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[DeSo]

The Wire... done.

The Sopranos... done.

Deadwood... just started and LOVING it. I can see why this series is so acclaimed.

 

[Medalion]

not my favorite episode of the series, but "crossfire" from DS9 has one of my absolute favorite moments in the show

QUARK: "The fact that the pool exists says something about you! About who you are. People see you as the guy who always gets his man. Now, you're becoming the guy who tears up his quarters, and sits alone in the rubble. And no-one's gonna wanna place bets on how long someone's gonna sit around in the dark... Well. I've said my piece - sorry for butting in... But I'm just looking out for my business."
ODO: "Funny. For a minute there, I thought you were talking to me as a friend."
QUARK:". . .Nah."

Good shit, love seeing more DS9 love, and that was a great moment and episode to see Odo come to grips for his feelings for Kira.

 

[Sir Garbageman]

The two shows I've gotten into recently thanks to Netflix and friend recommendations are Chuck and Dexter. I'm at the end of S2 of Chuck and the beginning of S4 of Dexter. Totally opposite ends of the spectrum but I highly recommend both.

 

[beelzebozo]

what other shows do you like, tabs? that may help assess whether your future with the show is bright or hopeless.

 

[tabsina]

what other shows do you like, tabs? that may help assess whether your future with the show is bright or hopeless.

Let's see.. arrested development and Lost are my favourite series.. other than that, in no particular order, here are the shows i've enjoyed in the past decade or so - old 24, old scrubs, seinfeld, frasier, futurama, firefly, community, fringe, early prison break, old how i met your mother (it is about the same quality in it's current season, but i think i'm getting over the style of comedy), the office (us), classic simpsons, IT crowd, family guy, chuck (though i feel like it is getting repetitive lately), better off ted, friends

can't think of anymore off the top of my head - still on the 'to watch' list are Breaking Bad, the Wire - anything else gaf would recommend?

 

[beelzebozo]

yeah, i was looking for things like BREAKING BAD, or THE WIRE, or DEADWOOD that are really meticulously paced and often have long gestation periods for "big events." it's a toss-up for you, i think. you may just be acclimating yourself to that new kind of show with MAD MEN, and may end up loving it and all the shows mentioned above, or you may just not be down for that sort of thing--which would be perfectly understandable. i have a friend who watches television purely as a "light" thing, and doesn't really dig the hard drama.

 

[gdt]

Ahh, Mad Men is a very different kind of show than all of those.

MM doesn't really feel like it needs a hook or a "bang" if you will, it's fine with just coasting along under the surface.

I love MM, but I get some people just won't dig the pacing.

 

[moojito]

can't think of anymore off the top of my head - still on the 'to watch' list are Breaking Bad, the Wire - anything else gaf would recommend?

The west wing. I was put off it for so long due to its political theme, but I'm really glad I decided to give it a shot.

 

[Empty]

Started watching Madmen season 1, so far it seems like a documentary on why the 60s sucked

I've heard the show gets progressively better? Is this true?

I liked Mad Men well enough for most of the first series, by i don't think i really got what the show was about and truly appreciated it till a moment in the final episode of S1. From then on i was in love, and of course i retro-actively started "getting" the episodes i had seen before.

I would keep watching, your experience will likely be different, but it is very slow, unlike most things on television and rewards long term investment along with patience.

 

[tabsina]

yeah, i was looking for things like BREAKING BAD, or THE WIRE, or DEADWOOD that are really meticulously paced and often have long gestation periods for "big events." it's a toss-up for you, i think. you may just be acclimating yourself to that new kind of show with MAD MEN, and may end up loving it and all the shows mentioned above, or you may just not be down for that sort of thing--which would be perfectly understandable. i have a friend who watches television purely as a "light" thing, and doesn't really dig the hard drama.

Ahh, Mad Men is a very different kind of show than all of those.

MM doesn't really feel like it needs a hook or a "bang" if you will, it's fine with just coasting along under the surface.

I love MM, but I get some people just won't dig the pacing.

You are definitely both right, I don't recall ever following a show that paces itself like Madmen, I guess it is a good idea to keep going with what is supposed to be a great show to get myself into the 'genre' of sorts, because I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of quality tv

I liked Mad Men well enough for most of the first series, by i don't think i really got what the show was about and truly appreciated it till a moment in the final episode of S1. From then on i was in love, and of course i retro-actively started "getting" the episodes i had seen before.

I would keep watching, your experience will likely be different, but it is very slow, unlike most things on television and rewards long term investment along with patience.

great to hear, i look forward to continuing with the series

The west wing. I was put off it for so long due to its political theme, but I'm really glad I decided to give it a shot.

I've watched a few episodes here and there back when it was on tv, though I was never drawn into it, but I do remember my older family members being really into it - i might give it another crack after the previously mentioned shows

 

[Lumpy Onion]

I always wait so long to see great shows. I just watched the first 2 episodes of Band Of Brothers with my dad yesterday. Damn, this looks pretty damn good. I have The Pacific piling up on my DVR to watch soon after. Hopefully Treme turns out to be good, because I haven't watched that either.

 

[close to the edge]

Yes, my The Wire box set (seasons 1-5) just arrived. This will make for an entertaining weekend.

 

[CiSTM]

Been watching Supernatural, right now I'm on S2E4. I don't really know why GAF raves about it. I guess it's ok, but at least so far it hasn't been anything phenomenal. I'll keep watching it.

 

[The Librarian]

not my favorite episode of the series, but "crossfire" from DS9 has one of my absolute favorite moments in the show

QUARK: "The fact that the pool exists says something about you! About who you are. People see you as the guy who always gets his man. Now, you're becoming the guy who tears up his quarters, and sits alone in the rubble. And no-one's gonna wanna place bets on how long someone's gonna sit around in the dark... Well. I've said my piece - sorry for butting in... But I'm just looking out for my business."
ODO: "Funny. For a minute there, I thought you were talking to me as a friend."
QUARK:". . .Nah."

I have decided that I will rewatch the series when I begin college (this fall).

 

[Timbuktu]

You are definitely both right, I don't recall ever following a show that paces itself like Madmen, I guess it is a good idea to keep going with what is supposed to be a great show to get myself into the 'genre' of sorts, because I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of quality tv

Mad Men S3 just finished on BBC this week. can't wait for season 4, for the real British invasion.

Mad Men's pacing, I thought, is most similar to Sopranos, which made sense since it is Matthew Weiner. They're both so character driven and structured around tortured alpha males Don and Tony. I kinda lost interest in the Sopranos after its third season, but I think Mad Men is still getting better. The period nature of Mad Men just give it more direction, the slow pacing is countered a bit by the fact that you expect to see big social changes sooner or later.

 

[beelzebozo]

I have decided that I will rewatch the series when I begin college (this fall).

i just keep watching it over and over :lol

i think when i get paid next week, if they're still on sale, i'm going to snag the NEXT GENERATION sets from amazon. $150 for the whole thing last i checked.

 

[Solo]

Deadwood... just started and LOVING it. I can see why this series is so acclaimed.

My most favorite of all television shows. Im currently doing a rewatch, just a bit into S2 now, and its as fantastic as ever. Love the characters, the themes, the writing, and the acting. On top of that, I just love the American old west as a setting.

 

[WyndhamPrice]

the slow pacing is countered a bit by the fact that you expect to see big social changes sooner or later.

I think Mad Men finally clicked for me in the back half of S1 when

Spoiler

Peggy starts working on the advertising stuff and Betty starts to resist Don a bit more

. I think it was because the show started to move away from "Don is a guy we like but he's also kind of a total selfish asshole, what will he do this week?" and this of course pays off in a wonderful way.

 

[Blader]

Just finished The Wire. Fucking brilliant show.

Big time spoiler talk:

Spoiler

I was in complete shock when Omar was killed; it took me a minute just to process what had actually happened. :lol At first, I was kind of pissed, not just because he was killed by that FUCKING KID WHO I HATE SO FUCKING MUCH, but that he never got his revenge. But then watching the last two episodes, it's clear that Omar did get his revenge in the end. Marlo is still alive, but he's lost his reputation, which is all he cared about.

I agree with earlier remarks that the serial killer plot was far-fetched, but I didn't mind it, because I loved the bureaucratic response (or lack thereof) that it brought out. The way McNulty was stretching himself thin and running ragged because of all the shit he had gotten into reminded me a lot of Vic Mackey, in the last couple seasons from The Shield, which I liked a lot.

I also really liked the ending, and that essentially the same things will be repeated again and again. Syndor is the new McNulty, Michael is the new Omar, Slim Charles is the new kingpin, that piece of shit kid who killed Omar will probably become the new Marlo, etc. And lol @ Valcheck being the new commissioner...that scene got a laugh out of me.

So, as far as all the hype of "best television show of all time" goes...I'd say it's absolutely warranted. I wouldn't say it's my absolute favorite, or if I even like it more or less than The Shield (they're both about equal in my mind). But on a purely objective level, in terms of writing and acting, The Wire is king.

 

[Shrennin]

Leverage. Awesome show, surprised I never heard of it before (saw it on Netflix [well, friends introduced me to it], plan to watch first and second season before the third season airs).

 

[beelzebozo]

So, as far as all the hype of "best television show of all time" goes...I'd say it's absolutely warranted. I wouldn't say it's my absolute favorite, or if I even like it more or less than The Shield (they're both about equal in my mind). But on a purely objective level, in terms of writing and acting, The Wire is king.

warms the cockles of my bitter heart to read this. another joins the fold.

 

[Tim the Wiz]

Spoiler

I also really liked the ending, and that essentially the same things will be repeated again and again. Syndor is the new McNulty, Michael is the new Omar, Slim Charles is the new kingpin, that piece of shit kid who killed Omar will probably become the new Marlo, etc.

Spoiler

Pretty sure it's implied he goes down for Omar's murder. There's a shot of the cop investigating Omar's murder leading him off in cuffs somewhere in the finale, if I remember things right.

So, as far as all the hype of "best television show of all time" goes...I'd say it's absolutely warranted. I wouldn't say it's my absolute favorite, or if I even like it more or less than The Shield (they're both about equal in my mind). But on a purely objective level, in terms of writing and acting, The Wire is king.

Oh, indeed.

 

[beelzebozo]

Spoiler

Pretty sure it's implied he goes down for Omar's murder. There's a shot of the cop investigating Omar's murder leading him off in cuffs somewhere in the finale, if I remember things right.

Oh, indeed.

 

[Blader]

Spoiler

Pretty sure it's implied he goes down for Omar's murder. There's a shot of the cop investigating Omar's murder leading him off in cuffs somewhere in the finale, if I remember things right.

THANK JESUS.

That's so much better than what I thought it was.

 

[The Librarian]

No.

Indeed.

 

[Hydrogen Bluebird]

I recently started watching Flash Forward and it was good at first but damn, its getting worse and worse. I'm in ep 7 right now.

 

[Coop]

I'm about 9 episodes into the second season of Mad men and really liking it now. Very happy I gave this show another chance Anyway, I had to laugh out loud when Betty said to Don

Spoiler

"Do you hate me?" Because I've been thinking that since the second or third episode.

 

[beelzebozo]

I'm about 9 episodes into the second season of Mad men and really liking it now. Very happy I gave this show another chance Anyway, I had to laugh out loud when Betty said to Don

Spoiler

"Do you hate me?" Because I've been thinking that since the second or third episode.

don seems to hate everybody except his kids most of the time. dude's projecting.

 

[Lafiel]

Ahh, Mad Men is a very different kind of show than all of those.

MM doesn't really feel like it needs a hook or a "bang" if you will, it's fine with just coasting along under the surface.

I love MM, but I get some people just won't dig the pacing.

Weirdly enough. Mad men had me hooked from episode 1. (despite the slow pace) The 60s setting had something to do with that. On the other hand it took me 3-4 episodes to really warm up to either the wire or deadwood.

 

[Subitai]

Weirdly enough. Mad men had me hooked from episode 1. (despite the slow pace) The 60s setting had something to do with that. On the other hand it took me 3-4 episodes to really warm up to either the wire or deadwood.

Took me till the beginning of season 2 to warm up to the Wire.

 

[Krowley]

I'm currently on the last season of Frasier, and I have to say that it's a lot weaker than I remember it being. Hasn't held up as well as other sitcoms from its era. They mismanage characters and story lines all the time, and they run everything into the ground. I'm honestly not sure If I'm going to be able to finish. Frasier has got to be one of the most unlikable main characters in a major TV series. If it weren't for Niles, the show would be pure crap all the time.

 

[Spire]

Mad Men always had me interested, but I wouldn't say I was "hooked" until sometime during season two. Season three got even better, and was when I finally felt the show was worthy of the praise it was getting.

 

[lordoftherink]

Mad Men hooked me at 5G. The Wire hooked me around the midway point of Season 1. The scenes dealing with

Spoiler

the aftermath of Kima getting shot

really got to me.

 

[Timbuktu]

Just finished The Wire. Fucking brilliant show.

I also really liked the ending,

Spoiler

and that essentially the same things will be repeated again and again. Syndor is the new McNulty, Michael is the new Omar, Slim Charles is the new kingpin, that piece of shit kid who killed Omar will probably become the new Marlo, etc. And lol @ Valcheck being the new commissioner...that scene got a laugh out of me.

Now that you put it that way, I don't really like imagining the scenario of

Spoiler

Michael as the new Omar going against Slim Charles the new kingpin. I don't see any personal grudge between the two that Omar had with Stringer and Marlo, and I'm pretty everyone likes both characters.

 

[Sober]

Leverage. Awesome show, surprised I never heard of it before (saw it on Netflix [well, friends introduced me to it], plan to watch first and second season before the third season airs).

Funny how noone on GAF talks about it ... and half the time that show seems so gif worthy too.

 

[beelzebozo]

ULTIMATE BREAKFAST SHOWS:

• king of the hill
• home movies
• looney tunes
• rocky & bullwinkle
• tennessee tuxedo

yes.

 

[Cornballer]

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up that a new season of Party Down starts this Friday on Starz and Netflix streaming. I put up a new thread for it here.

 

[adg1034]

Funny how noone on GAF talks about it ... and half the time that show seems so gif worthy too.

*sadface*

 

[Cornballer]

From Variety: New seasons of 'Hung' and 'Entourage' set to launch June 27.

 

[beelzebozo]

though i don't watch a ton of spongebob, i do think it's a great show for kids, and as a tv enthusiast in general i found this story quite awesome

NY girl helps choking friend, credits 'SpongeBob'

Miriam, a Long Beach Middle School seventh-grader, and her "BFF," Allyson Golden, had just finished rehearsing the "West Side Story" classic, "I Feel Pretty," for an upcoming choral competition when their teacher cracked a joke that had the 12-year-olds erupting in laughter.

"Allyson was chewing gum, which she shouldn't have been," Miriam recalled Friday in a mock tattletale voice during an interview in the principal's office. "We were laughing and then the gum gets lodged in Ally's throat. And she stopped laughing, which was weird because Ally laughs a lot."

That's when Miriam says she recalled an episode of the popular Nickelodeon cartoon, where she believes she saw SpongeBob use the Heimlich maneuver to retrieve a clarinet lodged in the throat of another character, Squidward.

"And I get her up and I do the Heimlich and the gum goes flying out of her mouth," she said.

brainwashing children in the best way possible

 

[Blader]

Now that you put it that way, I don't really like imagining the scenario of

Spoiler

Michael as the new Omar going against Slim Charles the new kingpin. I don't see any personal grudge between the two that Omar had with Stringer and Marlo, and I'm pretty everyone likes both characters.

Spoiler

There was nothing personal between Omar and Stringer, or Omar and Marlo, until Brandon was killed and Omar robbed that poker game (respectively). When you're ripping off drug dealers, it's pretty easy to become their enemy.

 

[Danne-Danger]

Been watching Firefly for the first time following up on an old thread. Up to episode 4 and goddamn I love it so far. Both the characters and plot in each episode has been really good, between the quippy dialogue and interesting scenarios it manages to be fairly unpredictable. I'm already sad for its cancellation.

After this I’m probably going to be on the lookout for more “grimy” sci-fi. Any suggestions? (books and/or movies, feel free to use the thread I linked earlier for reference)

 

[Decado]

Funny how noone on GAF talks about it ... and half the time that show seems so gif worthy too.

The premise didn't interest me so I nevered looked for it. Serialized "help someone out each episode" shows get dull very quickly, IMO.

 

[Decado]

From Variety: New seasons of 'Hung' and 'Entourage' set to launch June 27.

Hung started to get decent, though I'm still not sold on it.

Last season of Entourage was pretty weak, IMO. Only good parts were the guy that's always funny (Arty? Archie?) and

Spoiler

the return of sloan who is just too damn hot and who I continue to hope--in vain, I'm sure--will have a nude scene

 

[RevoDS]

I recently started watching Flash Forward and it was good at first but damn, its getting worse and worse. I'm in ep 7 right now.

Keep going. Episode 9 is the weakest point, and from 10 onwards it really picks up to become a good show again.

 

[Blader]

I just finished Generation Kill. It was pretty damn excellent, just as good as Band of Brothers.

Also: the guy who plays Doc would be perfect to play a young Aldo Raine, should that Inglourious Basterds prequel ever get made.

 

[Tim the Wiz]

Leverage. Awesome show, surprised I never heard of it before (saw it on Netflix [well, friends introduced me to it], plan to watch first and second season before the third season airs).

It's enjoyable, I'll agree. A neat piece of contrived wish fulfillment in the fashion of Human Target but nowhere near as witty or intelligent or outright fun.

 

[Blader]

So I started Californication a little while ago. I loved season 1, and season 2 was pretty good too. But I'm currently trying to work through season 3 and it's just...awful. I don't know if I'm burned out or whatever, but I can't stand any of the new characters, Becca is just annoying, and the lack of Karen and Mia hurts the show. Also, I think they had Hank jump into

Spoiler

being a teacher

way too quickly, never mind how the fuck he is even qualified for that job.

Maybe it gets better as it goes on, but its been a huge disappointment so far.

 

[WyndhamPrice]

Been watching Firefly for the first time following up on an old thread. Up to episode 4 and goddamn I love it so far. Both the characters and plot in each episode has been really good, between the quippy dialogue and interesting scenarios it manages to be fairly unpredictable. I'm already sad for its cancellation.

After this I’m probably going to be on the lookout for more “grimy” sci-fi. Any suggestions? (books and/or movies, feel free to use the thread I linked earlier for reference)

Farscape is a really great down and dirty sci-fi series. Has a similarly irreverent, sarcastic vibe like Firefly. The cast has great chemistry and the Hero/Villain relationship is one of the best in TV.

It is a fair bit more fantastic in setting (lots of aliens and such) and while the monster of the week episodes may seem really derivative at first they always wind up with a really great, fun spins on old stories. Plus from season 2 on the show becomes pretty serialized.

 

[Tim the Wiz]

Well, I'm on the fence about trying Gossip Girl. The same (unsurprisingly female) friend who recommended Gilmore Girls (which I was surprised to find an enormous affinity for until they started to needlessly and relentlessly contrive situations to keep Luke and Lorelai apart) pushed me towards it, and while I admit to liking the first season of The OC and most of Chuck (which, by the way, has had something of a rebound in its latest episode), I'm pretty hesitant about the series - especially considering the negativity aimed at it by doyens of the original novels and in general. I don't know, my One Tree Hill spidey sense is off the chain whenever I even hear mention of this show. If I pass on it, I'll probably give Spartacus a shot - TV-GAF seems to be raving about it.

Otherwise, I'm really enjoying Babylon 5 at the moment. I'm at the third episode of S3 and, I have to say, S2 was amazing - a real step up from the, at best, decent to good first season. Also recently finished S1 of The Larry Sanders Show and Jeffrey Tambor is just immense. And it's a nice side-game to spot all the many familiar faces in the background (besides the readily recognizable main cast), too.