At long last, it’s late September. That mean’s the weather’s getting cooler, the semester is in full swing and an onslaught of TV shows, both new and old, are about to make their season premieres. However, picking which shows to watch or continue watching can be a difficult task. Sometimes a show seems interesting, but you’ve missed the previous seasons and don’t know where to catch up. Sometimes, you find out about a show a little too late and new episodes have stopped airing. Or sometimes, none of the new shows catch your interest. Regardless of the situation, here are five shows to watch.
"Longmire"
A&E;’s most successful show just recently finished it’s second season, but it was thankfully renewed for a third season set to air next year. The western/crime drama stars Robert Taylor as the titular character, Walt Longmire, the sheriff of Wyoming’s fictional Absaroka County. Taylor and his supporting cast, which includes Katee Sackhoff (“Battlestar Galactica”) and Lou Diamond Phillips (“Courage Under Fire”), all give incredible performances based on the characters from Craig Johnson’s "Walt Longmire" book series. Although best described as a show in the same vein as “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” with a western twist, don’t let the latter part of that statement throw you off. There is more than enough here to keep fans of the crime genre interested. The show’s first season is currently available for streaming on Netflix."Hell on Wheels"
AMC is no stranger to being the home of hit television shows. With shows like “The Walking Dead,” “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad,” it’s hard to find a channel with a better lineup. However, one of the best and perhaps most over looked shows on television also airs on the network. That show is “Hell on Wheels,” a western drama currently in it’s third season. Set in the late 1800s, the show chronicles the building of the Union Pacific Railroad. Anson Mount stars as the show’s protagonist and often anti-hero, Cullen Bohannon, who finds himself working for the railroad as he searches for the men who killed his wife and child. Rapper Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr., known as Common, stars as Elam Ferguson, a railroad worker who has a hit and miss relationship with Bohannon. Colm Meaney plays historical character, railroad mogul Thomas C. Durant, and Christopher Heyerdahl is Bohannon’s nemesis “The Swede.” The show’s first season is incredibly strong and, though the second season may drag a bit, it is definitely worth investing in the series. The third season is the best by far. Seasons one and two are currently available for streaming on Netflix, while season three winds down with two more episodes airing Saturday nights at 10 p.m."Boardwalk Empire"
Similar to AMC, HBO is known for having one of the best lineups of original programming on all of television. While shows like “Game of Thrones” and “True Blood” may garner more of the attention, one of the channel’s best shows currently airing is “Boardwalk Empire.” Empire, currently in its fourth season, stars Steve Buscemi (“Reservoir Dogs”) as Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, a bootlegger and mobster who runs Atlantic City, N.J. As the show goes on, its scope spreads from Atlantic City to New York and Chicago, as other famous mobsters like Arnold Rothstein, Al Capone and Charles “Lucky” Luciano. The show’s performances, writing and directing are truly outstanding. Martin Scorsese and Mark Wahlberg serve as executive producers, and other frequent collaborators include Terence Winter (writer/executive producer of “The Sopranos”) and Tim Van Patten. The show is a must watch for anyone interested in history, as well as fans of Buscemi or those who just enjoy good television. Although the show is not available on Netflix, HBO subscribers can catch up on every episode to date on HBO GO, HBO’s instant watch service."Eastbound and Down"
Another fantastic yet overlooked HBO show, “Eastbound and Down” stars Danny McBride. McBride plays Kenny Powers, a washed-up baseball player who is determined to get back into the game. Powers is pretty much the most despicable person of all time, considering he has no filter and will say whatever offensive thing he’s thinking at any given moment. Despite this, McBride gets so into character, and it’s insanely funny to see what kinds of shenanigans in which he will find himself. McBride’s long time friend and director of Seth Rogen's “Observe and Report,” Jody Hill serves as co-creator and often directs. The show certainly isn’t for the easily offended, as Powers has said something offensive about every subject, race and religion imaginable, but the show is a must watch for fans of Hill and McBride’s previous work. As with Boardwalk, episodes are available via HBO GO."The Bridge"
One of the best summer shows belonged to FX. “The Bridge” stars Diane Kruger ("Inglorious Basterds") and Demian Bichir (“Savages”) as two cops. Kruger plays a former El Paso, Texas police officer along with Birchir as a cop from Juarez, Mexico. Together the two investigate a grizzly double murder on the Mexican-American border. The show is currently in the tail end of its freshman season, but the writing and performances have only gotten better as the season goes on. Kruger’s character, Sonya Cross, has Asperger syndrome, and though some of her performances in the earlier episodes may not be convincing, Kruger gets better with each passing one. The same can be said for Bichir's character, Marco Ruiz, who is put through increasing stress and panic as the season wears on. Although the show has not yet been renewed for a second season, its ratings have been relatively strong through its first 11 episodes, and producers have said there are ideas for a potential second season. Regardless of whether or not it gets picked up, “The Bridge” has had a remarkable first season. Full of twists and turns, the show has continuously surprised audiences. Hopefully, FX will decide to pick it up for a second season. In the meantime, the final two episodes will air on Wednesday nights at 10 p.m., with previous episodes available on Hulu and the FX website.
Reach the reporter at seweinst@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @S_Weinstein95
Continue supporting student journalism and donate to The State Press today.
