Thanks for the tip. I’ve caught a couple of them … but since I knit while I watch TV, I don’t have my eyes on the screen at all times. Definitely cool to have a “hey, that’s cut-up pineapple Shawn is eating there, isn’t it?” catch though!
Add my voice to the chorus. I cared not one whit for football when I started watching it. My crush on Kyle Chandler was held over from Early Edition - which would be a good candidate for this thread if only it were available on Netflix.
Yeah, the wheels come off the wagon for a chunk of season two, but some of what happens in those episodes is important enough to bigger stories that it’s worth gutting it out. One of my favorite things about this show is that it’s about high school, and seniors graduate and go away.
Here I’m going to disagree. There might be moments of fluff, but overall the series got darker as it progressed. It’s very good, and I plan to watch season 2, but it does not meet my criteria for light entertainment.
I’ve just watched the first two episodes of a show about first year lawyers called The Deep End that might fit the bill. My son and I have been watching White Collar and I’d second that recommendation. Quantum Leap might also meet your needs.
In the period drama (or “Ruffly Dress”) category I’d recommend Wives & Daughters, and also North & South. (Especially since you mentioned Cranford and these are both based on writing by Elizabeth Gaskell, also). North & South has a little more of a heavy message, but it’s a really lovely production. Also rewatched the series Lillie a few months ago. It’s worth watching just for the hair and dresses.
If you’re feeling more sitcom-y I’ve recently gone through and enjoyed The Vicar of Dibley, and one called Out of Practice. The second one seems (to me) so much better than some sitcoms that managed to hang on for years and years. I was never aware of it when it was on broadcast TV
ooh, ooh, I got one. Did you ever watch Pushing Daisies? This was one of our favorites, until the writer’s strike ruined it (in Season 2?).
J.
p.s., on edit, I see I’m not the first one to recommend this…
No, I never did Pushing Daisies, despite all the folks here who loved it. I’ll check it out.
And gwendee, I’m with you on Wives and Daughters, which I did enjoy – though it didn’t have the killer cast of Cranford (band name!).
For vegging days and knitting hours:
Lie to Me
Revenge
Revolution
Fringe
The Event
House
Community (though I’ve yet to watch it, several people have recommended it)
Weeds
Not certain that all of these are available on Netflix, but I’ve watched most of them there in the past.
Two comments - first, “Fringe” is pretty intense - I don’t know if it can be watched with half your attention successfully. But, what the heck - give it a try.
Second, “Community” is the funniest show ever made, and everyone should watch it. 
I find House can get pretty intense, and also graphic. Well worth watching, but not light.
However, I did just watch the first episode of a series called Kingdom, with Stephen Fry in the title role. I’m encouraged. I thought of this thread while I watched it.
I’ve heard good things about Community from an assortment of friends. Alas, it is not available streaming on Netflix.
Well, that changes everything. Of course you weren’t intrigued by Freaks & Geeks. You were knitting! None of the characters on that show would do that.
I’m with you on that- anything related to Arthurian legend in general I’m interested in. That said, Merlin is worth your time if you’re looking for something just to waste some time. Not that it’s not good- I quite like it- but it is a very light show, not much thinking required. It’s got funny bits and bad special effects Monster-of-the-Week bits, and (very few) serious bits, and I look forward to each season showing up on Netflix- it’ll be a weekend of fun if nothing else
Thanks for the recommendation – that may be up next.
Watching Psych, and enjoying it, but I have a beef –
Just started the third season, in the first episode of which we meet Shawn’s mom. Who is blond. As is his father. And yet Shawn has brown hair. Didn’t anyone stay awake long enough in eight-grade science to know that if both parents have a recessive trait, the child has to as well? I call shenanigans. Unless we find out that Shawn’s dad isn’t his dad.
My Dad had black hair, my Mum is blonde. My brother and younger sister each have brown hair. I don’t think genetics are quite as mathematically predictable as you may expect.
Blonde is recessive. Since your father had dark hair, it’s not impossible for his children to have dark hair.
It’s not impossible for two brunets to have a blond child – they could each have a recessive gene. Vice versa isn’t possible.
Concerning hair color: During his speech at my very Irish family’s wedding, a cousin mentioned that all the men in the family get white hair rather young. The women’s hair? Every color in the rainbow…
I recently started watching “Quincy” from the beginning.
Man, I loved that show back in the day – how does it hold up?
I’m only a couple episodes into the second season but it seems to do OK. Jack Klugman’s Quincy is very much like a well-adjusted Adrian Monk with a medical degree.
I’m enjoying the British version of Shameless on Netflix.
OK, the medical technology does get a bit dated on occasion. Just saw one case which hinged on a test that was relatively new at the time.
I really liked “St. Elsewhere” when it aired. I don’t think I’ve seen it since then.