network you would turn to for a hip, surprising comedy, that’s exactly what Younger is. Foster is so charming you’ll forget that her character, Liza, is lying to basically everyone in her life. Duff brings her own comedic chops to the table as an ambitious, but funloving millennial, who bonds with Liza’s 26-year-old alter-ego.
Add in Liza’s hot romance with a sweet, 20-something tattoo artist and the show’s honest approach to sexuality, ageism and the ever-present can-we-have-it-all question and you have a TV show you should really be watching already. Power. Younger. Devious
Episodes can be seen on TV Land’s website, but only in North America. It airs in Southeast Asia on the Sony Channel. Of course, in Phnom Penh, you are likely to find it at your local DVD store, as with every show on this list.
A tight-knit group of Latinas working as maids (at least, initially) in Beverly Hills.
People who miss creator Marc Cherry’s popular ABC drama Desperate Housewives; fans of Eva Longoria, who starred in Desperate Housewives and is an executive producer of the series.
Even before it premiered in 2013, Devious Maids, adapted from the Mexican series Ellas son . . . la Alegría del Hogar (translation: “they are the joy of the home”) attracted some scepticism for casting four prominent Latina actresses as sexy housekeepers, which seemed to play on multiple stereotypes. But the show is pretty delightful. A quirky supporting cast helps it maintain a consistent, campy sense of humour, while having characters confront personal tragedies. The heart of the show is the women who support one another through all of it and act, as Longoria told the Los Angeles Times, as its “moral compass”.
Devious Maids has never achieved the fanfare surrounding Lifetime’s other scripted drama, UnREAL, even though Devious Maids tends to do better in the ratings. (One caveat: The ratings have been on a steady seasonto-season decline, and a fifth season is uncertain.)
StarWorld is currently airing the fourth season. You can purchase episodes through iTunes or Amazon Prime.
New York City drug kingpin James “Ghost” St Patrick tries to leave the game behind to focus on his legitimate business as a New York City nightclub owner but struggles to untangle himself from his criminal past.
Twitter-savvy fans of fast-paced crime dramas; Fans of executive producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, who appears in a recurring role.
Starz chief executive Chris Albrecht recently lamented that Power and other Starz series had not gotten recognition during the Emmy nominations, but it’s a popular topic of discussion on Twitter every Sunday night. The opener for season three brought in 2.26 million viewers in the US (and that’s not accounting for DVR viewing), an all-time high for the network that topped the show’s recordsetting the premiere of season 2 by 58 per cent.
There’s a lot to talk about when it comes to Power: In addition to balanc- ing his aboveboard ambitions with his shadier ones, Ghost is also caught between his marriage and unresolved feelings for his high school sweetheart. All of this happens under the looming threat of him being brought to justice for his crimes – or killed by someone on his ever-expanding list of enemies – a suspenseful tightrope that keeps fans hooked.
You can also subscribe through Amazon Prime.
Comedian Eric Andre “interviews” celebrities on a hideously low-budget set, while acting completely (and we mean, completely) insane.
Fans of Hannibal Buress, who appears as Andre’s sidekick; people who aren’t afraid of gross-out humour; the Adult Swim crowd.
It’s hard not to laugh at Andre’s outrageous antics – which include his frequent destruction of cheap set pieces and the ridiculous non sequiturs he lobs at guests (to actor Lance Reddick: “So you’re on TV . . . Here’s the thing – I don’t give a s— about baseball!”). He frequently hosts celebrities that aren’t regularly featured on the late-night circuit including, recently, actress and Fox News contributor Stacey Dash. Guests often appear visibly confused by Andre’s behaviour, and the host told NPR that not everyone is in on the joke. (Poor Demi Lovato.)
While hosting the comedian on The Late Show, Stephen Colbert called the show “funny, strange and wonderful”, telling Andre: “What I like about your talk show is that you do not seem to care, like, professionally.”
Peruse an assortment of not-safe-for-work clips on YouTube.