Does "Californication" have an audience outside Los Angeles? "X-Files" hero and heart-throb David Duchovny plays a novelist who's addicted to both sex and drugs but takes a shot at raising his teenage daughter on his own. For the real Hollywood housewives, this Showtime staple may seem at least as ripped-from-everyday-life as their own weekly melodrama, but how does it play Omaha and Schenectady? If blocked writers really were seductive, a million part-time bloggers would feel empowered to rewrite Lady Chatterley's Lover. Two salient features keep premier cable viewers tuning in for their weekly dose of SoCal self-pity: First, son of a playwright and alumnus of Princeton, Duchovny has enough empathy for his ostensibly tortured character that he can invest "Californication's" uninspired screenwriting with a little angst, a lot of sex appeal, and a soupcon of roguish charm. Second, whatever "Californication" lacks in substance and depth, it more than makes-up in graphic sex. Wasn't there supposed to be some sort of relevant family drama woven-in there somewhere?

Who says symbiosis cannot be funny? Co-dependency typically is tragic; reciprocity generally is wistful and romantic. "Peep Show" affords viewers a rare and privileged glimpse into perfect coincidence and complement. "Peep Show" pairs the proper and respectable, reasonably successful but socially inept Mark Corrigan with Jeremy Lisbourne, an unemployed musician who makes-up in narcissism and self-confidence what he lacks in musical talent. Of course, Jeremy's irrepressible optimism complements Mark's relentless pessimism. Of course, Mark's cynicism and lassitude provoke Jeremy's vaguely manic enthusiasm. Of course, women terrify Mark, encouraging Jeremy to tutor him in the subtle arts of grace and seduction. One could not survive without the other; and in this intricately inter-dependent environment, "Peep Show's" comedy flourishes. Early in 2011, "Peep Show" earned the title "longest-running sit-com on British Television's Channel 4." To the best of our knowledge, they award no nifty statuette for that, but it represents a considerable honour"”at least as big as the show's BAFTA awards. "Peep Show's" style showcases its writers' talents, because it features point of view shots with Mark and Jeremy's thoughts revealed in voice-overs.

Family Tree is a comedy television series that aired on HBO and BBC Two in 2013. The show was created by Christopher Guest and Jim Piddock and starred Chris O'Dowd as Tom Chadwick, a young man who sets out to trace his family's genealogy after inheriting a mysterious box of belongings from his great-aunt.

"The Righteous Gemstones" is a television series that premiered on HBO in 2019. The show revolves around the Gemstone family, who are world-famous televangelists. The family runs a successful megachurch, but behind the scenes, they deal with various personal and moral issues.

Starring Edie Falco, Showtime's "Nurse Jackie" stands out as arguably the best medical drama on television, because the premium cable network allows writers and producers plenty of latitude for developing all of Jackie's passions"”the quality of her patients' care, the unbearable arrogance of vaguely sociopathic physicians, and the delicious relief of good orgasms and Oxycontin. "Nurse Jackie," both the character and the show, have some issues: The character suffers excruciating pain from a bad back and therefore has developed an addiction to painkillers. Yes, you have seen this dangerous dilemma recently on both "House" and "Southland," where the admirable characters continue doing their wonderworks despite their addictions. "Nurse Jackie," the show, suffers a subtle but unmistakable identity crisis, suggesting opportunities for some of the most brilliant black humor known to American medical drama; but, like a pensive and pretentious nineteen-year-old, it insists on taking itself much too seriously. One critic aptly observes, "'Nurse Jackie' doesn't look like the average network medical drama, but it does follow the formula of many premium cable shows, taking a knowing and at times dark, sardonic look at the classic themes of love, life and work." The critic, however, forgets to mention that nowhere does "sardonic" appear as a synonym for either "funny" or "engaging."

"Hacks" is a comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO Max in 2021. The show follows the story of Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas comedian, as she faces a career crisis and teams up with Ava, a young comedy writer who is struggling to make it in the industry. The series explores themes such as ageism, sexism, and the challenges of working in show business.