TV Series Recommendations?

[Lenny]

I'm looking for recommendations of TV series to watch. I've moved into the serial space and I'm hungry for more. So far, from both sides of the pond, I've seen (and enjoyed):

[UK] Being Human
[US] Big Bang Theory
[US] Breaking Bad
[US] Dexter
[UK] Doctor Who
[US] Firefly
[US] Fringe
[US] Futurama
[US] Harper's Island
[US] House
[UK] League of Gentlemen
[UK] The Mighty Boosh
[UK] Misfits
[UK] Not Going Out
[UK] The Office
[UK] Outcasts
[CA] Pillars of the Earth
[UK] Psychoville
[UK] Spooks
[UK] Torchwood
[US] The Walking Dead

And I'm currently watching:

[US] Game of Thrones
[US] Heroes

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What I'm looking for are series that consist not of standalone episodes (such as Big Bang Theory) but rather of episodes that fit in to a story arc - Harper's Island, The Walking Dead, Dexter, House (series 5), Fringe (ish), etc.

Out of my list, Breaking Bad and House are probably the exceptions - Breaking Bad especially so, as I'm not usually a fan of straight dramas.

I have a list of things others have mentioned to me:

[US] 24
[US] Battlestar Galactica (new)
[US] Chuck
[US] Legend of the Seeker
[UK] Life on Mars
[US] Lost
[US] Stargate (all)
[US] True Blood
[US] V (new)
[US] Warehouse 13
[US] Weeds
[US] The Wire
[US] The X-Files

I'm a big fan of SF shows (Fringe, which I finished a couple of days ago, has claimed a spot as one of my all-time favourite series), though I'm not against other genres or some comic relief.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the list of things I have to watch, or recommendations of other series?

[Chaoticheart]

Originally Posted by Lenny

[US] Legend of the Seeker

Personally, I loathed this series. I actually found it quite painful to watch. Mainly due to it being 'inspired' by the book series rather than actually following the book's plots. So much was so different that I became a sad suicidal panda.

As for recommendations. You should check out Sanctuary. Its a Canadian sci-fi. Sadly I'm too tired right now to do my own explanation, so I'll use a handy wikipedia quote

Sanctuary follows the exploits of Dr. Helen Magnus and her quest to protect various cryptids, legends, and normal animals/people with certain extraordinary powers and abilities – what most people would consider monsters. "The Sanctuary" serves as a safe haven for these "Abnormals". She is initially aided in her quest by her reluctant protégé Will Zimmerman; her intrepid, if somewhat reckless, daughter Ashley; the talkative lycanthrope geek Henry Foss, a computer and security expert; and her taciturn, Neanderthal-like assistant.

[I, Brian]

Battlestar Galactica - start with the mini-series. Starts off slightly slow, looks like it'll just be another sci-fi show, and then episode 1 of season 1 hits the ground running.

Supernatural - a fun character-based tongue in cheek horror series, that avoids gratuitous gore and violence, has a general story arc with standalone episodes, and some neat character humour.

[Pjodor]

Originally Posted by Chaoticheart

As for recommendations. You should check out Sanctuary. Its a Canadian sci-fi. Sadly I'm too tired right now to do my own explanation, so I'll use a handy wikipedia quote

1+ for Sanctuary, I like it alot. First season was ok but after that it just getting better and better.

[Mouse]

Dollhouse? Loved it.

There's a UK (old) series called Sea of Souls which I always enjoyed though I think it might be quite hard to find. It was about paranormal investigators doing paranormal investigating... but most things had a logical explanation if I remember rightly.

[Ursa major]

Originally Posted by Mouse

There's a UK (old) series called Sea of Souls which I always enjoyed though I think it might be quite hard to find. It was about paranormal investigators doing paranormal investigating... but most things had a logical explanation if I remember rightly.

That's how I remember it, but I got the impression that, towards the end, the show changed to believing in the spookiness rather than giving rational explanations for the phenomena.

[Dave]

From your list of recommendations I'd recommend 'Life on Mars' and 'The X-Files' (hard to believe you missed that unless you were actually on Mars during the whole of the Nineties!)

I see a lot of comedy in your list of already watched. The best comedy recently has been 'The Inbetweeners' and 'Friday Night Dinners'. If you like more classic SF related comedy have you ever seen 'Red Dwarf' or 'Spaced'?

[Lenny]

I should probably have added a list of things I have to watch, too.

I've got both Red Dwarf and Inbetweeners. I realise I've also missed off The IT Crowd.

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X-Files - I grew up in the Nineties! I'm not sure what my three year old self would have thought about The X-Files. Having sunk my teeth into Fringe, which was inspired by TXF, I'm rather looking forward to going back to see the original material.

Thanks for the recommendations so far, folks! I'll have a look into them and see what my carefully selected horde of boxset hoarding friends own.

[Mouse]

Originally Posted by Ursa major

That's how I remember it, but I got the impression that, towards the end, the show changed to believing in the spookiness rather than giving rational explanations for the phenomena.

You're right. I remember an episode in series three (the last series) where they actually showed a demon on screen. I still enjoyed the series, but I remember thinking that they'd kinda moved away from the point of the show...

Then they had a mini series, or a two part special or something like that, where they went back to the original concept.

Still a good show.

[soulsinging]

Twin Peaks.

[Rodders]

Personal favourites are

Babylon 5
Farscape
The IT Crowd
The Smoking Room
Flight of the Conchords
Anything with Alan Partridge in it.

[telford]

Hello Lenny, if you like your SF dark and addictive look no further than the sublime Battlestar Galactica. Avoid the 70's version like a burning crotch.

[Lenny]

I finished Warehouse 13 the other day - for a SyFy production, it was incredibly good! I'm looking forward to the third series.

I'm slowly making my way through the 2009 remake of V and, so far, I'm really enjoying it. The pilot, particularly, was fantastic!

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I've now got the entirety of Battlestar Galactica (the new one), Dollhouse, Life on Mars, Spaced and The X-Files, and I'm looking through the other recommendations.

[Jarl Tarvalent]

Originally Posted by Lenny

I should probably have added a list of things I have to watch, too.

I've got both Red Dwarf and Inbetweeners. I realise I've also missed off The IT Crowd.

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X-Files - I grew up in the Nineties! I'm not sure what my three year old self would have thought about The X-Files. Having sunk my teeth into Fringe, which was inspired by TXF, I'm rather looking forward to going back to see the original material.

Thanks for the recommendations so far, folks! I'll have a look into them and see what my carefully selected horde of boxset hoarding friends own.

I' m brand new on here Lenny I was just passing some time hopefully searching for news of ' The Legend of the Seeker ' which I think is an excellent piece of Fantasy.I haven't read the books but I can highly recommend this.

Battle Star is awesome and is compelling viewing but my favourite tv show is ' Robin of Sherwood ' the first two series with Michael Praed was intoxicating.
But back to the present having watched the first few episodes of Game of Thrones it doesn't have the same magical hold of Legend of the Seeker nor does it have Kahlan Amnel played by the very beautiful Bridget Regan.ll

[Chaoticheart]

Originally Posted by Jarl Tarvalent

But back to the present having watched the first few episodes of Game of Thrones it doesn't have the same magical hold of Legend of the Seeker nor does it have Kahlan Amnel played by the very beautiful Bridget Regan.ll

WHAT?!?!?!? BLASPHEMER!!!

Legend of the Seeker = worst show ever

(Well maybe not the worst show ever, but still fairly horrible :P)