Must. Watch. TV.

I've got to have a TV series box-set on the go at all times, otherwise I feel a bit funny...














The Noughties (hate that phrase, but hey) gave us the re-birth of the TV series, and I, like many others, would much rather watch a TV series than a film.

Not that films don't have their place, of course they do, but TV series episodes 1) fit better into your life time-wise, 2) are consistently brilliantly written thanks to the pool of writers they usually use to keep standards high, and 3) give the characters and themes more time to develop.

At the moment I'm deep into the third season of 'Big Love' - an HBO series that's into it's fifth season in America. It was recommended to me by an American friend in Chicago...I don't think it's aired here yet.

Anyway, on the surface it looks a bit 'chicky'...but, as with most HBO series, it's turned out to be a belter. The show centres around the lives of a polygamist family that have left the rigours and restraints of their prophet's cult-like compound in the sticks to try and live a normal life in the suburbs.

Bill Henrickson, (Bill Paxton of 'Chet' fame in one of my favourite 80s film - Weird Science - "You two donkey dicks couldn't get laid in a morgue..." etc) and his three wives live in three houses situated next to each other in a Utah cul-de-sac, where they have to try and keep their polygamy hidden from regular society (it was made illegal in the late 1890s). The wives are played superbly by Jeanne Tripplehorn (taken roughly over the sofa by Michael Douglas in Basic Instinct), Chloe Sevigny (Kids, Gumo etc) and Ginnifer Goodwin (in some trashy rom-com at mo). So far, so good...

Anyway, here's my top 10 TV (drama) series of all time:

1. Dexter. TV heaven - brilliant concept, immaculate casting with Michael C Hall, incredible 'baddies' and story-lines. Black humour mixed with serious drama. Just perfect.

2. Mad Men. Takes a while to settle into but so worth it. A slow burner.

3. Lost. Would be top were it not for the final season - supreme character development, totally unique story-telling. Like nothing you'll ever watch. Think it was probably a case of 'too many cooks' in the end, but don't listen to what others tell you - just watch it.

4. The Wire. Took me 6 months to get past the first 3 episodes, but the most brilliantly realistic TV you'll ever see. Not as quite as good as everyone bangs on about, but definitely up there.

5. The Sopranos. The first decent series I watched (apart from Grange Hill) so maybe I've forgotten just how good it was...but a must-watch. No excuses.

6. Six Feet Under. Great concept, amazing cast, consistently brilliant for all 5 seasons. And it gave us Michael C Hall.

7. 24. Crack TV - you can easily watch 7 episodes of this in a row. Tailed off towards the end when I got bored of the Jack Bauer show, but another must-see.

8. Big Love. Great so far, has similarities with Six Feet Under but with the darker undertones of the Polygamist 'cult'.

9. Band of Brothers. One season, but immaculately done.

10. Fringe. Like The X-Files but all science/reality based. Worth watching for John Noble's perfectly acted mad scientist role alone.

The only British series that comes close is Sherlock (three episodes aired last year, currently filming full series - Benedict Cumberbatch is excellent as Sherlock and the direction is stunning).

I'd love to write a TV series some day (or at least come up with the concept). But it'll be HBO getting first dibs, not the BBC...(I wish!)