Tuesday, July 10, 2007

My favorite TV series

Just to mix things up a little bit from the guitar theme, here are my favorite TV series (at the moment) in no particular order - series I like enough to purchase on DVD:

The West Wing
Totally fascinating show, awesome actors, great script, monster dialogue - basically the whole package. Perhaps my all-time favorite. Got all seven seasons on DVD.

The Simpsons
Hyooge fan - best animated show ever!

Gilmore Girls
From any basic description of this show, I'd never thought I'd stand to watch an episode, much less actually enjoy (almost) all the episodes. Another seven-seasoner, and we've bought all the six releases, waiting for the seventh to come out. Again, the dialogue is really what drives this series, plus the fact that they've got the world's frenchest (oh yeah? Well; it should've been a word) french guy represented here.

Fame
To pull a quote off of imdb: "Fame was the awesome full-length music video that came into your home once a week". The show has aged well, considering that it started in '82. Admittedly, the movie sucked, though. If you've ever, and I mean EVER, played in a band or considered a career in music (or presumably other forms of entertainment), you'll love Fame. Otherwise, it's just as well that you ended up pulling double shifts at IKEA, selling used Hyundais or time-share in Bulgaria, or trying to convince people to change their phone service, ya uninteresting, humourless, non-talented, low-brow, soccer-watching, beer-guzzling, golf-playing, frozen pizza-eating, epic charismatic black hole oxygen thief.

North and South
Great miniseries from 1985. Ever since living in the South, the civil war has fascinated me tremenduously, and this series is really cool.

Babylon 5
Best sci-fi series I've ever watched, and I like the fact that J. Michael Lots-of-consonants actually stuck to his vision of not exceeding his storyline (five seasons). Got them all on DVD, and SHUTTIE! Like you don't enjoy getting your geek on every now and then.

Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip
From the people who brought you The West Wing. Bradley Whitford and Matt Perry rock da hizzouse, yo. Alas, this dialogue-driven show supposedly only runs one season.

The Cosby Show
Very relaxing, and I loved watching it on Nick At Nite way back in NC. The series has aged really well, actually.

Cheers
Another Nick At Nite favorite.

The King of Queens
Kevin James is an old-school performer of physical comedy. His stand-up act is pure gold, I tells ya.

25 comments:

Unknown said...

I will not comment the frenchest.

Dexter
The story of a serial killer who work for the police. Fascinating and charming. A must

Lost
The second season sucked but the third..... Excellent

The Sopranos
Since the beginning one of my favorite. I have not seen the 5th and the 6th season yet but soon for sure.

Twin Peaks
A discovery this year thanks to the Pigeonne. Very good actually. Not a big surprise though since David Lynch never disapointed me. The best pilot I've ever seen.

The Shield
The best cop show as far as I'm concerned. I can't stand CSI or without a trace. This one rules !!!

Friends and that 70's show
The best sitcoms ever.

X-Files
Last but not least.

Wilhelm said...

Wouldn't you agree that The Shield kind of lost its way after the magnificent first season though? Also; how can you list X-Files when half the seasons were low-budget spoofs with Gillian Anderson and that dude who played the T-1000?

Anders said...

Gilmore Girls? Are you sure you don't confuse this with The Girls of the Playboy Mansion? The reality show that goes behind the scene of mr. Hef and his girlfriends, and shows that there are real, intelligent people behind the perfect facade, with everyday problem just like you and me, and... Naaaw. It never ceases to amaze me what actually gets on TV under the header "Reality TV"; which the Girls of the Playboy Mansion is another example of. As for the Gilmore Girls, I totally agree with you on From any basic description of this show, I'd never thought I'd stand to watch an episode. So I haven't watched a single one.

Cheers, Cosby and North And South really brings back some memories. Good shows, despite the fact that Patrick Swayze starring North and South. I also like to add the classic Seinfeld and Soap, the first parody on soap operas, as two great comedy shows that now are long gone.

Currently, I haven't got time to watch many series, but I do try to watch the odd sitcom. King Of Queens is great, Everybody loves Raymond is watchable, and there is always reruns of Seinfeld, Married with Kids(the good middle seasons) and The Simpson’s.

I also try to catch Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire, a good series of the Roman Empire, with one emperor in each episode. The one about Nero last night was pretty good; the one about Caesar was medium. But this series is much better then the critical acclaimed Rome, which I though was basically a bad soap opera in toga.

Babylon 5 wasn't half bad to watch Sunday morning after a night on town, but I don't think I'll ever buy it on DVD.

Never a fan of X-Files or Twin peaks, Friends are OK, That 70's Show not funny at all, at least from the bits I've watched. Haven't really seen the other shows you guys mention.

And I admit, I'd watch almost anything on Discovery, no matter how bad or weird it is.

Wilhelm said...

The reality show that goes behind the scene of mr. Hef and his girlfriends

What's amazing to me is that Hugh Hefner isn't widely acknowledged to be the biggest (non-french) loser in the history of mankind. He's the equivalent of that kid who'd cruise around the junior high school with his car, hoping to pick up 13-14 year old girls, 'cause no girls in his age bracket would even look at him twice. News flash: that's not a sign you're cool, but rather that you're an epic loser. Now multiply this by a factor of one thousand, and you get a ninety-year old geezer who sleeps with nineteen-year olds and has to down a bottle of viagra and use an iron cast to get it up.

Anders said...

Hey, you've watched that series, Wilhelm!

Yes, you're right Wilhelm. And I really don't see why this makes good TV. It still amazes me that the "Reality TV" genre isn't dead yet. I've never seen or heard of a "reality TV" show that sounds even slightly interesting. But they still make "new" concepts in this genre, so somebody most watch it.

Unknown said...

Damn You guys forgot Survivor !!!!
The only real TV that I like. In the french one there was a guy who caught a shark with just a string. Otherwise I agree with Wilhelm about Gilmore Girls. That is actually very good.

Anders said...

Pigeon, the norwegian version of Survivor (Robinsonekspedisjonen) was the biggest dissapointment ever. I thought it was cool show about how to survive stranded on a remote island. But it was just a collection of wannabee tough guys and chubby girls laying on the beach back talking each other. I would take the loser Hef over this show any day.

Wilhelm said...

It's really pathetic - dude's like a gazillion years old and he STILL has to pay to get laid. The only reason he's loaded is that he sells magazines to guys just like him.......

Wilhelm said...

But it was just a collection of wannabee tough guys and chubby girls laying on the beach back talking each other.

Ahhahahaaha....epic tribal tatoo sporting, tap-out gear wearing bad guys with invisible suitcases and almost noticeable biceps who make the Troy version of Brad Pitt look like Dorian Yates.

Wilhelm said...

Anders: Wouldn't yopu agree that what made Seinfeld work is the supporting actors? Seinfeld himself is actually the scrub in this line-up - brutal lack of teh funny compared to George, Kramer, Newman and Elaine

Anders said...

Yes, I totally agree! While I'm sure Seinfeld is at least partially responsible for the script, he is a horrific actor. It's really bad. Newman, George (he's da man) and Kramer really makes this show. Although Elaine isn't that funny, she is the character that sets up a lot of the jokes. It's really sad to see that none of these actors has managed to make a half decent sitcom after Seinfeld.

Anders said...

It's really pathetic - dude's like a gazillion years old and he STILL has to pay to get laid. The only reason he's loaded is that he sells magazines to guys just like him.......

He's just so tasteless. If I was a sleazy porn publisher with that kind of money, I sure would have made a home and a lifestyle that was way more tasteful then old Hef.

Wilhelm said...

While I'm sure Seinfeld is at least partially responsible for the script, he is a horrific actor.

This has got to be a serious case of the whole being more than the sum of its parts, seeing as how Seinfelds stand-up routine is pedestrian at best.

Wilhelm said...

Pigeon: What the hell is a Pigeonne? Some kind of mustard?

Anders said...

Pigeonne: A female attracted to a male version of the wild and domesticated bird having a heavy body and short legs, I guess? Chicks think those short legs are mighty cute seen from the right angel, I'll tell ya!

Unknown said...

Pigeonne is the wife of the pigeon.
you should try to call her like that (run fast afterwards).

Seinfeld is a terrible actor but must of all he doesn't know how to wear a shirt. Why the pants have to be so high ????

Wilhelm said...

Pigeon: You even like the 70's show episodes after Eric Forman leaves the series?

Anders: While there might not be enough wet T-shirt contests in Gilmore Girls for your liking, it's still a deceptively good series.

Unknown said...

OH no !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why the hell they decide to continue series when the lead actor leaves the series (ER, X files...)
It's never good !!!!
Can u imagine Starsky and Hutch without Starsky ?

Anders said...

I didn't say I didn't like Gilmore Girls, it's just that I've never watched an episode. Since it doesn't sounds like something I'll like...

Anders said...

you should try to call her like that (run fast afterwards).

Call her what? A female? I really think there is worse things you can call your wife...

Wilhelm said...

Call her what? A female? I really think there is worse things you can call your wife...

Have you been watching Dice Live at Madison Garden again?

Anders said...

­;-)
Dice rules!

Unknown said...

Jerk off !!!

Alejandra Ugly said...

Hello,I know you guys moved on to another subject but...anyways....here are my favourite series:

Sex and the city - very veeeeeeeery well written
Dexter - gotta lov'im he's something else :)
Twin Peaks - dark, spooky, fascinating.
Gilmore girls - very good for about 5 seasons, gets a bit boring towards the end, but one of my favourites, definitely
Friends - best sitcom I've ever seen; by the way, it's not over yet, it continues, it's just that they changed the actors and the name : "How I met your mother" - it's pretty much LE-GEN-DARY
CSI Las Vegas (I'm soooo fascinated by Grissom)

PS- I'm not proud of it but I used to love Ally McBeal too; hm, I guess I grew up. Also, I was a huge fan of X-files :)

Wilhelm said...

Hey there - welcome.

Sex and the city - very veeeeeeeery well written

Come on now - really? Dear diary - today I hired this stunning pool boy........would ya hook a brutha' up. Switch the genders, and you've got the ramblings of a demented truck driver.

Dexter - gotta lov'im he's something else :)

Keep hearing about this series - if it's been on Norwegian television, I've sure missed it. English or American show?

Twin Peaks - dark, spooky, fascinating.

Never could get into this series when it first aired - the backwards-talking hobbits and drug-induced dialogue kind of turned me off. Come to think of it, as did the Chris Isaak-y music.

Gilmore girls - very good for about 5 seasons, gets a bit boring towards the end, but one of my favourites, definitely

The final season is a step back up from mediocre for sure.

Friends - best sitcom I've ever seen; by the way, it's not over yet, it continues, it's just that they changed the actors and the name : "How I met your mother" - it's pretty much LE-GEN-DARY

Whatever.

CSI Las Vegas (I'm soooo fascinated by Grissom)

While I completely agree that CSI Las Vegas is by far the best version (as opposed to CSI Miami, CSI New York, CSI Little Rock, Arkansas and CSI Bumfuck, Oklahoma) - wouldn't you say that it's a bit too "Revenge of the Nerds"?