9. The Following
The idea of narrative-packed shows running for half of a “traditional” season has started to become a tried-and-true practice across all networks. It worked exceptionally well for The Following, which took over its Monday night time slot from the short-lived The Mob Doctor in January, and is keeping network television on more of a level playing field with the less-restricted premium channels. It’s also one of the biggest reasons I even gave The Following a chance.
Like a lot of fans, I tend to quickly lose interest when a show starts to drag. Series that have less time to deliver have a tendency to pack more into each episode, and therefore have a quicker pace. Season 1 of The Following kept me on my toes for 14 weeks straight and I loved every nail-biting, hold your breath moment of it. Up until the end, the show offered me the suspense I wanted and left off with a worthy cliffhanger.
Even if you’re not a fan of the thriller genre, this show picks up threads from other styles of narrative and has a phenomenal ensemble cast to boot.