There are hundreds of scripted television series, and with cable channels, streaming
services, and even tech companies like Facebook and Apple creating their own original programming,
the list of TV options is only getting more crowded.
Network TV might not be the trendiest destination these days, but after all these decades, they
still know what they're doing.
In fact, the networks still produce consistently impressive content, even if much of it seems
to get lost in the shuffle.
Here are some of the best network TV shows that nobody's talking about.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
If you stopped watching ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. after its first season, it's high time to
get back on board.
The Marvel series resurrects the character Phil Coulson to lead a team of S.H.I.E.L.D.
agents who have to deal with an array of small-screen villains.
The show has been able to pick up some of the weirder and more obscure corners of Marvel
Comics that are passed over in the films, making it a great series for fans of the comics
— and its fun plotting and likable characters make it worth a watch even for people who
aren't comic book readers.
"Did you just give me a compliment?"
The show's sixth season is set to return in the summer of 2019, after the release of Avengers
4, giving viewers who haven't seen the series plenty of time to catch up on this hidden
gem.
Fresh Off the Boat
ABC has some major hits in their family comedy block.
In addition to the highly acclaimed sitcoms Modern Family and Black-ish, the network's
best household may be in the delightful 1990s-set sitcom Fresh Off the Boat.
The show stars the always brilliant Constance Wu as an uptight Taiwanese immigrant raising
three boys in Orlando, Florida.
Recent seasons have flown largely under the radar, but with one of the best casts in comedy
television, Fresh Off the Boat remains must-see TV.
Good Girls
Men have gotten their fair share of TV anti-heroes, but women finally got theirs in NBC's Good
Girls.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is a robbery."
The crime drama series centers around three moms who get in over their heads after robbing
a local grocery store.
The cast is brilliant, and the many plot twists keep the show moving at a swift pace.
Good Girls was met with moderate reviews from critics at the start, but continued to improve
throughout its run, eventually earning an "A" rating from Entertainment Weekly for its
season one finale.
It's hard to predict where the show will go next, which makes it exactly the kind of fun,
soapy ride you want to get on.
Speechless
It's not easy to successfully combine heart and humor, but that's precisely what the ABC
sitcom Speechless has done.
The series follows a family whose oldest son has cerebral palsy, leaving him, as the show's
title suggests, speechless.
Critics have noted that the show's handling of the character's disability is impressive,
with an IndieWire review saying,
"[The show is] actively anti-tokenism [and] exemplifies simple human decency without emphasizing
it."
With a talented cast led by Minnie Driver as the family's matriarch, Speechless is a
comedy gem you don't want to miss.
Superstore
There are a lot of workplace comedies, so it's easy for some to get lost in the shuffle,
but NBC's Superstore definitely deserves a closer look.
The show stars Golden Globe winner America Ferrera as an employee at the fictional superstore
Cloud 9.
Despite the familiarity of its premise, Superstore has been consistently funny throughout its
run, and boasts a diverse, hilarious cast.
The series may not have the biggest star power, but it's one of the most reliable comedies
on TV when you really need a laugh.
"This is amazing."
"Yeah, I'm generally a cynic, but this… wow."
Trial and Error
The courtroom is always ripe for drama, but it hasn't inspired many modern comedy series.
NBC filled that hole with their legal anthology mockumentary Trial and Error, which features
a young lawyer and an assistant district attorney who try New York's toughest cases.
Aside from the show's ability to recruit big stars, it's also earned positive reviews from
critics.
"Is this something people have been talking about?"
"Well…"
With a wacky sense of humor, Trial and Error often gets much more bizarre than its premise
would suggest, making each episode a hilarious comedic surprise.
iZombie
Comic book properties may be all the rage, but most viewers are sleeping on one of the
best comic book adaptations on TV.
The CW's iZombie is a smart, funny, and quick-witted adaptation of the Vertigo series of the same
name.
In the iZombie universe, eating someone's brains gives you a hint about how they passed
away, and medical examiner Liv, who happens to be a zombie, uses her skill to assist the
Seattle Police Department in solving their most difficult cases.
iZombie's procedural elements are a consistent delight, but what has made the series truly
great is the expansion of its world.
Balancing week-to-week storylines with season-long storylines, the show boasts compelling characters
and fun romance.
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