Awesome TV Shows

Overview: Television stands on a long and proud tradition of producing Great TV Shows ("The X-Files", "The Sopranos", "The Wonder Years", "The Wire", and "M.A.S.H.", just to name a few). It has also yielded Totally Amazing TV Shows ("Buffy The Vampire Slayer", "Freaks and Geeks", "Firefly", "Doctor Who") and, yes, occasionally the Worst Ever All-Time TV Shows, shows so bad they drain all the light out of sunshine and leave the viewer in an icy, cold, empty purgatory with no lingering sense of hope, happiness, or will to go on ("Small Wonder"). Recent years, however, have witnessed the rise of Awesome TV Shows. What is an Awesome TV Show, and should you be on board?


Above: (From Left) Great; Totally Amazing; Kill Me



The Awesome TV Show is a relatively recent phenomenon. This is largely due to the increased popularity and availability of TV shows on DVD. Awesome TV Shows fit well into the DVD model for two reasons:

1) The Awesome TV Show is a pretty complicated and often presented in a sequential, serialized narrative. Missing even a single episode of the Awesome TV Show can leave viewers confused or angry. The DVD format assures the viewer will never miss an episode and that the series can be viewed at the viewer's leisure.

2) Awesome TV shows also tend to be pretty awesome, with lots of action sequences but also plenty of tension and character development, and so they stand up to repeat viewings. The DVD format allows viewers to re-watch the Awesome TV Show over and over



Above: A couple shopping at Best Buy, one of the most popular vendors of Awesome TV Show DVDs, purchase a DVD player, several box set collections of Awesome TV Shows, and a...Dance Pro...Wireless...which I'm sure is totally not at all as gay as it sounds...

The DVD format and Awesome TV Shows thus form a symbiotic relationship, wherein the popularity of the Awesome TV Show boosts sales of DVDs, and the ability to enjoy the Awesome TV Show without commercials over and over help ensure a future of new and perhaps Awesomer TV Shows, while increasing the likelihood of current Awesome TV Shows being renewed for more episodes and seasons.

But in order to fully appreciate and understand the popularity of Awesome TV Shows, it helps to know some of the actual substance of the premise and themes of these shows.

The central character of Awesome TV Shows is named Jack.


Above: Promotional art for a popular Awesome TV Show. At left-center (standing, in gray shirt and jeans) -Jack

And just who, exactly, is this "Jack"? Therein lies much of the appeal of the Awesome TV Show.

We know this much about Jack: he is capable, athletic, and often forced into impossible situations. As a natural leader (Jack's occupation is esteemed neurosurgeon/experienced federal agent/former elite member of a mysterious, powerful, highly-regarded, and now defunct organization called the "Time Agency"), Jack must take charge of a rag-tag group, thrown together sometimes out of pure happenstance and often at odds with one another due to personality conflicts. Nonetheless, the fact remains: they are all in this together.

Brooding and handsome, Jack's charm and appealing physical presence often works to his advantage.


Above: Jack uses his deep, old-soul eyes, oddly soothing grizzly baritone voice, and steady world-worn hands to a calming, tension-alleviating end.

In addition to his leadership skills and compelling, affable demeanor, Jack is smart. Very smart. But he wasn't born with all this knowledge. It has come from a lifetime (or what sometimes feels like 8 lifetimes...) of experience in the field. He's seen things you can't imagine and knows things you'd rather not.



Above: Jack analyzes the design layout of the homicidal and maniacal Cybermen, reflecting on their reign of terror and swearing, so help him God, that he will never let humanity suffer through that nightmare again. This is his crusade. His life's work. This is what he must do...

It is important to note how readily and eagerly Jack will spring into action. While he may not strike you as quite the definition of an action hero, if there is a hostile to be threatened, a bomb to be deactivated, or a door to be kicked, don't think Jack will give it so much as a second thought! Oh, and you should know that, when it comes to protecting the people he loves, Jack has a gun, and he is not. afraid. to use it.

Above: Jack swears to God he wishes he never had to use this...

It is important, however, that I not leave you with the impression that Jack is so hardened, stony, and aggressive that he lacks a deep, sensitive, tortured soul. On the contrary: deep, sensitive, tortured soul is Jack's middle name!*


Above: Oh, Jack...

*"Deep, sensitive, tortured soul" isn't Jack's actual middle name

In fact, one of the things that makes Jack most compelling is his troubled and often enigmatic past, of which we begin to learn more and more as episodes of Awesome TV Shows begin to unfold. Is Jack an alchoholic? Has Jack struggled with a heroin addiction? Is Jack tormented by the heartbreaking circumstances leading to the demise of his marriage?

Above: It'll be okay, Jack.

Did Jack do something he deeply regrets during his childhood, that one afternoon on the Boeshane Penninsula back on his homeworld...something that eats at his soul to this very day?

Yes.

Above: Please do not cry, Jack. For if you cry, how am I to stay strong?

In other words, sure Jack is good at leading, shooting things, running, and being all dashing and sexy, but if you don't understand that there are many layers to Jack - layers that make him the man he is, the man you want on your side - then you've missed the point of Awesome TV Shows altogether.

To help illustrate this point, Jack is provided with a sort of CounterJack, if you will. A yin to Jack's yang. This character is a relatively minor player in the Awesome TV Show, but his relationship to Jack is crucial. The character often sees things differently than Jack does. His methods are not Jack's methods, and vice versa. But Jack shares both a friendship and a level of respect for the CounterJack that is unique and deeply significant. Even when these two characters are at odds, they remain deeply bonded. And even when they share very little screentime together, the dynamic between these two characters helps the audience more fully understand who they both are and brings out a side of Jack that feels essential and vulnerable. This character is called Tony Almeida/John Locke/The Doctor.

There are other elements too, of course. Awesome TV Shows feature wide casts of supporting characters and storylines that deal with the trials and tribulations of all of these lesser characters. It can't just all be about Jack, explosions, running around, and maddening cliffhangers that make you wait a freakin' year til you find out what happens, although these are all important elements.

But every Awesome TV Show needs its Edgar/Charlie/Owen, because viewers have shown over and over again that they like to see the kind of loserish character that they all secretly love deep-down be killed off in an agonizing and tragic fashion.

Above: Not Penny's Boat!!! Awww, Charliiieeeeee...You were so brave. :( Godspeed, beloved hobbit.

And no Awesome TV Show would be complete without a prolonged, depressing, would-be romance with Audrey/Kate/Gwen, that seems like it was never really meant to work out.

It is with great relief, then, that I can report that all Awesome TV Shows have these very elements working for them without exception.

Are there downsides? A few, and they do need to be addressed. Awesome TV Shows often ask the viewer to trust that the people making the Awesome TV Show know what they're doing. Occasionally, this trust can be broken, as in Season 6/The first few episodes of Seasons 3 and 4 and or the whole "Nikki and Paolo" thing/The "Fight Club" Episode.*

*I mean, I know Noel Clarke wrote it, and that's awesome, but...sorry...it just didn't work for me...

Also, Jack can really just sometimes get to be kind of overbearing.

Yeah, I said it.

But these shortcomings are easy to overcome. The truth of the matter is that Awesome TV Shows are awesome. And until the day awesome starts meaning "not awesome"*, it's safe to say they are here to stay.

*like "sick"

RATING: **** (out of 4)

BOTTOM LINE: Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacccccccccccccckkkk!!!! (Kaboom!)