# What's A Good Show on TV Today?



## simon (Nov 2, 2002)

As I browsed the slim pickings for entertaining viewing on another Monday night, I got to thinking what is the worst show of all that's on the tube right now - but that's the lead in sentence on my other thread ... 

There has to be some good shows still on TV and not reruns of old but better than today's (eg: Sielfeld). A show that you look forward to watching. A show that intrigues while entertains you. Something you actually stop working enough to pay attention to ... my vote goes to ... 

Arrested Development and/or Scrubs.

There are a few more that I like (eg: worth watching - but not enough to justify the bandwidth).

So give me some ideas on how to waste the little spare time I have. If you want to rag out on something on TV then check out my What's Worst on TV Today thread.


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## autopilot (Dec 2, 2004)

six feet under or the sopranos.

unfortunately we don't get hbo so to watch the most up to date episodes you need to get the dvds.

tv is so disappointing these days.


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## sammy (Oct 12, 2002)

*24*

I have to say that 24 is great. However, it is a show that if you miss even one episode, your'e pooched.


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## Mrs. Furley (Sep 1, 2004)

Six Feet Under...same deal as auto pilot though - no cable. We rented the first and second seasons and are anxiously awaiting the third!

I also love Curb Your Enthusiasm.


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## MaxPower (Jan 30, 2003)

I've been big on the dramas lately (last 4 years)

I generally watch:
24
Third Watch
NYPD Blue
American Chopper
Survivor
Soprano's (when I had grey area TV)


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

I think Six Feet Under slipped pretty seriously for large chunks of the second through fourth seasons. I eagerly watched it all, and it <i>is</i> good, but honestly they largely failed to recapture the magic. I'm glad the fifth season will be the final one.

Trailer Park Boys is, IMO, pure genius. Definitely a love-it-or-hate-it phenomenon, though, and I hold nothing against those who hate it.

CBC's new Hatching, Matching & Dispatching was a riot. I'm not sure what its status is; they just aired the pilot last week. I'm hoping for many more eps.

In the so-called "reality" genre, I confess to enjoying the Amazing Race.


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## rollee (Feb 26, 2003)

monday : 24
tuesday : amazing race

i watch BBC and DW a lot.


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## MacDaddy (Jul 16, 2001)

Ohhhh, so hard to Pick, but here are some of my Fav's (In no particular order)!

Dead Like Me
Desperate Housewives
Soprano's
Las Vegas
Simpsons
Curb Your Enthusiasm
UnderGRAD's (Still plays on Teletoon sometimes)
The Oblongs (See Above comment)
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition


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## Glipt (Aug 7, 2003)

Lost rocks.
24 Rocks.

Thats all I watch.


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

Every evening I watch _Jeopardy!_ and usually Seinfeld reruns. When I can, I'll watch MarketPlace, and Rick Mercer's new show (it's not bad at all, but I can't remember what it's called). NewsWorld often has some very interesting documentaries & features. I'll watch Discovery as long as it's not one of those stupid "Monster" programs. On Saturday evenings I'll watch MadTV (better than SNL, in my opinion) That's about it for network television, for me.

I do watch programs on PBS a few times a week though - Nova, Masterpiece Theatre, some British comedies, cooking shows and more cooking shows, and whatnot. Just about the only shows on PBS I actively avoid are Lawrence Welk and those Peter, Paul, and Mary concerts that seem to be shown every other week (I _can't stand_ 'em).


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## Gerbill (Jul 1, 2003)

*good TV*

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on The Comedy Network.


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## Ants (May 6, 2003)

My favorite shows..hopefully there's another season of each coming...

Kid Notorious
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Futurama
Simpsons
The Family Guy
http://www.fgmma.com


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## bopeep (Jun 7, 2004)

Six feet under
Arrested Development [I just started watching this and like it so far]
Trailer park boys
Star Trek
Battlestar Gallactica
American Chopper [I dunno why...]
If I knew when The Oblongs was on... - I am so sick of Undergrads 
Family Guy
The Jetsons.


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## Pylonman (Aug 16, 2004)

Lost
The Apprentice
Survivor (for awhile...)
American chopper
Monster Garage
Monster House
Six feet under
Deseprate House wives


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## jlcinc (Dec 13, 2002)

Corner gas is pretty funny most of the time the last episode with the tourist sucked, I think it might catch on in the states as a cult hit. I like West Wing, most of the time but the writing has suffered lately. Lost, I like it I just wish something would happen, worse then a soap opera (don't get me started). I like Enterprise I just wish someone could write science fiction not soap opera. The Apprentice, the first season was pretty good, last season was shi$, I am hoping for more but with that guy and his guitar I don't know. Baseball will be back soon and I can stop watching everything else.

John


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## depmode101 (Sep 4, 2002)

arrested development - what a hilarious show - you have to watch it at least once to see if you think the same.
i am shocked that it is as funny as it is = great writers.

my other favorites:
jeopardy (its been really good since ken left, although i do miss seeing him kick ass)
24  - jack is one bad MOFO
amazing race - much better since jonathon and victoria got the boot
rick mercers monday report - a smart and funny canadian -
poker - whether its world poker tour, or any other poker play - god thats addicting to play
south park  - trey parker and matt stone - funny guys

and british shows on BBC canada:
eastenders - i have no idea how i got wrapped into this soap opera - but i love all things british
spooks (or MI-5 as its called on A&E) - great spy show - sort of reminds me of 24, but its not really the same (weird desciption there on my part)

tv is great - the PVR makes TV watching even better - it is seriously life changing - you can watch what you want, when you want - and skipping commercials is great too.

and my all time favorite:
the simpsons - just gets better all the time, and syndication to the extreme - it seems to be on all the time.


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## Bosco (Apr 29, 2004)

I'll second the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. My other choices would be Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Sopranos and Alias.

I also like CSI Miami.


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

The West Wing.


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## RISCHead (Jul 20, 2004)

six feet under was terrible last season (fourth) - my friends get HBO and I caught more than a few episodes.
Nip/Tuck is pretty good.
I like Monk as well
Daily show
lukewarm about 24 - find its stretching thin after a couple of seasons
CSI:Miami
Agree that Corner Gas is funny, don't see it often enough


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

The Antiques Roadshow, Brit, American or Canuck version, matters not.


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## RC51Pilot (Mar 26, 2004)

Just about anything on Discovery - particularly Daily Planet. Speed gets a nod too except for anything NASCAR related (which is about 75% of the content unfortunatley).


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## moonsocket (Apr 1, 2002)

There was a show on called "The Mind of the Married Man"


I love that show. Haven't seen it in awhile though.


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## thewitt (Jan 27, 2003)

Antiques Roadshow - From the US just seems like a pile of junk compared to the UK. In the UK people are bringing in things that are hundreds of years old, hand made, usually furniture or art. In the US people bring in "toys their daddy gave 'em". Not quite as interesting.

I have suggested to a few local pubs that AR should take the place of hockey with he strike. Can't you picture a bar full of guys watching the screen and yelling when the 'expert' makes a bad call? 

I'll second (or third) The Daily Show. If I miss that, I DL it the next day.
After that I still love The Simpsons

Nip Tuck is fabulous. Really draws you in. I haven't seen a show before where you hate all the characters, yet still love the show.

Huff (Hank Azaria's new show) is a good replacement while waiting for NP to come back on this summer. Again, that is just a download away, because I don't have Showcase.


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## oryxbiker (Nov 29, 2001)

The best TV show on these days is The Dukes of Hazzard re-runs on CMT.


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## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

Favourite Commedy:
Royal Canadian Air Farce 
Corner Gas
Scrubs
Reba

Favourite Sci-Fi:
Star Trek: Enterprise
Smallville

Favourite Drama:
West Wing
Sue Thomas: FBEye

Favoute Action:
CSI; CSI - Miami; CSI - NY - starting to be too many CSIs
Alias
Crossing Jordan
NCIS
JAG

Favourite Brit:
Lovejoy
MI-5 

Odds & Ends:
Mythbusters (on Discovery - they love doing crazy things)


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## RC51Pilot (Mar 26, 2004)

Yeah I've caught myself watching the DOH too - Daisy Duke and a '69 Charger. I'm in love all over again


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## Cynical Critic (Sep 2, 2002)

<b>CSI</b> (Las Vegas) - Miami stinks and NY is so-so
<b>24</b> - I was cynical when it first aired but now I'm hooked; it's like a 24 hour action-packed movie.
<b>The Daily Show</b> - the best news show and the best comedy show on TV.
<b>Lost</b> - sure it's basically a soap opera but aside from that it's everything Survivor isn't.

Damn TV for getting a few good shows again!

Does anyone else feel like some TV has really begun to surpass the movies? I suppose having a movie-sized budget for each episode on some shows helps.


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## Clockwork (Feb 24, 2002)

Alias (Great Show)
24
West Wing ( just started the second season, not too bad just a little slow, Second season much better so far)
Trailor Park Boys 
American Justice 
Investigative reports
Law & Order (all of them are great)
CSI (It's ok, Hate Miami my problem is it gives is a very distorted, inacurate look at Forensics. Although it would be boring if all they did was sit in the lab all day and they would have to have tons of characters to make it more realistic.) 
As for 6 Feet Under, I thought is was great for a couple seasons. Then for some reason the writting, the story lines started to go in a way that I have no interest in. Hopefully they learned because they almost didn't do another season.


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## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

Cynical Critic said:


> <b>Lost</b> - sure it's basically a soap opera but aside from that it's everything Survivor isn't.
> :


Damn, forgot about that one, I've started following that one lately, especially with all the mystery about the Island! And talk about head trips! One guy sees his father walking around the island, another guys sees his step-sister killed and then later sees her alive and fine. Polar bears seem to be roamin' the island. Everyone aboard the plane seems to have a secret and a story. 



Cynical Critic said:


> Damn TV for getting a few good shows again!
> 
> Does anyone else feel like some TV has really begun to surpass the movies? I suppose having a movie-sized budget for each episode on some shows helps.


I've noticed alot more Movie actors on TV lately too! Of course that may have somethin' to do with the budget too.

Talking about budgets, it looks like Andromeda's budget got slashed this year, they've been on the same damn planet for episodes...


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

I still get a kick out of two old Brit shows in rerun. "Are You Being Served?" and "Keeping Up Appearances". The humour is very clever and one has to pay attention to get it all.


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## bobannikolic (Apr 19, 2005)

My Favourites on TV right now are as follows:

Alias (great 1st two seasons (tv's version of crack, really addictive), starting to get back to that standard after the two hour special, season finale looks like its going to be good)

24 (Thrills and Chills... agree with the 24 hour action movie assessment)

British version of the office (funny, funny stuff)


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## yoyo (Aug 3, 2003)

Lost
Dead like me
Fat actress
Amazing race
Survivor
Scrubs
Corner gas
Futureama
FamilyGuy


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## Mrs. Furley (Sep 1, 2004)

I really like Extreme Makeover, Home Edition.

I've also been catching up on Sex and the City - they show it on City TV on weekdays. I love it...although they bleep out all the good stuff so I should probably rent it at some point.


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## Jason H (Feb 1, 2004)

This is wonderland, ER, family guy, simpsons and probably a few others i'm forgetting....

oh and i try to catch coronation street when I can.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

These stories will blow your mind.......and THEY'RE TRUE!!!!

http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/untoldstories/untoldstories.html










Terrific stories - the actual doctors involved and excellent recreations. You simply willnot beleive. You'll laugh and cry the whole hour. :clap:


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

Shows on the Discovery and the History Channel are usually time well worth spending. The Learning Channel has reruns of "The West Wing", although they too have educational shows as well.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Big week for 2 hour season finales.

Idol, 24 and House on my list.

The Tarantino Vega CSI was a flop for me.

Survivor was okay - for once the best game player won and should give encouragement to all the over 40s out there. The winner was fit, tough and smart. Maybe only the Aussie game was better and the first season only for newness tho the winner there was an unlikely one so offered some drama.

HD is compelling in these - even when the action gets boring the eye candy rules. :clap:

Anyone new to HD should watch *Smart Travels* with Rudy Maxa, *Tracks Ahead* and *The Desert Speaks* for reference on how good it SHOULD be.

The Japan Week segment on Daily Planet is also reference material.
Idol is also reference level material for the most part.


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

MacDoc, my son went through a "24" marathon with a few of his friends, when they watched all of seasons 1 and 2 on DVD. I must admit, that I got caught up in a few of the episodes. An interesting genre.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

24 is tough if you aren't in at the beginning - each hour of TV = one hour in the program so the entire season is one day.
Keeping all the threads moving and the pacing is a marvel of writing and visual effects ( lots of split screens ) and keeping it to one incredibly tense day - ala the showdown between Kennedy and Kruschev the dramatic level is natural high when the scale of events are right.

I think the better pacing tho is West Wing - I don't think 24 can sustain multiple seasons without getting cliche'ed - it already is to some degree so the "dramatic stakes" and twists and turns have to get wilder each season.

It might work on a long term if they moved off a national/world scale to a smaller scale - say a city level crisis - that would allow wider plot scenarios and a variety of locales.
I don;t see them going beyond the current "ultimate terrorist attack" scenario next year.

I also think that it's perhaps feeding American angst and prejudice but that's another topic.


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

MacDoc, I watched certain of the episodes of "24" with my son, who got upset when I kept asking for info from previous episodes.

Now, "The West Wing" should get most interesting if they make the transition to a new president. I am betting that Alan Alda's character shall become the new president, and the show shall take on a unique twist. My wife is betting on (hoping for) the Jamie Smitt's character to become the new president. We shall see.


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## Ena (Feb 7, 2005)

Jason H said:


> oh and i try to catch coronation street when I can.


Yay! Another fan of the UK soap  My nick was one of the characters in the show.


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

When I first came to NL in 1977, I had a small black and white TV that received the only two stations in St.John's at the time -- CBC and NTV. When I was home sick at the end of summer, just before I was to start teaching at MUN, I started to watch Coronation Street. I NEVER watched any of the US soaps, but there was something about CS that hooked me. Every so often, when I have nothing to do, and CS is on TV, I shall watch it and not feel that it was wasted time.


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## jicon (Jan 12, 2005)

There are a few "drinking games" for '24' available out there on the 'net. I played along counting the number of drinks I'd need to take if any of the following occurred:

1) The time is displayed. (1 Drink)
2) There is an explosion, a bomb going off, or a plane/helicopter crash. (1 Drink)
3) A tender or sentimental moment is interrupted by a ringing cell phone. (2 Drinks)
4) There is a major plot twist that renders a significant amount of work done by CTU/Jack Bauer useless. (1 Drink)
5) Someone you thought was with the "good guys" is revealed to be in with the "bad guys." (2 Drinks)
6) Someone is held at gunpoint. (1 Drink)
7) A defibrulator is used (1 Drink).
If it actually saves the persons life. (2 Drinks)
8) Someone dies. (1 Drink)
If they're a A CTU / Governmental executive or other major plot character. (2 Drinks)
If the person is killed just before they reveal important information, discover something crucial, or solve some puzzle. (3 Drinks)
9) Jack Bauer miraculously recovers from an injury or very narrowly escapes certain death. (2 Drinks)
10) Jack Bauer does something that is against protocol. (1 Drink)
If he gets caught. (2 Drinks)
11) Jack Bauer asks to speak to the president. (1 Drink)
If he says "It?s important." (2 Drinks)
12) Jack Bauer yells, "Drop your weapon!" (1 Drink)
13) Jack Bauer says, "You just have to trust me" (1 Drink)
14) Jack Bauer interrogates someone. (1 drink)
If Jack gets pissed off and yells, throws things (or them) around. (2 Drinks)
If Jack kills them afterward. (3 drinks)
15) Some computer whiz at CTU decodes, analyzes, decrypts, or hacks something. (1 Drink)
16) Kim Bauer says or does something extraordinarily stupid. (gets kidnapped, lies to the authorites, etc) (2 Drinks)
17) An old character who you thought was dead, fired, or gone forever comes back to surprise everyone (2 Drinks).
18) Someone is being a complete asshole, or a total moron and is preventing CTU, Jack, or the "good guys" from saving the day. (1 Drink)
If the above someone is Kim or Sherry (2 Drinks)
19) Sherry Palmer says "I'm doing this for you, David", or "This is for the good of your Presidency".(2 Drinks)
20) Someone on Palmer?s staff advises him not to do something. (1 Drink)
If he does it anyway. (2 Drinks)
21) Someone on Palmer's staff does something sneaky behind his back. (1 Drink)
If Palmer fires them for it. (2 Drinks)
22) Information is leaked to the press. (1 Drink)
If the leak was unintentional (2 Drinks)
23) Someone without government clearance is told a secret they aren?t supposed to tell anyone. (1 Drink)
They tell someone anyway. (2 Drinks)
If Someone is Kim. (3 Drinks)
24) Something bad happens three seconds before the episode ends. (Finish your Drink) 

I think I was at 39 drinks on a Season 4 episode!
A Season One episode, or multiple episode challenges may result in severe liver damage, or near death.


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## Wolfshead (Jul 17, 2003)

Little Britain
South Park
Coronation Street
not necessarily in that order


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## shoe (Apr 6, 2005)

wow no one hit my shows makes me feel like a teenage girl either that or boldly honest

everwood
sumerland
7th heaven (dont ask me why)
apprentice
apprentice UK ( even better thank you BT)
survivor
wwe raw
and the auditioning weeks of the idol shows cause they can be hillarious

shoe ( misses married with children re runs)


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

jicon, still, "24" is an interesting show that seems to grow upon you and holds you to come back for the next episode.


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## bryanc (Jan 16, 2004)

*I haven't seen anything that would motivate me to get a TV*

I haven't had a TV since 1983, but I do occasionally check out what's on when visiting. My parents have satellite TV, which means that it takes me 45 minutes to discover that nothing's on. There are, however, a few shows I will watch if they're on:

Red Dwarf, Black Adder, MythBusters, and many of the other shows on the Discovery Channel are pretty good. I'm happy to let my 4-year-old watch Treehouse, which he enjoys.

I really don't understand what compels so many people to spend so much of their lives watching TV. Even with mutes, the advertising is almost unbearable.

Cheers


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Dr. G - you likely haven't seen enough of 24 to realize he's quite correct BUT it's still fun.

•••

Survivor was fine - one of the better years.

Idol auditions IS funny and painful - I saw the first Fantasia audition and it wasn't hard to see she was going to do well.

Good group this year. We'll know soon :clap:


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Bryanc I detest advertising but many like PBS have none and programs like NOVA, Nature, Secrets of the Dead are just plain fabulous and informative.

TIVO allows commercial skipping and time shifting and video on demand allows things like Treehouse to be watched whenever you want.

You can definitely take control of your viewing to the level you want and HD creates a very engaging medium both visual and audible.
I get to see in wonderful detail areas of the earth I may never get to ( Smart Travels ).

Way better than it was....with personal control and a huge range of programming including time shifted and on demand I can pick and choose.


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## jicon (Jan 12, 2005)

Dr.G. said:


> jicon, still, "24" is an interesting show that seems to grow upon you and holds you to come back for the next episode.


Tell me about it... I caught it from 10AM on in Season IV, and went on vacation for a week at one point, wondering how I could be near a TV to capture the show from 8PM to 9PM.

Waiting a week between episodes prompted me to look in to renting seasons one and two... couldn't believe they were renting each of the six discs out for $5 a pop, so I pounced on a copy of season one for $19.95 at Futureshop.
-Watched it over three days.

Now with the season ended, I don't know what to do with myself. 

Maybe I'll be around these boards a lot more on Monday nights.

/does anyone here sell heroine?


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

jicon, my son and a few friends did a "24" marathon over three days during the Easter break. This is how I got bits and pieces of the first season.


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## jicon (Jan 12, 2005)

Dr. G.
Yet, you stand around mere mortals, not addicted?!?!

Please tell me the secret ingredient you put in your coffee.


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

I put skim milk in my coffee each morning..............but I sit and watch the sun rise in my backyard with the doxies running about.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Skim mlk in coffee...........urk urk.........

Hey Dr. G Omega 3 2 % milk.......some body in your mornin' jo 

and good for your heart. :clap:


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## autopilot (Dec 2, 2004)

I've really been getting into Intervention on A&E lately. Maybe it makes me feel better about myself... who knows?

Scary to see what these people have become... and that their families have no idea how they got so bad. Addictive show. (No pun intended. )


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## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

bryanc said:


> Even with mutes, the advertising is almost unbearable.


Advertising time is when you do one of the following:

- go to the bathroom
- get a drink
- download the latest MacOS update
- check out the ehMac forums
- check out the latest videos on the music channel
- read the paper
- check your Super 7 or Lotto 6/49 numbers


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## autopilot (Dec 2, 2004)

Kosh said:


> Advertising time is when you do one of the following:
> 
> - check out the ehMac forums


Hahaha, I tend to do that during the show!


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## a7mc (Dec 30, 2002)

shoe said:


> wow no one hit my shows makes me feel like a teenage girl either that or boldly honest
> 
> everwood
> sumerland
> ...


 Wow... someone had the guts to mention wrestling.  I must confess, I'm a wrestling junkie. I prefer TNA wrestling but since we're presumably talking about "free" tv, I do watch WWE Raw and Smackdown (prefer Smackdown).

My other "regular" shows are CSI Las Vegas, and Law and Order Criminal Intent. I watch Criminal Intent solely on the fact that Vincent Donofrio is such an amazing actor. And I enjoy CSI from a technical perspective. CSI is the best lit and composed show on TV. Simply amazing imagery in HD.

A7


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## HJS (Sep 12, 2003)

Best show on TV now is probably Deadwood, created by David Milch. Season 2 just finished last Sunday- Season 1 is available on DVD. Got hooked on it from first episode. Not hard to keep up online though
Great writing, wonderful characters. Ian McShane(Lovejoy?!?) is f'ning fantastic. 

MI-5 on A&E is also very good (known as Spooks in UK); will be back for another season (4) later this year.

Third Watch was great this year, but poor scheduling, too many Law & Orders, "reality" crap like Fear Factor, etc. and alas it's only on reruns now... 

The Wire is also an excellent cop drama, also HBO-catch it on Super Ecran(french TMN) here.

Would be great if there were more commercial-free networks in ehCanada land-and more space for quality programming...why is Pat O'Brian still on the air?


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

You might mention that despite being a "western" - Deadwood is NOT for the kiddies 

Actors musta had fun turning the old west "blue". 
Now if the girl's "undress" matched the language it'd be a hit, :clap:

••

MI5 was good what little I caught - if it's not on HD it gets second tier viewing - that's a nice thing about Deadwood - full HD and well shot...pardon the pun.

Wish some of the other Brit offerings were in HD. 

I like Third Watch but did not follow it this year - too much CSi eye candy and I found The Wire a bit too gritty for my taste.

I see Stephen Bochco has another one brewing - The Inside - good cast - he has a knack.

Anyone know what's up with the second roound of Miami Vice


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## Biti (May 26, 2005)

House
Some things on BBC Canada (Judge John Deed, A Thing Called Love, and whatever new edgy drama they're airing)
Corner Gas
Deadwood


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Heads up - *Plague City* on CTV on Sunday about the SARs epidemic. Trailers look good.


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## Biti (May 26, 2005)

Yeah, should be interesting.

Oh... another good Canadian show... This is Wonderland


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Anyone catch Cold Case tonight. Very interesting writing involving gays and the gay community over time. Well done.


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## G42G6 (May 21, 2005)

I generally watch these shows:

• The Apprentice
• American Idol
• The Amazing Race
• Law & Order
• CSI (New York, Miami)

& then all those awards shows


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## webwiz23 (Dec 10, 2005)

*Lots of shows!*

I am a super sci-fi fan! look at the stargate series, SG-1 is in their 9th season, and atlantis in going ahead full spead into their 3rd season!

My favs include:
Stargate SG-1
Stargate Atlantis
All Star Trek
Battlestar Galactica (New only)

Brit Coms:
Fawlty Towers
Thin Blue line
Vicar Dibly
Tons more...

Canadian and US Stuff:
Corner Gas
Mythbusters
Family Guy
Gilmore Girls (its adictive, dam it!)


The list goes on and on!


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## MissGulch (Jul 20, 2005)

I hadn't realized that Canucks are so influenced by American TV. Would it sound like pandering if I said I was a big fan of the show Due South (and that lustworthy Mountie David Gross)? heh-heh. It ran on American TV for a couple of seasons. 

My faves are the oldies like Star Trek: TOS, The Munsters, Get Smart. Purely retro, although I do like more recent stuff like Seinfeld. It's amazing how they totally captured the cranky NY spirit in that show. I also loved the quirky Northern Exposure. Remember Holling and Shelley, the horny Canucks? LOL!


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## singingcrow (May 6, 2005)

Unfortunately and Fortunately, I'm limited by not having cable, and in Quebec that's a HUGE thing (I can only get 3 english channels - cbc, ctv, and global).

So...

Grey's Anatomy - Brilliant

CSI - fun and educational

House - who knew he was British?

Alias - Loved it but I don't seem to get it anymore - since Electra came out. Either that or I just don't watch enough tv.

Oh! And Cold Case - the end always seems to be moving somehow. And great music!

Desperate Housewives - very entertaining.


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## Max (Sep 26, 2002)

I'm sporadically watching some great stuff these days... the miniseries _Rome_ is good entertainment, and _Sleeper Cell_ gives me the creeps, it's so good. I didn't expect something this chilling from an American series, but it's very strong. There's a certain sobering kitchen-sink drama to it that keeps me watching it. This show makes all of the other shows about security/paranoia/fear look childish and melodramatic. And the characters are well-drawn. The lead terrorist is a fantastic actor - I forget his name, but he played a mysterious good guy in _The Mummy_ a few years back. He's got a really interesting face. But man does he ever play a cold-blooded s.o.b. in this show.

Someone nominated _CSI: Miami_ in the other thread about TV series you can't stand. I watch it precisely because it's so bad it's fun. Caruso is a gas, and that lab he and his peeps work in is too funny for words. It's over the top in its sterile cleanliness... and the delectable women and their gorgeous big hair, working in a _lab_ without their hair tied back? That kills me. That said, I enjoy the art direction and the camera work - it's top notch. Would that Canadian series had that much money to play with on a per-episode basis - we'd be having some serious fun putting together some great-looking sets and shooting in fantastic locations.

I'm not a huge fan of _Cold Case_ - the music is indeed great, but the way they invariably end the show has, for me anyway, become a trite cliche. Used sparingly it's very evocative - but the way they resort to it, seems formulaic and contrived. Good story-lines, however. I just wish they worked in a bit more back-story for the main characters so we'd better understand their motivation.

Another series I'm enjoying is _Arrested Development._ It revolves around a profoundly dysfunctional California family and it scathingly skewers any number of stereotypical visions of contemporary life in America. It's hilarious and very well-written... the dialogue is killer.


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## Ramboman (Dec 13, 2004)

Currently watching Lost, 24 and Weeds (the shows I missed from last year), My name is Earl and The Office.


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## Max (Sep 26, 2002)

MissGulch said:


> Would it sound like pandering if I said I was a big fan of the show Due South (and that lustworthy Mountie David Gross)? heh-heh. It ran on American TV for a couple of seasons.


I wouldn't call it pandering, MissGulch. But the fellow you swooned over is named Paul Gross. If you can get the show, you might try watching _Slings and Arrows._ Gross plays a bent, ghost-plagued theatre director in the town of New Burbage (a thinly-veiled stand-in for our own Stratford, Ontario) and the show sends up the theatre world in wickedly funny ways. I never saw the big deal about _Due South_, nor the fuss about Gross, but in this show I see him coming into his own. Guy's got a great sense of humour and it shows. Great supporting cast from the likes of the comely Rachel McAdams, Mark McKinney and Don McKellar.


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

I do think that Paul Gross is under-appreciated as a talent. "Men With Brooms" was a fun quirky little movie.


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## g5tony (Jan 19, 2006)

I have to say Scrubs, the show is as funny as Whacko Jacko!!!


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## PosterBoy (Jan 22, 2002)

Currently On TV:

<strong>The Simpsons</strong> (although not nearly as much as it used to be)
<strong>Family Guy</strong>
<strong>Stargate Atlantis</strong> (if you like SciFi)
<strong>24</strong> (not great art, but entertaining to see what ass kickery Jack pulls out of his butt every week)
<strong>House, M.D.</strong>
<strong>Scrubs</strong> (Finally back, but at the same time as House)
<strong>Lost</strong> (most original show on TV right now)
<strong>CSI: Crime Scene Investigation</strong> (just realize that most of their methods are hollywood shortcuts)
<strong>ER</strong> (no original cast members left, but getting better as the season progresses)
<strong>Stargate SG-1</strong> (again with the liking SciFi. Series underwent somewhat of a re-boot at the beginning of this year, but that's not so bad)
<strong>Battlestar Galactica</strong> (the best show on TV according to Time, and me (note: I watch a lot of TV, more than anyone should))

<strong>the Daily Show</strong> and <strong>The Colbert Report</strong> (all the news that is news and also funny)

Current, but on hiatus:

<strong>Rome</strong> (HBO series has amazing production value, amazing acting, amazing story, and somewhat close to accurate re-enactments of history)
<strong>Spooks (aka MI-5)</strong> (British show following the lives of Security Service (MI-5) secret agents. Great action, great drama. Season 5 is happeninglater this year).

Recently Off The Air:

<strong>Dead Like Me</strong> (dealing with life, but after death, interesting)
<strong>Farscape</strong> (really unique science fiction)
<strong>Carnivalé</strong> (best and most unique show at the time it was on the air)


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## MissGulch (Jul 20, 2005)

Max said:


> I wouldn't call it pandering, MissGulch. But the fellow you swooned over is named Paul Gross. If you can get the show, you might try watching _Slings and Arrows._ Gross plays a bent, ghost-plagued theatre director in the town of New Burbage (a thinly-veiled stand-in for our own Stratford, Ontario) and the show sends up the theatre world in wickedly funny ways. I never saw the big deal about _Due South_, nor the fuss about Gross, but in this show I see him coming into his own. Guy's got a great sense of humour and it shows. Great supporting cast from the likes of the comely Rachel McAdams, Mark McKinney and Don McKellar.


Yes, Paul Gross. My bad! Should have Googled first. Paul has been off the air here for quite a while. Hot, hot, HOT! If you're a guy you may not see it.


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## Sonal (Oct 2, 2003)

I was *this* close to getting my rental property used as a location on Slings and Arrows. (They were going to use another house for the interior, and my place for the exterior.) 

Logistics didn't work out.


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## Max (Sep 26, 2002)

Posterboy: couldn't agree more about _Carnivale_. An excellent, truly original series. Wonderful art direction, scoring, writing and acting. We bought season one and we look forward to seeing more.


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## PosterBoy (Jan 22, 2002)

Max said:


> Posterboy: couldn't agree more about _Carnivale_. An excellent, truly original series. Wonderful art direction, scoring, writing and acting. We bought season one and we look forward to seeing more.


Season 2 isn't quite as good as season 1 (likely due to the departure of Ronald D. Moore, now helming Battlestar Galactica), but it is still <em>very</em> good. Unfortunately, the cliff hanger ending leaves you with way, way more questions than answers and HBO cancelled it right after season 2 ended.

I guess that's what happens when you wait 18 months between seasons and then put your returning limited audience show up against the hottest new show of the season (although Rome did well in the same time slot the following year, but then Rome is likely a little more accessible than Carnivalé was).


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