FX TV Keeps Producing Fabulous Dramas Every Week: Dirt and the Riches

Every week FX Television sends original, cutting edge dramas into the living rooms of those of us lucky enough to have cable TV. If it's Tuesday at 10 p.m., there must be an outrageously bold, one hour drama put out by the FX network. These shows are meant for adults and not for impressionable children. The language is a bit saucy, and perhaps shocking. FX just keeps churning out excellent television viewing. If you're tired of reality TV give Fox a try on Tuesdays.

"The Shield" has been on for a few years. It is a tough show about tough cops in Los Angeles. These law enforcement agents sometimes break the laws to catch the evil bad guys out there. It's a view of the raw, street wise, Los Angeles underworld. Hard hitting cops doing a thankless job. "The Shield" is certainly not your average boring cops and robbers TV show.

Another strange yet fascinating FX TV show is "Nip Tuck". This show takes place in the upscale world of wealthy people in Miami. The show is about the strange duo of friends that practice Plastic Surgery. You could describe it as a Miami Vice with doctors. These guys are not what you would expect from your average doctor. Some gruesomely realistic scenes of plastic surgeries are shown to add realism. "Nip Tuck" is not for the squeamish.

Firemen are featured in the drama "Rescue Me". This show takes place in a New York city firehouse. It shows how heroic our firemen really are. These men risk their lives daily and unselfishly to protect the residents in their area. It also shows the private lives of these men and women both good and bad. This show has both tragedy and strange, funny humor. The writing is great. Some episodes make you laugh and cry. "Rescue Me" is a gem.

We all are familiar with the glamour and the stalking paparazzi of celebrities in Hollywood. FX has a show called "Dirt" that shows the flaws of these celebrities that we so adore. "Dirt" is about a tabloid newspaper, and the stories and people that they rabidly pursue. There is a crazy photographer who steals the show. This character will go to any lengths to get the picture necessary. In one episode, he actually had his thumb severed so that he could go to a hospital where a famous celebrity had been admitted. He got the picture for the scandal sheet and had his thumb reattached. Maybe the show is over the top. You be the judge.

The latest show on FX TV is called "The Riches". This show's first episode showed a Gypsy family on their way to get mom, who had been imprisoned for the past two years. The lead character is a crafty and charming hustler who decides to break from the Gypsy life of cons and schemes to make a buck. After witnessing a tragic accident they get the keys ,identity, and home of a wealthy couple who perished on the highway. The family is going to impersonate this couple. Now, FX is going after the Monday timeslot. If the first episode of "The Riches" is any indication, they may pull it off with this interesting, well-written show.

Aren't you bored with some of the lame drivel that the major networks are throwing at us? If so, you might want to try FX TV on cable on Monday and Tuesday night. One thing, you can be assured of is that it won't be boring. The writing is superb, and the characters are unique.