TakeFiveGal Picks Five New Series To Watch

Hey all.  Did you LOVE Friday Night Lights on Friday night?  I certainly did.  And 30 Rock was amazing on Thursday.  But seeing as they’re the only 2 episodes of scripted TV that I really loved all week (Betty and Grey’s were okay to me), here’s another extra special week for you all.  Ever sit down and try to watch a show you had never watched before?  That’s my goal in this crazy no-new-scripted-TV-except-for-sporadic-episodes-here-and-there-and-Cashmere-Mafia world.  Here are 5 shows that I’m going to watch from the beginning, even though I never watched a single episode when they were still on the air.

The Sopranos – I know their names.  Tony and Carmela. And Meadow and was it Tony Jr?  I don’t know.  But I do know that I have never once laid eyes on the Soprano clan in action so what better time than the present to check out this critically acclaimed show?  My cousin Ann rags on me all the time because I’ve never watched it, so I’m borrowing her DVDs and getting on with a marathon!

The West Wing – I don’t honestly know why I never watched an episode of this show.  I think it premiered opposite something else I loved (that was probably cancelled right away) and because I missed the beginning, I never jumped in.  Maybe finally catching up on this show will help me understand why Allison Janney kept taking awards away from Jennifer Garner back in Alias’ heyday?

Stargate SG-1 – I’m a huge fan of Battlestar, and I’ve actually watched a few episodes of Stargate Atlantis here and there, so it seems only right that I buckle down and watch the decade or so worth of episodes that this show has to offer.  Afterall, it’s on TV Guide’s Top 30 Cult Shows of all time, and everyone knows I’m all about a show with a great cult following.  Also, now that they have made two big movies out of it, I might as well catch up, so I have reason to see the flicks!

Slings & Arrows – A show that boasts Rachel McAdams, Colm Fiore, and Sarah Polley as their season long guest stars intrigues me.  Throw in Mark McKinney as a featured cast member that also co-created the show, and I’m not positive why I ever missed this one.  Now that the complete collection comes out on DVD February 5, I have reason to check it out!

Deadwood – Timothy Olyphant is a favorite of mine, so what better reason than his Seth Bullock character to tune in to the 36 episodes of what I hear is a great series?  Multiple award nominations and wins, countless critics hailing it as the greatest show they’ve seen in years.  I think it’s definitely worth checking out!