Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

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englishozzy
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by englishozzy »

No.3

Supernatural (2005-Present)

An American supernatural series focusing on two brother, Sam and Dean, who have been brought up to fight all kinds of evil. The siblings travel across America vanquashing anything that goes boo in the night.

I have always been into horror/supernatural shows and watching the promo to this looked right up my street. What turned me from morbid curiosity to raving about this show was the two brothes themselves, played superbly by Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, adding a new dimension to the genre with the constant brotherly rivalhood. The series looked like getting axed after only the second series but thankfully a huge internet petition kept this show going into almost a sixth season.

"Then telephone for an axe"

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englishozzy
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by englishozzy »

Hayley's No.3

That 70's Show (1998-2006)

An American sitcom centering around the lives of a group of teenage friends growing up during the 70's

"Then telephone for an axe"

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W
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by W »

I've been gone a few days. I'll catch up.

5. Breaking Bad (2008-present, AMC, Drama/Dark Comedy) - An underachieving chemistry teacher named Walter White has a teenage son with cerebral palsy, finds out he's got another kid on the way, and is told by doctors that he has lung cancer (though he's never smoked) and has a short time to live. Given his extensive background in chemistry and his want to provide for his family even when he's gone, he teams up with with an unlikely candidate Jesse Pinkman, a student that struggled in his class a few years before, to cook meth the right way. Bryan Cranston is as great as you can get in a TV series as Walter White winning two Emmys and nominated for a third in his three years as the character and Aaron Paul's Jesse is hilarious and extremely well acted winning one Emmy and nominated for another.

To further complicate things for Walt and Jesse besides the obvious non-understanding between a virtuoso chemist and a pot smoking meth dealer there is always a very good villain because in that industry there's a lot of ruthless people. Also, Walt's brother-in-law happens to be a DEA agent. The misunderstandings cause a lot of funny stuff to happen as well as all of the tragedy that comes with cancer, having a meth business, and whatnot. I believe its the best show on TV right now.

Saul Goodman's Greatest Hits:


4. My Name is Earl () - Earl HIckey (played by Jason Lee) is a petty criminal in small town America. One day he wins $100,000 in the lottery and is simultaneously hit by a car losing the ticket. From his hospital bed he sees Carson Daly talking about karma explaining "do good things and good things happen, do bad things and bad things happen." From then on he decides to follow Carson Daly's creation and writes down everything bad he's ever done and makes up for them one at a time.

Other main characters include Earl's simple-minded brother Randy (played by Ethan Suplee) who has a symbiotic relationship with his brother and helped him in most of his list items, his ex-wife/trailer park queen Joy (played by Jaime Pressly), her new African-American husband named Darnell who used to be in the witness protection program and has a pet turtle named Mr. Turtle, and a Latina illegal immigrant maid/stripper who used to work the coca fields as a child named Catalina.

The town that they live in is one that rivals The Simpsons Springfieldians for their quirky individuals that include Patty the Daytime Hooker that speaks Bengali and has a Master's degree, a cop that is awful at his job but who's mom is the head of the police force and sisters are the best policemen on the force, Willie the One-Eyed Mailman, local celebrity "TV's Tim Stack", Electrolarynx Guy, and African immigrant Nescobar-a-lop-lop among many, many others. And there's a long list of B-list celebrities that make semi-regular appearances and/or are guest Camdenites including Beau Bridges, Giovanni Ribisi (who plays my favorite character in the series), Burt Reynolds, Norm McDonald, Alyssa Milano, David Arquette, Rosanne Barr, Mike O'Malley, DJ Qualls, Clint Howard, John Leguizamo, Marlee Matlin, and many others.

It's a super quirky show and the one show that I wish had a legitimate ending.

Tenet: Criterion Edition. Now with more Backwards Man.

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undeadmonkey
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by undeadmonkey »

Show #2


undeadmonkey

Friends (1994-2004, NBC)





Premise: The lives, loves, and laughs of six young friends living in Manhattan.



i know a lot of you guys like your comedy dry and clever. While there is nothing wrong with that, i enjoy it sometimes myself. at the end of the day though, when i need a pick me up or just to relax, i don't want to have to think about the comedy and that is why i love this show. It's silly, it's slapstick, it's like a boozy night out with your friends, without the hangover in the morning.

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NSpan
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by NSpan »

Show #5
NSpan

Dr. Katz (1995 - 1999, Comedy Central)




It seems that just about every stand-up who got mainstream attention in the early 21st century had already performed their breakthrough material (in animated form) on Dr. Katz in the 1990s. The show consists of two basic segments: Dr. Katz's everyday life and his therapy sessions with comedians and celebrities.

Dr. Katz's everyday life revolves around his son (voiced by Jon Benjamin) and his receptionist (voiced by Laura Silverman--Sarah's sister). Nearly all of this material is improvised around prompts and loose plot points. This blended style of writing and performance is called "retroscripting"--an approach that would later be adopted by Reno 911! and Curb Your Enthusiasm. The animation is the last step of the process, which allows for the voice-actors to approach the material organically. The three main characters are well developed and their rapport brings a level of consistency to the show that imitators could never quite achieve. Fair warning: the humor in these segments is almost always VERY dry.

The other half of the show consists of the actual therapy sessions. The entire premise is a tongue-in-cheek observation: most comedians desperately need therapy and their comedy is a defense mechanism. So, even on the therapist's couch, comedians resort to their material instead of actually addressing their problems. This setup makes room for each episode to feature one or two guests, and it allows these guests to incorporate their acts into the show. The Dr. Katz character listens on to each comedian, taking notes and occasionally probing his patient for more or asking them to reflect on their decisions. He isn't meant to be a particularly great therapist, either. Depending on the guest, Katz will choose to be more (or less) involved in the exchange. This leads to unique performances and exclusive improvised material from notable comedians.

The animation is simple; "Squiggle-Vision" may turn some people off... but I enjoy it. Even the canned music is charming. As I mentioned, the show spawned several imitators (Shorties Watchin' Shorties, The Ricky Gervais Show, several web-series, et al) that tried to provide visuals to a spoken medium, but their lack of likeable core characters and/or high-level improv rendered them far less appealing. For those wondering if I can back up the claim I made in my first sentence, here are a few names of comedians that were more obscure when they appeared on Dr. Katz between '95 and '99: Louis C.K., Todd Barry, David Cross, Bob Odenkirk, Jon Stewart, Jim Gaffigan, Dave Chappelle, Jeff Garlin, Brian Regan, Patton Oswalt, Sarah Silverman, Susie Essman, Bonnie McFarlane, and Mitch Hedberg. And that's just accounting for the relative up-and-comers--the show also had a regular rotation of established names (Steven Wright, Conan O'Brien, Al Franken, Rodney Dangerfield, Joan Rivers, Garry Shandling, etc.)



Show #4
NSpan

Home Movies (1999 - 2004, UPN / Adult Swim)



Another Loren Bouchard production, Home Movies is the spiritual successor to Dr. Katz. Removing the rotating-guest element, this new production focused on characters, stories, and (lots and lots of) improv. The first season even aired in "Squiggle-Vision" a la Dr. Katz. Series veteran, Jon Benjamin (who played Ben Katz) takes on two major roles here. In the shoes of the show's protagonist is then-unknown Brendon Small playing a younger version of himself--who would write, score, and star in every episode of the series. His music became more prominent and distinct as the show went on, and after the conclusion of Home Movies, he'd go on to create Metalocalypse. Retroscripting, dry humor, and a passion for cinema are at the core of the show. The improvised banter between Brendon Small and Jon Benjamin carried the series from start to finish. The stories are much more fleshed out here than in Dr. Katz. In a distinct (but related) version of the premise I described in Dr. Katz, the home movies created by the protagonists in each episode usually mirror the "real world" events going on at the time. Where stand-up comedians resorted to telling jokes in place of actual therapy, Brendon Small found making movies as his outlet. Along with being a great source for comedy within the show, this device added a layer of depth not found in most sitcoms.

The Brendon Small character resonates with me personally... almost to an eerie degree. Most film buffs, pop-culture aficionados, and obsessive list-makers fancy themselves in league with Rob Gordon. Well, I find Brendon Small more relatable--and realistic! Anyway, who are you to compare yourselves to John Cusack? ;) Everything about Brendon and the overarching storyline of the series resonates. And, though the specifics particularly hit home with me, I think everybody can relate to this show. In a lot of ways, it's simply about being a kid (even at times when it's using grown-up characters).
On the run from Johnny Law ... ain't no trip to Cleveland.

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englishozzy
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by englishozzy »

No.2

House M.D. (2004-Present)

An America medical drama centering around an unconventional, intolerable but genius doctor named House. Each week his team solve medical mysteries that are beyond most doctors guesses.

Hugh Laurie is superb in probably my favourite TV character of all time, the shows success after so many seasons just shows you how everything is in sync. The storylines are top notch and the supporting cast is the best i have seen in a while.

"Then telephone for an axe"

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englishozzy
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by englishozzy »

Hayley's No.2

Alias (2001-2006)

An American drama series starring Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow, a CIA agent. The main theme of the series explores Sydney's obligation to conceal her true career from her friends and family, even as she assumes multiple aliases to carry out her missions.

"Then telephone for an axe"

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numbersix
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by numbersix »

2. Twin Peaks (1990-1991, ABC)



Like most of the work of director David Lynch, Twin Peaks is not for everyone. Its oddball atmosphere is both idiosyncratic but difficult to enjoy if you don’t buy into its quirkiness. But there are two reasons why it is my second favourite TV show of all time.

Firstly, it was a bit of a game-changer in terms of TV. Considering the 80’s consisted of standard sitcoms, teen action shows and various soap operas, Twin Peaks was a hell of a risk. Centring on a murder was about as normal as it got, but by episode two we were already shown some offbeat characters and a strange dream world the protagonist (FBI agent Dale Cooper who uses spiritual logic more than scientific) entered that involved backwards-speaking dancing dwarves. Many stuck for the identity of the murder and were introduced to the type of scenes you only get in arthouse cinema. Yet the show was huge, and was broadcast in dozens of countries. It got even stranger, and despite a drop in audience, the final episode offered only very abstruse answers (the killer was revealed early in Season 2, and the rest of the show was dedicated to a serial killer with a link to Cooper’s dream world), and ultimately the show was deeply un-mainstream. It’s adherence to symbolism and rather rambling, non-linear logic paved the way for shows like the X-Files, Fringe, and especially Lost to be made.

The second reason I love it is because of its place in my life. I watched it when I was about 10, when Twin Peaks fever hit Europe. I was both drawn into the mystery but fascinated by the unnatural, symbolic characterisations and sequences. It was my first glimpse beyond the mainstream and I was hooked. I made sure to watch the Twin Peaks movie and Blue Velvet (which I didn’t like when I first watched it at 14). I felt like I was introduced to a world beyond what I had become used to, and it fed on my sense of wonder and imagination. Up until then horror films had fulfilled that need, but arthouse was deeper, and richer.

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Shrykespeare
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by Shrykespeare »

SHRYKESPEARE'S #2

Monty Python's Flying Circus (BBC, 1969-1963)

I was a teenager when I first caught this show late at night on PBS. I had never even heard of them before, and needless to say, the landscape of my sense of humor was forever changed from that moment on. Even though the lads from Britain had done this programme nearly two decades before, it was the freshest, wackiest, funniest, most irreverent madcap goofy nonsense I had ever seen. It was funnier than SNL on the funniest day of their lives.

Some sketches were funnier than others, but most of it stands up to repeat viewings (like, thousands of viewings) to this day, and many have achieved comedic immortality. This show was a benchmark for English humor, and I doubt that there are many comedians or comedic acts since the days of MPFC, from either side of the pond, that haven't cited the Pythons as one of their favorites.

From this show, they went on to make two of the greatest movies of all time, branch out into many other things (music, Broadway, more movies, etc.), and the word "Python-esque" is now even firmly ensconced in Webster's dictionary. They are, simply, one of the greatest things to happen to comedy, and to television. If it weren't for them, how much more drab would this world have been?

Here are some of my favorites.

Politicians: An apology


Upper Class Twit of the Year:


Silly Olympics:


Job Interview:
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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undeadmonkey
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by undeadmonkey »

that 70s show is great, the last few seasons weren't so much though.

House is a fun show to watch every once in a while.

Twin peaks, like i've said before, i got to about 5 or 6 episodes and haven't had the urge to watch any further yet. I didn't hate it, but my curiosity was mostly quenched by then. Who knows, i might finish it someday.


Alias, i haven't seen it, but it is on my list to check out. close to the top of that list actually.


haven't seen any of the others.

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Shrykespeare
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by Shrykespeare »

UDM, if you've never seen Monty Python's Flying Circus... well, start with these videos. Then rent them on DVD. Then don't return the DVD's, move to a new town, change your name, and watch them again. (Hey, that would be a good sketch...)
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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numbersix
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by numbersix »

Monk: Never sat through an episode. Seemed inoffensive but not engaging
The OC: saw a few episodes. It wasn't cleverly, it was another irritating, whiney teenie show
Star Trek TNG: Thought this would be your fav. Wonder what you #1 is. Anyway, the best of the Star Treks but none blew me away
Dr Who: Loved it as a kid, despite the cheap production values. Haven't seen the recent episodes though.
Supernatural: Hated it. Not scary, not dramatic, just a waste of time
Battlestar Galactica: Watched the mini-series that revivied the show. It was quite good.
John Doe: Never heard of it
Dexter: Enjoyed it to a point, but I think it has run its course
Gossip Girl: Saw 1 episode, I think. Didn't make me want to return, but it wasn't bad.
Futurama: Saw a more recent episode last week, and was surprised that it was a two-parter. Makes me realise that it's more a sci-fi with humour rather than a comedy with a sci-fi background.
SNL: Have only seen individual sketches
The League: Is it fictional or real?
Pushing Daisies: Another show that tried to mimic Twin Peaks's quirkiness. But it never felt substantial enough, and the voiceover was too self-aware
Burn Notice: Haven't seen it
The League of Gentlemen: I've only seen a handful of episodes, but loved it. Incredibly fucked up. Horror comedy!
Breaking Bad: Great show, not sure about Season 4 so far, but we'll see how it goes.
My Name is Earl: Endearing
Friends: What a piece of crap. The few good episodes in the first years didn't excuse it. It was a sitcome lacking in jokes, trying to be hip but ultimately falling for every example of cheap, cliched writing a sitcom could possibly go through. Lazy, and often boring, and my god the show became the worst thing on TV towards the end. UDM, you may not like Homer, but he is merely a conduit to lampoon middle-class fathers. He doesn't compare to the shallow parody of the Anxious Jew that Ross Gellar was, and who is the worst character in any TV show I've ever seen.
Dr Katz and Home Movies: Will look out for these two.
Alias and House MD: Neither impressed me much
Monty Python: Damn great show, but really only for those who can appreciate a bit of surrealism.

Done! Phew

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undeadmonkey
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by undeadmonkey »

My #1 Favorite Show


I Love Lucy (1951-1960, CBS)



here's a clip from the last season. I love lucy's expressions and here they are particularly funny when she is trying to act normal after the dance.


and of course, the classic candy factory scene.



I grew up on this show. i thought these people were real when i was a kid. I wanted to meet lucille ball when i grew up, needless to say, i was devastated when i found out she had passed away a year after i was born. These characters seem so real even though they are still written like most exaggerated caricatures of the 50s sitcoms. The cast is fantastic and one of the main reasons they seem so real. obviously lucille ball was the star, but william frawly and vivian vance were almost as strong and even desi arnaz surprised every once in a while with his comedic timing.

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silversurfer19
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by silversurfer19 »

3. Spaced (1999-2001), Channel 4

Spaced was the first major collaboration of the Wright/Pegg/Frost trio, in which they, along with Jessica Stevenson created a sitcom revolving around a group of twenty-somethings who meet when flat hunting and grow to become good friends. What separates it from others of the genre though is the smart writing which references pop culture and movies, while also showcasing Wright's early talents for rapid-fire editing techniques, surrealism and unusual camera angles. Taking inspiration from their favourite cult horror and sci-fi movies, the series is absolutely hilarious with non stop gags and references which, as a movie geek, is fascinating as you uncover the layers upon layers of inspirations. But the series is more than just a showcase for Wright's talents, it is also a wonderfully crafted sitcom with colourful characters which are so well developed and have a fantastic rapport. This has become all the more apparent with subsequently with their continued working with each other on the Cornetto Trilogy. The series was a staple for us when it first aired in the UK, and the DVDs have gained constant rotation ever since as the series is just so rewatchable.

Here are a couple of my favourite clips:




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silversurfer19
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Re: Favorite TV Shows: Top 10

Post by silversurfer19 »

2. The X-Files (1993-2002), Fox

Man, I spent my entire teenage years watching this show, as a kid brought up in the 80s on sci-fi, bringing all these elements together into a sci-fi/horror/mystery series was intriguing and addictive. The show switched between monster of the week episodes which investigated the supernatural and the main narrative drive which investigated and attempted to uncover the existence of extra-terrestrial life. However, what really maintained my interest throughout the series was the two main characters' relationship. Mulder and Scully became iconic characters because their relationship was so endearing, between the skeptical and scientific Scully and the theoretical, more open to possibilities Mulder, it's fascinating to see their relationship develop and how at first their rather icy relationship built upon different views eventually melts away as they find themselves soul mates. I recently rewatched the entire nine series again, and despite advancements in technology since it ended, the stories are what maintain your interest, and they feature some of the strongest I have ever seen. Naturally there are a few dips, generally in the later series when Mulder is less involved (although I did love Robert Patrick's character), but there are still some absolute crackers to be found even in those later episodes, and overall I was just whisked back off again to my teenage government conspiracy obsessed years again with all the magic, wonder and mystery that the series brought.

Here a couple of my favourite episodes, one which truly emphasises the joyful relationship of Mulder and Scully, and the other one of the most chilling cases the couple attempt to solve, The Host scared the shit out of me as a kid (and still a little now...).




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