I’m obsessed with buying TV series on DVD because I like being able to sit down and watch many episodes back to back with no commercials. I love buying TV series on DVD and pretty much buy anything and everything – from Dawson’s Creek to Lost, Huff to Queer as Folk, and Commander in Chief to Once and Again. But these are the TV series I love the best, and the Top five (six!) I think are perfect for women.
5. Ally McBeal. Even though she’s scatter-brained and neurotic and half the time every woman I know wanted to slap her, Ally McBeal, (played by Callista Flockhart), was still an amazing character. David E. Kelley created a woman who was smart at the same time as she was weird, odd and, sometimes, downright insane (clinically insane, I mean). The cast of characters around her were equally loony and the whole TV series was a breath of fresh air. I’ve seen every episode of Ally McBeal on DVD at least three times. Apparently the first season isn’t available in the US on DVD though, because of music rights issues. In Thailand, where I live, every Ally McBeal season is available and I bought them as soon as they came out. If you are one of the few women who haven’t seen it, get it on DVD even if you have to buy the import version. It’s well worth it. Great music too.
4. Once and Again. I really liked this TV series starring Sela Ward and Billy Campbell. The two played divorcees in their late 30s who found it difficult to handle bringing up kids, running a business in his case and finding a good job in hers, and finding time to date. Sela Ward’s character Lily, did become a little too whiny for my taste in some episodes, but overall this really is a sweet little TV series. All three seasons of Once and Again are available on DVD in Thailand, whereas only the first two seasons are available in the US so far. ABC totally destroyed the viewership of this show when they kept changing the times it aired, then finally cancelled it after people stopped watching (no sh*t, Sherlock – they couldn’t find it to be able to watch it!) So many people still haven’t seen the third season, which I think was the best. For women in their 30s and 40s especially, this is a wonderful TV series as it really does show that life does get better both after 30 and after divorce. Look out for the third season on DVD as it should be released this year.
3. Six Feet Under. Probably the best TV series HBO has ever done. I rushed out to buy all the seasons as soon as they became available on DVD. It’s perfect for women as there are so many strong female characters in it. In fact, in most cases, the women are the strongest and the ones with the most direction and the men are the ones who are the most clueless. The last episode is one of the most satisfying last episodes of any TV series ever filmed. Buy all five Six Feet Under seasons on DVD, you won’t regret it.
2. Grey’s Anatomy. Okay, so this one is fluff, but it’s great fluff. Women love this show as there are so many handsome ‘doctors’. Dr. McDreamy alone is worth watching every episode for, and the drama is superb. You don’t really have to say much else about Grey’s Anatomy except it has beautiful women, gorgeous men, lots of drama and sex, sex, sex. The first three seasons of Grey’s Anatomy are currently available on DVD.
1. Gilmore Girls and The West Wing. Okay, so I’m cheating here, but I love both these two TV series on DVD so much, I just couldn’t choose.
The Gilmore Girls – The writing on this show is phenomenal. Smart, funny, and witty with an unbelievable amount of references to pop culture that many people won’t understand (on the DVDs there are explanations about the pop culture in specific episodes – great too watch), this show has everything. Lorelai Gilmore (played superbly by Lauren Graham) is bringing up her daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel) alone. The relationship they both have as mother and daughter is a relationship most mother’s wish they had. It’s easily the smartest TV show on DVD and needs to be watched over and over again. The acting is superb (especially in Lauren Graham’s case and she should have won an Emmy), the storylines are quirky and funny, and even the second tier characters are beautifully written and acted. All seven seasons of The Gilmore Girls are available on DVD.
The West Wing – My favorite show of all time and perfect for women, because who says women can’t watch smart shows? I was a political science major in college, so this show was up my alley but, even if you don’t know much about politics, The West Wing explains it to you while captivating you with the drama. All seven seasons of The West Wing are available on DVD. In this presidential election year, there is nothing that women should watch more because, with President Jed Bartlett, at least we can dream of a President worth having, even if we know deep down we’ll probably never get one.
There are many TV series on DVD and more coming out every month. These are the ones I think every woman should watch. They’ll educate you, they’ll make you laugh, make you cry and make you feel fuzzy and warm inside and, most of them, will also make you think. And, in this day and age, that’s not a bad thing.
