Author Topic: Anything good on TV these days? (Read 2219 times)

Silent · « **on:** April 09, 2011, 02:01:07 PM »

Are there any really good shows on TV anymore? I mean outside of the news, commentary, talk, and reality shows. I'm talking about dramas or comedies mostly I guess. I've mostly given up on television. Specifically network television is out of the question, outside of the occasional sporting event.

I've been thinking for a while now and can only come up with two shows that currently run which interest me. Those being Burn Notice and South Park. I've really loved some of HBOs stuff in the past but I dont even know what they run these days. Did I change or did TV become really lame? I'll admit to not even watching much new for at least a few years now so maybe I'm missing something. I don't have cable or anything but will buy DVD and Bluray sets or grab a sample off Demonoid.

Do you have a show that you absolutely cannot miss? What was the last show or series you'd consider outstanding entertainment?

Usagi · « **Reply #1 on:** April 09, 2011, 02:20:12 PM »

We cut our cable last year when we realized the only thing we watched on actual TV for literally the entire year was the Olympics. Haven't missed it once! Although, Netflix streaming though the Xbox has been awesome.

The only "recent" shows that I have enjoyed at all (besides some HBO things like Rome) are Mad Men and Arrested Development. Both of those are great, if you haven't seen them.

haloedorchid · « **Reply #2 on:** April 09, 2011, 02:24:46 PM »

Quote from: Usagi on April 09, 2011, 02:20:12 PM

Arrested Development.

Yes. I was coming here to post that, as well. That show has so many double and triple entendres -- you could watch the seasons multiple times and catch something new every time.

I like Kitchen Nightmares on Hulu. Chef Ramsey is abrasive, but that's why it works.

Also: Dexter.

MV · « **Reply #3 on:** April 10, 2011, 12:09:37 AM »

during the final season of lost, i began watching the show for the first time. i plowed through EVERY episode from season 1 forward until i caught up with the series as its final four episodes aired on broadcast tv. what a piece of shit that show turned out to be in the end. there was absolutely NO payoff, and the idiots all trying to decipher the final episode's message made me puke. i wish i'd just stayed way.

the last time i attempted to give a tv show a chance was the new "V." i made it about 8 episodes into the show and couldn't continue. bad acting, bad dialogue, a main character played by an actress from lost who has no ability to convey facial expressions due to excessive botox use, and cliche after cliche... it was just too much to take. i have no idea what ended up happening to V, and i don't care.

tv is dead to me. i only have basic cable and haven't watched it in over a year. the ONLY reason i have it is because it makes my internet connection CHEAPER if i have it. find the logic in that pricing model and i'll call you a genius.

Bosco · « **Reply #4 on:** April 10, 2011, 12:33:01 AM »

Breaking Bad and The Killing on AMC

Eddie Coyle · « **Reply #5 on:** April 10, 2011, 12:48:51 AM »

IFC airs three comedy programs that I feel have held up remarkably well with time, "Larry Sanders Show"(1992-98), "Ben Stiller Show"(1992-93) and "Mr Show"(1995-98). In terms of newer programs...slim pickings out there.

MV · « **Reply #6 on:** April 10, 2011, 01:46:31 AM »

Quote from: Eddie Coyle on April 10, 2011, 12:48:51 AM

IFC airs three comedy programs that I feel have held up remarkably well with time, "Larry Sanders Show"(1992-98), "Ben Stiller Show"(1992-93) and "Mr Show"(1995-98). In terms of newer programs...slim pickings out there.

i've seen every episode of mr. show, and always wanted to see the other two you mention here in their entirety. just never really got around to it. i recall watching a few episodes of the ben stiller show when i was a kid, but i didn't view it steadily or anything. i have some catch-up to do.

MV · « **Reply #7 on:** April 10, 2011, 01:48:22 AM »

by the way... if you like mr. show, go watch tim and eric awesome show great job. it's of the same cloth... well, sort of. bob odenkirk and david cross appear on tim and eric numerous times as well.

Eddie Coyle · « **Reply #8 on:** April 10, 2011, 01:52:48 AM »

Quote from: Michael V. on April 10, 2011, 01:46:31 AM

i've seen every episode of mr. show, and always wanted to see the other two you mention here in their entirety. just never really got around to it. i recall watching a few episodes of the ben stiller show when i was a kid, but i didn't view it steadily or anything. i have some catch-up to do.

If you blinked you missed Ben Stiller's run on Fox in the Fall of '92. It was originally on Sunday nights at 7:30 pm, a murdereous time-slot(going against 60 Minutes/NFL) and then got bumped to 10:30pm that winter. It never stood a chance. Not great like Mr Show,IMO, but really good for network tv.

Mops · « **Reply #9 on:** April 10, 2011, 04:55:16 AM »

If you like sports then ESPN has started airing Australian Rules Football again. AMC is also pressing ahead with some interesting series. I even watch the largely underrated iCarly with the kid now and then. Otherwise, may I suggest putting up a basketball goal in the back yard?

onan · « **Reply #10 on:** April 10, 2011, 04:57:32 AM »

good tv... some would go for the quick joke and say good tv is an oxymoron. For me, I have 2 points of view: is it fun and did I find it compelling.

Right now for fun I like a few shows including Justified, Supernatural, Hung, Californication, and Dexter. A fun show I wish has lasted longer was named Firefly... god fx made a mistake there.

For compelling I like Southland (although I have not seen the recent season), I liked The Practice, before it became so contrived I like the series Land and Order.

For off beat comedies I liked a show by the locally nefarious Michael Moore named TV Nation. The episode with the serial killer neighbor was hilarious.

Treading Water · « **Reply #11 on:** April 10, 2011, 07:48:07 AM »

I shall date myself, verily.

I have the DVD sets of Barney Miller, SOAP, TAXI, and WKRP in Cincinnati. Although, the WKRP set came WITHOUT the original music and has only about HALF the "oomph" the originally broadcast episodes had. Pity.

Mostly, I watch old movies. I tried the retro TV shows, but found they triggered flashbacks of water hoses slamming men into buildings and dogs being set upon them. So now I pretty much stick to the History, Discovery, and National Geographic channels.

JustOneFix · « **Reply #12 on:** April 10, 2011, 11:30:56 AM »

After reading this thread, my picks will stand out as against the grain- but I guess I am in most cases.

News Radio- It doesn't come on TV anymore, but it's one of my favorite sitcoms aside from Seinfeld.

I don't watch alot of TV, mine stays off more than it's on- but I watch alot of the car related stuff like Barrett-Jackson auction, the RM & Mecum auctions, etc. I'm in the vintage car business so it's always good to keep up with sale prices, trends etc.

On Discovery I watch Swamp Loggers, Deadliest Catch and the Hog hunting show. Everything else I either watch on DVD or something like Hulu, mostly old shows like I dream of Jeannie, Hawaii Five-O (The original, not that abortion of a show that is the new version).

MV · « **Reply #13 on:** April 10, 2011, 04:17:53 PM »

Quote from: JustOneFix on April 10, 2011, 11:30:56 AM

News Radio- It doesn't come on TV anymore, but it's one of my favorite sitcoms aside from Seinfeld.

ah, yes... that show was great. a lot of people forget about that one... myself included.

ADG12311990 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 11, 2011, 02:45:56 AM »

Lately, I've been watching Stargate Universe (It sucks that it's canceled, but I've come to expect that from the 'SyFy' Channel) and Doctor Who, which is one of my favorite British produced TV shows. (Although, it kinda sucks being the only person in my school who watches Doctor Who)

Mops · « **Reply #15 on:** April 11, 2011, 04:20:45 AM »

Quote from: onan on April 10, 2011, 04:57:32 AM

good tv... some would go for the quick joke and say good tv is an oxymoron. For me, I have 2 points of view: is it fun and did I find it compelling.

Right now for fun I like a few shows including Justified, Supernatural, Hung, Californication, and Dexter. A fun show I wish has lasted longer was named Firefly... god fx made a mistake there.

For compelling I like Southland (although I have not seen the recent season), I liked The Practice, before it became so contrived I like the series Land and Order.

For off beat comedies I liked a show by the locally nefarious Michael Moore named TV Nation. The episode with the serial killer neighbor was hilarious.

The Firefly series should have been a keeper. The movie was a mother, though.
Remember the episode of TV Nation where the redneck set fire to the 18-wheeler as an anti-Communist statement? And cheerleaders at the execution?
The old USA/Nickelodeon Network is sitting on a gold mine of reruns -- Turkey TV, KaBlam!, Night Flight, etc. Can't even find them on CD. Sledge Hammer and Max Headroom were banished to CD. So was The New Twilight Zone (late '80's version), probably with the help of some diehard censors. Still can't believe they got "The Star" and "Dead Run" episodes on the air.

haloedorchid · « **Reply #16 on:** April 12, 2011, 04:17:56 PM »

I like Body of Proof so far. It's fast-paced and sassy.

HAL - Dana Delany stars in it and looks as beautiful as ever. You might wanna check it out.

Do you think it was angels? · « **Reply #17 on:** April 12, 2011, 04:41:31 PM »

I love the Real Housewives series, and NBC is blowing up these days: 30 rock, Parks and Recreation, and Community are all excellent. I also love V.

Simply Phantastic · « **Reply #18 on:** April 12, 2011, 06:13:47 PM »

Diners, Drive Ins, & Dives on Food Network, and No Reservations and Bizarre Foods on the Travel channel are my faves. And of course always, always, there is Monday Night Raw on USA......wait.....did I just say that last bit out loud? shit.

999 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 12, 2011, 07:25:26 PM »

Netlfix is going to start streaming Mad Men so I'm going to start watching that.

We mostly watch old movies and documentaries mostly. Archive.org has some surprising content. All the plastic surgery in Hollywood nowadays creeps us out/distracts us.

We don't have cable tv but Burn Notice is on the tvpc site.

[an aside rant - its so idiotic that you can't choose which channels you want a la carte and have a cable tv cafeteria plan, damn time warner]

Simply Phantastic · « **Reply #20 on:** April 12, 2011, 09:35:48 PM »

Quote from: 999 on April 12, 2011, 07:25:26 PM

Netlfix is going to start streaming Mad Men so I'm going to start watching that.

[an aside rant - its so idiotic that you can't choose which channels you want a la carte and have a cable tv cafeteria plan, damn time warner]

Netflix is becoming the absolute go to place for my TV fix now.

And ya, the a la carte issue totally blows.

slipstream · « **Reply #21 on:** April 12, 2011, 10:41:48 PM »

Quote from: 999 on April 12, 2011, 07:25:26 PM

[an aside rant - its so idiotic that you can't choose which channels you want a la carte and have a cable tv cafeteria plan, damn time warner]

Damn them all!

MV · « **Reply #22 on:** April 12, 2011, 10:45:11 PM »

Quote from: slipstream on April 12, 2011, 10:41:48 PM

Damn them all!

straight to hell.

999 · « **Reply #23 on:** April 12, 2011, 10:48:25 PM »

Quote from: Michael V. on April 12, 2011, 10:45:11 PM

straight to hell.

into boiling pits of sewage

onan · « **Reply #24 on:** April 20, 2011, 09:16:07 PM »

Has anyone seen Kiefer Southerland's new project "The Confession"? I like it.

anagrammy · « **Reply #25 on:** April 22, 2011, 05:52:12 PM »

I watch Fringe, The Event and House regularly, plus Dog Whisperer, all on Hulu. I bought a Roku ($75 or so with shipping) to control my Hulu/Netflicks and a bunch of other internet sites through my TV, so now I pickup the newscasts and shows I want the day after they play on live TV, scrolling around with a remote.

Which means I only pay $29.95/mo for the broadband through AT&T (as opposed to the almost $80.00 that Comcast wanted for essentially the same thing and thats for 3mbps. You want 5, you pay $5 more.

Anagrammy

Anagrammy

slipstream · « **Reply #26 on:** May 01, 2011, 09:54:57 PM »

Quote from: anagrammy on April 22, 2011, 05:52:12 PM

I watch Fringe, The Event and House regularly, plus Dog Whisperer, all on Hulu. I bought a Roku ($75 or so with shipping) to control my Hulu/Netflicks and a bunch of other internet sites through my TV, so now I pickup the newscasts and shows I want the day after they play on live TV, scrolling around with a remote.

The Roku is totally worth it. Michael and I both bought one last year. Tons of free content is available.

Quote

Which means I only pay $29.95/mo for the broadband through AT&T (as opposed to the almost $80.00 that Comcast wanted for essentially the same thing and thats for 3mbps. You want 5, you pay $5 more.

Damn, Comcast is expensive in your market.

I think cable tv and satellite is a waste of money anymore.

anagrammy · « **Reply #27 on:** May 02, 2011, 12:27:49 PM »

Quote from: slipstream on May 01, 2011, 09:54:57 PM

The Roku is totally worth it. Michael and I both bought one last year. Tons of free content is available.
Damn, Comcast is expensive in your market.
I think cable tv and satellite is a waste of money anymore.

So true. I want to make one correction. It is $19.95 for 3mb and five more bucks for 6 more, tot 8mb for $24.95.

Anagrammy

EvB · « **Reply #28 on:** May 02, 2011, 01:05:29 PM »

Quote from: anagrammy on April 22, 2011, 05:52:12 PM

I watch Fringe,
<snip>

Anagrammy

I get a kick out of Fringe - but DAMN - we now have a 3rd universe? or is it just a 3rd timeline? (note they did call Peter "Agent Bishop") But what a weird set up that, just before OBL was splattered all over a room in his compound, Peter lands at Ground Zero where yet some OTHER disaster is taking place! I wonder if the writers and producers are having mini-cows now.

tune in next time . . .

onan · « **Reply #29 on:** May 02, 2011, 01:08:53 PM »

I have a computer connected to my tv. Would a Roku offer more options?

Prior to connecting a computer I bought a Logetech system to watch movies but was informed Hulu did not work with that system.