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What television shows, past or present, would you add to Bowman Johnston’s top ten?

I only discovered Firefly this past year. Where was I?? It made the top of my list for gift suggestions (Notes From Toad Hall) in December. I am also fascinated by the concept of community and the sense of home that exists on Serenity. Something we long for and often don’t experience. Of course, because you’re so discerning, I’ll need to check out the rest of your top ten. Did you ever watch SIx Feet Under?

“Six Feet Under” is one of the shows that I haven’t quite been able to bring myself to watch—I know I should like it, and I’m certain that there’s plenty about it that’s worthwhile (given how many of my trusted friends like it), but I’m too creeped out by the talking corpses at this point. :)

I like Deadwood. Most foul-mouthed show I’ve ever seen, but there are other things to love.

If we’re talking about shows on DVD that are cancelled, I like “Mr. Show”. Also, Andy Milonakis.

Uncanceled? Jimmy Kimmel is getting better. I also am intrigued with the new “Nightline”, though Martin Bashir was an asshole to Michael Jackson. You’ve gotta put SNL up there too, especially the first couple episodes of this season. There’s always a few excellent skits. Man, I love tv! Hey, what about Family Guy! ???? And South Park is still doing good and highly relevant episodes. Has anyone seen the episode where Cartman becomes a Christian rock star off a bunch of Jesus-is-my-boyfriend pop tunes?

Locally, Chicago has a great show called “Check, Please!” about local restaurants where everyday people become the critics on PBS. It’s great! And also, a non-local show called POV (point of view), documentaries about relevant things in America. Also on PBS. The thing about tv is that I can barely stand staying on one thing ‘cause I’m sure there’s something else good on some other channel. But that will all change once all tv is just a pay-by-play affair on your computer.

It has been a long time since i have really been into a new show on TVbut I must admit there is one out there that has got me hooked. A few months ago some one recommend my wife and I watch the show LOST. We rented the first few episodes of the first season on DVD and, honest to goodness, after the first few minutes of the pilot episode we were hooked. That very day we went out and bought the first season and chain-smoked our way through all 20-odd episodes in no time. We are now happily caught up to the rest of the world and faithfully are watching the second season as it unfolds on Wednesday night. As far as tv goes I haven’t seen better character development in a long time—each and every major character has a complex and dynamic story. oh, if you don’t know the story, an airplane bound for LA from Sydney, AUS crash lands on a mysterious Island far from their known flight path. The survivors quickly realize this ain’t no ordinary island, and from their all manner of hell breaks loose. It is a thrill-a-minute kind of ride and I recommed it.

Great list! Some great shows there (“Firefly,” “Lost,” “Freaks & Geeks”); too bad I haven’t seen enough of some of them to comment.

Ones I would add:

“Homicide: Life on the Streets” (one of the most well-done shows I’ve ever seen, especially the first three seasons. It eventually slid into “hunk with gun” territory near the end of the series, but the realism and intricate characters of the first few seasons really make me think this was one of the best shows ever aired)

“Tour of Duty” (it didn’t always work, but the late ’80s Vietnam show really made you care for the soldiers, cry when some of the died, and so on)

Well, first off I don’t believe I’ve watched one show that’s posted here lol. I don’t have cable so it kind of puts a crimp in the tv action hehe. However, there is a couple of shows I really enjoyed when I did watch. One is Monk. Which is about a highly neurotic detective. There’s the pain and angst of having lost his wife, the comedic content of his neurosis, plus the action added by the mysteries he has to solve. Most usually murder cases. It’s an all around fun show. Another that didn’t really last very long that I liked a lot was called 4400. I think it was incredibly awesome. All about 4,400 people who disappeared due to alien abduction and were all of a sudden all dropped back here on earth at the same time. It has not only the scientists who are trying to figure out what happened but the personal problems of those who were taken and then returned. It was cancelled into the second season so I’m supposing that the ratings weren’t very good, but I, personally, really enjoyed the show. I am also an ’80’s show fanatic. Television shows such as The Facts of Life, Diff’rent Strokes, 21 Jump Street, Remington Steele, Magnum P.I., and Moonlighting. All of which were incredibly good, and always seemed to have a bit of comedy underlying any problems the characters were having. There’s my 2 cents.

Thanks!
Heidi C. Saunders

I find watching the olympics strangely hypnotic. I don’t learn anything from it, I don’t particularly love it, I don’t really care who wins, and there’s nothing to talk about afterwards with friends…but I can’t stop watching.

Yes. The Olympics…the glare of the tv set and fanciful ice skating that makes your eyes bulge out from boredom…yet you CANNOT stop watching. I was at a friend’s opening night and found my eyes mysteriously drawn to the television. There is no explanation for the draw of the Olympics…I could care less about it…but there I am watching it for all I’m worth. Someone should probably do a scientific study on it. I even found myself watching the commentaries on how many pairs of skies each guy owns. Is that sad or what? lol. Especially being as I have no cable you’d think I’d want to flip the channel to something more worthwhile, but I just cannot make my fingers do it. So it is not just you Dan. I find millions of people across the country and other countries watch this that have absolutely no interest , they dont care who wins, they are actually bored out of their everlovin’ skulls, and yet the olympics glows on their tv night after night…it is an addiction of such a magnitude it shall never be overcome…save me….LoL

~Heidi C. Saunders

Ones I would add, especially if we’re talking about canceled shows on DVD:

1. "Have Gun, Will Travel" The late Richard Boone as Paladin, the original Man in Black, weekly delivered extremely provocative stories—all the more impressive when it is considered that this was accomplished with the medium of a half-hour TV western.
Despite the title, Paladin generally did everything in his power to avoid having to call upon his quick-draw skills.

2. "Babylon 5" Probably the first US show in years to attempt a serial format, they spent the entire first season to set little pieces in place for the four-year mental chess game that followed. Creator J. Michael Stracynski’s studies in comparative religion were worked into the series plotlines very subtly as well.

Great list! Some great shows there ("Firefly," "Lost," "Freaks & Geeks"); too bad I haven’t seen enough of some of them to comment.

Ones I would add:

"Homicide: Life on the Streets" (one of the most well-done shows I’ve ever seen, especially the first three seasons. It eventually slid into "hunk with gun" territory near the end of the series, but the realism and intricate characters of the first few seasons really make me think this was one of the best shows ever aired)

"Tour of Duty" (it didn’t always work, but the late ’80s Vietnam show really made you care for the soldiers, cry when some of the died, and so on)