# Which TV show should I watch next? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 8, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394 "2009-01-08T17:10:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/1 "2009-01-08T17:10:18Z")
So over the last few years abroad, I basically only watch TV shows in complete sets (bought or downloaded). Now I’ve run out of shows and would appreciate any recommendations for my next episodic fixation (I generally only watch one show at a time). Here’s an almost-comprehensive list of TV shows I’ve seen (at least five or so episodes of) in the last 10-15 years, in rough order of preference: **BEST SHOW EVER, HANDS DOWN** The Wire (All in da game) **THE EXCELLENT TIER** Seinfeld Deadwood (Cocksucka!) Firefly (I hate you Fox) Buffy (She saved the world. A lot.) Angel (C. becoming a higher power was the world’s longest wait between delivery and punchline) Futurama (Fox strikes back) Battlestar Galactica Daily Show/Colbert Report Newsradio (R.I.P. Phil) The Simpsons (ditto) South Park (Whateva, whateva, I do what I want!) Lost Weeds Wonderfalls (Return of the Fox) Frasier (I wanna see Kelsey Grammar playing a complete idiot with a smart voice) **THE GOOD, BUT FLAWED TIER** Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (the only truly watchable Trek) Gilmore Girls (everyone is annoyingly effervescent but the first few seasons are really good) 24 (it’s so ridiculous and over-the-top that it becomes good) The Sarah Connor Chronicles (so a ballerina gets typecast as an autistic badass) Heroes (season 1 was almost excellent, 2-3 are hilariously bad but entertaining) King of the Hill Prison Break (first two seasons good, rest no) Lois & Clark Friends (got bored when it became a soap opera) Beevis & Butthead **THE SOMETIMES GOOD BUT OFTEN NOT TIER** Monk (way too predictable after a while, got bored of it) Family Guy (purple! AND THEN LEIA BECAME SGT. SLAUGHTER! turd) Xena: Warrior Princess (watched a few eps, main redeeming feature was scantily-clad villainesses) Nip/Tuck Dawson’s Creek (I got through a season of this back in the day, but even angsty teenage me got sick of this crap) Beverly Hills 90210 (oh Kelly) Will & Grace (God they’re all so annoying but occasionally funny and annoying) Star Trek: The Next Generation (I watched the hell out of this, but there were 5 duds for every gem) Step by Step Home Improvement Family Matters \*\* THE OH GOD WHY DID THEY LET THIS HAPPEN TIER\*\* Star Trek: Voyager (instead of exploring the cool premise, let’s just ditz around with the holodeck and travel in time like it’s going out of style) American Idol (OK, the one episode where you can watch all the horrible singers is funny, but otherwise this is a black hole of bad music and bad programming) Survivor (shoulda stayed in Sweden) Notes: - Wow I’m a freakin’ couch potato! - Reality (TV) bites. - _The Wire_ killed police procedurals (_Law & Order, CSI_, etc.) for me, as everything else just pales in comparison. - As is obvious, I like sci-fi and fantasy, but nowadays I can only stand to watch shows where the writers actually put _some_ thought into it. - It was kinda fun trying to think of all the TV shows I’ve seen, though this took waaaaaaaaay too long. - I’m picky, but I’m not too hard to please. Please me! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/2 "2009-01-08T17:12:28Z")
You are missing House (Hugh Laurie) and The Big Bang Theory (Jim Parsons). Both excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/3 "2009-01-08T17:24:14Z")
The Office (both UK and US) Curb Your Enthusiasm The King of Queens ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/4 "2009-01-08T17:31:43Z")
One…word? Title? Ancronym? Anyway - ER All of the good stuff is available through Netflix on DVD. Don’t bother watching past a certain time, but since I can’t do spolier boxes right now (I’m lazy), I won’t tell you when. Just start at the beginning. Fabulous, fantastic drama. Best TV of the nineties, hands down. ---
**Author:** ![Amazingrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8edcca/32.png) [@Amazingrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazingrace)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/5 "2009-01-08T17:36:14Z")
**Six Feet Under**. It’s too good to miss. ---
**Author:** ![Albrecht\_Durer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@Albrecht\_Durer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albrecht_Durer)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/6 "2009-01-08T18:07:50Z")
I recommend **Top Gear** , which is hilarious, even if you aren’t into cars. Jeremy Clarkson and James May consistently have me in stitches. If you live in the UK, I believe you can access full episodes (legally) on the BBC website, or you can buy the DVDs. If not, series 10 (the best series, IMO) is on iTunes. I don’t believe you can buy the DVDs in the States. I also recommend **Spaced** , which is the TV show done by the guys that made **Shaun of the Dead** and **Hot Fuzz**. I just finished watching the second series last night and it was fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/7 "2009-01-08T18:18:12Z")
Duckman Iron Chef Breaking Bad Kids in the Hall Mad Men (or so I’m told…never could watch more than 5 minutes of it) ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/8 "2009-01-08T18:20:11Z")
Fawlty Towers, The last season of The Practice, Big Love, Dexter, Coupling ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/9 "2009-01-08T18:24:04Z")
> [@Windwalker](#): > > - _The Wire_ killed police procedurals (_Law & Order, CSI_, etc.) for me, as everything else just pales in comparison. If you’ve never seen it, and can find it on DVD, you might want to check out “Homicide: Life On The Streets”. In my opinion, one of the best cop shows ever. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/10 "2009-01-08T18:29:07Z")
The Shield Brotherhood Both have a solid end point that wraps up the storylines nicely. The Shield after 7 seasons and Brotherhood after 2. Brotherhood is realistic in the way The Wire was, and The Shield has a good long term plot in the style of the Sopranos where it builds up the villain/protagonist for sympathy. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/11 "2009-01-08T18:30:20Z")
Based on your faves, I’d recommend: the first three seasons of HBO’s **Oz** the first two seasons of **It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia** all of **Arrested Development** **Mad Men** ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/12 "2009-01-08T18:31:00Z")
Go retro. DangerMan/Secret Agent is a great show. The anti-James Bond. Excellent until the very last two episodes in color, which sucked. McGoohan thought so also, and quit - and then did The Prisoner, which might be a matter of taste. Having lived through the '60s I get where it is coming from. I have started watching **Have Gun Will Travel** which I saw as a kid, and like it even better than I remembered. I’ve only been through the first disk, but every show has been great. You might try the first season and a half of Star Trek: TOS. A pretty good hit rate up to then. I am going to check out Spaced. I dragged my family to see Hot Fuzz, and they all had to admit that I was right about it. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/13 "2009-01-08T18:35:52Z")
I’ll suggest two recent favorites of mine: Veronica Mars (only three seasons _sob_) Supernatural (not yet complete) ---
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/14 "2009-01-08T18:39:12Z")
Farscape Sports Night Chuck ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/15 "2009-01-08T18:41:26Z")
I’ll suggest two recent favorites of mine: Veronica Mars (only three seasons _sob_) Supernatural (not yet complete) ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/16 "2009-01-08T18:48:50Z")
In the “excellent” tier, **Dexter** In the “good, but flawed” tier, **Jericho** (started bad, got good, got cancelled, fans demanded its return, it got uncancelled, then the writer’s strike… they had to wrap it up fast) ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/17 "2009-01-08T19:02:32Z")
Eureka. It’s not “complete” yet, but the fourth season, presuming it’s picked up again, won’t air until this summer. ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/18 "2009-01-08T19:14:45Z")
I recently watched **The Lost Room**. It’s a miniseries, not really a TV series; there are six 40 minute episodes. It involves a bunch of ordinary objects with supernatural powers that originated from a motel room that some event caused to disappear from the universe. The room can still be accessed via the key through any door with a lock. It doesn’t end up explaining everything, but it does have a definite story-arch that concludes nicely. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/19 "2009-01-08T19:18:41Z")
Try “Life.” It’s a detective show about a cop who was wrongfully imprisoned for murder and gets a big cash settlement when his lawyer gets him out of jail. While in jail he got tough and smart, but also very Zen in his attitude. Very funny, quirky, occasionally disturbing, overall very different. ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394/20 "2009-01-08T19:19:17Z")
Entourage, and a 3rd vote for Mad Men [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-show-should-i-watch-next/480394.md?page=2)