What's not to love about the offerings on cable network television? Many of these shows really shone in 2015, and promise to keep delivering in 2016!
Game of Thrones (HBO)
No other television show boasts as large a cast, stunning locations spanning the globe, and a story as rich and engrossing as GOT.
The acting is sublime, with standouts in Peter Dinklage and Lena Heady.
Because of the incredible source material of George R. Martin’s popular novels, the characters are fascinating and plots captivating. With a scope rarely seen in television, Thrones offers up epic battle scenes, gorgeous cinematography, and incredible effects that create a fully realized world with giants, zombies, and dragons. Now that the show has moved beyond the books, the suspense and drama are even more exciting, providing the biggest cliff hanger of the year. Long live Jon Snow.
Courtesy HBO
Outlander (Starz)
This is another show based on a popular series of novels, which only proves the point that well-drawn characters and intelligent narratives make good television.
This love story of a time traveling WWII nurse and an 18th Century Scottish highlander is a tale of romantic heroes, courageous heroines, and sadistic villains. However, this show is far better than an overblown romance melodrama, offering up sumptuous visuals and riveting action.
Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan imbue their characters with a raw sexuality and chemistry that is mesmerizing to watch.
Courtesy Starz
Fargo (FX)
Set in 1979 in South Dakota and Minnesota, this season has all the folksy charm and grisly violence of any Cohen brother’s film.
Perfectly cast, Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons play a naive, but not quite innocent couple who bumble their way into the center of a mob war. The show has as amazing cast with Patrick Wilson, Jeffrey Donovan, Jean Smart, and Ted Danson.
With an amusing, twisty plot, watching all these characters stumble toward an inevitable bloody climax is one of the most entertaining rides of the fall.
Courtesy FX
The Leftovers (HBO)
Once thought of as the most depressing show on television, season two of this insightful drama has managed to keep its eccentricity and lighten up a bit.
What happens when 2 percent of the world’s population mysteriously disappears? Mainstream religions start to decline, cults emerge, and anxiety and confusion escalate. This show portrays some truly damaged people trying in disparate ways to relate to one another and find meaning in their lives.
This season takes a high dive into even stranger waters (life after death), allowing its characters to face their demons and finally reach a state of grace. The Leftovers gives its audience a cathartic experience rare in television.
Courtesy HBO
Mr. Robot (USA)
A psychological thriller set in a cyberpunk world, Mr. Robot is innovative, suspenseful, and like its hero, a mystery waiting to be unraveled.
Rami Malek gives a haunting, breakout performance as a socially awkward computer genius who may not be what he seems.
Courtesy USA
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW)
If the combination of the words "romantic, comedy, and musical" fill your heart with dread, this is definitely not the show for you.
It's a delightful, quirky comedy about a woman searching, rather ineptlyat times, for love. Rachel Bloom is pitch perfect as the zany, affable, and slightly unstable Rebecca. The hilarious musical numbers provide a clever exploration into the neuroses of the female mind.
Courtesy The CW
The Last Man on Earth (FOX)
This is one of the most original and amusing comedies of the last few years.
How do you make the devastation of the human race funny? Start by making the lone survivor a selfish, immature jerk played by the marvelously talented Will Forte. Then, slowly populate the show with a group of individuals--seemingly still alive--who aim to hinder his grand schemes. Who knew the end of the world could be so much fun!
Courtesy FOX
The Walking Dead (AMC)
Still the most intense and thrilling show on television, TWD provided the biggest water-cooler moment of the year, keeping the audience guessing for a month about the fate of one of its most popular characters.
With all the violence and gore of the best zombie flicks, the show transcends cliches with quiet moments that showcase the actors and the emotional depth of the storytelling.
The characters on this show grow, transform, and constantly question whether surviving in this world means sacrificing their humanity.
Courtesy AMC
Silicon Valley (HBO)
"And the geeks shall rule the world," should be the motto for this smart comedy. These brainy nerds are completely inept at dealing with the real world--and especially with women. The chaos that follows their many colossal mistakes is quite funny.
Courtesy HBO
Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
Orange boasts one of the most diverse casts on TV and features actors who show the full range of what women really look like.
As revolutionary as that is, the show also manages to delve intelligently into issues most shows deal with only superficially.
This last season examined mothers trying to raise children while being separated from them, how women view their bodies, sexual assault, and the need to look for strength and identity from within.
Courtesy Netflix
Kelly Martens is a director at 41 Action News and an avid consumer of movies, television and books!