The nominations are in and over 100 shows were pitched for our Second Annual Summer Pitch Your Show. Amazing! That's more shows covered than even last year. Thanks so much to everyone who participated especially to the Last Week in TV reviewers and SpoilerTV review team for creating second pitches for shows that only had one. Since there are far too many nominations to put into one article, I am again breaking it up by alphabetical order. Since I am a librarian, any show beginning with "The" will be alphabetized by the second word of the title. Today we look at everything from 12 Monkeys to The Catch. The rest of the pitches will follow with at least one article per day, sometimes two, depending on how many we need.
To keep the articles readable, I have limited nominations to 2 per show normally with a few shows that were very popular having 3 of them. I am truly sorry if your nomination is not in here. Know that I appreciate your time and pitches. Making the choice of what went in was difficult. ALL nominations can be found in the link below. (Color coding on the spreadsheet doesn't mean anything except to guide me in what shows have multiple pitches and which ones I've posted already.) I did edit some nominations for spelling, grammar, space, or clarity as needed but again, all original comments are found in the spreadsheet link.
I hope that every reader finds at least one show they are interested in trying. If you do, please comment in the section below. I know those who nominated would love to hear from you. Also if you would like to add something to a show's nomination or if you didn't get a chance to nominate earlier, please add your thoughts in the comments. Thanks again to everyone who created pitches. They have been a fun read and I have been busy adding things to my to-watch list already.
Link to spreadsheet
***Nominated by Kitty - It's criminally unwatched because Syfy hasn't promoted it properly (and people boycott Syfy too) so people are missing out on what should be right up there with Outlander and Game of Thrones in terms of compelling, addictive, water cooler TV. What's not to like?
- Time travel done properly with the bare minimum of loopholes. It's the best TV show going in terms of time travel consistency.
- Addictive and twisty plot that never gets dull - every episode is like a season finale.
- The quality is still waaay up there for the second season, if not better than the first. No disappointments there.
- Compelling, complex and grey characters that surprise you with their development whilst still being totally believable.
- Brilliant relationships between everyone, and the actors absolutely sell you on their characters so you care about them even when they're being idiots.
- Good for an emotional kick in the heart, or a whodunnit, a horror, or a discussion on temporal physics. There's something for everyone.
- Fabulous score, cinematography, and costumes. It's all done really well and does not look cheap.
- It's only two seasons (second season only half way through) of 13 episodes so it's really quick to catch up on.
- A show you can enjoy with one watch, or several rewatches because there's always more clues to find.
- The writers and cast love interacting with the fans on Twitter and FB and will often discuss their characters/plot with you
***Nominated by Blue Star - 12 Monkeys is a show unlike any other show currently on air. It is more than a time travel apocalyptic show. It has complex, unique characters with realistic motives, and enough action to keep interest. It is the most underrated show I currently watch and worth checking out at least once to see if this type of science fiction show is your thing.
***Nominated by Spindae - A teen drama never felt this adult! The100 is all about survival and the tough and heartbreaking decisions that the kids and adults have to make . Why does the100 stand out so much? In my personal opinion it is how well it is layered, how every story has repercussions to it, and how much it pays off in a really beautiful way. The cast is incredible and delivers these unimaginable situations with pure conviction.
***Nominated by Ales Lany - The show is awesome. Thrilling with great casting, storyline, and perfect role playing.
***Nominated by Luana - This show is (of course) about an affair that shatters everything around the two main characters. It’s a comedy… NOT. The thing about this show is that they tell every story from different points of view, and those usually don’t completely match, which at first was very confusing for me, but once you get on board with that type of storytelling you can truly appreciate the brilliancy of this show. It’s about so much more than the story itself - it’s about human nature, the way we act, and why. It’s brilliantly acted, written and directed, and is quite a bit addictive. It has two seasons and has been renewed for a third one, I have to say the second was better than the first so hopefully it will continue to improve (if that’s even possible).
***Nominated by Patrick Maloney - While I'm not of the opinion that there is a superhero overload on TV right now, I will agree that most of them are very similar. The one exception this season was the genius Agent Carter! Not only does it dive head first into the fun and nostalgia of its time period, but it also never forgets the one thing that makes these stories something special: character. Whether it's the sacrifices women make to get on top, or the effects of having no voice in society due to your skin color, this show really took to heart the "outside your window" perspective of Marvel and blended it well with the interdimensional science fiction. The only show that came close to this character-driven drama and fun adventures was NBC's Constantine!
***Nominated by Swanpride - Out of all of Marvel TV, Agent Carter is a sadly overlooked gem. The first season features one concluded story-arc, centering around Peggy finding her place in an environment, which is not particularly woman friendly. It is an absolute must-watch, with its colourful costumes and sets, twisty storytelling and compelling characters. Not just Peggy, who has already become a pop culture icon in her own right, but also Jarvis, Angie, Howard and Dottie are some of the best characters Marvel has created. The second season has something of a conclusion, but also throws in a cliff-hanger which might never get solved, so one might want to skip it, even though it is still a lot of fun.
***Nominated by Swanpride - It is easy to get put off by the first episodes of the show, but this is the rare example of a series which just keeps getting better and better instead of peaking early and then going downhill. It is also the most diverse of the Comic book shows. The impressive part is the storytelling, which sets up important plot points far in advance. More than once it manages to pull off a twist you just didn't see coming even though it was sneakily hinted at early on. This is a show which requires a little bit of investment, especially in terms of keeping track of the different intervening storylines, but it is well worth it. It is just very refreshing to watch a show in which the writers do not spoon-feed everything to the audience.
***Nominated by Jhonas Rodrigo - Many people stopped to watch this show because they thought the story would talk about The Avengers. Well, in some episodes , yes, but there are many other things. I agree that its first season had flaws, a slow pace, but the series finds its way and becomes a magnificent series to watch. Each episode has a reference, every Marvel film released has a small or a big crossover, and every season the series excels, bringing episodes and breathtaking fights scenes. Yes, this is a series that should have a legion of fans but remains only to those who believed in the potential of writers and actors and I am very happy to be one of those fans .
***Nominated by JB - This classic sitcom starred Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Sally Struthers, and Rob Reiner. It was touted as the series that brought reality to prime time television. It revolves around the life of a working class bigot and his family. It broke ground in its depiction of issues unsuitable for network television comedy, such as racism, homophobia, women's liberation, rape, religion, abortion, the Vietnam War, and so many other controversial topics. It is one of the most influential sitcoms as it injected the sitcom format with realistic and topical conflicts. Ironically, Carroll O'Connor, who played the character of Archie Bunker, had political views completely opposite of his character but he delivers the role of the bigot really well, garnering multiple award nominations. If you watch The Carmichael Show, you'll love this. It's really ahead of its time.
***Nominated by Leon - This New Zealand comedy drama tells the story of 4 brothers who are the living incarnations of Norse Gods (they are both their human and God selves). They all have different fun powers, but the drawback is that they don't have full control of their powers. As a result their powers can make their lives a living hell. The youngest of the brothers, Axl - the main character, is the reincarnation of Odin. To restore their powers and ensure the family's survival he must find the reincarnation of Odin's wife, Frigg. The encounters during their search with other reincarnations is always fun and I always found it a highlight of the show when they introduced a new god. This show is not for the fainthearted, cause it can get pretty dark at times. Another thing that can shy a potential watcher away is the character Gaia. Her development was sometimes the opposite direction from what I wanted it to be. It was very frustrating, but in the end her story line ended in a somewhat satisfying way. This series ended after 3 season with a satisfying finale. Story lines were wrapped up and most questions answered. So why else should you watch? The good blend of comedy and drama really makes you invest in the show and constantly makes you crave more. Plus the look into the New Zealand world doesn't hurt!
***Nominated by Spindae - Raw, emotional, real, moving, truthful, shocking and daring! All that is in just 1 show - American Crime, a series that dares to defy, dares to expose, dares to cross the line and deliver emotional twists like no other show. The second season of the show was simply sublime and surpassed all my expectations. It built from a stunning season 1. The acting, writing, storytelling, pace and emotional transition are just beyond anything I saw before. Is this show for everyone? No! It is moody, tough and emotionally draining but if you stick through, it the emotional performance of the actors will give you a new perspective on pain, love and crimes. The only negative thing people bash against is the open ended finales. But I love them! The repercussions of these crimes stretch beyond a 10-11 episode run and we have to look past that to see the bigger picture.
***Nominated by Bradley Adams - The Americans isn't flashy. It isn't action-packed, it isn't fast-paced, it isn't full of death at every turn, but it is almost certainly the most consistently well-written show on television right now. Telling the story of Soviet spies Philip and Elizabeth Jennings working undercover in Washington DC in the early 1980s, The Americans explores the balance between spies and family, and does so in a way that gives you the ability to understand the situation from the perspective of two operatives from the "evil empire". It doesn't expect you to root for them at all times; much of the series features Philip and Elizabeth doing awful, awful things to manipulate innocent people, yet it's difficult not to do so. The series is a never-ending demonstration on how to effectively use micro-expressions, with co-leads Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys still yet to receive the Emmy nomination they so desperately deserve, while supporting cast members such as Alison Wright are nothing short of superb, equally as deserving of some recognition. The Americans is in no hurry to burn through plots - at least two storylines opened in the first season far beyond their expected end, yet are at no point dragged out - and takes great pleasure in making the viewer feel the same stresses that the characters are. There is nothing on television at present as constantly intense or emotionally difficult to watch as The Americans. This is not a show to be watching to relieve yourself of a long day, but it is an incredible exploration of what it means to be a spy, delving into tough material that most shows wouldn't dare touch. The fourth season, which concluded last week, is easily the best season of scripted television to air in 2016 so far, taking every single one of its successful elements and turning them up to 11. There are no shock value deaths, no crazy twists for the sake of crazy twists. Just a well-told story with some of the best performances on television right now.
***Nominated by Sarah - One of the best dramas on TV currently. The acting, writing and production is second to none.
***Nominated by Jane - I rarely watch comedies because most of them are just updated copies of the same jokes that Lucille Ball did over 50 years ago. For me to watch a comedy regularly, it really has to be something different. If there is one thing you can say about Another Period, it is that it is different. This show is about the Bellacourts, the first family of Newport, Rhode Island. Lillian and Beatrice are sisters who are trying desperately to be the Kardashians of the early 1900s. Lillian is rather devious and is always trying bizarre things to be the center of attention. Beatrice is very sweet but not too bright, or maybe she is a lot smarter than others think? The third sister is Hortense. Hortense is less attractive than her two other sisters and is a member of the Newport Association of Gal Spinsters (N.A.G.S.). There is one brother, Frederick, played by Jason Ritter. He is the not very bright twin brother of Beatrice and her incestuous lover. Their father is called The Commodore. He is having an affair with Celine. She is played by Christina Hendricks and is mistaken as a new maid when she shows up at the house. Celine was renamed Chair by Beatrice after having too pretty a name to be a servant's name. The mother is Dodo, played by Paget Brewster. There are numerous other characters all equally silly. Some of the things they do on this show are so bizarre and out there that they would never get away with it except on cable. One of the episodes had a scene with Helen Keller, Anne Sullivan, and some cocaine wine that is totally un-PC and really funny. If you are easily offended, I would stay away from this show. If you are looking for something different and funny, give it a try. Just be prepared for a whole lot of silly.
***Nominated by Nao - Los Angeles, 1967. The dawn of the Age of Aquarius, which saw the rise of black power, disillusion about the Vietnam War, and the creation of Charles Manson’s murder family. The story opens with the wayfaring of a lost teenage girl from a wealthy family, who decides to rebel against society and her parents by joining a commune/open-air brothel managed by the weirdly charismatic Manson (Gethin Anthony). The kid’s parents decide to call Sam Hodiak (David Duchovny), a cop and family friend, to ask him to bring back their missing daughter (but discreetly, because of the father’s political ambitions). Weirdly enough, the story is not centered on Manson, and it’s not a bad thing after all. At first, I thought it was a bit too much, those huge blocky letters reading “David Duchovny in Aquarius”. But they made the interesting decision to show this new age through the eyes of an old cop, one who doesn’t belong to that new generation. I also believe that it was a way for NBC to inject a bit of procedural (it wouldn’t be a network show without cases of the week…), but it goes beyond that. By telling the story of the cop instead of the story of a madman, Manson disappears and becomes background noise, less important than love, politics and social unrest, just a clown who believes he could be a musician. I read some criticism about Gethin Anthony’s casting, but I personally think that he is extremely powerful in his normality. Having not watched Californication, it was quite a shock to confront the image I had of Duchovny in The X-Files and this character of an aging cop, who belongs to a time that is rapidly dissolving. The contrast between his methods, his state of mind, and the times, appears clearly when he’s partnered with a hot head undercover cop. Hodiak is a former soldier, unable to grasp the notion that the war the US is fighting in Vietnam could be criticized, even denounced. Duchovny’s portrayal is pretty solid; his character seems funny at first, but we soon realize that he is crippled with flaws he’s trying very hard to hide.
Sometimes, this series looks like a dull history lesson, but when they find the balance between dramatic intensity and historical revelations, it becomes brilliant. Sometimes, the social and historic consequences are gripping. Everyone seems to be fighting against the establishment in their own way: teenagers, women, blacks, and homosexuals. Everyone aspires to a better world. In a way, they only used Manson as a pretext to tell the story of that time. The first season really felt like a cable show. The contents are surprising; the story is both a procedural and a serial, built around a very interesting depiction of the sixties. Kudos to the music, never anachronistic, a profusion of sounds, which helps enter the world they created through a real attention to detail: costumes, cars, even make-up, everything looks great. Season 2 is nearly upon us, and NBC decided to keep experimenting with it, airing 3 episodes on the same night, without commercials (Thursday, June 16)!
***Nominated by Missions - Bates Motel is a prequel to the movie “American Psycho” that will go down in history as one of the most underrated shows of all time. A mother and son, Norma and Norman Bates (yes their names are almost identical) move to a little town named Whitepine Bay after the death of her husband/ his father. There they move into a hotel with the hope of starting a new life. However, like most stories progress, they soon realize that starting a new life is not possible. They are approached by the former owner of the motel, who is not in favor of them moving in. Since Norma completely rejects his proposal, bad consequences for her are a no-brainer, but I don’t want to spoil it for you because in the end, that is what makes this one of the most exhilarating pilots that I have ever seen. It’s nerve-wracking, intense and bloody. Exactly like the entire show. Nevertheless, there are still so many layers of morality hidden behind all of this since the show’s main feature is the mother-son relationship between Norma and Norman and Norman’s transition from a normal teenager to a serial killer due to the influence of not only his mother, but also the situations he has to deal with in this new location. At first, the premise sounded very meh to me, but after binge-watching the first three seasons in two weeks and the fourth one live, I can happily say that this is one of the best drama series on television and thus belongs among “Game of Thrones”, “Homeland”, and other prestige dramas in that category at the Emmys. Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga give excellent performances that make the mother-son relationship so profound and so raw. The 10 episodes in the season give the show the chance to provide us with a tight plot that is constantly being smartly developed. The tone of the show is very dark, which is absolutely perfect for it. The twists and turns will shock you and the execution of the ideas will impress you very much. The show will air its final season next year, and it would be great if it could gain some viewers before that occurs.
***Nominated by Matt X - Currently my favourite show. Vera and Freddie are outstanding in their portrayals of Norma and Norman. A true master class.
***Nominated by Folie-lex - From the nineties all the way to the mid 00’s, Bruce Timm set the tone of DC’s animation branch. He created and nurtured a cohesive superhero universe: Batman, Superman, Justice League... For me the epitome of this endeavour was Batman Beyond. In the future, an aging Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, abandoned by all his apprentices and sidekicks, in a moment of weakness almost breaks one of his cardinal rules and uses a gun. He finally admits defeat, and decides to hang the cowl. A few years after that the city Gotham, now renamed New Gotham, without its Dark Knight to protect her, falls back in despair. Enter Terry McGinnis: 16 years old, eldest son of divorced parents, former delinquent, bad tempered, and a bit of a troublemaker. Through a series of events he meets Bruce and figures out his secret. Bruce, being his usual charming self, unceremoniously sends the boy off. After terrible and tragic incident which costs his father’s life, Terry is driven by revenge. He feels responsible for not being present when his father was attacked and guilty because when he left they were in a fight. Terry decides to find the people who killed his father and what better way to do so than to steal the Batsuit. After a bit of mandatory head-butting, Terry and Bruce come to an understanding and the old timer agrees to help the kid navigate through the difficult and murky waters of vigilantism and revive the legend of the Batman.
Of course one can rest assured that the quality of the animation, the writing, the plotting and the character development are everything one would expect from a Bruce Timm DC cartoon (ie: pretty darn great!). However what’s really great about Batman Beyond is that it’s not a story that tries to recreate the Batman mythos. It doesn’t even really try to continue it. What Batman Beyond does is start anew, and it is successful in its attempt. Terry lives in the same universe as Bruce, sure; but he isn’t Bruce. He is a whole other character, his own person. He has his own back story, his own agenda and reasons for doing this, reasons which are as valid as Bruce’s... just different. Where Bruce was driven by fear, sadness, and the desire to never feel helpless again, Terry is proactive and his whole quest isn’t one of revenge. It is instigated by revenge, but it’s mostly a quest for redemption. He is given a chance to do better and he jumps right at it. That is what makes him qualified to wear the cowl and be Batman. We learn to care for him, because of him, not because of Bruce. He deserves the legacy because he adjusts and interprets what the legacy of the Batman means to him, not because he twists himself into the mould of his predecessor. Don’t let the fact that this is animation put a damper on your curiosity to check this show out. If you enjoy a good superhero story, you’ll love this!
***Nominated by Quinquin - Yes, I know. There is probably not a word that hasn't been said about BSG already. But here is the thing: I just enjoy this show so much, I HAD to pitch it here. So what is so very fascinating about it? Frankly, there are a lot of things that annoy me but nevertheless I watch it over and over again (must have seen the complete thing more than 15 times by now). Basically the story is about the remainders of humanity being squeezed on some more or less run-down spaceships, running for their lives, searching for a new home and at the same time trying desperately to maintain a somewhat civilized way of life. During their journey they are constantly chased by their enemies. Who are these refugees? No superheroes in shining armor, that's for sure. The military leader, Commander (later Admiral) Adama, played by Edward James Olmos, is facing his imminent retirement right at the beginning of the miniseries. The Battlestar he commands is decommissioned and prepared to become a museum. Participating in the decommissioning ceremony is a minor member of the cabinet, Secretary of Education Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell). While this takes place in space, most of humanity is annihilated on the home world by mankind's enemies, the Cylons. So Adama takes command of the fleet and Roslin (No.43 in the line of succession!) becomes President. Not really what everybody was dreaming for, including those two themselves. To watch how these characters struggle, adjust to situations, cope with challenges, react to moral dilemmas, and change in the process - that's just fascinating. Both, McDonnell and Olmos give great performances but they are at their best when in scenes together. There is one particular scene in episode 4.02 (Six of One) that is certainly one of, if not THE best scene I have ever seen on television: The characters know each other pretty well by now. They have an argument without even raising their voices. She, in a very calm way, tells him exactly what is going on. He obviously doesn't like that and casually tears her apart, just with a few words that hit exactly the bull's eye. It's just mind-blowing! As for the rest of the cast, some of them are great (Jamie Bamber, for example) while others I don't appreciate so much. I'm sure that things I dislike (the overwhelming presence of the Cylons in the fourth season or how James Callis plays Gaius Baltar) might just be what other people like the most. The show is just so multi-layered that different people like it or very diverse reasons. If you haven't watched it yet, I would highly recommend giving it a try! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Just one hint: To get the whole picture you should absolutely start with the miniseries.
***Nominated by Milo BOK - This is probably my favourite show of all time. Nothing else even comes close to the sheer complexity of BSG. Not only does this show have some of my favourite and most complex characters, but also it boasts excellent world-building with a rich mythology. The effects hold up really well and it's one of the most intense series around. It's a science fiction show set in space but appeals to anybody regardless of the genre, because the cast is so good and the plot is superb. It's super addictive and easily binge-able, with so many amazing twists and you have the benefit of a completed series as well. Start with the mini-series and then check out one of the best TV pilots ever made, "33".
***Nominated by Sean Candon - Black Sails is a really great show that, sadly, not many people are watching. Perhaps this is due to the relatively slow start, or maybe its availability (or lack thereof) on streaming platforms, but this really is a show that you should be watching. It's set in the early part of the 18th century in the so-called "Golden Age of Piracy". A somewhat prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel "Treasure Island", Black Sails features a mixture of both real-life and fictional characters. Don't be fooled; this show is not Pirates of the Caribbean. Yes, there have been several battles at sea over the show's first three seasons, all of them very impressive, but this show is also concerned with the endless nuances of pirate life and the politics therein. The characters take a while to warm to I admit, but several of them undergo phenomenal development. The protagonist, the fictional Captain James Flint, at first is a deeply unsympathetic character, but as his tragic back story is slowly revealed via flashbacks, you eventually understand why he does what he does and even root for him to succeed. Another example of character development in the series is that of John Silver, who we see slowly develop into the infamous villain of the "Treasure Island" novel. Black Sails is really a mixture of Spartacus, Game of Thrones and Deadwood. It's like the latter in the way it portrays the self-governing pirate town of Nassau and it's various colorful citizens. Deadwood was a show about building a society, and that is sort of what Black Sails is going for here. The show's big-budget battle sequences are impressive enough to rival those of Game of Thrones and it echoes Spartacus in that it is, in the end, about people fighting for independence from an oppressive system of government (in this case the British Empire). Black Sails airs on Starz. It finished its incredible third season in March and its fourth is set to debut early 2017. If what I wrote wasn't enough for you, then maybe this will help; there's copious amounts of nudity, both male and female. It is Starz, after all.
***Nominated by Milo Bok - You like pirates? This is the show for you. Black Sails essentially acts as a prequel to Treasure Island, telling the stories of Captain Flint and John Silver and connects them with famous pirates such as Blackbeard, Jack Rackham and more. It's pretty good with historical accuracy in places and is great fun to watch. The first season may be a bit of a slog to get through but once you're in Season 2 you'll be hooked and it just gets better and better. There are plenty of amazing twists with some great performances and amazing character growth, as well as some great ship battles that are pulled off very well. Unpredictable, tense and with plenty of awesome moments, Black Sails, especially by its third season, is one of the best around, and at its peak is better than even the likes of Game of Thrones.
***Nominated by Missions - You know the usual “Oh, procedurals are so dull and boring…” Well, I am one of the people who think that way. Therefore, I was nothing but uninterested when I read the premise for Blindspot. Then came the trailer, which was good, but I still had zero interest because I knew it would be a procedural. Then came the pilot, and I was so hooked. You don’t have to be a fan of procedurals to enjoy this show. In the opening sequence we see a bag in Time Square, which is why it has to be cleared. Out of that bag emerges a nude woman covered with tattoos, with the name “Kurt Weller” tattooed on her back. This woman, Jane Doe, has no idea who she is or how she got a body full of tattoos, let alone why she has the name of an FBI agent on her back. The first season explores who Jane Doe really is and why she has become this person, who can out of the blue fight like a warrior. But it’s not her excellent fighting skills that make her so special; it’s actually her tattoos. Every single tattoo has a deeper meaning and predicts a crime that will occur, leading the team to a person of interest or at least to someone who is connected to the person of interest. That’s where the show becomes procedural. However, these cases are so out of the ordinary and so brilliantly thought through that all they can do is intrigue you. Nonetheless, very early on, we have many progressions in the serialized part of the show, so early on that I was very shocked. Particularly the second half of the season is very serialized. Jamie Alexander is perfect casting for Jane Doe, portraying a character that is completely confused and does not know how to fit in with the “normal” people around her. In that sense, I really felt sorry for her. In my opinion, the first season did not have a single bad episode since there is a variety of different structures in the individual episodes. I would be glad if people did not just tick it off as some boring procedural on NBC, but actually gave the show a chance. It’s nothing Emmy-worthy, but it is excellent entertainment that does not deserve all the denial that it gets. The characters will grow on you, and you will thoroughly enjoy this show as much as I did in its first season. Happy viewing!
***Nominated by JB - This show is quirky, light hearted, funny, and still going strong. Don't let the ratings fool you. The series centers on the Belcher family: Bob, Linda, Tina, Gene, and Louise. Last season, it was renewed for two seasons on FOX. The family works in a struggling restaurant that is located on a commercial street that relies heavily on traffic. The Belcher family goes through many different situations in order to keep the business afloat. You can see the show on FOX Sundays at 7:30 when it returns this fall, or you can catch it six nights a week on Adult Swim, where it is a huge success.
***Nominated by Arianna Chiang - King's shows always have quality.
***Nominated by Dahne - Fair warning: If you are at all wigged out by bugs, this is definitely NOT the show for you….or at least be prepared to look away because even fast forwarding isn't going to do the trick. However, if bugs don't phase you and you are into political satire, this just might be your new summer show. It's based on the principle that the reason American politics is so screwed up is because all those involved are…well, brain dead. Literally. As in alien bugs are going through their ears and munching on their brains. The good news is that there will be no drinking problems left in DC. The bad news is that these bugs seem to have an agenda of their own. BrainDead follows the story of Laurel Healy, who grew up in the political life and now would much rather make documentaries on obscure music. She agrees to work for her brother, a senator, if her dad finances her latest film. While helping out a constituent, she stumbles on a conspiracy involving a meteor shower rock and it's now up to her to save the city. There is plenty of commentary on both sides of the political fence and hey, with the current rhetoric and idiocy in DC, alien bug zombies is not the craziest conspiracy theory out there.
***Nominated by Tuna - The Carmichael Show stars Jerrod Carmichael as a fictional version of himself where in every episode he, his family, and his girlfriend discuss very hot social issues but in a very comedic yet serious way. They discuss prominent topics such as guns and gender and even Donald Trump and Bill Cosby. It is a very funny sitcom that focuses on an African American family in American society. The show is fearless and is not afraid to discuss very serious topics which is why I like the show. It is a genuine comedy that dives into subject matters that are usually hard to talk about comically. The pilot is definitely not the best episode so do not give up after the first episode like I did. I gave up and then I got back into it and I'm so glad I gave it another chance. I highly recommend it to everyone.
***Nominated by Milo BOK - A brilliant underrated comedy on NBC, this show doesn't shy away from discussing topical matters and as a result allows for some hilarious results. The show, filmed in front of a live studio audience, is great for those looking for a clever, critically acclaimed comedy, and two seasons in, just gets better and better.
***Nominated by Leon - It's been a long time since I have seen this show, but what always comes to mind is what a great cast this show had! (Check out their IMDb page.) The show depicts, unbeknownst to most of the characters, a war between heaven and hell. On one side there is Ben who joins a Carnival and on the other hand there is the preacher Justin. Both have prophetic dreams and powers. During the seasons, their stories slowly converge...with horrible consequences. The sets are beautiful and it really places you in the Great Depression. With a script where the actors can really shine, it's a wonder that you don't hear more about it. That's maybe because its story lines are complex and you need to pay attention, but for the people of SpoilerTV that shouldn't be an obstacle. Carnivàle is unique, but if forced to compare, I would say it has some similarities with American Horror Story (but is much better!!). The show only got 2 seasons, leaving us hanging with many questions. Still, if you are in for some quality TV, watch this the first chance you get!
***Nominated by Maria Sol - If you're looking a show to summer marathon, this one should be your choice and I know this because that’s exactly what I did: I watched the 151 episodes of the first seven seasons in about three months and I don’t regret it. Castle has the perfect mix of action, romance, mystery, drama and comedy that leave you wanting more and more after watching every episode. Now that is gone for good it would be a great time to watch a show that will definitely keep a special place in TV.
***Nominated by Luana - Even if it's a shame the way things ended for this show and its cast, the series itself was a lot of fun to watch and had many endearing characters. It ended after its eighth season with a bit of a rushed conclusion but a conclusion nonetheless, which is something many cancelled shows don't get. I think many have probably already watched it but if not, know that it's a great show to keep you entertained.
***Nominated by Ivankwok - The Catch reminds me of shows in the “Blue Sky” era of USA network. It’s upbeat, fun, character-driven and entertaining. The lead characters, Alice and Ben, are delightful and have tons of chemistry. They remind me a lot of White Collar’s Neal and Peter. Alice and Ben, just like Neal and Peter, are on the opposite sides of the law but they can’t get rid of each other and really like each other. They are like the Romeo and Juliet version of White Collar’s charming duo. Beside the leads, the element that intrigues me the most is the crime aspect of the show. Every week, Ben and his partners plan different cons, heists and schemes for different marks. It reminds me of my all-time favorite show, Leverage. Overall, The Catch is a show that gives you nostalgic feelings and reminds you that TV show can be easy, laid back and still entertaining.
***Nominated by Dahne - The Catch was one of the biggest TV surprises for me this season. I thought it would be an emoangsty, one-note story but it has a surprising amount of humor. The characters are engaging and complex. Let's just say it's the first time I've rooted for a conman since White Collar and Leverage. The story is a mix of procedural, one-off cons and the serial long con to take down a dangerous criminal empire. Probably the biggest compliment I can give this show is that I keep changing my favorite character because they all have so much to offer. Like Ivan above, The Catch feels like the successor to both White Collar and Leverage to me. If you liked either of those shows or are just in the mood for some snappy character interaction and sleight of hand, check this one out.
Don't forget to keep checking back for more Pitch Your Show nominations this week. We've got plenty to come and hopefully you'll find some more shows you are interested in checking out. If any of these inspired you or if you have something to add to the pitches, please hit the comment section below.
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