entries friends calendar user info previous previous next next
profile
Stef
User: firecat
Name: Stef
calendar
Back May 2013
1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031
links
fat friendly health professionals
5X and up clothing retailers
bmi project
tags
page summary
the cat & dragon rag - Recommend us some TV series?
litter & tinder
01:05 am October 17th, 2010
firecat
firecat
Add to Memories
Share
Recommend us some TV series?
The OH and I recently finished re-watching Babylon 5 and finished watching the fourth season of Heroes. He informed me that our Netflix queue was getting a little thin on series and said I could suggest up to five series to put on the queue.

So what should we watch?


Captions or subtitles required. (Sadly many BBC series don't have them.) We prefer shows that actually end. Reasons we have bounced off some shows: too silly, too much like real life, don't care about or like any of the characters, inexcusable sexism (don't ask how we managed to get hooked on Heroes). We are impatient so we have to like the show within the first episode or two. (Don't ask how we managed to get hooked on Babylon 5.)


On the queue already:
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Being Human
Big Bang Theory
Black Jack
Boondocks
Gankutsuo
Ken Burns' Jazz
Life on Mars
Playing Shakespeare
Samurai Champloo
Terminator: Sarah Connor
The Wire
Trigun


Series we've liked:
As Time Goes By
Barchester Chronicles
Coupling
Cowboy Bebop (anime)
Firefly
Genshiken (anime)
Ghost in the Shell (anime)
Hellsing (anime)
Heroes
Kaze no Yojimbo (anime)
Last Exile (anime)
Princess Nine (anime)
Red Dwarf
Star Trek:TOS (but none of the later ones)


Series we tried and didn't like:
Beauty and the Beast (inexcusable sexism)
Bleach (anime—doesn't actually end)
Dr Who (Tom Baker version—too silly)
Kamichu (anime—too silly)
Princess Tutu (anime—too silly)
Six Feet Under (didn't care about the characters)
Stargate SG-1 (inexcusable sexism)
Vicar of Dibley (too much like real life)


Series the OH has vetoed:
Battlestar Galactica
Dr Who (any version)
Lost

This entry was originally posted at http://firecat.dreamwidth.org/691868.html, where there are comment count unavailable comments.
31 comments or leave a comment
Comments
Thread started by Leslie
mamatiger From: mamatiger Date: October 17th, 2010 11:53 am (UTC) (link)
You watched *all* of Heroes? Wow. That's dedication.

Recommendation: watch Fringe! It might take a bit to grow on you, but John Noble is just a revelation as Walter Bishop. It's been unbelievably awesome this season. (Being Human, UK version, is awesome also, no clue how the USA version will turn out.)

Nikita probably isn't on Netflix yet, and is exceptionally silly, but it passes the Bechdel test in spades every week, and Maggie Q is tres adorable.

If it's avoiding sexism you want, you can't do much better than The Closer. The recent season eps featuring Kyra Sedgwick facing off against Mary "President Roslin" McDonnell -- oh, my. It would be a spoiler to explain why their relationship is so exceptionally awesome though.

(I adored Beauty and the Beast, mostly because of Ron Perlman's performance. They did eventually get over the "rescue Catherine every week" plot device. It is however pretty dated by this point, and the bizarre decision to [redacted spoiler] ruined it for me anyway, George RR Martin or no George RR Martin.)
(Reply) (Thread)
firecat From: firecat Date: October 17th, 2010 05:17 pm (UTC) (link)
Thanks!

I liked Beauty and the Beast too but the OH didn't. I know what the spoiler is.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Thread started by Dances with Penguins
miz_geek From: miz_geek Date: October 17th, 2010 12:28 pm (UTC) (link)
How about Farscape and Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
(Reply) (Thread)
pgdudda From: pgdudda Date: October 17th, 2010 01:28 pm (UTC) (link)
Farscape = I am still bitter all these years later that they cancelled it.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
firecat From: firecat Date: October 17th, 2010 05:24 pm (UTC) (link)
Thanks!
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Thread started by -pd-
pgdudda From: pgdudda Date: October 17th, 2010 01:27 pm (UTC) (link)
For silly kiddie stuff that has nuggets of teen- and adult-level humor, Animaniacs can be fun. It's in my own queue for bit of college-days nostalgia.
(Reply) (Thread)
firecat From: firecat Date: October 17th, 2010 05:24 pm (UTC) (link)
Thanks! We do have Pinky and the Brain on our queue. We tried Animaniacs a while back but the OH says that the characters remind him of obnoxious kids in high school so he doesn't like it.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Thread started by E.G.
elainegrey From: elainegrey Date: October 17th, 2010 02:15 pm (UTC) (link)
In the past year we've been engaged with MI-5 (spies), Wire in the Blood (profiler), and Waking the Dead (police procedural on cold cases). Currently we're watching the intense eight episode Pillars of the Earth, set in 12th century England.

I think i've enjoyed the British contemporary police procedurals because they have been more unpredictable due to the cultural gap. But oh, my. There's still an issue with Catholics.


ETA: I'm pretty sure the first three have subtitles: we were getting the DVDs and if we forgot the subtitles in the beginning, we had to turn them on pretty quickly thanks to the British accent.


Edited at 2010-10-17 02:19 pm (UTC)
(Reply) (Thread)
firecat From: firecat Date: October 17th, 2010 05:23 pm (UTC) (link)
Thanks! I knew about MI-5 and I'm glad to get a recommendation for it.

I guess neither of us would be particularly upset by anti-Catholic stuff.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Thread started by E.G.
elainegrey From: elainegrey Date: October 17th, 2010 02:21 pm (UTC) (link)
What do you mean by "shows that actually end." Each episode is self contained? Each episode resolves the immediate story arc, but an arc continues? No cliff hangers?
(Reply) (Thread)
firecat From: firecat Date: October 17th, 2010 05:04 pm (UTC) (link)
I mean "show has a story arc that resolves in less than, say, 60 episodes."

We gave up on Bleach because it has 240 episodes and counting.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Thread started by starcat_jewel
starcat_jewel From: starcat_jewel Date: October 17th, 2010 03:37 pm (UTC) (link)
NUMB3RS and Eureka are both very good; they're still ongoing, so I don't know whether they'll actually come to an end or not.

Sherlock is serious crack, but it's brand-new (only 3 episodes out AFAIK); if you can handle the idea of an AU contemporary Sherlock Holmes, I'd say it's worth a try.

I'd recommend Bones, except that it went completely off the rails after 2½ seasons. However, the first 2 seasons each have a fairly complete internal story arc.

I have no idea whether any of these have captioning or not.
(Reply) (Thread)
firecat From: firecat Date: October 17th, 2010 04:26 pm (UTC) (link)
Thanks! Especially for explaining about Bones. I saw a bit of one episode and really didn't like it and wondered why people raved about it. Maybe I saw something after the 2d season.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
starcat_jewel From: starcat_jewel Date: October 18th, 2010 03:59 am (UTC) (link)
In a little more detail -- after the writers' strike, which happened midway thru Season 3, the ending of the season was rushed and the finale was a complete clusterfuck, with one of the supporting characters being written out in a way that made no sense at all.

When they came back for Season 4, it was obvious that they'd retconned it. All the character development from the first 2½ seasons was gone as if it had never happened, and instead of an ensemble drama, it was now being written as a Wacky Romantic Comedy Set in a Forensics Lab. It sucks like a Shop-Vac. We quit watching after 3 episodes.

If you're interested in more detail than that, check my "bones" tag.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
beaq From: beaq Date: October 18th, 2010 04:04 am (UTC) (link)
I hearted Sherlock, mostly, but it contains major, major fail on at least a couple of socio-issues both you and I care about. There's maybe enough tongue-in-cheek style to smooth over some wobbles in the writing and to paint over the moldy reek of the fail. I've had a crush on the lead for a while, though, so not super-objective.

I gave up on Being Human after a couple of episodes, after being charmed by the pilot. Would like to know what you end up thinking -- if it's worth it, I might try again.

Have been enjoying A Bit of Fry and Laurie. I remember watching some of it the first time around, but not most of it. A pleasant occasional diversion, and interesting to watch the interplay of personalities and the subtle way they trade off dominance in the skits. Plus or minus them making me snort a lot.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
firecat From: firecat Date: October 18th, 2010 08:18 am (UTC) (link)
Thanks for the warning about Sherlock and the other recommendations!
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
jenk From: jenk Date: October 23rd, 2010 03:47 am (UTC) (link)
If I may ask, do you like the British Coupling?

(Just wondering if it's the creator's usual fails or new ones.)
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
beaq From: beaq Date: October 23rd, 2010 04:00 am (UTC) (link)
I've only seen three or four episodes. I seem to remember it being snappily written and marginally offensive -- probably due to standard-issue UK-style misogyny. I'll go watch a few eps to remind myself. :-)
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
sarahmichigan From: sarahmichigan Date: October 18th, 2010 06:10 pm (UTC) (link)
Seconding Numb3rs, Eureka and Bones.

I'm still on 1st season of Bones and so can't comment on later seasons.

We also love Psych and Monk at our house.

Not sure if you're into non-fiction series, but we've enjoyed "This American Life" from netflix.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Thread started by New World Dormouse
treacle_well From: treacle_well Date: October 17th, 2010 04:53 pm (UTC) (link)
I'd recommend Farscape. There's some silliness, but it's not all silly, and takes a deep dive toward dark in later seasons that pulled me right along, even through some excessive somethingness.

Am curious as to why the OH vetoed Battlestar Galactica (unless it was the original series, in which case I completely understand.)

BTW, I loved Gankutsuo

One series that I kept watching even though I didn't think I was liking it (or maybe was just thinking it wasn't the kind of think I like) was Utawarerumono so I'd recommend giving that a try as something that was enjoyable enough and managed to carry me from episode to episode and thus might do the same for other. But it seems it's no longer available on Netflix instant watching and for some reason they don't have the DVD--it's now listed as one of the items available for saving.
(Reply) (Thread)
treacle_well From: treacle_well Date: October 17th, 2010 04:54 pm (UTC) (link)
Just realized I don't know if Farscape has captioning or not.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
pameladean From: pameladean Date: October 18th, 2010 11:54 pm (UTC) (link)
Whether Farscape has captioning: If you get the individual boxed seasons, it does. But check carefully. I bought a beautifully cheap complete set, and there was no captioning. We managed, but we cursed the people who decided that the music was more important than what people were saying in tense situations.

I was going to recommend Farscape myself. The first season is uneven and goofy, though if you like seeing them take on several different original Star Trek episodes at once, turn them inside out, paint them in spots, and then put them through the sixth dimension, it's very entertaining. The first few episodes are actually pretty tense; then they seem (I repeat, seem) to wander around for a long time before remembering that they have a story arc. It's all tied up very well in the end, though.

Be aware also, however, that the series was cancelled after four seasons, and while there is a mini-series or movie or whatever to actually end things, it's very compact and rushed. I found the journey well worth it, though.

P.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
firecat From: firecat Date: October 17th, 2010 05:20 pm (UTC) (link)
Thanks!

The OH has a nostalgic fondness for the original Battlestar Galactica and didn't take to the new version because of that.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Comment by Selki
selki From: selki Date: October 17th, 2010 05:45 pm (UTC) (link)
I really liked Homefront, set just after WWII in Ohio. I don't know if it was captioned. Grappled with racism, classism, union struggles, McCarthyism, sexism, had characters I cared about, light moments, and serious eye candy. 2 seasons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homefront_%28U.S._TV_series%29
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101121/
(Reply) (Thread)
Thread started by Rosemary
sophy From: sophy Date: October 18th, 2010 02:45 am (UTC) (link)
Oh, I'm so sad BSG is vetoed. :(

Is the note about Star Trek to mean you don't want to watch any of the other series or just haven't yet? If you're up for them, I highly recommend Star Trek: Voyager, especially if you like good character studies and kick ass female leads.

I'd give a Buffy rec, but you most assuredly won't really like it until at least season two, if not even later. But it really is worth it for the later seasons if you could force yourself to get through them.

Seconding the rec for Fringe. Also, if you like spy shows at all, you might like Alias.

Don't know about captioning or subtitles for any of them, so you'd have to check that out.
(Reply) (Thread)
firecat From: firecat Date: October 18th, 2010 08:21 am (UTC) (link)
Star Trek: I liked TNG and DS9 (I didn't see all the episodes of DS9), but the OH didn't like them.

I wanted to like Voyager but didn't (I saw 3 or 4 episodes, I think).
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Thread started by pachamama
pachamama From: pachamama Date: October 18th, 2010 12:52 pm (UTC) (link)
For sheer goofy sci-fi-spy fluff, Chuck (though one story arc tends to lead directly into the next)

My daughter just introduced me to The Gilmore Girls -- we're midway through season 2 and like it very well so far.

There's a British series I love called Outnumbered. It is only partially scripted, with huge chunks of really funny improvisational stuff.

(Reply) (Thread)
pachamama From: pachamama Date: October 18th, 2010 12:53 pm (UTC) (link)
oh and it's been recommended already, but Numb3rs is good
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
sarahmichigan From: sarahmichigan Date: October 18th, 2010 06:12 pm (UTC) (link)
Oh yes, seconding "Chuck," though there is some problematic sexism, particularly in the way the female agent is sexed up both in the shows and on the DVD covers.
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
Thread started by phoenixpdx
phoenixpdx From: phoenixpdx Date: October 19th, 2010 07:28 pm (UTC) (link)
We don't have broadcast, cable or satellite TV and so we only watch series via Netflix based on recommendations. Here are some we've really enjoyed.

We're currently loving Castle (Nathan Fillion in ANYthing, just about...or for that matter, NOT in anything (fans self)). It took 2 episodes for the ensemble dynamics to kick in but they did and did well. Homicide police procedural, with interpersonal dynamics. Mind, we are still on season 1. No clue how it goes beyond this.

Also recommend Foyle's War, a British miniseries based in WWII Hastings (on the English Channel), about a detective who investigates murders while Hitler bombs England. VERY well scripted, historically quite accurate, and very well acted.

We are deeply enjoying West Wing, ER, and Babylon 5, all based on recommendations from people we trust.

We plan to watch anything Ken Burns has made that we haven't yet seen.

For mind candy, we've enjoyed Dirty Jobs, Mythbusters, and Deadliest Catch.

We tried, but did not like: ST:TNG, Six Feet Under (I just wanted to slap all the characters silly and tell them to Grow UP), Bones, NUMB3RS, Grey's Anatomy, and any number of others.
(Reply) (Thread)
firecat From: firecat Date: October 19th, 2010 07:31 pm (UTC) (link)
This is very helpful! It sounds like y'all and we have similar tastes, based on your enjoyment of Ken Burns and B5, and your dislike of ST:TNG and Six Feet Under (EXACTLY).
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
31 comments or leave a comment