TV Series Recommendations

Breaking Bad

Parts Unknown

Bagpuss

X Files (until it whenever it went down the drain)

John Wilson Goes Fishing

Metal Evolution 

Hitler's Circle of Evil

I try not to sit in front of a tv screen too much but I'd like to watch The Wire and The Sopranos sometime.

  On 6/9/2020 at 11:47 AM, Squee said:

Sure!

Could you change the thread title for something like tv series recommendations? Feels like people are backing up and avoiding naming other series they might actually think worth checking out... Thank! 

Dekalog

The Wire

The Sopranos

Heimat

Berlin Alexanderplatz

World at War

Lil' Quinquin

The Young Ones

The Simpsons

Father Ted

Honorable mention:  After Dark (UK talk show but technically a series)

The Thick of It

Breaking Bad

Better Call Saul

The Wire

Deadwood

The IT Crowd

Babylon 5 (best SF show ever, fight me)

X-Files

The Simpsons

Black Mirror

There is a lot of great British television where they put out one run of episodes and that’s it. So it’s hard to call them a series. 
 

Honourable mentions to Hannibal and Game of Thrones. Plus more I’m sure. 

  On 6/8/2020 at 9:47 PM, IDEM said:

The Simpsons

Twin Peaks

Seinfeld

South Park

Arrested Development

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Mad Men

Breaking Bad

Community

Modern Family

Presented in perceived chronological order (to lazy too look it up).

Honorable mention for Red Dwarf and I Deal.

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Oh, oh, oh, I forgot a major one: The Kingdom, Lars von Triers hospital series with a twist, is an absolute must!

Getting goosebumps just from the trailer:

I've watched way too many series, I'd pick these 10, roughly in that order :

Twin Peaks
Seinfeld
Simpsons s02 -> 09, it went downhill afterwards
BoJack Horseman
Mr Robot
The Leftovers
Man seeking woman
Succession (most promising recent series) 
Handmaid's tale (the 1st season especially)
Wire (haven't re-watched it in hmmm 10 years, so I don't know how high I'd rank it now, I used to worship it)

Ps: Archer

C'mon peeps update your lists, most recommendations here are 5 years old or older... No need for a top 10...

I watched homecoming s01 and it was great... Not on my top 10 but still worth a mention... Pretty stylish, great soundtrack and interesting narrative... Also, funny... 

series still playing:

Our boys

Better call saul

Quiz. just got release, mini serie

High maintenance

My brilliant friend

sneaky pete

Barry

the outsider

Homecoming s01 was excellent indeed, s02 not being directed by Sam Esmail I must say I'm significantly less eager to watch it. He's directing Battelstar Galactica's reboot/sequel/remake (not sure what it'll be exactly) so I'm massively looking forward (yup).

Barry was fun but a bit underwhelming IMO.

I hesitated to put Veep in my list, mostly because of the final season and its conclusion... almost too fierce hehe.

I love the second season of The OA, quite a nice mindfuck... too bad it got cancelled as it was really getting better.

Louie / Baskets / Better things are all worth watching. Louie got better and better over the seasons. 

  On 6/12/2020 at 11:57 AM, IDEM said:

Oh, oh, oh, I forgot a major one: The Kingdom, Lars von Triers hospital series with a twist, is an absolute must!

I put it in my original list and replaced it with Berlin Alexanderplatz (don't regret it).

  On 6/15/2020 at 6:58 PM, Taupe Beats said:

I put it in my original list and replaced it with Berlin Alexanderplatz (don't regret it).

And it's a great list too! I never thought of Dekalog as a TV series, but I guess it is. I've only seen two or three of them (all excellent, naturally). At first misread Berlin, Alexanderplatz as Berlin, Ecke Bundesplatz, which I bought along with Heimat for quarantine fodder, but still haven't gotten around to watching either, unfortunately. I've only seen the original 1931 movie of Berlin, Alexanderplatz (and read the book, of course).

  On 6/15/2020 at 8:52 PM, IDEM said:

And it's a great list too! I never thought of Dekalog as a TV series, but I guess it is. I've only seen two or three of them (all excellent, naturally). At first misread Berlin, Alexanderplatz as Berlin, Ecke Bundesplatz, which I bought along with Heimat for quarantine fodder, but still haven't gotten around to watching either, unfortunately. I've only seen the original 1931 movie of Berlin, Alexanderplatz (and read the book, of course).

Thanks!

The rights to Delakog have been purchased multiple times in the past 30 years for remakes (I know HBO had them about 15-20 years ago and ultimately let them lapse without acting on it). Happy no one's tried to actually go through with remaking it.

That's actually an extremely interesting debate in itself. The merits of Dekalog being a more universally adaptable story vs. tied directly to the Polish society it was written/shot in. I have seen impassioned arguments on both sides.

I cannot recommend Heimat enough, and actually find the 2nd series even more interesting than the first (if for anything, just for being about a part of history with WAY less previous coverage).

Dark on netflix starts the 3rd and final season (cycle) on June 27th. i am excite. 

also:

the Wire (it holds up still. great writing and characters and everything still feels epic and better than anything, i mean.. fucken omar.. drunk mcnulty.. the bunk..c'mon.. shit's golden for life)

twin peaks, obviously.. get some coffee pie and donuts ready. 

the leftovers - one of my fav things in recent years. pretty amazing in so many ways. surreal weird dark strange emotional stuff etc. it just gets weirder as it goes.

Watchmen - same creator as the leftovers.. every episode is perfect imo and is amazing storytelling for our time especially in regard to current events. it's really quite stunning... even if you didn't see the movie of several years ago which imp is also good especially the 'epic cut' which has like 40 minutes of cartoons

rick and morty (duh)

Killing Eve - decadent good fun. it's hilarious and irreverent and juicy and dark. 

Bron/Broen [the bridge] (the swedish version) - mostly for the characters and writing. the arc of the main character over the whole series is pretty awesome and hard not to adore her. and the other guy who is also in killing eve.. has the most amazing laugh which is well showcased in both shows.  good escapism for these times even if it is a weird convoluted murder show in some ways. the main character is amazing though. saw a picture of her out of character and didn't recognize her because she's smiling. she doesn't smile in the show. 

succession - great characters.. lot's of stories inspired by the family of rupert murdoch some of which apparently get kind of too close to the truth for the murdoch family if interviews are to be believed. amazing cast. it's funny and dark

penny dreadful - the one w/Eva Green. it's fun stuff. a bit lyrical at times but it's too much fun not to watch and has some great monologues and backstories and good vs evil simplicity but with all kinds horror fairy tales wrapped up in it.  the new series which is different cast/story/setting etc is decent but doesn't really hold up

30 Rock - it's hilarious. period. 

Hannibal - it's on netflix now. it's a show that will annoy some people and others will love it. it was too good for TV. production value is very high. murder scenes are elaborate. amazing music and sound design as well as cinematography and V FX. Gillian Anderson is it in it so if you need more of her in your life this is a good place. i like it and have watched it more than once someitmes just on in the background like a fireplace.  cooking with hannibal is pretty awesome. 

The Looming Tower - limited series on amazon or hulu or something. it's good. serious and well done 9/11 stuff. 

can't think of anything else but i'm sure there's more... 

2010s decade (S1 completing in 2010-19):

1. Game of Thrones (2011-19)

2. Treme (2010-13)

3. The Americans (2013-18)

... (^my standouts)

4. Downton Abbey (2010-15)

5. Boardwalk Empire (2010-14)

6. Better Call Saul (2015-ongoing)

7. The Leftovers (2014-17)

8. Veep (2012-19)

9. The Affair (2014-19)

10. Louie (2010-15)

Next best: Rectify, OITNB

In no particular order:

• Twin Peaks (beats everything in every genre) 
• The Leftovers
• The Terror s01
• Servant
• City of Men

COMEDY:

• Eastbound & Down 
• Arrested Development except s01&s02&s03
• Alan Patridge (everything) 
• Karl Pilkington (pretty much everything except sick of it, twas quite meh) 
• Tim & Eric stuff
• Get Shorty is way better than expected 
• Eric Andre Show 
• Baskets
• Peep Show 
• The Last Man on Earth
• Nathan Barley 
• Community 
• The Office 
• Louie
• Bored to Death
• Curb Your Enthusiasm 
• The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
• Reno 911!

ANIMATION:

• Home Movies
• Metalocalypse
• Pendleton Ward (everything) 
• A Town Called Panic
• Bob's Burgers
• Rick and Morty
• Xavier: Renegade Angel
• BoJack Horseman

ANIME:

• Masaaki Yuasa (everything) 
• Paranoia Agent
• FLCL
• Space Dandy
• Mononoke
• Neon Genesis Evangelion

Mindhunter is so good.  i hope it continues.. originally was supposed to be 5 seasons but fincher is working on another project now so it's on hold.  the project he's working on is also for netflix.. called "Mank" and it's about the screenwriter who wrote citizen kane... starring gary oldman. 

+1 for Boardwalk Empire,  pretty epic really. great everything. bobby cannavale  in the later seasons is insane. 

Treme, -  heavy on music but great stories. 

The Americans. -  has some weird transitions and anti climax at times but i think that further drives home the insanity of what they were doing in some way.. the monotony. it's interesting to see what they do and how.

i'd throw in "Generation Kill" which is also david simon.. limited series about the marines who steamrolled directly to baghdad when gulf war 2 started. it's pretty amazing. sort of dead pan matter of fact telling of how that happened. it's apparently so accurate that some of the marines play themselves.  it's 10 episodes. 

30 Rock is indeed hilarious. I also have a soft spot for Parks and Rec, my favorite feel good series I’d say.

Arrested Development’s first run is pure gold, insanely funny and smart... totally lost the interest when they rebooted it.

Community 2 or 3 first seasons are fantastic, loved the show, but I don’t feel like rewatching it (I’m a rewatcher though).

Never really got into Treme, no matter its obvious qualities. Quite enjoyed The Deuce though !

Rick & Morty is almost perfect, the jury’s still out in the most recent episodes though.

I’ve always loved ATHF / Metalocalypse / Sealab 2021 but haven’t watched an episode for years,  don’t even know if it’s still being aired ?

Still need to finish CYE sometimes : at first it was way too awkward (despite my unconditional love for Seinfeld), but I tried again a couple of years ago and laughed my ass off.

GOT is an obvious stand out of the last decade.

Quite liked Watchmen, despite its violence. I like singular shows like that one. Reminded me of The Leftovers, for obvious reasons.

Oh and how could I forget Fargo ? Absolutely love it ! Haven’t watched s4 though, not yet. Too bad my wife finds it too depressing.

Tchernobyl was a punch in the face, incredibly well executed.

Years & Years was the most horrifying thing I’ve ever watched, like a worst-of all my anxieties packed in a TV show.

Have I mentioned I watch too many series ?

garth marenghi`s dark place

utopia

el marginal

ideal

snuff box

carnivale

children of the stones

the league of gentlemen

You're not diverse enough to survive here with choices like that. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Read some Rubin Farr posts and digest the cultural cataclysm within. Then do a better list.

  On 6/16/2020 at 2:13 AM, Tim_J said:

 

• Arrested Development except s01&s02&s03

I think you got that backwards?

  On 6/17/2020 at 11:24 PM, IDEM said:

I think you got that backwards?

Lol yes I did 

  On 6/16/2020 at 11:01 AM, Mindphaser said:

Children of the stones

OMFG thank you! I've been trying to track down this show for 20 years but nobody knew what I was talking about.

the sculptress