What is better than FIREFLY? I'm looking for other things to watch.... by Hell's Kitten

OTHER SCIENCE FICTION SERIES

What is better than FIREFLY? I'm looking for other things to watch....

POSTED BY: HELL'S KITTEN
UPDATED: Tuesday, August 2, 2005 05:44
SHORT URL:
VIEWED: 19863
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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 2:48 PM

Yeah, yeah, I'm sure this has been the topic of many threads in the past, but I can't find a damn one of 'em. So here's my version.

I love Firefly; I think it's probably my favorite TV show. But now I'm looking for other things to watch. I guess I'm a somewhat typical Sci-Fi geek, so I've seen Stargate, Babylon 5, Crusade, Farscape, Lexx (oh, shut up), Star Trek (all variations) and probably a bunch of other things I can't recall at the moment. I like Deadwood, The Inside, Buffy, Angel, CSI, American Gothic and the Harry Potter movies (which I will vehemently deny should we ever meet face to face). I also absolutely love Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Dead Like Me, Battlestar: Galactica (new), House and the Global Frequency pilot that was never aired (do go check that out; there are some other threads on fff.net regarding it).

Not that this is supposed to be an "all about Hell's Kitten's television viewing habits" thread; I just wanted to give you an idea of what I already watch and what I've already seen, in hopes of preventing 37 responses of "Oh, if you liked Firefly, you should try Farscape!". I'm interested in knowing what all you other people - who apparently at least like Firefly - watch and what you think I've missed. There's gotta be something else out there. (If not, I'm going to have to re-play all my DVD seasons for the rest of my life... guh... or worse, I'll have to start reading something other than comic books.)

So tell me folks: What's better than Firefly? Or, if not "better" than, what's "as good as" or even "almost as good as" Firefly?

无党派人士

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 2:54 PM

CAPTBAGGYTROUSERS

The only show recently I find as good and -crucially- as rewatchable as Firefly is The Office (the original version). I know it's not a genre show in any way, but when pressed that was all I could think of.

History repeats the old conceits

http://topshelftvshow.com
Updated! Improved! Shiny!

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 3:11 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

My recommendation is also not a genre show, but it is very close to being as good as Firefly, if not better. It is very heavily character oriented, and luckily the two seasons that aired are available in a combined dvd set.

Sports Night.

And no, you do not need to be a sports fan to enjoy it, just as many who enjoy Firefly were not normally SF fans.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 3:15 PM

REGINAROADIE

Well, even though I saw the last ep of the season last night, I highly suggest the brand new DR. WHO. It's my latest sci-fi fix, and pretty much every single ep is gold (My personal faves being "Dalek" and "Father's Day").

For comedies, I suggest HBO's ENTOURAGE, MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE and ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (I know it's blasphemous to mention anything on FOX, but those are two shows that consistently make me LMAO). If you're in Canada, try to track down a little show called CORNER GAS. It's made in Saskatchewan (my home province) and perfectly captures rural life.

For dramas, against I must go with FOX. 24 is the only show that I would dare say is more edgy and riveting than FIREFLY. I honestly think Jack Bauer would kick Mal's ass and not even break a sweat. For something a little more sombre, SIX FEET UNDER is a fascinating series that I think you'd really dig, especially for the fantasy and talking to dead people sequences.

If I think of any more, I'll let you know.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

And wow! Hey! What's this thing suddenly coming towards me very fast? Very very fast. So big and flat and round, it needs a big wide sounding name like ... ow ... ound ... round ... ground! That's it! That's a good name - ground! I wonder if it will be friends with me?

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 3:36 PM

BIKISDAD

Very tough question. I can't think of any shows currently on tv that haven't been named above, so I'll just recommend some dvd's that are out that you may not have:

Freaks and Geeks (best done dvd release ever)
Twilight Zone (1st 3 seasons of the original series are out)
Miracles (David Greenwalt's show)

umh, umh? OK, I've got nothing else.

Apathy on the Rise. No One Cares.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 4:43 PM

CYBERSNARK

God, the Devil, and Bob. Prime-time animated show, several years old, only ran for one season. Currently out on DVD, 'cause Fox did what Fox always does.

Quote:
SATAN: Have I ever let you down?
GOD: *glares*
SATAN: . . . Recently?

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 5:45 PM

ANQ

I'll second Sportsnite most wholeheartedly, and add in another cancelled by fox(idiots!)... Greg the Bunny. Damn fine comedy. And if you like Sportsnite, the 1st 4 seasons on West Wing have a very similar style(both are Aaron Sorkin shows)

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 5:52 PM

LISSA

Quote:
Originally posted by Cybersnark:
God, the Devil, and Bob. Prime-time animated show, several years old, only ran for one season. Currently out on DVD, 'cause Fox did what Fox always does.

Quote:
SATAN: Have I ever let you down?
GOD: *glares*
SATAN: . . . Recently?

haha, i loved that show and i've gotta get the dvds...but it wasn't on fox, was it? cause i don't have fox, and i watched it. nbc i think?

~lissa, spwhore

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 7:41 PM

GORRAMZERO

Scrubs. Absolutely fantastic show, much in the vein of Firefly in terms of its Comedy / Drama ratio. Plus it's just so damn hilarious.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 8:22 PM

BLUEHANDTWOBYTWO

Gotta throw in my vote for "CARNIVALE" here. Great show! Only got 2 seasons, unfortunately. Season 1 is out on dvd, Season 2 coming this fall. A traveling carnivale in the Oklahoma/Tx area dustbowl in the 1930's. Now, add Angels and Demons and a mysterious prophecy that is playing itself out which might lead to Armaggedon and you'll get a little taste of what this gem is all about.

my other favorite TV series I have on dvd:
TWIN PEAKS
DEAD LIKE ME
TWILIGHT ZONE (original)
ALIAS
24
FREAKS AND GEEKS
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (original)
SIX FEET UNDER
MILLENNIUM

You can't really go wrong with ANY of the above! Just my 2 cents worth! Long live Carnivale!
~BlueHandTwoByTwo (LarryL)

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 8:38 PM

SNEAKER98

Who said Scrubs? The Office? Sports Night?

Seconded!!! Good god I don't think anyone else watched the amazing show that was Sports Night.

I'll also recommend watching Kingdom Hospital, by Stephen King. Also, a few cartoons that I enjoyed, Undergrads and Clone High

"I do the job... and then I get paid. Go run your little world."
-Malcolm Reynolds

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 8:55 PM

FOURTHTROIKA

Kim Possible on the Disney Channel has always been good. Unfortunately, how much longer remains to be seen since Disney is pulling the plug on it after just 65 episodes.

I urge anyone that's interested in saving this show to check out the following sites:

http://kp.savedisneyshows.org/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mission_Kim_Possible

I hope that if anyone can understand what we're trying to accomplish, it's the folks here, the Browncoats. And please, I am not here to troll anyone. I have seen every episode of Firefly and have seen Serenity and enjoyed them immensely. Just so you know.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 9:04 PM

SIMONSAYS

Have you ever watched ROSWELL? There are 2 seasons available.
What's wrong with FOX? I can't believe they cancelled Firefly! This show ROCKS!
FOX: Get a clue! People like shows like Firefly and hate crap like Family Guy!

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 9:13 PM

TJACK

The one and only, (well, four and only)
Blackadder
A television show so clever it could travel to Oxford and be named Dean of clever television shows.
By the way..... wubble

...cause Justice is the one thing you should always find.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 9:33 PM

G1223

I cannot think of anything better. So I would recommend DVD's (There is so little worth watching on the tube anymore unless I put it there)

But near equal footing.

CSI .. Not CSI ______ Just CSI.

Babylon 5 Definatlat Seasons 2-4 They tell a great story. (Back to Back Hugo's go a long way to tll you that it has some good Sci-Fi attached to it.

South Park. Nasty Evil Fun. What is not to love.

Classic Films

Casablanca
Day the Earth Stood Still
The Thing: From Another World (Somethingabout a nice popcorn monster movie )
Them (Giant Ants they do make a picnic memorable)

In short TV is dying it is better to let it shuffle off stange and die.Except maybe House but that is because they are dealing with a honest man who gives his opinion with a dose of acid to keep folks honest.

BWT what area would we list Tim's new series "The Inside"
It is just not working for me and I am likely to drop it.

TANSTAAFL

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 10:07 PM

ZOOT

You don't seem to have mentioned Dark Angel - buy it now and you'll be totally hooked by the weekend!! Only thing I've seen to rival Firefly - almost better than Buffy I'd say ....

Also on different note why not try non-sci-fi - anything by Aaron Sorkin is good: West Wing and Sports Night ...

***************************************

Okay, I'm lost, I'm angry, and I'm
armed.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 10:13 PM

ZOOT

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
My recommendation is also not a genre show, but it is very close to being as good as Firefly, if not better. It is very heavily character oriented, and luckily the two seasons that aired are available in a combined dvd set.

Sports Night.

And no, you do not need to be a sports fan to enjoy it, just as many who enjoy Firefly were not normally SF fans.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

I totally agree - I avoided Sports Night for years becuase although I LOVE Aaron Sorkin, I hate sports. Only to discover that I'd missed out on absolute genius for years - darnit!!

***************************************

Okay, I'm lost, I'm angry, and I'm
armed.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 10:28 PM

JAMIEC

Quote:
Originally posted by SimonSays:
Have you ever watched ROSWELL? There are 2 seasons available.
What's wrong with FOX? I can't believe they cancelled Firefly! This show ROCKS!
FOX: Get a clue! People like shows like Firefly and hate crap like Family Guy!

I believe there was three seasons of Roswell. Never really got into it that much, it felt like it was trying to be Buffy, but it was so much more... serious...

And yes, people do love Firefly, but how you can castigate Family Guy I have no idea. It is superb. And don't forget, it was the incredible sales from the Family Guy DVDs that made resurrecting the show a reality. That was something Firefly didn't manage to do (although a movie is still pretty damn impressive).

'The question seldom addressed is where Medusa had snakes. Underarm hair is an even more embarassing problem when it keeps biting the top of the deodorant bottle.'
-Terry Pratchett

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 10:32 PM

SIMONF

I really enjoyed the new series of Doctor Who, best bit of telly I've seen in ages.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005 11:27 PM

JCLEMENS

Only one to add:

Red Dwarf.

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 4:37 AM

LISSA

Quote:
Originally posted by JamieC:

And yes, people do love Firefly, but how you can castigate Family Guy I have no idea. It is superb. And don't forget, it was the incredible sales from the Family Guy DVDs that made resurrecting the show a reality. That was something Firefly didn't manage to do (although a movie is still pretty damn impressive).

i agree, family guy is freaking hilarious, and just about everyone i know at college loves it. another great one: futurama. i like it better than family guy. it's by the producers of the simpsons, but i'd say it's better than the simpsons (and i do enjoy the simpsons). it's just...wonderful. kind of like a firefly cartoon...but different.

oh, and i also say red dwarf! smegging awesome!

~lissa, spwhore

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 4:38 AM

CHRISISALL

Okay, if you see my name, you already know what I'm going to say.
DARK ANGEL!!!
Ain't exactly AS good as Firefly, but then, nothing is.

To the Max Chrisisall

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 4:51 AM

THEDUKE

i personally never got into dark angel

Angel and Buffy are obvious one's but you've already got tehm down i think.

Red Dwarf is excellent, start at the beginning though, it's an interesting one Red Dwarf, thru the series it gets steadily better, then steadily worse, but still one of the best things you'll ever see.

New doctor who, amazing, i mean amazing, just destroys geordies.lol

erm, couple of english shows to add, spooks (about MI5) is pretty good, as is a bizarre comedy called my hero which is a little cheesy but fantastic, all to do with this irish super hero, genius.

can't really think of much else

We achieved the impossible, and that makes us mighty
The Duke
http://spaces.msn.com/members/hungarydave1986

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 5:10 AM

FERREL

Not alot of people have heard of a show called Charlie Jade. It's a brand new series, but only showing in Canada unfortunately, so you may have to see it via alternative means until it hits the US. It's one of those shows you think about afterward and look forward to it for a week. It's very complex, dark, and very serialized. If you like Blade Runner, you'll like this.

The setting is 3 parallel universes. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. There are more than that, but so far only 3 are dealt with. Gamma however does not come in play so much, as yet. Alpha is more technically advanced, but at the expense of using up its’ natural resources. Beta is us. Less advanced and using up our natural resources quickly. Gamma is the least advanced but is an ecological paradise. All 3 have sinister undercurrents. Vexcor, a multi-national corporation, provides the link. It has developed a “gate” between universes and has set up shop in all three. The top executives are the only ones that know about the gate and have the controlling positions in the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma versions of Vexcor. When eco-terrorists from Gamma blow up the gate facility at Vexcor Gamma, a chain reaction takes out Beta and Alpha. The result is, all travel and communication between the universes is cut off. Our hero, Charlie Jade, a private eye, is too near the Vexcor Alpha facility when it explodes and gets catapulted to Beta. The villain, and the man Charlie is chasing, 01 (Owen) Boxer, is one of two people that can travel between universes without a gate. The other is Brion Boxer; the bed-ridden president of Vexcor and 01’s father. 01 is an unstable nutcase, but is called on to be a courier between universes while Vexcor scrambles to rebuild the gates. However, 01 has ambitions of his own. And so it begins.

http://www.charliejade.com/

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 5:21 AM

CHRISISALL

Charlie Jade! That sounds REALLY good! I'm gonna hafta look out for that one!

Love dark stuff Chrisisall

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 5:27 AM

FRAY101

Quote:
Originally posted by SimonSays:
Have you ever watched ROSWELL? There are 2 seasons available.

Three actually - although the final series was shorter than ususal (and the quality wasn't so great, but still). At least, you can buy all 3 series on DVD in the UK.

Another vote for Scrubs/Arrested Development & The West Wing (As far as cancelled shows go I'd recommend Dead Like Me, & I've just started watching Wonderfalls which seems mighty promising).

_____________________________________

Visit the Browncoats' Photo 'Verse at http://disneypix.tripod.com/photoverse

Over 100 Serenity screencaps now available at www.destinything.com.

www.cafepress.com/fireflyclass

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 5:45 AM

STEVETHEPIRATE

To those who have mentioned Sports Night -

. You guys rock! To quiz you - What is the sport of kings?

As for other shows, other than the obvious ones (Wonderfalls, The Inside), I'm going through big Lost withdrawal right now (I don't watch reruns much). Ticked at ABC for pushing Boston Legal back to the fall. In agreement with Family Guy fans here - freakin' hilarious. Steer clear of American Dad, though. Not half as funny and twice as annoying.

I'm running for cover as I mention this one, but I actually like Stacked - that new Pamela Anderson sitcom that comes on before The Inside. It's actually funny. Of course, I'm a bit of a Christopher Lloyd mark, but it's still a good show. Not likely to stick around, but good filler.

----------------------------------------------
"MY APOCALYPTIC TENOR HAS NOT BEEN DISPELLED!" - T-Rex ( www.qwantz.com)

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 5:59 AM

DIETCOKE

The British version of The Office
Alias
Wonder Falls

NY/NJ Browncoats: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/firefly_nyc

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 6:11 AM

ZOOT

Charlie Jade sounds fantastic - d'you think we'll ever get it over here in Blighty???

***************************************

Okay, I'm lost, I'm angry, and I'm
armed.

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 6:12 AM

ZOOT

Charlie Jade sounds fantastic - d'you think we'll ever get it over here in Blighty???

***************************************

Okay, I'm lost, I'm angry, and I'm
armed.

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 6:26 AM

FERREL

Quote:
Originally posted by Zoot:
Charlie Jade sounds fantastic - d'you think we'll ever get it over here in Blighty???

***************************************

Okay, I'm lost, I'm angry, and I'm
armed.

Not sure. I'm assuming it will eventually. It's a Canadian/South African production. We're currently at episode 13 of 20. It would be a shame if a show this good did not get international recognition.

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 6:26 AM

BATMARLOWE

The Sopranos! It's a must see.

I don't know if Hill Street Blues is on DVD but it's the grandaddy of the arc-driven hour long shows. Did somebody mention Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared? I haven't seen them myself but they've both gotten high acclaim.

Older shows like The Avengers (the Emma Peel seasons) and The Prisoner.

I second The Black Adder and of course Fawlty Towers if you're one of the few people on the planet who hasn't seen it.

A lot of the Adult Swim stuff from Cartoon Network is on DVD now.

A second on Time Minear's Wonderfalls.

The first two seasons of Alias are pretty entertaining after that it gets a little dicey.

All the episodes of Roseanne that Joss wrote :)

I haven't it but you may like Brimstone and I think it's on DVD. I've heard good stuff about Dead Like Me.

If you liked Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels then you should see Snatched if you haven't already.

But if you haven't seen The Sopranos, then you gotta see it. Of course it's all opinion but it may be the best hour long show ever.

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 6:33 AM

ZOOT

Quote:
What is the sport of kings?

Well, according to Casey its Poker, but Dan is right when he says it's horse racing ....

Do I get my Sports Night decoder ring now??

I should also get extra credit for it never haivng been on TV in England and having to buy region 1 DVDs which I can only watch on my Apple....

***************************************

Okay, I'm lost, I'm angry, and I'm
armed.

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 6:43 AM

ODDNESS2HER

I can't believe nobody has mentioned "Veronica Mars" yet! It's great and now that it's been moved to Wednesday nights (with reruns on Sunday) you don't have to choose between it and "House"
anymore!

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 6:48 AM

AUROTER

Classic double for Firefly in terms of 'the out on you're own with nothing more than a ship and a gun to do whatever freelance job comes by' genre (which is pretty slim in general) is Cowboy Bebop. If someone already mentioned that, I wouldn't be surprised. Not on TV, but easily available on DVD. One of the few anime's I've seen with actually good voiceovers. Great comedy, drama, action, and fun. Two men, a woman, a girl, and a dog. Check it out.

______________________________
you can't take the sky from me

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 6:51 AM

BAYBREEZE1

Seems nobody has mentioned "House". Sorry to say it's on FOX, who of course I loathe, detest, and despise. However, I'm not a believer in "cutting off my nose to spite my face" and just couldn't let my hatred of FOX keep me away from this great show. Daughter and I watch it every Tuesday at 9:00. It's in reruns now from its first season and has been given the greenlight on a second season. As a general rule I don't normally watch medical shows, but this show is just so great, tense, funny, etc. and Hugh Laurie who plays Dr. House is incredible! I HIGHLY recommend it!

Also, did anyone mention "Veronica Mars" on UPN? I completely fell in love with this show and it's characters. It has also been given the go ahead for a second season, unfortunately I don't know why they bothered since they are changing it's time slot from Tuesdays to Wednesdays opposite Lost and American Idol. Talk about kiss of death! Ah well, it was a great show while it lasted! The DVD's for season one will be out in October.

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 6:55 AM

ODDNESS2HER

Quote:
Originally posted by BayBreeze1:
Seems nobody has mentioned "House". Sorry to say it's on FOX, who of course I loathe, detest, and despise. However, I'm not a believer in "cutting off my nose to spite my face" and just couldn't let my hatred of FOX keep me away from this great show. Daughter and I watch it every Tuesday at 9:00. It's in reruns now from its first season and has been given the greenlight on a second season. As a general rule I don't normally watch medical shows, but this show is just so great, tense, funny, etc. and Hugh Laurie who plays Dr. House is incredible! I HIGHLY recommend it!

Also, did anyone mention "Veronica Mars" on UPN? I completely fell in love with this show and it's characters. It has also been given the go ahead for a second season, unfortunately I don't know why they bothered since they are changing it's time slot from Tuesdays to Wednesdays opposite Lost and American Idol. Talk about kiss of death! Ah well, it was a great show while it lasted! The DVD's for season one will be out in October.

Damn, I forgot about "Lost"! Here I was exulting that VM didn't have to compete with "House" anymore when now it has to contend with an even huger show (which I also happen to love). Darn the luck.

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 7:30 AM

SNEAKER98

Another second on Lost, Cowboy Bebop (damn, I hate most anime... but that show is just amazing), Family Guy, and Futurama.

Likely, Futurama is my all-time favourite cartoon series. Too bad there were only 4 seasons... but at least their last season was by far the best.

"I do the job... and then I get paid. Go run your little world."
-Malcolm Reynolds

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 7:30 AM

BADGERGIRL

Seems no-one's mentioned Crossing Jordan yet, which is a real shame. It's in reruns right now, but it's on at 9:00 central time on NBC, Sundays. A great medical drama which focuses on the character plots, without being a soap opera.

Navy NCIS is also a very good show. A nice ratio with the drama/comedy too, and the cast is brilliant! It deals with some current issues, but in a semi-fictional sense, sort of like West Wing. Tuesdays at 7:00 on CBS.

Numb3rs airs at 9:00 central on Fridays, CBS. A genius mathematician helps his FBI agent brother to solve crime! It premiered on January 1, so the first season is incredibly short, but it's been given the greenlight for a second season.

Dead Shows that are on DVD:

Jeeves & Wooster. A hilarious British show about high society in the 1920s/30s. Basic premise is that Bertie Wooster (Hugh Laurie) keeps getting engaged to people without meaning to, and his not-quite butler Jeeves (Stephen Fry) has to get him out of trouble.

Now & Again was another short-lived prodigy that was based around an Everyman who got hit by a train, and the government rescued his brain and put it into an invulnerable body. A good action show with it's share of intelligence and humor. Either won or was nominated for an Emmy.

Nero Wolfe was two seasons long, and was a murder mystery show set in the 1940s. Very charming, and it has it's own cookbook on amazon.com now! A cast with great interaction, and recurring character actors, so everyone looks familiar.

X-Men Evolution was a witty cartoon about the X-Men, some of them younger than in the comics. It used to air on WB, but got cancelled after its 4th season.

And I'll second most of the shows already mentioned. :D Have fun!

Death to the men without the pretentious initials!

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 8:19 AM

FNORDCHAN

If you're a big fan of genre television, you may want to look into the wonders of them there Japanese cartoons. If there's anything anime is good at it's science fiction television with self contained storylines - beginning, middle, end, the whole nine yards. Sturgeon's Law is, as always, in full effect, but there's still plenty of good stuff to be had. A few favorites:

Cowboy Bebop - As mentioned, if you like Firefly you should absolutely give Bebop a shot. It's about a group of perpetually down-on-their-luck bounty hunters travelling throughout the not too distant future solar system in their shabby spaceship and trying to keep food on the table. The characters are wonderful, the animation is top-notch, the funny episodes are a hoot, and the serious episodes are a kick in the teeth. However, where Bebop shines is the overwhelming amount of style the series has. It looks positively phenomenal and is backed up by a truly astounding soundtrack made up of bebop, jazz, and everything else under the sun. Highest possible recommendation. 26 episodes available on 6 DVDs, plus a movie that takes place roughly halfway through the series.

Samurai Champloo - From the creators of Cowboy Bebop, this is a hip-hop samurai show. No, really. And, despite what you're thinking, it works; the series has a funky soundtrack, slick animation, tons of style, and it takes positive delight in goofy anachronisms (my favorite being the samurai riding around in his low-rider palanquin with beat-boxing backup singers). This is a lighter affair than Bebop - the characterization, while solid, isn't quite as good, and it's even more episodic than Bebop - but the funny episodes are still funny and the serious episodes, while not as harsh as Bebop, still have plenty of impact. 26 episodes, with two of a projected six DVDs currently available. Also, the dub is currently being broadcast on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.

Planetes - The best hard SF television I have ever seen, period. In the near future mankind has established a solid foothold in outer space - orbital industry is booming, there's a thriving moonbase, and a manned mission to Jupiter is in the works. Of course, all this tearing around space leaves a lot of trash orbiting Earth...and someone has to pick up the garbage. Enter our heroes, corporate employees with the worst job in space: debris collection. Planetes is terrific on a lot of levels, but what really makes the series are it's wonderful characters. Early episodes are generally light-hearted (two words: moon ninjas), but once the main plotlines crank up (involving the Jupiter mission and eco-terrorism), woo boy. The ending of the series is, simply put, beautiful. Also, the "Fee is jonsing for a cigarette" episode is the greatest thing ever. 26 episodes, with the first DVD recently released in the US as a snazzy special edition.

Serial Experiments Lain - An introverted highschool girl finds her life changed when she receives email from a classmate - a dead classmate - at which point she begins to transform from luddite to Bruce Sterling. The resulting series is beautiful, literate, dense, more than a bit obtuse, and manages to be very cyberpunk without a hint of chrome in sight. Lain is not to everyone's tastes - it's slow, talky, and isn't going out of it's way to be easily understood - but the series works and is full of suprises; I was completely floored when one episode begin discussing Ted Nelson (the man who coined "hypertext"), Majestic 12, and extremely low frequency radio broadcasts. 13 episodes, available as a (relatively cheap) box set; it's available at Best Buy for all of forty bucks, which is a bargin by anime DVD standards.

Paranoia Agent - As if life in urban Tokyo wasn't bad enough, the city is being plagued with assaults by a mysterious figure named Shounen Bat, a teenage boy with rollerblades, a baseball bat, and the tendancy to brain hapless citizens when they least expect it. But, is Shounen Bat a serial attacker or something more? Satoshi "Millennium Actress is the best damn anime film to come down the pike in a decade" Kon's first TV series is bizzare, blackly humorous, blistering satire of modern life in Japan. The series is all over the place both stylistically and in terms of it's targets, with an ending that is positively demented. Trust me, it's one helluva ride. 13 increasingly bizzare episodes on four DVDs, with episodes being broadcast on Adult Swim.

And that's probably enough rambling for right now. I could spend a while enthusing about British television (particularly spy shows, namely The Sandbaggers and the John Le Carre novel adaptations staring Alec Guinness as George Smiley) but I figure I've plugged enough shows for one post. I will take a moment to say that if you're enjoying House you really must watch Black Adder, whose title character (brilliantly played by Rowan Atkinson) is even more sarcastic than House - which is really saying something. This is particularly amusing when you realize that Hugh Laurie plays a particularly dimwitted foil for Atkinson in Black Adder III; it's fun to see Laurie essentially reversing the roles many years later. Four six-episode miniseries, plus a few specials, all of which have been collected in a rather good (if flimsy) box set. And, while not readily available on DVD in the US, the new Doctor Who series really is all that and a bag of chips. Or should that be crisps?

FnordChan

"I do have a cause, though. It's obscenity. I'm for it." - Tom Lehrer

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 12:53 PM

SICKDUDE

Yes, LOST is a definate must see!!!! Fantastic TV technically, and a nifty mystery to boot.

I'll second BlackAdder and Cowboy Bebop.

One nobody has mentioned (I think) is Dead Zone. Very good writing, especially the first two seasons. Also, for anime, try the scifi goodness of Crest of the Stars/ Banner of the Stars. It's derived from a book series, not manga, and that added complexity shows! Just give it to the fifth episode to prove itself.

"Don't say 'ka' until you've tried it." Daniel Jackson

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 1:12 PM

HASLINGER

That's a heavy list...

Deadwood is the best show since firefly and frankly holds in the same vain...except the cursing is in English and more frequent.

4400 is descent show. Summer Glau was on it...what's not to like there.

On DVD: Harsh Realm - fan of lost this show has Lok. Fan of Firefly this show as Saffrobridge.

The Lone Gunmen: Byers.

The Star Wars trilogy: Rewatch it and realize that it's just as bad as the new ones...so they're just as good as the "originals."

BEST SHOW'S EVERY ON THE TUBE: Boomtown! and GvsE. Boomtown is a character Dev show, so if you're into growing with the characters get ready. gVSe=whitty, original, Pate brothers.

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 2:28 PM

MOHRSTOUTBEARD

Spaced is the bee's knees. For me, it is tied with Freaks & Geeks for second place after Firefly.

------------------
"You've just gotta go ahead and change the captain of your brainship, because he's drunk at the wheel."

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 4:01 PM

CYBERSNARK

Nitpick: Navy NCIS changed its name to just NCIS. They finally realized that they were calling themselves "Navy Naval Criminal Investigative Services."

Quote:
Originally posted by Ferrel:
Not alot of people have heard of a show called Charlie Jade.

!!!

I thought I was the only one who knew Charlie Jade! That show rocks.

Some other gems I forgot and haven't seen mentioned:

Gargoyles
Bar none the coolest cartoon to ever come out of Disney. Don't expect singing teacups or fairy-tale princesses here. It's dark, ominous, deep, epic, and operatic in scale. The show is deeply rooted in Shakespeare (with episodes, characters, and entire ongoing arcs based on Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello, Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet. . .), and folktale (Beauty & the Beast, Arthurian Legend, Atlantis). There's more emotional impact than most other shows dream of (easily on the same level as Joss' writing). Romance, seduction, betrayal, attempted suicide, murder, remorse, vengeance, denied guilt and one of the most cutting examinations of "evil" I've ever seen ("What have I. . . What have they DONE?!?"). Season one is out on DVD (a two-disk set), and we may get S2 & 3 if it does well.

Roswell Conspiracies: Aliens, Myths, and Legends
A barely-known cartoon series (it had the bad luck to come out around the same time as that other Roswell show

) that runs like a merging of Angel, X-Files, Men in Black, and M.A.S.K. (80s action cartoon). The lead character is even drawn like a cartoon version of David Boreanaz (complete with hair that goes straight up

). There's also Fitz(patrick), who is like Wash, Xander, and the Lone Gunmen all stuck in the same body. It's a playful and unexpectedly sexy action/conspiracy series, with one of the best uses of a "clip show" in history (the clips chosen end up having a completely different significance in hindsight --as the conspiracy slowly starts to come together). There's also an episode co-written by Peter David and Bill ("Lennier," "Will Robinson") Mumy. Sadly, there's no DVD, so you'll have to track down somebody who recorded it (preens proudly over almost-complete set of tapes). Not as emotional as Gargoyles, but with some snappy, almost Whedonesque dialogue and pop-culture references (more Blues Brothers than Shakespeare). Also, the female lead is Irish. With the accent. And the breathy voice that just. . .

*ahem* Where was I?

There've been threads on here before talking about Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles. It's a CGI-animated series that stays far more loyal to Heinlein's books than the tight-T-shirt advertisement of a movie (we have Power Armour!). It's billed as a kids' show, but don't let that fool you; not everyone survives combat (despite what the increasingly-ridiculous propaganda vids say). Again, drama, excitement, and flashes of humour.
DIZZY: No guts, no glory!
RICO: No brains.
JENKINS: No kidding.

There's also Teen Titans, if you're in the mood for zany, caffeine/sugar-fuelled hilarity, with some moments of real pathos/drama thrown in. This show is just insane, and packed with in-jokes and visual references to other shows (especially animé), so it may be an aquired taste. Except for Raven. It's impossible to not love Raven. She's cool and sarcastic and morally-ambiguous and mean. It's like Dawn after hanging around Spike too long.

There's a lot of animé I'd recommend (all those shows I mentioned are American, though TT is heavily animé-influenced), but my tastes tend to be all over the board, so I'm not sure exactly what you might prefer. Also, I'm in Canada, where we've had maybe ten animé shows on TV, ever.

Currently I'm hooked on InuYasha (a fairy-tale story forced to exist in a non-fairy-tale world [people die, and make mistakes, and there's no "happily ever after"]), and Gundam Seed (the latest Gundam spin-off, an anti-war paeon dressed up by giant frickin' robots, and the token guy-who-always-wears-a-mask-for-no-good-reason).

Great, now I'm gonna think of The Princess Bride every time I see him.

"It's actually very comfortable. . ."

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 4:33 PM

SPACECOWGIRL

Quote:
I love Firefly.......and the Harry Potter movies (which I will vehemently deny should we ever meet face to face).

LOL I'm not afraid to admit it! I love Harry Potter-the books and the movies. I saw someone mentioned 'Veronica Mars'--that one's pretty good.

I really liked 'Joan of Arcadia' which alas was cancelled prematurely. (This seems to happen to most shows that I like). 'Joan of Arcadia' was a bit along the line of Buffy (in fact Joan was played by Amber Tamblyn who appeared as Dawn's friend Janice in the Buffy episode All The Way) Joan had a small group of odd friends and a secret life. There were some supernatural elements too. Season 1 is out on DVD.

"I aim to misbehave."

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Thursday, June 30, 2005 4:33 PM

SPACECOWGIRL

Quote:
I love Firefly.......and the Harry Potter movies (which I will vehemently deny should we ever meet face to face).

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Saturday, July 2, 2005 4:18 AM

REGINAROADIE

Hey. I'm glad to see that there another guy here who really dug BOOMTOWN. I think Donnie is far better actor than Mark, and Neal McDonough deserves another show (and not that lame MEDICAL INVESTIGATION) just for David McNorris. McNorris has to be the most complex character ever created for network tv.

BOOMTOWN was like FIREFLY in that it really pushed the boundaries as to what a genre show can do. And even though it had only nine eps, I'm still waiting on the second season.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

And wow! Hey! What's this thing suddenly coming towards me very fast? Very very fast. So big and flat and round, it needs a big wide sounding name like ... ow ... ound ... round ... ground! That's it! That's a good name - ground! I wonder if it will be friends with me?

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Saturday, July 2, 2005 5:24 AM

DAELUS

'Nip/Tuck' is pretty good, although it's not sci-fi. You can get the first season on DVD.

Another good show, that's not sci-fi, is 'Father Ted'. It's hilarious, and you can get all three seasons in a boxed set for not too expensive a price, I think.

I'll also second the recommendations of 'Six Feet Under', although I've only seen season 1.

A good anime with a sci-fi/fantasy twist is 'Fruits Basket'.

Another good cancelled show is 'Freaks and Geeks' which deals with high school in 1980, specifically focused on the 'freaks' (as in, the potheads) and 'geeks' (as in sci-fi geeks, of course). Brilliant show.

"My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle."

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Saturday, July 2, 2005 7:26 AM

BASSGRAVI

SPORTS NIGHT! W007!

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Saturday, July 2, 2005 7:55 AM

LISSA

Quote:
Originally posted by BayBreeze1:
Seems nobody has mentioned "House". Sorry to say it's on FOX, who of course I loathe, detest, and despise. However, I'm not a believer in "cutting off my nose to spite my face" and just couldn't let my hatred of FOX keep me away from this great show. Daughter and I watch it every Tuesday at 9:00. It's in reruns now from its first season and has been given the greenlight on a second season. As a general rule I don't normally watch medical shows, but this show is just so great, tense, funny, etc. and Hugh Laurie who plays Dr. House is incredible! I HIGHLY recommend it!

I love "house!" i also avoid watching medical dramas, but this one is just...better lol. lugh laurie really is amazing, and my roommates and i all think he's incredibly sexy (2 of us are 19, the other 18). all the other characters are interesting as well. really good stuff here.

~lissa, spwhore

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Saturday, July 2, 2005 8:39 AM

MIKEYMO

Well, first I have to second, third, or "nth" the calls for Veronica Mars, LOST, and Wonderfalls.

VM might be the best show I've seen since the last season of Angel. I honestly have trouble believing that it's not composed of Mutant Enemy writers, because everything from the long-arc pacing to the dialogue is just incredible. The lead never gets too "likeable" and cutesy - she's always somewhat hard-edged, and (within the story) with good reason. And it would have been really easy to go the Inspector Gadget route with this, since she and her father are private detectives. But her dad, instead of being a bumbling idiot, is just as good (and sometimes better) than she is. The supporting cast is excellent as well.

LOST is a bit more hit-and-miss, though it has a really compelling season arc and a lot of character development. David Fury wrote a couple of the best episodes, and Gavin from Angel S3-4 is a featured character. Like Veronica Mars, it never gets too black-and-white - every character has shades of grey, and a lot richer for it. Terry O'Quinn should get the Emmy or I'll have definitive proof that there is no God.

Wonderfalls has been mentioned so much that I don't really need to add anything to it. Suffice to say that it was the second project from the creator of Dead Like Me, and was run by Tim Minear. Gold, baby!

Also, I have to mention Space: Above and Beyond. It's hard to describe why I loved the show (especially since it's been a few years since I've seen an episode), but it has some of the elements of really good science fiction. The space physics are good (always a plus), and the characters are really compelling. It also has to be said that Joss credited an episode of this show as being the precursor to the Buffy episode Hush - that is, almost entirely silent. It's impossible to get your hands on at this point, though I heard (on this board, even) that DVD sets are going to be released later this year.

Other shows I watch or used to watch:

The O.C. - Stop laughing! Peter Gallagher is the man. Look at those eyebrows! They have the thespian power of three mortal men! Anyway, the writing for most of the first season was clever. Last season sucked balls.

Gilmore Girls - I said STOP LAUGHING. This show has the most consistently funny dialogue of nearly any show I've seen. Jane Espensen spent a year or two as writer/story editor, and it was a perfect match. Some classic characters - the daughter's nemesis/friend, Paris, makes me laugh every time she's on screen.

24 - Next year, David Fury will be executive producer. The show is a tour-de-force for Kiefer Sutherland. The internal consistency (of the real-time format) is laughable bad, it sometimes offends my personal politics, and the storylines get hilariously grandiose toward the end of the season... but I still love it. It's a 24-hour action movie. Especially recommended would be watching an episode, then reading the recap on Television Without Pity. Enjoy TWoP's efforts to determine where CTU HQ could be, seeing as it's 5 minutes away from every location in Los Angeles. Your nitpicking enjoyment could never be greater. Also, during the season, my friends and I play a Monday night drinking game:

1 sip what someone is "just doing their job"
1 sip whenever the word "time" is said
chug a beer when the words "there's no time" or "we're running out of time" are said (usually 2-4 times per episode)

OK, I've gone on for a while. Enjoy.

"Be ashamed to die before you have scored some victory for humanity." -- Horace Mann

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