Televisionary Contest: Why Aren't I Watching...

Every now and then, a series comes along that I just don't feel a pressing need to tune in to. It's rare when it happens, and even more rare when it's a series that has connected with viewers and critics alike.

I've decided to change my tune, if and when someone presents me with a well-thought out, precise argument about why I *need* to be watching a particular series. To that end, I'm declaring an open contest: tell me what series I should be watching (that I'm currently not watching on a regular basis); I'll pick the top three cases and print them here at Televisionary.

This week, I'm taking an open stance on TNT's The Closer, ever since I received an impassioned plea from Televisionary reader Wendy S.:

"The thing about The Closer--for me anyway--was that the very first show grabbed me and my attention and has never let go since. And the cast is just one of the best ensembles (excluding premium cable) that I've seen in a very long while, with many unknowns and several outstanding character actors, especially J.K. Simmons who I think is a god.

The premise--that the interrogation skills of Kyra Sedgwick's character turn suspects into arrests in ways that others less skilled could never do--could be executed in a way that isn't all that compelling or feels tired. But she is so good (I am not one of those who shrinks from the show because of her accent) and so is the rest of the cast that once I settle in to watch, I find I rivet my eyes on the screen in case I miss some nuance. Sometimes I don't move for the whole hour. And I am a very restless person...

The secondary plots are just as interesting to me--how she wins over and leads her mostly-male squad to be better at what they do, her dealings with her superiors, her ambivalence about entering into a committed relationship with Fritz, her struggle with acting like an adult instead of reverting to child patterns in relation to her parents--it's just a bonanza of excellence and not-talking-down-to-the-audience that is not unlike it was with our beloved Veronica Mars. VM, The Closer and 30 Rock have for a long time been the three shows that I would not miss for anything. Since you love the other two, I was curious about why this show had no profile with you."

Okay, okay, Wendy. You've swayed me. I'll check out The Closer ASAP. (And you've already been automatically entered to win the prize below.)

So, I'm possibly opening the floodgates to any and all arguments for several series which I've ignored or lambasted over the past year and a half or so since I started this blog, but here goes. I will award an unnamed prize package from my stash o' swag and DVDs to the very best argument that I receive that changes my mind about a series not currently covered by Televisionary.

Email your pleas about why you think I should be watching a neglected series--in 300 words or less--to the email address in the sidebar by September 1st. You might just change the mind of this stubborn critic, after all.