I am looking for a series that ran at least four or so years. It doesn’t matter if it no longer runs. I enjoy purchasing seasons and watching them back to back. I have already purchased and watched, Lost, Criminal Minds, Sopranos, Six Feet Under, CSI (first and second season), House, Greys Anatomy and The Closer. I like hour long drama type shows. CSI got boring as they all seemed the same so I stopped buying those and the spins offs. Criminal Minds has been my favorite but alas, I have seen them all.
Anything you truly loved and hated to see end? I am considering 24 but it never appealed to me but that might be the way to go now unless someone has something else brilliant.
Have you watched The Wire? If not, you are missing out. Go watch.
Breaking Bad and Mad Men are also great standard recommendations and don’t seem to be on your list.
For goofier stuff, NCIS is surprisingly good for popcorn TV as was Bones for the first several seasons though it tapered off.
Lastly, for something totally different, Friday Night Lights is possibly the best show that nobody watched and still managed to get 5 seasons. The first season is brilliant. The second season…isn’t, but it picks up again after that.
Do you like sci-fi/suppernatural/stuff? Have you watched any of Joss Weadon’s shows? All of them (yes even Dollhouse, a seriously misunderstood and underrated show) are worth watching. How about any of the new Dr. Who? Do you tend to like British TV? Life on Mars was great.
Oh, yes to both. Though I stopped liking Weeds after I think season 3. No spoilers, the first season where they didn’t have little boxes as the theme song was the first season I didn’t like.
Oh, and I forgot Wonderfalls, Dead Like Me, and Pushing Daisies. All great shows that died too soon. Also Veronica Mars, cancelled after a single season*, but what a perfect season of TV! Post to the thread when you finish it and I will let you know the resolution of the cliffhanger (a very very minor cliffhanger which was just supposed to set up a season 2 that didn’t happen. All of Season 1 gets resolved in the season)
Nope. I have never seen the Wire so going to buy the first couple of seasons now. Thanks for the suggestions and keep them up! I have seen Mad Man and liked it and couldn’t get into Dexter although my son is addicted to it. Weeds I watched the first couple of seasons when it came out but grew bored of it. I loved The Big C and Shameless and can’t wait for new seasons of those to come out. “The Big C” should be coming up soon I think.
Yay. A quick word of advice. Give The Wire at least 4 episodes before you decide if you like it or not. I find that most people who make it to episode 5 watch the whole series, but that a lot of people give up before then. The first few episodes are a lot of exposition, but it’s exposition that sets up 5 seasons of TV, so it’s well worth it.
Based on what you’ve said you’ve already seen/liked …
Saving Grace
Rome
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (to me the most interesting/enjoyable of the L&O by far)
Big Love
Homicide: Life on the Street (oldie but goodie)
Prime Suspect (UK)
“Party Down”… Easily one of the best comedy series I’ve ever watched. Had two really solid seasons and now there’s talk of a movie (though I’ll believe it when I see it.)
If you’re willing to break your four season rule just once, watch Pushing Daisies. You could probably tear through it an less then a week. (I’m willing to bet several people will second and third this recommendation).
If you’re willing to break your rule again…Twin Peaks.
Otherwise, I’ll second Dexter. If you have HBO (Showtime?) start recording it now so you can catch up, when the last season comes out on DVD. The nice thing about Dexter is that they really don’t do season ending cliff hangers so you’ll be able to take a break and do something else in between seasons if you want.
ETA, I see I’m actually seconding Pushing Daisies.
If she can hurry with the first three seasons, Season 4 does start in less than two weeks. Or if she can’t, she can DVR Season 4 until she catches up. I also highly recommend it.
Sorry, missed the edit window, it’s “MI-5, known as Spooks in Britain and Canada” and “Although Intelligence was cancelled, possibly due to political reasons, it is good from beginning to end so you might want to give it a try.”
Also, as long as I’m still here, I’ll add suggestions for the shows Damages (serious, crime and legal intrigue) and Eureka (lightweight sci-fi with great characters) and second the Dr. Who suggestion. Start with the “new” doctors, the Ninth/Christopher Eccleston and work your way to the present. You can throw in Torchwood as you go.
I’ll be watching this thread with interest as I’ve been cable-less for years now and know there is lots of good TV to catch up with.