The Wire - Ground breaking in showing the dire state of life for the ‘underprivileged’ in the US. Each series focussing on different aspects. Who can forget the character Omar Little
The Sopranos - Just got better and better with each series. The Bridge - Amazing acting by Sofia Helin as main character Saga Noren. Boys from the Blackstuff - fantastic characters and great messaging of the dire state of the country at the time. Spiral - came to this late on. Binge watched and gutted when we reached the final episode. Homeland - was very watchable. Claire Danes was great as Carrie Mathieson. Final series was a bit disappointing.
Ozark is up there of the more recent stuff. Also looking forward to the new series of Line of Duty as well.
My favourite viewing experience of all time is LOST followed by Quantum Leap. The best show I have ever seen is probably The Sopranos closely followed by The Wire (which would be top if it wasn't for McNulty's final season storyline). Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire were great but not consistently so - I kept asking myself why I am watching these people!
Band of Brothers is the best limited series I have ever seen, followed by Chernobyl.
Better Call Saul and Mindhunter the best of recent years.
I don't know why I never put Breaking Bad on the list. I probably should!
Reading these lists where people have the same shows as my choices makes me realise I should watch the ones on those lists I haven't seen.
Is this the one set in the Seventies? Flares and Fiats?
Yeah....70's and 80's.....was also a spin off from a film.
I really liked it.
We seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet, Suede, when it comes to series, so I will definitely give it a watch. And the film, if I can. Is Was it on Sky Atlantic?
24 seems to have fallen off a lot of peoples radars but to me was pretty revolutionary and a big influencer in the switch from films to TV.
The first series was extraordinary and truly ground-breaking but I think I got bored part way through the third - did you think it was good all the way through? Any particular good seasons?
Breaking Bad Poldark (original 1970's series) (Edit: Not Debbie Horsfield's recent awful post-feminist rewrite. NB My wife take the opposite view) Life on Mars Shogun Spooks Line of Duty Edge of Darkness Game of Thrones Wire in the Blood Morse Lewis Endeavour Manhunt (50 years ago, if I saw it again now would probs just laugh) The Sweeney (The GOAT of it's day, sadly now it's like a Gene Hunt parody)
League of Gentlemen is my favourite, then a few more sitcoms, but if we are only talking about drama the This Is England series stemming from the film is excellent. Just started watching Cracker as well, which is good
24 seems to have fallen off a lot of peoples radars but to me was pretty revolutionary and a big influencer in the switch from films to TV.
The first series was extraordinary and truly ground-breaking but I think I got bored part way through the third - did you think it was good all the way through? Any particular good seasons?
Season one was amazing at the time. Then you realise they got to the final hour of story after 12 hours and they were winging it for the second half of the season!
It was insanely enjoyable. As AFKA says, completely groundbreaking. I’d never seen anything remotely as exciting. But I suspect it went on for too long and fizzled out so it’s been forgotten somewhat. The top shows were excellent from start to finish and had arcs that covered the entire run with inevitable conclusions. 24 barely had an arc that covered a season!
24 seems to have fallen off a lot of peoples radars but to me was pretty revolutionary and a big influencer in the switch from films to TV.
The first series was extraordinary and truly ground-breaking but I think I got bored part way through the third - did you think it was good all the way through? Any particular good seasons?
Season one was amazing at the time. Then you realise they got to the final hour of story after 12 hours and they were winging it for the second half of the season!
It was insanely enjoyable. As AFKA says, completely groundbreaking. I’d never seen anything remotely as exciting. But I suspect it went on for too long and fizzled out so it’s been forgotten somewhat. The top shows were excellent from start to finish and had arcs that covered the entire run with inevitable conclusions. 24 barely had an arc that covered a season!
I missed season 1 of 24 and started with season 2. Pretty sure the opening few minutes were Kim Bauer walking around in her smalls. Fair to say I was hooked.
GoT removed itself from any list in that last series. Even the penultimate series would have been workable if the final series was good but my god it was so rushed it just didn't make any sense anymore.
24 seems to have fallen off a lot of peoples radars but to me was pretty revolutionary and a big influencer in the switch from films to TV.
The first series was extraordinary and truly ground-breaking but I think I got bored part way through the third - did you think it was good all the way through? Any particular good seasons?
That’s fair. I think they got hamstrung by their USP of it being over 24 hours. It meant over the 8 series and bits there was well over 200 hours, crazy to sustain if you compare a film being 2-3hrs. After say 3 series they should have reassessed and changed it 12. But I think a lot of of producers and tv execs learnt a lot from what 24 brought.
It got a bit repetitive in places and a little predictable once you got used to the format, but I still though it was great and Jack Bauer was an amazing lead character.
West wing number one for me, surprised to see so few references to it, brilliant storytelling. Honourable mentions to the sopranos, the wire, I'm Alan partridge and the office.
Comments
The Sopranos - Just got better and better with each series.
The Bridge - Amazing acting by Sofia Helin as main character Saga Noren.
Boys from the Blackstuff - fantastic characters and great messaging of the dire state of the country at the time.
Spiral - came to this late on. Binge watched and gutted when we reached the final episode.
Homeland - was very watchable. Claire Danes was great as Carrie Mathieson. Final series was a bit disappointing.
Ozark is up there of the more recent stuff. Also looking forward to the new series of Line of Duty as well.
Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy.....riveting stuff with a sublime cast.
Chernobyl.....truthful, honestly horrendous, unbelievable saga.
Band of Brothers is the best limited series I have ever seen, followed by Chernobyl.
Better Call Saul and Mindhunter the best of recent years.
I don't know why I never put Breaking Bad on the list. I probably should!
Reading these lists where people have the same shows as my choices makes me realise I should watch the ones on those lists I haven't seen.
Sneaky Pete
Goliath
Bosch
and for some chewing gum for the ears, Lucifer.
The Killing
DEVS
The Handmaids Tale
The Bridge
Breaking Bad
Lodge 49
The Killing
Line of Duty
Man in the High Castle
2) The blacklist
2 Breaking Bad
3 Line of Duty
4. Peaky Blinders
5. The Wire
6. House of cards (UK)
7. Happy Valley
8. Ozark
9. Fleabag
10. NYPD Blues
2. Chernobyl
3. Breaking Bad
Poldark (original 1970's series) (Edit: Not Debbie Horsfield's recent awful post-feminist rewrite. NB My wife take the opposite view)
Life on Mars
Shogun
Spooks
Line of Duty
Edge of Darkness
Game of Thrones
Wire in the Blood
Morse
Lewis
Endeavour
Manhunt (50 years ago, if I saw it again now would probs just laugh)
The Sweeney (The GOAT of it's day, sadly now it's like a Gene Hunt parody)
Peep Show I rewatch constantly, same for Archer and Rick and Morty. Phoneshop a niche favourite, only understood by those from SE England.
Classic Simpsons too, set the bar for animated comedies.
Waste of years of story telling.
It got a bit repetitive in places and a little predictable once you got used to the format, but I still though it was great and Jack Bauer was an amazing lead character.
As an ex firemen when I think of Chernobyl or the twin towers I say to myself thank God it wasn't me.
Oz to Neville, "Moxy is alright, it's a shame he thinks every day is Guy Fawkes".
Moxy was an arsonist.
UK
Lost
24
Fringe
Person of Interest
True Blood
Desperate Housewives
Treme
Dexter
The X Files