When "The Good Wife" premiered in the fall of 2009, insiders whispered that Alicia Florrick, the good wife, was modeled after Silda Spitzer, the remarkably resilient former spouse of Elliott Spitzer, former New York prosecutor who ended-up himself prosecuted on charges of using public funds to support his prostitute habit. In the first few episodes, Alicia stood mute and shell-shocked as her politician husband admitted to "indiscretions," was tried and sent to jail. With only mild irony, the good wife emerges as the amazing woman as soon as hubby gets fitted for his orange jumpsuit. Played with tremendous grace, style, and power by Julianna Marguiles, Alicia Florrick, a la Silda Spitzer, returns to her old law practice. A little out of practice after thirteen years as wife and mother, she wobbles before she restores her professional standing. As "The Good Wife" evolved, it outgrew its need for "ripped from the headlines" comparisons. Episode by episode, Marguiles quickened, toughened, and deepend Alicia's character. Her imprisoned spouse becomes simply a footnote or sidebar as Alicia struggles to keep her family intact and build her career in a law firm riddled with scheming, scandal, and intrigue.

Succession is a television show that premiered in 2018 on HBO. It follows the fictional Roy family, a wealthy and powerful media conglomerate family, as they navigate the complexities of family dynamics and corporate power struggles. The patriarch of the family, Logan Roy, is the CEO of the company and is faced with the decision of who will succeed him as leader.

Emily VanCamp, who was previously seen on ABC's Brothers & Sister now gets far more serious and sinister as she moves to the Hamptons seeking Revenge for wrongs committed on her family. The close knit community welcomes her but has no idea what she intends to do while getting her Revenge. The concept comes loosely from an Alexandre Dumas novel titled The Count of Monte Cristo and revenge is something most of us have wanted as some point. Other stars of Revenge include Madeleine Stowe (Unlawful Entry, Twelve Monkeys) as Victoria Grayson, Gabriel Mann (The Thacker Case, Dark Streets) as Nolan Ross, and Henry Czerny (Clear and Present Danger, The Pink Panther) is Conrad Grayson. Exacting Revenge can be dangerous but also rewarding and we will enjoy following along each week as Emily Thorne gets even with those who shaped her future ever since her childhood. She finds plenty of "skeletons in the closet" of the rich and powerful living in the Hamptons and does not want to forgive any of them. She will get her revenge one way or another!

Slackers serving Satan as his bounty hunters? At a bare minimum, "The Reaper" does offer conclusive proof that colluding with the devil is considerably more exciting than a job at the Work Bench, a fictional Seattle home improvement store. Imagine Sam Oliver's surprise when he learns on his twenty-first birthday his parents negotiated a long-ago deal with the captain of the underworld: Save daddy's life, and they will give Satan their first-born child. Of course, mom and dad used every form of contraception imaginable until Satan released their doctor from his gambling debts in exchange for Doc's telling mom and dad they could not conceive. Sam ensues. Satan himself shows-up at the big twenty-first gala to detail "The Reaper's" new job description. Sam, who once complained that college "made him sleepy," naturally balks at the devil's deal; but the devil is at least as persuasive with Sam as he was with Eve. Satan tells Sam, should he decline, his mother forfeits her soul. Sam grudgingly accepts new super-powers and goes to work hunting down wayward sinners who have contrived to escape Hell. Television drama ensues. "The Reaper" earned an extremely devoted"”albeit somewhat cultish"”following. A representative review explained the attraction: "This show is so refreshing - great premise, great characters, and they don't take themselves too seriously. The Devil is a hunk, and just couldn't be played better than Ray Wise."

Call it one of television's most credible attempts at realistic fiction: Ryan Murphy, "Nip/Tuck's" producer, insists the medical conditions and procedures on which the episodes center "are 100% based on fact." Ironically, though, "Nip/Tuck's" representation of the surgeon's private lives may impress ordinary viewers as the program's most faithful representation of real life people and events. "Nip/Tuck" centers on Sean McNamara and Christian Troy, successful plastic surgeons, originally practicing their science and art in Miami, but conveniently relocated to Los Angeles at the end of "Nip/Tuck's" fourth season. Dr. McNamara, "the nice one," struggles to keep his family together as they weather trials and tribulations that come as the complications of success. Dr. Troy, "the naughty one," loves money and sex, and sometimes commits serious scalpel screw-ups. Never shy about taking-on controversial subjects, "Nip/Tuck" won critical acclaim, Golden Globe and Emmy awards for its treatment of domestic violence, promiscuity, recreational drug use, and the risk of addiction to cosmetic surgery. On March 3, 2010, "Nip/Tuck's" one hundredth episode, last in the series, became the most-watched scripted program in the history of the FX network.

A spin off to the popular 16 and Pregnant (also on MTV), Teen Mom 2 follows along on the challenges and rewards faced by four teenage moms that were last seen on season three of 16 and Pregnant. There are many problems facing those who are still practically children themselves who attempt to raise their own babies. Family, peer pressure, school, and romance are a enough to struggle with before adding on the burden and reward of child rearing. The show attempts to show it can be accomplished with help from all relationships involved. The parents can provide much needed guidance and they can get an emotional boost from friends and romantic involvements too. Following four young women who become pregnant during their senior year of school, Janelle, Chelsea, Leah, and Kailyn have different problems and solutions but they are each determined to keep and raise their babies themselves. Boyfriends and parents complicate issues but basically stand behind the life altering decisions made by the new mothers. This program is reality programming at it's finest as it depicts life in real time.