CHUD.com Community › Forums › SPORTS, GAMES & LEISURE › Television › My next show to get into - some advice...
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

My next show to get into - some advice... - Page 2

post #51 of 75
3/23/09 at 9:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zollicoffer View Post
I started The Wire last month after purchasing the entire series and I just started on season 3.

Season 1 is fucking incredible drama. Some of the best stuff I've ever seen - all 13 episodes. Some are saying it takes time, but I was hooked from the very beginning. Season 2 isn't up to par, but when you follow that season 1, what will be? THAT"S the season it'll take a few episodes to cushion into, because they change the whole show up, and I still loved it.

But. I'm two episodes into season 3, and I'm not feeling it. Something's off for me, and it might have something to do with how they skipped right into the middle of another Detail. I'm hoping I start getting into it soon.

After this, I'll probably start BSG, since my brother's been raving about it, and Dexter. Oddly, I have no interest in The Sopranos and The Shield.
Season 3 has a cold start, but it's probably the most interesting series of them all and once it gets going its phenomenal. But then again I think Season 2 of the Wire is pretty fucking great so obviously we're in massive disagreement here.
Reply
post #52 of 75
3/23/09 at 9:07pm
My first time through The Wire, there were a lot of things that I respected, but I wasn't sure that I appreciated fully. The second time through, I found it damn near flawless.

All of the shows listed in the first post stand up to repeat viewings.
Reply
post #53 of 75
3/23/09 at 9:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyG View Post
If The Shield makes you have those emotions, wow man, keep the kleenex close to you during The Wire.
Eh, for what it's worth I found The Shield to be a much more emotional show than The Wire, which only had a few genuinely sad moments but nothing near the death of a certain major character on The Shield.
Reply
post #54 of 75
3/23/09 at 9:31pm
Season 2 of the Wire was actually the one that sold it to me as a great show. This is probably a convo for one of the Wire threads though.

It doesn't get much love in these parts but Babylon 5 was one of the pioneering modern arc-driven shows and while it doesn't have that naturalistic feel that helped BSG break out of the sci-fi niche, it probably did a better job of gradually unveiling a coherent mythology while keeping a ton of interconnected story threads steadily building towards a natural finale. Seasons 1 and 5 are patchy to say the least, but they're pretty inessential. Seasons 2-4 are gold.
Reply
post #55 of 75
3/23/09 at 9:52pm
That Ryan quote really throws me through a loop. They're both great, but somehow the show about the decline of the 21st century American city is less relevant than the one about ancient killer robots?

I think I know what she's getting at. The Wire is very much focused on people's relation to their job (legal or otherwise), and thus it takes awhile to get under the characters' skin. If her point is that it comes off a little cold and is not as immediately affecting, that could make sense to me, but to argue that its appeal is more limited than something as intensely genre as a BSG remake just sounds dumb.
Reply
post #56 of 75
3/23/09 at 9:55pm
The Wire, definitely. And you should really give Deadwood a shot, too. And if you want a show that's on right now that you can catch up easily with, try Mad Men or Friday Night Lights.

I'm actually in the middle of one of these "next show to get into" things myself. Really, the only big shows of the last decade or so that I need to watch from the beginning are Battlestar, Lost, Sopranos, and Shield. You could also throw Oz and the last two and a half years of Six Feet Under in there, I guess. I'm working on Battlestar right now, and I think I'm going to work up to Sopranos.
Reply
post #57 of 75
3/23/09 at 10:01pm
Quote:
That Ryan quote really throws me through a loop. They're both great, but somehow the show about the decline of the 21st century American city is less relevant than the one about ancient killer robots?

I think I know what she's getting at. The Wire is very much focused on people's relation to their job (legal or otherwise), and thus it takes awhile to get under the characters' skin. If her point is that it comes off a little cold and is not as immediately affecting, that could make sense to me, but to argue that its appeal is more limited than something as intensely genre as a BSG remake just sounds dumb.
I would be interested in seeing an extended column about this by someone smarter than me. I think that both shows used their platforms to address larger questions, but they took radically different paths. I prefer The Wire's approach, but I respect the chances BSG took. The Wire arrived at organic truths to larger questions within the context of the story, whereas BSG kept searching for answers to the very end, which may be why some found the answers on the show so unsatisfactory.
Reply
post #58 of 75
3/23/09 at 10:13pm
Given I have seen most of these series already (other then Deadwood) what does everyone think of Weeds? Being laid off has given me some time to watch tv.
Reply
post #59 of 75
3/23/09 at 10:17pm
Weeds is pretty fucking funny. Mary-Louise Parker is probably one of the best actresses of her generation (I'd argue she's the best actress working today, after Meryl Streep), and the supporting cast is great. Romany Malco, Elizabeth Perkins, Justin Kirk, all great. Kevin Nealon's the all-star though; practically everything that comes out of his mouth is gold.

I watched the three seasons over about two weeks, but I really liked it.
Reply
post #60 of 75
3/23/09 at 10:20pm
Weeds is a good show, similar to Dexter in that it's good, occasionally very good, R-rated pulp. If you want Greatness in TV form, the original post featuring BSG, Sopranos, and The Wire are the best way to start. Along with Deadwood, those shows transcend the "good" tag into "profound," which I think is the thrust of the initial post.
Reply
post #61 of 75
3/23/09 at 10:47pm
Another addendum: I would compare Sopranos to BSG in terms of how the creators used their creative freedom to fully explore the medium, to the addition/detriment of their respective shows.
Reply
post #62 of 75
3/23/09 at 11:49pm
Thread Starter 
Wow, thanks all a lot of food for thought here. I'm stoked to see all the Deadwood love being thrown around as its basically my favourite TV drama ever (so far).

I also loved that Judas went old school and mentioned The Prisoner. It must be at least 12 years since I watched it but I do remember it being one of the most original, well written shows Ive ever seen.

It looks like The Wire is a winner, The Sopranos I think I'll wait to watch with my missus, and Battlestar seems more just for me. Maybe I'll do The Wire and Battlestar a season each alternately not to get burned out on either.

The missus and I are in some joint watchings at the moment; we're watching The West Wing, are about to start Six Feet Under (which we've only seen season one of years ago) and for shits and giggles we're doing season one of both Arrested Development and 30 Rock.

Somewhere in that I need to find time for myself ans watch some stuff on my own. Shouldn't be too hard, my missus has managed to polich off Weeds on her own in the interem.

Thanks for the opinions tho all.
Reply
post #63 of 75
3/24/09 at 12:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Rain Dog View Post

It looks like The Wire is a winner, The Sopranos I think I'll wait to watch with my missus, and Battlestar seems more just for me. Maybe I'll do The Wire and Battlestar a season each alternately not to get burned out on either.
Unless you're a very atypical chewer, and I don't think you are, this will be a nearly impossible feat to accomplish.
Reply
post #64 of 75
3/24/09 at 12:36am
Six Feet Under is kind of uneven, but it's pretty amazing as well.
Reply
post #65 of 75
3/24/09 at 12:55am
I love that this thread was started just as I finished watching Rome this past weekend. I thought the show was great, although I did start drifting a bit towards the end, but it came back strong for me. Highly recommended.

I also wanted to second all the recommendations for Carnivale. Such a great fucking series and it's a shame that HBO cut the show after promising the creator to stick with it the whole ride (at least according to what I've read). I also can't wait until the rights lapse at some point in the future to see if they can finish it off. The Wikipedia page has a shitload of info on the whole series from what I remember.

Back to the main point of this thread, I keep hearing about The Wire and I was actually mentioning to the FW that we should start up that series next. We've seen the first episode so far and it all looks like setup at this point. Curious to see where it all goes. I'm also looking at starting up Supernatural and Wonderfalls (thank the Orishas for Netflix).
Reply
post #66 of 75
3/24/09 at 12:58am
If you pass up The Wire for Supernatural, you're a fool.
Reply
post #67 of 75
3/24/09 at 1:16am
I just finished the Wire last week.

The Wire. Watch the Wire. Do it now. It's the best show that ever was. No joke. No hyperbole. You'll see soon enough. I don't hand out compliments like this often. Trust me. You'll be a smarter person for watching it. And you'll be seriously entertained to boot.
Reply
post #68 of 75
3/24/09 at 1:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by RathBandu View Post
If you pass up The Wire for Supernatural, you're a fool.
Not passing up. In addition to my watching of The Wire.
Reply
post #69 of 75
3/24/09 at 1:21am
The Wire is one of those shows that you can't watch in tandem with anything else. It demands too much, and gives too much back.
Reply
post #70 of 75
3/24/09 at 1:45am
When Six Feet Under ended, I felt like I lost a family member. I absolutely adore that show, warts and all.

Arrested Development is one of my all time favorite shows. But I can't imagine not having watched it while it aired and discussing all the smaller moments with other Chewers. When I have discussions with friends who caught on later, all they come away with is "GOB! GOB! GOB!"

I'm sure Rain Dog will be able to appreciate the more subtle but brilliant jokes and call backs. It's amazing how much set up they have for things. There are jokes in Season 1 that get a pay off in Season 3. Although, I do fear the in-jokes while the show was getting cancelled may not play as well for people this far after the fact. BUt even if you miss those, there are tons of great stuff unrelated to that which are just as funny.
Reply
post #71 of 75
3/24/09 at 1:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mangy View Post
I disagree with you, Zollicoffer, but there are other threads for that.
Since I've skimmed through the Wire virgin thread and found tons of talk about seasons 4 and 5, I'd rather not converse about the show there. What do you disagree with?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spike Marshall View Post
Season 3 has a cold start, but it's probably the most interesting series of them all and once it gets going its phenomenal. But then again I think Season 2 of the Wire is pretty fucking great so obviously we're in massive disagreement here.
I'm not sure where you misunderstood me, but I said I loved Season 2 as well - ALMOST as much as season 1, but that was my point. It's hard to touch how high season 1 set the bar. My co-worker IS one of those people who thinks season 2 is weak though, and is surprised to see I feel differently. He thinks 1, 3, and 5 are the best.
Reply
post #72 of 75
3/24/09 at 2:22am
3 and 4 are the best. The others are only better than sex.
Reply
post #73 of 75
1/7/10 at 7:04am
So, Raindog, how did you enjoy The Wire and BSG?
Reply
post #74 of 75
1/7/10 at 12:17pm
Carnivale is a great show. I should have to grab some The Wire soon.
Reply
post #75 of 75
1/7/10 at 12:42pm
The first couple of episodes of The Wire are slow, but the show is really really worth sticking with.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Television
CHUD.com Community › Forums › SPORTS, GAMES & LEISURE › Television › My next show to get into - some advice...