HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (2005-2014)

A semi-classic now, this show was an instant hit with the younger lot, especially those who had previously seen shows like FRIENDS, Seinfeld, and Living Single. All these shows have one thing in common — they all explored the lives of 20-somethings trying to figure out their place in the world with their friends who were in the same position. Initially, How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM) was dismissed by naysayers, owing to its familiar looks and feel. But HIMYM overcame doubters when it started experimenting with the very format of the show. A great example of the writers introducing something new to the format comes in the form of the episode The Time Travelers in Season 8. In the episode (written by Craig Thomas, Carter Bays and Craig Gerard), a nowsingle Ted Mosby (played by Josh Radnor) gets into an argument with his friend Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) and various versions of themselves, all of this concept is entertaining and full of comedic potential, the episode ends with a sucker punch when Ted realises that all these moments have passed on, and his friends are no longer able to hang out with him as they have moved on with their own lives, he has no one to share anything with and is completely alone. Such layered writing requires a philosophical understanding of the passage of time, which human beings have and AI can never possibly possess. Watch it on: Disney+Hotstar

SEVERANCE (2022)

This show can be perceived as a rock-solid argument against the advancement of technology and the fast-paced world that we live in today. The show explores the relationship humans have with technology. It focuses on Lumon Industries, where a ‘severance’ process causes an employee’s work personality (also known as ‘innie’) to be separated from their personal life (‘outie’), and none of these personalities have any knowledge about each other. In a sense, these personalities are trapped in their own environment, owing to this inhuman process. The show (written by Dan Erickson and Mohamed El Masri) raises a finger at not only the aspects of technology which have gravely affected lives in today’s world but also at the people who make it, which are mostly huge, powerhungry corporations. This poignant understanding of the world and the state it is in today can only be done by writers, as it is the human race itself which is responsible for the creation of such technology and again, it is only us who is suffering the consequences of such progress. Watch it on: Apple TV+

BARRY (2018-2023)

When it comes to ‘alternative comedy’, Barry (written by Bill Hader and Alec Berg) has truly been a game-changer. The show has excelled at defining its own style of comedy, primarily in the first season, and has since been successful in breaking that and turning the show over to the darker side in the following seasons. The show follows a hitman called Barry (played by Bill Hader), who on an assignment to kill a mark, discovers an acting class that the person attended, and subsequently wants to become an actor and distance himself from the darker side. This series is a perfect example of balance. Though Barry is a criminal, the writers inject a lot of self-doubt and resentment in him, which ultimately endears the audience to him. Simultaneously, the writers also call out Barry’s hypocrisy, when needed. Barry is not portrayed as a tragic hero, but a deeply confused person, unable through his circumstances and his mindset to actually implement the changes in reality that he wants. Writing is truly a powerful tool when it comes to stories like this where the writer has to determine how much to empathise with the character and how much to condemn his actions. Watch it on: JioCinema

KOTA FACTORY (2019)

This show is a masterclass in how writing can truly make a viewer relate to and put themselves in a fictional character’s shoes. The first season of Kota Factory follows 16-year-old Vaibhav (played by Mayur More), making the big move from the small town of Itarsi to the city of Kota to prepare for the IIT entrance exam. The series, which later made its way to Netflix, showcases the life of the students in Kota, and overall, acts as an excellent commentary on the education system in present-day India. The creator-writer of Kota Factory is Saurabh Khanna, an IITian himself, proving how important it is for writers to incorporate their real-life experiences into their material, not only to make their writing authentic but to also compel viewers to empathise and relate to their characters. When Kota Factory first started to gain traction, it was because many saw the rat race that the Indian education system has become and could see younger versions of themselves in the characters. Such feelings cannot be generated with viewers without a human element in the writing and characterisation, and AI can’t truly replicate this feeling. Watch it on: Netflix

THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES (2019)

The Righteous Gemstones is a pitchperfect satire. The show, written by Danny McBride, follows a family of televangelists, The Gemstones, who basically do everything and anything which, ironically, they preach to their followers to not do. Not only does the show explore the absurd nature of televangelists, but it also trenches through the murky familial bond that the Gemstones share with each other. Greed, jealousy, casual sexism... everything exists in the Gemstone family and that is what is so hilarious about them — they never practise what they preach. The dialogue perfectly mirrors the ill feelings the members of the family harbour against each other. This sort of satire requires layered writing and a complete real-world understanding of what the subject will be, something which is a tall ask from AI. The Righteous Gemstones is set to come back with Season 3 on June 18. Watch it on: JioCinema