Did you think, only our Telugu shows are unnecessarily dramatic with their camera angles and weird background music? Then you are wrong. The western world shares our love for drama as well. Maybe they don’t have women personifying gold shops, but they have their ‘WTH’ moments too.
Note: This list is strictly for beginners who, we thought, might enjoy these shows because they fit Telugu sensibilities. As for the TV aficionados, your personal lists are already better. Thank you so much.
1. Game of Thrones: Well, well. Wrongly type casted for its ‘shame shame’ wala, this is a show that trumps our Indian dramas any given day. Why? Here is why:
. A woman gives birth to not one, not two, but three dragons. Okay, that was misleading, but she is the mother.
. People die in ways our V.V. Vinayak would be proud of.
. While our idea of ‘Atha-kodalu’ revenge is adding an extra spoon of salt to a dish, they take it to a whole new level. ;)
. Did I mention dragons? Yes. An awesome woman giant, a kickass dwarf and tragedies like you would not believe. Not to spoil, but do not get attached, you guys. Do not.
2. Jane the Virgin: Who knew that Latinos are as dramatic as we are, of not more so. Their telenovelas do everything ours do: cheesy lines, chunky women, plastic surgeries, and garden-variety amnesias.
Coming to the show, it’s funny with mucho drama. Let me give you a taste:
. The show has a grand mother who is super religious but fun. Sounds familiar?
. A virgin heroine gets pregnant, whose father turns out to be a Latin Superstar.
. A diabolical ex-wife with an evil mother, and a dark past. Shall I say more?
. Fine. There is mafia, plastic surgery and murder as well.
3. Downton Abbey: Um, who doesn’t want to watch a rich British household going through the motions of life and war? Nobody? Okay, don’t judge is too fast. We are still a bit sour, but the Queen watches it. Why shouldn’t we? Not convinced? Fine, if you want to miss all this then don’t watch:
. A sassy grandmother who refuses to die.
. A father who refuses the idea of change and a mother who is not as innocent as she looks.
. A driver marrying a rich girl. Yep.
. A headstrong heiress who has a new love interest every new season.
. Servants with super evil plans.
. Sudden family tragedies and secret affairs being commonplace.
. Amazing locations, palaces, and everything English.
4. Indian Summers: If you are not still convinced after that list, then maybe this will make you happy. Set in Shimla, the show lets us witness the end of the British rule and the start of a new nation. Yayy? Good. Because, for a change, the show deals with our point of view as well as theirs. And what’s more desi than our legendary struggle for freedom?
5. Gilmore Girls: Not as dramatic or epic as the above-mentioned shows, yet enjoyable. Set in a small town, read village in our terms, a single mother strives to keep her Inn in business while her perfect daughter goes on being perfect. I know, where is the fun in that, right? Well, she has a father who is disappointed in her and a mother who is super bossy, does that ring a bell? It should.
6. Parenthood: How shall I put it? Joint family is such a mixed-bag thing to be a part of. Come on; is it your idea of fun when everybody meddles in everybody’s business? No, right? Well, the show has it all:
. Grandparents who are irrelevant, smart, cool, and messed up.
. Uncles and aunts who gossip a lot, yet stick together in the end.
. Over protective mothers and ungrateful children.
So on and on.
7. House MD: Don’t we love doctors? Maybe the only profession that deserves respect. They are gods gift to human kind aren’t they? With their decency and mindfulness, they keep our body fit and healthy. Hmm. Now forget all that because the doctor I am talking about is more complicated than an unreadable prescription. He is a jerk, you guys. A tall, blue-eyed, heartless jerk. But he is a genius though and, to be fair, there is a reason behind his assholiness. Every episode a new patient with a mystery disease gets admitted and he, more or less, helps the patient live. That isn’t it though. There is drama with the patients mostly being liars with secret lives and twisted childhoods. Hmm, now we are talking.
Other less dramatic shows, which are, nonetheless, entertaining:
1. Silicon Valley: Not a drama, but something an IT-driven nation will find amusing.
2. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: A satirical news show that will serve as a break from our tedious news channels.
3. Veep: Imagine a stupid vice-president who can do no right. No no, the show isn’t based on our politicians, or is it?
4. The Office: Who hasn’t had a boss so self-unaware that he turns himself into a joke with everything he utters?
This is a list of personal favorites. Watch them and get back to us... let us know how you liked them!
2. Jane the Virgin: Who knew that Latinos are as dramatic as we are, of not more so. Their telenovelas do everything ours do: cheesy lines, chunky women, plastic surgeries, and garden-variety amnesias.
Coming to the show, it’s funny with mucho drama. Let me give you a taste:
. The show has a grand mother who is super religious but fun. Sounds familiar?
. A virgin heroine gets pregnant, whose father turns out to be a Latin Superstar.
. A diabolical ex-wife with an evil mother, and a dark past. Shall I say more?
. Fine. There is mafia, plastic surgery and murder as well.
3. Downton Abbey: Um, who doesn’t want to watch a rich British household going through the motions of life and war? Nobody? Okay, don’t judge is too fast. We are still a bit sour, but the Queen watches it. Why shouldn’t we? Not convinced? Fine, if you want to miss all this then don’t watch:
. A sassy grandmother who refuses to die.
4. Indian Summers: If you are not still convinced after that list, then maybe this will make you happy. Set in Shimla, the show lets us witness the end of the British rule and the start of a new nation. Yayy? Good. Because, for a change, the show deals with our point of view as well as theirs. And what’s more desi than our legendary struggle for freedom?
5. Gilmore Girls: Not as dramatic or epic as the above-mentioned shows, yet enjoyable. Set in a small town, read village in our terms, a single mother strives to keep her Inn in business while her perfect daughter goes on being perfect. I know, where is the fun in that, right? Well, she has a father who is disappointed in her and a mother who is super bossy, does that ring a bell? It should.
6. Parenthood: How shall I put it? Joint family is such a mixed-bag thing to be a part of. Come on; is it your idea of fun when everybody meddles in everybody’s business? No, right? Well, the show has it all:
. Grandparents who are irrelevant, smart, cool, and messed up.
. Uncles and aunts who gossip a lot, yet stick together in the end.
. Over protective mothers and ungrateful children.
So on and on.
7. House MD: Don’t we love doctors? Maybe the only profession that deserves respect. They are gods gift to human kind aren’t they? With their decency and mindfulness, they keep our body fit and healthy. Hmm. Now forget all that because the doctor I am talking about is more complicated than an unreadable prescription. He is a jerk, you guys. A tall, blue-eyed, heartless jerk. But he is a genius though and, to be fair, there is a reason behind his assholiness. Every episode a new patient with a mystery disease gets admitted and he, more or less, helps the patient live. That isn’t it though. There is drama with the patients mostly being liars with secret lives and twisted childhoods. Hmm, now we are talking.
Other less dramatic shows, which are, nonetheless, entertaining:
1. Silicon Valley: Not a drama, but something an IT-driven nation will find amusing.
2. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: A satirical news show that will serve as a break from our tedious news channels.
3. Veep: Imagine a stupid vice-president who can do no right. No no, the show isn’t based on our politicians, or is it?
4. The Office: Who hasn’t had a boss so self-unaware that he turns himself into a joke with everything he utters?
This is a list of personal favorites. Watch them and get back to us... let us know how you liked them!
