But It's Darker Than You Know in Those Complicated Shadows: Television's Most Beautiful Shows

By Cindy Davis | Lists | April 29, 2013 |

By Cindy Davis | Lists | April 29, 2013 |

As important as good plotting, characters and actors are, the experience of watching television is infinitely advanced by excellent art and set direction, costuming and cinematography; it is often a major difference between network and cable series. How good would “Game of Thrones” be without the extreme attention to detail, the locations, the lighting, the brilliant camera work—the visuals are what make the fantasy real and bring it to life. Sometimes (as with “Hannibal”), the art and production design takes us by surprise, elevating what might have been ordinary television to another level. These are the shows that provide exceptional feast for our eyes.

“Game of Thrones”

Production Design: Gemma Jackson; Art Direction: Ashleigh Jeffers, Heather Greenlees, Tom McCullagh, Thomas Brown , Paul Inglis, Frank Walsh, Andy Thomson, Tom Still, Steve Summersgill; Costume Design: Michele Clapton; Set Decoration: Tina Jones, Rob Cameron, Richard Roberts, Claudia Parker; Cinematography: Matthew Jensen, Alik Sakharov, Jonathan Freeman, Martin Kenzie, Marco Pontecorvo, Kramer Morgenthau, Anette Haellmigk, Robert McLachlan, Chris Seager.

“Breaking Bad”

Production Design: Mark S. Freeborn,Robb Wilson King; Art Direction: Bjarne Sletteland, Marisa Frantz, Paula Dal Santo; Costume Design: Kathleen Detoro, Jennifer L. Bryan; Set Decoration: Michael Flowers, Brenda Meyers-Ballard, Susan Magestro; Cinematography: Michael Slovis, Reynaldo Villalobos, Peter Reniers,Nelson Cragg.

“Mad Men”

Production Design: Dan Bishop ; Art Direction: Christopher Brown; Costume Design: Katherine Jane Bryant; Set Decoration: Claudette Didul, Amy Wells; Cinematography: Chris Manley, Phil Abraham, Steve Mason, Frank G. DeMarco, Bill Roe, Don Devine.

“American Horror Story”

Production Design: Mark Worthington; Art Direction: Edward L. Rubin, Andrew Murdock; Costume Design: Chrisi Karvonides-Dushenko, Lou Eyrich; Set Decoration: Ellen Brill; Cinematography: Michael Goi, John B. Aronson.

“Hannibal”

Production Design and Art Direction: Matthew Davies, Costume Design: Christopher Hargadon; Set Decoration: Jaro Dick; Cinematography: James Hawkinson, Karim Hussain.

Cindy Davis, (Twitter)