There’s a brilliance on television that goes completely unnoticed. Whether they’re not being recognized by award committees, or doing absolutely miserably in the ratings, or even being blatantly mistreated by their network, each of these shows offer something great. A chunk of them are critically loved, and have a strong (albeit tiny) fan base.

And frankly, they all deserve a lot more than what they’re currently getting.

10. White Collar
I’m kind of cheating with this one. It’s one of the most successful US cable shows, but in Canada, it’s ratings are terrible. Why, I don’t know. The show’s very well written, and it’s quite clever. What’s more, is that’s it’s fun, well acted, and the main stars, Tim DeKay and Matt Bomer, have great chemistry. It also adds a unique twist on the conventional procedural.

9. Happy Endings
Happy Endings was a stand out comedy in a crowd of mediocre mid-season shows last year. It’s short, first season was strong, but struggled in the ratings. To the relief of critics and viewers, it was picked up for a second season that’s currently airing. And despite the fact that ABC has barely advertised the show (to the point where the cast has taken it into their own hands), it has become increasingly popular. With good reason too. It’s charming, witty, and most of all, the characters are real, relatable, and have a fantastic group dynamic. Extra props to Adam Pally’s portrayal of the least stereotypical gay men on television. Ever.

8. Hart of Dixie
By today’s standard, Hart of Dixie is not your regular drama. It is, in fact, the exact opposite. It is not scandalous, or risqué. Instead, it’s, in a word, adorable. Which is why this show makes the list. It’s something that this generation of viewers may get bored with because it brings a different kind of drama to he table.

7. Cougar Town
Critically loved, Cougar Town is laugh out loud funny, for much of the same reasons Happy Endings is. Too bad ABC keeps benching it, making fans turn to their very own Big Carls.

6. Chuck
There’s really no nice way to say this: Chuck is the lowest rated show on television. Now in its fifth and last season (much because of the diehard fans), the ratings keep on dipping. And sure, it’s not as great as it used to be, but it, in know way, is the worst show on tv. I guess an awesome, fun show about spies, with, what I think, is one of the most realistic romantic relationships currently on tv, isn’t enough for people anymore.

5. Parks and Recreation
Parks and Rec is a precious, precious gem of a show. It’s clever, and funny, and a really unique concept in terms of other comedies. Possibly best known as “that Amy Poehler show,” it’s a little known fact that every single member of the cast pulls their own comedic weight brilliantly.

4. Nikita
The situation is this: badass, rogue, female spy working to takedown a corrupt, secret government with her other badass spy friends. Throw in a romantic relationship for the female demo, and you have Nikita. Sounds awesome, right. Nikita is the perfect action show, with a little bit of something for everyone. And, it’s actually good. Yeah, some of the stunts are questionable, but this isn’t another mindless action flick. So why are people not watching?

3. Community
Community is not only one of the funniest shows on air, it’s also one of the most creative. Oh, and it’s one of the lowest rated, too, while being completely neglected by NBC. I have never seen anything more unique and original that is also as hilarious as this show is. This just isn’t getting across to everyone.

2. Fringe
I will not lie: often, Fringe is incredibly complex, and can get quite confusing. Be that as it may, it’s absolutely brilliant. It’s also a sci-fi show on a major network, which is a major accomplishment alone. Fringe is the show that will always keep you guessing. There’s also the fact that the acting is some of the best on tv. In fact, many of the actors portray multiple characters. If all of this doesn’t sound impressive, I don’t know what does.

1. Supernatural
People tend not to see past the paranormal plots and freaky tv spot that Supernatural comes with. They do not see how well written and acted it is, nor do they realize how brilliant some of the plot arcs have been. And they certainly don’t know that Supernatural is more than just a ‘freak show.’ In reality, this is a dark show driven by heart wrenching relationships. It doesn’t need to be anything more.

(Originally posted on my tumblr, but I thought I’d share it here as well.)