TV Shows Off the Beaten Path

Tired of the same old story lines and plot clichés? Are the relentless reruns of medical dramas and teenage angst causing you to tune out? You might have to search a bit harder for these gems, but these shows aren’t afraid to try and be different from the rest. Some are fresh revisions of old favourites, and some are simply out of this world.

Doctor Who
A British classic since the 1960s, the adventures in time and space of the enigmatic Time Lord return to our television sets in a refurbished series geared towards a new generation of fans. When you travel with the Doctor (just “the Doctor,” thus the pun in the title) and his spaceship, which is shaped like a blue telephone booth, you’ll find that life on Earth or in whatever faraway galaxy you might find yourself in will never be dull again.

Being Human
A vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost move into an apartment together… If you think it’s the beginning of an old joke, guess again. As these three friends strive to find normality in their lives and hide their abnormalities from society, Being Human sets itself apart from the average supernatural sitcom with thoughtful insight upon the true meaning of human nature while striking a perfect balance of drama, comedy and thriller.

Life on Mars
Life on Mars is not your usual cop drama. Sam Tyler, a detective from 2006, is transported back to 1973 after a freak car accident. The show depicts his struggle to find his way back home, the implications of traveling back to his past and continuing in his line of work during an era when the idea of forensic science has yet to emerge in police procedure, corruption in the force is rampant, and more time is spent at the pub than on the streets catching the bad guys. The original UK broadcast concluded after two seasons, and a US remake ended its run after one season.

Skins
Think you had it difficult growing up? Skins is a dark, no-holds barred TV series following a group of adolescents in Bristol grappling with their impending adulthood. There’s no sugarcoating in the various social story lines that are touched upon, such as homosexuality, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, personality disorders and death. Currently a MTV remake is in the works.

Dexter
Dexter is America’s favourite serial killer. He could be your next-door neighbour, but don’t worry, Dexter is a killer with a conscience. He has a code he lives by and uses his dark urges only to exact justice on those who have committed murder and gotten away with it. This situation is made particularly difficult as his sister is a detective on the police force.

Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies is a comedy with a sweet filling. Ned is a humble baker of pies with a secret: he can bring back the dead with the touch of a finger. However, there are a number of conditions: if he touches them again, they go back to being corpses and if he doesn’t touch them within a minute after he revives them, someone will die in their place. After teaming up with a detective to help the dead speak for themselves and solve their own murders, he finds himself breaking all his own rules when his childhood sweetheart is murdered and he can’t bring himself to send her back to the grave. Pushing Daisies ran for two seasons until its cancellation last year.

Blackpool
A musical miniseries set in the small seaside, Vegas-esque town of Blackpool, Ripley Holden’s arcade is doing reasonably well for itself until the dead body of a teenager winds up by the slot machine. Now with a pesky detective on his back and the impending closure of his business on the rise, sometimes the only way to expend your frustration is through the eternally catchy tunes of The Smiths and other golden hits by Queen and Bon Jovi.

The Office
The Office is a mockumentary chronicling the lives of workers doing arguably the world’s most boring job, all the while striving to do as little as possible from nine till five. Along with the social satire, you can look forward to jokes about jello pranks, future faxes, beets, bears and Battlestar Galactica. Many remakes of this hilarious comedy have been done since the original UK broadcast, but the most successful has been the US version, which is currently in its sixth season.