Ashley's Top Ten TV Drama Shows

In high school I watched TV a lot when I had homework done, chores done, and on my own free time. Here are ten of the shows I watched in the last years of high school and the years after. (I graduated 2000). I will go over House, Law and Order SVU, CSI, Ghost Whisperer, NCIS, Lost, ER, Medium, Veronica Mars, and Scrubs. Each section for each show does have it's own length in giving the title, when it aired, who created it, the casts the plot, and my point of view including ratings provided by www.tv.com. Two shows have a behind the show information.

1. House, M.D. : First aired November 16, 2004 and is still currently running. It is classified as a medical drama, mystery, and comedy drama. The show was created by David Shore with a strong cast consisting of actors/actresses Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard, Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer, Peter Jacobson, Olivia Wilde, and Kal Penn. It's opening theme "Teardrop" is performed by Massive Attack.
The plot for this shows is: "The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie), an unconventional, maverick medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton‑Plainsboro Teaching Hospital (PPTH) in New Jersey. The character has similarities to Sherlock Holmes: both are forensic geniuses, musicians, drug users, aloof, and largely friendless. . . Dr. House often clashes with his boss, hospital administrator and Dean of Medicine Dr. Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein), and his diagnostic team, because many of his hypotheses about patients' illnesses are based on subtle or controversial insights. House's only true friend is Dr. James Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard), head of the Department of Oncology." -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_(TV_series)
I really like this show. Mostly because it is very Sherlock Holms and I have read many of the books of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries through out high school into now. I like the fact that even with some diagnosis's offered to the character patients may either easy spotted by a trained professionals without a long process as offered in the show, it creates this whole way of making the audience think. Even though some of the definitions of diseases and conditions in the character patients may not be entirely accurate. I'm sure that some medical investigation goes into the shows various plots and that some prognoses' are well in their intent. Still, the show brings a mystery feel to drama. And that's why audiences are hooked on the show. Whether or not they having any medical knowledge of one or more of the many diseases and conditions mentioned. The show scores a 9.2 rating based on 31,485 votes found on www.tv.com

2. Law and Order - SVU : First aired September 1999 and currently running. It is classified as a Police Procedural Legal Drama. The show was created by Dick Wolf with a cast consisting of Christopher Meloni, Mariska Hargitay, Richard Belzer, Ice-T, Stephanie March, B.D. Wong, Tamara Tunie, and Dann Florek.
The plot for this show is: "Like the other member shows of the Law and Order franchise, many Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episodes are clear references to high-profile real-life cases (or notable fictional works), and are based on thinly veiled dramatizations of these actual events, though the particulars and outcome may end up to be quite different. In addition to referencing real-life cases, episodes reference real-life popular culture and political issues." -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_and_Order:_Special_Victims_Unit#Storylines
This show I used to watch with my step-father. I don't find it as interesting without watching it with him Which I can't because we a state apart from each other, now. The show is driven by it's cast of characters. The cases always seem to effect their personal lives and their lives intertwine with each others. So, you get the storyline of both legal and personal in the show. Not that it's the personal that I go for. It's mostly the cases that come up. Some storylines may be off key in parallel in it's real life scenarios but in other cases the facts can be very close to the truth in the matter of particular cases. I don't imagine though that it's the personal lives of the characters that gets the audiences attention. Since we, as a species, have a natural interest in the personal lives of others. Whether or not we know it or not and whether or not we admit to the fact. My personal favorite episode was when a mother was found guilty of shaking her young baby girl when one night she had a date at the house and didn't know how to deal with her daughter, whom she never really saw because of her work schedule, when she cried for her mom. The episode brought me to tears and had me feeling sad for the daughter who didn't have any other way of expressing herself to her mother and angry at the mother because she should have been there more for her daughter enough to know how to handle the situation in a more controlled manner. Then again, in having kids and having to deal with the way that certain people have treated them in the past, I get really defensive on subjects involving children of all ages. (In fact I'm wanting to cry just talking about the episode.) It's the truth and you can be prosecuted harshly if found guilty. The show scores an 8.9 based on 3,811 votes on www.tv.com

3. CSI: First aired October 6, 2000 and is currently running. Classified as Police Procedural Drama. Created by Anthony E. Zuiker with a cast starring Laurence Fishburne, Marg Helgenberger, George Eads, Eric Szmanda, Robert David Hall, Wallace Langham, Liz Vassey, David Berman and Paul Guilfoyle.
The plot for this show: "The series follows Las Vegas criminologists as they use physical evidence to solve grisly murders in this unusually graphic (and hugely popular) drama, which has inspired a host of other cop-show 'procedurals' . . . the series mixes deduction, gritty subject matter and popular characters. . ."
Another show I watched with my step-father. The technical procedures of investigating a crime scene had me interested in the show and I'd say the same for audience members. It's not just the crime and storylines of the cast that get your attention, for fact that they always go hand-in-hand with what is going on. Not all procedures are done as they are don't in real life as done on TV. And some procedures are not yet as well developed or even used in real crime scene investigations. But still, with a more modern twist on investigation that Sherlock Holmes would have done. I'm sure his character would have been fascinated by what goes into catching the bad guy. The shows rates at 9.1 based on 19,852 votes on www.tv.com

4. Ghost Whisperer: First aired September 23, 2005 to current. Classified as supernatural-thriller-fantasy-procedural drama created by John Gray, starring the talented cast: Jennifer Love Hewitt, David Conrad, Alsha Tyler (2005-2006), Jay Mohr (2006-2008) Camryn Mannelm (2006-present) Christoph Sanders (2008-present), and Jamie Kennedy (2008-present).
The plot for this show: "The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt), who has the ability to see and communicate with the dead. While trying to live as normal a life as possible, Melinda helps them pass over to the other side by working as a paranormal investigator, sometimes dealing with people who push her away, and disbelieve her ability." (provided by www.variety.com/profiles/TVseries/synopsis/173242/Ghost+Whistperer.Html?dataSet=1 found on en.wikipedia.org)
I was very into this show up until two years ago. I'm not sure why I lost interest. The episodes were well written though with the overtone of the level of ability that the main character has can be marked as stretching the truth in point of view of the people I've met in my life who genuinely have the gifts as stated in the show. I can see what they mean. I do think that such gifts can be part of a person, but I don't completely agree that as a species we've obtained YET the extent to which we are capable in having such gifts. But as for entertainment, it has been a long time fantasy of humans to be able to withhold insights of such matters. And the situations that we can come up with that make the gift more remarkable give more power to the storyline and plot. We are entertained (even myself) at the thought of being able to walk around everyday and being able to speak to those who are physically there. But in many retrospect's, despite the fact that I DO believe some to have the ability to some degree, it is looked upon as a possible mental disillusionment. And I better stop there on the critical part of it all (though I'm only in reality partially critical) I don't want to turn this into a "paper" of sorts.
The one episode I found to be very heart warming and not too far fetched is when an adopted son died just after telling his parents that he wanted to find his biological mother. He never met her physically but found her in death and what made the episode so interesting was that the mother almost denied having a son due to the fact that at the time that he had been born, she didn't feel ready for kids and gave him up to people that could take better care of him. What she didn't realize was that her later child, her daughter< felt that something wasn't right and started to get along with her mother better after learning she had a brother whom she never met and would never meet. She herself was pregnant and her mom really seemed to avoid the issue. Mostly because her daughter was the same age as she had been when giving up her first son. It really makes you think. You can do something in your past that you think will never effect your future, that you'll never have to bring up or face ever again, only to find out that it is part of you. It is part of your life and your family. And that not sharing it could eternally damage relationships with those you love. This show received stars based on 6,813 votes on www.tv.com

5. NCIS: First Aired September 23, 2003 and currently running. Classified as a police procedural drama, created by Donald P. Ballasarrio, and Don McGill. Cast includes: Mark Harmon, Micheal, Weatherly, Cote de Pablo (2005-present), Pauley Perrette, Sean Murray (2004-present), Rocky Carroll (2008-present) David MoCallum, Sasha Alexander (2003-2005), and Lauren Holly (2005-2008).
Plot For the show is: ". . .a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps."
You may be thinking, "Oh, another show she watched with her step-father. . ." Well, I can't help that, as it was a way me and him bonded. Watching criminal investigation shows and documentaries about wars and battleships and such. I much more enjoy these shows with him. So, no, I haven't watched much in two years. As with many of the shows I watched with my step-father. The episode that stands out for me . . .
The shows receives a 9.1 star rating based on 12,032 votes provided by www.tv.com

6. Lost: First premiered September 22, 2004 and currently running. Classified as an adventure-fantasy- science fiction dramatic thriller. Created by Jeffery Lieber, J.J. Adams, and Damon Lindelof. Consisting of the large cast of Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Naveen Andrews, Nestor Carbonell, Henry Ian Cusick, Jeremy Davies, Emilie de Ravin, Michael Emerson, Jeff Fahey, Matthew Fox, Jorge Garcia, Maggie Grace, Josh Holloway, Malcolm David Kelley, Daniel Dae Kim, Yunjin Kim, Ken Leung, Evangeline Lilly, Rebecca Mader, Elizabeth Mitchell, Dominic Monaghan, Terry O'Quinn, Harold Perrineau, Zuleikha Robinson, Michelle Rodriguez
Kiele Sanchez, Rodrigo Santoro, Ian Somerhalder, and Cynthia Watros. That's a mouthful.
The plot was: "It follows the lives of plane crash survivors on a mysterious tropical island, after a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney, Australia, and Los Angeles, United States, crashes somewhere in the South Pacific. Each episode typically features a primary storyline on the island as well as a secondary storyline from another point in a character's life, though other time-related plot devices change this formula in later episodes."
I was very into this show for short while but lost interest because for me it just seemed to drag on and on. But, I still liked one of the actors (and still do) Dominic Monoghan. Not to veer away from the subject but I've followed his acting career since he worked in England.
Aside from that, the episode where they find a underground type bunker was interesting. Only those who initially found it knew it existed. They didn't want to tell anyone else because they felt that if they told everyone, the chances of survival wouldn't be as great for them. Food and such had been stored in this bunker deal and I know that eventually the rest of the survivors found out about it. How could you not notice that food would mysteriously appear out of nowhere with no honest explanation for how it came into being. Also, the episode where one of the survivors had her baby in the jungle setting was something that I think would terrify any new mother. Not just for medical reasons but for safety. With everyone pretty much set out for their own means to not die until found and not caring truly for the well being of another, would have one worried about whether or not they'd survive long enough to give the baby a chance to live in a more modern setting. Away from hostile environment. This show has a 9.1 star rating based on 42,875 votes.

7. ER: Premier airing was September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. Classified as a medical drama. The creators for this long running, award winning (23 awards with 123 nominations), and life saving show was (is) the infamous Michael Chrichton. The creator, also known for his many other works that have made it to television and big screen not only creates a great story but really gets into the facts. Not much is left to the imagination in the medical practices seen on the show. As Mr. Chrichton does research for all that he writes. In order to bring truth to his audience and fans. The cast included (some on and off again) Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Sherry Stringfield, Noah Wyle
Eriq La Salle, Julianna Margulies, Gloria Reuben, Laura Innes, Maria Bello, Alex Kingston, Kellie Martin, Paul McCrane, Goran Visnjic, Michael Michele, Erik Palladino, Ming-Na, Maura Tierney, Sharif Atkins, Mekhi Phifer, Parminder Nagra, Linda Cardellini, Shane West, Scott Grimes, John Stamos, David Lyons, and Angela Bassett.
The story behind this show: "In 1974, author Michael Crichton wrote a screenplay based on his own experiences as a medical resident in a busy hospital emergency room. The screenplay went nowhere, and Crichton focused on other topics. The Crichton-Spielberg team then returned to ER but decided to film the story as a two-hour pilot for a television series rather than as a feature film. Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment provided John Wells as the show's executive producer. The script used to shoot the pilot was virtually unchanged from what Crichton had written in 1974. The only substantive changes made by the producers in 1994 made the Susan Lewis character a woman and the Peter Benton character an African-American, and shortened the running time by about 20 minutes in order for the pilot to air in a two-hour block on network TV. Due to a lack of time and money to build a set, the pilot episode of ER was filmed in the former Linda Vista Community Hospital in Los Angeles, an old facility that ceased operating as a medical center in 1990." (information provided by ^ Jacobs, Jason (2003). Body Trauma TV: The New Hospital Dramas (illustrated ed.). British Film Institute. pp. 24. ISBN 0851708803. ^ Richard, Zoglin; Smilgis, Martha (1994-10-31). "Television: Angels with Dirty Faces". Time. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981691-2,00.html. Retrieved 2009-10-17. ^ Keenleyside, Sam (1998). Bedside manners: George Clooney and ER (llustrated ed.). ECW Press. pp. 129. ISBN 1550223364. ^ Crichton, Michael (Creator). (2004-02-24). ER: The Complete First Season. [DVD]. Warner Bros.. ^ "Linda Vista Hospital". The Center for Land Use Interpretation. http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/CA6083/#. Retrieved 2009-06-28. And found on en.wikipedia.org)
The plot for this show: "Michael Crichton has created a medical drama that chronicles life and death in a Chicago hospital emergency room. Each episode tells the tale of another day in the ER, from the exciting to the mundane, and the joyous to the heart-rending. Frenetic pacing, interwoven plot lines, and emotional rollercoastering is used to attempt to accurately depict the stressful environment found there. This show even portrays the plight of medical students in their quest to become physicians." written by Tad Dibbern {DIBBERN_D@a1.mscf.upenn.edu} of www.imdb.com
I love, love, love this show. I hate it when people would remark that it was just the same-old-same-old each episode. They really weren't looking at the whole picture. The cast literally had to learn in-life0 terminology for the show. Even the pronunciation had to be correct and, yes, there was a medical terminologist on set to provide services. The creator and editors of the storylines had to make sure that they could for the most part explain what was going on without dulling the audience. Sure, the personal lives of the characters brought us into the storyline, but I'm more fascinated by what one can really learn from watching the show. I even suggested it to my mom when she was taking medical transcription classes. The show did in fact save lives. One in particular was a woman who had been watching the show one night where Dr. Green's tumor had come back and one of his fellow physicians noticed the difference in his behavior. This struck a chord in the audience member and she went to have herself examined because she was experiencing similar symptoms. Sure enough, she had the same tumor mentioned in the show. Luckily, she was diagnosed early enough to be treated and survived and fatal consequences that may have come of her. Unfortunately, Dr. Green later died at his beach home from the tumor. An episode that I will lever forget. He was one of my favorite characters and it was sad to see the character take a permanent leave of the show. I really did cry when it happened. A variation of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" was playing. I forget who sings that version but it still gets me.
The other episode that I loved was when Ray Liotta made a one time appearance as a man who just got out of prison and was on his way home to try to make amends with his son. I don't recall what he had but in the show he never got to see his son again and when trying to make amends over the phone, his son denied him and Ray's characters died sad but with happy memories of his son as a child. Ray is such a good actor. The show rates 8.9 stars based on 8,005 votes.

8. Medium: Original air, January 3, 2005 to present. Classified as a supernatural-mystery-thriller procedural drama created by Glenn Goroon Caron with cast: Patricia Arquette, Miguel Sandoval, Sofia Vassillieva, Maria Lark, Jake Weber, Davis Cubitt, and Miranda Carabello.
Behind the show: Many people don't realize that the show is based on the abilities of real-life Allison DuBois. Not all episode are from her actual experiences but a lot are. I found on en.wikipedia.org more information on the one women I do give much appraise to. ""Every episode is not a biography of my life, it is simply based on my life experiences. It is an accurate portrayal of my life and the people who share it with a little Hollywood magic thrown in," DuBois has said. She does state in both her book and in the January 3, 2005 edition of Sci Fi Weekly that the program closely resembles the truth of her own life. Several details of Arquette's character match DuBois's life, such as the name of her husband on the show (Joe) and the fact that he is an aerospace engineer. Both the character and the real-life Dubois have three daughters, and the first case the character "consults" on in the show's pilot is with the Texas Rangers, the law enforcement agency with whom the real-life DuBois alleges she first worked." (information provided by ^ a b c Allison DuBois at about.com ^ a b Patricia Arquette channels real-life psychic Allison Dubois-and the dead-in NBC's Medium and found on en.wikipedia.org)
The plot of the show: Well, just knowing a bit about the real life person is enough to give you an idea of the shows plot. But just for you people who like to know anyway, "Allison DuBois (Patricia Arquette) is a strong-willed mother of three, a devoted wife and law student who has had the gift of being able to talk to dead people, as well as foresee events, and witness past events in her dreams. When she begins working for the Phoenix District Attorney, Devalos, she has a dream which relates to a murder in Texas, which convinces her boss and others working in the DA's office that her gift is real . . .The real challenge is initially convincing her boss, D.A. Devalos (Miguel Sandoval) - and subsequently the other doubters in the criminal justice system - that her psychic abilities can give them the upper hand when it comes to solving violent and horrifying crimes, whose mysteries often reside with those who lie beyond the grave. Information on certain people or crimes come to her in dreams or in cryptic visions which often do not mean what they initially suggest." (en.wikipedia.org)
I don't think I really have to explain why I love this show and haven't missed too many episodes. I don't really have a favorite episode in particular. They are all very good in my point of view and each one makes a statement about daily life and what it is that we may not see but is clearly there. Just buying a car can have a serious history that we don't know about and the fact that Allison in one episode describes vehicles as "rolling time bombs" because you can never tell what's going to happen with them. The real Mrs. DuBois does narrate some of the episodes and does collaborate when she can. I've known who she is for a while as she's made appearances on the Oprah Winfery show and part of the mob on '1 vs. 100'. No, she didn't out-smart 'The One' but she is very quick to admit that she doesn't always know everything and that she can be wrong. That's a honest medium if you ask me. I dislike the ones that can't get past themselves once they find themselves in the media. (I.e. Sylvia Brown, who's too inaccurate for my tastes.) One thing I also like about Allison, both the character and the real person, is that she doesn't have just one set of gifts or one gift for that matter to rely upon as most people I've encountered or seen on TV who are self-proclaimed mediums. She has many and they all come out at their own times. Other than the dreams which is her strongest asset. Those who say, "Oh, I can tell the future." but don't have more than one way to tell anything and are 50% or more of the time wrong, are that impressive to me. May I mention the girl Heathyr from TV's new show Ghost Hunters Academy. She kept repeating how atuned she was to the emotions of spirits and how much of a medium she was. I didn't find that her "gift" helped out much and it was very annoying that she had to mention every time that she was on camera about how psychic she was. At least in the show (and I'm sure in real life) Allison for the most part kept to her self most of the time. The show rates 8.9 based on 5,800 votes on www.tv.com

9. Veronica Mars: First aired September 22, 2004 (2004-09-22) - May 22, 2007. Classified as a mystery-noir-comedy teen drama. Created by Rob Thomas (the writer not the singer) with the cast Kristen Bell, Percy Daggs III, Teddy Dunn, Jason Dohring, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Francis Capra, Ryan Hansen, Kyle Gallner, Tessa Thompson, Julie Gonzalo, Chris Lowell, Tina Majorino, Michael Muhney, and Enrico Colantoni.
The plot for the show: "The series is set in the fictional town of Neptune, California, and stars Kristen Bell as the title character, a student who progresses from high school to college while moonlighting as a private investigator under the tutelage of her detective father. In each episode, Veronica solves a different stand-alone case while working to solve a more complex mystery." One that involved the night she thinks she was raped and the murder of her best friend.
I liked the first season. I was wanting to know all the information that the character Veronica had on both who may have raped her (she had no memory of the event) and her murdered her best friend. She'd gone from a high class student with many, many friends and a steady boyfriend. She was top of the school But when everything changed with sex and murder and the sudden disappearance of her mother, she became just another joke to the student body. I found it a way to relate to the character in some ways. Having to deal with bullying and gossip. Something she once did and learned what it felt like. The show really put the main character through a series of growing up scenarios. Take for instance, having to choose between her past boyfriend (accused of her rape) and a later boyfriend that she would later have many dealings with involving drugs and such.
It was the end of the first season that you find out the truth of everything. Which then had me feeling, "Why, should I watch the next season?" I watched a few episodes up until Jonathon Taylor Thomas makes an appearance (I didn't recognize him). The show rates 9.1 based on 11,901 votes.

10. Scrubs: Premiering October 2, 2001. Created by Bill Lawrence. Classified as a comedy drama. The cast includes: Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke (2001-2009), Donald Faison, Neil Flynn (2001-2009), Ken Jenkins, John C., McGinley, Judy Reyes (2001-2009), Eliza Coupe (2009-present), Kerry Bishé (2009-present), Michael Mosley (2009-present), and Dave Franco (2009-present).
The plot of this show: "In the unreal world of Sacred Heart Hospital, intern John "J.D" Dorian learns the ways of medicine, friendship and life," (www.imdb.com)
I really go for the humor in this show. I can't say whether or not any medical terms or practices are accurate on any level. The show more follows the personal lives of the characters around with the main character narrating and commenting on all of it. Sometimes it makes me wonder what my step-sisters life as a 3rd-year medical student (I'm guessing the year) is like around the ER in Arizona. That's really all I got to say about the show. My favorite episode is with Michael J. Fox appearing as a doctor with OCD but with a very clear knowledge of medicine and diagnosis'. You feel for this temporary character. I imagine it would be hard having OCD and practicing medicine. The show gets 9.1 stars based on 20,440 votes.