Jericho

I just finished the first season of a TV series that I can wholeheartedly recommend, especially since it's returning in February. It's called "Jericho", you might have heard of it, it's about a small town in Kansas that feels the repercussions of a widespread nuclear attack on the U.S. It's really good, and makes you think of what'd happen to us if something like that actually occurred. In a good documentary on the DVD about the making of the show, the creators said that the concept of "Jericho" came out of 9/11 and Katrina, but multiplied by 20. As the series goes on, you see people fighting for food, a place to live, mineral rights. I don't want to give away too much in case someone reading this chooses to give it a try, but it really provides food for thought on how our lives could change if something this dramatic happened, and how we could also change as people.

Just a note of caution: it takes time for the show to really stand out. Don't get me wrong, it's a really solid season, but the first few episodes are kind of slow-paced and give you the impression that it's a different show than what I described. But stick with it, and you'll be rewarded. The later episodes reach 24-like levels in intensity.