5 TV Dramas That You Should Be Watching

1.  The Americans (FX): After two full seasons, the Americans is already a top 10 TV drama of all-time for me.  You really should be watching.

Premise: Keri Russell (of "Felicity" fame) and Matthew Rhys play KGB spies living as a married couple in America.  A sentence I never thought I'd write: Felicity is a bad ass in this role.  Rhys is equally convincing.

How to watch:  Seasons 1 and 2 are on Amazon Instant video (free with an Amazon Prime account and worth it).  Season 3 is currently airing on FX on Wednesdays at 10.

2.  Transparent (Amazon Instant): Amazon Instant is following Netflix's lead and now airing original series.  Transparent is Amazon's first hit.  Much like the outstanding Orange is the New Black (which I assume you already watch), Transparent has some elements of a comedy and some elements of a drama.

Premise: Jeffrey Tambor (best known to me as George / Oscar / Pop Pop on Arrested Development) is brilliant as a divorced father of three adult kids who is now living as a transgender woman.

How to watch: Season 1 is exclusively on Amazon Instant.

3.  Orphan Black (BBC America): Orphan Black is one of my favorite shows, and I don't know many other people who watch it.  It's a little bit sci-fi, which is not normally my thing, but this show is so good.

Premise: Sarah Manning (played by the outstanding Tatiana Maslany) sees a woman throw herself in front of a subway train, and right before the woman dies, Manning notices that the woman looks exactly like her.  It turns out they, and many others, were part of a clone experiment.  It may sound weird, but just give it a chance.  Maslany plays several roles (because of the clones), mostly in different accents, and she should be taking home a lot more awards than she has been.

How to watch: Season 1 is on Amazon Instant.  Seasons 1 and 2 are on Netflix.  Season 3 comes back to BBC America in April 2015 -- so get caught up before then.

 4.  Rectify (Sundance Channel): Rectify is a very under-the-radar show that is well-written and well-acted.  It would be a huge hit if it were on HBO or AMC rather than Sundance Channel.

Premise: A man in his late 30s gets released from prison after serving 19 years on Death Row in Georgia, and he and his family struggle to get adjusted to normal life in the community.

How to watch: Seasons 1 and 2 are on Netflix.  Season 3 returns to Sundance Channel later this year.

5.  The Affair (Showtime): I really only started watching The Affair because it came on after Homeland, but by the end of the season I started looking forward to it more than Homeland.

Premise: Dominic West (who played McNulty on the greatest TV drama of all-time - The Wire) plays a husband and father who begins an affair with a waitress during a family summer in the Hamptons.  The story is told in the backdrop of a murder investigation in which a detective is interviewing Noah (played by West) and Alison (the waitress - played by Ruth Wilson).

How to watch: Season 1 recently ended on Showtime so Showtime on Demand is the only way to watch right now.  I assume Netflix or Amazon Instant will pick it up soon.  Showtime renewed the series for another season, which will air in late 2015.

Note: I assume everyone is already watching Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Homeland, True Detective, House of Cards, and Orange is the New Black.  If not, stop what you're doing and watch them now.