The really great TV thread

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:38 pm

Here's a blast from the distant past - Not the 9 O'clock News.

Beer Darts!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsdaA5b8-vs

Best wishes,

Doug

fanatic · Post by **fanatic** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:44 pm

I'm loving Arrested Development right now...Missed it when it originally aired, but here in Canada, reruns are on everyday at 5:30pm I believe.

Otherwise, Lost, The Office and Entourage would be my favorites.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:50 pm

Entourage -- Can't wait for it to come back. My favorite characters on TV.

The Colbert Report -- I like The Daily Show, but Colbert is the more creative, funny, and unpredictable program, and does a better job of skewering its targets. I have stopped watching during the writer's strike because I disagree with them returning to the air and because the writers are as crucial to it as Colbert is.

Lost -- I gave up on Season 3 when they went on break, but the new season renewed my interest, so I bought the Season 3 DVDs and want to catch up by the time Season 4 hits its first break.

Reaper -- Very funny, although I worry the gimmick won't be able to last long.

Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles -- same issue with Reaper. Like what I've seen so far but the movies have already stretched the concept quite a bit.

Robot Chicken -- the craziest show on TV.

Paranormal State -- completely cheesy and probably fake, but it appeals to the mystical Catholic side of my personality. Will probably run out of gas but for now is on season record.

Project Runway -- (ducks rotten vegetables). Hear me now and believe me later: this is a great show. Yes, it's about fashion. Yes, it's gayer than Andy Dick playing a French horn. But I have never, ever seen a show that completely captures the agony and ecstasy of the creative process like this one does. The fashion part of it is irrelevant: it's a show about people being forced to be creative under intense pressure. As someone who deals with that creative impulse every day, it appeals to me. And Heidi Klum's cleavage almost always makes an appearance.

I am also getting through The Office on DVD and have plans to do the same with 30 Rock. I have a few others like Battlestar Galactica, The Shield, and The Wire in my Netflix queue.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 1:25 pm

The one I'd point out that hasn't been mentioned yet is Damages on FX with Rose Byrne, Glen Close, and Ted Danson among others in a superb cast. It's on a summer schedule, so the 2nd season should start in late June. The first season was excellent, and while I'm not sure it can possibly be as good in its second season, I am looking forward to it getting back on the air nonetheless.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 1:41 pm

Ray Wise is great on Reaper.

The Riches are good, about gypsies on a long con.

lexbur · Post by **lexbur** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 4:03 pm

XXXIV wrote:
I miss Cheers

TVLand, 8 am weekdays!

I usually have the news on or Mike and Mike on while I'm getting ready for work, but once in a while I'll watch Cheers for a few minutes before I head out the door.

I still love it. I'm surprised it's not on more.

Airdog · Post by **Airdog** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 4:28 pm

Macca00 wrote:FYI - it seems that network Dexter is going to be significantly butchered (pardon the pun) - they have to shorten the episodes to fit an hour time slot and also have to cut out the content not suitable for network tv (swearing, nudity, and some gore). I can't imagine it'll do the original episodes justice.

Scoop & Rob - glad to find someone else who digs the show!

I find it hard to believe that the show will be quite as good without the gore. I think you kind of need to see the horrible things that he (Dexter) does in order to grasp the point of the show, which is, I think, whether Dexter is good or evil. I'm sure it could be done reasonably well, but not perfectly right.

The swearing won't change things all that much for me (asides from taking a bit away from Doakes' character), and the nudity won't change much at all either (save for maybe having to see some of the dead bodies nude).

Airdog · Post by **Airdog** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 4:30 pm

And cutting out content for time is going to be brutal as well. The show runs roughly 51-54mins each episode, and most broadcast shows that are in an hour time slot run roughly ten minutes less than that.

And I forgot to mention one show:

Flight of the Conchords. I know it's been talked about a bit here before and most of you didn't like it, but I really do.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 4:41 pm

Airdog wrote:
The swearing won't change things all that much for me (asides from taking a bit away from Doakes' character)

Don't forget Deb!

She'll have to turn mute!

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 6:01 pm

I'm still really digging Friday Night Lights, even if it has gotten a little less about football, and more about relationships. I do think it'll be a little too much if they make the playoffs without Smash, and go on to win state for the second consecutive year. That's a little far fetched.

I routinely watch Lockdown on National Geographic. That show will scare you silly, and make you thankful you've never had to endure prison life. My wife refuses to watch because she has nightmares about the inmates.

I'm hanging in there with ER. Yeah, it's not as good as it was in its hey day, but it still has some interesting stories to tell. It can be quite depressing at times however.

I watched one episode of Moment of Truth. Why anyone would volunteer to go on television and have others learn about some of your deepest, darkest secrets is beyond me. It can't be about the money, can it?

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 6:26 pm

fanatic wrote:I'm loving Arrested Development right now...Missed it when it originally aired, but here in Canada, reruns are on everyday at 5:30pm I believe.

Otherwise, Lost, The Office and Entourage would be my favorites.

I missed AD when it originally aired as well. I downloaded the entire series and just finished watching the last episode the other night. Now that I've watched it I can't believe it didn't find a larger audience. AD is definitely right up there as far as an ensemble cast in a comedy goes.

Airdog · Post by **Airdog** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:21 pm

webdanzer wrote:
Airdog wrote:
The swearing won't change things all that much for me (asides from taking a bit away from Doakes' character)
Don't forget Deb!

She'll have to turn mute!

Very true, but if A&E could tone down Soprano's I guess they can do anything these days. It sounded really lame though, and I bet CBS would have to do it even worse.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:23 pm

Another good show on Showtime is Brotherhood, about Irish gangsters RI.

More gritty than the later years of The Sopranos.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:05 pm

Brando70 wrote:Project Runway -- (ducks rotten vegetables). Hear me now and believe me later: this is a great show. Yes, it's about fashion. Yes, it's gayer than Andy Dick playing a French horn. But I have never, ever seen a show that completely captures the agony and ecstasy of the creative process like this one does. The fashion part of it is irrelevant: it's a show about people being forced to be creative under intense pressure. As someone who deals with that creative impulse every day, it appeals to me. And Heidi Klum's cleavage almost always makes an appearance.

I get 'stuck' watching a fair bit of reality shows, and I think this is the best one. I pretty much despise fashion, but for whatever reason this shows usually holds my interest. Even other Bravo reality shows like Top Chef and that interior design show are nowhere near as good.

Gurantsu · Post by **Gurantsu** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 10:34 pm

Hmm... I'd have to go with Samantha Who?, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, and Dirty Jobs.

GameSeven · Post by **GameSeven** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:49 pm

So any updates on shows you're all watching?

My wife and I have gotten into Fringe, Little Britain USA and True Blood as well as the new season of The Office. Anyone catch these or any others?

In particular, True Blood is one that I'd say caught us by surprise. While not yet on the same level as Alan Ball's other works, we've found it surprisingly enjoyable. The device of 'outed' Vampires in society being an analog for various historical minority issues is a bit transparent at times, but overall we quite like the show. Anyone who's seen it will recognize the following scene right away (NSFW - language)

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 12:45 am

Our rotation is Two and a Half Men, House, Fringe, CSI, and Numbers

eman · Post by **eman** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:37 pm

The Shield
Office
House
Entourage
PTI & Around the Horn

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:00 pm

Resurrected this to give some major love to 30 Rock. I have to agree with Rob's assessment that it is the best comedy writing on TV right now. This past week's episode did a reverse-Tiger Woods storyline and a bit on porn for women that were two of the most hysterical things I've seen on TV.

I've also become a fan of Cougar Town, which has the rat-a-tat funny dialog of Scrubs but avoid the sap that dragged that show down in its recent seasons.

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:17 pm

"Your Ben & Jerry's flavor is called Adulteraisin!"

pigpen81 · Post by **pigpen81** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:43 pm

My favorite show right now is "Spartacus: Blood and Sand"

I watch the show through my netflix on the Xbox 360.

It is viciously good...mucho T & A with hot woman and a topless Lucy Lawless...and the fighting is sick. I cannot wait for episode 10 this Friday.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:46 pm

Brando70 wrote:Resurrected this to give some major love to 30 Rock. I have to agree with Rob's assessment that it is the best comedy writing on TV right now. This past week's episode did a reverse-Tiger Woods storyline and a bit on porn for women that were two of the most hysterical things I've seen on TV.

I've also become a fan of Cougar Town, which has the rat-a-tat funny dialog of Scrubs but avoid the sap that dragged that show down in its recent seasons.

Have you watched any "rules of engagement"? It's my favorite comedy right now...Cougar Town, 30 Rock, The Office and How I Met Your Mother are about all I'll watching comedy-wise.

I think Southland is the best show on TV right now. Thank god TNT picked them up when they were dropped for Leno last year.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:47 pm

Slumberland wrote:"Your Ben & Jerry's flavor is called Adulteraisin!"

LOL. That whole episode was packed with hilarity. They even got in a Hot Tub Time Machine joke.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:51 pm

The shows I'll admit to watching:

The Office
Two and a Half Men
Entourage
Amazing Race
Lockdown
Undercover Boss

and a show that I watch but don't readily admit to:

House Hunters on HGTV (I could sit and watch back to back to back shows)

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 5:37 pm

"Mad Men," AMC
"Breaking Bad," AMC
"Dream Team," Fox Soccer Channel
"Last Restaurant Standing," BBC America
"Friday Night Lights," DirecTV

That's it for regular, non-sports TV. Good and bad thing is that four of the five shows have short seasons. Only "Dream Team" is longer than 10 or 11 episodes per season.

"Robot Chicken" and "Family Guy" are the only comedies on American TV that make me consistently laugh. Watch them from time to time if channel-surfing.