As he championed "the new journalism" in the late sixties, Tom Wolfe suggested no one ever would write anything truly compelling"”fact or fiction"”about the suburbs; he asserted, "There is no life there." During the New Depression, however, the suburbs have gone ghetto, suddenly teeming with life and depravity; and television writers are producing all kinds of compelling stuff about what they have discovered beyond the white picket fences. Witness Showtime's smash-hit "Weeds," the life and times of a "proper" suburban widow keeping-up appearances while she deals more dope than a six-pack of Mexican cartels. As in "The Office," the basic premise for "Weeds" is an import from Great Britain, adapted from the British film Saving Grace which showed a widow and her gardener conspiring to maintain the widow's lifestyle by supplying the locals with their favorite herbal refreshment. Critics frequently compare "Weeds" with American Beauty for its exploitation of the idea "Normal is the face we wear to cover how f***ed-up we are." By contrast with "Desperate Housewives," Nancy Botwin, our entrepreneurial heroine, has far more good reason for desperation than her difficulty achieving orgasm; she has a house, a mortgage, two sons, and a reputation. Since Bonfire of the Vanities tanked and "Weeds" flourished, Tom Wolfe may have to consider the distinct possibility that there is no life in Manhattan.

With much humor derived from some cast members of Saturday Night Live and with approval from Lorne Michaels himself, Portlandia was born. The name Portlandia refers to a sculpture with that title found over the entrance doors of the Portland Building which is situated in downtown Portland on Fifth Avenue. The show has the fast paced comedy touch that SNL is well noted for and cast members Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein help keep it moving along. With Lorne Michaels as executive producer and creative writing from Fred Armisen, Jonathan Krisel, and Carrie Brownstein the show appears to have a bright future. We see how popular restaurants along the famous Hawthorne District in Portland handle irate dinner guests when they leave rather nasty reviews on a website titled Yelp! Another episode finds how badly a one man performance can actually be at the Hollywood Theatre, a local historic building in northeast Portland. If it happens in or around Portland it might end up on the show in some fashion, most likely comedic in tone. Portlandia currently runs on the IFC (Independent Film Channel).

"White Collar" delivers the requisite Feds and felons, but you do it a serious dis-service if you describe it as a "crime drama." No one on "White Collar" would insist "just the facts, ma'am; just the facts," because complex characters and complicated motives drive the plots and magnetize viewers. As The New York Times wisely remarks, "White Collar" complies with USA Network's higher standards for cops and robbers; it "creates a fantasy version of law enforcement in which bureaucracies don't scuttle justice, reason prevails, and brilliance ensures the best possible outcome. At one point Burke asks his office how many went to Harvard, more than half raise their hands." Matt Bomer plays Neil Caffrey, "White Collar's" resident lovable bad-guy-turned-good-guy. Caffrey, whose style and savoir faire give him legitimate claim to membership in the Rat Pack, has struck a deal with his long-time nemesis, FBI agent Peter Burke, played to perfection by Tim DeKay. Burke will release Caffrey from Federal prison long before the end of his sentence if Caffrey agrees to lend his criminal genius to the Bureau's efforts to seek-out and imprison sophisticated evil-doers. Who could resist a deal like that?

"Martin" is a popular American television sitcom that aired from August 27, 1992, to May 1, 1997, for a total of five seasons. The show centers around Martin Payne, a wisecracking DJ, and his relationships with his girlfriend Gina Waters, his best friend Tommy Strawn, and his wacky neighbor Cole Brown. The show's setting is in Detroit, Michigan, where Martin hosts a radio show.

"Crashing" is a TV series created by Pete Holmes that aired on HBO from 2017 to 2019. The show follows the life of a fictionalized version of Holmes, who is a struggling comedian trying to make a name for himself in the New York City stand-up comedy scene.

So does that make this a reality show or a TV sitcom with a personal touch? Louis C.K. is well known in comedy circles as an award winning comedian, writer, and producer and that's what he does on his own self titled show, Louie. The show has been named on numerous top ten television show lists for 2010 and garnered Louis C.K. a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series on the Primetime Emmy Awards. Somewhat loosely based on Louis C.K.'s real life as standup comedian, Louie plays father to two girls and has occasional girl friends (referred to as playdate friends) like Pamela who keep life interesting for the world weary Louie. Look for some stand up comedy skits as well as conversations between Louie and his therapist. Not one to be bashful when it comes to treating sensitive material gingerly Louie covers a wide variety of subjects including Catholic guilt, sexual orientation, sex, depression, as well as divorce (which he is very familiar with). A comedian's life is never boring or without complications.