See that screen over there? No, not that one that you spend all day every day staring into; writing blogs, surfing the web or playing games on; the other one. You may be thinking, “Why would I be interested in that old passive box? What could it possibly offer me, when I could be spending my time arguing about why my arbitrarily selected mobile system is better than some guy’s in Argentina?”
Well, we are here to tell you that you are wrong. No, not about your arbitrarily selected mobile system. About the television. It is actually a portal to great experiences, many of which are either tailored for, or just happen to be very suitable for, those of us with a persuasion for the geeky. So, to get you started, here are five TV shows (in no particular order) that you may or may not have seen and will probably enjoy.
#5: Arrow
Oliver Queen is a spoiled rich kid who goes through life not caring about anybody or anything but himself and where his next slice of excitement is coming from. Perfectly content to party with his friends and cheat on his girlfriend with (amongst others) her own sister, he thinks that his entire life is set in stone. However this all changes when he is lost at sea and forced to survive on a mysterious island for five years. Upon being rescued, he vows to use his new skills to clean up his city, when he learns that his family is partially responsible for its condition.
Based on the Green Arrow series of comics by DC, Arrow is an action packed mix of Batman and Robin Hood that is sure to please superhero fans. Keeping itself grounded somewhat in reality does it service and flashbacks to what happened whilst Oliver was on the island mixes things up nicely.
#4: 24
Jack Bauer is usually a sweet, romantic and loving family man. However when America is in danger, he develops super-powers and becomes an unstoppable force for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Probably the most well known title in this list, 24 follows the adventures of the Los Angeles Counter-Terrorism Unit, and takes place in real(ish)-time over the course of, well, 24 hours. Covering some fairly controversial topics such as nuclear and biological weapons, advanced interrogation techniques (that’s torture to you and I) and government conspiracy; much of 24’s appeal comes from its race against time action and dark subject matter. Dripping with tons of lovely, geeky technology and currently on its ninth series, there’s a lot to enjoy in this action blockbuster.
#3: Black Sails
Everyone loves pirates, right? Not real pirates of course, rather the heavily romanticized versions a la Jack Sparrow and his ilk? Well, in case you are tired of the campy versions put forward by Disney’s blockbuster franchise, Black Sails is on hand to provide a slightly more gritty and realistic group of pirates of the Caribbean.
Serving as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, Black Sails follows the adventures of Captain James Flint as he searches for the Spanish treasure galleon, the Urca de Lima. The well-read amongst you will know that it is Captain Flint’s treasure that Long John Silver and his crew are searching for in Treasure Island and you will find lots of characters and references from those pages in Black Sails.
Also featuring a number of real-life (albeit heavily fictionalized) pirates such as: Charles Vane, Calico Jack, Anne Bonnie and Benjamin Hornigold, and set on the beautiful island of Nassau, this adventure does for pirate lore what Game of Thrones did for Tolkeinesque fantasy.
#2: Firefly
After the enormous success of his magnum opus, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Joss Whedon had given himself a very tough act to follow. Never one to fear straying outside of his comfort zone however, he decided that his next adventure would leave the terrestrial concerns of Sunnydale behind and venture in the deep black unknown of space.
Part science-fiction and part spaghetti Western, Firefly chronicles the adventures of Captain Mal and his rag-tag bunch of misfits as they travel the galaxy, taking odd jobs, whilst evading various warring factions and the government agents that are out to get them.
Featuring plenty of Joss Whedon’s trademark dialogue, firefly is a fun and fulfilling show. That is until it ends abruptly on the fourteenth episode of its very first series. See, at the time, Fox was throwing so many shows at the public, just to see what stuck, that viewing figures for each dropped significantly and dozens of shows were cancelled after a handful of episodes. Luckily Joss was able to make the film Serenity to wrap it all up, but online petitions abound (including a campaign from star Nathen Fillion), to see it return.
#1: Black Mirror
The so-called Black Mirror refers to the mobile phone and tablet screens that modern humans spend much of their time engrossed in, and UK satirist Charlie Brooker’s sideways look at modern life is a must watch for both technophiles and technophobes alike. Each standalone episode takes a leap as to where various elements of our dependence on technology may end up if taken to their absolute extreme.
Presently standing at six episodes and a Christmas special, it will not take you too long to see all that Black Mirror has to offer. At once clever, funny and very very dark, the Black Mirror is one worth staring into. Although you may not like what you see.
So, there you have it. If you are a bit of a geek, you should be able to find something to enjoy in the list above. Whether you like sci-fi, adventure, action or something a bit more cerebral, check them out and let us know what you think in the comments below. Also let us know what your favorite shows are and why you think that geeks around the world should be watching them.
Other shows definitely worth mentioning:
1. Sherlock
2. The IT Crowd
3. Battlestar Galactica
4. Chuck
5. Doctor Who
6. The Big Bang Theory
Okay, so we KNOW that you have your own favorites. Now’s the time to talk about the shows we listed, or tell us about your favorite show that isn’t in our list. (how could we have missed it!)
John Waldron
John Waldron is a writer with markITwrite who regularly writes on lifestyle and technology. He has a First-Class Honours Degree in English with Creative Writing and an MA in Professional Writing from University College Falmouth, Cornwall.