I’m pretty indecisive. Once I find a show that I love, I follow to the bitter end (See X-Files). The problem is I can’t seem to find one recently. There are only three TV shows I watch regularly anymore…Castle, Eureka and Ghost Hunters (my guilty pleasure).
Is there anything out there worth investing in?
To keep this from being a “This is my favorite show…” free-for-all, I’m looking for character centric shows that are more about chemistry than plot. Sci-fi would be great, but not a must and I don’t care for the Lost type shows that string you along leaving more questions than answers.
I really like chemistry, which is why I like Castle so much. The two leads work so easily with each other, using just the right amount of tension and humor. Which reminds me, humor is a must.
I’ve had my eye on Fringe…haven’t watched an episode yet, but it seems a likely candidate.
I’m watching Veronica Mars now. It has a lot of humor and the characters are great, so I’d recommend that.
Fringe is a good show, but it does get off to a rough start. The pilot’s pretty good, but the next episodes, not so much. The lead character is stiff and dull. Somewhere around episode 8 something clicks with the writing or the actress or both, and she becomes a lot more interesting and the show starts getting really good.
I’m a guy and not averse to girly shows. My TV watching takes place in the few hours before my wife gets home so I can check Gilmore Girls out with only the slightest bit of embarrassment.
Veronica Mars? Is that the one with Kirsten Bell? Watching her for an hour at a time can’t be bad for my health. I’ll look into it.
Saw the whole run of the Sopranos. One of the best series ever. Others have suggested Six Feet Under, so I guess that’s my next rent from Block Buster.
I have another conundrum, since we’re on the subject. I’ve started watching Buffy at least three times now…(it’s the TV equivalent of my relationship with Lord of the Rings) and for some reason I haven’t been hooked. I WANT to be hooked. Everyone who’s opinion I respect in these matters loves this show, but the first three episodes haven’t done it for me. Has this been anyone else’s experience? Should I soldier on or is it a lost cause?
First and foremost, if you have to choose, choose Supernatural and Battlestar Galactica. They are great and probably the best of the bunch I suggest. However, if you need a few more suggestions,
I highly recommend the following:
On DVD:
Battlestar Galactica - my favorite show ever, though don’t judge it on the mini-series. Let the show itself present itself to you gradually and it is perhaps the best of all time.
Firefly - short show, but brilliant.
Veronica Mars - Wonderful show all around. You should totally go for it.
On TV now:
1.** Supernatural** - Better than Fringe or X-files. You can get the first four seasons on DVD, and by the time you finish, you could watch season 5(currently airing). Again, first season is OK, but now it is the best show on TV.
Fringe - Yeah, it is great. You should be watching it.
Lost - Get the first 5 seasons on DVD and watch them. Then, you can catch the final season in February or so.
On DVD, it’s got to be The Wire. Blows The Sopranos out of the water, IMO (though The Sopranos is great). The Shield is another good one out on DVD. Also, Mad Men is very character-driven. Not a sci-fi fan, so can’t help you much in that arena.
As for Battlestar Galactica…I didn’t know it was even on till the end of the first season. I decided to wait for the DVD, since I hate starting a show like that in the middle. Time passed and I never got around to it. Guess I should.
Wow…I think my plate is filling up. Thanks for the suggestions.
Another vote for Supernatural. Out of four and a half seasons so far, there are only three episodes that are skippable, and those were early on. When Supernatural is at its best, it’s produced some of the best TV episodes ever. And if you’re looking for chemistry between leads, you’ve got it with the Winchester brothers Sam and Dean (the leads on Supernatural). If you want to cut your teeth on a particular episode, try the episodes Wishful Thinking, Mystery Spot, or this season’s Changing Channels.
Oooh, another one no one mentioned. It’s Always Sunny in Philidelphia, though I suspect that may be more plot based then what your looking for. The beauty part of it is, though, is that like The Simpsons there’s no continuity so you can watch it out of order. It really wouldn’t matter if you watched it this coming Thursday having never seen a previous episode.
No continuity on* It’s Always Sunny*? Sure there is. The episode two weeks ago referenced about 4 previous episodes throughout multiple seasons. There’s just no overarching plot or storyline.
Yeah, I mean, when there’s an episode that involves Cricket it helps to know the back story, but it’s certainly not necessary. Just like in Family Guy it’s useful to know that insulting Meg is a running joke, but you don’t need to know that for it to be funny.
All I’m say is that with It’s Always Sunny (like The Simpsons or Family Guy) you can watch it out of order with no real consequence, unlike, say, The Sopranos or Six Feet Under where you’d be pretty lost watching a random episode.