3 Critically Acclaimed TV Shows More People Need to Binge Watch

When asking for TV show recommendations, you are more than likely guaranteed the following suggestions from whichever well-meaning person you sought this opinion from: Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Breaking Bad followed by Better Call Saul, Stranger Things, Bojack Horseman and (of course) the age old question that has forced even the best of buddies to do battle - The Wire or The Sopranos?

All of the above named are beloved by critics and audiences alike (well, the final season of Thrones is up for debate... Not really though) and are constantly in the discussion of "Television You Must Watch Before You Die." They are always present in pop culture discourse and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.

I previously wrote about 3 underrated and 3 overlooked TV shows those looking for something new to watch should check out and figured I'd like to recommend 3 phenomenally directed, written and acted works that more people need to include in their queue along with Soprano Breaking of the Mad Wire.

1. Six Feet Under (HBO) - 5 Seasons

Perhaps you're familiar with the Erma Bombeck quote “There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.”

It is in my humble opinion that there is no other TV series to ever exist in the history of television that fully embodies this idea more than HBO's Emmy award-winning Six Feet Under.

On the surface, describing the series sounds like a tedious slog - A family runs a funeral home and the show depicts their lives along with the lives of their friends and family. It features an absolutely all-star cast of talents with the main core featuring the great Frances Conroy as matriarch Ruth Fisher, Peter Krause as eldest brother Nate, Michael C. Hall as middle child David, Lauren Ambrose as youngest Claire and Richard Jenkins as patriarch Nathaniel Fisher Sr.

Are there moments in the show where the monotony simply engulfs you? Yes. Are there scenes where grieving families have to decide which casket goes best with their dearly departed? Absolutely... And it is precisely with the show's exploration of the mundane that earns its spot in the discussion of HBO's best original dramas alongside other seminal works like The Sopranos and The Wire.

Six Feet Under does not shy away from the uncomfortable. You know what's uncomfortable? Life. You know what's also uncomfortable? Death. The series takes hold of these two ideals and effortlessly illustrates how they affect every character on the show. We learn more about what makes these characters tick, we see their emotional and physical development as the series progresses and when they make mistakes or are in harm's way, you truly feel it in the core of your being. While they're surrounded by death on a daily basis, the Fishers experience the joys both life and death can bring. And in many instances, with the delightful humour you typically wouldn't associate with such subject matter.

Attempting to bring humour or comedic capabilities to a heavy drama? What kind of a show is that?! Six Feet Under is a slow burn, character-driven narrative that illustrates the immense fright we all feel when faced with the notion of losing someone we care about or losing our own lives and the unique traits we all possess when attempting to avoid facing this inevitability. For some, the utilization of comedy is a major technique needed to sustain their sanity. The series additionally tackles a myriad of other themes ranging from struggling with one's sexual identity, existentialism, surrealism and a particular theme I truly appreciate is how it highlights female sexuality in a way that doesn't demean or demoralize them.

Six Feet Under is my favourite TV show of all time and it is solely because of how unbelievably attached I am to every single one of these characters. Creator Alan Ball took inspiration from his own personal life when developing the show, utilizing the passing of his sister and father when he was 13 and 19 respectively and the impact they had on his mother, to craft the Fishers and it is obvious how important it was for him to get their motivations and characteristics just right.

... There are also so many guest stars and recurring appearances from a ton of beloved actors and actresses that you'll find yourself yelling "hey! That's that guy!" at the screen while attempting to wipe the tears away from your eyes to ensure that that actor truly is That Guy you believe him to be. Adam Scott, Sandra Oh, Kathy Bates, Rainn Wilson, Anna Gunn, Bobby Cannavale and Justin Theroux are just a few familiar faces you see throughout the series.

I can truly talk about Six Feet Under forever.

If there is one takeaway I can give you, if I can tell you to ignore every single word preceding this and just listen to the following, it's this: watching Six Feet Under is worth a binge if only to appreciate why the show appears on every single "Best TV Series Finales of All Time" list. Look up any possible list on the topic and 9.9 times out of 10, Six Feet Under will appear somewhere on it. And in case you've ever wondered if you were in the presence of a Six Feet Under fan, play the song "Breathe Me" by Sia and pay attention to who becomes an absolute blubbering mess when the first note hits.

My curiosity of the show was ultimately piqued whenever I kept seeing it on all these lists yet nobody in my real life even knew what it was so I finally decided to buckle down and check it out when I was in high school.

It's now been an annual watch for me for the past decade.

ROTTEN TOMATOES SCORE: 81% Critic Score / 97% Audience Score

NUMBER OF EPISODES: 63.

WHERE TO WATCH: Six Feet Under is available on HBO Now.

2. The Americans (FX) - 6 Seasons

While Six Feet Under remains my absolute favourite series of all time, The Americans solidified its spot in second place following its flawless conclusion in 2018.

The series is set during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. It begins after the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and concludes shortly before the leaders of the US and USSR signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in late 1987. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys star as Elizabeth and Philip Jennings, two Soviet KGB officers with Vidal Sassoon-level hair who are deep undercover as a regular, all-American family with their children Paige (Holly Taylor) and Henry (Keidrich Sellati) who only know their parents as being leaders in the travel agency community. The show was created by former CIA officer Joe Weisberg and over the course of five years received 18 Emmy nominations with acting wins for Rhys and guest actress Margo Martindale. The series itself lost the award for Outstanding Drama Series to Game of Thrones both in 2016 and 2018... Yes, the same year of Thrones that saw an arguably immense drop in its quality writing was considered a triumph against what is indisputably one of the strongest seasons of The Americans.

(... Not that I'm still upset about it or anything...)

While the series manages to seamlessly weave together the political consequences of the Jennings' work with the emotional implications that affects these characters, I'd contend the genius of The Americans lies in the consistent tension that remains steady throughout its entire six season run. Noah Emmerich portrays FBI agent Stan Beeman who works in direct opposition to the sleuthing Elizabeth and Philip undertake on a 24/7/365 basis. These adversaries also happen to be neighbours with the announcement being made by Stan as he scarfs down their homemade brownies in the pilot immediately sparking that delicious tension featured in every episode.

The Americans makes a point to let the viewer know there is never a single moment when the Jennings are entirely safe. When they return home following a long night of reconnaissance, there remains the perpetual possibility that enemy combatant Agent Beeman could be over for breakfast. The constant juggling between their public personas and true identities is a fascinating character study. If either of them slip up for a moment, their entire facade could be jeopardized. Due to them being human, these mistakes are unquestionably going to occur and the show completely transfixes the viewer when seeing them methodically strategize a means to fix these errors.

When discussing the history of revered works in television, be it Sopranos, The Shield etc., the notion of an "anti-hero" is inevitably brought up with good reason. Viewers seem to love to root for (and I use this term loosely) the "bad guy" when it is executed properly. Criminal activity like your murders and the like are not and should not be accepted in a lawful society yet when a friend of Tony's brutally beats down an innocent person in the parking lot of The Bing, your heart may skip a beat when you spot a police car passing by.

When we encounter Elizabeth distracting a target while Philip poisons his drink, we should want law enforcement to take them down on the spot... But a part of you wants to see them succeed in all their endeavours - be it legally, ethically or morally questionable. As the show progresses, certain characters reflect on their initial black-and-white viewpoints of society and the political climate of the time. Exploring the real-life dubious actions taken by both States and what these actions could ultimately mean for the welfare of millions of people is a burden these characters must endure. The viewer could easily Google what the outcome was for a particular treaty here or an enigmatic political leader there but choose to continue watching how these scenarios play out in this reality.

Another aspect of the show I appreciate is the number of purely stimulating sequences accompanied by musical cues that fit perfectly within the scene.

Some key tracks include Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight" / Peter Gabriel's "Games Without Frontiers" / Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" / Yazoo's "Don't Go" / The Rolling Stones' "Slave" / Roberta Flack's “To Love Somebody” / Queen and David Bowie's “Under Pressure” and two Fleetwood Mac sensations with "The Chain" and "Tusk." Keep in mind there are tons of other examples that fit swimmingly into the series but we all have places we need to be. I would love to include an example for one of these remarkable sequences but they are either too spoilery or violent - While the latter certainly wouldn't be a problem for Elizabeth, striving to avoid spoilers is vital part of KGB training.

I briefly touched on the brilliance of Six Feet Under's series finale and The Americans shares a similarity with its respective finale in that it is a perfectly impeccable, talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular, totally unique, extraordinary conclusion of an equally exceptional series.

Just as it's near impossible for me to listen to "Breathe Me" without wanting to stick my head in a blender to mask my emotions, U2's "With or Without You" packs an emotional gut-punch for me now that I doubt I will ever get over.

ROTTEN TOMATOES SCORE: 96% Critic Score / 93% Audience Score

NUMBER OF EPISODES: 75.

WHERE TO WATCH: The Americans is available on Amazon Prime.

3. Killing Eve (BBC America) - 3 Seasons, Renewed until at least Season 4

Audiences have grown to become infatuated with Phoebe Waller-Bridge following the stellar success of her one-woman stage show turned six-time Emmy award-winning series Fleabag. Waller-Bridge was recruited in 2016 to write for an upcoming show about a female assassin following Fleabag's stage success and that decision has ultimately resulted in what is one of the best TV shows of the modern age.

Based on the novella series Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings (no relation to Elizabeth and Philip, I think) Killing Eve follows British Intelligence agent Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh) as she tracks down a high-end, international assassin code-named Villanelle (Jodie Comer) to the point where their connection eventually develops into a mutual obsession between the two. As someone who has grown to become far too attached to these women, I will say the dependency I now feel for Killing Eve could potentially be labeled as an "unhealthy obsession." Although sometimes it's okay to constantly worry about the well-being of a fictional partnership... Right?

From the initial introduction of Villanelle in a Vienna ice cream shop to its electrifying third season conclusion, Killing Eve is an unapologetically brutal and intimate look at the emotional complexities of these characters while seamlessly integrating the darker humour within each interaction. I like to describe it as a series that will simultaneously have you belly laughing while terrified for the safety of a character. The show's ability to incorporate this hallmark effectively is what makes it a standout in a sea of other cutthroat detective works.

The sublime talent showcased from virtually every aspect of the series is apparent. With its sharp writing being delivered by an equally spectacular supporting cast led by BAFTA winner Fiona Shaw (who won Best Supporting Actress in 2019) as Carolyn Martens, Kim Bodnia as Villanelle's handler with the laugh of gold, Konstantin, and co-leads Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh (more on them below), it's no surprise why Killing Eve has been nominated multiple times for Excellence in Everything; winning such acclaim from the Emmy Awards, BAFTAs, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Golden Globes, TV Choice Awards and a Peabody Award, just to name a few.

Its overall tone is an incredibly engaging aspect of the series as Waller-Bridge led head writer duties for its first season and brought about that comedic style she's become admired for. She departed from show-running after the first season while staying on as executive producer for every following season.

There were new head writers for each subsequent season that continued its use of unique humour starting with Emerald Fennell who took over for the second season with the recent third season bringing on Suzanne Heathcote as series lead. For the upcoming (and ridiculously anticipated) fourth season, Netflix's Sex Education writer Laura Neal is set for head writer duties. With the conclusion of its third season, there are viewers who have pointed to a few story lines that could have been trimmed down or excluded entirely. Although I enjoyed this season immensely, I certainly understand why there are those who feel otherwise.

That finale, however, genuinely moved every part of my being. I was (and honestly still am) an emotional mess when I think about it.

Neal wrote three standout episodes from season 3 including the finale so I place all my faith in her and her writing team for what they can bring to the series.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the captivatingly grandeur landscapes of Killing Eve that makes every episode feel like a free vacation... Just with more death. The globetrotting series has had sequences featured in London, Romania, Tuscany, Berlin and Paris. There is a feeling of authenticity with these spots that the producers were adamant on embracing as explained by executive producer Lee Morris in a locations featurette wherein he describes the choices made when filming in Paris:

"We've gone for a sort of real part of Paris, just out of the centre, very Parisian... when you watch it, I think you can tell that you're definitely in Paris but it's not full of those kind of touristy landmarks."

A dedicated Twitter account (the account contains spoilers) @KillingEveSites highlights areas seen in every episode for any devout fan interested in standing in the same stop where Eve waited for a bus, the sidewalk where a duplicitous agent was terminated or the convenience store Konstantin bought a souvenir.

With just how much scale goes into each location, the main draw continues to be something as innocent as simply wanting to see what happens between the two leads.

The real pull of the series and a crucial reason why viewers consistently delve back into this world is the relationship between Villanelle and Eve. Throughout the first season, the duo (aptly referred to as "Villaneve" by fans) are infatuated with one another and this intrigue only heightens as the seasons progress. Each woman possesses traits the other craves regardless of whether they'd ever admit it or not. Their partnership is messy and complicated yet they are continually drawn to each other with an almost animalistic magnetism that is enthralling to watch.

In a 2018 interview with Variety, Waller-Bridge emphasized the importance their connection has for the series as a whole in that "every moment in this show exists so that these two women can end up alone in a room together." Eve's gripping interactions with Carolyn or Villanelle's constant mocking of Konstantin are definite series highlights that allow viewers to see how each respective character conducts themselves yet there is a peculiar intrigue that occurs when Eve and Villanelle interact either directly or indirectly; anticipation is truly an intoxicating feeling and I'd recommend fixing your favourite hangover cure following an episode.

I also don't mean to be hyperbolic when I say Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh are otherworldly in this show. The sheer raw talent these two actresses exhibit on-screen is something you must watch for yourself in order to truly appreciate. Oh embodies Eve, Comer manifests into Villanelle. Their exceptional diligence is why they have become favourites during the various Awards circuits with Sandra Oh previously winning both the SAG and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her role as Eve.

They were both nominated for Lead Actress during the 2019 Emmy Awards and the BAFTAs with Jodie Comer winning both prestigious awards cementing her place as a phenomenally talented rising star... There's also the moment when Sandra hugged Jodie when she won her Emmy and it has warmed my heart on numerous occasions during multiple rewatches.

ROTTEN TOMATOES SCORE: 89% Critic Score / 86% Audience Score

NUMBER OF EPISODES: 24.

WHERE TO WATCH: The first two seasons of Killing Eve are available on Hulu. Season 3 is available for purchase on Amazon.

If you're still craving more TV recommendations, check out Vocal+'s ICYMI Challenge!