What's The Best Show On TV Right Now?

What's The Best Show On TV Right Now?

Posted on Tuesday October 11, 2011, 16:38 by Stephen Carty in Small Screen

Last year, we bid farewell to the mysterious hatch-filled island of Lost. Year before that, we waved goodbye to the good ship Battlestar Galactica (so say we all) for the last time. And, in the three years prior to that, The Wire, The Sopranos and The West Wing all exited stage left on an annual basis. So, with all the heavy-hitters having packed up their bags and marched off to immortal glory like an outnumbered Spartan, what is now the best show on television?

For sure, this is no easy question. No doubt, debate will be sparked and cans containing worms will lay open everywhere. Certainly, there's no definite right or wrong answer (aside from anyone voting Hollyoaks; that is wrong). But with the throne arguably vacant just now since all the televisual game-changers of recent years have departed, let's debate anyway.

My criteria are these. The show needs to still be currently airing, so ones that are shown as repeats obviously don't count. It needs to have been running for a reasonable while, to give us a true reflection and ensure it's not a Heroes-esque flash-in-the-first-season-pan. It needs to have great writing, acting and storytelling. And, it needs to be just plain awesome. Of course, sheer entertainment value is an important factor (how could it not be?), but said programme also needs to produce consistent quality that stimulates, challenges, amuses, asks questions and has us itching to find fellow fans. There are lots of contenders, but which one should stand astride them?

Before casting my sure-to-be-controversial vote though, let's consider what else is out there. In all honesty, there's nothing that I currently look forward to as much as addictive bromance Entourage, but I wouldn't describe it as the 'best' show on television and with the final episode hitting a few weeks back, it's time has come and gone. Dexter, likewise, is another strong personal favourite of mine, but isn't nearly as devastatingly unpredictable or sharp as it once was. House MD offers one of TV's most endlessly-watchable characters in Hugh Laurie's Sherlockian diagnostician (with a side order of moving drama), but it's simply too formulaic to be realistically considered.

Moving into comedic territory and there's much out there to love. The wonderfully-observed Peep Show just refuses to get crap, Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm is rarely anything other than genius and The American Office, despite undeniably going downhill in recent years, remains one of the wittiest watches on the box. If I absolutely had to pick one comedy, it'd be Armando Iannucci's criminally under-known political satire The Thick Of It, but aside from sublime spin-off In The Loop, when the fourth season eventuates in 2012, we won't have seen those guys in over three years. As for obvious choice The Simpsons, it's a boring, predictable answer so let's not start the inevitable arguments about how far it's declined since it's heyday.

In terms of sci-fi, debatably the only genuine candidate is the genre's daddy, Doctor Who. But even though the team of writer-showrunner Steven Moffat and new Doctor Matt Smith have installed a dark fairytale vibe which has elevated the show from curiosity to mind-bending appointment TV, it’s still too silly at times to be considered as the top television banana. Elsewhere (genre-wise), I expect there will be some love for the likes of Sons Of Anarchy, True Blood, Spartacus, Misfits and Fringe, yet I doubt any of these would be viewed by many as serious contenders.

There's also a few shows which have shown great promise, but haven't been around long enough to meet the criteria. HBO's Boardwalk Empire arrived with about as much pedigree as you could possible expect (Martin Scorsese involved and directed the pilot, Steve Buscemi in the lead), but it never came close to captivating me. Moffat and Mark Gatiss' Sherlock on the other hand, was engrossing viewing as a triumphant reinvention of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Victorian sleuth (with perfect central casting), but thus far we've only seen three episodes, albeit feature-length ones. Then there's the worth-the-hype Game Of Thrones which, in my eyes, has the best potential to wear the crown one day - but only time will tell.

Now, before revealing what I think is the best show currently on television (for those of you who haven't already impatiently scrolled down), it's worth noting my close second choice - Matthew Weiner's Mad Men. Boasting all the quality, class and depth you'd expect from one of The Sopranos top writers and co-producers, it's a sublimely-written, immaculately-constructed and superbly crafted slice of period drama, which is as impossibly good-looking as its handsome cast. Predictably, the glacial pace and decidedly understated manner of storytelling (where virtually every sentence has a double meaning) will lose many viewers, but for me this measured approach lends a spellbinding quality, once you adjust your mindset to it.

But no, my numero uno choice is ... (drumroll)... (more drumroll, milking it)... Breaking Bad. Like Mad Men, this isn't a widely-popular mainstream favourite by any stretch of the imagination, but in terms of overall quality, I cannot think of a better show currently on the air. The premise itself is brilliant enough to carry the series: a mild-mannered, constantly shat-upon chemistry teacher gets cancer and uses his aptitude for chemical cooking to concoct crystal meth in order to provide for his family after he's gone. And the kicker (bearing in mind a spoiler lurks ahead)? When his cancer enters remission, the milquetoast teacher has been irreversibly corrupted by the power and is unable to tear himself away from the dark side...

Part crime-thriller, part family-drama, Breaking Bad is more talky than action-packed, but its slow-burn approach leads to some tension-filled, punch-packing moments that explode into life and leave you genuinely reeling afterwards. Sort of like the stand-out bank heist in Heat. Though not as ultra-realistic as The Wire (what is?) it’s not far off, while also boasting far greater emotional stakes as we witness the slow decay of a good man's soul, flawlessly essayed by Bryan Cranston and a terrific ensemble. Creator Vince Gilligan has openly admitted that he and the writers make much of the seasons up as they go along, but when the outcome is as hugely unpredictable and constantly gripping as this (whilst also playing true to the story), who cares? Quite simply, it's dazzling television.

So what about you? What is your top choice? Who deserves the tile of 'Best Show Currently On TV'? Here's a giant blog-like penny for your thoughts, so let us know...