5 Great TV Series’ to Watch on DVD by Jason Eldredge
Jason Eldredge, KCRW DJ.
With the way things are going, I fear one day we’ll have to tell future generations that television wasn’t always competition shows and so-called "reality." Once upon a time, there was a whole creative team of people who made fictional scripted worlds consisting of writers, directors, set designers, and actual actors (who weren’t trying to get off of an island). I’m not an expert – to be perfectly honest, I don’t really watch THAT much television — but there’s nothing like getting roped into a good series. Here are a few worlds you might enjoy getting lost in:
1. Six Feet Under – Direct from his "American Beauty" Oscar win, Alan Ball created five seasons of bliss for this HBO series about a family of funeral directors who live in Los Angeles. KCRW cameos include: Cindy Burkee’s voice announcing the KCRW ID, Asst. General Manager Jennifer Ferro’s house and KCRW DJ Gary Calamar & Thomas Golubic provide the soundtrack (I helped as music coordinator). I would have picked this show even if I hadn’t worked on it. Every actor should study the performances by this very skilled and talented cast and the innovative storylines make this series one of television’s finest.
2. Freaks & Geeks - It really is true what everyone says – this is a heartwarming and fun series gone too soon. Simply put, the show is just about the challenges of growing up. Ever wondered how James Franco ended up in “PINEAPPLE EXPRESS,” or why Jason Segal had to forget Sarah Marshall? The answers to these Hollywood connections and more are here. Oh, and it includes an awesome 80′s soundtrack as well.
3. Mad Men – "Elegant" is one word that could best describe this series about advertising executives in late 1960′s Manhattan. It burst onto the small screen in 2007 during the Hollywood strikes when it seemed like there wasn’t going to be anything good left on TV. The attention to detail in costuming, art direction, stories and dialogue is striking. Catch up on the first two seasons now before season three begins this fall.
4. My So-Called Life – Claire Danes broods her way through high school and a lot of flannel. With very real and believable scenarios, this show tackles serious issues with an undefinable finesse and is one of the first shows geared towards young people to feature an openly gay teen as one of the main characters.
5. Twin Peaks - It doesn’t get better than this. Creator David Lynch weaves together a story about Special Agent Dale Cooper, who descends on a small logging town in order to solve the mysteries of enlightenment, the perfect cup of coffee and who murdered Laura Palmer. Terrifying, hilarious, and 100% compelling.
Tags: dvd, entertainment, tv series
