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Getting to know you: TV series

Discussion in 'Tilted Entertainment' started by DamnitAll, Sep 16, 2020.

  1. DamnitAll

    DamnitAll Wait... what?

    Location:
    Central MD
    Saw this somewhere online this week:

    If you had to recommend someone watch between 5 and a baker’s dozen TV series* to really get a feel for you and your tastes, which would you pick?

    *since this is my post, I’m allowing nonfiction/documentary/comedy/game shows/etc., as long as multiple episodes are involved. I also upped the count to 13 because reasons.

    1. Six Feet Under
    2. Mystery Diagnosis
    3. Stranger Things
    4. ER
    5. The Handmaid’s Tale
    6. Game of Thrones
    7. Archer
    8. FlashForward
    9. House, MD
    10. Homeland
    11. Mad Men
    12. Jeopardy!
    13. Unsolved Mysteries

    Bonus: any series focused on natural disasters/catastrophes (especially the Yellowstone supervolcano)
     
    • Like Like x 2
  2. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    My response going be limited because I haven't paid for TV since the mid 1980s, and have very little exposure to it.

    Jeopardy!
    I like to remind myself that part of being intelligent is broad knowledge and a good memory. Both of which I lack.

    Star Trek, and Star Trek The Next Generation.
    ST for the memories. ST TNG because it's a good series.

    Antiques Roadshow.
    We're amateur antiquers, would love to make a "big score."

    Homicide: Life on the Streets.
    Wow, this going back a ways. For the most part well written and a great cast that meshed.

    The Walking Dead.
    One of the free aetenna channels showed a couple of seasons. It appealed my dark side, as well as my unfulfilled desire to be strong, brave, and adventurous.

    Night Gallery.
    Another serious oldie. Again my dark side.

    The Rifleman, and The Untouchables.
    Outlet for repressed anger. War movies and TV series didn't have the same appeal, probably because of the Vietnam War coverage and controversy.

    Barney Miller, and the first The Bob Newhart Show.
    I like comedies, but these are the two have stood the test of time IMO. Maybe I'll recall some others.

    Wonderful World of Disney.
    Fond memories of family time.

    Edit...

    The Brother Caedfel series on PBS.
    Excellent, although far from perfect. Who doesn't like Sir Derek Jacoby?
     
    • Like Like x 3
  3. DamnitAll

    DamnitAll Wait... what?

    Location:
    Central MD
    There’s a substantial gap in my cultural literacy of popular evening sitcoms throughout the eighties and nineties and into my adulthood in the early 2000s, which picks back up when I ditched cable in 2013 for much of what’s come out since. Don’t count on me for “classic” TV questions on your trivia team anytime soon.

    If some of those fools can cut it in a purely fictitious post-apocalyptic hellscape, surely there’s at least a little hope for the rest of us.
     
    • Optimistic Optimistic x 1
  4. redravin

    redravin Cynical Optimist Donor

    Location:
    North
    Of the Star Treks it would have to be DS9. That alone says something about people which one of the Treks they prefer.
    Red Dwarf
    Dr. Who, classic and Nu
    Max Headroom, way ahead of its time and so of its time.
    X Files - There were some weak spots but when it was good it was very, very good.
    MASH
    The Prisoner
    The Avengers (RIP Mrs. Peel)
    Buffy The Vampire Slayer
    Xena: Warrior Princess (watched so many of these with my kiddos)
    Cowboy Bebop (gotta include some manga - that counts doesn't it)
    Farscape (fuck you SciFi channel for cancelling this show)
     
    • Like Like x 1
  5. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    I like DS9. The issues I have are the weak episodes are seriously weak. I do confess my opinion is influenced by the fact that when it originally aired I didn't pay close attention, and only really remembered the stupid episodes (the baseball game against the Vulcans is a prime example). Watching many reruns has changed my mind quite a bit. One thought has deepened: Avery Brooks totally overacts and sucks as Captain Cisco. He was the central character yet he could've easily been replaced and not missed.



    My apologies for the Star Trek digression.
     
  6. buzzgunner

    buzzgunner 180 gr. of diplomacy

    I'm a SciFi junkie, so brace yourself.
    1. Firefly. I can't believe that no one suggested it yet.
    2. Babylon 5. You get five seasons of great episodes before you run out!
    3. Altered Carbon. Available only on Netflix. The first season alone is worth the price of admission.
    4. The Umbrella Academy. Another Netflix gem.
    5. X-Files. It was nice to see someone else recommend this already.
    6. The Prisoner. Again, already mentioned. Arguably, the most surreal mini-series ever made, but each episode with keep your brain churning long after the end credits roll.
    7. Night Gallery. Think of it as the Twilight Zone's older, more sophisticated brother.
    8. Game of Thrones. Seven seasons of gritty Westros goodness. Okay, it's not scifi. However, if they'd made it any better, it would have been painful to watch!
    9. Jeopardy! Always a classic. I'm really going to miss Alex Trebek when he's gone.
    10. The Addams Family [1964-1965]. The original. Accept no substitutes.
    11. The Expanse. Scientifically accurate SF doesn't get any better than this.
    12. Thunderbirds. Yes, they're puppets. So what? Gerry Anderson was a genius.
    13. Stargate: SG-1. I started watching it because I enjoyed the original movie. I stayed with it because the writing was very good, the characters were three-dimensional, and I fell in love with Amanda Tapping!
    Beyond these, I have a few honorable mentions:
    1. Dollhouse. How would you feel if you were a different person every time you woke up? (And, no, it's nothing at all like Quantum Leap.)
    2. Almost Human. You're a cop with one bionic leg and an android partner who you really can't stand. What's not to like? Carl Urban plays the cop and Michael Ealy plays the android.
    3. The Dresden Files. How does a wizard make a living in this day and age. Simple. You set up an office, hang out a shingle, and put an ad in the Yellow Pages; "Wizard for Hire"! Based on the popular fiction book series by Jim Butcher.
    4. Torchwood. Doctor Who can't be on earth all the time to fight aliens and interdimensional monsters. Leave it to Capt. Jack Harkness and his colleagues at Torchwood to take up the slack!
    5. Stranger Things. Four boys and (later) two girls spend their days in junior high school in Hawkins, Indiana, and their nights fighting to keep demons from a dark dimension from entering our world.
    And there you have it!
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2020
    • Like Like x 3
  7. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    Ah, yes, The Addams Family. I'm surprised that this weird and quirky series even lasted two seasons because US TV viewers aren't known for embracing shows that don't fit the lowest common denominator mold. John Astin was brilliant, and I can't think of anyone who could come close to imitating him, except perhaps Robin William's (RIP) or Jim Carrey.
     
  8. buzzgunner

    buzzgunner 180 gr. of diplomacy

    If you watched the series, you may have noticed that Gomez never kissed Morticia (except up and down her arm.) This was a conscious decision made by John Astin and Carolyn Jones (Morticia), as they both thought that it would increase the sexual tension on the show. It worked!
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  9. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    How the hell did I forget Get Smart?

    I guess I never look at my own avatar.
    And we have the DVD box set.

    Scrubs.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  10. omega

    omega Very Tilted

    Argh. Trying to link.
     
  11. boink

    boink Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    Seattle
    Not in any order
    Red Dwarf
    Gilligan's island
    Outer Limits
    Original star trek
    X Files
    The Invaders
    Mary Hartman Mary Hartman
    Original Bullwinkle
    Original B&W Perry Mason
    Haven
    Dark Shadows (huge box set will get you through an extended lockdown without any *swallowed by internet cult* aftertaste)
    The Prisoner
    Green Acres

    Honorable mention
    Get Smart
    Johnny Quest
    M.A.S.H.
    It's About Time
    Wild Wild West
    Batman
    Absolutely Fabulous
    On The Busses
    Original Peabody and Sherman
     
    • Like Like x 1
  12. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    ^ Johnny Quest. Oh, yes!

    Every boy (OK, at least me when I was one) wanted the adventurous life of JQ.

    To a lesser or greater degree, depending on your POV,

    Speed Racer.

    I thought JQ was much better written, and definitely had better animation. Someone who grew up with SR might disagree.
     
  13. boink

    boink Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    Seattle
    I liked Speed Racer, Marine Boy too.

    In Get Smart, the Chief's name as an agent was Q. Very interesting
     
    • Like Like x 1
  14. ralphie250

    ralphie250 Fully Erect Donor

    Location:
    At work..
    Speed racer, that brings back some memories
     
    • Like Like x 1
  15. MrMD069

    MrMD069 Very Tilted Donor

    Location:
    Space
    Just about all those mentioned, especially the Munsters, Addams Family, Gillian's Island (oh Mary Ann and your crop tops and short shorts), pretty much any toon series, the original Ren & Stimpy, Monty Python, Benny Hill, etc. The local PBS station ran all sorts of British comedies on Sunday nights.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  16. boink

    boink Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    Seattle
    Yeah great memories, recently bought the original Devilman series...it's like speed racer but instead of racing cars, the lead kid is also a demon, sort of like how Eddie Brock morphs into venom...each episode the kid fights demons like himself, but he fights to save humanity because of his human side love for a highschool sweetheart. It's kind of twisted but it's cool.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  17. ralphie250

    ralphie250 Fully Erect Donor

    Location:
    At work..
    yes PBS was great. lol.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1