I need suggestions for GOOD tv series to watch.

[dixiegrrrrl]

The constraint is ..I have no tv for last few years.
So I have to catch series that are now on Netflix, which means 2010 and earlier series to about 1995.
Am now on mission to find and add to my queue.



comedy: I am watching Parks and Recreation, which I like, loved Arrested Development, Spin City. Appreciate quirky.

Drama: Have seen Nurse Jackie, the Sopranos, Rome, I like Boardwalk,
prefer caliber of The Wire and West Wing.
Any new and good "procedural" stuff out there, from any country?

Whatcha got????

[catchnrelease]

1. Depending on your sensibilites

I LOVED Deadwood from HBO. It was sadly cut short too soon, after the third season, by the suits at HBO, for which I will never forgive them, lol. The language is heavy duty swearing and some full on nudity, so if that bothers you I would give the series a pass. But visually and the way the dialogue is written is great imo. Even the music over the closing credits was good.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Hmmm...I will have to check that out, thanks.

I hear a lot of raves about Oz, too, but was wondering about the subject matter.

Dead Like Me was fun, I like Mandy Patakin.

[MaineDem]

3. Check out this forum

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=441

Some great ideas there! Good luck.

[Ohio Joe]

4. My suggestions

Sci-fi - Farscape
Comedy - Misfits
Drama - Spooks

[latebloomer]

5. Did you ever see "Six Feet Under"?

One of the best series ever, IMHO.

Also have been enjoying "Mad Men" on Netflix.

[Duer 157099]

6. Try Carnivale; it was an HBO show several years back n/t

[Little Star]

7. One word. Justified. ...

http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/justified/

Season 1 was great, season 2 was spectacular! Just about everyone I know watches Justified and everyone is on pins & needles for season 3. Best show on TV in years!

[Ohio Joe]

8. oh yeah, I forgot Justified

Another awesome show.

[Rabblevox]

9. Kudos on going TV-free. I haven't owned one in 6 yrs, but I love me some good TV DVD's. My favs...

On the Comedy side:

If you like Arrested Development, try Malcolm In The Middle. I'd put it right up there with Arrested Development as one of the smartest, quirkiest comedies ever. Also...Weeds(but that may be because I have a Mary Louise Parker fetish).

On the Drama side:

Very few shows hit the caliber of The Wire or West Wing or Rome, but here's a few that are gifted enough to play on the same field.

Six Feet Under Simply my favorite TV series of all time. It's the only time that "magical realism" has ever been done right on American TV. Set in a funeral home, the show is about life. It's as warm and generous of spirit as anything I've ever seen. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want to strangle the main characters at times. It just doesn't get any better. And the series finale is maybe the most perfect 45 min. of TV ever filmed.

Friday Night Lights I came to this one reluctantly, because I don't like Texas, and I don't care about football. But it's unflinchingly honest look at small-town life in America completely won me over. The drama here is never contrived or forced, but feels like it grows organically out of the characters. Once you get to know these kids and families, you will want to invite them over regularly.

The Tudors Henry the Vlll as you've never seen him before. People have complained that the show played fast and loose with history (and it did)but the wit, the passion, and the political dealings make this grand entertainment. A special shout-out to Sam Neil as Cardinal Wollsey, and Peter O'Toole as the Pope.

Deadwood Someone once described Deadwood as "Shakespeare in the dust", and I think that's accurate. No other shows has mesmerized me like this one through the sheer power of language. (be warned though, it is also probably the most profane show ever to air on TV) Ian McShane is the best bad guy in the history of television, and although the show is set in a "man's world" it is the women who truly make the show. Alma, Jewel, and Mrs. Garrity are the emotional and moral centers of the show.

The Riches "They always kill what they cannot understand" This show only lasted 1 and 1/2 seasons, I think it was just too smart and challenging to make it. Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver as con-artist parents of a family that is (kind of) trying to go straight. It's complex, fast-paced, charming and chilling by turns, and does not wait for you to catch up. One of my favorites.

Anyway, dixiegrrrl, hope that helps.

[Little Star]

10. If you want to torture yourself you could watch season 1 of..

The Killing, lol. It was a very different type show.

Now that I have cooled off a bit, I must admit to the fact that I will be watching season 2.

Here is a thread about the show. Make sure to read all the comments.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x9716483

and here is another one from the lounge.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x9715970

[Sabriel]

11. Try the Brits and Canucks

Some excellent stuff there:

MI5/Spooks
Life on Mars (sequel: Ashes to Ashes) (both are excellent!)
Hustle (what Leverage was based on)
Intelligence (great Canadian actors)

It's always so fun to find a new series! We can't wait for the next one.

[lazarus]

12. Community for a comedy

absolutely brilliant. 30 Rock is also quite good.

[Mojambo]

13. Sitcoms are my thing

Might I suggest...

Peep Show (Britcom. Probably the funniest sitcom I've ever seen. Brilliant.)
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Dark and darker as the series goes on, but very funny)
Community (This is just... amazing. Best pure ensemble comedy since Newsradio)
The League (this is a very underrated show, imho)
Bored To Death (quirky and funny. Ted Danson is amazing in it)

[SoCalDem]

14. Being Erica..watch in chronological order though

and of course there's always Deadwood..I loved that show

[dsc]

15. Brother's and sisters

All but the final year are in netflix now and the final year would be on ABC or Hulu. I am almost finished with it now as I have watched it in rerun on Reels. It integrates, more fully than I have ever seen on network TV, a gay character and is also a well written well acted show.

[ZombieHorde]

16. The first season of Heroes is awesome, but the others seasons don't live up to the first.

I believe you can stream it on Netflix.

[MaineDem]

17. Oh, I agree

That first season was so fresh and unique. After that I lost interest fast.

[ejpoeta]

18. i just finished watching felicity on netflix. the whole series.

Weird because I remember watching it, but didn't remember much of what happened. But it's fun to watch stuff (and it isn't even that old) and see people using payphones and pagers and all that.

I watched Psych and got caught up on that. I had never seen it before we dumped the satellite and it is pretty interesting . Funny. I also watched the Bones series which most of it is available on Netflix and the most current stuff on Hulu.

The hubby and I were watching "30 Days" which is pretty interesting series that only lasted 3 seasons. Morgan Spurlock of Supersize me fame did a great series. The first episode was where he and his girlfriend went to ohio and lived on minimum wage for a month. They also had shows with a pro choice woman who went and lived at a place where they let women stay and have their babies etc. Not sure if anyone else has seen it, but I would recommend it.