Favorite Current Show?

Tyson · « **on:** 28 Apr 2012, 06:08 am »

I've been thinking about his recently myself, and there's so many good ones out there now, it's kind of hard to choose. My top few? Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Walking Dead, Awake, The Office, Lie To Me, Downton Abbey, Luther, Psyche, Fringe, In Plain Sight...etc.

I vote for Breaking Bad, a seriously good show that hits it out of the park on a consistent basis. But all the others are worth checking out.

wushuliu · « **Reply #1 on:** 28 Apr 2012, 08:16 am »

With the exception of comedy, theatrical films have hit rock bottom for my tastes. I grudgingly admit TV is where the really good writing and acting can be found: The current season of Mad Men is my favorite so far (got bored after the *awesome* S1, but the gf stuck with it). Breaking Bad is great but the young lead reminds me of a less interersting version one of my friends (Ironic given your post in the other thread, !, and no he doesn't do meth) that I just get disappointed whenever I watch it, because I can only visualize him saying the lines and doing a way better job - a weird perspective but there it is. Love Bryan Cranston. It does/n't help that we are simultaneously watching all of Malcolm in the Middle - dude is F'ing HALARIOUS. He reminds me a lot of Jack Lemmon in terms of range and physicality.

Grimm is a guilty pleasure, as I am a former Buffy fan. Downtown Abbey is very entertaining - basically a TV version of Gosford Park. The UK Being Human is actually decent, especially for younger folks and the ladies. I am trying to get into Weeds, but it's the only Netflix show that I actually do NOT want to watch more than once a week, but otherwise entertaining fluff.

I am saving up for the Wire box set - which as far as I'm concerned, is the TV equivalent of buying the Oxford Shakespeare.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 Apr 2012, 01:39 pm »

I priced The Wlre set, too. Damned expensive but I might still buy it. Andre Braugher had a mini-series, too, that lasted one season. I think it was called Thief. That's another one I'd like to have.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #3 on:** 28 Apr 2012, 01:53 pm »

Quote from: jimdgoulding on 28 Apr 2012, 01:39 pm

I priced The Wlre set, too. Damned expensive but I might still buy it. Andre Braugher had a mini-series, too, that lasted one seacon. I think it was called Thief. That's another one I'd like to have.

I just checked Amazon for Thief and no soap. What a pity. I guess that means there is no DVD. That seems just plain dumb to me.

chrisby · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 Apr 2012, 07:18 pm »

Just 1?

Shameless - scary to say that many of us work with or are related to at least a few characters that would fit in seamlessly

and for more mainstream guilty pleasures -

Touch, Awake, Revenge

ajzepp · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 Apr 2012, 04:24 pm »

I agree that there has been a lot of talented writers heading into television. I'm still a movies and sports guy first, but I have gotten totally hooked on a few shows over the past several years. What has really excited me is how you can rent/buy/stream entire seasons at a time instead of watching it week to week. I much prefer to basically ignore a new show until at least the first season is completed. Then if it seems like it's both something I'd be interested and it comes highly recommended, then I'll get hold of the entire season and watch it at my own pace. I've mentioend it a few times on here, but watching "24" that was ranks up there as one of the best home theater and tv experiences of my life.

So while I have a few guilty pleasure shows on tv that I'll watch week to week (survivor, amazing race, Trump), the shows that I've watched in large clumps and have totally fallen for recently have been: Sons of Anarchy, Sopranos, Lost, Breaking Bad and Nurse Jackie. I'm an RN, so Nurse Jackie has been a fun ride. The show's setting is very reaslistic, but the portrayal of the profession isn't at all... it's a fun ride especially for those of us in the medical field.

Breaking Bad ranks up there as one of my favorite shows ever. I tried to get into Mad Men, but it lost me about half way through S1. Oh, and although I was pretty disappointed with S2 of Walking Dead (save for the first episode of the season and the last two), I'm very psyched for S3.

ArthurDent · « **Reply #6 on:** 30 Apr 2012, 05:11 pm »

+1 for Lie To Me. Since dropping the cable box am limited to pretty much base network veiwing, but have found a few that are enjoyable/engrossing. Person of Interest, new twist on an old storyline, but Jim Caviezel & Michael Emerson do a good job. On PBS Doc Martin & MI-5 are well above average. And in the 'guilty pleasures' category would have to note Castle, and Body of Proof. What's not to enjoy watching Stana Katic, and Dana Delaney.

Given my locale I would be remiss not mentioning Deadliest Catch. As close to reality TV as 'reality' TV gets imo.

TRADERXFAN · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 Apr 2012, 05:37 pm »

American Horror Story deserves a mention. Creative and well acted, and the kicker... main characters actually die. So you don't have that sense of nothing is ever going to happen. Watch Season 1 if given the chance via onDemand or DVD etc.

Anyone else seen it?

Also do religiously watch Breaking Bad. But wife doesn't like it, and I started about 2 seasons ago after briefly watching some of the initial episodes, but it didn't hook me at that point.

Also, I like to watch Justified. I wouldn't say it ranks up with the 2 above, but not far off for writing and characters.

Then Suits, below that. Clever lawyers show. A few twists. Mainly a decent show for the summer, but does come up with some interesting stuff.

Larkston Zinaspic · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 Apr 2012, 06:19 pm »

I guess it doesn't really count as 'current' anymore, but I was really enjoying the UK version of Being Human; that is, until the show dramatically committed suicide at the end of Season Three. Not worth watching beyond that, IMO.

Another series I liked on the BBC Channel was Torchwood. It was kind of strange...sometimes the writers were brilliant, and other times it was absolute crap, but I had fun with it while it lasted.

ajzepp · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 Apr 2012, 06:40 pm »

Quote from: TRADERXFAN on 30 Apr 2012, 05:37 pm

Also do religiously watch Breaking Bad. But wife doesn't like it, and I started about 2 seasons ago after briefly watching some of the initial episodes, but it didn't hook me at that point.

I can understand why your wife didn't care for it...it's one of the most male-oriented shows I can ever remember watching lol

chrisby · « **Reply #10 on:** 30 Apr 2012, 10:06 pm »

Quote from: ArthurDent on 30 Apr 2012, 05:11 pm

+1 for Lie To Me. Since dropping the cable box am limited to pretty much base network veiwing, but have found a few that are enjoyable/engrossing. Person of Interest, new twist on an old storyline, but Jim Caviezel & Michael Emerson do a good job.

indeed - on my not any longer so short a list - can't help wonder how long some of these will last

Quote

And in the 'guilty pleasures' category would have to note Castle, and Body of Proof. What's not to enjoy watching Stana Katic, and Dana Delaney.

Remember Nathan from the Firefly days? - he could use a few extra hours a week at the gym, and maybe not sleepwalk through his lines, but watching Stana and Molly Q over the past few seasons ....

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #11 on:** 1 May 2012, 12:20 am »

Check out "Veep" and "Girls" on HBO. Haven't seen writing this precocious and witty before.

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #12 on:** 2 May 2012, 12:44 am »

Quote from: TRADERXFAN on 30 Apr 2012, 05:37 pm

American Horror Story deserves a mention. Creative and well acted, and the kicker... main characters actually die. So you don't have that sense of nothing is ever going to happen. Watch Season 1 if given the chance via onDemand or DVD etc.

Anyone else seen it?

Spoiler alert, stop here if you intent to take Trader's suggestion and see the first season.

Yes, never missed an episode, and went over each one in detail with a friend at work. I understand that season two will be a different house. Wonderfully creative and I too liked that they completed the story for season one, killing everyone, or nearly so. I'll miss the characters, but the writers left no place for them to develop and it would be ultimately boring to see them just dead in that house with new owners, except of course the tie off in the last episode which was great.

I watched season one of Breaking Bad, loved it, and never found the time to get into the following episodes. Maybe a summer rental to catch up, or a reason to get Netflix. Never found the time for Justified or Suits, but they looked good.

mjosef · « **Reply #13 on:** 2 May 2012, 03:44 am »

Currently...
Game of Thrones...BBC's Being Human...Fringe...
Recent season's ended...Justified...Spartacus...Walking Dead...

All time 'old' favs...The Wire...The SHield...Firefly...Jericho & Rubicon & Carnivale (cancelled).
Pre-Wire...Oz!

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #14 on:** 2 May 2012, 04:25 am »

I'd have to pick Spartacus, Game of Thrones and Mad Men.

planet10 · « **Reply #15 on:** 2 May 2012, 07:52 am »

Republic of Doyle, Game of Thrones

and if you followed Life (fantastic show, killed far too soon), the eye candy is now in Fairly Legal (which isn't a bad show either).

dave

mhconley · « **Reply #16 on:** 2 May 2012, 11:14 am »

Currently running: Game of Thrones, Girls, Nurse Jackie and Family Guy.

Waiting for the next season: Homeland.

All-time faves: Firefly, Sopranos, Band of Brothers and The Pacific.

Martin

Devil Doc · « **Reply #17 on:** 2 May 2012, 11:31 am »

NCIS. Are we surprised?

Doc

Eric · « **Reply #18 on:** 2 May 2012, 03:47 pm »

I enjoyed Terra Nova when it was on. Also enjoy the Universe.

milford3 · « **Reply #19 on:** 2 May 2012, 05:24 pm »

Speaking of the universe my vote for best show, hands down, is "The Big Band Theory."
A brillant show with over the top writing.