Favorite TV Shows

[clhiospzitn]

I haven't yet found a topic like this, so I thought I'd make one.

I know that 90% of the stuff on TV is complete trash and a waste of time, but there are some truly great shows out there that deserve to be seen.  I just thought it'd be interesting to see if there are any similarities here on what people like to watch.

My favorite shows are:

Arrested Development, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, The Office, Family Guy, South Park, The Sopranos, Nip/Tuck, The Daily Show

[leonidas]

Dexter is my current fascination.

My all-time faves(coming to head atm) include - American Dad, Family Guy, South Park, The Simpsons, Frasier, Seinfeld, Friends(and the underrated Joey), Californication, Heroes, Prison Break, Lost, QI, Jonathon Creek, and naturally - Twenny Fo.

[soliloquy]

Arrested Development, Curb your Enthusiasm, Extras, Home Movies

[goldentone]

Seinfeld, Frazier. . .

      and Jack Bauer.

[elspeth]

Sherlock Holmes, starring the late great Jeremy Brett
Morse, with the late great John Thaw
Poirot, with David Suchet
Jeeves & Wooster, with Fry & Laurie
Cadfael, with Derek Jacobi

The adaptation of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth was pretty good, although I wasn't convinced about Jennifer Ehle.

Midsummer Murders. They may not be art, but they amuse me!

Anything with the wonderful Ronnie Barker
My Family - chiefly because of Robert Lindsay
Spaced, especially the first series
Dad's Army

Any of David Attenborough's work

Michael Palin's travleogues

I am in the happy state of no longer watching TV through choice as the current output of programming is so terribly mediocre at best as to make it not worth my time or money. I have better things to spend my time doing, so keep all of the above list of programmes on DVD to watch at my leisure. The only 'regular' programme I miss is Top Gear.

[pianochick93]

Dr. Who (when it is on.)
Chaser's war on everything
Mythbusters

That's pretty much all I watch. I watch the final 12 of Australian Idol as well.
I'm on the computer too much to watch tv.

[minor9th]

I like detective shows: Criminal Minds, Law and Order (all versions), CSI (only the original and NY), Numbers, The Closer, and Dexter. I also enjoy ER and House. The only comedy I watch is The Office. (I guess House and Dexter are intermittently funny.)

[leonidas]

Yeah I love the dry black comedy in Dexter in particular, it's feckn hilarious.

[quantum]

Mythbusters
CSI (Vegas is my preference but I watch the other two as well)
Without a Trace
Law and Order

As there is too much junk now on TV, I don't watch much.  If there is nothing on I turn to Discovery channel.  There are some good independent films on past midnight that I sometimes watch.

Past series:
Star Trek (TNG is my fav, but I watched all the others)
Party of Five
Chicago Hope
Full House

[chopininov]

I prefer the more comedic shows like:
South Park
Boondocks
Frasier
Will and Grace
Shin Chan
Golden Girls
Daria

But I also watch:
Mythbusters
Dirty Jobs
Law & Order

[danny elfboy]

Heroes
Lost
Gericho
Smallville
Battlestar Galactica
The 4400
Fathom
Invasion
Malcolm in The Middle
Yes, Dear.
Scrubs
Shin Chan
Simpsons

While I'm at it the series I hate with all my heart (boring, stereotypated, moralist, bigoted, hypocritical, taking themselves too seriously, identical clones of other series):

Everwood
The O.C.
Summerland
Desperate Housewives
Seven Heaven
Veronica Mars
Grey's Anatomy
Oz
Prison Break
The Practice
Law&Order
Without a Trace
Cold Case
The Shield
The Closer
Judging Amy

[chopininov]

Heroes
Lost
Gericho
Smallville
Battlestar Galactica
The 4400
Fathom
Invasion
Malcolm in The Middle
Yes, Dear.
Scrubs
Shin Chan
Simpsons

While I'm at it the series I hate with all my heart (boring, stereotypated, moralist, bigoted, hypocritical, taking themselves too seriously, identical clones of other series):

Everwood
The O.C.
Summerland
Desperate Housewives
Seven Heaven
Veronica Mars
Grey's Anatomy
Oz
Prison Break
The Practice
Law&Order
Without a Trace
Cold Case
The Shield
The Closer
Judging Amy

Yay! Sin Chan!!! I thought I was the only one!

[danny elfboy]

Yay! Sin Chan!!! I thought I was the only one!

It's just great!
I said to my sister "let's record this wonderful show it's too funny!"
and she "I will never record something drawn so badly"



Oh well, I care for the stories. Definitely my favorite show at the moment

[chopininov]

It's just great!
I said to my sister "let's record this wonderful show it's too funny!"
and she "I will never record something drawn so badly"



Oh well, I care for the stories. Definitely my favorite show at the moment

I have all of the episodes! I got them off of youtube. This one guy uploaded them, but about 2 minutes ago they were taken off because of copyright claims.

[danny elfboy]

I have all of the episodes! I got them off of youtube. This one guy uploaded them, but about 2 minutes ago they were taken off because of copyright claims.

Damn. Is there any dvd box with all the episodes? 

[leonidas]

Prison Break owns you, danny, it just does.

TRY ESCAPING THAT!

[minor9th]

Yeah I love the dry black comedy in Dexter in particular, it's feckn hilarious.

Have you read the books? They are even better. I just bought the newest one today.

[chopininov]

Damn. Is there any dvd box with all the episodes? 

Yeah, it came out in September.
https://www.amazon.com/Shin-Chan-Vol-1/dp/B000MTOMB2/ref=pd_bbs_1/105-4469200-5087621?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1194769197&sr=8-1

[sharon_f]

Weeds.

[danny elfboy]

Prison Break owns you, danny, it just does.

TRY ESCAPING THAT!

The most boring thing I have ever seen
But as you always say leonidas tastes are just "different" and not either good or bad

[leonidas]

Perhaps, I don't claim it's perfect, but I'm very entertained by it.

In terms of adrenaline and tension, nothing in the world beats 24 for me, too violent for the swiss though?

[thalbergmad]

Magic Roundabout (the old version)

The new one is bollox

Thal

[chopininov]

And Moral Orel.

[clhiospzitn]

Did anyone here use to watch Strangers With Candy?  That was a very funny (and weird) show.

[chopinlover01]

Let's revitalize this topic.

I watch, regularly,

Family Guy, Criminal Minds, and Sherlock.

[ted]

I have not watched much television for years, but I enjoy my DVDs of old British comedy, especially Benny Hill, Are You Being Served, Keeping up Appearances, Fawlty Towers, Grace and Favour, and several others. I also have a particular fondness for Patrick McGoohan's original Prisoner series. 

[indianajo]

Rather typically, I prefer TV shows with music and no plot. No vile body part jokes.
Great Performances, Austin City Limits, Soundstage, Infinity Hall, Live from the Kate, Jubilee, Woodsongs.  It all depends on the artist of course, many artists I turn off after 20 minutes.  The great sound of HDTV has made this possible; old mono black and white TV was vile.  I occasionally waste time with Dancing with the Stars or You Think you can Dance.  I watch the Olympics when on with musical and artistic scores, and Ice skating shows in the winter for the same reason.  
Shows with a plot, about 1/3 of the Masterpiece series are tolerable, but not the doctor shows.  
Recently I put up with the gross crimes of The Tunnel because both the criminal and the detectives were brilliant.  One of the detectives struggled with "acting normal" and relating to other people, which are issues I have. The landscape and utilities of Eurotunnel are also fascinating to someone who has never been closer than Ilford Essex and Versailles Palace.  DCI Banks had similar brilliant writing, not the stupid science tricks of some mainstream crime shows.  Good landscape too; I didn't know any part of the UK could be that lonely. In this vain, the PBS Sherlock 2010 series got Sherlock Holmes personality more accurately than any previous treatment, IMHO.  Basil Rathbone was too normal compared to the monomaniac of the books.  
Of course, real criminals are mostly boring people motivated by lust or revenge to offend their neighbors.  
Often American Experience and other history shows on PBS are interesing.  i have found the "histories" of History Channel to be very suspect when I have been in motels and had to watch cable.  Sometimes Nova is interesting, and other science shows PBS runs on Wednesdays.  Oh, my, remember Industry on Parade of the fifties?  That and Mr Wizard were about the only interesting shows on B&W 3 network TV. 
I watch travel shows to see the landscape.  Recently Travels with Darley and her previous Equitrekking, then Global Trekker (but not the gross food parts) previously I liked Rick Steves and Rudi Maxa but their shows are so deep into reruns I don't bother anymore.  Bert Wolfe when he is not persueing the miracles and relics of Catholicism.  The Over (country name) series that runs in the begathons of PBS. Great Railway journeys, and the outdoor parts of Tracks Ahead.