Broadchurch

This British crime drama, filmed in scenic Dorset, tells the tale of a child murder and its aftermath. Starring Olivia Coleman, David Tenant and Jody Whitaker. Any of the three of them makes any show worth watching but the fireworks and raw emotion of Broadchurch are something special. Make sure you watch the British version of the show. For some weird reason, an America version was filmed and it is a poor comparison.

The Wire

Regarded by many as the best television show ever made, the five season's of The Wire loosely follow the Baltimore Police Department and drug gang while also spending time with longshoremen, politicians, newspaper reporters and school teachers. All of these intermix in an unflinching look at the intertwined cultures of a modern American city. The acting, the screen writing and the directing are all excellent. Some of the characters from the show live in my imagination years after watching the show for the last time.

The Sopranos

A classic by any measure, The Sopranos removed the glamor and mysticism from the mob created by The Godfather and revealed the extremely flawed human beings who make it up. Like The Wire, the screenwriting and acting is top notch and the characters unforgettable. It's almost impossible to watch one episode at the time if you have more available.

The Fall

Starring two of the world's beautiful people, Jamie Dornan and Gillian Anderson, this story of a Northern Irish serial killer and the cop, imported from the Metropolitan Police to track him down is as suspenseful as anything I have ever watched. A scene that takes place in Belfast hospital emergency room after a shooting is a revealing testament to the combat medical skills doctos in that part of the world learned during The Troubles.

Lonesome Dove

I regard Lonesome Dove as the best American novel ever written and this television adaption starring Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall among many others may be the best network show since Roots. It tells the story of an epic cattle drive out of Texas and has everything you'd ever want in a western. It's a must watch