Mr KNIGHT'S Top 10 TV shows (in no particular order)

Breaking Bad

AMC took a risk on a drug themed series, featuring Frankie Muniz’s strung out father, Bryan Cranston, that sceptics thought wouldn’t take off. Instead everyone got so hooked you may have thought the series emitted some of that blue crystal that Walter White and Jessie Pinkman started cooking together in New Mexico in a broken down RV. Try it if you haven’t. You will not be disappointed.


Justified

Break out series for Timothy Olyphant, as US Marshall Raylan Givens. Givens is banished by his bosses to his old stomping grounds, Harlan County, Kentucky, as punishment for his shoot first, ask questions later, style of law. An action, adventure series that doesn’t disappoint with a gun, stick of dynamite or something going bang in every episode. With every good lead, comes with a good nemesis. This series has Boyd Crowder, Quentin Tarantino’s favourite, Waltin Goggins, as the hillbilly, drug peddling, local gangster. Mix them together, and modern day gun slingin’ fun ensues.


Game of Thrones

A masterful delivery of a fantasy book series turned TV series. The story takes us back to a time of swords and castles… and three dragons. A ginormous cast with a huge variety of leads for any persons liking, including Mrs KNIGHT, who hates fantasy, but loves Danarys, the mother of dragons. Other great characters like the bastard Jon Snow, the impTyrion Lannister and honourable Ned Starke. This TV show LITERALLY broke the internet with the most illegal downloads in Australia, EVER! Forcing paid television like Foxtel to give Showcase away for free. For this… we thank you! 




Supernatural

In its tenth year and eleventh season, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Eckles, Sam and Dean Winchester, have been cutting off vampire heads and slaying demons with great success despite their rocky relationship. Each season the show develops more interesting and creative ways to bring the world to its end with Sam and Dean there, driving Dean’s baby and ready to kick its ass. The shows first class secondary characters like fallen angel Castiel and Hells King Crowley keep the show fresh and entertaining. A good, fun, Supernatural series. Grab the popcorn and enjoy. 





Hannibal

Viewer discretion is advised! An intellectual thriller which despite its content, makes me want a gourmet meal and a glass of wine! Hannibal follows FBI profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) as he assist’s FBI’s head of Behavioural Science, Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) in catching serial killers. But Will needs a psychiatrist to keep him level. Enter Hannibal Lecture (Mads Mikkelsen). A psychological thrill ride with intense conversation, manipulation, horrific and artful crime scenes and exquisite dinner parties. Definitely a show to watch with a glass of red… after dinner. Bon appetite. 




Hell on Wheels

The civil war has ended. It’s the late 1800’s with competing companies trying to lay the biggest railway track from the east of the US through to the Wild West. Hunting soldiers that defiled his wife and murdered his family, Cullen Bohannan (Anson Mount) finds himself at the transcontinental railroad camp. It comes clear to owner and shady business man Thomas Durant, that Bohannon has certain talents to get this railroad built and takes him on in his employ. Over its five seasons, and more to come, Hell on Wheels confronts issues of slavery, Native American Indians, murder, prostitution, whisky, blackmail, women’s rights, religion and all the other exciting issues prospectors faced in the Wild West. A cracking adventure series with a great lead in Anson Mount. You won’t tire of hearing the name Cullen Bohannon, and you will learn to hate his nemesis, The Swede. 





Boardwalk Empire

1919 Prohibition comes into effect in America. For business man Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi), and treasurer of Atlantic City, prohibition becomes not a hindrance, but a profitable opportunity and what should become a dry zone, Atlantic City under Nucky’s schemes becomes a whisky soaked haven. Boardwalk Empire brings a collection of gangsters from Arnold Rothstein to Al Capone and when there is money to be made, and whisky to be shipped, there is sure to be a tommy gun firing nearby. A true 1920s mobster series with great characters to invest in! 




The Sopranos

In 1999 James Gandolfini, rest his soul, brought us one of the most iconic television identities in memory. Tony Soprano. A New Jersey mob boss running his strip joint Bada Bing, his sanitation business and other not necessarily legal prospects Tony manages his family and his crew and as some may expect, this lifestyle could be stressful. Outsiders may not know but the show has a strong plot based around Soprano and his issues with panic attacks causing him to see a psychiatrist. Along with The Wire, The Sopranos was one of the original TV shows to make people turn their televisions back on instead of hiring a movie. Top Quality. 





Entourage

Girls have Sex and the City. Boys have Entourage. Entourage has a perfect combination of sunny Los Angeles, fast cars, beautiful women, pimp mansions, celebrity cameo’s and humour to make these twenty minute episodes every blokes favourite “me time”. Vincent Chase (Adrien Garner) makes it big after being spotted on a Mentos commercial by agent Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) and along with his school friends E and Turtle and meeting up with has-been actor and brother Drama, the entourage is complete. Vinny brings the lads along to enjoy the ride of being a famous actor. Producer Mark Wahlberg is suspected to have created the show based on his own life. A great show with angry and hilarious Ari and hopeless loser Johnny Drama as my favourite characters. 






True Detective (Season 1) 

Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson team up as Detectives Rust and Marty investigating a ritualistic homicide in the Louisiana State in 1995. McConaughey steps out of his usual role of Rom-Com king and puts on his serious face for this one and he is brilliant. With Harrelson’s “I can’t believe you just said that” attitude, it makes the show have some humour, mixed in with the creepy, swamp land, wooden sculpture, and deer antler themes. With just ten episodes, this season was a close to ten out of ten. I tried season two and was left highly disappointed. Every character was angry, with a dark past or secret and it felt like it was trying way too hard. Keep your expectations high and only watch season one!