Shows or movies that premiered in 2011 – The Smart Awards are for shows or movies that aren’t dumbed down, that force you to use your brain. And the acting is subtle rather than over the top or playing to the camera.
Based on novels by George R. R. Martin, this is the epic tale of the power struggle in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. There are many characters, but the three main families vying for power are the Starks, the Lannisters, and the Targaryens. A great drama whether you’re into fantasy or not. Sort of like The Godfather of fantasy TV shows.
Creators: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Cast: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington
IMDb: 9.5
Where: HBO, iTunes, Amazon On Demand, Vudu
A woman is found murdered in the exact middle of a bridge between Sweden and Denmark. So Swedish and Danish detectives must work together to solve the case. This is one of main foreign shows that ignited the passion for “Nordic noir” in Britain and the U.S. A personal favorite of mine.
Creator: Hans Rosenfeldt (Marcella)
Cast: Sofia Helin, Kim Bodnia, Rafael Pettersson, Dag Malmberg
Original title: Bron/Broen
Language: Swedish, Danish
IMDb: 8.6
Where: Hulu, iTunes, Amazon On Demand
Sci-fi anthology series. Not every episode is great, but some are, and most are strong. My favorite episodes: Nosedive (3.1), Hated in the Nation (3.6), USS Callister (4.1), and White Christmas (2.4). Yet another series to thank the Brits for. NOTE: This series debuted in Britain in 2011, but wasn’t shown on Netflix until 2016.
Creator: Charlie Brooker
Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Kelly Macdonald, Jesse Plemons, Jon Hamm
IMDb: 8.9
Where: Netflix
In Seasons 1-2, detectives Linden and Holder are tasked with finding the killer of teenager Rosie Larsen. Yes, it takes two seasons, but the reveal is an unexpected wow. Seasons 3 and 4 deal with different cases. This is an American version of the Danish “Nordic noir” series Forbrydelsen. As good or better than the original. The bleak Northwestern landscapes offer a similar mood to that of the Nordic shows.
Creator: Veena Sud
Cast: Mireille Enos, Joel Kinnaman, Billy Campbell
IMDb: 8.2
Where: Netflix, iTunes, Amazon On Demand, Vudu
Follows the exploits of bi-polar CIA agent Carrie Mathison. In Season 1, she must deal with personal feelings for a war hero she also suspects is a double agent for al-Qaeda. The first two seasons might be the best, but this long-running spy series continues to be smart TV, certainly smarter than what’s on the major networks. Based on the Israeli series Prisoners of War.
Creators: Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon
Cast: Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Damian Lewis
IMDb: 8.4
Where: Showtime, Hulu, iTunes, Amazon On Demand, Vudu
A computer hacker helps a journalist to solve a 40-year old murder mystery. This American movie isn't as good as its predecessor — the insanely popular “Nordic noir” Swedish miniseries from 2010. But it has some stellar art direction and cinematography.
Director: David Fincher
Cast: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer
IMDb: 7.8
Where: iTunes, Amazon On Demand, Vudu
British Intelligence agent George Smiley discovers there is a Russian mole among his intelligence team, and must find him out. Not as strong as the miniseries with Alec Guiness, but definitely a smart story. In fact, you may need to watch this more than once to understand it. From the master of the spy genre John le Carré.
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Cast: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy
IMDb: 7.1
Where: Starz, Netflix, iTunes, Amazon On Demand, Vudu, Google Play