THE 10 BEST FILMS YOU PROBABLY HAVEN’T SEEN By Danny Sokov OZ (1997 – 2003) Crime / Drama / Thriller Seasons: 6 JK Simmons, Lee Tergesen, Ernie Hudson ------------------------------------ Before Orange is the New Black, before Prison Break, before HBO’s hugely successful run of shows such as Breaking Bad and The Wire – first came Oz. The first one-hour drama series produced on HBO without any censorship, this prison drama crested the wave that would change the landscape of television forever. Set in the Oswald State Correctional Facility, we follow the daily lives of a varying cast of inmates, of all creeds and convictions, each with their own agendas and struggles to survive the cutthroat environment. Some of the best writing and performances ever put to screen, this classic gem has fallen by the wayside in recent years but undoubtedly deserves a revival, if not even a continuation. THE VENTURE BROTHERS (2003 – Present) Animation / Comedy / Action Seasons: 7 Christopher McCulloch, Doc Hammer, James Urbaniak ------------------------------------ Starting as a biting satire of the old Johnny Quest cartoons, this show has grown to be one of the most bizarre yet genius commentaries on all those great classic superhero and mystery-solving spy shows, from Scooby Doo to DC Comics. We follow the adventures of now-adult Rusty Venture (the son of a famous spy-hero) and his two sons as they blunder their way through wacky adventures, rivaled by their equally inept arch-foe, the super villain Monarch, and a gallery of ridiculous rogues. The plot progression and character growth over the seasons is phenomenal and definitely worth the investment for fans of the aforementioned cartoon classics, as well as modern satirical hits such as Archer, Family Guy and South Park. CHANNEL ZERO (2016 – 2018) Horror / Fantasy / Drama Seasons: 4 Brandon Scott, Marina StevensonKerr, Paul Schneider --------------------- For fans of psychological horror, this anthology series took the unique route in adapting modern internet-based horror stories called creepypastas. Each 6-episode season takes on a particular popular storyline and expands upon it in unexpected and disturbing ways, with the 3rd season “Butcher’s Block” being exceptionally twisted. A definite slow-burner in some cases, however the pay-off is always worth it, and the revelations in each storyline easily rival that of any popular work within the genre. Fans of American Horror Story are bound to truly appreciate this minimal gem. WATCHMEN (2019) Action / Drama / Fantasy Seasons: 1 Regina King, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jeremy Irons ------------------------------------ If there was ever a perfect successor to a hugely successful media monster, one should look no further than this on-screen sequel to the fabled comic by genius wizard Alan Moore. Picking up 34 years after the original graphic novel storyline (slightly different to the 2008 film), the landscape of this alternate America has been plagued by immense racism, and vigilantism has been outlawed, save for the masked police force keeping citizens in check. With many questions hanging in the air throughout the season, such as “where is Dr. Manhattan?”, the huge payoff the last 2 episodes alone is one of the most worthwhile journeys in television. TV Shows www.bahrainthismonth.com 38 September 2020 film & tv
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