I love dynamic television. While sitcoms and static shows that insist on returning to status-quo by the end of the hour are fun for an occasional sit-down and unplug session, I’d much rather get invested in deep character development and plotlines that let me speculate about where things might go next.
One of the best things about shows with dynamic plotlines is being able to watch the series on DVD. Instead of having a week in between episodes, I can sit down and churn through as many episodes as I want to. I’ve been known to make my way through seasons of “Babylon 5” or “24” in just a few days and I have friends who can do it in even less time. Some of these shows have moved to entire series releases, offering new extras to sell the same show to fans who already bought the shows season by season (or just collecting together the individual seasons and calling it a “complete series” set).
So, with that lengthy introduction and, in the spirit of some possible Christmas gift ideas out there for fans who love dynamic storylines like I do, here are a few of my favorite shows in their best DVD collections. How many of them would you be happy to grind through in a few days?
: Yes it’s cheesy, yes the metaphor can get awfully thin sometimes (being happy about surviving high school and not the more visible victory after defeating a demonic town mayor?) but the writing can also be incredibly clever and witty. Buffy really becomes unimportant in the grand scheme of things as the show goes on and the rest of the Scooby gang gets more interesting which helped the show survive past the death (and resurrection) of the main character. Although the end of the show begins to suffer the change of networks and creative hands behind the scenes, it’s still worth watching to the bitter end.
Best Moment: I still stand by Season 6’s musical episode “Once More With Feeling.” Other shows have used the musical gimmic, but few have actually moved the plot forward for the entire season like “Buffy” did.
: I’m astonished that years after the show is done there still remains a bias against B5 from dedicated trekkies (you’d think Voyager and Enterprise would be enough to break even Roddenberry himself from blind devotion to Trek). Babylon 5 succeeded in telling a five year story on television with a definitive beginning, middle, and end. Like Buffy, Babylon suffered from a network change, forcing creator J. Michael Straczynski to adjust his thinking for the show and wrap up some storylines early, leaving the fifth season a little weaker than most. It still remains one of the best sci-fi shows to ever hit airwaves though (said by a fan of some Trek), although the last few years have begun to give B5 heavy competition in the world of dynamic storylines.
Best Moment: Captain Sheridan held prisoner in “Intersections in Real Time,” which gives the Cardassian emprisonment of Picard on “Next Generation” a run for its money. On a side note, once you know what unfolds throughout the series, it’s really interesting to watch how early the wheels start being set into motion for different storylines, creating a whole new set of best moments you weren’t even aware of the first time around.
: Jack Bauer’s worst days give dynamic storytelling a whole new definition. While the cliffhanger endings can make for painful weeks in between episodes, you can’t help but be pulled into each new hour watching the day unfold on DVD. Fortunately each season is self-contained enough that you can put the show down in between seasons, so you’ll rarely be pulled into more than 24 hours of viewing at a time… although season six may change that thanks to the end of season 5.
Best Moment: I still think the final hour of the first season is one of the most compelling and shocking hours of television ever created, pretty much motivating Jack Bauer through the rest of the series to date. Telling what happens… I’m still not confident the statue of limitations has run its course on that spoiler yet.
: Not as intense as “24,” this is the show that has the opportunity to be the best dynamic storyline ever on television. Of course, with that risk it also has the chance to be one of the biggest letdowns since Fonzie jumped the original shark. So far, however, its story of survivors of a mysterious plane crash on an even more mysterious island hasn’t led us die-hard fans astray yet. Interestingly, the producers and ABC seem to get that fans want as much of the show as possible, leading to 17 weeks of uninterrupted new episodes each week in the spring.
Best Moment: While visually unimpressive, there’s just something about watching the survivors of flight 815 boarding the doomed plane at the end of season one. For something more impressive, watching the crash of the tail section in “The Other 48 Days” in high definition is a thing of beauty.
: While other sitcoms have taken a dynamic approach to storytelling, “Arrested Development” did it better and more clever than anyone else… so of course it barely lasted three seasons, with two of the seasons being incredibly short. Somehow audiences never clicked with the show so it died an early death, yet everyone I introduce the show to on DVD eats it up. It might be a case where the show is better on DVD because the payoff on gags that span episodes come sooner than when Fox chose to run episodes.
Best Moment: Not a moment, but a line: “I’ve made a huge mistake.” Just the way Will Arnett delivers it, the line has become one of the most quoted lines in my house for years.
: We began with one Joss Whedon series so we might as well end with another one, sadly one that didn’t get as much opportunity as Whedon’s other shows. Although “Firefly” got to continue its tale into the movie Serenity, it lost a lot of what made it special in the transition. If you like unique takes on sci-fi you should give “Firefly”’s “western in space” concept a try, one of the worst losses the show suffered moving to the big screen. “Firefly” just might have as many good one-liners and jokes in its thirteen episodes as “Buffy” has in seven seasons, and that’s saying something!
Best Moment: Jayne in the airlock, paying for his treachery. I almost always move towards the spiritual or leader character. It’s very rare for me to find a character as annoying and mercenary as the man named Jayne that I actually like… like to hate him, but still, like him.
”Desperate Housewives” (ABC) 9:00 pm
The Miracle Song- (New!) – Wisteria Lane starts celebrating Christmas early with a seasonal holiday party. Susan and Ian start moving forward with their relationship even though there is still something between her and Mike… oh yeah, prison bars.
”Boston Legal” (ABC) 10:00 pm
Lincoln- (New!) – The Boston law firm moves to a new night with part one of a two parter that includes paternity tests and Hands… er, Jerry Espinson. If nothing else, the commercials where Denny Crane claims to have been with all the Desperate Housewives have been worth the move.
”How I Met Your Mother” (CBS) 8:00 pm
Single Stamina- (New!) – Wayne Brady puts in an appearance as Barney’s gay half-brother. So now that Neil Patrick Harris has been outed, does that mean that gay is the “half” part?
”Heroes” (NBC) 9:00 pm
Six Months Ago- (New!) – Last week the cheerleader was saved, so let’s jump back six months and start to find out why it was so important to save her. Thankfully, this week is a Hiro-centric story - six months ago is a flashback for most of the characters, but not for our favorite time traveling geek.
”Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” (NBC) 10:00 pm
B-12- (New!) – There’s nothing worse for a show as demanding as “Studio 60” as a virus. Matt has to come up with the weekly show with a reduced writing staff (although that’s how he started the season, isn’t it?). No doubt Christians are somehow to blame.
”A Charlie Brown Christmas” (CBS) 8:00 pm
(Special!) – You can’t resist this time honored Christmas special that does one of the best jobs of reminding people about the true meaning of the holiday without getting too preachy. Forget “Friday Night Lights” and “Gilmore Girls” and enjoy the holiday special with your family and the Peanuts gang.
”Bones” (FOX) 8:00 pm
The Headless Witch in the Woods- (New!) – The title pretty much says everything that needs to be said for this week’s episode, programmed opposite “Christmas at Rockefeller Center.” Don’t get me wrong, I like Al Roker, but I really want to see how Bones explains away witches and headless hauntings.
”The Nine” (ABC) 10:00 pm
Turning Point- (New!) – Sadly, the turning point is this will be the last episode to air on Wednesday nights. ABC has shelved “The Nine,” news that will come as great sorrow to the three fans who tuned in with any frequency. Even sadder – my wife was one of those three.
”Ugly Betty” (ABC) 8:00 pm
Fake Plastic Snow- (New!) – Betty can’t beat NBC’s new “must see Thursday” combination, so set the DVR to record Amanda’s holiday party and catch it over the weekend.
”My Name Is Earl” (NBC) 8:00pm
Born a Gamblin’ Man- (New!) – Earl teaches Kenny to be more manly and winds up addicted to gambling gin the process. Meanwhile Randy gets ready to tell Catalina how he feels while Joy deals with how she feels in anger-management class.
”The Office” (NBC) 8:30 pm
The Convict (New!) – Ricky Gervais writes this episode that has Michael discovering one of his employees is an ex-con. He’s dealt with gays and diversity, now how about a jailbird? Meanwhile, Jim messes with his replacement Dwight by teaching him how to woo Pam.
”Scrubs” (NBC) 9:00 pm
My Mirror Image (New!) – Grey who? Sorry Seattle Grace, it’s time for the residents of Sacred Heart to return. The season ended with everyone but Elliot pregnant in some form, so the season opens with the consequences of those pregnancies, for everyone including Elliot. Blue Man Group guest stars.
”30 Rock” (NBC) 9:30 pm
Jack Meets Dennis- (New!) – The Tina Fey driven sitcom just trumped the Aaron Sorkin show with the same subject matter with this time slot. Jack meets one of Liz’s ex-boyfriends while she’s trying to reunite with him. At the same time, the cast of 30 Rock has to deal with facial issues from black eyes to Botox.
”Battlestar Galactica” (Sci-Fi) 9:00 pm
Unfinished Business- (New!) – The show returns centered around… a boxing match? I hope this isn’t a case of network tinkering where the show has been retooled to fill that essential sci-fi boxing void.
Merry-thon (TV Land) 10:00 pm
If the Peanuts Christmas special earlier in the week left you feeling needy for more Christmas cheer, TV Land is here to help. They offer Christmas episodes of some of your favorite sitcoms in a 24 hour marathon. Time to trim the tree!
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