Random TV Thread II: Television, Continued

[LMP]

No problem. After I finish FNL, I'll either hit up The Wire, The Sopranos or Twin Peaks as my next TV drama.

Lance, what would you consider to be the best network television series? Same question for anyone else.

 

[Lancemc]

I honestly have no idea. I'm not nearly a frequent enough television watcher to even come up with a list in my head I could cull from. Arrested Development count? Probably that.

Also, just read that B.B. article. Makes a solid argument, yet at the same times pinpoints a lot of what makes The Sopranos so fucking brilliant as a counter. Also a lot of the reason I'm not in love with The Wire as so many others are.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Lance, what would you consider to be the best network television series? Same question for anyone else.

Seinfeld, pretty easily for me.

LOST has to be in the conversation as well.

 

[kramwest1]

Lance, what would you consider to be the best network television series? Same question for anyone else.

All In The Family?

 

[PhilsFan]

No problem. After I finish FNL, I'll either hit up The Wire, The Sopranos or Twin Peaks as my next TV drama.

Lance, what would you consider to be the best network television series? Same question for anyone else.

I think you have to do The Wire. I spent my spring semester going through that and do not regret it for a second.

I loved that Klosterman piece, despite the absurdity of trying to declare one greater than the others. He hit the right notes in describing the series.

 

[monkeyskin]

No problem. After I finish FNL, I'll either hit up The Wire, The Sopranos or Twin Peaks as my next TV drama.

Why not throw in Breaking Bad and rotate season by season? It's how I've been playing catch up lately and it stops any show from going stale. Plus they were intended stopping points.

I just finished season one of Twin Peaks. Most enjoyable, but season 2 is at the bottom if my to do pile.

 

[LMP]

Sitcoms should totally count. The Simpsons at its peak belongs in the conversation. Saturday Night Live based solely upon its '70s and mid- to late '80s runs.

Why not throw in Breaking Bad and rotate season by season? It's how I've been playing catch up lately and it stops any show from going stale. Plus they were intended stopping points.

I just finished season one of Twin Peaks. Most enjoyable, but season 2 is at the bottom if my to do pile.

That's a great point. I forgot that Breaking Bad's on Instant. I've debated going on a rotation, since I end up getting wrapped up in a narrative then burning myself out by the end.

 

[lazarus]

I've never seen a single episode of Breaking Bad or The Sopranos, so I'm a bit behind the curve in this discussion.

As much as I love Mad Men, not sure I'm ready to proclaim it a serious contender for Greatest EVAR.

While it may seem obvious or mainstream to suggest something like LOST, what really impresses about the show is how much it had to offer: aside from being one of the most gripping/entertaining entertainments I've ever seen, they really did break some barriers w/r/t narrative experimentation and confounding audience expectations, at far as the small screen is concerned. And for network television, that's even more impressive. It was cast brilliantly for the most part, and we have a good number of characters that worked on both iconic and detailed levels. It was at various times funny, suspenseful, moving, and its moral/ethical/philosophical questions were not necessarily complex but were still refreshing to see on a show like this. The show wasn't perfect episode-to-episode and it had its issues but when it was firing on all cylinders (like in The Constant) there really wasn't anything like it.

I think The Prisoner is another one that should be considered; while it didn't have that long of a run, the amount of creative control held by Patrick McGoohan enabled him to really explore some fascinating stuff on his terms, and the final couple episodes are high watermarks in television history, something akin to when Dylan went electric and stream-of-consciousness.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Well said, re: LOST.

Iconic, indeed.

I also have never seen The Sopranos, by the way. Will someday.

 

[PhilsFan]

I have not seen the Sopranos or Lost. I will never, ever watch Lost.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Why the fuck not?

 

[PhilsFan]

Because everyone who watched that show was such a douche about it. I don't care if it's better than food. I want nothing to do with it.

 

[deep]

You should give the Sopranos a try

as for Lost, the last season is so bad, it finishes so bad, that anyone that doesn't admit that, they are douchie

 

[The Sad Punk]

Friends was better

I like Friends too but I'm so glad you were taking the piss here.

 

[cobl04]

Nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat.

 

[monkeyskin]

What about the Brits?

Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, The Office, Doctor Who, Blackadder all stand up against American fare to this day.

Also if we're discussing Lost then The X-Files must be mentioned.

 

[cobl04]

The Germans episode of Fawlty Towers is the funniest episode of any TV show I've ever seen. Non-stop laughter for an entire half-hour.

 

[kramwest1]

What about the Brits?

Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, The Office, Doctor Who, Blackadder all stand up against American fare to this day.

Fawlty Towers and Black Adder
Forever funny.

 

[powerhour24]

no problem. After i finish fnl, i'll either hit up the wire, the sopranos or twin peaks as my next tv drama.

Lance, what would you consider to be the best network television series? Same question for anyone else.

fnl.

 

[corianderstem]

Dear UK Interferencers: is it just me, or is The X Factor on, like, every night there?

I swear, every time I turned on the TV in the evening at my hotel or B&B, it was on. And if it wasn't the British version, it was an airing of the US version.

 

[the tourist]

Because everyone who watched that show was such a douche about it. I don't care if it's better than food. I want nothing to do with it.

You realize that blanket statements like this make you sound really douchie, right?

 

[PhilsFan]

I'm a douche because I refuse to take anything seriously when I post, not because I think my friends who watched Lost were douches about it.

 

[LMP]

I'm a douche because I refuse to take anything seriously when I post, not because I think my friends who watched Lost were douches about it.

My friends were insufferable about Lost (or is it LOST?) when it aired, too.

 

[cobl04]

It signifies lack of payoff.

 

[powerhour24]

Lost fans were quite vocally annoying, and after laughing at the monster depiction in the pilot I decided not to watch and their vehemence had a lot to do with it taking me until the show was off the air to watch it in full.

 

[IWasBored]

You should give the Sopranos a try

as for Lost, the last season is so bad, it finishes so bad, that anyone that doesn't admit that, they are douchie

that's why i wanted to try to stick it out with lost til the end, i want to see how dreadful the end is. because everyone i know that liked it (and ive hated pretty much everything from episode one about it) thought exactly what you said here.


i've only seen a handful of episodes of the sopranos, and i would probably like it ok if i started at the beginning, but what i saw wasn't enough to make me want to invest that kind of time.

 

[Lancemc]

Didn't want to post it in the official thread for fear of spoilers. Now 5 episodes into S4 of Breaking Bad and I'm wholly convinced it's the best television series ever that I've seen, shh. Displays such a boldness of themes, unpredictable storytelling, and unparalleled formal brilliance not to mention its excellence in straight-up thrilling set piece design... season 4 has demonstrated a level of sophistication I hadn't even expected after the already stunning first three. I'd argue this rivals nearly anything coming out of Hollywood these days and makes one hell of a case for modern television as a progressive artistic medium.

Aaaanyway, going through the first season of The Walking Dead as well... not so impressive, but more entertaining than I would have been lead to believe.

 

[deep]

walking dead is not great tv at all,
it is kind of fun, entertaining, I had hope the writing would get better, but not much happens

Breaking Bad, is very good, good idea to stay out of the thread you will get spoiled for sure.

eta
I went and looked at the thread, I did not like episode 6, and then I said 7 was great, so there is that.
I do think the season overall, is very good.

 

[deep]

this can be good

HBO Turning ‘The Kids Are All Right’ Into Series Pilot – Deadline.com

it will all come down to casting and writing, HBO usually makes a decent effort.

 

[Imperor]

walking dead is not great tv at all,
it is kind of fun, entertaining, I had hope the writing would get better, but not much happens

It blows. I just watched the season finale this week after it sat on my DVR for ten and a half months. Terrible stuff. And yet, I'll probably continue watching it.