5 Ways To Make Your TV Show A Classic
3. Moral Ambiguity
'Good guys' and 'bad guys' are things of the past. The idea of the cookie-cutter hero or villain bores people - this is why Wolverine (an unstoppable killer), Iron-man (a careless drunk), and Batman (a psychologically broken vigilante) are the most popular heroes in this modern age (Man of Steel eat your heart out) so make sure you pack a load of characters into your show who do bad stuff for good reasons or vice-versa.
The central premise of 'Dexter' is the guardian angel killer. The murderer who does away with other murderers. In that premise alone lies enough complexity to satisfy viewers for 8 seasons. 'Breaking Bad' is just a study of the evil that lies inside any man. It shows how pride, jealousy and greed can take over the good and leave one a murdering, evil psychopath.
On the other hand 'Game of Thrones' takes Jaime Lannister a man who threw a child out of a window when first we met him and makes him one of the most compelling and likable characters on the show.
People like to watch stories about people they consider to be 'real', people who have good and bad inside them. What's more people love a tortured soul. A bad guy who wants to do good, have at least one in your show and they'll guarantee your success.