Favourite TV series
- Thread starter Tannin
- Start date
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
I don't even have a TV anymore. And I miss it .... not at all. Life is too short for TV to have any place in it!
Vlad The Impaler
Learning Storage Performance
1) Screenwipe - Charlie Brooker is the best critic in the world! The first clip is about aspirational TV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59OJ17raqWw
And this one about the wonderful ITV time filler and profit maker 'The Mint'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ-3qkSoVKA
2) Ultraviolet - Vampires in modern London being fought by an organised government squad. Very good, with the vampires using genetics, fraud and murders to try and save their food supply from destroying themselves, and the good guys using graphite bullets and garlic grenades!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUhBgbYtxOE&mode=related&search=ultraviolet vampires
3) The Professionals - from the same people who brought you The Avengers. Pretty harcore violence for the late 70's. I was bought up on it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT7WwloQSQw
4) The Prisoner - Patrick Mcgoohan vehicle. Post 'Dangerman' (a series of programmes in themselves worth watching) sequel in which Mcgoohan resigns for UK intelligence and is then abducted and sent to 'The Village'. Whacked out 60s at its best!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCX8e3FvN2k
5) Robot Chicken - appeals to my sense of humour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RasIo01Xslc
6) The Mary Whitehouse Experience - It helps to be up with UK topical events c1992, but has me in absolute hysterics. Try: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m61EVOTX_8&mode=related&search=
7) Blackadder - suprising no-one else has thought of that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6LTQSKQRt8&mode=related&search=
8) Look Around You - If you have ever seen an Episode of 'Tomorrows World' from 1979, you will know why this is funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBcrTucxiRc
9) House of Cards/To Play The King/The Final Cut
Nothing on YouTube, but excellent 90s political drama
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/cinema/features/house_of_cards.shtml
http://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Cards...=pd_sbs_d_h__shvl_title_2/026-9096744-7325265
10) Whoops, Apocalypse. Not the crass film version, but a classic Bristish cold war TV series. Very rare, but I have a complete set I downloaded from Uknova. It is a satire about cold war politics, with John Cleese and in international terrorist and Alexi Sayle as a KGB agent. You can imagine the rest....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf7gI4e0DAY&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59OJ17raqWw
And this one about the wonderful ITV time filler and profit maker 'The Mint'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ-3qkSoVKA
2) Ultraviolet - Vampires in modern London being fought by an organised government squad. Very good, with the vampires using genetics, fraud and murders to try and save their food supply from destroying themselves, and the good guys using graphite bullets and garlic grenades!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUhBgbYtxOE&mode=related&search=ultraviolet vampires
3) The Professionals - from the same people who brought you The Avengers. Pretty harcore violence for the late 70's. I was bought up on it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT7WwloQSQw
4) The Prisoner - Patrick Mcgoohan vehicle. Post 'Dangerman' (a series of programmes in themselves worth watching) sequel in which Mcgoohan resigns for UK intelligence and is then abducted and sent to 'The Village'. Whacked out 60s at its best!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCX8e3FvN2k
5) Robot Chicken - appeals to my sense of humour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RasIo01Xslc
6) The Mary Whitehouse Experience - It helps to be up with UK topical events c1992, but has me in absolute hysterics. Try: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m61EVOTX_8&mode=related&search=
7) Blackadder - suprising no-one else has thought of that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6LTQSKQRt8&mode=related&search=
8) Look Around You - If you have ever seen an Episode of 'Tomorrows World' from 1979, you will know why this is funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBcrTucxiRc
9) House of Cards/To Play The King/The Final Cut
Nothing on YouTube, but excellent 90s political drama
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/cinema/features/house_of_cards.shtml
http://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Cards...=pd_sbs_d_h__shvl_title_2/026-9096744-7325265
10) Whoops, Apocalypse. Not the crass film version, but a classic Bristish cold war TV series. Very rare, but I have a complete set I downloaded from Uknova. It is a satire about cold war politics, with John Cleese and in international terrorist and Alexi Sayle as a KGB agent. You can imagine the rest....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf7gI4e0DAY&mode=related&search=
Bozo
Storage? I am Storage!
History Channel, Discovery Channel, TLC
Everything else is garbage.
Bozo :joker:
Everything else is garbage.
Bozo :joker:
mubs
Storage? I am Storage!
Even Public Television?
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
I just finished watching the Prisoner a few weeks ago. I had seen a couple episodes, but never the whole thing. I have to say that the last episode was disappointing.
ddrueding
Fixture
Yup. When I was a kid, thats what I would watch when I was sick. It would take 2 days while the parents were at work to finish it. If I was sick longer than that, I did the original BBC version of Hitchhiker's Guide.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Also, Blackadder has the saddest series end of any comedy series ever.
mubs
Storage? I am Storage!
Weird. A sad ending to a comedy series. 
Bozo
Storage? I am Storage!
No, but the only program I try to watch is NOVA. I know I must be missing some more, but I don't have the time to watch everything I would like to.
My kids loved Mister Rogers and Sesame Street.
Bozo :joker:
e_dawg
Storage Freak
Watching House and Cane on Tuesday nights. I think Cane is the best new drama on TV these days. Jimmy Smits, Hector Elizondo. A story about two families fighting for dominance of the rum business. A bit like Miami Vice meets The Godfather or The Sopranos. This is the best I've seen from Jimmy Smits in a while.
mubs
Storage? I am Storage!
A couple of days ago I saw Bill Maher interview Gary Kasparov (HBO). Man, that guy (Kasparov) is good. Given that he's smart/intelligent etc., he's also very articulate (in English, no less), and very quick with his repartees. Usually Bill is the one that stumps people, but Gary stumped Bill over and over, with a fazed Bill saying "you checkmated me". I hope the Russians elect Gary as their Prez.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Real Time with Bill Maher is usually deeply entertaining. It can depend greatly on his guests, but the show is almost always fun to watch. I particularly love it when the "entertainment" guest is informed enough to participate on the same level as the other guests on the show.
My favorite recent episode involve some republican talking head making statements about conditions in Iraq while Jamie Tarabay (NPR's full-time Iraq correspondent - someone who lives there, basically) contradicted ever single word she said.
My favorite recent episode involve some republican talking head making statements about conditions in Iraq while Jamie Tarabay (NPR's full-time Iraq correspondent - someone who lives there, basically) contradicted ever single word she said.
mubs
Storage? I am Storage!
I catch Maher's show whenever I can. He's living proof that "the tongue is mightier than the sword"! He's like some demonic maniac that likes to dismember and carve into tiny pieces - only he does it with his words.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Here's something I've been kind of telling people about, TV related:
Miro is a nifty little combination between a Video Player and a bittorrent client. It lets you set "subscriptions" to TV shows that available from sites like Google Video or Revver.com and through Torrents.
Torrent Episode Downloader works with your existing torrent software to create scheduled downloads. Want to grab "Real Time" or "the Colbert Report" as they air? TED will handle that for you. No muss, no fuss.
Miro is a nifty little combination between a Video Player and a bittorrent client. It lets you set "subscriptions" to TV shows that available from sites like Google Video or Revver.com and through Torrents.
Torrent Episode Downloader works with your existing torrent software to create scheduled downloads. Want to grab "Real Time" or "the Colbert Report" as they air? TED will handle that for you. No muss, no fuss.
udaman
Wannabe Storage Freak
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2006
- Messages
- 1,209
A TV character of course.
50 questions before we get an answer....tease
Obviously you don't watch, but a Google search of those three words will make it clear.
Stereodude
Not really a
The L Word???
Excuse me while I go gag now.
Excuse me while I go gag now.
I understand. I have not watched even one commercial US "s*itcom" series in years. So much of the commercial TV is now about low-IQ, humiliating reality shows, or something horrifically annoying like sports, that I have little interest. It is partly because I am outside the primary demographic range of the mainstream advertisers. The vast majority of the time I am watching something on the cable. Even then it is often hard to find something decent.
In the past month or two I've been catching up on the following:
Heroes (mostly ok - watched all 3 seasons with 1 being the best)
Jericho (good - half way through first season)
Battlestar Galactica (very good so far...after watching the mini series and all of season one)
All of which I'd never seen before xbox integrated the netflix on-demand service. That's the most TV I've watched in years and since it has no commercials it's quite enjoyable at a low price of $9/month. I'm certain I've got my money's worth in streaming. I've also been able to see a lot more independent and less well-known films which is nice.
Heroes (mostly ok - watched all 3 seasons with 1 being the best)
Jericho (good - half way through first season)
Battlestar Galactica (very good so far...after watching the mini series and all of season one)
All of which I'd never seen before xbox integrated the netflix on-demand service. That's the most TV I've watched in years and since it has no commercials it's quite enjoyable at a low price of $9/month. I'm certain I've got my money's worth in streaming. I've also been able to see a lot more independent and less well-known films which is nice.
Chewy509
Wotty wot wot.
I've found BSG to very good if you can watch a few episodes in a session without interruption. Otherwise you may miss or forget a small detail which may impact on enjoyment. One of the better sci-fi shows IMO recently.
Otherwise I've been watching Family Guy (on DVD) and re-runs of House and NCIS on TV.
Luckily I was able to watch in large quantities. I watched the entire mini-series in one sitting and then the following weekend my friends came over and we watched all of season one between Sat and Sunday. I'll probably do something like that again with season two.
Fushigi
Storage Is My Life
Sadly, Patrick McGoohan died last week.
I'd have to call Chuck my current favorite show. It's got a good blend of comedy, action, and a touch of SF. And it doesn't hurt when Sarah is shown getting dressed or in costume (Sarah Walker is portrayed by Yvonne Strahovski [originally Strzechowski], an Aussie import).
Heroes has rebounded from last season but the twists are starting to get far fetched even for a show about people with super powers. We still watch it, though.
Continuing the NBC Monday theme, My Own Worst Enemy started just so-so but has improved.
I've been enjoying the David Tennant Dr. Who quite a bit (much more than Chris Eccleston's 9th Doctor). I'm none too happy he's leaving the show. I'll likely start watching Torchwood when it resumes on BBC America.
The SciFi Channel's Sanctuary has been fair. Decent enough I'm still DVRing it.
I don't find sitcoms to be funny. Reality shows aren't. They're mostly a bunch of egotistical jerks I'd never care to meet IRL.
I think the worst thing though has got to be local newscasts. The amount of content has been reduced and the quality of reporting is far worse than it was a few years ago.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
I can't stand Doctor Who.
Nothing to do with the current show; I knew a guy in college who was involved on a national level with Doctor Who fandom. He had a loft in his dorm room constructed to look like a Dalek. He slept in a Dalek. That guy literally defined, even to me, as socially dysfunctional person as most people are likely to meet, someone whose social skills have atrophied to the point that the only reaction one can have to him is pity.
Heroes became unwatchable after the first season. It might be redeemable. One of my least-favorite-of-all-time comic book writers was dismissed as head writer on the show. I'm just not sure I watch to watch all the crappy episodes to get current and see if the series has improved at all.
And Battlestar Galactica is running again, which might well be cause for a holiday. They really hit the ground running on the final episodes.
Nothing to do with the current show; I knew a guy in college who was involved on a national level with Doctor Who fandom. He had a loft in his dorm room constructed to look like a Dalek. He slept in a Dalek. That guy literally defined, even to me, as socially dysfunctional person as most people are likely to meet, someone whose social skills have atrophied to the point that the only reaction one can have to him is pity.
Heroes became unwatchable after the first season. It might be redeemable. One of my least-favorite-of-all-time comic book writers was dismissed as head writer on the show. I'm just not sure I watch to watch all the crappy episodes to get current and see if the series has improved at all.
And Battlestar Galactica is running again, which might well be cause for a holiday. They really hit the ground running on the final episodes.
Fushigi
Storage Is My Life
So you don't like Doctor Who not because of the show itself but because of a hardcore fanatic from before it's past three or four incarnations?
Really, as someone who in the '80s was a fan (but not a fanatic) of the show from the original Hartnell Doctor through the Tom Baker years and even into the Peter Davidson era, I can easily say that Doctor Who from 2005 forward is a far better show. For one, the BBC finally started spending a few bucks on special effects; they're almost as good as Hollywood TV effects now.
But the big thing is that both the acting and the writing are far superior. Tennant's ability to go from introspective to manic at the flip of a swicth, combined with the wit in the writing means you can't always predict what'll happen next.
And while some of the enemies have been retained, they've been updated and made far more villainous than their predecessors. The Daleks are still around, for instance, but they've started using Time Lord technology for their own purposes.
It also helps that when the show was brought back with the 9th Doctor they moved him ahead and added some history. The biggest influence being a Time War in which entire species and the Time Lord home system were destroyed. The Doctor is now the last of his species and, as he fought in the war, has a lot more melancholy to his character.
Really, as someone who in the '80s was a fan (but not a fanatic) of the show from the original Hartnell Doctor through the Tom Baker years and even into the Peter Davidson era, I can easily say that Doctor Who from 2005 forward is a far better show. For one, the BBC finally started spending a few bucks on special effects; they're almost as good as Hollywood TV effects now.
But the big thing is that both the acting and the writing are far superior. Tennant's ability to go from introspective to manic at the flip of a swicth, combined with the wit in the writing means you can't always predict what'll happen next.
And while some of the enemies have been retained, they've been updated and made far more villainous than their predecessors. The Daleks are still around, for instance, but they've started using Time Lord technology for their own purposes.
It also helps that when the show was brought back with the 9th Doctor they moved him ahead and added some history. The biggest influence being a Time War in which entire species and the Time Lord home system were destroyed. The Doctor is now the last of his species and, as he fought in the war, has a lot more melancholy to his character.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
The very fact that you've written about the show at all is enough to remind me of this guy, and the only associations I have are extremely negative.
From what I saw of the show, the plots were cheesy, the acting was terrible, and the prop and set budgets must have somehow involved very unsuccessful panhandling. Even putting aside the personal distaste, I'm not sure what the appeal is.
I'm a true fan of Dr. Who, though I have to admit, I'm not of the level of dressing up as a character. And yes, "the plots were cheesy, the acting was terrible, and the prop and set budgets must have somehow involved very unsuccessful panhandling" are all true and I still liked it, alot.
I also loved the Prisoner, though I haven't seen it in years, I have fond memories of it. There are several old series that I wish were in constant reruns like The Prisoner, The advengers, Mission Impossible, Man from Uncle, Dr Who, rather that than stuff like Sanford and Sons; or Leave it to Beaver.
I'm sorry, but the few episodes I've seen of Torchwood have not impressed me. While I have enjoyed Santuary, I can't see how it can conceivably become a long-term series.
I also loved the Prisoner, though I haven't seen it in years, I have fond memories of it. There are several old series that I wish were in constant reruns like The Prisoner, The advengers, Mission Impossible, Man from Uncle, Dr Who, rather that than stuff like Sanford and Sons; or Leave it to Beaver.
I'm sorry, but the few episodes I've seen of Torchwood have not impressed me. While I have enjoyed Santuary, I can't see how it can conceivably become a long-term series.
ddrueding
Fixture
I'm right with Merc on Heroes. The first season was great, but from the first episode of season two I knew I wouldn't like it. I've only watched perhaps 4 episodes in. Not likely to finish.
Fushigi
Storage Is My Life
Mark, have you seem the 9th & 10th Doctors?
Especially with Tennant's 10th Doctor I think the beefs against acting, plots, and effects have all been addressed. And I could easily see an occasional lines being written by Joss Whedon. Not to say it's the greatest thing since sliced bread (or Firefly), but overall it's a well-done show.
Torchwood is an experiment for me. I'm not sure if I'll like it or not but I wanted to give it a try.
The second season of Heroes was certainly a let-down. The third season has at least somewhat redeemed it, though. Still, I have strong doubts about Tim Kring's ability to carry any show for very long. Perhaps he should bow out gracefully & let others carry the show forward.
Especially with Tennant's 10th Doctor I think the beefs against acting, plots, and effects have all been addressed. And I could easily see an occasional lines being written by Joss Whedon. Not to say it's the greatest thing since sliced bread (or Firefly), but overall it's a well-done show.
Torchwood is an experiment for me. I'm not sure if I'll like it or not but I wanted to give it a try.
The second season of Heroes was certainly a let-down. The third season has at least somewhat redeemed it, though. Still, I have strong doubts about Tim Kring's ability to carry any show for very long. Perhaps he should bow out gracefully & let others carry the show forward.
Yes, I've seen the 9th and 10th Doctors. The shows are much better in terms of the special effects and of modernization. There are instances where the acting is better and worse; I really don't think the plot lines have improved: For example Turn Left has one of the most disjointed, hard to follow plot lines I've ever seen in any Dr. Who episode.
sechs
Storage? I am Storage!
I'm almost a full year behind on Doctor Who and Torchwood, so no spoilers, eh?
Merc might be able to swallow watching Torchwood. The Doctor Who references are fairly minimal, all of the characters are sexually flexible, and there's plenty of blood. If there was full frontal nudity, he would have downloaded it already.
Merc might be able to swallow watching Torchwood. The Doctor Who references are fairly minimal, all of the characters are sexually flexible, and there's plenty of blood. If there was full frontal nudity, he would have downloaded it already.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Probably not. I know some scifi fangirls who deeply enjoy all the man-on-man makeouts, and I think it's high time that ladies get to join men in support for exploitative homoerotisism, but on the balance I think BBC-produced Science Fiction needs to be skipped as a general rule. Blake's 7 was awful. Doctor Who was awful. Hitchhiker's Guide was vastly better as a radio drama.
paugie
Storage is cool
here in the Philippines, almost (not all, of course) any English language series I come across seems ok enough. mind you I don't own the TV and am at the mercy of my 2 nephews' watching habits.
the odd House, Gossip Girls, Reaper episode. otherwise, it's anime, anime, zoids, gundams, ad nauseum
the odd House, Gossip Girls, Reaper episode. otherwise, it's anime, anime, zoids, gundams, ad nauseum
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Mainly @ Merc, and not a criticism BTW.
English Sci-Fi, as opposed to U.S. Sci-Fi does look a little hokey. The budget for the SFX just isn't there. To balance it out, the storylines have to be more character driven, rather than action driven. And yes, there are exceptions. That isn't a blanket, black/white statement either. I'm just trying to highlight some differences.
I love US Sci-Fi series. But I also like Dr. Who. It's almost comedic sometimes, and some of the FX "rival", ahem, "The Keep". And, again being limited by budget, the scripts aren't written by teams and edited and worked through and reedited because the resources just aren't there. Which makes some stories more patchy than a U.S. series. But they can be intense. Try the episode "Midnight". It all takes place in basically a box.
FWIW, I think David Tennant makes a brilliant Doctor. I also only saw Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor after watching two series with DT in the role, and I think he is underrated. Can't make up my mind about Torchwood.
Oh, and my kids like Doctor Who as well.
English Sci-Fi, as opposed to U.S. Sci-Fi does look a little hokey. The budget for the SFX just isn't there. To balance it out, the storylines have to be more character driven, rather than action driven. And yes, there are exceptions. That isn't a blanket, black/white statement either. I'm just trying to highlight some differences.
I love US Sci-Fi series. But I also like Dr. Who. It's almost comedic sometimes, and some of the FX "rival", ahem, "The Keep". And, again being limited by budget, the scripts aren't written by teams and edited and worked through and reedited because the resources just aren't there. Which makes some stories more patchy than a U.S. series. But they can be intense. Try the episode "Midnight". It all takes place in basically a box.
FWIW, I think David Tennant makes a brilliant Doctor. I also only saw Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor after watching two series with DT in the role, and I think he is underrated. Can't make up my mind about Torchwood.
Oh, and my kids like Doctor Who as well.