TV dramatic series suggestions

[Steak Snabler]

Considering Homicide as well (I watched a few episodes, but not many, back during its original airing). You can get the entire series (7 seasons) on Amazon right now for about $60.

 

[Double J]

Also, Breaking Bad is a terrific show hardly anybody watches. Cranston won the Emmy last year and could easily have won it this year.

This.
Breaking Bad is freaking phenomenal. Great acting, great episodes, great premise. Perfect mix of drama and humor, sometimes in the same scene.
And after watching Walter White take the next step of his evolution to meth kingpin in Season 2, you'll never watch Malcolm in the Middle the same way again. You'll keep waiting for him to let a flu-ridden Dewey choke on his own vomit.

Coke, screen. Screen, that was Coke.

 

[schiezainc]

Any thoughts on Prison Break from everyone?

Season 1 was really good. Season 2 went downhill quickly and I couldn't watch anymore.

Season 1 was unbelievably amazing but, as I've said on other TV threads on this site, the show was clearly not meant to go more than one year. It's like someone had this great idea for a series, plotted it all out to perfection and then was told "Oh, um, we're going to need to keep this thing going."

Season 2 wasn't even all that bad, either. I liked it until the very end when they, once again, went overboard to keep the series going.

At that point it became just a completely different show. If you watched Season 3 and season 4 as standalones, they'd make great TV but they pale in comparison to the red hot way the show started.

Still, I loved it. Finished the whole series and the movie and felt better having watched it.

Other suggestions from my Netflix History (I can say that all these shows were awesome): In Treatment, The Wire, The Sopranos, NYPD Blue, Rescue Me, the Shield, House, Breaking Bad, Battlestar Galactica, Jericho (A must watch), The Wire, Grey's Anatomy (the early years), Day Break, Friday Night Lights, Damages and Kidnapped.

Good luck, You can't go wrong with any of those.

 

[Care Bear]

I've never seen Mad Men. I need to change that. But 24 is awesome television, especially in its first couple of years. I think the seventh season was unbelievable, too.

That was last year, right? That season made me want to punch something or someone. Just wretched from start to finish. The only redeeming quality of the season--Jack dying heroically--disappeared in the final few seconds with a pathetic, terribly tacked-on happy ending. Die already, 24.

(I'll be watching in January...probably)

You're right. I thought last year was # eight. Season seven did suck. It completely sucked, really. Having just gone through the synopses of each season to refresh my memory, I think the first and fifth seasons were the strongest.

And I'm pretty sure this will be the last year for 24. I recently read that the show will end for good in May. And Jack will be killed off in a two hour feature film. I wouldn't mind that.

 

[J-School Blue]

Any thoughts on Prison Break from everyone?

Season 1 was really good. Season 2 went downhill quickly and I couldn't watch anymore.

Season 1 was unbelievably amazing but, as I've said on other TV threads on this site, the show was clearly not meant to go more than one year. It's like someone had this great idea for a series, plotted it all out to perfection and then was told "Oh, um, we're going to need to keep this thing going."

Season 2 wasn't even all that bad, either. I liked it until the very end when they, once again, went overboard to keep the series going.

At that point it became just a completely different show. If you watched Season 3 and season 4 as standalones, they'd make great TV but they pale in comparison to the red hot way the show started.

Still, I loved it. Finished the whole series and the movie and felt better having watched it.

Other suggestions from my Netflix History (I can say that all these shows were awesome): In Treatment, The Wire, The Sopranos, NYPD Blue, Rescue Me, the Shield, House, Breaking Bad, Battlestar Galactica, Jericho (A must watch), The Wire, Grey's Anatomy (the early years), Day Break, Friday Night Lights, Damages and Kidnapped.

Good luck, You can't go wrong with any of those.

I'll defend the second season of Prison Break. They couldn't continue the show reusing the format from the first season and keep the narrative tension going (one could argue the thing should've just been structured as a one-season one-off anyway, but it was doing too well for that to be allowed to happen). Anyhow, I think Season 2 holds up. That season with Bunny Colvin with a bad Latin American accent shanking people in a Central American prison lost me, however.

Seconded for Battlestar Galactica. I just got Season 4.5, which completes my collection. I need to just marathon that **** over the upcoming holiday weekend. I watched the miniseries again after finishing the finale and, overall, it was an amazing journey.

Lost is pretty much my favorite show of all time, so I have to recommend it. I can't wait for it to be complete after this season. Season 5 gave me more hope than ever that there's actually some sort of coherent line to resolve that thing.

 

[highlander]

Jericho, Battlestar Gallatic (new one), Murder One (first season), Lonesome Dove and The Rat Patrol (sorry just kidding, but I did enjoy it).

 

[Bodie_Broadus]

As cheesy as it looks now, the first two seasons of Miami Vice are great.

 

[highlander]

As cheesy as it looks now, the first two seasons of Miami Vice are great.

The Miami Vice episode with Glen Frey was excellent.

Thought of another good series that was canceled too early "Over There"

 

[Buck]

As cheesy as it looks now, the first two seasons of Miami Vice are great.

The Miami Vice episode with Glen Frey was excellent.

Thought of another good series that was canceled too early "Over There"

What about your show?

 

[outofplace]

As cheesy as it looks now, the first two seasons of Miami Vice are great.

The Miami Vice episode with Glen Frey was excellent.

Thought of another good series that was canceled too early "Over There"

What about your show?

He didn't take the name from that show, or the movies. I can't remember what it is in reference to, but it is not head-hunting immortals.

The Highlander tv show wasn't bad, but it certainly doesn't belong among the shows on this thread. Sometimes very good. Sometimes very funny. Sometimes really stupid. With the exception of the original, the movies are all ****. The straight-to-Sci-Fi channel one that came out most recently was one of the worst things I have ever watched. Not even enjoyable as campy fun. Just plain bad.

 

[outofplace]

Any thoughts on Prison Break from everyone?

Season 1 was really good. Season 2 went downhill quickly and I couldn't watch anymore.

Season 1 was unbelievably amazing but, as I've said on other TV threads on this site, the show was clearly not meant to go more than one year. It's like someone had this great idea for a series, plotted it all out to perfection and then was told "Oh, um, we're going to need to keep this thing going."

Season 2 wasn't even all that bad, either. I liked it until the very end when they, once again, went overboard to keep the series going.

At that point it became just a completely different show. If you watched Season 3 and season 4 as standalones, they'd make great TV but they pale in comparison to the red hot way the show started.

Still, I loved it. Finished the whole series and the movie and felt better having watched it.

Other suggestions from my Netflix History (I can say that all these shows were awesome): In Treatment, The Wire, The Sopranos, NYPD Blue, Rescue Me, the Shield, House, Breaking Bad, Battlestar Galactica, Jericho (A must watch), The Wire, Grey's Anatomy (the early years), Day Break, Friday Night Lights, Damages and Kidnapped.

Good luck, You can't go wrong with any of those.

I'll defend the second season of Prison Break. They couldn't continue the show reusing the format from the first season and keep the narrative tension going (one could argue the thing should've just been structured as a one-season one-off anyway, but it was doing too well for that to be allowed to happen). Anyhow, I think Season 2 holds up. That season with Bunny Colvin with a bad Latin American accent shanking people in a Central American prison lost me, however.

Seconded for Battlestar Galactica. I just got Season 4.5, which completes my collection. I need to just marathon that **** over the upcoming holiday weekend. I watched the miniseries again after finishing the finale and, overall, it was an amazing journey.

Lost is pretty much my favorite show of all time, so I have to recommend it. I can't wait for it to be complete after this season. Season 5 gave me more hope than ever that there's actually some sort of coherent line to resolve that thing.

I really need to get the DVD collection of Battlestar Galactica Season 1 which includes the miniseries. I enjoyed the entire run, but that first season was fantastic.

 

[Bodie_Broadus]

As much success as Michael Mann had with Miami Vice, he made another show called Crime Story that was really good. Dennis Farina was one of the stars, and some big time people guested in it (David Caruso, Kevin Spacey, Gary Sinise, Ving Rhames, Miles Davis, Stanley Tucci and a host of others).

The first season is the only one worth seeing, season two sucked something awful because the show shifted sites.

 

[Calvin Hobbes]

I love Crime Story.

 

[highlander]

I love Crime Story.

Crime Story was great and had a great opening song.

 

[highlander]

As cheesy as it looks now, the first two seasons of Miami Vice are great.

The Miami Vice episode with Glen Frey was excellent.

Thought of another good series that was canceled too early "Over There"

What about your show?

Not my show. The Highlander was my high school's mascot.

 

[micropolitan guy]

I would second the first two years of NYPD Blue, in which Caruso absolutely carried the show. Of all the various combinations, Caruso and Franz were the best mix as actors.

Also, harder to find, but the first 3-4 years of Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere are quality TV. St. Elsewhere had an amazing cast.

 

[Bodie_Broadus]

I don't know about Caruso and Franz being the best. Smits was really, really good.

 

[outofplace]

I would second the first two years of NYPD Blue, in which Caruso absolutely carried the show. Of all the various combinations, Caruso and Franz were the best mix as actors.

Also, harder to find, but the first 3-4 years of Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere are quality TV. St. Elsewhere had an amazing cast.

I thought Caruso left after only one season. I agree with Bodie. I thought the show was at its best when Smits was on it.

 

[Buck]

As cheesy as it looks now, the first two seasons of Miami Vice are great.

The Miami Vice episode with Glen Frey was excellent.

Thought of another good series that was canceled too early "Over There"

What about your show?

Not my show. The Highlander was my high school's mascot.

Well, that's dedication for you.
You West Milford people really stay true to your school.

 

[Batman]

As cheesy as it looks now, the first two seasons of Miami Vice are great.

The Miami Vice episode with Glen Frey was excellent.

Thought of another good series that was canceled too early "Over There"

What about your show?

Not my show. The Highlander was my high school's mascot.

Well, that's dedication for you.
You West Milford people really stay true to your school.

In fairness, he probably picked that name in high school and had no choice but to stick with it. There can be only one SJ handle.