Having recently got up to date with Game of Thrones, I am still a fully fledged member of the masses of people who are a bit obsessed with it. In fact, my two favourite series of all time are probably Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad which are the two least surprising and most obvious choices for someone my age. I can't help it, they're awesome. However, it did make me think, what are series I have loved but haven't really heard many other people talk about? Here's what I came up with:
#5 - Nathan for You.
Nathan for you is a comedy series about a person who 'helps' struggling businesses by coming up with marketing schemes for them. The ideas are ludicrous and (I think) that not everyone else is in on the joke. It is hilarious watching people awkwardly agree to try these ideas, driven by Nathan's apparent sincerity. The reactions remind me a bit of those from 'Da Ali G Show' from years before and are just as funny.
#4 - Roots (2016 remake).
Probably the most well known series on this list. Roots was an epic, beautifully shot and perfectly acted remake that I didn't hear that many people talking about. The scope of it is huge as it follows generations of the same family, telling their personal history as well as the historical events surrounding their fight against such extreme inequality. Possibly suffered by only being on BBC Four but well worth a watch.
#3 - On Death Row.
After watching 'Making a Murderer' I went through a brief phase of being a bit obsessed over programs about the American justice system. The best of which was a film called 'Dear Zachary' which everybody should watch. However, I also really enjoyed 'On Death Row' which was made by the incredible Werner Herzog. The thing I really liked about it was Herzog's interview technique which I feel gets very interesting results from the people he speaks to.
#2 - The Incredible Human Journey.
This is probably my favourite documentary series of all time. Largely because when I first watched it, it taught me so much I didn't know about the early history of mankind. It explains the theory that humans started in Africa before eventually spreading out over the rest of the world. However, that description doesn't do it justice as it actually teaches so much more than that. I know that it helped to open up my own mind about how I view our connection to each other as humans and I am sure it could do the same for others.
#1 - The Street.
The Street is an incredible series by Jimmy McGovern. Simply put, it tells the individual stories of people living on a street. Each episode tells a different story and, therefore, can be watched and enjoyed in any order. My personal favourite is episode 5 of series 3 which tells the story of a man finding out he is the father to a 16-year-old son. Each episode is superbly made and tells an interesting and completely believable story. Not one that I hear people talk about very often but well worth giving some time to.
I'm sure you will have watched some of these but hopefully it gives at least one new series you could give a go. What hidden gem of a series would you recommend?
