Tyler Anderson

Okay, so in all honesty if you’re reading this you’re probably here from my Twitter account, and thus are probably already watching at least some of these shows, if not all of them. Still, it’s my soapbox and I’ll preach to the choir if I want to.

Happy Town

Starting off with the newest show on this list, Happy Town has been billed by ABC as a horror show. While there are some thriller elements to the show, this description really doesn’t do it justice, and ABC knows it. They’re riding on this show being a success after their cash cow, Lost, finishes up this spring. And, luckily, the show definitely has some promise. Set in Haplin, Minnesota, it features a large cast of characters, and is aiming to cash in on the mystery motif of past successes like Lost and Twin Peaks.  The central mystery revolves around a character called the Magic Man, who terrorized the town in the past by making people disappear “as if it were magic.” While this concept may sound shallow and campy, it really works quite well. Every character feels like they have something they’re keeping under wraps, and everyone has a secret. They’ve only aired one episode so far, but it was so good that I found myself truly sad that it was over, something I haven’t felt, with a show that wasn’t Lost, in a long time. The show airs Wednesdays at 10:00, and is definitely worth a look.

Now, I know all you Lost whiners out there are saying “Another show centered around mysteries? Screw that. I actually want answers to my questions, not vague explanations and immortal men on a beach.” Well not to fear, faithful readers. The show’s writers have already stated that the identity of the Magic Man will be known by the end of the first season, and the revelation of his (or her?) identity will keep you wanting more. Sounds pretty good to me. As long as the Sheriff doesn’t have any of his townies locked away in polar bear cages, I’m game.

To find out more, here’s the Wikipedia article on Happy Town.

Caprica

Battlestar Galactica, the SyFy (still can’t stand that name change) re-imagining of the classic series from 1970, got a lot of praise during its run from 2003 to 2009, and with good reason. It was timely, very well written, and featured a wide range of characters that were all compelling in their own way. Now SyFy has a new show from the Galactica universe, called Caprica, and it’s not getting quite as much attention as its predecessor. Sure, some of that may be because there’s no one in the show you end up actually liking as a person, but that’s somewhat the point of the show. These are the people that lead to the creation of the Cylons. If you think any of them are going to be likable then… I don’t even really know what to put here. The show is set in the Battlestar universe, long before the first Cylon was created. If you’re keeping track, that’s before the events of Galactica and before any of the Cylon wars preceding the timeline in the 2003 series. However its focus is much deeper than the story of how the Cylons came to exist. It looks at a lot of issues that could, surprisingly enough, become relevant in the next 10 or 20 years. Things like people losing themselves in virtual worlds, which is already somewhat happening to overzealous World of Warcraft players, or terrorism in the name of God, which is already happening for frakking sure.

However don’t be discouraged, you non-BSG watchers. This show still has something for you too. Sure there are little nods to Battlestar, like adding in the Adama name, but the majority of the story is set apart from the other Battlestar tales, so you wont feel lost if you dip your toes into the universe here. The show is currently on hiatus, and will return sometime later this year.

To find out more, here’s the Wikipedia article on Caprica.

Doctor Who

This is probably the most well-known show on this list, but a surprising number of people I know really haven’t heard of The Doctor and his wild romps across space and time, and that’s a travesty that I can’t let stand. Britain’s version of Star Trek, Doctor Who is THE science fiction show across the pond. It’s coming up on it’s 50th anniversary in a few years, but that shouldn’t put you off to the show, as it was recently rebooted in 2005, and is currently in it’s 5th “series.” The show is more episodic than Caprica or Happy Town, and keeps a lot of the backstory under wraps. In addition to that, the reboot in 2005 put a fairly clean separation between the classic series and the new, so you wont be confused by characters or stories that you aren’t familiar with.

As for the actual show, at its core it’s about a time traveler, and an alien one at that. He looks like a human though. Long ago he showed up on Earth and wasn’t really all that fond of it. However his travels continually brought him back to the planet and he became fascinated with the human race. Now he tends to show up and kindnap the first pretty girl he sees to take with him on his journeys for a few seasons. The show is fascinating and fun, and The Doctor turns out to be a far more enigmatic and deep character than he seems to be at first glance. There are recurring characters, and nailbiting tales, and… oh I’m not doing the show justice here. To find out more about why it’s so great check out the links below, especially the first io9 link.

To find out more, here’s the Wikipedia article on Doctor Who. Also, check out Everything You Need To Know About Doctor Who from io9. Those who are fans of the new series and are hankering for more should check out io9′s How To Discover Classic Doctor Who In 3 Easy Steps.

Chuck

This show has come so close to death so many times that I can’t help but wonder about the sanity of the American masses. There is almost nothing to dislike about this show. The characters are lovable and fun, the writers add in drama in all the right places (and leave it out in the right places too), and it’s just lighthearted enough to be a welcome distraction from the likes of Lost and the Pacific, without becoming too campy. Sure there was a rough patch with it being a bit too episodic in the first season, but with so many crappy reality shows on TV these days that’s hardly a reason to give it the axe (which hasn’t happened yet, thankfully).

The show centers around, you guessed it, Chuck. He’s a Stanford dropout who works at a Buy More (read Best Buy) and is living a life well below his potential. He had a friend in college, named Bryce Larkin. Bryce is an agent for the CIA. The show starts off with Bryce stealing a computer database and, right before he dies, sending it to Chuck. Chuck unknowingly opens it, downloading all of its contents into his head. And the show moves on from there. There are on-again off-again love interests, hilarious co-workers, and exciting spy missions. Chuck saves the world many times over while trying to keep his love, work, and family lives in balance. It’s really a show almost anyone can, and should, love. In addition to all that (there’s more, you ask? Why yes!) the series has had as many plot twists and turns and revelations as any other show on this list. Each one of them more amazing, and believable, than the last. Let’s see you beat that one Jack Bauer.

If there’s any show you start watching because of this list, please let it be Chuck. While the majority of the shows on this list are either cancelled or are in no danger, it’s crunch time for Chuck again. The fans want to see a fourth season, and if you were watching you would too. So get cracking!

To find out more, here’s the Wikipedia article on Chuck.

Dollhouse

You knew I was gonna write about this show. How could I not? Despite it’s cancellation, it’s still a show that is a must-see for any science fiction fan. And, I’m sorry, but if you’re a fan of Lost you’re a fan of science fiction, and not just any science fiction, but the kind that makes you think. Dollhouse is one of those shows. It’s not exactly like Lost, there aren’t all kinds of philosophical references or hidden meanings to mundane objects, like books. However the concept of a television show that makes you question the morality and motives of the characters is still there. Plus it’s Joss Whedon, a man who I respect as one of the greatest storytellers of our time.

Not to disappoint, but the show is not a porno, as many people I’ve run into seem to believe. This is due mostly to the name, but is also, in part, because of the idiotic way Fox decided to advertise it. What more do you expect your viewers to think of a show that has ads consisting only of Eliza Dushku lying on the floor giving “come hither” looks to the audience? Even I was skeptical when I first started watching the show, but I quickly discovered that Dollhouse is so much more than selling sex. I mean, the show is about an organization that does that, in part, but there is a deeper narrative here. The show centers around, of course, the Dollhouse, which has the technology to wipe a person’s mind and put in a personality and person of its own choosing. This can be anything from a prostitute, to a master negotiator, to a diamond thief, to… you get the idea. The show centers around the “dolls” who are held at the Dollhouse and the staff that works there. It’s a fascinating look at possible future of technology and the ways that it could be harnessed for both good and evil. I believe that if Fox had realized that when they were advertising it, the show wouldn’t have died. But I’m not going to turn this into another rant about the injustice of the show’s cancellation. Just know that it’s damn good, and even though only has two seasons, it’s still worth a watch.

To find out more (you know you want to), here’s the Wikipedia article on Dollhouse.

Firefly

Of course, if I’m mentioning Whedon’s Dollhouse masterpiece, I’m going to have to mention his other piece of science fiction heaven: Firefly. Also cancelled far too young, the penultimate space western was only on air for one season before it got the boot. How this ever occurred is beyond me, as the only reason I can possibly think of to explain why people weren’t watching the show is a collective coma striking the entire country during the exact hour that it aired. Either that or Fox’s marketing team dropped the ball on this one as well. Still, moving on from hating Fox, the show is worth a watch, just like Dollhouse. Just be forewarned that you may experience pangs of anger and loss upon finishing the last episode.

Firefly tells the tale of the good ship Serenity as it travels across the Verse. Tales of adventure and intrigue abound, as some of the ship’s passengers are hunted by the government and crew members get themselves into and out of sticky situations. The universe Firefly is set in consist of a mixture of western and asian cultures, with two main planets held tightly in the government’s grasp. The outlying planets are set apart from civilization much like in the wild west tales of old, and the show works with its settings beautifully. There are not aliens in the show, but there are the Reavers, or humans crazed into violence and cannibalism from too much time out in the black depths of space. The captain of the ship is a lovable scoundrel, and his pilot is the comic relief. After that the other character fall into place, but are never overly archetypical. That’s about all I can really say about the show without giving too much away. Just suffice to say that it’s well worth a viewing. The fans were so upset about its cancellation that Fox made a feature film, entitled Serenity, to attempt to appease them. The film, coincidentally, has been named on numerous top ten lists as one of the best science fiction films of the last decade. So yeah, it’s that good. Now get watching.

To find out more, here’s the Wikipedia article on Firefly.