Once upon a time all anybody wanted to know about was the best movies, but over the past five or six years the attention has shifted towards the most popular TV shows. Sure we all still love movies and are willing to wait a year or two to find out what happened to our beloved characters in the likes of the Marvel and DC Universes, Star Wars galaxy and Divergent series. However, the quality of TV shows has raised the bar and now puts pressure on Hollywood under to produce amazing high budget films, since they can’t exactly release a new one every week.
We take a look at the most popular TV shows which have begun to take actors and actresses away from the big screen with the small screen taking its place.
The most popular TV shows
House of Cards
While television grows in stature, Netflix has even done its part to change the entertainment landscape. House of Cards, a Netflix Original, is a political drama starring Kevin Spacey takes us through the twists and turns of what it takes to make it through the other end of the dog eat of world that is politics. If the general election or water charges don’t tickle your fancy, this is on a whole other level. A Congressman (Spacey) looks to seek revenge on those in office who betrayed him and in doing so kept him from becoming Secretary of State. With every episode available on Netflix, and no ads to deal with, this could lead to a few House of Cards binges. With two Golden Globe wins out of five nomination plus numerous Emmy wins year on year since its release, this will draw you in and make you forget about the real world around you for quite some time.
The Leftovers
In a world where 140 million people, or 2% of the population, suddenly disappear, not go missing overnight, the residents Mapleton New York try to continue living their lives. Three years on, things aren’t quite the way they used to be. Grief and the search for answers causes social divides. Some people join a new cult called The Guilty Remnant where they refuse to speak and just smoke cigarettes non-stop. If you’re looking for a series that’ll make you think and make you say ‘I did not see that coming’, over and over again, you need to see this. With two seasons out and one more on the way, each episode will have you scratching your head and coming back for more. If you do decide to watch this, say goodbye to early nights, because once you start, you’ll need incredible will power to stop.
Orange is the New Black
Following the life of Piper Chapman, a woman sentenced to 15 months in prison, this black comedy drama brings together a more or less unknown cast and still manages to keep us interested until it has us addicted. While in prison she is reunited with the friend who named her in court, resulting in her conviction, and also has to deal with other inmates who see her as easy prey. This series is for the people who aren’t interested in Netflix’s dark and gritty dramas and are looking for something a little lighter. With the fourth season on the way, now is a good time to catch up, and similar to House Of Cards, you can enjoy this Netflix Original with no ads, so stock up a mini fridge next to your bed for this one.
The Walking Dead
Who doesn’t like zombies in a post-apocalyptic world? Another show that probably everyone has heard of. Released in 2010, The Walking Dead is based on the graphic novels written by Robert Kirkman. It follows a band of survivors who are trying desperately to find salvation in a world where there is no longer a Government, Laws, and as the series goes on, Mercy. They don’t only come up against the undead. They also find themselves up against other groups of survivors who were once good men and are now willing to do whatever it takes to survive. Try not to get too attached to characters, no one is safe in this series. It will have you on the edge of your seat, sometimes off it, and possibly have you clutching onto a pillow rocking back and forth over a cliff-hanger you quite frankly did not need in your life.
Game of Thrones
With a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 94% amongst critics, Game of Thrones is easily one of the most popular TV shows. If you haven’t seen it, you’ve heard of it. And if you haven’t seen it, I strongly advise you make it your business to watch it. With various different story lines that intertwine into one big one, about 20 different families with long names, and dragons, this is the series that has dominated the industry since it’s release in 2011. Based on the books written by George R.R. Martin, with an ensemble cast, amazing special effects and battle scenes, it costs about 10 million per episode to shoot. If you have read, or are reading the books, don’t let this stop you. The books are similar in a lot of ways to the series, but seeing as the books won’t be finished for another 10 -15 years, the writers have changed the story a bit to keep up with they’re tighter schedule while also paying respects the books and giving the author some say also. And don’t worry about the makers ruining it like some tend to do with other successful shows in the past. Game of Thrones will be ending after seven series, and they seem like they definitely know what they’re doing.
Honourable mention: The League
If for nothing other than binge-ability, The League boasts seven packed seasons on Netflix. The League follows a group of friends whose foremost priority in life, ahead of family, work and definitely friends, is winning their Fantasy Football league. Winning the league means they bring home Sheeva Trophy, a trophy based off a girl they went to high school with and believe to have god like powers over their league when she makes appearances. That and of course bragging rights.
This series is not just for the lads, anyone will get entertainment from it. They will do pretty much anything to win weekly games against each other and will blackmail each other to trade a player they want if needs be. With diverse characters, you are bound to have a couple of favourites, but you will struggle to find any you don’t like. The kind of series that you can go back and watch over and over again, and one of my favourites on the list, this deserves a good watch.
That’s our take on the most popular TV shows of today. Let us know if you feel we missed anything.