Help, help, my TV schedule is empty.

[TheLeen]

All the shows I’ve watched this year are over for now (or are going to be over soon) and it’s still months until Doctor Who and Red Dwarf. My calendar is suddenly depressingly empty.

Do you guys & girls have any recommendations for me? What’s out there right now or soon that I would enjoy?

I mean, I do have an extensive backlog of old stuff that I want to watch, but still, it is so nice to have something in my calendar to look forward to throughout the week.

Topic

[Seb Patrick]

[TheLeen]

Yeah.

But I’ll have to watch it all the way from the beginning. Right?

[Phil]

It sounds like you’re looking for something that’s currently airing new episodes…I have no idea. The main TV season has just ended here stateside so everything’s in repeats.

It’s a good time to catch up on the backlog, I think.

…glad I could help!

[JamesTC]

Well most TV both here in the UK and in the US hits a bit of a nadir in the Summer (hitting harder here in the UK because the BBC has decided that everybody wants to watch every single bit of the Olympics and absolutely nothing else). I believe in the US the cable networks take the opportunity of no broadcast TV competition by airing new stuff (I notice Futurama airs in the Summer).

It isn’t till late August that TV starts picking up again (and that is when Doctor Who is supposed to be starting again for a 5 episode run).

[Ridley]

Put your backlog on a timetable. ;)

[ori-STUDFARM]

I was impressed with the pilot and subsequent episodes of Awake….but have heard it goes off the boil fairly sharpish.

erm….I’m not really helping much.

[Pete Part Three]

I’ve only just started watching Breaking Bad on Netflix. It’s awesome.

[TheLeen]

Okay, no, that actually helps; at least now I know that I don’t miss anything.

Back to B5 it is, then.

[si]

I’m having a Buffy rewatch over the summer. Don’t give a shit about the Olympics (hey, you’ve seen me – do I have the body of someone who’s interested in *sport*?), so digging some DVDs out of my favourite shows to watch before the great SF autumn is the way to go, I think.

[John Hoare]

I have no current shows to fill my summer pony-shaped gap, so I’m watching the complete runs of Cheers and The Big Bang Theory. With Seinfeld and Frasier to follow on.

I do really need to watch Game of Thrones though, but not sure I can cope with the gore because I am a WUSS.

[Stephen R. Fletcher]

Been downloading some new(ish) shows since some are hard to come by on TV at the moment. I’ve mostly been doing a catch-up of shows Tim Minear has worked on. One of them is Terriers, which I absolutely love and just finished watching all over again. I would definitely recommend it. Unfortunately though, it is one of those brilliant shows cancelled by idiots (which is kind of a theme with shows Tim Minear has worked on). Wonderfalls and The Inside also make for a great watch too.

Currently on Season 2 of The Walking Dead and enjoying that aswell. Recently, I had a Buffy and Dollhouse DVD marathon and I think I may have a Spaced rewatch soon. Also looking forward to new Futurama next month.

[si]

> I think I may have a Spaced rewatch soon

Oh, I could happily do that over one weekend.
In fact, I could very happily do it in one night. It’d only take about 6 hours, wouldn’t it?

*digs Spaced DVDs out*

[Potor]

Now I’m watching Game of Thrones s2, and when that ends, True Blood s5 will start.
Falling Skies s2 starts mid/late(?) June; if you haven’t seen s1 – it’s a post-apocalyptic SF story about a guy who fights evil aliens, and cares for his children. It’s not bad. Lots of special effects.
Also, looking forward to Futurama and Breaking Bad.

[NoFro]

Currently working my way through Mad Men season 4 and will then go onto Game of Thrones and Treme. Really looking forward to the Autumn. New Dwarf and a new Futurama Blu will be most welcome.

[MANI506]

I’m watching all the Red Dwarf DVDs again. Commentarys, extras, doccos the lot. This morning it was Backwards Forwards and Howard Goodall’s series 3 incidentals. Craig Charles’ full length Cash song was a welcome blast from the past!

Also watching Filthy Rich and Catflap on youtube. I’ve already watched it through once but watching again because it’s so brilliantly of it’s time and there was a great article about it on Noise to Signal.

[Pecospete666]

Breaking Bad season 3 is the best! There will be a 4!
The Walking Dead is even better!

[Ridley]

The first half of TWD season 2 is offal!

[TheLeen]

Thanks for the hints!

I wasn’t keen on Falling Skies at all; I think there was exactly one episode (towards the end of S01) that I kind of liked. But yeah, maybe I’ll watch it. Maybe it’ll become more interesting.

Around the same time, Leverage S05 starts as well.

So that’s something, at least.

[HelloMabel]

I just happened to read that your Channel 5 has picked up “Person of Interest” to premiere on 14 August. I’m *completely* hooked on this show and urge you to give it a try, especially if you’re into crime dramas. I know a lot of people say there are too many crime dramas on TV these days and many of them are basically recycled versions of each other, but this one is different and, I think, incredibly well done.

You’ve probably seen trailers for it already: it’s a Jonathan Nolan concept and stars Jim Caviezel, Michael Emerson and Taraji P Henderson. I don’t think I’ve seen Emerson in anything else before, but so far his character is my favorite (though I like all of them). The other two actors are probably familiar to you.

I’m hoping at least some of you will check it out because I’m dying to discuss it with people like you who notice more than I do.

[Jo]

I don’t think I’ve seen Emerson in anything else before…

I take it you didn’t watch LOST then?
I’ve been looking out for this series starting, it’s been ‘Coming Soon’ for ages, glad to hear that it’s good :)

[Jonathan Capps]

> I’ve been looking out for this series starting, it’s been ‘Coming Soon’ for ages, glad to hear that it’s good :)

They’ve actually decided to give us the date now! Think it’s next week at some point, although I forgot to set the Sky+ for it.

[Potor]

I watched several episodes of “Person of Interest” a few months ago. It failed to grip me although it did have potential imo. I think I’ll give it another try soon.
There ARE too many crime shows these days, and there’s a flood of ones “with a twist” like PoI. The only one of those that I almost like is “Continuum”. I’d like to read your opinions about it.

[mick]

I was really enjoying Alcatraz. *hides*

[ori-STUDFARM]

I was ‘interested’ in Alcatraz…nearly enjoying it.

[si]

*Eddie Izzard impression* ALCATRAZ!!

[HelloMabel]

> I take it you didn’t watch LOST then?

Oh. He won an Emmy for that, I see. *blushing

I tried getting into Lost after it had been running for a while, but it was lost on me. :/

> There ARE too many crime shows these days, and there’s a flood of ones “with a twist” like PoI. The only one of those that I almost like is “Continuum”. I’d like to read your opinions about it.

Will check it out. Also Alcatraz. Didn’t realize my hobby after college was going to be vegging – but at least I’m enjoying myself. :)

[Pecospete666]

Alcatraz kind of reminds me of “Brimstone”
Waiting for second season of Alcatraz&Fringe

[mick]

You’ll have a long wait.

[HelloMabel]

> I tried getting into Lost after it had been running for a while, but it was lost on me.

Update: Wow, that joke is really tired. I now think I must have been really stupid or lazy back in 2006. A few days ago I decided to give “LOST” another try and was instantly hooked – years after the show ended. Go figure. Trying to get into the show in the middle back then was a fool’s errand.

“Continuum” – this looks very enticing, especially since I love Vancouver! But where can I watch it? It’s not on Hulu and though it looks like I should be able to watch it on the official website (http://continuumtheseries.com/), the videos won’t play. Youtube and iTunes are also no help.

“Alcatraz” – I watched the first few episodes. Though I wasn’t instantly gripped like I was with “POI” and “LOST” (on the second attempt), I did have the more usual experience of watching and deciding that it has potential and I will stick with it. Except in this case I won’t, since it was cancelled – shame. Nice to see that Jorge Castelo got more work. Watching Alcatraz was also a turning point where I felt that I could have guessed it was a JJ Abrams project by the feel of it. This is probably old news for most of you, but it was new to me. I like the feel of his shows and am really looking forward to “Revolution.”

[mick]

Pretty much my exact experience with LOST. Infinitely more enjoyable on the 2nd time around.

[Jo]

>Nice to see that Jorge Castelo got more work.

Did you mean Jorge Garcia (Hurley)? Or is that another actor/writer type person?

LOST is FTW, glad you’ve discovered that! The bonus of doing so now is that you don’t have to wait for weeks/months for the next episodes/series :-)

I watched the first episode of Person of Interest this week and really enjoyed it, so I’m going to stick with that. Glad to see that it’s got a second season too, hate getting into a series for it to get cancelled. Alcatraz, Secret Circle and GCB all deserved another season IMO.

A new series that I’m enjoying at the moment is Suburgatory, though the fact that the dad in it is Elton from the Clueless film makes me feel old!

[genericnerdyusername]

Person of Interest’s pilot was AWESOME. Really looking forward to seeing more of it. I like morally ambiguous main characters beating the crap out of morally reprehensible ones. I’m not even being sarcastic, maybe its just because I have much pent up rage, but I really enjoyed it mainly for the crap kicking element. I’m sure there’s more to it though, I’ll have to rewatch. I’m not a fool.

[genericnerdyusername]

And, of course, new NCIS in a few months. I’ve still got to watch the last episode of season 9, but up to and included now it’s been consistently fun to watch.

[si]

Oh, I adore NCIS.

Re Lost – I loved the first season, but only watched a few eps of season two…just lost interest. I was the same with Heroes. Adored season one, couldn’t be arsed when the second season started. :/

[genericnerdyusername]

I watched the first two Lost’s and lost interest after that, not that I use it as a right to besmirch the good name of JJ Abrams… I think his Star Trek was a fantastic film. I agree with you, Si, about Heroes.

[Jonathan Capps]

I honestly think Lost season 2 is one the best seasons of anything ever made. Season 3 is definitely better on a second watch. The character stuff in that season is spot on.

[Pecospete666]

Maybe SicFi will pickup Alcatraz!

[Jo]

NO NCIS SPOILERS! I’m only up to S8, if anyone spoilers me I’ll hurt them!

[genericnerdyusername]

Hurt them…where?

[HelloMabel]

> NO NCIS SPOILERS!

Duly noted. :) I love NCIS, too. That whole team feels not just like a family, but like MY family. Funny, I never got into NCIS LA, despite living here.

> Did you mean Jorge Garcia (Hurley)?

Yes, sorry about that. I’m 8 episodes into season 1 and I don’t quite have the actors names down yet. Hurley reminds me a lot of a good friend from high school whom I lost touch with. I hope they didn’t kill him off right away. (Don’t tell me if they did.)

I just came to a torture scene that I had to skip over because I can’t stomach such things. But other than that, I’m loving everything about the show and am torn between devouring it as quickly as possible, or savoring it slowly. Also, it’s the closest I’ve ever gotten to a trip to Hawai’i. *Sigh.* :)

[HelloMabel]

Very glad to hear that at least two of you are enjoying POI. Whoever had the stroke of genius to pair up Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson, was robbed of an Emmy. Finch and Reese are the best odd couple since Lister and Rimmer. The chemistry between them is kind of spooky. Sometimes it seems like there is no chemistry at all (this doesn’t last long, of course), but this is one of the few instances where a lack of chemistry between the two leads actually works in the show’s favor.

I’m also very impressed by the surveillance graphics, which is the kind of thing I never noticed until I started hanging out with you all.

[genericnerdyusername]

>Funny, I never got into NCIS LA, despite living here.

Same here, I just don’t think it has enough humour in it. A huge part of my enjoyment of NCIS is the humour.

[si]

*Doesn’t mention the episode where Tony and Gibbs get killed* ;)

[genericnerdyusername]

NOOOOO! Tiva forever!

[Author]

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