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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsWhat is a good ( complete ) tv series to watch?
Last edited Sun Nov 19, 2023, 12:59 AM - Edit history (1)
Me: I think I found a Star Trek series you'd like.
Spouse: You know I don't like those science fictiony things.
Me: Try it -- Enterprise. It's about the characters, not gadgets. It has that guy from Quantum Leap that you like. He's the typical arrogant, "Only I can save them!" captain, but it's still entertaining.
Spouse: Bakula? It's still Star Trek.
Out of 98 episodes, only 3 got the thumbs down, same 3 I didn't like. She's never before watched an entire episode of any Star Trek series.
At least it's a breakaway from all the action movies and cops & robbers stuff.
Need suggestions for next, please!
[Edit to add: ]
Sorry for my lack of manners. I asked for suggestions without providing any of my own. These are some we've enjoyed (if we can't watch them together, we move on to another).
Victoria,
Jamestown,
Peaky Blinders,
NYPD Blue (the stupid 'jerky camera' director tricks are hard for me to tolerate, but they lessen as the series progresses)
Game of Thrones,
Law and Order,
Chicago Fire,
Northern Exposure,
Boardwalk Empire,
Spartacus,
Deadwood,
Downton Abbey,
Goodwife,
Hell On Wheels,
Longmire,
Good Wife,
Call The Midwife,
Rookie Blue,
Tour of Duty,
Firefly,
Turn - Washington's Spies,
Jesse Stone,
Black Sails,
The Pillars of the Earth,
Penny Dreadful
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elleng
(141,926 posts)turning it on right now.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)
Aristus
(72,178 posts)The first four seasons of TWW are my favorite television of all time.
Once Aaron Sorkin left after Season Four, the writing suffered, the show became a pedestrian workplace drama, and I lost interest.
I watched until the end, but I’ve never re-watched S5-7. It just wasn’t the same show anymore.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)Advertisers don't want "new" and "creative"; they want the same stuff that sold soap and SUVs before. By the 3rd season, flocks of producers come in and adjust things to placate advertisers. This usually results in cliches and stereotypes and copy & paste plotlines. You can always count on one character developing an addiction to something, the love triangle, the newly introduced annoying family member, the surprising twist that's not a surprise at all, the annoying Christmas special with magic, the windfall that's gone before the end of the episode, etc. And of course there will come a time when someone has to do something incredibly stupid just to get to a scenario allowing adjustment to the story line or character set.
Sometimes a series will recover from this and sometimes not.
It seems to me that the best series are based on a book or books, just as the best movies are.
Paladin
(32,354 posts)
liberal N proud
(61,194 posts)Currently I am watching Bosh on Prime
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)
Bernardo de La Paz
(60,320 posts)The Prisoner. The last episode (of 12 or 13) is quite wacky and not to everyone's taste.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)
jpak
(41,780 posts)Really well done.
ificandream
(11,837 posts)Love that show.
justaprogressive
(6,903 posts)There are 17 episodes.
My favorite is "Schizoid Man".
Of course there is the series that preceded this...
The long-running "Danger Man" (redubbed "Secret Agent" in
the USA, with a new theme song sung by Johnny Rivers!)
There are 47 episodes + a feature film "Koroshi"
https://web.archive.org/web/20180520230139/http://danger-man.co.uk/index.asp
***If you have a choice I'd watch Danger Man FIRST before The Prisoner...
Permanut
(8,390 posts)I have the complete Gilligan's Island series, and the complete Beverly Hillbillies. Watched 'em both many times.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)Permanut
(8,390 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)It devolved so quickly after season one that it was tough to finish. Didn't quite match my memories for some reason. 
madamesilverspurs
(16,510 posts)Three "Librarian" movies with Noah Wyle, Bob Newhart, Jane Curtin.
Then "The Librarians" series, with expanded cast. Entertainment + thinking.
.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)Winding up that one is why I've been given the task of finding another.
Thanks!
Clash City Rocker
(3,546 posts)I’ve binged the whole thing twice.
It’s by some of the people who made Leverage, which I also heartily endorse.
yellowdogintexas
(23,694 posts)Great cast, and a new wonderful long con story in each episode.
electric_blue68
(26,856 posts)
RockRaven
(19,365 posts)called "Life" and according to Wikipedia it was at one point available on Hulu and Netflix, but I've got no idea whether it is available anywhere or how nowadays. I recall watching it when it was broadcast, and thinking it was rare that a network show would be cancelled after two seasons AND with decent closure. Usually only long-running shows have soft landings, whereas young shows often get cut off abruptly or awkwardly.
I can't post the whole link directly b/c the parentheses borks the link on DU, but the Wikipedia article ends in "Life_(American_TV_series)"
The show has some recognizable actors, playing quirky/conflicted characters, with a underlying through-line mystery slowly worked out. Some humor, some tension, a bunch of pathos.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)LauraInLA
(2,248 posts)
marigold20
(933 posts)I don't know why it was cancelled.
Scrivener7
(59,516 posts)
msongs
(73,752 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)ificandream
(11,837 posts)He was the same type of guy he was on the show.
PufPuf23
(9,852 posts)Missed decades of TV and watched The Good Wife series consecutively as part of Amazon Prime years ago.
Comes on at midnight at present on an obscure DISH satellite TV channel and that is usually when go to bed. Watch TV in dark and, when fall asleep, the TV goes to screen saver and silent. Such is elderly life.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)PufPuf23
(9,852 posts)The TV watch these days is mostly junk TV and some old movies.
TlalocW
(15,675 posts)The Orville. Where Star Trek, especially TNG shows humanity as extremely enlightened paragons of culture, the Orville allows humanity its foibles and faults and ridiculousness.
And that takes me to my next recommendation, Lower Decks, which does much of the same.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)If she balks, I'll remind her that she assumed she wouldn't like Enterprise.
AZSkiffyGeek
(12,744 posts)I've heard great things about Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks as well, but I don't know if they're complete.
LoisB
(13,025 posts)British
Chainfire
(17,757 posts)that are as good or much better. Silent Witness, D. I. Banks, Vera and there are many more. My wife and I have been watchin Britbox almost exclusively for the past year. I have to be reminded not to drive on the left side of the street.
yardwork
(69,360 posts)I love the protagonist. I think it's based on a series by the same author of Vera.
Chainfire
(17,757 posts)That said, I think that the British "cop" (and there is a pile of them) shows blow the American productions out of the water. I am loving Britbox.
catchnrelease
(2,151 posts)Either Britbox or Acorn are my go to for tv watching. I'm about 2 seasons away from the latest season of Silent Witness, and I'm dreading it being over. I normally watch one 2-part episode a night lately. I read somewhere that the newest season of Vera is coming in December. I hope it's true as I think it's my overall favorite, and I watch them all, lol. Shetland was great and Hinterlands (set in Wales) was good. Waking the Dead is an oldie and similar to Silent Witness in that it's mainly a forensic/crime procedural. Acorn also has many good series from Australia, and New Zealand.
I don't know why exactly the UK shows are so much more appealing to me than the US ones. Even the comedy Ghosts UK version was much better (imo that is) than the home grown one, even tho' I think the US version was overseen by the UK creators. I got through 1 episode of US one and that was enough. O well, as long as I have the option to find what I prefer, all is good I guess. And I have found some phrases sneaking into my vocabulary, like using 'sorted'. Did you get that sorted? Can I have a word?
LoisB
(13,025 posts)British comedy
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)Jeebo
(2,560 posts)At the end of every episode, I did a fist pump and a shout "YEAH!" and I have never had that reaction to any other TV series I've ever seen. It ran four seasons, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. I have the whole series on DVD but haven't watched it again in a while. I'm about due.
-- Ron
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1442449/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_q_Spartacus
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)Gotta be mixed up with the piles of movies here somewhere.
I think my tools taught my dvds how to hide from me.
Shermann
(9,062 posts)LauraInLA
(2,248 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)
Tetrachloride
(9,622 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)
Lars39
(26,540 posts)Grimm, Person of Interest, Hamish Macbeth
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)Have Person of Interest, but never seen Hamish Macbeth. Will check that out! Thank you!
Lars39
(26,540 posts)Pretty good. Lotsa humor, too. I recommend turning on closed captions for Hamish Macbeth. 🙂
On edit…also Warehouse 13. 🙂
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)cc or subtitles are pretty much a requirement any more.
yellowdogintexas
(23,694 posts)I second the recommendation for closed captions for Hamish Macbeth. It is a wonderful series.
Eureka! is another fun series.
Lars39
(26,540 posts)
Bayard
(29,679 posts)Its very well done, and total escapism.
Lars39
(26,540 posts) electric_blue68
(26,856 posts)Enjoyed Grimm, too. 👍
Saw POI in first run. Saw some parts of Fringe up till "the bridge" ep then stopped.
Finally got to see every episode of Fringe late Fall '20, or '21.
Lars39
(26,540 posts)They both have the layers of plot that makes them almost necessary to watch multiple times.
electric_blue68
(26,856 posts)you're dealing with all the imagdry, along with talking, vocalizing, and sounds of things, and natural elements.
Great ensemble acting that you can be in it at the moment but on a later viewings also marvel at their skills.
(ie: Finch's(Emerson's) soliloquy to u-know-who imho is one of the greatest in TV history)
A good excuse for a partial rewatch of Fringe to pick out a great Walter/Noble soliloquy, too. I feel some memories twinkling at me)
The first time I ever saw him was as Steward Denethor in LOTR. (and Emerson in Lost)
(I'll think on Amy Acker/Root as well)
If you think on great TV - while I can't remember exactly but I'm thinking of a few of Hawkeye's/Alda's amazing scenes decades later! Great stuff stays w you in some fashion.
Great original music, plus some great song selections!
And for me as a born & bred NYC'r POI looking all the NYC scenes!
(I'd have paid to be in that last Times Square scene 👍 )
Even though Fringe takes place alot in NYC not sure it's as identifiable as in POI. Don't know if they ever did any real filming in Boston.
Ah, such fun to remember. 👍
Lars39
(26,540 posts)In my mind, Walter is forever connected to heated car seats.
electric_blue68
(26,856 posts)
Emile
(42,281 posts)Boston Legal
brewens
(15,359 posts)series.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)Jeebo
(2,560 posts)That was a great series, and I have the whole series on DVD.
-- Ron
brewens
(15,359 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)Jrose
(1,532 posts)That series also had many 'Class A' guest stars, Colombo's equally scruffy Bassett hound, and background music by Mancini.
ificandream
(11,837 posts)Jrose
(1,532 posts)What now draws me back to that series, and why it's so meaningful today, is that the scruffy, down to earth Colombo usually - and ingeniously - solves murders done by very rich, greedy people who think they can get literally get away with murder.
Harold Shea
(61 posts)Justified
Grimm
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)
if..fish..had..wings
(880 posts)12 Monkeys
Friday Night Lights
Fringe
The Handmaid's Tale
Legion
Orphan Black
Sling & Arrows
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Travelers
The West Wing
The Wire
Ferrets are Cool
(22,956 posts)
Shermann
(9,062 posts)I found it to be really convoluted.
Firefly is a slam dunk though!
Summer Glau starred in both.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)I have Firefly, West Wing, and The Wire. The rest I'll check out.
Thanks!
Codifer
(1,205 posts)I found it quite late but loved it. Still wonder why it was canceled.
It was my "must-turn-off-news-and-chill" go to for quite some time. Great characters and interactions.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)I also don't know what method she uses to choose from all these suggestions.
marigold20
(933 posts)Longmire
The Americans
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)Ferrets are Cool
(22,956 posts)Great writing and acting.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)bedazzled
(1,885 posts)Christopher eccleston and Matt Smith were great, too!
Mousetoescamper
(6,819 posts)I seldom missed an episode during the original run, 1990-1995. Also watched it in syndication and bought the DVD box set about 10 years ago. The show won some Emmys and Golden Globes. Fantastic writing, acting and music soundtrack. Watching it makes me nostalgic for the Clinton years.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)AZSkiffyGeek
(12,744 posts)Had that same sort of Fish-Out-Of-Water feel as Northern Exposure. Ed Helms plays the heir of a colonial town founder on a native land trying to salvage his family legacy while the tribe wrestles with cultural heritage and a casino. Helms plays pretty much his character from the Office, and Jan Schmeidling from Reservation Dogs plays his friend who runs the tribal cultural center in town.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)
marble falls
(71,919 posts)Northern Exposure, The Practice, Newsroom, Boston Legal, Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Vikings, any of a hundred of English comedies: the Irish RM, To the Manor Born ...
Lots o' stuff out there!
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)Shermann
(9,062 posts)This exceeded all expectations for me.
FM123
(10,372 posts)And like you, it exceeded all expectations for me.
MLAA
(19,741 posts)Some touching drama and lots of laughter.
Mr.Bill
(24,906 posts)very good show.
MLAA
(19,741 posts)I finished it this past spring and still mourning that there are no more seasons.
Mr.Bill
(24,906 posts)that's for sure.
catchnrelease
(2,151 posts)I was really late to the series. I'd heard so many people rave about it but I didn't get Apple tv and wasn't going to get it just for one series. Then I was made part of a 'family plan' so I had access and blew through the first couple of seasons. I am also so sad that it's over. It ended well, and probably at a good time, but I do wish it could go on a little longer. Roy Kent! Roy Kent!! He's here, he's there, he's every fking--where!
MLAA
(19,741 posts)through it. It was that good and more. I too was not disappointed in the finale. Fking Roy Kent. Loved the scenes with his niece. Loved the entire cast.
AZSkiffyGeek
(12,744 posts)Best TV show I've seen in years, only 30 episodes but it packs a punch.
rzemanfl
(31,372 posts)Midnight Writer
(25,404 posts)May have to give it a couple of episodes to get into it. I didn't care for the characters at first, but soon I found myself really rooting for them.
Also really enjoyed Bosch and Justified, as well as the Marvel TV shows that originally appeared on Netflix and now are on Disney (Daredevil, Luke Cage, Punisher, Jessica Jones).
Vinca
(53,986 posts)episodes, so I've got to watch it again. It's one of those shows you don't think you'll like and then you get hooked.
Raftergirl
(1,856 posts)Offspring. 7 or 8 seasons. Australian. Was on Netflix now on Hulu.
Call My Agent. French with subtitles. Great and very funny.
NotHardly
(2,705 posts)ificandream
(11,837 posts)The acting was superb all the way through and there are familiar faces often in the supporting cast.
Another good one is "Dallas," which my wife and I are watching now. We picked it up in the sixth season when J.R. and Bobby do battle for control of Ewing Oil. But the subplots are great and Larry Hagman reminds me soooooo much of Trump.
Jeebo
(2,560 posts)I have the whole series on DVD. Lots of pathos in that series. As I recall, the concluding two-part episode set records at the time for viewership. "The Fugitive" was, in fact, my favorite television series ever until 2010, when "Spartacus" premiered. "Spartacus" ran four seasons, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and it is now my favorite television series ever. And yes, I have all four seasons of "Spartacus" on DVD.
-- Ron
Phoenix61
(18,828 posts)ificandream
(11,837 posts)Diana Rigg doesn't show up until a few seasons in, but the early episodes aren't bad. When Dame Diana showed up, it became a classic.
intheozone
(1,136 posts)intheozone
(1,136 posts)
JoseBalow
(9,486 posts)was so awesome! It's Joss Whedon's best work IMO. When you finish the series (which ended much too soon), watch the film Serenity, which wraps up the story lines very nicely.
--snip--
The show explores the lives of a group of people, some of whom fought on the losing side of a civil war, who make a living on the fringes of society as part of the pioneer culture of their star system. The two surviving superpowers, the United States and China, which fused to form the central federal government, called the Alliance. According to Whedon's vision, "nothing will change in the future: technology will advance, but we will still have the same political, moral, and ethical problems as today."
--snip--
The follow-up film, Serenity, was voted the best science fiction movie of all time in an SFX magazine poll of 3,000 fans. Firefly was later ranked #25 on TV Guide's Top Cult Shows Ever.
--snip--
Firefly consists of a two-hour pilot and thirteen one-hour episodes [plus the follow-up film, Serenity]
Genre Space Western, Drama
Created by Joss Whedon
Starring Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Ron Glass
Starseer
(85 posts)in the whole of Firefly included a quote that was slightly changed from MLK's original:
"You know, it's funny. We went to the war never lookin' to come back, but it's the real world I couldn't survive.
"You two carried me through that war, and now I need you to carry me just a little bit further, if ya can.
"Tell my folks I wanted to do right by 'em, and that I'm at peace and all.
"When you can't run anymore, you crawl. And when you can't do that, well... yeah, you know the rest..."
No matter how many times I watch the show, that scene grabs me and turns me inside out. 
demmiblue
(39,717 posts)waldnorm
(186 posts)are very good series I often come back to, on top of my mind (that's not Trek 
).
1WorldHope
(2,052 posts)I loved that!!!!
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)
berniesandersmittens
(13,194 posts)Downton Abbey
Prison Break
Once Upon a Time
LakeArenal
(29,949 posts)Hell On Wheels
Sharps Rifles
Horatio Hornblower
thenelm1
(912 posts)particularly if one likes historically based stuff. (There was also a 2-3 episode "prequel" of sorts based on Sharpe's adventures in India per the Cornwell novels.) Another good made for TV series based on Cornwell's work was "The Last Kingdom", based on his "Saxon Chronicles" about the 9th/10th century wars in England, though admittedly I haven't found and seen the whole series yet. (Cornwell is still writing additional titles for both series of novels - the next Sharpe's novel has been announced release for next April per Amazon.)
The "Horatio Hornblower" series was excellent as well, though it ended way too soon versus the scope of the novels from the same series. (Even those ended prematurely due to the death of the author.)
There was a short-lived series based on the early French/English colonization of Quebec titled "Barkskins" which was on the National Geographic channel back in 2020, I think. Very well done, though it only lasted a season or so. Never saw why it ended, though it did seem to coincide with the outbreak of COVID. Still definitely worth a look.
And a yes vote for "Hell on Wheels" as well.
Mr.Bill
(24,906 posts)Verry funny.
Elessar Zappa
(16,385 posts)The Wire and Breaking Bad for criminal type shows. Bob’s Burgers if you like animation, especially seasons 3-8.
Not Heidi
(1,555 posts)It's a British cop show starring the fabulous Sarah Lancashire. It's on Acorn TV through Prime. Only three seasons, but it's great.
Walleye
(44,797 posts)It was about a Bernie Madoff type character and the lawyer, Glenn Close, who was trying to recover some of the money for the families that were swindled. Lily Tomlin and Martin Short play surprisingly deep dramatic roles. She is the wife of the Madoff character and Short as the family lawyer/fixer. Both memorable performances
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)It's going to take a while just to sort through and try 'em out.
Thanks a bunch, everybody! I can't be the only one who was searching for something to watch.
blue neen
(12,465 posts)The best.
bedazzled
(1,885 posts)Last edited Sun Nov 19, 2023, 02:34 AM - Edit history (1)
Very funny!
Monk
Boardwalk Empire
I Love Lucy
Star Trek Deep Space Nine
Babylon Five
Bewitched
And if you are looking for a REAL time commitment...
DARK SHADOWS
Also forgot the original Twilight Zone. It's terrific
chouchou
(3,142 posts)7-8 dollars a month. Has all the wonderful English mysteries.
LudwigPastorius
(14,723 posts)The Expanse (it leaves a couple of things unresolved, but it is overall a satisfying story arc)
Any other suggestions I have are even older shows that you've probably seen.
yellowdogintexas
(23,694 posts)Better Call Saul, follow it with Breaking Bad
Murdock Mysteries
If you can find it, The Last of the Summer Wine is wonderful
Good Omens! both seasons.
"Allo, 'Allo (old Britcom from same company as Are You Being Served)
To The Manor Born; Goode Neighbors
Father Ted (it is on You Tube free) one of the funniest shows ever on TV.
Derry Girls (Netflix)
Lars39
(26,540 posts)16 had a heck of a cliff hanger
yellowdogintexas
(23,694 posts)besides Acorn, since we are taking a break from it for a while
I do enjoy that series!
rzemanfl
(31,372 posts)I saw a rumor that a person could get Season 17 with VPN and some prevarication. Not that I am saying you should try.
Saved some of the Christmas shows for December.
Probatim
(3,285 posts)It took my daughter and me 3 episodes to really get into it but at the end of the 3rd episode we were hooked.
There is a book series by the same name. The authors assisted GRRM in Game of Thrones and he provided some thoughts on The Expanse.
It's a great story of human nature, intrigue, and high stakes - all done in outer space. The show is fantastic and the books are amazing. I've read the series twice and seen the show three times.
It's my all-time favorite.
Liberal In Texas
(16,269 posts)Wife watched the series all over again when I was out of town.
Probatim
(3,285 posts)On top of that, the intrigue makes it more amazing.
GoneOffShore
(18,020 posts)Good Omens - on Amazon - Written by Neil Gaiman, based on the book he did with Terry Pratchett
The Blacklist with James Spader
Vikings on Netflix
The Sandman - another Neil Gaiman series
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy on YouTube - The original 1979 series with Alec Guinness and
Smiley's People, also on YouTube
Brideshead Revisited on YouTube
House of Cards - Not the American rip, but the original BBC series
Les Temoignes (The Witnesses) French crime thriller
Lupin - with Omar Sy
Rake - Australian series about a dodgy lawyer starring Richard Roxburgh.
Coupling - BritCom with Gina Bellman and Ben Miles (he of The Lehman Trilogy and the Broadway production of Wolf Hall where he played Thomas Cromwell)
Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren
Liberal In Texas
(16,269 posts)The first series The Closer went for 7 seasons with the lead character, Brenda Leigh played by Kyra Sedgwick (wife of Kevin Bacon) When her character left to move to another city and they pretty much continued the series with
Major Crimes starring Mary McDonnell and with the same sets and crew from The Closer. This series went for 6 seasons.
Both are police procedurals where the closer (Sedgwick and McDonnell) solve cases and cleverly obtain confessions that allow the cases to stand up in court.
yellowdogintexas
(23,694 posts)on any of my streaming services.
I keep hoping for it to pop up on Netflix, Prime, or Hulu
flying rabbit
(4,970 posts)Avengers- the Brit one, Deadwood and The Expanse.
csziggy
(34,189 posts)It's set in Canada beginning in the 1890s, has 17 seasons and is a lot of fun. Sort of a steam punk mystery series since the detective, William Murdoch invents things and meets lots of inventors of the time, including Edison, Tesla, and others. It's streamed on Acorn TV.
Historic NY
(40,037 posts)a series based on actual events,
Doc Martin....its a gas '
NameAlreadyTaken
(2,301 posts)The original series, produced from 1971-1975. You'll hate for the series to end and you will never forget it.
Axelrods_Typewriter
(298 posts)Two British series, kinda like The West Wing, except made in the 80's and concerning a Minister of Parliament who becomes PM in the latter series. The writers had actual British civil service employees secretly funneling plot elements and ideas to them.
CrispyQ
(40,969 posts)White Collar was good too, but I hated the last few episodes.
Firefly...
I could watch that over & over. Oh wait. I have.
Ritabert
(2,444 posts)Inspector Morse and the sequel Lewis
A Touch of Frost
Scott & Bailey
Rebus
US shows
Firefly
Rizzoli & Isles
Bones
MacGyver (the original)
Tarzanrock
(1,250 posts)The theme song, Park Avenue Beat. The cast: Raymond Burr; Barbara Hale; William Hopper; Ray Collins; William Talman; Wesley Lau; etc. The writer: Erle Stanley Gardner. The engrossing sophisticated dialogue. The realistic courtroom scenes. The amazing cinematography. The fantastic automobiles. The iconic scenes of Los Angeles in the 1950's and early 1960's. The fantastic directors of various episodes. The first rate, top notch Hollywood motion picture acting talent regularly appearing as guest stars on the series.
See, this link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050051/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cl_sm
Just briefly peruse the Hollywood acting talent in this link.
Television studios today can't afford to pay the cast and the guest stars which appeared on the old Perry Mason series.
DFW
(60,182 posts)Liebling Kreuzberg, which probably 99% of DU has never heard of.
It was about a small time lawyer in what was then West Berlin. The wall came down during the series run, and the scriptwriters adapted.
The downside is, I am not aware of this series even being subtitled, so if you don't understand German, you'll get exactly nothing out of it, but it captured the life of this one lawyer and his practice, with his so very typical Berliner receptionist, assistant and "other lawyer." It was full of laughs and whimsical comedy like no other German series before or since. It was written by one of the best Scriptwriters, Jürek Becker (think of a German Aaron Sorkin tackling a slice of mindane daily life), and done with his friend, Manfred Krug, one of Germany's best actors, in mind. The casting and acting were perfect. A true labor of love, and the whole of Germany loved it. The lawyer liked nothing better than to chill out on his office sofa, smoke cigars and eat green jello--and make brilliant wisecracks at opposing lawyers in court.
Starseer
(85 posts)Father Brown (and its spin-off, Sister Boniface)
Luther
Poirot (the quintessential one starring David Suchet)
Campion
May to December
Broadchurch
Hustle
Torchwood (science-fictiony)
I've been giving some of the Marvel series a watch as well.
I thought "Loki" (recently concluded) was excellent. I found myself liking "She-Hulk: Attorney-At-Law" far more than I thought I would, and had similar feelings about "WandaVision." All-in-all, I am mightily impressed by Kevin Feige, and the path he's taking as the CCO of Marvel Entertainment.
Just my $0.02. =)
happybird
(5,393 posts)It’s one of the old HBO originals and we really enjoyed it. Treme, too, but I don’t think they ever finished that one.
It only has one season so far but it’s absolutely fantastic, and the season can stand alone: Andor. It’s Star Wars, but very unlike any other SW. Gritty, super intense spy/political/heist story about how the rebellion was formed and funded. It’s amazing acting and storytelling.
Chakaconcarne
(2,787 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)
Xavier Breath
(6,640 posts)It's a great ensemble workplace sitcom à la The Mary Tyler Moore Show, with a cast of great, eccentric characters. It ran for four seasons and they produced about 90 episodes. I loved it as a kid and still love it today. It was canceled before it's time.
Beringia
(5,507 posts)I am watching it now. He has it on his own website, all seasons for $30. It doesn't stream, so you have to go to the next episode yourself. He is refreshing and original. I enjoy it a lot.
Louie, all seasons
https://louisck.com/collections/louie
I always liked Baskets, very funny, at least the first couple of seasons. You can see it on Hulu.
Hotler
(13,747 posts)Last edited Wed Nov 22, 2023, 12:08 PM - Edit history (1)
Cheers
Angleae
(4,801 posts)Just remember that the pilot is called "The Gathering", not "In the Beginning". The latter was a movie made after the series and spoils a lot of the plot points later if you see it first.
waterwatcher123
(513 posts)
lapfog_1
(31,904 posts)Buddy Hackett, Illeana Douglas.
if you like dark comedy and sarcasm... this is the funniest thing I've ever seen.
You may have to buy the DVD. There are only 13 episodes... people actively hated the show because of the rude and crude language and the star character Peter Dragon (a move producer played by Mohr) is a really awful character.
But, much like "Silicon Valley" on HBO, I think this is a exaggerated view of Hollywood like Silicon Valley is an exaggerated view about tech startups. I think most of the plot devices and jokes ACTUALLY happened to either the writers or to Joel Silver ( Lethal Weapon, Predator, etc ) who is the main producer behind the series.
I found it extremely funny... but then I have a twisted sense of humor.
Ilsa
(64,362 posts)It's a very modern take on Edgar Allan Poe's work. Well done. A little spooky, a little gross here and there, but I found it worth watching.
rzemanfl
(31,372 posts)Great for binge watching. Acorn if you are a heavy binger. If you can pace yourself, use Hoopla and your library card. We are waiting for Season 17 to be available in the U.S.
RandomNumbers
(19,156 posts)(on Prime; starring Rami Malek, who went on to play Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody.)
It's a bit twisted. If you liked Twin Peaks, you probably like it, although they are very different. If twisted isn't your thing, maybe don't bother.
Another one I liked that I didn't see already mentioned, is Broadchurch.
Emile
(42,281 posts)Kaleva
(40,365 posts)Bob's Burgers
Mort and Ricky
Sealab 2021
Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell
InuYasha
FLCL
Yes Minister
Darkplace
Rhiannon12866
(255,525 posts)The only episode I avoid is the one where he went to the dentist, that one was tough to watch. 
senseandsensibility
(24,973 posts)and your wife sounds like she knows what's going on!
thenelm1
(912 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)She has a stack of dvd cases here now.