New TV recommendations needed.....

[Gorgon]

Once you've seen The Wire, everything else is crap.

Is that the one with the crackdealers in the project housing, corrupt politicians etc ?

[kirottu]

I saw the first season of House, but struggled to get through it. Tried watching the second, but was way too bored by the time. The show sucks, its completely repetitive. Pretty much the same thing happens every episode.

 

House is repetive like sex is repetive. If you don

[Pope]

Once you've seen The Wire, everything else is crap.

Is that the one with the crackdealers in the project housing, corrupt politicians etc ?

Yes.

 

No other show has character writing as good as The Wire. There's no good or bad, everyone is just trying to survive in the only system they know, be it the streets, the Baltimore PD or politics. I'm currently rewatching season 4, and along with 3, this is my favorite. Bunny Colvin ftw.

[Humodour]

No other show has character writing as good as The Wire. There's no good or bad, everyone is just trying to survive in the only system they know, be it the streets, the Baltimore PD or politics.

 

It baffles me why so many people claim this makes a show good.

[Pope]

No other show has character writing as good as The Wire. There's no good or bad, everyone is just trying to survive in the only system they know, be it the streets, the Baltimore PD or politics.

 

It baffles me why so many people claim this makes a show good.

Not just any show can pull it off, but The Wire does. There's not a single character I don't sympathize with (the sole exception being the lying reporter in season 5). The Wire is all about the individual vs the system, and no matter how hard one tries, there's just no beating the system. Which is why I'm such a big fan of Bunny. His ideas of reformation throughout seasons 3 and 4 were nothing short of great, but sadly had no place in today's number games. But at least he's trying to make a difference.

 

What I'm trying to say is that no other show has ever made me think about people and societies more than The Wire has.

[Gorgon]

It's strong acting through and through, and it's got a sort of 1980-90s urban culture feel to it, pay phones and pagers, corruptuion alive and well. Like before they 'cleaned up' NY, although the setting is present day.

 

I watched a few episodes that dealt with the murder of a young woman who was a witness/informant. It was very touching.

[Gorgon]

It's sort of a throw back to homicide but taking a more explicit social angle.

[Sand]

TORCHWOOD

[Humodour]

He said he doesn't like "monster of the week" stuff, so I'm thinking Dr Who and Torchwood are out. At least shows like Reaper have a few over-arching plot threads and strong character design to tie it all together (not that I don't like Dr Who).

[BIOShazard]

George Lopez? Not sure if thats what you want.

[Spider]

It's sort of a throw back to homicide but taking a more explicit social angle.

 

Not surprising considering that the creator of The Wire, David Simon, wrote the book Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets, that was the basis for the show. He also wrote for the show.

 

The Wire is just brilliant. No other show has left such a void for me after it ended.

 

Anyway, to the original poster. Based on your list, I think you'd probably appreciate Breaking Bad. Heavy serialized and thought provoking. I'd also recommend Buffy and Angel. This'll probably get a lot of scoffing, but they are very good, very serialized and tackle far deeper issues than just the monster fighting.

 

If you like Veronica Mars, I'm pretty sure you'll like Buffy if you give it a chance.

 

Also Babylon 5 if you don't mind the somewhat corny special effects. It has a fantastic story (at least the core show, the movies are a bit hit and miss).

 

If you've only watched the first season of 24 I think you should continue with that. Granted, the sixth season is a bit weak, but the rest are very good to amazing.

 

I'd also recommend Jeremiah. Post-apocalyptic goodness. Intelligent and thought provoking.

 

Alias is also good. It wasn't as good in the end as in the beginning, but still worth giving a shot.

[Joseph Bulock]

Metalocalypse.

[theslug]

Breaking Bad is a good recommendation though the writers strike kind of d bagged it since it got cut short but still a great show none the less.

[Musopticon?]

I have to second the Jeremiah recommendation, the series has been very good.

[Laozi]

yeah, its totally brutal.

[roshan]

Anyway, to the original poster. Based on your list, I think you'd probably appreciate Breaking Bad. Heavy serialized and thought provoking. I'd also recommend Buffy and Angel. This'll probably get a lot of scoffing, but they are very good, very serialized and tackle far deeper issues than just the monster fighting.

 

If you like Veronica Mars, I'm pretty sure you'll like Buffy if you give it a chance.

 

Also Babylon 5 if you don't mind the somewhat corny special effects. It has a fantastic story (at least the core show, the movies are a bit hit and miss).

 

If you've only watched the first season of 24 I think you should continue with that. Granted, the sixth season is a bit weak, but the rest are very good to amazing.

 

I'd also recommend Jeremiah. Post-apocalyptic goodness. Intelligent and thought provoking.

 

Alias is also good. It wasn't as good in the end as in the beginning, but still worth giving a shot.

 

Im not sure Buffy is my thing.... Ive seen some episodes (back when I was a teenager), and it seemed immature to me even then. Also the acting didnt seem to be any good.

 

Ive watched all of 24 (except half the last season), but didnt mention the other seasons because they basically sucked, a lot. Season 1 was amazing, season 2 was still alright, but after that.... Jack Bauer turns into a superhero who can withstand anything (and can even teleport), the writing becomes so bad and the characters so cliche and stereotypical that most scenes make me cringe. Even the plot lines are absurd and ridiculous, such as the season where Logan is involved with the terrorists. They dont even show the CTU personnel getting tired as the day progresses as in season 1, theyre just bouncing about all day long. The split screens in season 1 helped to give viewers a sense of how time is progressing in different places, in the new seasons, theyre just there.

 

Season 5 was particularly ****ty with Jack going after the "random bad guy of the week", with no explanation at all of what that person has to do with the terrorist plot, or how that person is linked to the one before him. They dont even depict the motivations of the weekly terrorist. The acting in the last season was so bad (with the president having a sister who talks like she popped out of the ghetto) I couldnt get through it.

 

Whats Babylon 5 like? Its not one of those shows where theres an alien of the week, a planet of the week, or a new technology of the week?

 

Jeremiah sounds cool.

[Kor Qel Droma]

Carnivale is where it's at.

[Nick_i_am]

Metalocalypse.

 

haha, awsome.

[taks]

psych would be my addition to the fray. corny, but often hilarious.

 

taks

[Spider]

Im not sure Buffy is my thing.... Ive seen some episodes (back when I was a teenager), and it seemed immature to me even then. Also the acting didnt seem to be any good.

 

We all have our tastes. But I don't find Buffy to be either immature or bad acted. It's probably one of the most faithful descriptions of high school life (in it's first three seasons), apart from the monsters. The thing is, if you only watch an episode here or there, it will look a little silly. But if one follows it for a while there is depth and nuances that totally changes how one views the show. At least for me.

 

Angel is a bit more mature in it's tone though. A bit darker, a bit more adult. Again, some episodes are sillier than others. I think they are both worth a shot, but there is a lot more recommended to you, so if you find other things more interesting, go for those first.

 

Season 5 was particularly ****ty

 

Funny that, I thought season 5 was the best (in competition with season 1). & was pretty crappy though, so don't bother with it.

 

Whats Babylon 5 like? Its not one of those shows where theres an alien of the week, a planet of the week, or a new technology of the week?

 

Babylon 5 is the epitome of serialized Sci Fi. JMS wanted to do a show that would span over five seasons, no more, no less. He also had the entire story envisioned from the beginning, with a clear beginning middle and end. And that's basically how he did it, with is extremely gutsy considering how the TV industry works. Banking on getting a second season, let alone five, from the get go is either brave or stupid (or both). He did compromise his vision a bit in season 4. A fifth season was such an uncertainty that he wanted to give fans closure. It did happen anyway, but the end of season four is slightly rushed and season five is a bit empty plotwise, but both are still very good.

 

What is most impressive is how much of what happens early on matters later. Stuff from the first season comes back in the last and so on. The characters feel very real and develop a lot from the starting point. The show overall is very plot driven so no, no alien of the week. There are a few standalone episodes, but those are typically very good as well.

 

First season is a bit weaker than the rest imho though. It spends a lot of time setting things up and the commander is a bit uncharismatic. I'm not sure how it is the first time someone watches it though, I just remember what I thought the last time.

 

If you're going to check it out, make sure to watch the pilot first, called "The Gathering". Also make sure to not watch "In the Beginning" until afterwards. That movie is a prequel, but gives away a LOT of plot. I'd ignore all the other movies until after having seen the show. Honestly they're just not all that good.

[Pope]

JJ Abrams is doing a new show.

 

http://tv.ign.com/dor/objects/14208895/fri...e_rev_1200.html

 

I've never been a fan of X-files (and this looks like a blatant ripoff), and Abrams kinda "lost" my respect when he sorta turned his back on Lost, but I love watching Lance Reddick act (especially in The Wire).

Edited May 22, 2008 by Pope

[Xard]

JJ Abrams is idiot - first he ****s up Alias and then abandonds Lost - how ****ing short attention span he has?

 

That said X-Files was awesome

[kirottu]

psych would be my addition to the fray. corny, but often hilarious.

 

taks

 

I agree.

 

kirottu

[Hurlshort]

Abrams is probably better off leaving a project after the first year or two. X-Files went downhill in the last few seasons, Alias supposedly did as well (I never watched, just going off rumor.) Meanwhile, LOST is going great without him.

[taks]

psych would be my addition to the fray. corny, but often hilarious.

 

taks

 

I agree.

 

kirottu

the good thing about the USA shows is that they run in a split season format. several episodes in the winter and several in the summer. psych, burn notice, monk and the closer all fall into that category (wife loves kyra sedgewick, and the show ain't bad either). this summer we'll also get new law and order: criminal intent episodes. i'm a d'nofrio fan, btw.

 

taks

Edited May 22, 2008 by taks