Giving Thanks to TV

My blog entry about Dexter from earlier in the week, in which I expressed my gratitude for the show’s existence, got me to thinking about other series that are equally deserving of a spoonful of love. So in the spirit of the holiday, I thought I would shine a light on six gems that mostly fly under the radar, overlooked in favor of their more publicized network cohorts.

Breaking Bad (returns March 2010, AMC)
Overshadowed by: Mad Men
Why I’m Thankful For It: Two words—Bryan Cranston. The former Malcolm in the Middle dad (and two-time Emmy winner) completely transforms himself in the role of Walt White, a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with lung cancer who decides to provide for his family by cooking and selling crystal meth. This is the one show on TV that is guaranteed to surprise you each and every week. From Walt committing murder in the first season to the midair collision that rained down plane parts on Walt’s neighborhood in last year's finale, Breaking Bad represents the epitome of the phrase “leave them wanting more.”

Brothers & Sisters (Sundays, 10pm, ABC)
Overshadowed by: Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy
Why I’m Thankful For It: The current story line revolving around Kitty’s (Calista Flockhart) cancer diagnosis and treatment is rife with tragic optimism. Flockhart has been tremendous of late, capturing Kitty with a delicate combination of fear and hopefulness. Her scenes with mom Nora (Sally Field) in particular have been tearjerkers. Add to that a wonderful guest arc by Gilles Marini (from the Sex and the City movie) as Sarah’s French lover and you can forgive the show its frequent trips to Ojai Foods, the Walker family business that certainly has its share of drama, though it sometimes strains to be interesting.

Greek (returns January 25, 10pm, ABC Family)
Overshadowed by: The Secret Life of the American Teenager
Why I’m Thankful For It: One of the most flat-out fun shows on TV, Greek also has at its core an on-again/off-again relationship that surpasses Mer-Der. Casey (Spencer Grammer) and Cappie (Scott Michael Foster) are made for each other, but there’s so much temptation—not to mention future uncertainty—all around them on the Cyprus-Rhodes campus that it’s hard for them to stay together for too long. There's no reason to think that their current reconciliation, coming at a time when both will be forced to examine what their lives will be like after college ends, will be any smoother than their past attempts, but watching them try to sort it all out will still have the vicarious thrill of wanton youth.

The New Adventures of Old Christine (Wednesdays, 8pm, CBS)
Overshadowed by: The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother
Why I’m Thankful For It: If you’ve never seen Julia Louis-Dreyfus outside of Seinfeld’s Elaine, you’re missing out on a razor-sharp comic performance. Not all of Old Christine’s jokes hit (over the years, there have been way too many sexual punchlines hinging on the co-dependent relationship between Christine and her brother). Overall, though, the show has such a hangdog presence, you can’t help but laugh—and having Wanda Sykes in the cast doesn’t hurt. Old Christine is a throwback to a time when situation comedies put guffaws over self-conscious style.

Community (Thursdays, 8pm, NBC)
Overshadowed by: The Office, 30 Rock
Why I’m Thankful For It: With so many throwaway lines, Community is the kind of show that will pay dividends with repeat viewings. The cast is jelling nicely, with less emphasis now needed on Joel McHale’s Jeff to carry the show. That’s not to say that McHale isn’t still front and center; only that the writers have found more for the rest of the ensemble to do. How can you go wrong when Pierce (Chevy Chase) is tumbling over drum sets, Jeff and socially awkward Abed (Danny Pudi) move in together—if only temporarily, and Señor Chang (Ken Jeong) continues to terrorize his poor Spanish students? The simple answer is, you can’t.

The Good Wife (Tuesdays, 10pm, CBS)
Overshadowed by: NCIS, The Mentalist
Why I’m Thankful For It: The new hit drama nobody’s talking about (even though about 13 million people are watching), this already stellar legal drama is actually improving on its own quality. The best episode so far was the November 10 installment focusing on a personal injury case for which Julianna Margulies’s Alicia teamed up with a neighborhood lawyer to argue religious protection under the First Amendment. Margulies is understated yet powerful as a wronged woman using every ounce of goodness she can corral to stand by her adulterous, incarcerated husband.

If you’re not already watching these shows, do yourself a favor and check them out. But whether you choose to heed my advice or not, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. And when you’re going around the table listing the things you’re grateful for, take just a second to acknowledge the mountains of entertainment we so often take for granted.