We all know the story of Mad Men and 30 Rock. They were little-watched shows that, after becoming Emmy darlings, performed slightly better in the ratings. Ratings are a tricky thing, and very rarely reflect the actual quality of a television series (American Idol, anyone?). After the jump are five underrated shows that you should consider giving a shot in between trips to Bobst and trying to stalk the Sprouse twins.
Cougar Town (ABC) Wednesdays at 9:30 PM
Don’t let the name mislead you. What was originally conceived as a series about aging women and their dangly bits pretty quickly turned into an offbeat comedy about a bunch of alcoholic friends living in a cul-de-sac. In short, it got awesome. It takes a little time to get used to the cadence of the jokes, and to kind of find characters hilarious, but if you stick with it for a few episodes, you’ll find yourself appreciating wine a whole lot more.
And one of the great things about this show is that it actually has straight male appeal. Well, at the very least, NYU straight male appeal. Trust me.
White Collar (USA) Tuesdays at 9:00 PM; returns January 2011The rest of the list is here.
Starring the delicious Matt Bomer as Neal Caffrey, a conman who goes to work for the FBI, White Collar is another procedural that manages to keep things fresh. It’s an offbeat buddy comedy meets intellectual conspiracy movie meets Get Smart. Not only is it hilarious, but it’s set in Manhattan and takes full advantage of it. It’s highly stylized in a way that’s not typical of the genre. And I challenge anyone not to be won over by Matt Bomer’s debonair lead.
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