Now that Mad Men, Season 3 is months away and Chelsea and I have blazed through Seasons 1 & 2, we have no TV show to keep us company, aside from the usual suspects. We heavily invest ourselves in The Office, Lost, and watch 30 Rock whenever possible. After the major letdown of 24′s season premier, we kicked Jack Bauer to the curb. Now, we’re looking to invest our time and emotions into new story lines… and nobody knows TV better than some of the blog’s finest readers. We come to you for insight.
Obviously with Christmastime ongoing we’ll be partaking in the free movies on television, as well as a few rentals, though we’re unsure of what TV show will be the next to hold our attention from start to finish (or catching us up to the current episodes).
The following TV shows are the front runners, though I’d love to hear additional suggestions in the comments:
- The Sopranos*
Dexter
Big Love**
Grey’s Anatomy***
The Wire
Weeds
*I’ve seen most of the episodes. Chelsea hasn’t seen any.
**The most recent season.
***The most recent, and the ongoing season. Though I understand the current season of Grey’s Anatomy sucks and has long since “jumped the shark.” Is this true?
15 comments
11:16 pm on Dec 1 2008Josh and I love Dexter. Great show. Haven’t watched Season 3 yet, though…
And Josh watched all of Weeds last time he was out on tour for a while and claims it’s one of the best shows on TV.
The Wire, the Wire, The Wire.
(Also out of your list I’d recommend Weeds. I couldn’t get through Big Love season 2, never got into Dexter, and I liked Sopranos but the thought of watching it again is exhausting. Is it really worth it in the end? And Grey’s is just terrible, but that’s what other people tell me.)
Other shows:
Drama
Friday Night Lights (but I think you already watch this. Season 3 is outstanding).
Damages (it’s a fun thriller – lots of twists and turns. And you’ll be just in time for season 2 starting in Jan)
Rome
Comedy
Always Sunny in Philadelphia (it’s like Seinfeld meets the 3 stooges. only dirtier)
Flight of the Conchords (again, just in time for Season 2)
Extras
The Venture Brothers (it’s like the Lost of cartoons. Only funnier)
the sarah conner chronicles
fringe
WEEDS WEEDS WEEDS – So good. Great music. Mary Louise Parker is awesome.
All seasons of the Sopranos is next on my Netflix. I haven’t seen any episodes, which is crazy considering where I live. I do worry that watching all of these in order will A) take a while and B) give me nightmares of mobsters from Dirty Jerz.
Grey’s = BORING. Don’t bother.
Ditto on Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It’s a hoot.
Wire straight up. White people love it. Including me.
Weeds is ok. Overated. Not that funny, but entertaining.
We just started the first season of Big Love last night.
Grey’s is terrible. ER is great still by the way. Watch this season, cause it is the last.
Oh yeah. Lost and 24 suck.
I agree about Friday Night Lights and Damages. Damages is quite the mystery. I would also suggest Veronica Mars. So good. You would have to promise to watch at least 5 episodes before ruling it out.
Growing Pains
Good call Karen. I can’t believe I forgot Veronica Mars.
Also if you want to go a little older, my two favorite shows of the 90s that a lot of people seem to miss:
Twin Peaks. Set right in your backyard. (though it might have one of the worst cliffhanger endings of all time – thank you ABC)
Freaks and Geeks. They just rereleased the special yearbook edition in stores which used to be only available online from the Freaks and Geeks website (and I’m pretty sure had been sold out for a long time) I bought it when it first came out a few years ago and it’s still my favorite DVD set of all time. There isn’t one bad episode.
Oh and the Larry Sanders Show. Can’t forget that.
Dexter is great, as is Weeds. Especially the first seasons on both. If you wanna watch older shows that don’t air anymore, Veronica Mars is a must. The first season of that show is just about perfect. Freaks and Geeks is one of my faves too. And don’t bother with Grey’s. This season is total crap.
You will never match the genius of Mad Men with what is out right now on TV, and yes, Grey’s Anatomy is not good ever since the 2nd season ended. That being said, I got hooked on Big Love during the 2nd season, and it’s really good in that dark, I shouldn’t be watching this kind of way. Erin Smith loves Dexter and says it’s awesome, but I’ve never seen it.
Ah, Karen and Ernest are right. Friday Night Lights is amazing this season. And if you’ve never watched Veronica Mars – it’s a MUST.
one more: brothers & sisters
The first 2 seasons of Dexter are really good. Don’t give up on Bauer just yet.