Television

Because my family hasn't ever had good access to television (no cable, and bad reception of the main channels), I never really got into TV shows, and when I heard people talking about TV I managed to throw in a smug "I don't watch much TV" to justify not knowing what they were talking about and making myself look like I used my time more productively.

I did watch Lost, though, and occasionally American Idol, but beyond that my TV experience was limited. When Lost ended last year I was sure I was done with all television. I had tried to get into the Golden Globe/Emmy award winning Glee at one point, but when I really, really disliked most of the episodes I decided that television shows just weren't good.

Lost

Since then, though, in my endless hours spent whittling time away on the internet I've found myself returning to hulu every now and then, and I've discovered a few excellent television shows that I really enjoy.

Here are my favorites (realize that I'm only comparing shows that get put up on hulu, because if it doesn't then I don't have a way to watch it):

5. The Office
This is the one that got me hooked on the site initially, as I had seen and liked episodes in the past for some reason. It's supposedly a comedy, and might have been more of one in previous seasons, but I find the jokes upstaged by the show's repeated flirtation with sadness, obsession and unrequited love (which is not necessarily a bad thing).

4. Parks and Recreation
Very similar to The Office, but more consistently funny, and with more realistic, dynamic characters.

Parks and Recreation

3. Fringe
The only non-comedy on my list, this fantastical detective show has expanded into Lost-esque levels of scope and confusion.

2. Community
My favorite current show, Community is repeatedly hilarious and touching, often in the same moment.

1. Arrested Development
This one isn't currently being produced, as it was canceled after three seasons of low ratings. In its short lifespan it was an off-the-wall portrait of the dysfunctional Bluth "family" that I can only
compare to The Royal Tenenbaums, but it's less serious and less restrained, and filtered through rapid-fire, pun-peppered scriptwriting. Hulu currently only has season 3 available for viewing, but it rotates between the seasons every few months. (I've actually only seen seasons 2 and 3, but whenever they put up that first season I can guarantee I'll be all over that to see how things began).

Arrested Development

After taking a glance back at my new favorite television shows, I've discerned that the allure of TV is most definitely in the characters. You can keep coming back to them week after week and they'll be there, going through trials and struggles not always unlike your own. In the movies you're done with your new friends in like two hours.