TV Series Recommendations

We need a spot for recommendations.

I've just finished "Altered Carbon" on Netflix and I highly recommend it.  

Netflix wrote:

In a future where humans can transfer their minds from body to body, a rebel is brought back to life to solve a twisted, high-stakes murder case.

The first two seasons of Genius on National Geographic were very good, in my opinion.

N.

Series i've really totally enjoyed: The Wire; Breaking Bad; LOST; The X-Files; Star Trek: TOS & Star Trek Continues; Millennium; Game of Thrones; Rome; A&E's Poirot (feat. David Suchet); Futurama; How I Met Your Mother; Red Dwarf

Series i've mostly enjoyed: The Walking Dead; Oz; Orange Is The New Black; Dirk Gently; The Young Ones; South Park; Dollhouse; Firefly; Star Trek: The Next Generation

Series i enjoyed at first that then lost me: Dexter; The Shield; Legion; Colony; Revolution; Caprica

________

Hardly an exhaustive list but it's a start.

Very good shows: Spaced, Life's Too Short (amazingly funny), Plebs, Shameless (prefer the british one, but that's just me), Dr Who, Torchwood, Bob Newhart (if you like old school comedy), Trailer Park Boys of course. Black Books (any Graham Linehan stuff is really good IMO.)

for drama, 911 is good but can be intense at times (some scenes i had to look away); Code Black is good tho i can never figure out when it airs; The Shield is still great, watched a couple of times and still holds up on rewatch; Northern Exposure still fun to watch, esp the Chris episodes; House still good after several rewatches, really strong cast

If yer talking bout new shows how bout HBO's Sharp Objects. From Buffy's Marti Noxon. Based on Gone Girl's Gillian Flynn's 1st novel.
Starring the impeccable Amy Adams & great character actor Patricia Clarkson with Elizabeth Perkins & The Newsroom's Chris Messina.
All episodes directed by Big Little Lies' Jean-Marc Vallée. Kinda like cross between Big Little Lies & True Detective S1 style wise.

neillt006 wrote:

The first two seasons of Genius on National Geographic were very good, in my opinion.
N.

 I'm two episodes in on the first season and it's excellent.  Thank-you!

His Royal Dorkness wrote:

Series i've really totally enjoyed: The Wire; Breaking Bad; LOST; The X-Files; Star Trek: TOS & Star Trek Continues; Millennium; Game of Thrones; Rome; A&E's Poirot (feat. David Suchet); Futurama; How I Met Your Mother; Red Dwarf

Series i've mostly enjoyed: The Walking Dead; Oz; Orange Is The New Black; Dirk Gently; The Young Ones; South Park; Dollhouse; Firefly; Star Trek: The Next Generation

Series i enjoyed at first that then lost me: Dexter; The Shield; Legion; Colony; Revolution; Caprica

________

Hardly an exhaustive list but it's a start.

I bolded the shows you mentioned that I too enjoyed.  I opted out of Legion and Dirk Gently after the first season, but I might pick them back up at a later date.

"Rome, Red Dwarf, Dollhouse, Caprica"

What are Rome and Red Dwarf about?  I've seen Red Dwarf mentioned before but I've never seen it.  

At some point I'll probably watch Dollhouse and Caprica.

Are there any new series that you enjoy?

Zaphod wrote:

Very good shows: Spaced, Life's Too Short (amazingly funny), Plebs, Shameless (prefer the british one, but that's just me), Dr Who, Torchwood, Bob Newhart (if you like old school comedy), Trailer Park Boys of course. Black Books (any Graham Linehan stuff is really good IMO.)...

I watch the Doctor and I love, love, love Torchwood.

Any new series on your radar?

stuntdog wrote:

If yer talking bout new shows how bout HBO's Sharp Objects. From Buffy's Marti Noxon. Based on Gone Girl's Gillian Flynn's 1st novel.
Starring the impeccable Amy Adams & great character actor Patricia Clarkson with Elizabeth Perkins & The Newsroom's Chris Messina.
All episodes directed by Big Little Lies' Jean-Marc Vallée. Kinda like cross between Big Little Lies & True Detective S1 style wise.

Vinnie!  

I have mixed feelings about this show.  The cast is stellar and the plot is compelling.  However, I don't like our heroine and I think the pace is too slow.  Adams as Camille delivers a good performance (as always).  But I'm tired of Camille's drinking and depression.  She drinks so much, she should be dead from cirrhosis of the liver or some terrible auto accident due to driving drunk.  And it's obvious something has happened to her that she isn't dealing with which is driving her depression.  But couple that with the slow pace and I don't know how much longer I'm  going to hang.

I will watch at least one more episode and hope that she becomes more likeable.

sandi wrote:

[
I watch the Doctor and I love, love, love Torchwood.

Any new series on your radar?

That new Michael C Hall series 'Safe' looked interesting, ALTHO I don't think I can get past hearing him do a brit accent, it's way too distracting.

I started 'The Outcast' season 1, looks promising. And creepy.

sandi wrote:

What are Rome and Red Dwarf about?  I've seen Red Dwarf mentioned before but I've never seen it.  

At some point I'll probably watch Dollhouse and Caprica.

Are there any new series that you enjoy?

Rome is a semi-fictional/semi-historical relatively short series that follows events in the Empire not long after the death of Julius Caesar. It has amazingly good costuming & sets, well above average writing and acting, and pays attention to details that many films and shows never bothered with, such as accuracy regarding the type of military tactics that were actually used at the time. Not that there's much military activity, but what there is, is reasonably well done.

Red Dwarf is sci-fi comedy. It follows the universe's last human, named Dave, as he wastes the rest of existence flying around in the empty spaces with a hologram of his annoyingly prim (and deceased) former roomie, the evolutionary descendant of his pet cat, and a few other characters.

smeeeg heaaaaad

I can't think of any new shows that've caught my attention since The Sinner wrapped.

The Dr. Who freaks should enjoy Reverie and The Crossing.

The Breaking Bad bums should like Condor and Barry.

I've been watching Sharp Objects. I like the story and the storytelling so far but I'm not sold on the main character. I think I'd like her better without the whole cutting thing they chose to give that character. Despite it being a real thing, and I was close to someone who was a cutter, it's still difficult for me to empathize.

With it's imagery, the general demeanor of the town folk, and the egregiously homicidal dark cloud that looms over them, Sharp Objects has created a setting that I want to see more of.

The guy who plays the sheriff was also the sheriff in another small town mystery show. Hmm.....

Another show, Who Is America, has also caught my attention. Sacha Cohen Baron of Borat fame is entertaining with his shock value style. His antics may get old fast but for the moment it's worth the watch.

I suppose there are three new shows i've been watching, though they're each a documentary.

Planet Earth: The Hunt continues the Planet Earth/ Blue Planee franchise with a series dedicated exclusively to feeding habits of creatures in the wild.

South Pacific is narrated by Benedict Cumberbunny, and it focuses on some of the most remote non-polar land masses on our little blue marble. It has virtually nothing to do with the Rodgers & Hammerstein Broadway show, the stories upon which the show was based, nor the film(s?) based upon the show; though so far there has been at least one mention of the story that supposedly inspired Herman Melville to pen Moby Dick.

In Search Of is a reboot of the classic show originally presented by Mr. Spock and Assistant Director Skinner (who was also the skinhead Darby iirc. This time it's Sylar who's going In Search Of. Looks like a fun series so far, hopefully it stays that way.

I recommend all the series whose threads I posted in today, plus Sharp Objects.

His Royal Dorkness wrote:

I can't think of any new shows that've caught my attention since The Sinner wrapped.

I saw a preview for that yesterday, how is it?? it has Bill Pullman right ???

Paxton, Pullman, all the same

eta: miss you Bill P

President from Independence day ?? The dad from the Casper movie guy??

I really like him, I think I will check out The Sinner when I am done my Person of Interest rewatch

desi wrote:

I think I will check out The Sinner when I am done my Person of Interest rewatch

I just finished watching the first season (eight episodes).  It's excellent and well worth the watch.

Season 2 premieres this coming Wednesday.  Since it's an entirely different case, viewing is not dependent upon having seen the first season.

okay cool, thanks!

desi, nobody named Bill P was in Red Dwarf.

____

I've been enjoying Zachary Quinto's reboot of In Search Of so far.

Finally got round to Altered Carbon. Was pretty good.
Here's a handful I've seen recently that are worthy of viewing....

BIG:

Finished Godless a few days ago, I thought it was excellent, worth seeing.

Sticking to the Dockery theme, starting to watch Good Behavior. It's so funny hearing her talk with an American accent, compared to stodgy Lady Mary.

Older shows: Justified, particularly season 2 with the goddess Margo Martindale (but you need to see season 1 to appreciate the payoff). Walton Goggins' character is mythic.

Luther, a London police noir, with Idris Elba. I think they revived it this year after a hiatus.

My daughters loved The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Never thought I'd be saying this but there's a Lifetime series that I really like. Well, I've only seen the first episode but I think I'm gonna really enjoy this show. It's simply titled You. Check it out.

I recently binged the first season of Mr. Mercedes and am now caught up on the second season (about half way through now).  The series is based on the Bill Hodges trilogy by Stephen King.  The first book in the trilogy (Mr. Mercedes) was pretty good, but the books steadily improved and I really liked the last one.  The tv series has been excellent throughout.  Brendan Gleeson in particular is really good as the lead.

As you can expect since it's based on Stephen King books, it has its dark and disturbing moments.

In Canada it airs on SuperChanel/Fuse.  In the US I think it's on Audience.

Trailers for season 1 and 2 below.

@Paul_nsguy thanks for pointing this out, wasn't even aware of it. watching now, big fan of any stephen king's adaptations. and brandon gleeson, always fun to watch

Zaphod wrote:

Finished Godless a few days ago, I thought it was excellent, worth seeing...

Started watching this, but RL got in the way and I haven't finished.
But, with your recommendation, I'll finish now.  

Zaphod wrote:

...Sticking to the Dockery theme, starting to watch Good Behavior. It's so funny hearing her talk with an American accent, compared to stodgy Lady Mary.

Pi-O-My and I are the biggest fans of this Dockery led series.

Every episode is a jewel. The things they get into are both hilarious and frightening.

We're into season 3, but don't let that deter you. She's amazing and so are her co-stars.

Hodgepodge wrote:

Started watching this, but RL got in the way and I haven't finished.
But, with your recommendation, I'll finish now.  

yep, do finish, it's good right to the end. GOD i hated Jeff Daniels by the end of it (not the actor, the character).

I'll get back to Good Behavior once I've finished Mr Mercedes.

really enjoying Mercedes. I love the old music cues, it adds to the atmosphere - Bill feeling older. and dude uses a turntable, LOVE LOVE LOVE that. eccentric but I love older sound tech. love the clunk of 8 track players, reversable cassette players, skips and pops on vinyl. give me a Kenwood stereo system and some Bose speakers, I'm a happy camper.

mind you i miss shag carpet as well, one of my chores as a youngun, raking the carpet. miss the old tech.

I was just reminded of Good Behavior when watching Better Call Saul last night. A new member of the Salamanca cartel showed up, and he's showing off his mad cooking skills. Now I'm missing Javier. Well, Letty, too.  But mostly Javier. ;)

Anybody else watching The Deuce? It's not The Wire, or Treme, but it is more interesting than the subject matter seemed like it would be. And it's David Simon, so it deals with a dozen or so compelling, complex characters.

has anybody watched the show 'Channel Zero'? is it any good?

Zaphod wrote:

really enjoying Mercedes. I love the old music cues, it adds to the atmosphere - Bill feeling older. and dude uses a turntable, LOVE LOVE LOVE that. eccentric but I love older sound tech. love the clunk of 8 track players, reversable cassette players, skips and pops on vinyl. give me a Kenwood stereo system and some Bose speakers, I'm a happy camper.

mind you i miss shag carpet as well, one of my chores as a youngun, raking the carpet. miss the old tech.

Glad you're liking Mr. Mercedes.  Brendan Gleeson makes the show.

Zaphod wrote:

has anybody watched the show 'Channel Zero'? is it any good?

I watched the first season and it was ok.  Didn't like it enough to try to watch the second season.  Seems to have pretty good reviews though.

Hell's Kitchen returns tonite, if anyone is a fan. Rookies vs Veterans. I guess the previous All Veterans wasn't exciting enough.

Am I the only person watching the new series, F.B.I.?

Its created by Dick Wolf, who brought us the Law & Order franchise. It stars Missy Peregrym, who you might remember from the recently cancelled series, Rookie Blue.

There's been three-episodes so far, but they've all been very entertaining.

i am overloaded on these cop shows, all i watch now is criminal minds

Hodgepodge wrote:

Am I the only person watching the new series, F.B.I.?

Its created by Dick Wolf, who brought us the Law & Order franchise. It stars Missy Peregrym, who you might remember from the recently cancelled series, Rookie Blue.

There's been three-episodes so far, but they've all been very entertaining.

Well, I was going to pass on this but since you like it, I'll see if I can find the aired episodes and give it a look-see.

Also, Castle Rock on HULU is one of the best new shows I've seen in a long time. I can't recommend it enough!

sandi wrote:

Castle Rock on HULU is one of the best new shows I've seen in a long time.  I can't recommend it enough!

Ditto. Best new show of 2018.

Hi Sandi!

I've been watching FBI. It's good filler for when you run out of your favorite shows but still feel like watching something. It's too formulaic though and will get old fast, for me anyway. Jeremy Sisto's constant yelling is funny as hell.

I've been watching A Discovery Of Witches. A bit of a slow start but it's really picking up steam. Well acted, good writing and effects and a very good story. Plus, Teresa Palmer.

I stopped watching American Horror several seasons ago. Out of sheer curiosity about the fact that it is still airing new seasons, I decided to tune in for the premier this season. It got pretty weird for a few episodes but it has taken a direction that couldn't have been predicted and it's very engaging, even thrilling. So, surprisingly, I'd recommend this season of AHS.

The Purge is another new show I've been tuning into this season. I'd recommend it for fans of the movie/genre only.

sandi wrote:

Hodgepodge wrote:

Am I the only person watching the new series, F.B.I.?

Its created by Dick Wolf, who brought us the Law & Order franchise. It stars Missy Peregrym, who you might remember from the recently cancelled series, Rookie Blue.

There's been three-episodes so far, but they've all been very entertaining.

Well, I was going to pass on this but since you like it, I'll see if I can find the aired episodes and give it a look-see.  

Big John wrote:

...I've been watching FBI. It's good filler for when you run out of your favorite shows but still feel like watching something. It's too formulaic though and will get old fast, for me anyway...

Sandi, you can probably find previous episodes on the CBS website.

I will say, as Big John pointed out, its definitely a formulaic series. But, if you like(d) Dick Wolf's stuff, you might like this one.

sandi wrote:

Also, Castle Rock on HULU is one of the best new shows I've seen in a long time.  I can't recommend it enough!

Big John wrote:

Castle Rock on HULU is one of the best new shows I've seen in a long time.  I can't recommend it enough!

I'm going to give this one a looksee. As both of you mentioned, I've heard nothing but good things.

I take it, all of the episodes are available on the HULU site? Curious, how many episodes are in the season?

Big John wrote:

...I've been watching A Discovery Of Witches. A bit of a slow start but it's really picking up steam. Well acted, good writing and effects and a very good story. Plus, Teresa Palmer...

This sounds interesting as well.

By the title, can I assume it takes place during the 18th and 19th Century?

Big John wrote:

...I stopped watching American Horror several seasons ago. Out of sheer curiosity about the fact that it is still airing new seasons, I decided to tune in for the premier this season. It got pretty weird for a few episodes but it has taken a direction that couldn't have been predicted and it's very engaging, even thrilling. So, surprisingly, I'd recommend this season of AHS.

I've loved this series since its premiere years ago. I just got so involved in watching "everything" else, this has moved to the "catchup-later file".

IIRC, the last iteration I watched involved the clowns. I love to hate clowns.

A Discovery Of Witches is set in modern times.

stuntdog wrote:

Finally got round to Altered Carbon. Was pretty good.

I know!  I'm surprised more people haven't seen it.  Saw you mentioned "Killing Eve"  -- I started watching it but then became sidetracked -- I'll need to go back to it -- it is really good.

BJ wrote:

I've been watching A Discovery Of Witches. A bit of a slow start but it's really picking up steam. Well acted, good writing and effects and a very good story. Plus, Teresa Palmer.

What network is that?

and I also stopped watching AHS but will probably binge through the remaining seasons next summer or during current shows' down time.

Hodge wrote:

I take it, all of the episodes are available on the HULU site? Curious, how many episodes are in the season?

Yes, all 10 episodes are available on HULU.  

sandi wrote:

BJ wrote:

I've been watching A Discovery Of Witches. A bit of a slow start but it's really picking up steam. Well acted, good writing and effects and a very good story. Plus, Teresa Palmer.

What network is that?

and I also stopped watching AHS but will probably binge through the remaining seasons next summer or during current shows' down time.

'Witches' comes out of England. I usually snag it from the internet.

As far as AHS goes, since I haven't watched it since s02, I'm curious to hear how this season holds up to the others. It's so trippy that it makes me curious as to whether or not I should catch up on the other seasons.

"The Haunting of Hill House"  - Netflix

I'm about half way through this series and I'm enjoying it so far.    There's a bit of filler but there are enough spooks and happenings to keep it interesting and freakin' scary at times.  In this version, there is no psychic investigation theme, it's all about the family who lived there.  It's set in the present and focuses on the grown up siblings with flashbacks to years earlier when they were children living in Hill House.  The big mystery is what occurred on the last night of their stay at the mansion.

MrBill60 wrote:

"The Haunting of Hill House"  - Netflix

I'm about half way through this series and I'm enjoying it so far.    There's a bit of filler but there are enough spooks and happenings to keep it interesting and freakin' scary at times.  In this version, there is no psychic investigation theme, it's all about the family who lived there.  It's set in the present and focuses on the grown up siblings with flashbacks to years earlier when they were children living in Hill House.  The big mystery is what occurred on the last night of their stay at the mansion.

I'm in the middle of the first episode -- got called away and haven't returned yet. I think it's a bit slow and I haven't been drawn into any of the characters yet but I'll give it a couple of episodes given your post.

I saw the pilot of "the Rookie" with Nathan Fillion. Proceedurals aren't my first choice but I wanted to check it out because -- Fillion.

I thought the pilot was really good, plenty of action and a good cast. The pilot succeeded in introducing the characters and making them real during just one episode. I call that a win.

Been watching A Discovery of Witches as well. Has some potential, but tends to venture a bit into Twilight-ish romance drivel.
The lead even looks a bit like Kristen Stewert.  
Caught half of the Hill House pilot. Will check rest out later....
Looking forward to S3 of DareDevil on Friday!

stuntdog wrote:

...Looking forward to S3 of DareDevil on Friday!

I should get ready as well.

The first 5 episodes of Hill House focus on each of the 5 siblings,  but of course everything comes back to Hill House.   Episode 5 just  blew me away.  Events bring the adult siblings together in the 6th episode and I don't know what happens beyond that.  I'm really impressed by the acting by the kids.  The "then" father is played by Henry Thomas,  the "now" father by Timothy Hutton (dang has he aged, but so have we all).

Looking forward to Daredevil as well.

This season of Americam Horror Story should have been season 2. Not only is it an excellent, fun story but it is a great companion piece for the first season. The most recent episode is set in the house from that premier season and entertains throughout. It revisits many of the original characters such as the one played by Jessical Lang about whom we get some resolution.

I highly recommend binging season one followed by season eight if you have the time and inclination.

Caught first few episodes of Hill House. Excellent so far.

stuntdog wrote:

Caught first few episodes of Hill House. Excellent so far.

This is definitely worth a rewatch.  I read an article that listed several "hidden" ghosts that I apparently missed the first time around.  I got an eerie feeling watching some of the scenes that there was something else there although I was focused on the main action.   There is also some dialogue that I assumed were throw away lines, but knowing how it ends, makes perfect sense on the rewatch. (I was also looking for any movement of those creepy statues like in Dr Who's Blink, lol.) Really well done in all aspects of production, the writing and the way it's shot and edited is so tight.

I'm totally hooked on a couple shows after watching only their premiers. Escape at Dannemora and Dirty John are both based on true stories, which adds an element of interest.

If these shows were fiction, I don't think I'd watch because some of the characters are too ridiculous to believe. Yet they are real and the evidence of their stupidity is often caught on video. It makes me wonder if all the sacrifices we've made for our freedom and liberty look better on paper than in real life.