Shows or movies that premiered in 2017 – 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.
A missing-girl / murder mystery spanning almost 30 years. Theories article here.
No other TV show (not even Lost) has been as big a puzzle as Twin Peaks, whose return season debuted in 2017. Love it or hate it, the show deserves credit for trying to be different and push the envelope of what TV can be.
Watching Twin Peaks is like going to an art gallery and seeing some odd video installation you don’t understand, and you wonder just how long you can stand there and watch it. Twin Peaks is the art-house installation TV show, probably the only one ever made.
Creators: Mark Frost, David Lynch
Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Sheryl Lee, Sherilyn Fenn (only these three mentioned on purpose)
IMDb: 8.9
Where: Showtime (new series), CBS All Access (original series), Amazon Prime, Hulu, Netflix, iTunes, Amazon On Demand, Vudu
A trippy sci-fi tale that begins with a missing child. The Germans getting in on the Nordic noir craze. Fresh, clever, and haunting. If you like solving puzzles, you’ll like this show.
Creators: Baran bo Odar, Jantje Friese
Cast: Oliver Masucci, Karoline Eichhorn, Jördis Triebel
Language: German
IMDb: 8.8
Where: Netflix
A Berlin spy drama with a sci-fi twist. Simmons was nominated for a Satellite Award. Question is, why wasn’t he nominated for, and winner of, an Emmy?
Creator: Justin Marks
Cast: J.K. Simmons, Harry Lloyd, Nazanin Boniadi, Olivia Williams
IMDb: 8.4
Where: Starz, iTunes, Amazon on Demand, Vudu
A woman struggles within the new dystopian society America has become. Has won many awards. This is the opposite of dumbed-down TV.
Creator: Bruce Miller
Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Joseph Fiennes, Max Minghella
IMDb: 8.6
Where: Hulu Plus, iTunes, Amazon On Demand, Vudu, Google Play
An otherwise non-violent woman attacks and kills a stranger on the beach. Not a whodunit, a why’d-she-do-it. Kudos for star and exec producer Jessica Biel. Intelligent TV.
Creator: Derek Simonds
Cast: Jessica Biel, Christopher Abbott, Dohn Norwood
IMDb: 8.0
Where: USA, iTunes, Amazon On Demand, Vudu
The series begins with a double mystery. There’s been a murder, and you know neither who the murderer is nor who was murdered. Kidman’s performance does stand out.
Creator: David E. Kelley
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern
IMDb: 8.6
Where: HBO, Netflix, iTunes, Amazon On Demand, Google Play
A better-than-expected, fictionalized account of the FBI’s manhunt for terrorist Ted Kaczynski. As usual, Worthington sells every line – this time as an agent using linguistic analysis to solve the Unabomber’s identity.
Creators: Andrew Sodroski, Jim Clemente, Tony Gittelson
Cast: Sam Worthington, Paul Bettany, Chris Noth
IMDb: 8.2
Where: Netflix, iTunes, Amazon On Demand, Google Play