Television shows- I found some gems. Anyone else have any good ones?

Racetrackreject · Postby **Racetrackreject** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 3:42 pm

I rarely have to time to actually watch television, but I do turn it on when I'm working out, running on the elliptical, or editing photos. In my scattered viewing, I have found a few shows that have really grabbed me and I thought I would share with anyone who may be looking for something to watch.

For starters, I tend to like darker shows, like Hannibal. I watched the first season of Stranger Things, which started much better than it ended, but I still felt it was pretty good. I also watched the first season of The Fall and it was quite good. My favorite so far, though, has been Penny Dreadful.

Season 1 of Penny Dreadful was lovely. Well-written, with wonderful characters from throughout literature thrown together for one cause. Even the bad acting of Josh Hartnett couldn't dim his character, and Dr. Frankenstein's character in the first season was remarkable. I often found myself just standing, mouth agape, while listening to the characters. I will say that Season 2 was nowhere near as good as Season 1. The writers seemed to go for sex and shock in that season and there wasn't a whole lost of substance, imo. Season 3, so far, has redeemed the show, and even though I've only watched 3 episodes from the series, I think it may be the best one (and it's the last season).

In the drama genre, I've been watching This Is Us. I haven't caught every show, but the ones that I have seen have been well-written and interesting. It's typically hard for me to get into a drama unless it's a medical drama, but something about this show pulls me in. I had a feeling that it would because every time one of the previews for the show came on the television, I would stop and watch it.

So what have you guys seen that you have enjoyed? Anyone else watching any of the shows above and want to dissect things? lol

PaulaO · Postby **PaulaO** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 4:57 pm

I started watching Timeless, about a trio that uses a time machine to hunt down a criminal. Except we don't know what the criminal does, or why he tries (and sometimes succeeds in) changing history. I also love Elementary, as long as I ignore that the leads are named Sherlock Holmes and Joan Watson. I don't like shows with violence (so that lets out all the L&O, NCIS, and a bazillion other shows). I also watch Modern Family and Black-ish. And Jeopardy! Every day.

westisbest · Postby **westisbest** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 5:10 pm

"Peaky Blinders" a BBC series about a family of Irish gypsy bookies and thugs set in Birmiingham post WW 1. Sets are stunningly beautiful, acting and writing superb. Totally addictive.

Amado · Postby **Amado** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 5:19 pm

I binge on TV shows on netflix, but then I sometimes get sick of them before I finish! Penny Dreadful was one of those. Galavant too, though it really cracked me up in the beginning. I couldn't get through the firsts episode of Peaky Blinders, not sure why. I liked Stranger Things. I really liked Jessica Jones. I'm currently hooked on "Dr Foster". I loved "Dark Matter", and I just saw that it has new episodes, Yay!

Amado · Postby **Amado** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 5:22 pm

Oh, and one more that I love - Netflix - it's foreign with subtitles - called "Dicte".

PaulaO · Postby **PaulaO** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 6:50 pm

Ooooh, Peaky Blinders sounds wonderful. I'm in the U.S. and Amazon Prime has series 1 and 2 for $11 each. A bit more expensive than Netflix, but less temptation.

Tarlo Farm · Postby **Tarlo Farm** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 8:47 pm

"This Is Us" is my favorite new TV show. Otherwise I do PBS and Netflix. Working on Season 4 of "Harry Selfridge" right now.

Flight · Postby **Flight** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 10:15 pm

Great thread because I need shows to watch when I'm on the tready!

I loved Stranger Things. I've started watching Black Mirror, just first ep and it looks interesting.

Sue B · Postby **Sue B** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 10:37 pm

Lately, we've been watching Person of Interest and are really liking it. Was suggested by Netflix when we ran out of The Black List episodes. Stars Jim Cavieszal. My ds likes Parks and Recreation which was cancelled last year but, again, we are watching back episodes on netflix. Ds and I really like Dark Matter, btw, and are saving the new season for winter binging. Oh yeah, we also really like Sherlock with Benedict Cumberpatch and Martin Freeman. We do not have tv, only netflix, so we are somewhat limited in our choices I guess.

DJR · Postby **DJR** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:02 pm

I loved the series, "The Killing" - really interesting characters & good acting. I also enjoyed Luther.

Moonshine · Postby **Moonshine** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:09 pm

Ditto what Flight said - The Black Mirror! The episode with Bryce Dallas Howard was really eye-opening, especially if you Facebook.

amygdala · Postby **amygdala** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:24 pm

no tv, just netflix-- another vote for Dicte.

Tulsa · Postby **Tulsa** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 12:53 am

Another huge fan of The Killing. After I tore through all four seasons I found Broadchurch and Top of the Lake to be solid replacements. (For those unfamiliar, they're all great crime shows that go way beyond "killer of the week")

When I had surgery I binge watched Longmire. At first I just wanted it to fill the Justified-shaped hole in my brain, but got totally hooked. The problem with Netflix shows is they post the entire season at once, so if you blow through it in a week you have an entire year to wait for more.

And speaking of waiting, I'm looking at you, BBC Sherlock....

Blacklist and Killjoys are good brain candy, and if anyone is just now deciding to take an interest in sci-fi, you can't go wrong with Firefly and Battlestar Galactica. (And any fans of those shows, prepare for an unexpected geekfest if you watch The Killing!)

AmityBee · Postby **AmityBee** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 12:03 pm

There are a few shows that just started this fall that I really like so far. "Westworld", which is intriguing since you don't really know what's going on just yet and the TV show "Exorcist" is quite good so far too. I also like "Victoria" with Jenna Coleman about the early life of Queen Victoria.

I loved "Stranger Things" as well as "Penny Dreadful". "The Frankenstein Chronicles" weren't bad at all either. I like sci-fi and do watch "Dark Matter" and "Killjoys" but think that "Expanse" was one of the better syfy productions.

Brain candy for me is "The Strain" (I really like that one, sorry!), "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D", "Speechless", "Younger" and "Z-Nation" (so silly!).

Tulsa · Postby **Tulsa** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 12:23 pm

Amity, out of curiosity have you read the Expanse books? I'm really wanting to love the show as much as I do the novels but I just don't feel like it's quite capturing the feel of the books. That said, everyone I know who lives sci-fi TV shows the show (but haven't read the books) so maybe it's just me. It's one of my favorite series, so I'm not sure any tv/movie production would live up to the version in my head!

Amado · Postby **Amado** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 12:51 pm

I loved Firefly! I liked the first season of Black Mirror - but the second one - so far, I've found it too depressing, not sure why. Really liked the first season of "Orphan Black" but then it lost me.

Just finished the first season of Doctor Foster. Holy cow, that was intense. Made you keep switching back and forth on which characters you really did not like. Not sure how they'll manage another season.

Kelo · Postby **Kelo** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 1:12 pm

The only TV I watch are the new Simpsons. I do watch Netflix sometimes, lately I've just been rewatching favorites -- West Wing, Scrubs, and, of course, Gilmore Girls, in preparation for the Thanksgiving weekend new episode extravaganza

StraightForward · Postby **StraightForward** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 2:11 pm

We've started watching "Insecure". I think it's only three episodes in, but so far, so good.

Impatiently waiting for "The Crown" to premier next week.

DH has been watching Stranger Things and of course The Walking Dead, but I just don't have the attention span. It's weird, I'd say I can't watch violent stuff any more, but I loved Dexter and Breaking Bad. Not really into zombie or scifi stuff I guess.

Racetrackreject · Postby **Racetrackreject** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 3:37 pm

Oh wow, great suggestions!

I watched the first season of The Killing, but there's something about the female lead that bothers me. I think it's the actress herself, not the character as I didn't care for her in World War Z either. I watched Broadchurch and really liked that; there's an American version too.

I haven't heard of a lot of the suggestions, so that's a plus for me. I don't have traditional television and watch everything on Prime or Netflix generally.

I'm off to google to check out the shows that I haven't heard of so that I can see what they are about. Thank you!!

Amado- if you stopped Penny Dreadful during the 2nd season, I completely understand why, but I urge you to drudge through because season 3 is quite good.

AmityBee · Postby **AmityBee** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 6:31 pm

Tulsa wrote:Amity, out of curiosity have you read the Expanse books? I'm really wanting to love the show as much as I do the novels but I just don't feel like it's quite capturing the feel of the books. That said, everyone I know who lives sci-fi TV shows the show (but haven't read the books) so maybe it's just me. It's one of my favorite series, so I'm not sure any tv/movie production would live up to the version in my head!

No, I haven't read the books. I'd probably feel the same if I did. I think there are very few movies/shows out there that can live up to their books.

M&M · Postby **M&M** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 10:31 pm

Sue B, DH and I really liked Person of Interest for awhile. There's one particular character that isn't in it in the beginning that gets to be too much for us, so we've taken a break.

We are watching Blue Bloods, which is a pretty good formulaic cop show, IMO, and The Good Wife, which I think is really good.

Amado · Postby **Amado** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 11:16 pm

Racetrackreject wrote:Oh wow, great suggestions!

Amado- if you stopped Penny Dreadful during the 2nd season, I completely understand why, but I urge you to drudge through because season 3 is quite good.

I will give Penny Dreadful another go - I did stop partway through the 2nd season! (The killing is another I lost interest in0

Another I really like, and have finished the 1st season of - is "Glitch" - if you like sci-fi, you might like it.

Racetrackreject · Postby **Racetrackreject** » Fri Oct 28, 2016 1:14 pm

Amado wrote:
Racetrackreject wrote:Oh wow, great suggestions!

Amado- if you stopped Penny Dreadful during the 2nd season, I completely understand why, but I urge you to drudge through because season 3 is quite good.

I will give Penny Dreadful another go - I did stop partway through the 2nd season! (The killing is another I lost interest in0

Another I really like, and have finished the 1st season of - is "Glitch" - if you like sci-fi, you might like it.

The Killing stuck with The Killing for that first season, but then I just couldn't do it anymore either. The Fall is quite similar, but better imo. Of course Gillian Anderson is in it and I love her, so that may be why I find it better.

I do like sci-fi stuff, so I'll have to give Glitch a go. Thanks!

angela9823 · Postby **angela9823** » Fri Oct 28, 2016 1:40 pm

I like the lawyer type of shows - Suits, The Good Wife and now I'm catching up with Damages (just started it). Before that was Downton Abbey (so sad that one is gone!) and Vikings.

PaulaO · Postby **PaulaO** » Fri Oct 28, 2016 2:56 pm

I signed up for Netflix yesterday (streaming) just so I could watch Peaky Blinders. First month is free so I will watch both series. I also watched a Jim Gaffigan special last night and laughed so hard I couldn't breathe.

M&M · Postby **M&M** » Fri Oct 28, 2016 3:02 pm

Damages was really well done, but it got too intense for me, and I quit. This from someone whose favorite show EVER is The Wire.

Suits sounds interesting.

Rockabilly · Postby **Rockabilly** » Fri Oct 28, 2016 3:47 pm

In the last couple of years I discovered "Everybody Loves Raymond" and I think it's hysterical.

StraightForward · Postby **StraightForward** » Sun Oct 30, 2016 4:47 am

StraightForward wrote:We've started watching "Insecure". I think it's only three episodes in, but so far, so good.

Impatiently waiting for "The Crown" to premier next week.

DH has been watching Stranger Things and of course The Walking Dead, but I just don't have the attention span. It's weird, I'd say I can't watch violent stuff any more, but I loved Dexter and Breaking Bad. Not really into zombie or scifi stuff I guess.

Totally forgot to mention "Better Things" on FX. Louis C.K. is executive producer. If you like "Louis", you'll probably like this show. I think it's about six episodes in right now.

AmityBee · Postby **AmityBee** » Sun Oct 30, 2016 12:17 pm

StraightForward wrote:Totally forgot to mention "Better Things" on FX. Louis C.K. is executive producer. If you like "Louis", you'll probably like this show. I think it's about six episodes in right now.

Oh yes! I do like that one too!

westisbest · Postby **westisbest** » Mon Oct 31, 2016 4:04 pm

PaulaO wrote:I signed up for Netflix yesterday (streaming) just so I could watch Peaky Blinders. First month is free so I will watch both series. I also watched a Jim Gaffigan special last night and laughed so hard I couldn't breathe.

I hope you like it! The first episode where Tommy rides bareback thru the iron mongers yard, that stunning face of his the perfect British tailoring that he's always in swoon!! don't know if Netflix US has it but Top of the Lake a BBC series kind of a mystery drama is very good as well.

Moutaineer · Postby **Moutaineer** » Mon Oct 31, 2016 9:41 pm

Mozart in The Jungle, on Netflix. Brilliant. Not exactly family viewing, but very funny.

Our guilty secret is that we are both "Midsommer murders" addicts

PaulaO · Postby **PaulaO** » Wed Nov 02, 2016 3:54 pm

The Crown starts November 4 on Netflix. It's about the early days of Elizabeth II, including pre-marriage. Looks to be a 10 part series. I know what I'm watching this weekend.

Baroque · Postby **Baroque** » Thu Nov 03, 2016 9:01 pm

I've started watching Westworld, not sure about it yet but there are horses in it and its quirky. :lol:

Wish we had Outlander and some of the other more interesting series here but no luck so far and we don't have netflix.

I'm looking forward to Game of Thrones next series too.

Fatcat · Postby **Fatcat** » Fri Nov 04, 2016 3:24 am

I like Longmire in Netflix. There's 5 seasons out there now.

Also like The Office (US Vsn), and The IT Crowd is hilarious!

PaulaO · Postby **PaulaO** » Thu Nov 10, 2016 2:35 am

Grace and Frankie on Netflix. Lily Tomlin is a national treasure. It's funny and bittersweet.

Woost2 · Postby **Woost2** » Thu Nov 10, 2016 1:12 pm

I'm new to Netflix after years of watching nothing but PBS over the antenna. What I've discovered is that 30 minute format works best, I don't like dark or gory. And I don't like people being shitty to each other. So, what can you rexommend? (I find myself watching the pilots of old TV shows. Andy Griffith, Fraser, Etc.) I'm caught up on Grace and Frankie.

Quelah · Postby **Quelah** » Thu Nov 10, 2016 2:47 pm

I'll admit it, Luicifer is my guilty pleasure.

Racetrackreject · Postby **Racetrackreject** » Thu Nov 10, 2016 9:50 pm

Woost2 wrote:I'm new to Netflix after years of watching nothing but PBS over the antenna. What I've discovered is that 30 minute format works best, I don't like dark or gory. And I don't like people being shitty to each other. So, what can you rexommend? (I find myself watching the pilots of old TV shows. Andy Griffith, Fraser, Etc.) I'm caught up on Grace and Frankie.

I wonder if you would like This Is Us. It's not on Netflix, but I think you can watch it online for free. It reminds me of a more modern version of shows like The Waltons, Sisters, Thirty Something. Not so much in story, but in the feel of it. It's obviously not a comedy though, but does have funny moments.

Racetrackreject · Postby **Racetrackreject** » Thu Nov 10, 2016 9:51 pm

Quelah wrote:I'll admit it, Luicifer is my guilty pleasure.

I just saw an episode from this series by accident and I could see how it would easily be that guilty pleasure sort of show.

Minz · Postby **Minz** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 11:27 am

Quelah wrote:I'll admit it, Luicifer is my guilty pleasure.

Me too!!! He is just lovely, and the storyline isn't bad either :lol:

carpevita · Postby **carpevita** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 1:38 pm

I'm watching the Touch and its terrific. As was Shameless--the USA version (William H Macy and Joan Cusak are especially good in this).

PaulaO · Postby **PaulaO** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 3:18 pm

The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt gets good reviews. I watched the first episode last night and wasn't impressed, but maybe it gets better. She certainly is a chipper optimist!

Quelah · Postby **Quelah** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 3:27 pm

Minz wrote:
Quelah wrote:I'll admit it, Luicifer is my guilty pleasure.

Me too!!! He is just lovely, and the storyline isn't bad either

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