# I need a new box set - recommendations? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 26, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953 "2013-06-26T13:04:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/1 "2013-06-26T13:04:54Z")
Yes, I’m an old luddite that still buys box sets on actual plastic DVD. I like to have one on the go for when I’m sick of what’s on telly, and am currently without. Series I have loved watching back to back include: Sopranos The Wire Spooks (UK) The Killing (Denmark) Mad Men Prime Suspect (UK) House of Cards (UK) The West Wing I love political dramas, family sagas and long drawn out single story crime, such as Prime Suspect and The Killing. I’m not a great fan of a much repeated format with a new story line every episode (Spooks being the exception). For the record, I DON’T like 24, I know I know, that makes me a freak, but I can’t stand all the rolling around on the floor with guns and bombs but never getting hit by a bullet nonsense. I prefer a mild dose of reality and intense character development. So, any recommendations? Happy with oldies as well as more recent, and am happy to tackle subtitles if the story is a good one. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/2 "2013-06-26T14:43:03Z")
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: **Breaking Bad**. What I’ve seen of **Damages** I liked, at least in the first season. Do you care for science fiction/fantasy series, like **Battlestar Galactica** or **Pushing Daisies** (which is a comedy I know, but just for example)? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/3 "2013-06-26T14:55:59Z")
Veronica Mars. The third season isn’t all that great, but the first season is fantastic, and the second is very good. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/4 "2013-06-26T15:01:19Z")
Midsomer Murders is good but it’s not the archetypal British mystery. It does have it’s charms though and 95 episodes but probably not available in a box. [Homicide: Life on the Street](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homicide:_Life_on_the_Street)was very good I thought and I’ve heard it compared to the wire. “A Touch of Frost” is a very good UK detective show but again, don’t know about a box set. Of course there’s also “Inspector Morse” which should be easily available as it was on PBS in the US as well. “The Closer” which was on TBS and then spun off into the current new show “Major Crimes” when Kira Sedgewick left was always good and sometimes excellent. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/5 "2013-06-26T15:19:28Z")
[Sandbaggers.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sandbaggers) Best spy show ever, and nothing like any other spy show that’s ever been broadcast. The writer, Ian Mackintosh, evidently knew something about spying (and died during the third seasons under mysterious circumstances; his body was never found), and the entire thing is very low key, with betrayals, internal politics, and some surprising and horrifying twists. It’s a little dated, since it came out during the Cold War, but absolutely gripping. The best analog is “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.” ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/6 "2013-06-26T15:25:51Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Let’s get the obvious out of the way: **Breaking Bad**. > > What I’ve seen of **Damages** I liked, at least in the first season. > > Do you care for science fiction/fantasy series, like **Battlestar Galactica** or **Pushing Daisies** (which is a comedy I know, but just for example)? I don’t know why, but I read the list and went right to Pushing Daisies as well. I think it had to do with the character development comment. Though, I’ll mention that Pushing Daisies really is best viewed on Blu-Ray. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/7 "2013-06-26T15:27:02Z")
As you liked The Killing I’d recommend: The Bridge (DK/SE) Arne Dahl (SE) Borgen (DK) Those Who Kill (DK) Yeah what can I tell ya, I’m a Nordic Noir nut. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/8 "2013-06-26T15:40:31Z")
Treme Friday Night Lights The Shield Damages Justified ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/9 "2013-06-26T16:24:52Z")
Family sagas? Try **The Pallisers** and **The Forsyte Saga**. And if picture quality isn’t crucial, **Poldark** , from the 70’s. **Downton Abbey**? **Cranford**? Big fat ditto for **Justified**. Oh! **Kidnapped** , a one season show starring Jeremy Sisto, Delroy Lindo, a bunch of other talented people. It was yanked after just a few episodes, but fans were able to watch on-line, and there’s a DVD. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/10 "2013-06-26T16:26:36Z")
How about **Band of Brothers**? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/11 "2013-06-26T16:32:32Z")
We really enjoyed **Six Feet Under.** ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/12 "2013-06-26T16:35:49Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > How about **Band of Brothers**? Preferably on Blu-Ray for the extra content, like the on-screen timeline and interviews with the real guys. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/13 "2013-06-26T16:46:24Z")
**Southland Deadwood Rome** ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/14 "2013-06-26T18:37:06Z")
An obvious one no one has mentioned yet, **Game of Thrones**. I watched 3 seasons in a month which was a rush. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/15 "2013-06-26T18:49:17Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Yes, I’m an old luddite that still buys box sets on actual plastic DVD. > > I like to have one on the go for when I’m sick of what’s on telly, and am currently without. > > Series I have loved watching back to back include: > > [SNIP] > > House of Cards (UK) As you mentioned this, did you see just House of Cards, or did you also see To Play the King and The Final Cut? If not, you should of course see the whole story. And then there is the Netflix adaption of House of Cards, starring Kevin Spacey and directed by David Fincher. (Fun fact: The way that Netflix put the show together was to note from their extensive member reviews that people liked David Fincher movies, movies starring Kevin Spacey, political dramas and the UK original House of Cards in particular. So they figured an American version would be popular.) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/16 "2013-06-26T21:12:42Z")
Must add a +1 for **Justified** If you loved West Wing - a different, earlier show that featured great writing, better characters and more plots going at once would be **Hill Street Blues**. It may be on Netflix - watch the first two episodes; you’ll know if you like it or not… ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/17 "2013-06-26T22:23:31Z")
The Shield Also if you don’t mind cartoons - Archer. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/18 "2013-06-28T11:01:27Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > How about **Band of Brothers**? That’s a GREAT suggestion. I never caught it first time around and do love a military drama. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/19 "2013-06-28T11:02:30Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > As you mentioned this, did you see just House of Cards, or did you also see To Play the King and The Final Cut? If not, you should of course see the whole story. And then there is the Netflix adaption of House of Cards, starring Kevin Spacey and directed by David Fincher. Yes, I’ve seen them all (several times over). Have just ordered the US version so will be interesting to note the differences. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953/20 "2013-06-28T11:41:22Z")
Rubicon. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-box-set-recommendations/661953.md?page=2)