Recommend some HBO dramas

[Pander Bear]

Lets not forget that HBO does make some shitty, light-weight programming. Not everything is going to be deadwood/the wire.

I would watch madmen before I looked at anything else mentioned in this thread.

 

[theotherside]

Yeah right now, or at least before it went on hiatus, I would say that Mad Men is the best show on television by far. Amazing writing, great characters, realistic looking 50's clothes/houses/cars.

 

[TheDeceased]

6ft Under - yeah, is good, but surpasses everything??? Comig from someone who thinks deadwood is shit really makes me question your judgment.

Deadwood just isn't my cup of tea, I guess. I see that it's well made, I just don't like it.

6 Feet Under needs to be watched from the beginning. Do that and I challenge you to not become emotionally invested in at least one of the characters.

 

[AmorRoark]

No one will tell me what Sons of Anarchy is about., it MUST be good.

I did. It's about a motorcycle gang in California. Basically it's about their run-ins with other gangs/ and relationships amongst the higher-ups in this particular charter of the gang. There's a lot of familial problems, power-struggles, being bad asses, avoiding the law, getting pinched, making deals , falling in love etc. It's complicated and wonderful.

 

[chrisinabox]

I just tried starting to watch Mad Men and it's just not exciting at all! Its way too slow progressing, at least so far, I'm only at episode 6 of Season 1 but so far, I'm so bored I can barely continue to be honest. Its not the worst show I've seen (*cough john from cincinnatti cough*) but it definitely shouldn't be included in the list of best TV dramas IMO.

 

[satricion]

Never watch Carnivale. It's too good and then there's no more after the second season, which is just at the point where it starts to get totally awesome. Which means we'll never know what happens. Which is worse than never watching it at all!

 

[tribal girl]

True Blood - Cheap, crappy vampire porn for teenagers

I honestly don't think that's the case. I admit, it does appear to be that way at first, but scratch away at the surface a bit and there's a very interesting, and serious undertone to it.

6 Feet Under needs to be watched from the beginning. Do that and I challenge you to not become emotionally invested in at least one of the characters.

Six Feet Under was really cunning with it's character development, in that, you could dislike a certain character in one series, then in the next, begin to understand them completely. Then it could go full circle again. I loved that aspect of it. It's true to life.

Never watch Carnivale. It's too good and then there's no more after the second season, which is just at the point where it starts to get totally awesome. Which means we'll never know what happens. Which is worse than never watching it at all!

I'd much rather a series finished on a high and remained perfect (at least in my eyes), even if it means not knowing what happens next. So many programs are ruined by going on for way too long and becoming complete and utter nonsense.

Both American Gothic and My So-Called Life only ran for one series, and they still remain two of my favourites. Of course I would have liked to have known what happened, but sometimes things are best left to the imagination (UK residents: This Life?).

 

[Cyc]

Never watch Carnivale. It's too good and then there's no more after the second season, which is just at the point where it starts to get totally awesome. Which means we'll never know what happens. Which is worse than never watching it at all!

That's what I said about Rome at first, when I realized it was only doing a 2 season run. I threw a fit, e-mailed HBO, and blogged about it non-stop for a week.

After I calmed down, I came to the realization that the show ended because it was done telling the story it set out to. If the creators had squeezed out a 3rd season, or worse, tried to turn it into a franchise, then everything I loved about it would be lost.

So with these things, it's almost better to have loved and lost, rather than to have a sold out series that ends up watered down and out of ideas, a la Sopranos.

HBO certainly doesn't always hit the mark, but I'm very, very impressed with their programming overall.

 

[satricion]

Well Carnivale didn't stop because it was done telling the story. The end of season 2 is really only the beginning. The first two seasons are good but quite slow, and then season 2 ends on a massive cliffhanger and then the show got canned.

 

[bit_pattern]

Lets not forget that HBO does make some shitty, light-weight programming. Not everything is going to be deadwood/the wire.

I would watch madmen before I looked at anything else mentioned in this thread.

I do hold your opinion in some regard, so I'll give it a crack and ignore the dude saying it shouldn't be on the list.

And, yeah, when I was traveling I was disappointed to find that the various HBO channels had nothing but pap on, kinda confused me a bit.

So with these things, it's almost better to have loved and lost, rather than to have a sold out series that ends up watered down and out of ideas, a la Sopranos.
.

Too true, they could have killed that off a bit earlier and with more edge.

Deadwood ended abruptly, they always intended at least another season, but I thought considering it was a historical drama it was kind of fitting, ya know, real life doesn't tie off neatly so it was sort of poignant.

 

[bit_pattern]

I honestly don't think that's the case. I admit, it does appear to be that way at first, but scratch away at the surface a bit and there's a very interesting, and serious undertone to it.

Really?

I dunno, we have the first season box set here but I gave up after an episode. But, maybe I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and try again. I have trouble with supernatural themes as it is, so can't promise it will grow on me.

 

[arthunter888]

Not strictly drama or HBO but here is my list...

1) Curb Your Enthusiasm (funniest show EVER in the history of TV, smart/subtle humor)
2) Sopranos (consistently attention-holding)
3) Burn Notice (oh yea, USA sucks, but love this one, love how the spy tips are EXPLAINED by narration---seriously these tips may save your ass one day, spy or not)
4) Breaking Bad (great acting, great plot)
5) Weeds (simpler humor, but good plots, soccer mom weed dealer = interesting/funny)

 

[AmorRoark]

I just tried starting to watch Mad Men and it's just not exciting at all! Its way too slow progressing, at least so far, I'm only at episode 6 of Season 1 but so far, I'm so bored I can barely continue to be honest. Its not the worst show I've seen (*cough john from cincinnatti cough*) but it definitely shouldn't be included in the list of best TV dramas IMO.

This is all about personal choice so don't think I'm knocking you but people who have said they dislike Mad Men are the same people who, generally, dislike old movies as well. I think the focus on dialogue and subtlety in plot turn a lot of people off in a modern age. They really are a ton 'slower' than most modern entertainment but that's rarely a problem for me. I think my parents forcing me to watch older movies when I was young with them highly influenced my lack of aversion to what others might find slow. Anybody else see this pattern in themselves and/or their friends/family?

Sorry for off-topicness.

 

[belarki]

It's not HBO but I found this a reasonably good series. Might not be your cup of tea, it's a British political drama broken into a trilogy, each about 4 episodes: House Of Cards , To Play The King and The Final Cut. It has some annoying and repetitive elements but is worth a watch if you're bored

 

[mariacallas]

God I love Mad Men. And I love lots of old movies too. Good analysis Amy.
I was never forced to watch them when I was young though, but in school we had to watch a TON of old stuff for my film classes. Loved em.

I'm waiting for Amy and PB to slap me silly and force me to watch my dvd's of the Wire hogtied

Next on my list: Six Feet Under. I think I may even watch this before I watch the Wire (I know, I know...damn procrastination!)

The Sopranos....one of my most favorite shows, if not the most favorite. How can one not appreciate the unbelievably addictive and provocative writing and superb acting? I felt incredibly sad when it ended, but hey, I can revisit my box-sets anytime and I have

 

[tribal girl]

Next on my list: Six Feet Under. I think I may even watch this before I watch the Wire (I know, I know...damn procrastination!)

Do it. You'll love it!. :D

I could never get into The Wire, myself. I'm sure it's a very good show, it just never pulled me in.

 

[L2R]

six feet under is ok.

i watched it from the start and i've been counting the episodes down for about a season already. only three left.

it has its moments, but goes absolutely nowhere. if you watch the first episodes, you've seen everything already. you know, i'd probably have a much more positive light on the show if it wasn't for the nathaniel character. he's such a fucking stupid pathetic loser. i liked all the other characters, with the possible exception of Lisa, oh and *gag reflex* vanessa. billy shit me at first but then grew on me.

it was nice to see kathy bates, james cromwell, justin theroux, etc as guests but the melodrama just went in circles with characters doing stupid shit over and over.

Oz, Soapranos, The Wire and others are all substantially better. hell, i even prefer entourage to this.


edit: this came off too negative. it aint all shit, i mean, i watched it to the end (only 3 left). i didn't turn it off (was tempted). on a positive note, Six Feet Under has one of the best title sequences ever. it's brilliant.

 

[AmorRoark]

I agree with the title sequence being superb... and your criticism of it going nowhere is something that bothered me as well. Sometimes I just wanted to pull them all collectively out of their slump.

I had a love/hate relationship with Nate. Sometimes I loved him (like when he got high with Brenda & her random friend) but usually I was just annoyed at his self-centered, complainy attitude.

That said, the show, IMO was pretty brilliant. The acting alone was extremely impressive.

 

[AmorRoark]

God I love Mad Men. And I love lots of old movies too. Good analysis Amy.
I was never forced to watch them when I was young though, but in school we had to watch a TON of old stuff for my film classes. Loved em.

I'm waiting for Amy and PB to slap me silly and force me to watch my dvd's of the Wire hogtied

Next on my list: Six Feet Under. I think I may even watch this before I watch the Wire (I know, I know...damn procrastination!)

The Sopranos....one of my most favorite shows, if not the most favorite. How can one not appreciate the unbelievably addictive and provocative writing and superb acting? I felt incredibly sad when it ended, but hey, I can revisit my box-sets anytime and I have

We're so compatible sis.

 

[alasdairm]

it has its moments, but goes absolutely nowhere.

a metaphor for life (and death)?



alasdair