TV Shows That Act Like Movies

What's a better form of entertainment--film or television?

For me, that question has an obvious easy answer...I mean, I write an almost daily blog about movies, after all.

While I often enjoy what the tube has to offer the masses--reality TV notwithstanding--there's just that special something about cinema that's hard for television to duplicate. Of course, there always exceptions...What follows are my favorite movie-esque programs currently on the dial for the 06-07 season:

Based on author Buzz Bissinger's book about a high school football team in Dillion Texas--producers Peter Berg and Brian Grazer first brought this story to the big screen a couple of years ago as a better than average movie...Using the same backdrop for Friday Night Lights the TV series actually improves on the ideas and themes of the film. The cast is top notch and helps bring the 3 dimensional flawed characters to life with each new episode. Led by Kyle Chandler as Coach Eric Taylor and the always exceptional Connie Britton (who was also in the film) playing his wife Tami. The pair offers up the most realistic portrayal of married life on TV today. And then there's the cast of young folk: Zach Gilford as Matt Saracen, the team's back-up QB who faces challenges on the field when he's forced to take over the top spot, and at home, caring for an ill grandparent and a dad who has just returned from Iraq. Scott Porter is Jason Street. Forced to face a devastating spinal cord injury, Street must grapple with issues of recovery, hope and life after football. Complicating matters is the fact that Street's best friend and fellow team member Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) has fallen for his cheerleader girlfriend Lyla (Minka Kelly). Gaius Charles as Brian 'Smash' Williams will do anything he has to, in order to impress the college scouts coming to watch him play. FNL also offers viewers the most stark portrayal of a person with a disability I've seen on television--even coming close to rivaling most movies I have seen on the subject.

The FNL Series Cast Is One Of The Best On The Tube Right Now

When I first heard about the concept behind Heroes, I thought it was just trying to rip off the X-Men...Creator Tim Kring made sure that didn't happen by populating the series with a compelling diverse group of characters and a mythology that's actually worth the investment. Heroes is weekly comic book come alive. Once again the ensemble cast is first rate: Hayden Panettiere as the indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennett. Masi Oka as Hiro who can manipulate time and space. Ali Larter is the dual personality from Las Vegas Niki Sanders. Adrian Pasdar is politician Nathan Petrelli with the gift of flight. Milo Ventimiglia plays his brother Peter, who when around other heroes takes on their specific powers Jack Coleman is great as Mr Bennett Claire's Dad, with a mysterious mission and then there's Greg Grunberg as Lawman Matt Parkman who can read people's mind. All of these folks are slowly coming to meet one another--gearing up for a confrontation with the evil Sylar (Zachary Quinto)...The series also gave us one of the best catchphrases of recent memory: "Save The Cheerleader--Save The World"

Lost may be frustrating its fans with a 12 week hiatus that ends on February 7th--But I gotta admit, the story of airline passengers stranded on a mysterious island in the Pacific still has me hooked...at least for now...As cool as the show's mythology is, I'm letting creators Jeffrey Lieber, J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof and the network know that this stop/start stuff has to end or else I'm gone. I may get my wish per an Entertainment Weekly online article: ''Lost'' producer: ''It's time for us to find an end point''

Prison Break had a great first season last year...The series, created by Paul Scheuring, tells the story of one brother saving another. Michael (Wentworth Miller) is sentenced to jail solely with the intention of escaping with his wrongly accused, electric chair bound half brother Lincoln (Dominic Purcell) With the help of prison doctor Sara Tancredi (Sarah Wayne Callies) the men were able to escape, along with a handful of fellow inmates in tow...My favorite con on the show has to be Robert Knepper as the creepy psycho Theodore 'T-Bag' Bagwell.

And then there's my favorite cinematic TV show 24. Did you SEE that intense two night sixth season premiere a few days ago? Wow! Created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, the real time aspect isn't what keeps me watching. It's the situations that Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland--who's doing fabulous work) finds himself in that draw you in. In a post 9/11 world fighting terrorism as a premise is all too real--which only adds to the drama. Providing Jack with the information he needs to save the nation is Mary Lynn Rajskub as Chloe O'Brian--She also givees us some of the show's best moments period. These folks are doing movie size work on a small screen budget.

Sure these shows sometimes stretch a viewers patience to the Nth degree in various ways...But collectively they are the next best thing to watching a movie.

Friday Night Lights airs Wednesday 8:00 PM on NBC and is the most ratings challenged of the bunch.

Heroes airs Monday 9:00 PM on NBC An encore of each episode can be seen on the SciFi Channel Friday 7:00 PM.

Lost airs Wednesday 10:00 PM on ABC.

Prison Break airs Monday 8:00 PM on FOX

24 airs Monday 9:00 PM on FOX.

All times Eastern and Pacific Check them out...You'll be glad ya did.