Well, for intelligent and mature users, it isn't. Cannabis doesn't belong in the hands of minors and those who are prone to abuse it. That's for sure. I don't agree with the gateway drug theory completely, but there is a pretty good amount of truth in it. A lot more than most smokers are willing to admit. It depends more on the user themselves.
Also to add to the thread: OP, don't rule out the option of cooking with Cannabis. The high provides something much different than what most are used to.
Other than that, that's about it. If you want to know what the "next level" is like, go ahead and go back to the home page and click on the "Dark Side" section. Believe me, the "next level" is something you're better off not feeling.
Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of people who use hard drugs without becoming dependent and still lead successful lives, but these are strong willed, intelligent, adults who have already paid most of their debts to society. You will not be one of these people that manage maintaining a perfect balance like that. At least not in a very long time. I can come to this conclusion because: You compared real life to a TV show, you started a thread asking which drugs to take, and you're becoming "bored" with one of the most un-boring plants on our Earth.