# I need a new show to get into. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 22, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545 "2009-11-22T19:12:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/21 "2009-11-23T00:40:51Z")
Warehouse 13 was all about the chemistry. Not much else there, but the chemistry was good (once it settled). ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/22 "2009-11-23T01:07:52Z")
If you like a show like _The Shield,_ then check out _Sons of Anarchy,_ created/produced by _Shield_ alumni Kurt Sutter (who also played the crazy Areminian Mob hit-man Margos Dezerian). Like both _The Shield_ and _The Sopranos_, they make being bad look good. _Breaking Bad_ and _Burn Notice_ are both very good, too. On a lighter note, the cancelled series _Arrested Development_ is good, wacky fun, but pay attention; the show really pays off for the attentive viewer. Miniseries-wise, I’ll second _Band of Brothers_ and _From The Earth To The Moon_, both by HBO. Arguably some of the best TV ever. ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/23 "2009-11-23T01:48:53Z")
Leverage. ---
**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:** [November 23, 2009, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/24 "2009-11-23T01:51:16Z")
> [@Musky\_Moon](#): > > Three strikes! I haven’t seen a single episode of any of those. Deadwood seemed interesting. Along those lines, was Carnivale any good? Carnivale is very strange. It was well done, but like many HBO series died a premature death. Interesting concept, though. Deadwood and Rome are quite possibly the two best series ever made, all the better for being largely based on historical events and people. I, like many, will never forgive HBO for ending Deadwood when it did. Band of Brothers was excellent and had the added benefit of having some of the actual WWII soldiers who the story is about provide insight into the operations they carried out. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/25 "2009-11-23T02:02:48Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Then check out _Sons of Anarchy,_ created/produced by _Shield_ alumni Kurt Sutter This is what I came in to reccomend. I loved the Sopranos and I am loving SoA even more. The blend of brains vs. brute force is a little broader, and the slow shift from brute force to brainpower in the clubs dealings has been interesting to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Pulp\_Friction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2acd7d/32.png) [@Pulp\_Friction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pulp_Friction)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/26 "2009-11-23T02:27:12Z")
Watch the first disc of Breaking Bad; you’ll be in for the duration (which, actually, is only two seasons). ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/27 "2009-11-23T02:32:31Z")
> [@Musky\_Moon](#): > > Three strikes! I haven’t seen a single episode of any of those. Deadwood seemed interesting. Along those lines, was Carnivale any good? I was just going to say, watch Carnivale! I LOVED Carnivale! Creepy to the max, intricate, beautiful, horrifying, full of sex and violence, and sadly cut off after 2 seasons (though if you ignore the last 5 minutes of the ending of the final episode, I guess you could be said to have closure). Part Grapes of Wrath, part Freaks, part Twilight Zone. ---
**Author:** ![satoridt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@satoridt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/satoridt)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/28 "2009-11-23T02:35:33Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > _Chuck_. > > Definitely _Chuck_. Right here. Perfect for you. ---
**Author:** ![MizTina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MizTina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizTina)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/29 "2009-11-23T03:07:49Z")
BULLY BEATDOWN! 🙂 It is fun, but every time I watch it, I’m sure I’m going to hell the very next day. A flaming, burning hell! Still fun though. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/30 "2009-11-23T03:51:54Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Currently on? > > And are you male or female? > > I recently spent six or eight months watching the entire run of _Gilmore Girls_ on DVD. Great writing, and it’s all about relationships. > > If you’re a guy looking for a current show, though, that probably wouldn’t solve your problem. I’d say it might- “Gilmore Girls” is one of my father’s favorite shows of all time, and my brother (who normally watches stuff like Eureka, the Thursday night comedy block on NBC, and Castle) doesn’t mind watching it and sometimes enjoys it. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/31 "2009-11-23T04:34:33Z")
**[Lie To Me.](http://www.fox.com/lietome/)** Characters with distinct personalities, some humor (though much more subtle than in “Castle”). Interesting set-up in that our heroes can tell if someone is lying, but then have to figure out how to translate that into getting the info or action necessary to achieve the desired outcome. Also has obligatory young teen daughter of lead character who occasionally figures into the story. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/32 "2009-11-23T04:41:53Z")
**[The Mentalist.](http://www.cbs.com/primetime/the_mentalist/)** Similar to “Castle” in its essence (civilian with extraordinary insight helps female cop’s squad solve cases), though with somewhat more serious undertone. **Castle, Lie To Me, & The Mentalist** are our current trifecta of regularly watched shows. ---
**Author:** ![Dorothea\_Book](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Dorothea\_Book](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorothea_Book)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/33 "2009-11-23T04:47:27Z")
> [@Musky\_Moon](#): > > 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. I will second **Pulp Friction** on _Breaking Bad_ which is both literally and figuratively more about chemistry than plot… Complete with titles inspired by the periodic table of elements! ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/34 "2009-11-23T05:00:09Z")
You can catch some episodes of Bones on Hulu. I just started getting into it. Very much focused on the characters with no overarching storyline to make it hard to get what is going on. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/35 "2009-11-23T05:08:39Z")
Numbers and Breaking Bad. Maybe even House MD. all pseudo-sciency that makes you crack the occasional smile. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/36 "2009-11-23T05:56:10Z")
> [@Musky\_Moon](#): > > …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? Soldier on. It took me about half a season before I really started to appreciate it. It keeps gets better and better, and you’ll have enough to last you a long time. I second Dexter, Veronica Mars, Arrested Development, and Breaking Bad. My husband watches all the shows that you do, and he likes all of these. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/37 "2009-11-23T06:05:52Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > 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. I came in to mention the Wire and I need to second that it blows the Sopranos out of the water. After the Wire, Sopranos’ badguys are silly little cartoon characters. ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/38 "2009-11-23T06:54:17Z")
> [@Musky\_Moon](#): > > 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. That’s the one. Life On Mars might fit your criteria. It’s a British show (there’s also an American remake, but I haven’t seen it) about a cop who gets in an accident and finds himself in 1973. A lot of the conflict is from the differences between what he’s used to as a cop and the way things are in 1973. I wasn’t crazy about the first episode the first time I watched it (it was better the second time), but I liked the second and third episodes a lot more. I haven’t seen any of the others yet. So it’s got a bit of sci-fi, some good humor, and so far some good chemistry. ---
**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:** [November 23, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/39 "2009-11-23T16:33:41Z")
If you want a show full of interesting characters, you could try **Pushing Daisies** , though it only lasted two seasons and ended with some open questions. Oddest premise for a show ever: a man can bring any dead person or thing back to life with a touch. If he touches the person (or thing) again within one minute, it will die again, forever; if he doesn’t touch it, something nearby that’s roughly on the same level of the food chain will die. And if he touches that original person or thing again, it will still die, forever. He goes into business helping a private detective solve crimes (they go to the morgue, touch the body, ask a couple questions, then solve the murder or whatever). But the real interesting stuff starts in the first episode, when he brings his childhood sweetheart to life and can’t bear to touch her again. The crazy thing is, this show about death-by-touch is a comedy, with some of the most off-beat visuals you can imagine. And it helps that the sweetheart, Anna Friel, is achingly beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![ShadiRoxan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@ShadiRoxan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadiRoxan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545/40 "2009-11-23T20:49:56Z")
I’m going to second Chuck. Funny, smart, geeky, and from what I gather from the guys that post about it, pretty good eye candy. Season 3 starts in January. Season one is out on DVD (only 13 eps) and season two is going to be released right before the show starts up again. Also has a few episodes on Hulu. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-new-show-to-get-into/518545.md?page=3)