TV thread! 489 replies to this topic Started by strawberryjam , Nov 08 2009 05:09 AM ·

[strawberryjam]

I couldn't find a general TV thread... I hope there isn't one already.

So I actually watched TV last night. I didn't know there was a Seinfeld reunion on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Been a biggggggggg fan of Seinfeld for long and thought the reunion episodes were funny! Larry acts a lot like George which is good! I don't care if a lot of it is the same material as Seinfeld, I want! I didn't actually ever watch Curb Your Enthusiasm until now and I feel like I have a lot to catch up on. I kind of feel like the show (at least the Seinfeld reunion episodes) is basically Seinfeld again with different characters and is much more flexible in its story which I don't mind. Now I just need hard drive space to download cos I don't have a TV!

[Zounder]

I couldn't find a general TV thread... I hope there isn't one already.

So I actually watched TV last night. I didn't know there was a Seinfeld reunion on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Been a biggggggggg fan of Seinfeld for long and thought the reunion episodes were funny! Larry acts a lot like George which is good! I don't care if a lot of it is the same material as Seinfeld, I want! I didn't actually ever watch Curb Your Enthusiasm until now and I feel like I have a lot to catch up on. I kind of feel like the show (at least the Seinfeld reunion episodes) is basically Seinfeld again with different characters and is much more flexible in its story which I don't mind. Now I just need hard drive space to download cos I don't have a TV!

My friend loves Curb Your Enthusiasm. I also know another guy who is completely obsessed with Seinfeld and owns Seinfeld Scene It... Whenever we play it, it pretty much has to be everybody on a team vs. him for it to even be close.

I keep up with a decent amount of television... My favorites are House, The Office, and and of course LOST, but there's another thread for that.

[Liana]

There was a Seinfield reunion? Oh snap! My family (at least, kids + dad family) used to be really into Curb, we'd get the DVDs from Netflix all the time, but we stopped waaay early on- kids started growing up and doing their own thing, less family time. I really need to find these episodes now and show them to my dad!

TV is my THING. I watch entirely too much of it. The shows that are on right now that I'm keeping up with are Dollhouse, Glee, 30 Rock, Office, South Park, and How I Met Your Mother. I watch Community, Parks and Recreation, and Big Bang Theory when I remember. There's a ton more I like, but I'm waiting for DVDs (like Dexter, since I don't even have cable, nevermind Showtime!) Glee and Dollhouse are the two I look forward to the most *.* I gather 'round with all my buddies for those. Important weekly business.

[Ap2000]

I have been searching for a standard TV so often here and I always thought I was just missing it. lol
I guess this is non-anime/cartoon.

I just recently started watching Dexter and I'm somehow really intrigued and find it weird to sympathize with a serial killer. (but I guess that was the intention of the series makers)

As Zounder, I'm a LOST Fan (again, since Season 4 nearly destroyed my serious interest in it).

My most favourite TV show ever is StarGate SG-1, I've seen every single episode and have watched it for about 10 years now. (It started airing in 1999, when I was 12, on german TV)
Some people are Trekkies, I'm a Gater, you could say.
My second most favourite series is Scrubs, my most favourite comedy show by far. Also, it probably had the best ending to a tv show ever. The first and only time I had tears in my eyes during a last episode of a show. =(

I liked BSG really much, as I've stated in the thread for the series.

I regularly watch The Big Bang Theory (which I like a lot), Battlest StarGate Universe (it's promissing so far) and some other show I can't think of right now...

Generally, I don't like most shows that are pre-90s. Although there are two main exceptions like Columbo or Married with Children.

Fringe was disappointing, just some mindless scifi/mystery/horror-ish stories that make less than no sense at all. I was hoping for at least some common sense in the stories. =/

Somehow I always felt like Las Vegas could be a really good show, but I never got around so far to watch it in the right order starting with episode one. I will some day though.

Shows that I strongly dislike; Nearly any show ever that centers around people that work in forensic medicine or at a murder crime scene, pretty much any show ever that centers around people that work in a hospital and Heroes. (clearly the most disappointing show in existence)

[///]

Shows that I strongly dislike; Nearly any show ever that centers around people that work in forensic medicine or at a murder crime scene, pretty much any show ever that centers around people that work in a hospital and Heroes. (clearly the most disappointing show in existence)

Agreeing with this wholeheartedly. By the way, the other day I saw this show on tv that was almost exactly like CSI Miami, with a male redhead detective (this one was slightly more neurotic), it was a bit more "haha" funny (not actually funny, but probably intended as such), and the main's wife was divorcing him (she was a pretty blonde). His partner was a brown-haired girl, and there was also a sort of goofy tall man with a shaven head.

My question is: what show was that? I know it's not any of the CSI's, it's not NCIS, it's not Cold Case, and it's also not any of the law and orders...

I don't know if it helps, and I wasn't paying too close attention since it was on TV while I was doing other things and it was playing in the background, but there was this cancer research scientist who was murdered (and frozen, and in the start scene the main detective breaks the murder victim into a million pieces by touching him lightly), and one suspect was a lover who worked with a kind of animal liberation front, another one was a janitor who worked in the lab, but it turned out the assistant did it because apparently the project was failing and she would have wasted 8 years of her life or something, epic lulz. and i left out the subplot about the man who is in love with the animal liberation front girl who has a monkey as a pet, hallucinations from the main detective due to breathing in a toxic gas where he keeps seeing his ex-wife... it was pretty much hilariously bad.

The only reason I ask is because this show was so ludicrous, so unbelievable, so silly, that it actually became morbidly fascinating. I just want to know that it's real.

Anyway, I mostly watch British television. My favorite shows are anything Charlie Brooker is involved in: Screenwipe, You Have Been Watching, Newswipe, Gameswipe. I love British panel shows like Would I Lie To You, QI, Have I Got News For You, etc. And from the Americans, I really love Curb Your Enthusiasm and Arrested Development. I think that's about it really.

[Plum]

http://en.wikipedia....ife_(TV_series)

[Zounder]

Shows that I strongly dislike; Nearly any show ever that centers around people that... ...work in a hospital and Heroes. (clearly the most disappointing show in existence)

In a general sense I agree with this. I can't stand any kind of hospital drama, -except- for House. House is just a completely different vibe, and I enjoy it for it's humor and the stories of the actual characters. The hospital aspect balances well with the rest of the show, and doesn't feel generic at all.

As for Heroes... the first season was absolutely fantastic, and then it turned awful. It was like they had this amazing story going, and then they decided to dumb it down for the general audience. I still watch it when I can, probably clinging to a desperate hope that it can return to it's old glory days, but so far, it doesn't look promising.

I hear lots of good things about Big Bang Theory... I may check it out.

To complete my previous list of shows I watch: House, The Office, Lost, Heroes, Flash Forward, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, South Park, Monk, and I watched the premiere of V.

[Joel]

and I watched the premiere of V.

I'm already in love with this show, and it comes on the day I don't work or school.

[Ap2000]

Shows that I strongly dislike; Nearly any show ever that centers around people that... ...work in a hospital and Heroes. (clearly the most disappointing show in existence)

In a general sense I agree with this. I can't stand any kind of hospital drama, -except- for House. House is just a completely different vibe, and I enjoy it for it's humor and the stories of the actual characters. The hospital aspect balances well with the rest of the show, and doesn't feel generic at all.

As for Heroes... the first season was absolutely fantastic, and then it turned awful. It was like they had this amazing story going, and then they decided to dumb it down for the general audience. I still watch it when I can, probably clinging to a desperate hope that it can return to it's old glory days, but so far, it doesn't look promising.

I hear lots of good things about Big Bang Theory... I may check it out.

To complete my previous list of shows I watch: House, The Office, Lost, Heroes, Flash Forward, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, South Park, Monk, and I watched the premiere of V.

I know that many people love doctor house, but I have a strong and passionate hate going on when it comes to him. For me, it's just a Dr. Cox rip-off. (I didn't want to say this at first, but now I just had to =P)

Heroes got already uninteresting for me after 3/4 of the first season and the totally disappointing season finale, where NOTHING happened, was basically the icing on the cake. =/

I forgot to mention 24, which had 3 absolute killer seasons with stuff going that even I thought was totally HOLY SHIT, the later ones were only ok/above average though. It got so damn predictable. I haven't watched/am not really interested in the newest season.

I love Stromberg (german version of The Office, many say it's the best version) and some other small german/austrian shows, but I guess mentioning them here would be pointless.

[Zounder]

I know that many people love doctor house, but I have a strong and passionate hate going on when it comes to him. For me, it's just a Dr. Cox rip-off. (I didn't want to say this at first, but now I just had to =P)

Heroes got already uninteresting for me after 3/4 of the first season and the totally disappointing season finale, where NOTHING happened, was basically the icing on the cake. =/

I forgot to mention 24, which had 3 absolute killer seasons with stuff going that even I thought was totally HOLY SHIT, the later ones were only ok/above average though. It got so damn predictable. I haven't watched/am not really interested in the newest season.

I wasn't going to say this either, but I just don't get Scrubs. I have a lot of friends who like it, but then I watch it, and to borrow a line from Family Guy (A show I forgot to mention)... "You ever watch that show Scrubs? Lois had it on the other night, and I was kinda fading in and out, you know. I was watching and wondering..... which one is the funny guy?"

The finale to season 1 of Heroes was indeed disappointing. Somebody warned me before I watched it, so at least I wasn't expecting something amazing. I think it was a budget issue? Regardless, I did like the season as a whole.

I totally forgot about 24 too. I was absolutely obsessed with during the first four seasons (almost on a Lost-type level of obsession) with as you said the HOLY SHIT WHAT THE FUCK moments and some of the best television I've ever seen... and then the show just plummeted. Season 5 was OK, season 6 was OK for awhile then dropped off, and then Season 7 (the most recent) was terrible. There was ONE good arc (The hostage situation in the White House, which felt like vintage 24 to me) and that's about it.

I didn't know there was a german version of The Office. I've seen bits of the original British version, which seems pretty good, but haven't gotten around to watching a lot of it.

[Al Kusanagi]

My favorite shows on at the moment are Supernatural (the last episode was amazing. you owe it to yourself to watch it if you're a fan of classic TV), It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and, dare I say, iCarly (one of the best, wackiest damn sitcoms on TV in years, "kids show" be damned). Whenever these things aren't on, I cycle between History Channel, Discovery, and National Geographic Channel.

[Plum]

I am really not a big TV person. I have shows I like, and will watch if I'm around the TV, but I don't like... sit down and make TV time for certain shows. I can't imagine spending hours in front of a TV, either; it makes me feel drained. That being said, shows I like!

Al: I love iCarly. I also watch Wizards of Waverly place pretty much any time a new episode is on. I don't even care if everyone judges me, it's just so delicious.

Re: House. It gets so incredibly repetitive after a while that I am glad the newest season put somewhat of a new spin on things. I've been watching it on and off, and I've been pretty entertained by the last few episodes.

Zounder: It's funny you quoted Family Guy to point out Scrubs being unfunny. I love Scrubs, but feel like with Family Guy you have to watch about a dozen episodes for a single decent gag to pop up. I just don't have the dedication to sift through that much crap.

Let's see... the shows I watch semi-regularly would be Dollhouse, The Soup, Food Network Challenge/Ace of Cakes/Cake Boss (Ugh, leaving my job to watch people do what I did all day at work. Who does that?), Good Eats... and mortifyingly enough, The Biggest Loser. I should feel so guilty about that last one, especially since I generally despise reality TV, but it's my crack. I am a crack whore. I am ashamed.

I think it's the only show where I've hated someone with such passion that I talked to the TV when they were up for elimination to wish them off.

[Ap2000]

I wasn't going to say this either, but I just don't get Scrubs. I have a lot of friends who like it, but then I watch it, and to borrow a line from Family Guy (A show I forgot to mention)... "You ever watch that show Scrubs? Lois had it on the other night, and I was kinda fading in and out, you know. I was watching and wondering..... which one is the funny guy?"

The thing with scrubs is, if you don't watch it from the beginning, it's not possible to get all the jokes.

I also very strongly hate that superman youth series, they couldn't have possibly found a person more of a homo pussy than he is. (no that the show has any other interesting character anyway)

[Petit Melon]

Hmm... I watch Modern Family and the Soup. I used to be addicted to Top Chef and all its incarnations, but I fell behind this season and didn't care to catch up. Their Master Chef show was by far the best. So much fun watching the greats do amazing (and not so amazing) food. Other than that, like Al, I bounce between History/Natgeo/Discovery channels. If it happens to be on I'll watch Bridezilla. There's something about ladies throwing temper tantrums on television that makes me giggle uncontrollably. The annoying voiceovers ruin the moment sometimes, but their shrieks are food for my soul. Especially when their "big day" has something like rain to mess it all up. Ahahahahahaha! The best episode ended with the groom finally growing a pair and saying it was a mistake to get married in the first place.

edit - I fucking love the Misadventures of Flapjack. I will not miss a show. I will watch reruns if they're on while I'm on. Not to mention the creator is a hilarious badass too. FLAPJAAAACK

[eri]

When does everyone find time to watch tv ?!?!

I can only see things if they are available online and I don't have much time during the regular week. Because downloading and all that takes a little bit of work, I end up only watching a few shows that are really good or shows that I watch with my boyfriend. Right now we watch LOST and this UK show Merlin. That's it! Sometimes I'll watch Colbert Report online if I need a mental break. I keep hearing about MadMen and once I caught the Biggest Loser rerun but there is no chance for me to see anything else regularly T_T.

[///]

http://en.wikipedia....ife_(TV_series)

Oh you're good! Thanks!

I don't really like Scrubs that much, but I have to agree that House is basically just a Dr. Cox (the best thing about Scrubs) ripoff. And the plot in House is really formulaic and predictable, and I dunno, I just don't care. They make all the characters so Goddamn unlikeable that I can't really get involved in the show emotionally, and I don't think it's supposed to be funny. Or if it is, it's not succeeding for me.

I'm sure I'm missing something, but that's been my impression of House. I seem to hate all really popular US shows these days (scrubs, the office, 24, house, heroes, family guy, etc.), so I'm sure there's something I'm missing. But that's just how it is, and it's not like I don't give these programs a fair chance either, I've seen at least 2 seasons of House and even more of 24, and damn near everything of Family Guy by now.

EDIT: But I do like South Park.

EDIT2: I get time to watch TV because I only sleep every other day.

[Plum]

My dad loved Life.

[///]

My dad loved Life.

Oops! I guess I just caught a particularly cringeworthy episode. Still, impressive that you got it from that vague rambling description. I'm surprised it isn't being compared to CSI: Miami on wikipedia... I didn't see any Monk or House in it at all, but lots of CSI: Miami.

For those who liked Dollhouse (moar liek LOLLhouse amirite ), I'm sorry to say that it's been Fox'd. I am not a huge Whedon fan in general and thought this was one of his weakest efforts, but I was still watching it... For some reason... Anyway yeah not for much longer I guess!

[Plum]

I weep for Dollhouse. It had these serious glimpses of greatness, even during the sucky episodes. The DVD only episode? Boss. Totally boss.

RIP.

Also, I never really liked what little I saw of Life, so I don't take personal offense. It was very CSI: Miami. I hate CSI: Miami. I put it basically on the same level as most of these other crime shows in terms of quality, honestly, which is to say I feel just entertained enough (to varying degrees) to sit through episodes when someone else is watching them, but not enough to ever really... enjoy them. I am sure the original CSI was good at some point?

The only crime show I defend and love is Criminal Minds. The last episode was pretty terrible, though.

[Story]

I'm watching Modern Family, 30 Rock, Ugly Betty and Glee.

Glee is really good and Jane Lynch is just awesome. The latest episode made me want to cry ;_;

[Sabaku Ika]

I weep for Dollhouse. It had these serious glimpses of greatness, even during the sucky episodes. The DVD only episode? Boss. Totally boss.

It was the only thing I watched.

edit: I just realized The Prisoner remake starts tonight. Who knows if it will be any good, but I will watch.

[Plum]

I watched the first two hours of The Prisoner.

I am assuming the constant choppy back and forth crap is intended to make the viewer feel disoriented along with the protagonist, but it got sort of annoying. Especially since it's a very slow-moving plot.

It was like the slowest escalator ever that occasionally skipped backwards.

[Sabaku Ika]

I watched the first two hours of The Prisoner.

I am assuming the constant choppy back and forth crap is intended to make the viewer feel disoriented along with the protagonist, but it got sort of annoying. Especially since it's a very slow-moving plot.

It was like the slowest escalator ever that occasionally skipped backwards.

It is meant to be disorienting. You should give it a second chance because it is awesome. Also, you should keep a pig for stability.

[Plum]

The second set of episodes was much better. The pacing was a lot less frustrating and, you know. Several things actually happened.

WE ARE A TWO PIG FAMILY.

[Ap2000]

I forgot the most important thing (at least comedy-wise) ever !
The Gaki no tsukai ya arahende batsu games, I love them so much and basically everything involving DownTown (though I don't watch Hey! Hey! Hey!). They're comedy geniouses.

[ShinUkyo]

Glee and Dollhouse are the two I look forward to the most *.*
I gather 'round with all my buddies for those. Important weekly business.

Yes! Two of my absolute-favorite shows on TV right now. It seems that my Dollhouse thread, from last season, sank into the cracks of the BBS. I wanna bring it back, and I'm likely going to revive the old one. Making a new thread may be pointless, now, since the show is going to be over for good at the end of this season. And with them showing two episodes per week, right now, it looks like they want to air them all as quickly as possible (instead of spacing them out until the end of Spring).

My favorite shows on at the moment are Supernatural (the last episode was amazing. you owe it to yourself to watch it if you're a fan of classic TV), It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and, dare I say, iCarly (one of the best, wackiest damn sitcoms on TV in years, "kids show" be damned). Whenever these things aren't on, I cycle between History Channel, Discovery, and National Geographic Channel.

Good choices all around! Like you said, iCarly is a brilliant and wacky sitcom. Much like many of the ones we enjoyed in the 90's. In most cases, actually, far better than those shows. People just tend to be ignorant, and have an outright bias against Nickelodeon and Disney-Channel shows even BEFORE they watch them. Without an open mind, they're missing some of the better shows on television today. And with sitcoms becoming such a dying breed, I feel blessed that there's still a place where they're being churned out with regularity.

When does everyone find time to watch tv ?!?!
I can only see things if they are available online and I don't have much time during the regular week.

That's pretty much what I have to do. I've started watching most of my shows on Hulu now. They get all the programming from FOX, NBC, and ABC (which are the source of basically everything I watch anyhow). They also have a good number of cable channels signed up, and even things like daily talkshows are being posted nowadays. I've heard they're going to switch to being a pay service next month, which sucks. But assuming the charge is reasonable, I'm gonna have to do it. Like you said, I can't watch shows when they air on TV thanks to work and stuff. I don't have a DVR, nor can I afford one. And while I could tape them to VHS, theoretically, it's not worth the hassle. On Hulu they are basically commercial-free, and you can watch them all in one shot (instead of having the devote your evening, every day of the week, to watching TV).

[neshcom]

Ultra-bump.

I'm watching this new game show on MTV, Silent Library, another bastardized Japanese game-show segment watered down into a full-length production FUR AMURICA. Six celebratweens take turns hurting each other and they can't make too much noise and they get money for each stunt they complete. I don't know who Justin Beber is, but I know he is the tiniest little doucher this side of the planet. This is pretty much every element of television 2.0 I don't like: unoriginality, little douchers, frat boy skater mentality, unnecessary Japanese elements FUCKING EVERYWHERE, lack of production value, and Jackass. Why can't we go back to the obvious greatness that was Match Game? Celebrities didn't play for money for themselves and television personalities were able to grow. It would a perfect game to bring back. If it wasn't on MTV.

Also, the show is hosted by srs azn. srs azn is srs

[///]

Speaking of MTV, I've been watching Jersey Shore. Guilty pleasure of the century.

[Ap2000]

Ultra-bump.

I'm watching this new game show on MTV, Silent Library, another bastardized Japanese game-show segment watered down into a full-length production FUR AMURICA. Six celebratweens take turns hurting each other and they can't make too much noise and they get money for each stunt they complete. I don't know who Justin Beber is, but I know he is the tiniest little doucher this side of the planet. This is pretty much every element of television 2.0 I don't like: unoriginality, little douchers, frat boy skater mentality, unnecessary Japanese elements FUCKING EVERYWHERE, lack of production value, and Jackass. Why can't we go back to the obvious greatness that was Match Game? Celebrities didn't play for money for themselves and television personalities were able to grow. It would a perfect game to bring back. If it wasn't on MTV.

Also, the show is hosted by srs azn. srs azn is srs

They have a similar shitty copy here (I think it's from the British MTV) called Fist of Zen. I hate it.

And Pro7 (a free tv channel) made Masquerade, a horribly cheap Kasou Taishou version. The worst part is that 80% of the acts were just remakes of the japanese ones.


I think you could do make a western version of the yearly DownTown no gaki no tsukai ya arahende batsu games, but the guys who play the game must be people like me, who know what makes the original funny.

[Petit Melon]

Speaking of MTV, I've been watching Jersey Shore. Guilty pleasure of the century.

This, oh god this. I'm so ashamed to be watching, but I just can't stop.