Roar was a little oddity that at the time seemed like a simple fantasy, but in hindsight is all the more interesting because it featured one of the first high profile performances by actor Heath Ledger. Sword fights, magic, and mythology were blended into an interesting tapestry that might have been disastrous in the hands of lesser producers, but Roar benefited from the guiding hands of Shaun Cassidy and Ron Koslow. It didn't last long, but it was memorable, especially the subplot with Longinus, the eternally cursed Roman centurion whose spear pierced the side of the crucified Jesus.
Life on Mars was a fantastic little gem. Even though it was based on a terrific British series, it managed to develop an American identity of its own. Jason O'Mara (who will next be seen in Steven Spielberg's Terra Nova) was perfect in the lead role of a modern day detective who mysteriously finds himself in the 1970s. The show was quirky, exciting, full of drama with lots of moments of humor as well. It's a shame it didn't last beyond the first season in the U.S.
The 4400 was one of those shows that my wife and I both enjoyed and eagerly anticipated each new episode. Overshadowed by movies like The X-Men and later TV shows like Heroes, its multi-cast premise about thousands of people who vanish only to return with spectacular powers had the potential to go in so many different storytelling directions, and for the most part the writers managed to keep things interesting. Although it never gained mainstream popularity on the level of other speculative fiction shows, such as Lost, it did gain a cult following, and I was disappointed when it eventually came to an end.
The Mole was a reality television series that seemed different from the rest, allowing the audience to guess along with the contestants to find out who among the competitors was a saboteur. My wife especially seemed to get caught up in the clues and guesswork. It didn't hurt that Anderson Cooper was the excellent host. I enjoyed the celebrity editions too, and still hope it will return someday.
Robot Chicken is the kind of show that some people never heard of, but others, like me, absolutely love. Short and sweet, its fifteen minute episodes are jam-packed with hilarious machine-gun-fire skits, all rendered in stop-motion claymation. The brainchild of Seth Green, the jokes are perfectly suited for my geeky, pop culture mentality.
My So-Called Life earned critical praise and a strong cult following, but I include it in this list because it never achieved strong ratings. In my opinion, it should have survived for at least a few more seasons, but, alas, it died too soon, like so many other good shows. The characters played by Claire Danes, Jared Leto, Wilson Cruz, Devon Gummersall, A.J. Langer, and others, were all so believable and relatable. It really connected with its audience -- too bad more people didn't watch it.
Those are the quick ones that linger in my memory. Let me know if you have others.
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