CarterMatt Awards 2016: ‘Longmire,’ ‘Poldark,’ ‘Power,’ ‘The 100,’ ‘The Night Shift’ top Underrated Show nominees

Today, the CarterMatt Awards are officially beginning, and they are doing so with a category in Underrated Show that works to celebrate some of the underdogs that deserve recognition. You’ve probably heard the term “Peak TV” thrown around to describe the sheer volume of shows that are out there to watch, and in some ways, it can be almost overwhelming. There are so many great shows that often get overlooked, and the purpose of this category in particular is to give them that welcome round of applause they deserve for killing it this year.

The only criteria that we have is that none of these shows have received a series nomination from either the Golden Globes or the Emmys in the past year. If they hadn’t been snubbed, would they really be underrated anymore? That’s the thinking here.

Voting is open however often you’d like between now and December 24; to read more news regarding voting, results, and all of the categories this year, check out our official landing page.

Underrated Show – The nominees

“The 100” (The CW) – One of the things we love about this show is that it keeps us on our toes. There are many shows out there that love their twists and do things just to shock the audience, but when “The 100” brings you a shocking moment, there’s a reason for it that is a lot deeper then just shock value. It’s these intense, difficult moments that bond us to characters like Clarke, Bellamy, Lexa, and Raven in a way that other shows miss the mark. With a show this dark, it’s easy to lose hope for these characters, but they have found a way to give them hope while still making it a challenge.

“Longmire” (Netflix) – It’s long been a favorite of ours at the site, and it’s also long been a show doing brilliant work without the attention it deserves. There are great performances from the likes of Robert Taylor and Lou Diamond Phillips, and to go along with that, there are also opportunities to see continually see a part of America and a culture that is often left ignored in this medium. It’s a thought-provoking series that at the same time manages to consistently do a wonderful job being an excellent addition to the crime-mystery genre.

“The Night Shift” (NBC) – In between “Code Black,” “Chicago Med,” “Pure Genius,” and “Heartbeat,” 2016 has been the year for either brand-new or relatively-new medical dramas. Yet, our favorite one still remains a supremely underrated show about a group of doctors and nurses in San Antonio with incredibly unusual hours. You’ve got great writing, fantastic performances, and a real emphasis on the characters to go along with the various crises that come their way. It’s one of those that you wish was around for a good 24 episodes a season since you want to be a part of the world for that long.

“Poldark” (PBS) – A gem of a show from Great Britain that definitely deserves more popularity than it has in America. It’s a period drama that combines almost everything that you would want from an hour of television, whether it be strong performances, action, romance, betrayals, people yelling at each other, and of course plenty of tears. It’s one of those rare remakes that measures up to the original, and it’s already making stars out of its two leads in Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson. If you haven’t seen it yet, we suggest that you find it and commence enjoying as soon as possible!

“Power” (Starz) – Despite gaining viewers at an almost unheard-of level through three seasons, this drama starring Omari Hardwick and executive-produced by 50 Cent still hasn’t found the awards-recognition that it deserves. It focuses on complicated relationships, incredible ambition, and what happens when you want to extract yourself from a dangerous situation but cannot quite figure out how; it’s fitting that a man nicknamed Ghost would be haunted by so many ghosts from his past. From start to finish, it’s one of the most gripping shows on TV; once you watch one of them, you’re going to want to speed through them all.

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Now, we’re turning this over to you for voting! As we noted earlier, head over here to get some other news about some of our other categories and when they will be announced. Also, if there’s a show you think should be nominated and it’s not mentioned then make sure you let us know your choice in the comments.