Totally agree about Broadchurch. I did not watch the US equivalent but am anxiously awaiting the premiere of season 2. My new guilty pleasure is Remote Survival where two survival experts talk a couple of rookies into an overnight excursion that requires them to eat yucky stuff and find a way to make fire. The rookies are totally wired for sound, vitals, with lots of remote cameras in strategic locations and the experts talk them through things like wading through swamps, swimming across inlets with incoming tides, etc.
TV - What's your passion (NON-sports)?
- Thread starter VF21
- Start date
Yeah, You can definitely get into it without having watching BB. There are some characters from BB and, as you said, those who watched BB had certain pre conceived notions of Saul, but it is definitely its own show and I couldn't have been more pleased with its start.
Without having watched BB , did you get the opening sequence of the pilot?
Without having watched BB , did you get the opening sequence of the pilot?
Watched the series finale of Parks and Recreation. With that series complete along with The Office, 30 Rock and Community (moved to online only) NBC will return back it's continuous cycle of canceling multi angle laugh track comedies.
I'm starting to get into the more sitcom like comedies that ABC has like Blackish, Fresh Off the Boat and The Goldbergs to fill the void but I'm just not into those shows as much (the NBC block had better writers). Still have Always Sunny in Philadelphia at least.
I'm starting to get into the more sitcom like comedies that ABC has like Blackish, Fresh Off the Boat and The Goldbergs to fill the void but I'm just not into those shows as much (the NBC block had better writers). Still have Always Sunny in Philadelphia at least.
Last edited:
Absolutely loved The Last Man on Earth, although I may be biased as I'm a huge Will Forte fan and have loved everything Lord and Miller have put out.
The TV shows that I'm currently watching (with many more to be seen once they return to the airwaves) are (as presented in no legible order and divided between comedy and drama because whatevs):
Comedy
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Andre Braugher is amazing. Also, being brought to you by Schurr and Goor)
Togetherness (HBO dramedy by the Duplass brothers)
Fresh Off the Boat (Having grown-up as an out of place chubby half-Asian kid with an Asian mom, this show hits kinda close to home)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Now living in Japan, I don't quite have the time for the Daily Show, which honestly wasn't really my cup of tea to begin with, but I have always loved John Oliver's delivery and some of the reporting done on this show honestly eclipses the best journalism found on any of the news networks)
The Last Man on Earth (already discussed)
Drama
The Americans (great spy drama even if I flippin' hate Keri Russell's character at this point. Also some of the Russians remind me of people I went to high school with in Rancho Cordova so there's that)
Fortitude (God, I love me some Stanley Tucci. Also Dumbledore.)
Better Call Saul (Can't go wrong with the people involved. Also enjoying the (semi-)lighter tone being used when compared with the joy-sieve that was the final two seasons of Breaking Bad)
Broadchurch (The second series just concluded and seemed rather final but apparently there's going to be a third so heck. Also, Olivia Coleman's work is great and she and Tennant have amazing chemistry together.)
The Walking Dead (The most frustrating television show currently on-air. Occasionally wonderful, often frustrating with great FX work but inconsistent writing. That said, I enjoy seeing how the show diverges from the comics.
Person of Interest (Pretty much Batman without the costumes. Solid action-espionage that occasionally accidentally stumbles into insights about personal liberty and national security)
Banshee (Perhaps the most insane show on television. Goes some places in its violent action sequences that no other shows really dare to go. Also, Geno Segers just wrapped up a role as a big bad that still makes me smile when I think about it. Plus, it's got Amish people in it AND Lili Simmons.)
Marvel's Agents of SHIELD (I'm a comic book geek at heart and, after a frustrating start, this show has settled into being yet another solid espionage action show with bits of super heroics and science fiction thrown in in true Whedon fashion.
The Flash (The show I go to for an hour of good, clean fun. The entire cast is adequately likable, the VFX work is surprisingly good for a CW show and WE GET TO SEE GORILLA FREAKING GRODD IN A LIVE ACTION SHOW)
Arrow (Also frustrating but I really admire the practical stunt work that goes into the show. Some of the acting is really really wooden and the show falls into the CW brooding drama trap too often but it can still occasionally bust out a good hour of solid television)
Reality TV
Masterchef (There are no words)
Upcoming/Returning
Game of Thrones (disregarding the utterly over-the-top amount of softcore porno, a great fantasy show that let's Peter Dinklage shine without really resorting to "He's short!" too much. Also I may have a bit of a crush on Sophie Turner.)
Community (at one point my absolute favorite show on television but then a bunch of stuff happened and now it's premiering on Yahoo for a sixth season)
Silicon Valley (Having known a lot of tech dudes throughout my life, this show hits me right in the laugher. Also, I want Mike Judge's babies.)
Veep (It took a couple of years but this show has finally graduated from just being that other show from the creator of The Thick of It but not as good. Interested in seeing how they handle the bombshell that dropped at the conclusion of last season. Also, freaking Hugh Laurie is showing up next season.)
Doctor Who (Peter Capaldi is amazing and the transition to his curmudgeonly sardonic Doctor has rekindled my love for the franchise more than any 50th year anniversary could)
Hannibal (Nobody watches this show but they should because it's both revoltingly disturbing and also cleverly staged and written by Brian Fuller. Mads Mikkelsen's Hannibal Lector is a chivalric psychopath if ever there was such a thing. And last season's cliffhanger left me both on the edge of a nervous breakdown but wanting to know the next step.)
Penny Dreadful (Timothy Dalton. Timothy Dalton. Timothy Dalton. That is all. Okay, I guess I'll say Eva Green as well.)
The Leftovers (Probably the best new show of 2014.)
Daredevil (Perfect hero to use for a Netflix-style "twelve hour movie" style TV show.)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (A new show being written by Tina Fey? Count me in.)
Louie (Partly pretentious auteur stuff, partly just a solid series of vignettes)
Orphan Black (Tatiana Mislay plays like ten people on the show and does great as each of them)
Powers (Playstation's making TV shows now and this one just so happens to be based on a fairly good comic and stars Shallot Copley)
Fargo (I thought it was a dubious concept but golly I loved what we wound up getting)
Looking at this list, I realize now that (a) I watch way too much TV (good background noise when I write) and (b) watch way more spy shows than I thought I did. Sadly, I may have accidentally forgot to mention some shows.
The TV shows that I'm currently watching (with many more to be seen once they return to the airwaves) are (as presented in no legible order and divided between comedy and drama because whatevs):
Comedy
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Andre Braugher is amazing. Also, being brought to you by Schurr and Goor)
Togetherness (HBO dramedy by the Duplass brothers)
Fresh Off the Boat (Having grown-up as an out of place chubby half-Asian kid with an Asian mom, this show hits kinda close to home)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Now living in Japan, I don't quite have the time for the Daily Show, which honestly wasn't really my cup of tea to begin with, but I have always loved John Oliver's delivery and some of the reporting done on this show honestly eclipses the best journalism found on any of the news networks)
The Last Man on Earth (already discussed)
Drama
The Americans (great spy drama even if I flippin' hate Keri Russell's character at this point. Also some of the Russians remind me of people I went to high school with in Rancho Cordova so there's that)
Fortitude (God, I love me some Stanley Tucci. Also Dumbledore.)
Better Call Saul (Can't go wrong with the people involved. Also enjoying the (semi-)lighter tone being used when compared with the joy-sieve that was the final two seasons of Breaking Bad)
Broadchurch (The second series just concluded and seemed rather final but apparently there's going to be a third so heck. Also, Olivia Coleman's work is great and she and Tennant have amazing chemistry together.)
The Walking Dead (The most frustrating television show currently on-air. Occasionally wonderful, often frustrating with great FX work but inconsistent writing. That said, I enjoy seeing how the show diverges from the comics.
Person of Interest (Pretty much Batman without the costumes. Solid action-espionage that occasionally accidentally stumbles into insights about personal liberty and national security)
Banshee (Perhaps the most insane show on television. Goes some places in its violent action sequences that no other shows really dare to go. Also, Geno Segers just wrapped up a role as a big bad that still makes me smile when I think about it. Plus, it's got Amish people in it AND Lili Simmons.)
Marvel's Agents of SHIELD (I'm a comic book geek at heart and, after a frustrating start, this show has settled into being yet another solid espionage action show with bits of super heroics and science fiction thrown in in true Whedon fashion.
The Flash (The show I go to for an hour of good, clean fun. The entire cast is adequately likable, the VFX work is surprisingly good for a CW show and WE GET TO SEE GORILLA FREAKING GRODD IN A LIVE ACTION SHOW)
Arrow (Also frustrating but I really admire the practical stunt work that goes into the show. Some of the acting is really really wooden and the show falls into the CW brooding drama trap too often but it can still occasionally bust out a good hour of solid television)
Reality TV
Masterchef (There are no words)
Upcoming/Returning
Game of Thrones (disregarding the utterly over-the-top amount of softcore porno, a great fantasy show that let's Peter Dinklage shine without really resorting to "He's short!" too much. Also I may have a bit of a crush on Sophie Turner.)
Community (at one point my absolute favorite show on television but then a bunch of stuff happened and now it's premiering on Yahoo for a sixth season)
Silicon Valley (Having known a lot of tech dudes throughout my life, this show hits me right in the laugher. Also, I want Mike Judge's babies.)
Veep (It took a couple of years but this show has finally graduated from just being that other show from the creator of The Thick of It but not as good. Interested in seeing how they handle the bombshell that dropped at the conclusion of last season. Also, freaking Hugh Laurie is showing up next season.)
Doctor Who (Peter Capaldi is amazing and the transition to his curmudgeonly sardonic Doctor has rekindled my love for the franchise more than any 50th year anniversary could)
Hannibal (Nobody watches this show but they should because it's both revoltingly disturbing and also cleverly staged and written by Brian Fuller. Mads Mikkelsen's Hannibal Lector is a chivalric psychopath if ever there was such a thing. And last season's cliffhanger left me both on the edge of a nervous breakdown but wanting to know the next step.)
Penny Dreadful (Timothy Dalton. Timothy Dalton. Timothy Dalton. That is all. Okay, I guess I'll say Eva Green as well.)
The Leftovers (Probably the best new show of 2014.)
Daredevil (Perfect hero to use for a Netflix-style "twelve hour movie" style TV show.)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (A new show being written by Tina Fey? Count me in.)
Louie (Partly pretentious auteur stuff, partly just a solid series of vignettes)
Orphan Black (Tatiana Mislay plays like ten people on the show and does great as each of them)
Powers (Playstation's making TV shows now and this one just so happens to be based on a fairly good comic and stars Shallot Copley)
Fargo (I thought it was a dubious concept but golly I loved what we wound up getting)
Looking at this list, I realize now that (a) I watch way too much TV (good background noise when I write) and (b) watch way more spy shows than I thought I did. Sadly, I may have accidentally forgot to mention some shows.
Last edited:
Well, at least you're in the right thread.
So, we're at sixteen for eighteen. The funny thing about Scorpion to me is that it seems like, the harder an episode get slammed online, the more I like it. I loved this episode, it was one of my favorite of the season, and I haven't seen anything but negative feedback about it, anywhere.
So, we're at sixteen for eighteen. The funny thing about Scorpion to me is that it seems like, the harder an episode get slammed online, the more I like it. I loved this episode, it was one of my favorite of the season, and I haven't seen anything but negative feedback about it, anywhere.
So, seven of the shows I listed on Page 1 have or will have completed their final season this year, four have been canceled, and one was a one-shot deal. The three Showtime series I watch will all be airing their season finales by the end of the month, and won't be back on until January.
I can't afford Netflix right now, and don't have a good enough quality computer to stream video over, even if I did. Thank god for the WNBA, or the summer would really suck for me.
I can't afford Netflix right now, and don't have a good enough quality computer to stream video over, even if I did. Thank god for the WNBA, or the summer would really suck for me.
my wife and i just started watching The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on netflix. it's a tina fey production, and it's a delightfully sharp and subversive sitcom, as one would expect from fey. it was initially slated for premiere on nbc, but was sold to netflix when nbc executives panicked over Kimmy Schmidt's quirky flavor. that network has really fallen off a cliff in terms of quality. at one point, they featured The Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, and Community in the same f***ing lineup...
i'm continually amazed at all the wrong lessons that network executives learn from their own success. it's like nbc is intent on treating anything that might be deemed "niche" as repellent, despite the fact that entertainment across all spectrums is becoming more and more catered to niche audiences. next up for my wife and i is The Last Man on Earth, which i'm really excited to dive into. it's surprising to me that fox took a chance on a show like that, with a premise that's as weird-for-tv as The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's, but it's encouraging, nonetheless...
i'm continually amazed at all the wrong lessons that network executives learn from their own success. it's like nbc is intent on treating anything that might be deemed "niche" as repellent, despite the fact that entertainment across all spectrums is becoming more and more catered to niche audiences. next up for my wife and i is The Last Man on Earth, which i'm really excited to dive into. it's surprising to me that fox took a chance on a show like that, with a premise that's as weird-for-tv as The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's, but it's encouraging, nonetheless...
shows I'm currently watching/have just finished watching:
Parks&Recreation: had to realise how not ready I was for that show to end. the last season, specifically the finale was just emotionally overwhelming. probably the greatest sitcom to date (that I know of). great characters, among them the greatest sitcom character of all time (Ron Swanson), insanely funny, and heartwarming. will be missed sorely.
Modern Family: similar to Parks&Rec, only a lesser version. still pretty good, though.
Archer: not quite as good as prime Archer, but still really, really good. at the heights of its' powers, Archer was a complete juggernaut of brilliant (politically incorrect) jokes, clever dialogue, and absurdity. needs to reinvent itself, though. last season's Archer: Vice was great for instance.
Bob's Burgers: has H. Jon Benjamin in it. that's enough of a reason for me.
Castle: my TV comfort food. love the dynamic between Stana Katic and Captain Reynolds, it's clever at times and the self-contained episodes mean that you don't have to invest too much time.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: dropped out in the middle of the first season, because it didn't really grip me. roughly a month ago I decided to see what happened in the latter half of the first season. well, ALL GODDAMN HELL BROKE LOSE! THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED! never seen a show go from "meh" to "I need another episode right now, in an IV if possible" as fast. Whedons are apparently incapable of disappointing.
@midnight: Chris Hardwick is great, the guests are great (never knew there were so many great standups left), the format is great. only "game show" I've ever really watched.
Last Week Tonight: completely agreed with Tetsujin on this one.
The Daily Show: an appointment, at this point, still enjoyable though.
The Blacklist: solely for James Spader. that's reason enough, though.
Nanatsu No Taizai: I don't ordinarily watch Animes (apart from Ghost in the Shell), but this one's pretty great. I probably enjoy it mostly because of my predilection for RPGs, which is fair enough.
Justified: haven't watched the new season, yet, mainly because I plan on binge watching it, once all episodes are available. only way of watching these kinds of shows, imo.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: can only cosign what's already been said about the show, previously. took me a day to watch all of the first season, can't wait for the next.
edit: right, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, too. very much worth watching. mainly for...well, pretty much all the characters, actually.
Parks&Recreation: had to realise how not ready I was for that show to end. the last season, specifically the finale was just emotionally overwhelming. probably the greatest sitcom to date (that I know of). great characters, among them the greatest sitcom character of all time (Ron Swanson), insanely funny, and heartwarming. will be missed sorely.
Modern Family: similar to Parks&Rec, only a lesser version. still pretty good, though.
Archer: not quite as good as prime Archer, but still really, really good. at the heights of its' powers, Archer was a complete juggernaut of brilliant (politically incorrect) jokes, clever dialogue, and absurdity. needs to reinvent itself, though. last season's Archer: Vice was great for instance.
Bob's Burgers: has H. Jon Benjamin in it. that's enough of a reason for me.
Castle: my TV comfort food. love the dynamic between Stana Katic and Captain Reynolds, it's clever at times and the self-contained episodes mean that you don't have to invest too much time.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: dropped out in the middle of the first season, because it didn't really grip me. roughly a month ago I decided to see what happened in the latter half of the first season. well, ALL GODDAMN HELL BROKE LOSE! THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED! never seen a show go from "meh" to "I need another episode right now, in an IV if possible" as fast. Whedons are apparently incapable of disappointing.
@midnight: Chris Hardwick is great, the guests are great (never knew there were so many great standups left), the format is great. only "game show" I've ever really watched.
Last Week Tonight: completely agreed with Tetsujin on this one.
The Daily Show: an appointment, at this point, still enjoyable though.
The Blacklist: solely for James Spader. that's reason enough, though.
Nanatsu No Taizai: I don't ordinarily watch Animes (apart from Ghost in the Shell), but this one's pretty great. I probably enjoy it mostly because of my predilection for RPGs, which is fair enough.
Justified: haven't watched the new season, yet, mainly because I plan on binge watching it, once all episodes are available. only way of watching these kinds of shows, imo.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: can only cosign what's already been said about the show, previously. took me a day to watch all of the first season, can't wait for the next.
edit: right, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, too. very much worth watching. mainly for...well, pretty much all the characters, actually.
I'm adding Battle Creek to my must-watch list, partially because of Josh Duhamel and Dean Winters ("Mayhem" of Allstate commercial fame). It's well-written and fast-paced.
Caught the first episode of The Late Late Show with Jason Corden. It definitely didn't suck. In some ways it's more traditional than Craig Ferguson (there's a house band, for example), but he's also added a couple of spins (such as bringing out the evening's guests together instead of separately). On those nights when I'm just too keyed up to sleep, this show will definitely be a viable alternative.
Dropped Broadchurch from my DVR list. I just couldn't get into this year's storyline.
Better Call Saul has quickly become a real favorite. I'm glad I didn't overlook it because I'd never seen Breaking Bad.
My new "dirty little secret" series is The Royals.
Very mixed feelings about The Last Man on Earth. I'm still watching but it's on my "okay to skip" list if something better comes along.
Caught the first episode of The Late Late Show with Jason Corden. It definitely didn't suck. In some ways it's more traditional than Craig Ferguson (there's a house band, for example), but he's also added a couple of spins (such as bringing out the evening's guests together instead of separately). On those nights when I'm just too keyed up to sleep, this show will definitely be a viable alternative.
Dropped Broadchurch from my DVR list. I just couldn't get into this year's storyline.
Better Call Saul has quickly become a real favorite. I'm glad I didn't overlook it because I'd never seen Breaking Bad.
My new "dirty little secret" series is The Royals.
Very mixed feelings about The Last Man on Earth. I'm still watching but it's on my "okay to skip" list if something better comes along.
