Top Five Active TV Shows

If you haven't already guessed, I'm a TV fanatic. My DVR is constantly over 80% full. I'm always looking for new shows to get hooked on and right now there's plenty of gold across the cable landscape. I've decided to make my first list on Upstate Unmuted on my top five favorite current television shows. The rules? Any program is eligible as long as it's still airing new episodes. That nixes some of my retired fav's like Lost, Arrested Development, and 24. I've also limited this to scripted weekly shows that have been on for at least two seasons. So no reality like Survivor, Top Chef, or The Amazing Race. Alright, let's get to the rankings.

5.) Friday Night Lights (NBC)- Critically acclaimed, but never quite got the audience it deserved. Friday Night Lights is about to end a fantastic five year run when the final season wraps up this year. A football show that mostly takes place off the field, FNL is drama at its finest. At the center of the program is head coach Eric Taylor  and his wife Tami who represent the perfect (yet imperfect) TV family. Despite a huge turnover in the cast through the years, this show always seems to find incredibly interesting characters to surround the Taylors. Sad to see this show go.

4.) The Office (NBC)- Comedy just doesn't get better. The wacky and offensive Michael Scott is one of the more memorable bosses of all time. It will be interesting to see how the show changes when he leaves at the end of this season. Luckily, The Office has an outstanding ensemble cast led by loveable couple Pam and Jim Halpert. Always quotable, often heartwarming, Thursdays wouldn't be the same without The Office.

3.) True Blood (HBO)- HBO has an excellent lineup right now, but no show is better than True Blood. If you can stomach the graphic violence, the pay off is phenomenal. Great chemistry between the cast powers this past other supernatural programs. Anna Paquin shines as main character fairy Sookie Stackhouse more than she ever did on the big screen. True Blood takes advantage of it's premium platform by pushing the envelope in promiscuity. Twilight gave vampires a bad name. True Blood is making them cool again.

2.) Breaking Bad (AMC)- Often overshadowed by AMC's more famous show (Mad Men), Breaking Bad is clearly the superior show in my eyes. Prior to taking over the prime role of chemistry teacher/drug dealer Walter White, Bryan Cranston was known as a comedy actor as the dad in Malcolm in the Middle. Who knew he would turn into one of TV's most riveting characters. Intensity is the name of the game in Breaking Bad as normal people get put in extreme situations due to the destructive drug Meth. Each season has been better than the last which makes me think the sky could be the limit for Breaking Bad.

1.) Dexter (Showtime)- The ultimate murder mystery hour. Dexter's storytelling sets it apart from every other show for me. No other program keeps me more on the edge of my seat waiting for the inevitable cliffhanger. Michael C. Hall plays lead character Dexter with a perfect mix of dark wit and cynicism. Season 4 with villain John Lithgow as the frightening Trinity Killer was the single best season of television I've ever seen. For me, it doesn't get any better than Dexter.

Honorable Mentions:  Modern Family, Entourage, How I Met Your Mother