Television Your TV Show(s) and Discussion

[SKL]

personally, I believe, since The Wire or even The Sopranos, long form narrative episodic yet again long form television is one of the foremost if not the foremost (likely imo) of the narrative arts in our current culture. And the TV networks realize it too, so there are practically too many TV shows to keep up with!

what are you following presently"

honestly there are too many qualtity shows to follow at once

bolded means i'm seriously intoit, the others i do actually awatch every episode, I work every eveninings into overnights so basically I watch reruns, on demand, or downloaded shit

myself:
The Americans
Orphan Black*
The Expanse*
Hell on Wheels*
Peaky Blinders*
Fargo
Narcos
House of Cards
Mad Dogs
Engranges
Braquo
True Detective (season one)
Blindspot
The Last Panthers
Containment
The Last Ship
Fear the Walking Dead/The Walking Dead (waiting for next season for the latter)
Mr Robot (waiting for next season)
The Family
Game of Secrets

* chomping at the bit waiting for the next episode/season

but I don't really think anyone can deny that this is the premier narrative art for om of the present generation; I remember TV as a kid or even as a young adult and it was pretty fucikin lame, seems like these days just about every network/channel has some legit real shit to offer

 

[jpgrdnr]

TV is more something I do when I'm too tired to do anything else but lay on the couch. And even then I feel I spend too much time watching it. TV has almost turned into a lifestyle for some people. Although I'm guilty as the next person. I think HBO and OnDemand TV has made it even more predominant in our lives.

 

[SKL]

I'm kinda afraid TV is becoming a lifestyle for me. I work long late hours and often wind up just binging on on demand or downloads when I get off ... so much great content out there too. The list above actually isn't even remotely everything I'm keeping up with tbh. Thing is, I'm so used to binging a season at a time now I've committed to so many shows, some of which are (much) better than others, that it can be a little difficult to keep with all of it. Maybe I will stop watching some of the ones I like relatively less and then watch the seasons once they're over...

 

[LaBlueEyes]

Orange is the new black, House of Cards, Wentworth, How to get away with Murder, and Scream the TV show.

 

[alasdairm]

lately i have been watching the bridge and mad dogs. both dark and both excellent.

alasdair

 

[SKL]

Loved the Bridge. Also saw the Danish (iirc?) Show it was based on. Will have to check out Mad Dogs.

 

[jpgrdnr]

war and peace (BBC) was good

 

[bamos]

The Americans, Orphan Black and Mr. Robot are great! You have to check out this one too: Banshee

 

[sigmond]

The last season of person of interest is ongoing, aside from several throwaway episodes and some absurdly trite fight scenes i thought the show was exceptional. its lighthearted and plot and character-driven.

 

[SKL]

Banshee

oh yeah that is a good one
banshee, pa in some ways kind of reminds me of my hometown in upstate ny tbh
my ex-gf's grandfather, now deceased, was apparently basically kai proctor although toned down being irl not being television

 

[tantric]

chronic bingewatcher...

shameless - though i do enjoy their guileless criminality, mostly it's family envy. that family is everything mine isn't. the truly love and trust each other. plus i have the hots for lip

jessica jones - best thing marvel has on tv. i love that all the main characters are women, but there's nothing girly about it. it deeply explores violation and rape by having the antagonist be a perfect mindcontroller. also like the gumshoe detective noir.

the outs - a gem of a show on vimeo about gay life in ny. the magic is that the episodes are in reverse chronological order, yet this is handled in a way that is effortless. very well done indie bit.

the expanse - absolutely the best sf show that has ever existed. be warned - if you are not familiar with how physics and gravity work in space, you may get a bit lost or not follow why some things happen as they do. interestingly, also a bit of detective noir, and well done by thomas jane with a ludicrious hair cut. but the assistant secretary to the UN character, a south asian lady with a voice like she's been smoking black and milds since birth, steals the show.

penny dreadful - well done gaslight horror. uses stock characters like dracula, dr. frankenstein, etc, but nothing about them is predictable. too bad i loathe the dorian grey character, but kudos for the best representation of a transsexual i've seen so far on tv.

 

[poledriver]

The last man on earth
Archer
Bates Motel

 

[sigmond]

I enjoyed "The Man in The High Castle" you need amazon prime to watch it though. the cinematography was highly digitized but nonetheless exquisite! i watched the first episode of 'The Americans' and have been trying to get myself to watch the whole series. I consider a few of the episodes from 'Black Mirror' the best shows netflix has produced.

Both 'the man in the high castle' and 'black mirror' are filming more episodes.

Amazon Prime has a better selection of TV shows than netflix.

(bad English)

 

[SKL]

the expanse - absolutely the best sf show that has ever existed. be warned - if you are not familiar with how physics and gravity work in space, you may get a bit lost or not follow why some things happen as they do. interestingly, also a bit of detective noir, and well done by thomas jane with a ludicrious hair cut. but the assistant secretary to the UN character, a south asian lady with a voice like she's been smoking black and milds since birth, steals the show

amazing show with a variety of interesting angles. most interesting for me is this is not sci fi involving people in funny suits and warp drives interacting (or fighting) as the case may be with alien cultures, but a human world that's been expanded to include the better part of the solar system, with the UN, now an (implied at least semi-totalitarian, explicitly corporatist and colonialist run by a military-industrial-complex much like our own) one-world government with influence decreasing as does distance. with apart from a few shot set earth, things are grimy and gritty and even a bit noirish, the Blade Runner influence is clear here. the lack of aliens is substituted for by the emergence of at least 3 very distinct cultures of humanity based on where several generations have spent their lives (without spoiling anything, part of what tantric is talking about when she mentions when talking about gravity.) the world is one we could very much recognize as a projection of our own into the future. there are still smart phones but they are much cooler. fighting is still done with kinetic weapons. poverty, hunger (even lack of oxygen and water), political intrigue, war and insurgency, wealth and power politics, are all very much present, and the cinematography, set design, casting, etc. are fantastic. one of the best things I have seen on TV in a long time. I can recommend it absolutely without any reservation.

 

[LaBlueEyes]

I've found a true gem on Netflix called "Touch". It's AMAZING! The only downside is there's only 2 seasons.

 

[quiet roar]

lately i have been watching the bridge and mad dogs. both dark and both excellent.

alasdair

The Sweedish/Danish Bridge series are excellent. Two and Three not as good as the first but good nonetheless. I'm always suspect of American versions of films or TV shows because they have always been a major let down: usually dumbed down or just over simplified.

Recently watched "The Last Panthers", which was pretty cool, and have heard Peaky Blinders is excellent so that will be my next one.

 

[SKL]

Peaky Blinders you and everyone else needs to drop everything and watch immediately.

Last Panthers was pretty solid too.

 

[SKL]

lately i have been watching the bridge and mad dogs. both dark and both excellent.

alasdair

bump for mad dogs
starting season 2
diggin it

more recommendations
Engrenges (Spiral)
Braquo ([The] Raid, although usually untranslated)

both ongoing, excellent darkish French TV crime dramas
"Engrenages" I'd compare to The Wire in scope if not ground-breakingness and overall perfection

Comme toujours, si vous avez un peu de français, c'est plus bien.

 

[jpgrdnr]

2 more seasons of peaky I guess :D

 

[malakaix]

what are you following presently"

Bold - Shows I'm really into.
The rest are just to fill in time.

Peaky Blinders - Brilliant.
House of Cards - I love manipulation and cunning.
Mr. Robot
Game of Thrones - I was really into the show but I'm less interested then I was two seasons ago.
The Expanse - This was a hidden gem. I had no idea what to expect.. just incredible. I actually made a thread for it some months ago in F&T. It's based on a series of novels.
11.22.63
Black Sails
Black Mirror - I'm keen to see what Netflix produces with this. I loved what I saw and I still feel disturbed by the second episode of season one.
Vikings
Narcos
Fargo - It's rare that the second season can outdo the first but wow was this a surprise.
Billions - I'm not sure why I like this show. I find the financial world and it's power interesting.. plus Paul Giamatti is excellent.

Worthy mentions of series finished:

True Detective (season one) - This was probably one of the best season's of television drama I've ever seen. I re-watched it three times.
Hannibal - I might be in a minority here but the artistic design behind this show was jaw dropping, it was so cleverly written and acted. Like watching a kaleidoscope of psycho-emotional exploration into the subconscious.