I felt the same way initially, and I find that many of the efforts in this area fall victim to the maladies you cite; but I do think that certain shows have managed to transcend the narrative cul-de-sac that so often takes hold. The longer a show tries to stay on the air, the more likely it is to devolve into the soap opera morass. The exceptions are not plentiful; I'll let others make the case for them again here, if they choose to chime in.
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