During any given season, there are a number of shows that do not get the recognition some may think they deserve. This could be due to an unfortunate time slot or poor advertising on the network’s part. There are lives, jokes, relationships and whimsical events of some fictional characters people may not even know of. Here you are presented with some pop culture underdogs you should be watching, if you are not already.

Community

(NBC, Thursdays 7 p.m.)

Joel McHale (host of “The Soup”), comedic legend Chevy Chase (yes, the one from those old “Vacation” movies), comedian Yvette Nicole Brown (“Tropic Thunder,” “Repo Men”) and an array of other underrated stars shine in this prime-time show. What more could you need?

The show revolves around a community college, including great comedic timing and a group of peculiar but slightly stereotypical characters. The show has proved that in its second season, it still has the chops to fight “The Office” any day of the week.

“Community” has depth, pull and enough dark humor to satisfy anyone who is still upset over Steve Carrell leaving “The Office.”

Parks and Recreation

(NBC, Thursdays 7:30 p.m.)

While you were crying over “My Name Is Earl” being canceled, another potential cult favorite emerged from the love to portray people hating their jobs.

“Parks and Recreation,” starring the ever-so-funny and extremely charming Amy Poehler (“Saturday Night Live,” “Baby Mama”), is a dark mockumentary about the mundane, yet hilarious, everyday occurrences of the painfully upbeat main character and her unmotivated employees. The show features a group of diverse actors such as Rashida Jones (“The Office”) and newly added cast member Rob Lowe (“The West Wing,” “Brothers & Sisters”).

The show has enough energy, awkwardness and self-deprecation to shine on its own without the help of its well-known star. Yet this show has failed to achieve the stardom and recognition it was initially expected. But make no mistake—”Parks and Recreation” is a show not to miss.

The Middle

(ABC, Wednesdays 7 p.m.)

Who would have thought that Patricia Heaton (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) would still have it in her after 2007’s failed sitcom “Back to You”? Yet the lovable star comes back with a bite in this show, which is still fresh and entertaining as it enters its sophomore year.

The show is about a middle-class Midwestern family and their everyday lives. One would think that America has had enough of family comedies, yet “The Middle” proves to be different, with a cast that is nothing short of brilliant. With the help of the lovable janitor from “Scrubs,” Neil Flynn, and “Saturday Night Live” alumnus Chris Kattan, the show soars in a midst of hit shows.

“The Middle” might remain mostly unknown for many due to the fact that it plays before “Cougar Town” and the public’s favorite,

“Modern Family.” Yet this show seems to achieve what other family shows haven’t: brilliance in simplicity. Think of it as the “Malcolm in the Middle” of this decade, but without the teen angst.

Parenthood

(NBC, Tuesdays 9 p.m.)

Based on the 1989 film of the same name, “Parenthood” is about the three generations that make up the Braverman family. Think of it as NBC’s response to “Modern Family.”

The show brings with it a familiar group of faces, including insanely upbeat Lauren Graham (“Gilmore Girls”), TV veteran Craig Nelson (“Coach”) and comedian Dax Shepard (“Punk’d,” “Without a Paddle”).

The cast provides a sense of wit and warm intelligence that other family dramas may not possess, which brings it closer to our hearts. The show’s well-developed characters and three-dimensional storylines bring it to life in a way its ABC counterpart could never do. Once it grows on you, it won’t let go.

The Good Guys

(FOX, Fridays 8 p.m.)

“The Good Guys” is yet another buddy-cop show to grace our TV sets this season. The main difference about this one is that instead of showing some glamorized version of crime fighting, it shows more mundane situations.

Bradley Whitford (“The West Wing”) brings honesty to the main character, who is unlike anyone he has played before. The Dallas-based show also features Tom Hanks’ son Colin Hanks, an actor in his own right who plays a modern-day detective alongside Whitford’s washed-up, stuck-in-the-past character.

The show brings the right mixture of comedy and drama. The two lead actors convey a sense of honesty and mundane normalcy that the show’s counterparts do not seem to possess.