Recommend me some shows
POSTED BY: dekanth
UPDATED: Monday, March 9, 2026 16:48
VIEWED: 10104
PAGE 1 of 4
I rarely watch TV anymore, but lately I find myself buying DVD's of TV shows. I've been through Firefly numerous times and have watched most of Buffy and Angel. A couple other shows on my list are X-Files and Smallville.
Anybody care to recommend some other great shows I may have missed. It would be helpful if you mentioned why you like them too, so I can see if it matches some of my interests. Thanks!
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Doctor Who, at least the last two seasons. The David Tennant may not be out yet, but Ecclestion (sp?) is definitely out on DVD... I'm not sure of the earlier seasons, 'cause I've not seen them.
/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\
May not be smart, and it may not please you, but you're definitely gonna see what I have to say.
NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Welcome, Dekanth. I see you are new to this board.
Well, I have 3 shows I am currently following. 2 are Sci-fi, one is not.
1. The new Battlestar Galactica on the Sci-fi channel is excellent. Well written (for the most part), well acted (again, for the most part), and visually it is a knockout. Heck, I don't care Starbuck is a girl, and Lee is a wet noodle. I love this show.
2. Heroes on NBC is really well done. I find the hour show flies by and the plot so far is incredibly engaging. Sci-Fi-ish, as the main characters have superhuman powers.
3. Bones is David Boreanaz' new show on F*X. He is an FBI agent working with forensic scientists. The writing is amazing ( they've even referenced Firefly! ) and the scientist's reparte and chemistry with each other is great. In fact, Dr Hodgins ( T J Thyne) was named one of 25 Most underrated actors in 2006:
http://www.zap2it.com/tv/custom/photogallery/zap-theunderratedof2006,0
,6113660.photogallery?index=23
Each of these shows has amassed a fervent following on the interent. I think that's one thing they all have in common with Firefly- public buzz.
(My dvd cabinet also groans with every season of SG-1, and SG Atlantis, but that's something else.)
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Assuming you are unfortunate enough not to be British, you ought to have a look at old Doctor Whos in order to get why we have a soft spot for something done on Tom Cruise's daughter's weekly rusk budget.
"The Talons of Weng Chiang." Victorian England. Chinatown. Fog. Music Halls. Leela being totally Zoe in the back-watching stakes. (Honestly. Don't try stalking or attacking the Doctor, even in a London Particular, because you will end up dead. No question.) Getting arrested by the Peelers after being caught "...trying to strangle a Chinaman with his own pigtail..." Theatrical Impresario Henry Gordon Jago and Police Coroner Professor George Lightfoot going off on their own well past middle aged Buddy Movie and having a really good time stealing scenes from Tom Baker.
Lightfoot is utterly charmed by Leela who, out of her skins for once, looks good in Victorian clothes. They even have a bit of a Pygmalion thing going on with table manners. And quite straight-facedly discuss knife-fighting techniques, too... Leela gets trapped by the baddie, of course, and in the face of death gives really good contempt.
There is no getting away from the giant rat, but we'll gloss over that.
This recommendation has nothing to do with it being Dr Who. It's just good full stop. And I haven't even mentioned the plot yet.
Fair warning, though. It is a PC - free zone, and if you are at all sensitive about anything less than huggily inclusive attitudes to the Chinese, you may have a stroke. Nothing I can do about that, except maybe suggest you watch in company, or have 911 on speed-dial.
Green Wing. Like Scrubs, but more surreal and British. Absolutely mad Personnel Officer. Don't make the mistake of thinking I'm using the word "mad" in its present devalued sense. Total effing soup sandwich fruitloop psycho nutter box of frogs unhinged is closer to it.
The Book Group. They meet and discuss books. Stoating.
Hamish MacBeth. Scottish village Policeman. Mystical, dead funny, creepy, heartrending. See it.
Black Books. Sitcom. Surly scruff of a bookshop owner is generally surly. And drinks a lot.
I'll assume you already have Father Ted, Northern Exposure and Due South.
G
...thinking this was a bit of a waste of time if you do drive on the left...
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I'll second the BSG and Heroes.
I'm still a fan of "Lost" but refuse to watch it until the season is finished. That previous sentence, btw, is a lie; it is what I wish I did as I find individual episodes to be entirely too short and monstrously frustrating. Fastest hour of television ever - if I owned a t.v. - but that's an other discussion entirely.
I really enjoyed HBO's "Carnivale" and "Six Feet Under."
I lo-uved "Rome" with a big, fat ol ! Why? I love period pieces. The acting is well done. The stories are compelling. It is well written. Kind of a trifecta.
I couldn't go wrong recommending these to myself. For you, dunno...
My signature...Rhae.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by dekanth:
I rarely watch TV anymore, but lately I find myself buying DVD's of TV shows. I've been through Firefly numerous times and have watched most of Buffy and Angel. A couple other shows on my list are X-Files and Smallville.
Anybody care to recommend some other great shows I may have missed. It would be helpful if you mentioned why you like them too, so I can see if it matches some of my interests. Thanks!
I'll be watching DRIVE when it comes to FOX this spring BECAUSE Nathan (Our Captain) Fillion is in it and Tim Minear is producing/writing/whatever. Tim produced Firefly with Joss Whedon.
I'm hoping Nathan picks up some more fans. BECAUSE that will lead more people to Firefly the TV series/Serenity the movie AND THEN more Browncoats!! etc...
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
If you are looking for shows on DVD, I highly, highly recommend "Wonderfalls". It was done by Tim Minear who worked with Joss on Angel and Firefly. He also did "The Inside" which is also fantastic, but currently not "officially" available. Also as Anonymous1 mentioned..."Drive" will be out in March or April. Also...Tim Minear. Reason enough to sell your soul to see it, then Nathan is a great bonus to this. If you enjoy Smallville, as I do too, you may what to consider "Supernatural".
"All these years
Truth In front of my eyes
While I denied
What my heart knows was right."
Neverland(Marbles)-Marillion
visit WWW.Marillion.com for a better way of life.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
A huge ditto for "Battlestar Galactica." At this point I would say that it is the best SF series ever on TV. Ever. Not because it's particularly plausible SF (it doesn't even try; it's really more 'space fiction' than 'science fiction'). But these people really know how to tell a story, with complex characters, and a focus on character development first and foremost. Episode after episode is fresh and smart and memorable, and the plot goes in unexpected directions (a near-miracle on tv). The acting is first-rate also. Much as I love FF, this is the better show (and has had time to become so). Season one and season 2 and 2.5 are available already. You can get most of season three thus far via bittorrent downloads.
"Heroes"--also fresh and creative and unexpected, even if it clearly is a dramatized comic book with superheroes. But it's funny and compelling at the same time. Probably not on DVD yet, as it's halfway through season 1, but downloadable.
"Babylon 5"--was the best SF on tv ever until FF and BSG. The acting is pretty uneven, and the writing can be stiff, but it was conceived as a five year novel for tv, and so it has narrative continuity, a smart very science fictiony plot, and some amazing episodes. Season one is uneven, but sets up important plot elements for the rest of the series; seasons 2-4 are consistently compelling. Season 5 is pretty bad; the creator/writer J. Michael Straczynski didn't find out until very late that they were even going to get season 5, so he 'finished' the novel at season 4, then had a season to fill. So you could skip that one and not miss much. All five are on DVD, though.
If you have an interest in politics and current events, the first several seasons of "The West Wing" were quite wonderful--witty, fast-paced, and so very smart. TV for thinking people. It spoiled me for regular tv, not that I wasn't already pretty intolerant of the pablum that is out there. Aaron Sorkin is like Joss, only not as consistently hilarious and goofy. Or as out=there creative. But then, who is?
"Six Feet Under" also worth it--smart, fresh, different, although later seasons got soap-operaish.
Good luck!
"Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle. . . ."
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
If you can find it, try the British series "The Eleventh Hour"... starring Patrick Stewart as a gov't science investigator checking into crimes with a sci-tech angle... most excellent. Only 4 90 minute episodes, however.
In a similar theme, try the Canadian "ReGenesis". Second season finished a while back and a third is planned. Same idea as "The Eleventh Hour" but with a team instead (ReGenesis was first on the scene, however).
Another good one, one of the best shows of 2006 (and on the planet), is the British "Life on Mars" about a modern detective knocked back in time to 1973 where policing is done a wee bit differently, which makes for some hard biting drama (and some good funny, too).
Also, if you like ghost stories, there is the British "Afterlife", sorta like "Medium" and "Ghost Whisperer" except with much better writing.
The CW's "Supernatural" is turning out to be "Buffy" meets "Route 66"... a very good show that could have a long life.
If you like spies, try the BBC series "Spooks" (aka MI-5 in North America). Hard drama with news headline relevent themes and stories. Also, they kill main characters frequently, so don't get attached to anyone...
If you like funny, there is always "Absolutely Fabulous," "Black Adder", "Vicar of Dibley" (all British), and the Canadian "Corner Gas". AbFab, BA, and Vicar are all cheeky, sophisticated Brit humour, while CG is laid back and good natured.
Showtime's "Weeds" and "Sleeper Cell" are both in their second seasons, and both are excellent. "Weeds" is dramatic and funny, while "Sleeper Cell" is brutal drama at its best.
CBS's "Numb3rs" is very good... a smart, science oriented FBI show... BBC's Doctor Who spin-off "Torchwood" is R-rated sci-fi and is proving to be a worthy companion to Doctor Who. The new British "Robin Hood" has some nice dramatic moments, but is mostly just good action fun.
And, of course, there is the great "Veronica Mars" - "Buffy" with real crooks instead of monsters. Same quality, similar style, identical formula, but still excellent.
Don't forget shows like Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis... fun sci-fi/action with great mythology and a litte bit of thinking drama. "24" is also a fun show... great action and tense drama - season 5 was the best yet.
Jericho, new from CBS, has turned out to be a very good show, despite some early misgivings. Good writing and a solid cast, but the post-apocalyptic storyline does move at a leisurely pace sometimes.
"Mythbusters" on Discovery Channel is the best sci-tech reality show since "Junkyard Wars" hands down... fun and informative always.
Ditto the positive comments on Galactica, Wonderfalls, B5, Heroes, Carnivale, Rome, Bones, Lost...
There... that should keep you poor and busy...
_________________________________________________
Much work remains to be done before we can announce our total failure to make any progress...
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
It's a sad day when the weather channel is interesting. No good TV anymore.
If you like X files try Millennium, Lone Gunman, 4400, and Revelations.
Scifi how about Stargate, Babylon 5, Star Trek Voyager, original BS Galatica.
Cowboy fun Brisco County Jr, Jack of Trades, and Cowboy Bebop.
I am waiting hopefully for dvd sets of Alias Smith and Jones, and Cimmarron Strip.
Also pic an actor out that you like and check his work. Jean Reno is always in good movies.
Empire of the Wolves is bad to the bone.
"Battle of Serenity, Mal. Besides Zoe here, how many-" "I'm talkin at you! How many men in your platoon came out of their alive".
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME