The Positively Positive

In the fall of 2010, there were a few new shows and some returning series that didn’t pick up a wide viewing audience, but remained on the network because they are excellent programs and have a loyal, but relatively small, following.

Here are my four picks for the most underrated TV shows this fall:

Rubicon (AMC)

The tag line for Rubicon, “Not every conspiracy is a theory”, is a dead giveaway that you’re in for a rollercoaster ride of confusion, tension, and suspicion. Rubicon is complex and intelligent. It assumes the audience is just as intelligent and leaves you guessing or scratching your head at each twist, but rather than going for the outlandish (think Lost), Rubicon is staying squarely in the area of what is plausible. The result is a taut thriller that moves at breakneck speed. If you’ve missed the early episodes, you need to download and watch them otherwise you’ll constantly be trying to get up to speed, instead of enjoying the ride.

Terriers (FX)

This is television that’s pitched to the “man” in all of us. Hank is a former policeman who’s a bit down and out after he botched an investigation and lost his job. Joining forces with his closest friend, Britt, they set up shop as private investigators. You’d be wrong if you thought this sounds like a re-hash of old buddy shows. It’s that same comedy-drama genre, but it’s bold, fresh and innovative.

We’ve all known someone like Hank, who seems like a lovable loser on the surface but has an iron clad code of conduct and sense of what’s really right and wrong that’s just off base enough to keep you guessing. His bad luck and working class roots hide a quiet sense of joy that’s all the more refreshing when it surfaces because it’s such a surprise. No need to feel sorry for Hank – he’s embracing life in all its darkness and still coming out with cock-eyed optimism. All of the characters are rough around the edges and a bit scruffy, but their relative levels of maturity evolve with every episode. A few doses Terriers and you’ll be wishing you had a Hank in your corner, in real life.

White Collar (USA)

Matt Bomer, as Neal Caffery, is a charming former conman who now consults with the FBI. It’s a stylishly filmed, debonair version of Hollywood caper movies with a dramatic underside. While Bomer is at his sexy best as pure eye candy, he also reveals glimpses of his character’s quieter side when he is observing the enviable marriage of his partner, Peter Burke. The real pay-off, however, is the wonderful camaraderie between Burke and Neal, who have become friends despite equal doses of suspicion and rivalry as they solve complex cases. Let’s face it, it’s refreshing to watch a show where the FBI is capable yet fallible. The human element and small, comedic gems in the dialogue set White Collar’s foundation as an entertaining and compelling television program. When it returns this January, be sure you tune in.

Sons of Anarchy (FX)

Sons of Anarchy is going into its third season because of a small, devoted audience that keeps coming back to this biker drama. On the surface, it’s about the criminal enterprises and many confrontations of a gang of bikers, but it’s what lies beneath has the power to astound. The central theme is more about the emotional ties of family, in whatever form you find it, than about the rules and regulations of the biker lifestyle.

Katie Seagal is a revelation as Gemma, the wife of gang leader, Clay Morrow, played with dark hubris by Ron Perlman. She’s a brooding mother hen to the entire gang while revealing she may be the most brutal member of Samcro (the legal name for the gang’s many business enterprises). This show is filled with surprising moments, as you follow the gang from midnight raids on enemy territory, to warm family reunions, to board meetings to discuss Samcro’s next business enterprise. These aren’t anybody’s cast-offs; the Sons of Anarchy are the new, American mobsters and just as concerned with loyalty and what’s right within the family as any Corleone could hope.

Do you agree with my picks? If not, what do you think were the most underrated TV shows this season?

About the Author
Kyle Tesori is a freelance writer for Direct Sat TV . Direct Sat TV is an authorized retailer of Direct TV. Named the 2007 Direct TV dealer of the year, Direct Sat TV continues to provide excellent customer service by providing customers with the best offers available and helping them chose the perfect system for their needs.