I think that in the most grossly general way, TV shows can be separated into three groups: the shows that get a ton of viewers and everyone knows about (American Idol, Two and a Half Men, Lost, etc), shows that don't get quite as many viewers but are well-known anyway (30 Rock, Burn Notice, Mad Men, The Shield), and a third category of shows that are more niche. They're probably on cable or public television and may even be on at odd times. They have their fan base, but a lot of people probably don't even know they exist.

That's what this list is, the five shows that I've been enjoying lately, away from the more mainstream shows that I watch every week (The Mentalist, 30 Rock, Lost, Mad Men, Burn Notice, Chuck, Heroes, The Simpsons, 60 Minutes). They're quirky, interesting, and they're probably shows you should check out too.

Unsolved Mysteries could probably be considered one of the first "reality" shows to really hit big, though I'm not comfortable with that categorization, because it was probably closer to news or Cops-like documentary than the reality shows we have now.

In fact, if you look at the old episodes, they seem almost quaint, even though they were talking about murders, abuductions, disappearances, curses, and UFO sightings. But there was a real non-sensationalist aura about the show, and you got the feeling they really wanted to get to the bottom of each case.

Now the show is coming back...to HBO!