# TV Series On DVD - Seasons Recommendations **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-on-dvd-seasons-recommendations/650408 "2013-02-15T17:37:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Beelzebubba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Beelzebubba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beelzebubba)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-on-dvd-seasons-recommendations/650408/21 "2013-02-17T08:19:03Z")
**Supernatural-** This is a show where every single episode of each season MUST be watched (and in order) or you’ll get totally lost! All the seasons are excellent, so start at Season 1. Seasons 1 thru 7 are out on DVD and Season 8 is currently showing on The CW on Wednesday nights. According to several reliable media sources, there will be a Season 9 next year. **Smallville-** It’s the story of Superman growing up from a shy, sweet teenage boy going to high school in Kansas and evolving into the Man of Steel! The creators of the show did justice to the Superman story and I loved it! There are 10 seasons of the show but Seasons 1-7 and Seasons 8-10 almost seemed like two different shows. Two of the show’s stars left at the end of Season 7, Lana Lang and Lex Luthor. So Clark Kent suddenly lost his the love of his life (or at least his love since Season 1) and also his future nemesis at the same time. So Season 8 definitely felt different, but it also marked the beginning of Clark’s journey to discover and truly embrace his destiny. I highly recommend! **Arrested Development-** This series originally lasted just three seasons ending in 2006. They’re currently finishing up Season 4 that just started filming in late August 2012. I still watch all of these from the beginning every now and then and they are truly a work of comedic art! 😃 I wasn’t born until 1975, but from a very early age I grew up watching some of my mom and dad’s favorite shows. I developed a devout appreciation, reverence even, for a few classic comedies from the early 70s- \*\*Sanford & Son- \*\*The show lasted six seasons and all are available on DVD. This show has earned a place in history as the first series with all African-American main characters. It is very special to me and always will be because it was the one show that I could enjoy with my dad and the only time I ever saw him laugh or seem happy. I grew up in a rural North Georgia in an all-white small town. The first time I met a black person was my first day of high school. But the only preconceived ideas I had about black folks came from Sanford & Son. I thought all black families would be that much fun and couldn’t wait to meet my first black friend’s family when he invited me over for dinner. His mom, dad and sister were all lovely dinner companions and I enjoyed it very much, but I was still very disappointed that Aunt Esther never showed up shouting “Oh, Glory!” or calling me a “fish-eyed fool”! =) Comedy Gold! **The Carol Burnett Show** - this was the show I watched with my mom starting as a toddler. By the age of 10, I idolized Carol Burnett and Lily Tomlin as two of the greatest comedians ever and I still feel exactly the same about them! ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-on-dvd-seasons-recommendations/650408/22 "2013-02-17T14:43:48Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > Lost Watch season 1. Skip to perhaps 4 episodes end of season 2. There is nothing “Lost”. Watch season 3. Rest of the seasons? Just don’t bother. Should have stopped end of season 3 on a cliffhanger. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-on-dvd-seasons-recommendations/650408/23 "2013-02-17T15:20:19Z")
> [@Beelzebubba](#): > > \*\*Sanford & Son- \*\*The show lasted six seasons and all are available on DVD. This show has earned a place in history as the first series with all African-American main characters. Beaten by about [20 years.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amos_'n'_Andy#Television) ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-on-dvd-seasons-recommendations/650408/24 "2013-02-17T15:38:18Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Uh…yes? And…which seasons? Sorry, I’m an all-in kind of viewer. I would (and do) own all the seasons of the above shows. Having said that: [ul] [li]West Wing - the first 4 seasons are a must. Sorkin written fast, witty dialogue, interesting politics, great character development.[/li][li]West Wing - Seasons 4 through 6 - still good, just not as good.[/li][li]West Wing - Season 7 - meh, okay, but watchable[/li][/ul] [ul] [li]Lost - sorry, gotta watch it all. It’s hard enough to follow without jumping around and skipping episodes.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-on-dvd-seasons-recommendations/650408/25 "2013-02-18T00:06:42Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > That’s about right. I’d say start at season 2 and watch through until the end of four. If you want more, get season 5. If after that you’re still Jonesin’ for more, get season 1 (but be warned that it’s pretty cringe-worthy). > > Similarly, I think that it’s best to start _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ at the start of season 2. 2, 3, and 4 are the must-see seasons. Backtrack to season 1 after season 5 or 6. Disagree about season 4. IMO, it’s the worst season. Typical not knowing what to do with highschool kids after they graduate type growing pains. Speaking of Buffy, the spinoff Angel is quite good, but you could easily skip season 1 and not miss much. Not that season 1 is bad per se, but the show changed directions completely with season 2 (from investigation of the week type stuff to more of an overall story arc format like on Buffy). ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-on-dvd-seasons-recommendations/650408/26 "2013-02-19T22:16:17Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Disagree about season 4. IMO, it’s the worst season. Typical not knowing what to do with highschool kids after they graduate type growing pains. The thing about season 4 is that the overall story arc isn’t the best, but there are many good individual episodes. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-on-dvd-seasons-recommendations/650408/27 "2013-02-19T22:38:09Z")
For SF fans, I recommend _Stargate SG-1_ in its entirety, but Season Two was especially good. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-on-dvd-seasons-recommendations/650408/28 "2013-02-20T00:54:14Z")
> [@GreenElf](#): > > I’m in the process of building a TV series DVD collection, and would like to get opinions on what seasons are mandatory, optional (good but not required) and to be avoided. I’d particularly like to get some opinions for longer-running series such as the Simpsons. I was going to respond about _The Simpsons_, but then I saw **TBG** has already covered most of what I would have said. So I’d just advise starting with Season Five (when they started using the new, improved menu/disc design), and work your way forwards and backwards from there until you either have all the available seasons or lose interest. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-on-dvd-seasons-recommendations/650408/29 "2013-02-20T01:53:54Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > The thing about season 4 is that the overall story arc isn’t the best, but there are many good individual episodes. Heck, I think it is the best season. Mainly because of those individual episodes, like Hush, Superstar, Pangs, Something Blue, and Restless. Those are top, top, episodes for me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-on-dvd-seasons-recommendations/650408.md?page=1)