For me, some of the shows I got into after they had been on for a couple of years, were/are:
Angel. I didn’t really get into the show until towards the end of season three. Fortunately, I started getting into the show just in time for the show’s stellar fourth season. I hope I didn’t miss too much the first three seasons. Would it be worth getting them on DVD?
Star Trek Voyageur. I didn’t get into this show until season four. I remember watching the series premiere and not being very impressed. Loved the last few seasons though. I have since seen all the episodes of seasons 1-3 thanks to them airing in syndication.
Smallville. I am pissed that I did not start watching this sooner. I love this show. I didn’t get into it until season two.
24. I have seen all the episodes of season one thanks to the DVD set that came out. I ended up renting and watching the entire season in one week. I loved season two.
Conan O’Brien. I don’t know if this really counts, but I remember watching this show when it first came on. I didn’t think it was that funny at the time. Now I don’t miss a show. I think Conan is one of the funniest guys on the planet.
What shows have you guys watched that had been on for awhile before you got into them?
Hah. ER. When Chicago Hope and ER began, I was a regular CH viewer (must be something about Mandy Patinkin). Anyway, long story short, I just started watching ER about…six months ago, maybe. I’ve been catching the reruns on TNT mostly. It’s actually an enjoyable show and many of the characters are well-acted and have interesting stories. Who knew?
I got into Buffy, get this, one week before Chosen aired. Since then, I’ve caught every single rerun on FX that I could, and spent tons of time online reading up on anything and everything Buffy related. I am now completely obsessed - complete with Once More, With Feeling as driving music.
24 - I didn’t watch the entire first season for no other reason than I just didn’t think I’d like it. When the second season started, I thought I’d give it a chance. After I watched the first episode, I went out and bought the first season on DVD and watched it in 17 (or so) straight hours without getting even remotely tired of it.
CSI - Again, another show I just never got around to watching because (I think) it conflicts with something else I watch. I started watching it this summer and enjoy it.
Like shy guy, my wife and I got into Buffy late. About midway through season five, we borrowed the seasons one and two DVD sets from a friend, and realized immediately what we were missing. We cranked through those, and then for the rest of season five, all of season six, and most of season seven, we were frantically cadging DVDs and tapes from a variety of sources (including this board’s own Stoid, bless her) and getting caught up. We were able to watch the last three episodes of season seven when they aired along with all the rest of the cool people.
Also, Homicide: Life on the Street. It was in the midst of being cancelled when we found the reruns on Court TV. Best cop show ever to air on TV, at least that I’ve seen, though the last season was so manipulated and messed-with by the network that it was a pale imitation of its original genius.
I didn’t have a TV until a few years ago. It’s amazing to me when I watch a show once, in reruns, that really sucks, and then learn from VH1 that it was a huge hit for year.
Anyway: Simpsons, News Radio, Daily Show, E! True Hollywood Stories.
I was somewhat familiar with some shows thanks to cable in hotels and hanging out at friend’s houses.
I wasn’t too crazy about King of the Hill or Futurama at the beginning, but they grew on me, especially KOTH after I moved to the South. Amazingly, both shows only seem to be getting better and better with the years. Too bad one of them won’t be on next season.
The Simpsons, OTOH, I have continuously watched from the very first episode (not counting those crappy Tracy Ullman shorts). Geez, I was only 11 then…
Law & Order - I got into that one about 12 years too late. Luckily, thanks to cable television, I’ve now seen almost all of the episodes.
Both ER and LA Law I missed the first season of. ER was because I was taping Chicago Hope [sub]Hi Moi! How goes it in Baltimore? Are you loving the internship?[sub] – I always tape my 10:00 shows, I just can’t stay up that late. LA Law – I know I screwed up the taping on the premiere episode, but don’t recall now why I didn’t jump in week two – anyway, it was another year before I started watching that regularly. Ooh, also St. Elsewhere, one of my alltime favorites. and Picket Fences, which was very good for several seasons, though it definitely trailed off at the end.
Another 24 late-comer here. I started watching about halfway into the second season and was almost instantly hooked. I was telling a friend about the episode I started with, and his response was, “That was the first episode you saw? That ruins the entire first season!” Great.
I hated the first couple of episodes of Futurama when they first aired, so I never bothered to follow the series. I even tried to get back into it with the Christmas episode, but that just confirmed my negative opinion of it (see, the joke is that Santa is really evil! Yeah, that’s “edgy”). Since they’ve been re-running them on Cartoon Network, though, I’ve gotten hooked. When exactly did the series get so good? They’ve re-run the three episodes I’d seen before and my opinion of those hasn’t changed, but the other ones are brilliant!
I never watched Cheers after its debut. Although, I have probably seen the reruns of every episode in the last few years. (and it’s still stupid) and MASH, I can probably quote from most episodes. I’ve definitely seen every one (except the final) many times, alas we all have our faults.
There are many shows on my list, ones I do like and know fairly well but only watch occasionally (including Seinfeld, the Practice, Frazier, Law and Order, and all the Trek shows, plus a few more).
I don’t really get into TV too much. There are a lot of “great” TV shows I’ve never watched the first time or tried to watch and just couldn’t stomach the crap. ( ER, Buffy, Simpsons, Sopranos, KotHill, my god this would be a huge list.
BUT the absolute biggest piece of … FRIENDS. Good lord, how can people watch that shit, esp. for so many years? I’d rather be tied up and forced to watch “I Love Lucy” reruns for a month straight) :smack:
BTW- I’ve never even heard of some of the shows mentioned in this thread. The only show that I’ve ever seen from its beginning is The West Wing and sadly I’m afraid it’s going to be a disappointment.
The Simpsons: I now consider it to be some of the finest writing for modern television.
Frontline: I have yet to see a documetary group that outdoes Frontline. Their work is superb, whether it be about the life of Jesus or the Columbine shootings.
Masterpiece Theater: This one show alone singlehandedly redeems PBS’ broadcasting of Barney.
Yeah I second the Blue. I have never seen it on ABC. . . but I can’t miss an episode on TNT. I started watching it basically because there was nothing else on that time of day - but I am officially hooked bad. They air two episodes every day from 1 to 3 PM eastern time. They are showing the seasons with Rick Schroeder right now and I have to give Rick props, he has impressed me with his acting chops. (Hey did that rhyme?)
St. Elsewhere. Started probably the second or third season. I loved that show. Even the final episode, which everyone else lamented over.
30Something. I made the mistake of watching it right before Gary got killed. It got cancelled right after that (or completed, I forget which) and I began watching it when it became syndicated. I was stuck on it for a loooong time.
Seinfeld. I couldn’t have cared less about this show until about its fourth year. I made the mistake of not flipping the channels one night, and voila! an addict was born. Never missed another episode. I don’t watch the re-runs, though…they’re on too late here.
And my all time favorite t.v. show EVAR: The Shield. I missed the entire first season, much to my husband’s chagrin. He was wild about it. I was forcibly made to sit through the first episode of season two, and well…I anxiously await Season Three. That show just rocks on many levels, not the least of which is due to Michael Chiklis. (sigh…whatta guy…)
I didn’t watch Seinfeld until season 4 or 5 either. I thought the last of couple were great. I have since seen the first couple of seasons of Seinfeld in re-runs and I don’t feel like I missed much.
