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We're All Marathon Men

post #1 of 102
6/18/09 at 12:40pm
Thread Starter 
Whether it's The Wire, Supernatural or Arrested Development there's always someone around here who hasn't seen something, but the reason is because they've just been waiting to consume the entire series at once a la Alex Mercer. I keep up with an above average amount of television shows, and I think that for the past five years TV has just gotten so much better than at times I'd rather kick back with a complete season than go to the movie theater.

So here's a thread for everyone's upcoming marathons, or recommendations if you have any. There are certain television shows that I feel benefit greater from watching them one after another, and sometimes the trade-off between watching it as it airs and waiting a year for the DVDs (it's a weird kind of impatientry where I'll put something off that I want to watch for months just so I can watch the entire series in a day) is worth it.

I have one that is immediately on the horizon, The Shield, and I'm looking forward to Battlestar Galactica when the complete series set comes out. Supernatural gets a lot of love around here, so I'll probably head to those after.
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post #2 of 102
6/18/09 at 12:42pm
Good choices Eric.

I just finished a 24 Season 7 marathon, and it wasn't bad at all, considering season 6...
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post #3 of 102
6/18/09 at 12:44pm
Thread Starter 
Haha, I completely forgot about 24 season 7. I'm actually getting to that first before I go to The Shield. Every series should take a cue from 24 though and release the seasons on DVD to correspond with the season finales.
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post #4 of 102
6/18/09 at 12:47pm
I want to get into Castle due to my Fillion manlove so I'm waiting for the BR to be released before the fall season. Once it does I'll be working my way through that. I'm also about to get started with Dexter on BR since I don't have Showtime and have heard nothing but good stuff about Season 1.
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post #5 of 102
6/18/09 at 12:53pm
I'm getting ready for an insane amount of Lost watching during the summer. Believe it or not, I haven't collectively watched more than five minutes of Lost all these years and I'm determined to correct this now. Considering that I've also managed to watch five seasons of The Wire in twenty days I think I'm up to the task. Nonetheless I guess I'm up for an interesting experience.
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post #6 of 102
6/18/09 at 12:53pm
Thread Starter 
Dexter is perfect for marathoning. It's one of the few shows where I watch as the new episodes premier, but I can imagine it's extremely rewarding to see it all at once on DVD.

I went through The Wire in about the same amount of time, Stelios. I had to watch season five on some crappy streaming website, so I definitely have to go back and rewatch it on a normal television screen.
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post #7 of 102
6/18/09 at 12:54pm
I was literally just about to post about Dexter. I just finished up Season 2 myself in an overnight marathon while fighting the flu, which I found to be far superior to the 2nd seasono. I'm glad I consumed Season 1 all at once too, because it made the main mystery more compelling than it would have been if I had to wait a week between eps.
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post #8 of 102
6/18/09 at 12:55pm
Hope to be marathoning The Wire season 5 come the summer when I'm no longer working ridiculously stupid hours anymore. I have been meaning to go back to some of the older 24 seasons and marathon them as well, only ever caught them every now and then. And Six Feet Under, too. Need to see that and that is on the list this summer.

Oh, and my girlfriend and I are plowing through Babylon 5 at the moment. Whatta show!
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post #9 of 102
6/18/09 at 12:55pm
I gave up on the Shield after Season 1, but I keep hearing such good stuff about it that I keep thinking I should give it a go. I'm currently marathoning Angel and Supernatural and Supernatural is making Angel look real mediocre at the moment so try and avoid watching shows back to back which have thematic similarities.

Of course as soon as I get those done I've got the big old ENTIRETY OF SIX FEET UNDER Boxset to get through and Season 1 and 2 of Madmen
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post #10 of 102
6/18/09 at 12:58pm
Thread Starter 
Six Feet Under is sort of my "endgame" as far as television shows go (it's the one I've been putting off the longest). I must have the box set with the astroturf so I've been stowing away pennies at every turn.
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post #11 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:01pm
The Last Month of Summer is all about...G.I. Joe Rise Of Cobra, for me, so I already ordered...G.I. Joe A Real American Hero Complete Series, Collectors Set, it will arrive in late July, just a week before...G.I. Joe Rise Of Cobra on the 360, The Soundtrack, The Film and Hopefully, but likely...G.I. Joe Resolute on DVD. The only thing that hasn't been announced is whether any soundtrack to...G.I. Joe A Real American Hero will be released on CD, like was done with...Transfomers The Movie. I would love to hear the dulcetic, over the top,...Beautifully Patriotic songs, intro and score of...G.I. Joe A Real American Hero! YO JOE!
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post #12 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:03pm
All good choices so far but I would Add Spaced to that list.

It actually works really well watching them back to back given there is an underlying theme to the show.
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post #13 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc Happenin View Post
Oh, and my girlfriend and I are plowing through Babylon 5 at the moment. Whatta show!
NERDS! Just kidding, couldn't help myself.
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post #14 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:03pm
I'm thinking about doing Rome. Should I?
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post #15 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:05pm
I bet Babylon 5's is kind of cool to watch in large chunks, I watched that show when I was eleven or twelve when it was being aired weekly and it was like pulling teeth. At one point a single conversation last three weeks.

It was like when I used to watch Dragonball Z when it was shown on weekedays and for an ENTIRE WEEK Goku would just be screaming as he powered himself up. Just stood there glowing as the villain reads James Joyce or something
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post #16 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by duke fleed View Post
The Last Month of Summer is all about...G.I. Joe Rise Of Cobra, for me, so I already ordered...G.I. Joe A Real American Hero Complete Series, Collectors Set, it will arrive in late July, just a week before...G.I. Joe Rise Of Cobra on the 360, The Soundtrack, The Film and Hopefully, but likely...G.I. Joe Resolute on DVD. The only thing that hasn't been announced is whether any soundtrack to...G.I. Joe A Real American Hero will be released on CD, like was done with...Transfomers The Movie. I would love to hear the dulcetic, over the top,...Beautifully Patriotic songs, intro and score of...G.I. Joe A Real American Hero! YO JOE!
Fleed, when you're low on cash do you bundle up some of your collectibles and sell them on EBay like Steve Carrell in 40 yr old virgin?
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post #17 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:07pm
Sam Strange, If you desire to watch...Rome, please do so. To answer your actual question...Should you, do Rome? The answer is, only if you are up for it...and bring lots of...Condomsense latex as necessary.
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post #18 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:07pm
I'm working on BSG at the moment. Meaning I got like five minutes into the first episode and rewatched The Wrestler instead. I suck.
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post #19 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:07pm
From strong recommendations in the Deep Blue Goodbye/McGee thread, I added Burn Notice season 1 to the queue and bumped it up to the top. About halfway through now and really digging it, will almost certainly get 2 going right after.

I tried describing it to a friend and realized how close it comes to an 80s Bellisario or Cannell all-high-concept comedy-action, yet via cast and writing it manages to skirt the line (so far) of tedious silliness. Though I'll probably wait until 3 comes out on DVD also instead of trying to play mid-season catch-up (is it mid-3rd-season? I keep seeing its thread here, but am staying away).
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post #20 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Cordo View Post
Six Feet Under is sort of my "endgame" as far as television shows go (it's the one I've been putting off the longest). I must have the box set with the astroturf so I've been stowing away pennies at every turn.
To all those planning on marathoning Six Feet Under's final season: allow yourself some downtime after watching the finale before sleeping, calling ex-girlfriends, swimming, driving, watching anything else, operating heavy machinery--basically anything other than lying on the floor in the fetal position.
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post #21 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:09pm
Judge Smails, No...but thanks to trade ins and my Birthday, I had enough $$$$ to get my...G.I. Joe fix satisfied. YO JOE!!!
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post #22 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jake View Post
I'm working on BSG at the moment. Meaning I got like five minutes into the first episode and rewatched The Wrestler instead. I suck.
It's probably for the best. The first season is akin to having your testicles set upon by an angry man with a claw hammer. The second and third and fourth seasons are marked improvements, but are constantly spoiled by stupid day-glo space battles.

I just checked my figures and when I was watching Goku vs Frieza he spends 6 episodes getting his super saiyan on, so that's 2 and a bit hours of a man screaming as his hair glows. Ah, my misspent youth.
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post #23 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:17pm
Burning through a rewatch of Buffy Season 3 at the moment with Season 2 of both Twin Peaks and The Wire on deck.
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post #24 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spike Marshall View Post
It's probably for the best. The first season is akin to having your testicles set upon by an angry man with a claw hammer. The second and third and fourth seasons are marked improvements, but are constantly spoiled by stupid day-glo space battles.
Thank you for posting this. I thought I would be set upon by the CHUDnoscenti for expression my underwhelment with season one. While the first season was entertaining enough, it didn't strike me as one of the greatest shows of all time. I'll open up my schedule to season two after the summer.
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post #25 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:22pm
I'm about to start the Prisoner when it comes in from Netflix today. The last big Marathon I did was the West Wing where I averaged each Season a week for 7 weeks.
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post #26 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Strange View Post
I'm thinking about doing Rome. Should I?
You should. You should like crazy. But this is coming from a Roman Empire fanboy. Sadly the second season is hurt by HBO's decision to cancel it, but it is definitely one of the best series I've watched.
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post #27 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:23pm
Babylon 5 is great if you go along with the bathshit insanity of it all. Because once it gets going, it just goes fucking nuts and it really is unlike anything else on TV. Spider Demons, Earth Nazis, Ancient Wars, Psychic Wars, the show just keeps on getting nuttier and nuttier.

Also Bruce Boxleitner is somehow the actor who manages to hold it all together. I've never been able to understand this.
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post #28 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:24pm
As a guy who loves television, there are some pretty glaring gaps in my marathon-ing. The biggest would probably be Sopranos (I want to find a slow month at work where I can just sit in front of the tv and watch it right through), then Lost and the Shield. I got to season 2.5 of Battlestar Galactica before my DVDs skipped, but liked enough of what I saw that I might ask for the complete series box set around Christmas.

Right now I'm playing catch up with Burn Notice Season 2, then I might do a recap of Mad Men or FNL for my blog. I definitely want to rewatch Mad Men before the third season starts on August 17th.

I'm also considering getting the first season of Magnum, P.I. or Rockford Files off Netflix to check those out.

Spike, don't know how far you are in Angel, but the first season is definitely the weakest.
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post #29 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:26pm
I'd even go so far as to discard the first and last season of Babylon 5. Of course, the first season sets things up and the last one ties up some loose ends, but seasons two, three and four are Babylon 5 firing on all cylinders.
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post #30 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:28pm
I've never seen an episode of Battlestar Galactica. I've resisted it for years. When that boxset is released in July that's about to change.
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post #31 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stelios View Post
I'd even go so far as to discard the first and last season of Babylon 5. Of course, the first season sets things up and the last one ties up some loose ends, but seasons two, three and four are Babylon 5 firing at all cylinders.
I was about to rebuke your decision to ignore Season 5. But aside from a little planetary bombardment you're right, nothing happens in that series and it completely cheapens one of the best things about Season 4. So yeah, forget Season 5 exists everybody.

I actually think marathoning BSG would leave me really exhausted and drained. It's such a miserable show, I don't think I could watch more than an episode at a time
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post #32 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:33pm
Arrested Development is the perfect series to have a "marathon" viewing - tons of call-back jokes and what not.
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post #33 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:34pm
I've been watching AD with friends, a disc a night, and each series does work as three seperate little movies.
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post #34 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RathBandu View Post
I'm also considering getting the first season of Magnum, P.I. or Rockford Files off Netflix to check those out.
I am a HUGE Magnum fan since it first aired and I have to warn you. The first season is a bit...rough. It really took the show a good 2-3 seasons before it hit is stride. Its still very watchable in Season 1 mind you, but the eps don't get really good until a few seasons in. Also, I beg of you, don't judge the show by the acting quality of TC and Rick.

Rockford is pretty good early on. I loved the fact that the "hero" is basically an asshole most of the time.
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post #35 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Strange View Post
I'm thinking about doing Rome. Should I?
Rome is like a very expensive and elaborate psuedo-historical soap opera with violence and naked chicks. Yes, yes you should.
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post #36 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spike Marshall View Post
I actually think marathoning BSG would leave me really exhausted and drained. It's such a miserable show, I don't think I could watch more than an episode at a time
Marathoning BSG? What a bad idea. It's up there with taking acid after your dog dies. Days of depression are guaranteed.
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post #37 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stelios View Post
Marathoning BSG? What a bad idea. It's up there with taking acid after your dog dies. Days of depression are guaranteed.
I also think BSG will make less sense if you watch them all at once. As the show progresses it makes some funky leaps in logic, plot and history. If you watch them all back to back this may piss you off moreso than when we watched it in serial form.
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post #38 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:43pm
Thread Starter 
Trying to marathon BSG might be the only way I get into it. A few years ago I got halfway through the first season I was so bored that I vowed never to go back to it. Unfortunately if I want to stop hearing people say, "What? How did you not watch BSG?" I have to actually hunker down and watch it.
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post #39 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:45pm
You could splice together Blade Runner and Schindler's List and pretty much replicate the entireity of Season 2 and 3.
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post #40 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:45pm
I bought the first to seasons of B5 to watch as a marathon.

I Still havent finished the 2nd series, I just couldn't get back into it.
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post #41 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:45pm
Though it was gone before it had time to fully blossom, I have been meaning to marathon all of Carnivale again, because it's so fucking awesome it deserves a viewing every year.

Stick with it, Ken, season/series 2 of Babylon 5 is where the shit starts going down and it turns into greatness. There are few, if any, episodes that don't deal with the central plot in some way. Even random 'crazy alien of the week' has something to do with the larger picture.
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post #42 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:46pm
I actually didn't have a problem marathoning BSG. If anything, it made the moments of light -- like Chief revealing what they named the stealth fighter -- all the more moving.
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post #43 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:46pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc Happenin View Post
Though it was gone before it had time to fully blossom, I have been meaning to marathon all of Carnivale again, because it's so fucking awesome it deserves a viewing every year.

Stick with it, Ken, season/series 2 of Babylon 5 is where the shit starts going down.
I've never seen an episode of Carnivale. Is it worth picking up on DVD?
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post #44 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:47pm
I'm not saying that you shouldn't watch BSG. Because while it had it's ups and downs, BSG at its best shouldn't be missed. Just not in marathon form.

Edit: Damn this moves fast.
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post #45 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Cordo View Post
I've never seen an episode of Carnivale. Is it worth picking up on DVD?
OH GOD YES.

It's one of my favourite TV shows ever. It's essentially two ten hour films in its production value and scope.
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post #46 of 102
6/18/09 at 1:54pm
Too funny; I was just discussing this subject with my wife on Monday. We plan on doing marathons of:

'Lost' (last season)
'The Prisoner' (to get ready for the remake coming out this fall)
'The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin' (one of THE best BBC comedies)
'Carnivale'

We're trying to spend as much time outside as we can this Summer, so I don't know if we'll get any more viewing in than that.
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post #47 of 102
6/18/09 at 2:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RathBandu View Post
I'm also considering getting the first season of Magnum, P.I. or Rockford Files off Netflix to check those out.

.
Speaking as someone whose job was basically a Rockford Files marathon for a few weeks, I'd recommend sampling them on Watch It Now before requesting the discs. And avoid marathon sessions. The eps can be good in and of themselves, but they would get awfully repetitive, and there's no grander plot or story arc to digest aside from the occasional two-parter.

And remember: the plucky young journalist/lawyer/stewardess is always too curious for her own good, the rich old white guy politician/tycoon/real estate developer always have exactly two henchmen to to rough up Rockford, and Rockford never spends enough time with his dad.
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post #48 of 102
6/18/09 at 2:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Cordo View Post
Trying to marathon BSG might be the only way I get into it. A few years ago I got halfway through the first season I was so bored that I vowed never to go back to it. Unfortunately if I want to stop hearing people say, "What? How did you not watch BSG?" I have to actually hunker down and watch it.
Pretty much this, and I'm very fickle with sci-fi. It has to either really grab me a la Firefly, or I won't bother with it. What I gleaned from what I've seen so far: at least that dude got tongued by Tricia Helfer before he died, and Starbuck really likes jogging.
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post #49 of 102
6/18/09 at 2:51pm
Show's I've never gotten into and plan to marathon sooner or later:

Carnivale
Deadwood
True Blood
Mad Men
Farscape (never saw the first few seasons)
Twin Peaks


A friend of mine is marathoning Stargate SG1 right now, after exhausting Buffy, Angel, Firefly, BSG, Supernatural, 24, Lost, and Dexter over the past couple years. He seems to like it. I did the same a few years ago, good easy to absorb show. I keep trying to tell him about the Wire but he is resistant.
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post #50 of 102
6/18/09 at 2:54pm
Skip the first season of Farscape, doesn't really add much and it's annoying as hell. Stuff gets going with the second season.
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