Need A New TV Series To Love

[LuckyCharm]

If anyone likes high quality but short-lived teen dramas, My So Called Life and Freaks and Geeks (James Franco!) have really good boxed sets.

Excellent suggestions, and for basically an adult version of the same, I'd recommend Once and Again. Unfortunately, the third and final (and probably best) season isn't available on DVD, but the first two seasons are still great.

Love this thread. I'm getting a ton of ideas myself.

To whomever mentioned Luther upthread, I read that at least 2 new episodes have been completed, possibly with more to follow. No official word on when they will air, though.

[jeffisjeff]

Hulu, netflix, the usual suspects? Agreed, Damian Lewis was . Also check your PMs.

Thanks!

Idris Elba was great; I don't remember seeing him in anything before Luther. Ruth Wilson was a revelation as such an evil character. I remember seeing her in one of the many TV versions of Jane Eyre. Talk about a switch!

She was also in the recent remake of The Prisoner. I agree she is delightfully evil in Luther.

I think Idris Elba was in The Wire, which I never had the chance to see.

[BigB08822]

I just finished season 2 of Skins (UK). I bawled and bawled my eyes out. Has anyone seen the entire series up to now? I am wondering how much I am going to like it now that all the kids I fell in love with have moved on. I wonder if I can get into a new set of kids. I like the concept, though, but I just wonder if the chemistry will be there.

[Verbalgirl77]

I just finished season 2 of Skins (UK). I bawled and bawled my eyes out. Has anyone seen the entire series up to now? I am wondering how much I am going to like it now that all the kids I fell in love with have moved on. I wonder if I can get into a new set of kids. I like the concept, though, but I just wonder if the chemistry will be there.

The first season with the second cast was decent. Their 2nd season (season 4)...not so much. But the first season of the 3rd cast just finished and I really enjoyed that.

[gkelly]

I think Idris Elba was in The Wire, which I never had the chance to see.

Yes, he was, and if you like gritty dramas you should watch it.

[Holley Calmes]

Justified. Lord have mercy, if Timothy Olyphant in a cowboy hat doesn't give you a thrill.....you have no pulse.

But it is a great show, with tons of great character actors.

I think The Shield is the best series I ever saw. Hard to take sometimes, but fabulous in every way-acting, writing, etc. I also loved The Unit by the same people. I have a thing for Max Martini.

We watch all the CSIs, Blue Bloods, Chicago Code, and Hawaii 5 0. Yeah-it's just eye candy, but what's wrong with that?

I used to love Rome-at least the first season. I am mourning the fact that we don't have the channels to see Gladiators or Camelot. Talk about eye candy....

[screech]

I'm a huge fan of True Blood. It's pretty campy, but it gets a pass because they know it's campy and work with it. Plus, lots of eye candy and some decent acting. And it's vampires 'done right' IMO, because for the most part, they're pretty badass.

Dexter is just amazing. It has had its not so great seasons, but when it's good, it's amazing. How Michael C. Hall hasn't won an Emmy (or Jennifer Carpenter been nominated) for this show...

For comedies, I love Community. It's smart but funny. And it's caused me to develop a huge crush on Joel McHale, and Chevy Chase is hilarious in it.

If you like miniseries, I'd recommend Generation Kill - it's from a few years ago but it's based on true events of some recon marines in Iraq. I didn't understand the lingo they spoke through most of it, but somehow I got sucked in (and not just because of Alexander Skarsgard in uniform).

[HisWeirness]

I think Idris Elba was in The Wire, which I never had the chance to see.

Yes, he was, and if you like gritty dramas you should watch it.

Watch! In The Wire Elba played Stringer Bell, a major character in the first 3 seasons (esp. Seasons 1 & 3).

If you like miniseries, I'd recommend Generation Kill - it's from a few years ago but it's based on true events of some recon marines in Iraq. I didn't understand the lingo they spoke through most of it, but somehow I got sucked in (and not just because of Alexander Skarsgard in uniform).

Seconded.

Justified. Lord have mercy, if Timothy Olyphant in a cowboy hat doesn't give you a thrill.....you have no pulse.

But it is a great show, with tons of great character actors.

I think The Shield is the best series I ever saw. Hard to take sometimes, but fabulous in every way-acting, writing, etc.

Justified is on my list of shows to watch. I enjoyed Olyphant in Deadwood and Damages.

I watched all seasons of The Shield, and agree that it was a good show. I still prefer The Wire over The Shield, but they are both worth watching.

[Garden Kitty]

If you like quirky detective shows with a touch of comedy, Justified and The Glades are both a little off beat. (and I agree with Holly about Timothy Olyphant!)

[Skate Talker]

(Duplicate - See below )

[Skate Talker]

Another one along that vein is Memphis Beat staring Jason Lee, (Earl in My Name is Earl). He plays a police detective with new boss played by Alfre Woodard. Jason's character will often sing and play blues in a club after work and is obviously an Elvis fan. It is slightly lighter than Justified and the scrumptious Timothy Oliphant, but a bit more serious than The Glades with a much more interesting main character.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Beat

(Very interesting - no new shows have been broadcast for a while and I initially thought the name was The Big Easy and set in New Orleans. I did at least remember that the locale played a major part in the text of the show. It was thinking about the character's love of Elvis music that helped me recall the correct name of the show. Maybe it was subconscious and info on this link may explain my confusion.)

[Veronika]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I second this. Alias is a good show too.

[sk8sue]

Not sure if this fits your profile, but for anyone looking for an excellent half-hour comedy I recommend Frasier, especially the first 5 seasons, although there are very good episodes in the back half as well, just less consistently. This is one of the all-time greats. Episodes are written as if they were stage plays, with longer scenes than most sitcoms. I was able to buy a dvd set a few years ago that had seasons 1-5 and the final season (11) packaged together.

And I would like to be added to the list recommending Sherlock. It`s fabulously written, with great chemistry between the actors playing Sherlock and John. If you like to save up and watch episodes all at once, though, you may want to wait until there`s another season, since as previously mentioned there`s only 3 episodes in each. Last I heard, series 2 doesn`t start filming until May. I got the impression that it was pushed back from the original schedule for Martin Freeman`s filming on The Hobbit which just started filming this month in New Zealand. He returns to Britain in May to film Sherlock, then he`s back to New Zealand to finish The Hobbit.

[Wyliefan]

I got the impression that it was pushed back from the original schedule for Martin Freeman`s filming on The Hobbit which just started filming this month in New Zealand. He returns to Britain in May to film Sherlock, then he`s back to New Zealand to finish The Hobbit.

Also, Benedict Cumberbatch is starring in Frankenstein in London. (Some American cities are showing filmed versions of the play -- I'm going next month!)

[sk8sue]

Also, Benedict Cumberbatch is starring in Frankenstein in London. (Some American cities are showing filmed versions of the play -- I'm going next month!)

Ooo, thanks for the info. Is he playing the monster?

On the topic, I recommend LOST, Being Human (both UK and NA versions are ok with me), Arrested Development, Pushing Daisies, Gilmore Girls, and Monk.

I loved Due South, but have never seen Slings and Arrows. Maybe I`ll check that out. Thanks for the thread.

[rjblue]

Dollhouse.

They knew the second season was their last, so they completed the story arc. The acting in the series- especially from Fran Kranz and Enver Gjokaj - is very very good. It's my favourite science fiction series ever. (No aliens, just a future/alternate earth)

[Artemis@BC]

Ooo, thanks for the info. Is he playing the monster?

From what I've been able to gather, Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller are alternating the roles of Doctor Frankenstein and the Creature. I believe that Cumberbatch was the Doctor in the performance that was filmed and broadcast in the movie theatres, but I won't know for sure until I see it on Thursday night. (It aired in Canada on Mar 24, with an encore on Thurs. the 31st. at select Cineplex lotations.) BTW, another reason to see this production if you can: it was directed by Danny Boyle.

Sherlock ... If you like to save up and watch episodes all at once, though, you may want to wait until there's another season, since as previously mentioned there's only 3 episodes in each.

Another good reason to wait if you can: season 1 ended on a cliffhanger!

(BTW, Cumberbatch had a brief role in a film I saw this weekend: Four Lions. It's a satire about suicide bombers. Hilarious and brilliant, but probably not for everyone.)

[sk8sue]

Another good reason to wait if you can: season 1 ended on a cliffhanger!

Yes, that thought was in the back of my mind, too.

Thanks for that other information re Benedict. I've enjoyed him in Atonement and Amazing Grace since first discovering him in Sherlock. Also, Starter for 10 was on tv one day, but on a french channel, so I couldn't hear his lovely voice.

Speaking of Jonny Lee Miller, another good show that ended too soon was Eli Stone, a victim of what I'll call coming-on-after-LOST syndrome.
I figure that after LOST everybody ran off to think about/discuss the latest revelations or just ask somebody else what the heck just happened, so nobody stuck around to watch the next show, so there was a new follow-up show every few months, with the previous one having been cancelled.

I caught enough of Eli Stone to be intrigued, so I just started recording it and watching it later. It's a law show with fantasy elements and some on-going drama between the regular characters. Due to an aneurysm Eli has guiding visions which usually(always?) include musical numbers. It also has the great Victor Garber in it and he sings. It has two 13-episode seasons.

[Bunny Hop]

If you are/become a Paul Gross fan then you must really try to find the made for TV movie Getting Married in Buffalo Jump (CBC I think). He was soooo hot in that your screen will melt for sure . It was also a really cute story.

You're not wrong. He's very easy on the eyes in that film. Also try 'Wilby Wonderful' - another quirky story. He's not quite so cute in it, but it's a good film (why yes, I do have a shelf full of Paul Gross DVDs, why do you ask?).

[Bostonfan]

I completely missed the first season of Life, but really enjoyed the second season. Is there somewhere I can find the first season? Damian Lewis is .

It still drives me nuts that Life was cancelled!!!!!

Nothing new to add except another shout-out for the West Wing.