by Angelita Williams

Although there is still a prominent amount of fluffy television shows airing, many networks have adapted new and exciting shows into their lineups.

Throughout the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, most TV shows came off as campy and overacted. Much has changed in recent years, however, now that television has adopted a more film-like way of storytelling, narrative, character development, and plot direction.

Throughout the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s,
most TV shows came off as campy and overacted.

Five shows in particular – Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Downton Abbey, and The Walking Dead – are leading this television revolution. For those of you who haven’t caught a glimpse of these five extraordinary shows, below is a quick synopsis of what you’re missing out on.

1. Breaking Bad

As the high-school-teacher-turned-meth-dealer, Walter White has become one of the most unpredictable television characters we’ve grown to equally love and hate.

In the beginning of Breaking Bad, we saw a family man who was trying desperately to hold it together as he battled chemotherapy, struggled to make ends meet, and worked a job he hated.

Yet when the opportunity to venture over to the dark side grew, Walter simply couldn’t resist all the temptation and luxury that came with being a drug dealer. Slowly but surely, we’ve seen a man grow more immoral and daring as the episodes roll by, and we can’t help but wonder how much further he, his right-hand man Jesse Pinkman, his wife Skyler, and his colleague Mike Ehrmantraut are willing to go.

Slowly but surely, we’ve seen a man
grow more immoral and daring
as the episodes roll by

We have no idea where this show is taking us, but that’s what makes it all so thrilling to stick around and watch. Will Walter be caught by his DEA agent brother-in-law, Hank Schrader? Will Jesse ever find out that Walter purposely poisoned his girlfriend’s son? Will Skyler be able to handle all the anxiety and stress since finding out Walter’s secret?

Who knows, but this show is well worth the anticipation you’re left with from week to week.

2. The Walking Dead

If you’re looking for a show with a happy ending, don’t watch The Walking Dead; it is a show about what the world is left looking like after a zombie apocalypse, and believe me it isn’t pretty.

Full of terrifying zombies, gut-wrenching storylines, and reoccurring feelings of hopelessness, this show is not for the faint of heart. The Walking Dead evokes a common theme that many films, books, and television shows attempt to address: the future of our world. Week to week, we watch as a handful of characters attempt to survive in a world that has lost all civilization, morality, and safety.

this show is not for the faint of heart.

It’s every man and woman for himself or herself, and one can’t help but notice the circumstances aren’t getting better for these characters. It will be interesting to see how this story comes to an end. Let’s just hope that’s not anytime soon!

3. Downton Abbey

Talk about a flashback in time; Downton Abbey has a Victorian-esque storyline, following the everyday lives of the Crawley family and their servants during the reign of King George V.

After the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912, the Crawley family discovers that the only heir to their estate has died in the sinking.

This family tragedy sets in motion what the whole show has been based on for the past two seasons: an attempt to maintain the legacy and influence the Crawley family has built for generations.

it embodies a wholesome,
romantic storyline with
a few scandals thrown in
here and there.

What makes this show so popular amongst a wide range of audiences is the fact that it embodies a wholesome, romantic storyline with a few scandals thrown in here and there.

It’s not too cheesy or risqué; it manages to maintain a delicate balance that very few shows are able to uphold.

4. Mad Men

Perhaps one of the most popular television shows on right now, Mad Men has made the sixties generation all the rage again.

Former Sopranos writer Matthew Weiner has created a show about a fictional advertising agency called Sterling Cooper (now Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce) and the key individuals that work at the company.

The focal character, Don Draper, is the main reason this show is so darn intriguing. Along with Walter White of Breaking Bad, Don Draper has to be one of the most unpredictable, shameless, and mysterious characters we’ve ever encountered in television.

sexism, adultery, racism, the counterculture,
and numerous other relevant topics.

His interactions with the characters around him address common themes you’d expect to see in a show about the sixties, including sexism, adultery, racism, the counterculture, and numerous other relevant topics.

The shock factor that comes along with this show can’t be emphasized enough, and if you haven’t already, I’d suggest trying to catch up and see what you’ve been missing over the show’s past five seasons.

5. Game of Thrones

If I’m going to be completely honest, I’ll say that I saved the best for last.

Although it’s only two seasons in, Game of Thrones has proved to be a wildly enjoyable, well-performed series. The show is based on a medieval book series of the same title and tells the story of seven kingdoms battling to rule the Iron Throne for command of all the kingdoms, which is commonly called “playing The Game of Thrones” on the show.

The show has its moments of being gory, heartfelt, tragic, uplifting, and unbelievable, and audiences can’t wrap their minds around all the craziness. In fact, similar The Lord of The Rings, Game of Thrones has helped recreate an interest in fantasy television once more.

The show has its moments of
being gory, heartfelt, tragic,
uplifting, and unbelievable

No telling where this show will take us next when season 3 premieres in 2013, but we can bet that viewers will be tuning in to see.

Reality television may fill most the content we see on TV nowadays, but every once in a while we’ll see a great television series come along. If you haven’t already caught a glimpse of Mad Men, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, or Downton Abbey, I’d suggest you do so!

Angelita Williams is a freelance blogger who specializes in education-related content.

She’s familiar with educational practices for every age and lifestyle, from online college courses to homeschooling to traditional learning.

You can contact Angelita at angelita.williams7@gmail.com.