Best of Show

In the past, I've said that if shows were available on the internet, I'd pay to watch them. iTunes has given me a means to put my money where my mouth is. As the TV in my apartment is broken -- and wouldn't play American shows if it did -- I have to use iTunes to get my fix of good ol' American TV. At present, I'm watching Battlestar Galactica, Heroes, and Babylon 5.

BG (I refuse to call it BSG, as that acronym makes no sense) is the best show on television. Period. You can try and talk to me about Lost or Veronica Mars or whatever, but it won't change the fact that BG has the best acting, writing, directing, effects, and production of any show on. C'mon, it has Edward James Olmos and Mary MacDonnell. A mere one of those two would send a show soaring in the acting department. BG has them both on the set, where they exude so many chops that the props around them suddenly seem worthy of Emmys.

Feel that nothing is happening on your other show (Lost, I'm looking at you)? BG packs more action into single episodes than happens in an entire season on other shows. And yet there's character development in spades (and shades, too). Moral quandaries are played out from all sides. Darkness rules the day, but it's an awesome darkness.

Heroes is a different story. Where BG is dark, Heroes is light. It's popcorn, but it's the kind with lots of butter ( the real stuff, not some fake movie theater goop), salt, and some carmel, too. There's humor and fun characters and goofiness (Hiro, anyone?). It's a bountiful comic goodness. If BG is your Watchmen, Heroes is your Ultimate X-Men. Each week is chock full of "damn, that was awesome!" moments that can't help by put a grin on my face.

Babylon 5 is an oldie, but, as they say, it's a goodie. I can see why people compare BG to it, as there's the same maturity present. While the acting isn't the awe-inspiring thespianism of BG, it's solid and convincing. It tells the story, and that's what B5 is about. It's one of the few shows -- especially from its time -- with an arc. While Star Trek was being decidedly episodic, B5 was exploring a vision worthy of Harlan Ellison. Sadly, iTunes has only the first season available, so it's to the store with me for the rest of this five season spectacular.