Underrated Genius Tv Directing
by netscape31 | created - 26 Nov 2014 | updated - 26 Nov 2014 | PublicIt's no secret that television directing is an often overlooked art this is a cumulative list to celebrate these individuals and their finest hours. I tried to avoid established director's who directed great episodes of television so no Rian Johnson's work for Breaking Bad , Cary Fukunaga's work for True Detective or Steven Soderbergh's work for The Knick.
1. Christopher Chulack
Producer | ER
Christopher Chulack is known for ER (1994), Homefront (1991) and Southland (2009).
Probably produced some of the most finest hours of television while directing episodes for the vastly underrated terrific cop show Southland. The man is the Michael Mann of television as people have said from a directing standpoint.
Finest Hour: Season 5 episode 9 "Chaos" Think the eeriness of Prisoners and the raw gritty style of City of God and you have this illegitimate hell spawn of an episode.
Honorable Mentions: Season 1 episode 1 "Unknown Trouble" for introducing the audience to the raw and visceral style of "Southland". Season 3 episode 10 " Graduation Day" for the long take that commenced the episode that consisted of a chase between buildings.
2. Adam Bernstein
Director | Fargo
Adam Bernstein began his career as an animator, and at age 26 produced the first original programming for the Nickelodeon Network. He went on to direct over seventy music videos, including "Love Shack" for the B-52's, "Hey Ladies" for the Beastie Boys and "Baby's Got Back" for Sir Mix a Lot. In ...
Produced some great work while directing for Breaking Bad and produced one of the best episodes of the show.
Finest Hour: Season 3 episode 12 " Half Measures" simply wonderful.
3. Joe Chappelle
Producer | Godfather of Harlem
Joe Chappelle is known for Godfather of Harlem (2019), Black Bird (2022) and The Wire (2002).
The man has directed a lot of television but his greatest work was probably on The Wire.
Finest Hour: Season 3 episode 12 "Middle Ground" An absolutely unforgettable episode in which the life within The Wire universe would forever change an absolute great episode of television.
4. Ray McKinnon
Writer | Rectify
Ray McKinnon is a writer, actor, director and producer. He served from 2012 through 2016 as creator, showrunner, writer and director of the Peabody Award winning, Sundance TV series, "Rectify."
As an actor, McKinnon has created a canon of unforgettable, offbeat and richly textured characters. In a ...
More of a writer than director but the episode that Ray directed for his tv series Rectify was absolutely mesmerizing and profound.
Finest Hour : Season 1 episode 6 " Jacob's Ladder" A season finale but one of the best in recent memory what a magnificent work the episode is it's something beautiful, tragic , and brutal especially the last sequence of the show.
5. Thomas Schlamme
Producer | The West Wing
Thomas Schlamme was born on May 22, 1950 in Houston, Texas, USA. He is a producer and director, known for The West Wing (1999), Sports Night (1998) and Tracey Takes On... (1996). He has been married to Christine Lahti since September 4, 1983. They have three children.
A notable television director but his greatest television work has been with directing episodes for The Americans.
Finest Hour: Season 1 Episode 3 "Gregory" What a wonderfully directed episode this episode was that consisted of great suspense but an ultimately harrowing ending.
6. Jakob Verbruggen
Director | Snapshot
Jakob Verbruggen is known for Snapshot (2002), In Bruges (2008) and The Alienist (2018).
The man is no stranger to television but absolutely hit out of the park by directing the entire five episode season of the BBC or Netflix drama "The Fall". I might just add the creator of the show Allan Cubbit's name on here after having directed the entire second season only time well tell. Finest Hour or Hours: Are the entire five episodes of the first season of The Fall which where all dark and harrowing experiences that made you want to take a shower after watching them.
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