Hidden DVDs

The holidays are winding down, and the cold days of winter are fast approaching. When it's too cold to get out, I've found the perfect way to while away the nights is to watch DVDs. Lately, I've been watching TV shows that were recommended to me by others. Several shows I'd never heard of because they had short runs and were cancelled before they could find an audience. So, here are some of my picks for under appreciated television shows that are available in DVD at the library.

Sports Night ran on ABC for two seasons and looked at the behind-the-scenes atmosphere of a late night television show similar to ESPN. Directed by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) and starring Felicity Huffman and Peter Krause, Sports Night sparkles with intelligent and witty dialogue. You don't have to be a sports fan to enjoy the antics, but it does deepen the enjoyment of the plots.

Jericho was recently cancelled after two seasons on CBS. Centered in the small Kansas town of Jericho, it asks the question of how would you survive if atomic bombs were dropped in key American cities. Since communication with the outside world is very limited, food distribution is halted and gasoline becomes a precious commodity in this new world, the citizens of Jericho must become self-reliant and pull together as a community in order to have a chance of survival. It almost seems like a modern day Western. The contrast between the visiting urban New Yorker and the rural citizens of Jericho makes you realize how dependent we are on modern conveniences.

Wonderfalls and Joan of Arcadia are two similar dramas. In Wonderfalls, Jaye is a twenty-something college graduate working at a gift shop in Niagara Falls when inanimate objects start talking to her. In Joan of Arcadia, Joan is a teenager new in town who begins getting visions from God. In both series, the action centers on whether they will do as directed to take specific actions in order to help others, and what happens when they ignore or don't correctly interpret what is expected of them. While both are humorous in the predicaments that happen, both also provoke some thought about how our actions can impact other people's behaviors.

These are just several of my favorites that when I reached the end of each of them, I wanted more! DVDs of television series are a fun way to try something that you may not have heard of before. It is also easy to get spoiled because all of the episodes are easily available and you don't have to wait for the next episodeto be televised. So, try something new this winter when it is too cold to venture outside.