What TV Shows Are You Watching?

[jwaggs]

Just watched the first season of "Line of Duty" from BBC 2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1auPkEy87g

[mjb]

Just watched the first season of "Line of Duty" from BBC 2.
...

We started Season One and stopped after two or three. I hear Season 2 is better by far.

I was forced to get Season 1 of Boston Legal. Excellent stuff. Can't imagine how much it suffered with commercial interruptions though. James Spader is.

[Jazzooo]

"Can't imagine how much it suffered with commercial interruptions though. James Spader is."


How many times must I return before you finish your thought? Dammit, I need to know what he is!

[walto]

...extremely annoying in "The Office"?

[Chazro]

I bought seasons 1 & 2 of 'Boston Legal' in a used CD shop years ago. Excellent TV! Spader and Shatner had a great chemistry, always feels like they were having a blast working together.

'The Americans' finale last night was very good. When you find yourself rooting for the Russian spies that are dedicated to the downfall of the U.S., AND against the American that's looking to avenge the deaths of his brother soldiers, seeing him as the BAD guy. Well, that's some seriously good work by everyone concerned!

[Jazzooo]

I'm in the middle of Dexter Season 5--the Julia Stiles character is fascinating to me. What a terrific actress. I think that episode 6, Everything is Illumenated, might be one of the best-written hours of tv I've seen in a long time.

[tippy]

Finished Orange is the New Black, season 1 last week. Definitely an interesting character study. A few too many girl on girl face plants for me though. But I guess what are the choices (Pornstache)? I'm highly amused/intrigued by Crazy Eyes and her parents. And Pennsatucky is truly scary/brilliant. Lots of good roles and performances in this, I think.

[Chazro]

Finished Orange is the New Black, season 1 last week. Definitely an interesting character study. A few too many girl on girl face plants for me though. But I guess what are the choices (Pornstache)? I'm highly amused/intrigued by Crazy Eyes and her parents. And Pennsatucky is truly scary/brilliant. Lots of good roles and performances in this, I think.

I shied away from OITNB for awhile thinking it was gonna be a female version of OZ (even though I always loved OZ). I normally don't mind lady on lady action so I don't know what was the problem!;) Anyhow, compared to OZ, the 'action' is fairly tame and I enjoy the show! Looking forward to it's return!

[mjb]

We have started "John from Cincinnati."

Three episodes in, I think almost everything that was wrong with "Luck" David Milch got right with this.

So far no one to like much at all but it doesn't seem to matter.

[Chazro]

We have started "John from Cincinnati."

Three episodes in, I think almost everything that was wrong with "Luck" David Milch got right with this.

So far no one to like much at all but it doesn't seem to matter.

I liked 'JFC', but I loved 'Luck'. Being a fan of both shows, I gotta say I don't quite understand what you're saying. Care to elaborate? Although I think I'd rather wait to hear what your opinion is after you've watched the entire series (JFC)!;)

[LennyH]

What did you folks think of Louie this season?

I thought it was pretty great. The one from last week where he visited the museum was a riot. I also liked the week before where he flashed back to his childhood for pretty much the whole show. I think this season was tighter than the previous. More of it worked. It's amazing to me that this guy writes, directs and edits the whole show himself and still comes up with material for his stand up act (there is some overlap).

[moldyfigg]

Fargo; Borgen;, MLB channel, especially Intentional Talk, Nurse Jackie

[pig pen]

Just finished watching season 4 of Covert Affairs, which was excellent, and now am getting into season 2 of the Bletchly Circle.

[moldyfigg]

here's anew show on cable: "Murder In The First," which is the best new thing we've seen. Great stories, wonderful cast, humor and the rest of the items that makes up a good show. Check it out.

[Mr. Met]

Is this the new Golden Age of television?

There's so much more creative freedom in television now.

Breaking Bad
Orange is the New Black
The Walking Dead
The Killing

and plenty of others.

Dr. Phil is a troglodyte, by the way. Oprah hath unleashed a total fraud upon humanity. He is NOT part of the new Golden Age.

What shows are you currently enjoying?

[pig pen]

I agree, there are plenty of good options available. We're usually a bit behind and tend to watch series a year or more after they're first broadcast.

Some of what we have been enjoying lately:

Covert Affairs
Damages
The Americans
Game of Thrones

[Chazro]

'Tyrant' premiered on FX last week. Although it seems like every character is a stereotype it still manages to be very compelling. Premiere episode played like 'The Godfather' in the Middle East, I'm not gonna explain 'cause I don't want to spoil. 'The Leftovers' also premiered on HBO this past week. The episode was interesting but I wasn't 'wowed', I'll give it another few weeks. Really looking forward to 'Ray Donovan's return this month as well as 'The Bridge'. FX's got one coming up called 'The Strain' that's a Guillermo Del Toro production that looks to be creepy good. Nurse Jackie, Game Of Thrones, Silicone valley, Orphan Black and the excellent Penny Dreadful just ended. So yeah, I'd agree that there's plenty of high quality shows on television, although I still can't find a single worthy show on any of the big 4 networks!

[Mr. Met]

The Strain was a trilogy written by Guillermo del Toro and someone else. I enjoyed them, but I think the series will be much better. When I read the books, I thought it was written with a movie series in mind.

Also, re: The Leftovers. I was left a little cold by it, but I'm willing to see it for another couple of episodes. I was reminded that it's by the guy who created Lost, so it could take some time for it to make sense. If ever.

[sozamora]

...although I still can't find a single worthy show on any of the big 4 networks!

Have you tried Hannibal. I've heard good things about The Good Wife, but I've never seen it.

I liked 'The Leftovers'. It's a bit of a slow-burner, but I think it could be really good. I'd been meaning to read the novel for a long time because Perrota also wrote Little Children, which became a really good movie, and because the concept of a non-Christian rapture can make for a good, compelling narrtive.

I'm not feeling 'Tyrant'. There's some potential in the premise if it's handled well, and the actor who plays the brother is really good, but there's a lot I don't like. The protagonist is not very compelling, but the real problem is that the family is annoying. I'm still giving it a chance to correct itself, so we'll see.

I had a lot of hopes for Halt and Catch Fire, but I'm not so sure it's going to work. I'm still giving it a chance as well, because I find the setting and the premise very interesting.

It's not spectacular or anything, but I've enjoyed 'The Musketeers', the recent BBC version of the Dumas novels. It's

[LennyH]

I do like The Good Wife. I'm one season behind.

Sergio, you like Parenthood, right? It took me a while to get through the first show (like 3 tries; it rubbed me the wrong way at first), but I hung in there, I think because you recommended it. Do like it a lot now.

Other than that, no idea what network TV shows are worth a shit.

Here are the TV shows that I currently go out of my way to watch:
Mad Men
Louie
Game of Thrones
Parenthood
The Good Wife
Orange is the New Black
Orphan Black
The Americans
Justified

Also the Irish one with Jillian Anderson that I'm too buzzed to remember now (on vacation in Sea Isle City, NJ. A touch drunk). I'm working my way through Boardwalk Empire as well.

I think that covers it. I tried again to get into S2 of House of Cards, but was unable.

[bluenoter]

Also the Irish one with Jillian Anderson

The Fall (on Wikipedia)

[Mr. Met]

Kevin Spacey's House of Cards -- I find it lacking humor and empathy and I also think it's boring.

But.... I devoted so much time watching the first season that I felt compelled to watch the second.

I figured maybe I'd find out happens by watching the original "House of Cards" with Ian Richardson.

Turns out it blows the new one away. And it's only 12 episodes, not what's probably going to be six jillion.

[sozamora]

I do like The Good Wife. I'm one season behind.

Sergio, you like Parenthood, right? It took me a while to get through the first show (like 3 tries; it rubbed me the wrong way at first), but I hung in there, I think because you recommended it. Do like it a lot now.

I did. Glad you're enjoying it. It's not the kind of show I usually like, very much in the upper middle class people family problems a la Thirtysomething, but it's very well done with strong performances. I understand it's coming back for a short season, but at least it's getting a proper finale.

[sozamora]

I've been watching The Shield on Amazon. It's good and pretty entertaining, but so far I'm not that impressed. When people on the internet compare its quality to The Wire, well, maybe I'm missing something or maybe it gets much better in later seasons.

[Cem]

I've been watching The Shield on Amazon. It's good and pretty entertaining, but so far I'm not that impressed. When people on the internet compare its quality to The Wire, well, maybe I'm missing something or maybe it gets much better in later seasons.

The Shield is one of those filler shows I go to on Netflix, when I run out of things to watch. Below House, below Numbers even, maybe. I don't see how people find it to be in the same league as the Wire. Maybe I too am missing something...