My 10 favorite TV shows

I was yucking it up with the fellows today and we got on the subject of TV shows. I was surprised that they were not watching most of my favorite shows. 

Either I have bad taste or there is so much on TV that the guys just didn’t know about my favorites.

Here's my Top 10 in no particular order. 

Boardwalk Empire - HBO

The guys were aware of this show. This was the only reason I ordered HBO. 

Steve Buscemi is the star in this old school Atlantic City gangster flick but I’m familiar with Michael K. Williams, best known as Omar on The Wire. FBI agent Nelson (Michael Shannon) is my favorite. 

Breaking Bad - AMC

This AMC show was highly recommended by my son. It took me a while to get into it but once I did, I ran through the 4 seasons in a hurry. 

Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are the stars but I’m familiar with Giancarlo Esposito from all his Spike Lee movie roles, particularly as Buggin’ Out in ‘Do the Right Thing’. I can't imagine season 5 without him.

East Bound and Down - HBO

If you love baseball, you’ll love this wacky, raunchy, ‘white-trash’ comedy staring Danny McBride. I can’t wait for season three to start soon.

Mad Men - AMC

I didn’t know anyone in this series, but John Hamm plays a ultra-cool lead roll as a advertising agency exec with a lot of baggage. This show has totally transformed men’s fashion back to the early 60s skinny ties and slim lapel look. 

Hell on Wheels - AMC

The Western is back with a vengeance. Star, Colm Meaney plays the investor building the transcontinental railroad. I’m familiar with rapper Common who proved to me he can act in his role as the freed slave trying to manage the group of slaves doing the hard labor. The Swede, Chris Heyerdahl is my favorite character. 

Luther - BBC America

I’m not big on cop shows, but Idris Elba (The Wire) as Luther plays an awesome lead. He just won a best actor Golden Globe for this role. The strong British accents takes some getting use to but it’s worth the effort. Ruth Wilson as Alice is my favorite.

House of Lies - Showtime

Don Cheadle and his crew of management consultants is probably the most entertaining half hour of TV right now. Roscoe Kaan (Cheadle’s son) has got to be the best child actor ever. He is off-the-hook.

Shameless - Showtime

I hate to say that I love this show, but I do. A totally dysfunctional poor white family in Chicago has every problem that all close knit poor families encounter. I can’t get enough of Shanola Hampton (Veronica). 

Man Up - ABC

ABC dumped this crazy comedy starring 3 guys who realize they aren't the men their fathers were. Henry Simmons (Grant) was a great addition to the show and kept me watching it. 

Boss - Starz

This is the best show I’ve never watched. I love the clips that I’ve seen and the few folks that have watched it tell me that it’s great. I’ve got to get my hands on this one somehow. 

I’m going to have a little time on my hand to catch up on reading, movies, and TV. What's your favorites shows?