TV shows

[TokenLiberal]

It's time to see if y'all have taste (Marvel fans beware). What are your favorite TV shows?

[NobodySpecial268]

It has been years since watching a television show. The remake of Battlestar Galactica is the last one I recall really liking. The touch of the ship's doctor smoking like a chimney was amusing. I remember over on ATS in the UFO forum, Battlestar Galactica was sometimes suggested as the reason for UFOs and humanity's children were coming home. - I loved the UFO forum mostly for wild ideas such as that.

In the 1990s, the Australian TV station SBS would run an anime episode once a week. Neon Genesis Evangelion was one I really liked. Ol' Gendo Ikari was a most wonderful villain. The Japanese usually include a flaw in their heroes and heroines, and no one is perfect. A lot of psychological flaws are there on the surface. Even in the fluffy anime, the main girl might address herself in the third person manner by using her own name rather than the word "I". Little details that make the characters interesting, you don't know if she is a nutcase or just a good girl who had a troubled childhood. Sooner or later, when she reaches for the kitchen knife, you may find out.

Of course back in the 1960s and 1970s the American imports were favourites at the time. 'Gilligan's Island' and 'Get Smart', along with 'F Troop' were high on the not to be missed list. I must admit that I miss the B grade scifi and horror movies. 'Forbidden Planet' and 'The Creature from the Black Lagoon' were my favourites.

[FCD]

TV shows in general, or comic book themed TV shows (whether cartoons or otherwise)? Additionally, are you asking current favorites or past (like in as a kid)?

Current is easy for me to answer. We haven't turned on the television in our house (except to watch the SuperBowl) in over 3 years. Not turned it one even once. So, I have no current favorite TV programs, and generally no use for television programming at all. I've even been tempted to get rid of the TV to make space for maybe some more nice western themed artwork (i.e. C.M. Russell and/or Frederic Remington type works).

As a kid, many moons ago...hmmmmm...that's a tough one, because I have two very different chapters of my younger years. There's the period from 1 to about 10, and the period from 10 onward to adulthood.

Chapter 1 (Ages 1 to 10) - (I'll try to go from youngest age to older) - Shows like Captain Kangaroo, Bozo the Clown, Electric Company. Then in later years, shows like Gilligan's Island, The Munsters, 3-Stooges, Batman, Emergency, Adam-12, Lost in Space, The 4:30 Movie (which was just a long list of B Movies on at 4:30pm every day. Movies like Creature from the Black Lagoon, Godzilla (et.al) , Mothra, War of the Gargantuans, Frankenstein, Dracula, etc.). Those, and B western movies. My other area of interest was WWII movies (I was a WWII history buff at a very young age).

Chapter 2 (ages 10+) - For me, this was in the 70's, and we had moved to a remote area of Wyoming. There was only one TV station which we only barely received, and it only broadcast from about 8am to 10pm, then went off-air. There was also no such thing as cable TV then either. So, my go-to shows were Gigantor (primarily because the Black & White animation was hilarious) and Speed-Racer (both cartoons). Later, my go-to programs were The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, M.A.S.H., Hawaii Five-O and Golden Girls (the last two primarily because that was what the rest of the family watched and we only had one TV). We didn't get cable until I was in my late teens, so then pretty much all I watched was HBO (movies and sports) and MTV. Most of my time was spent outdoors in my later teens.

In my first couple years of college, I pretty much watched CNN and MTV almost exclusively. I was a news junkie (back when there was actually more true 'journalism' and not pure propaganda) and a music enthusiast.

Now days, if I watch any programming at all it is a constant quest to find all sides of current events amidst the relentless tidal wave of propaganda being spewed out by the MSM (all of them, both right and left) in a constant crusade to get to the 'truth' and a sense of 'balance' without bias. That, in an of itself, is a chore and not something I am always able to achieve. Other than that, I mainly watch informational videos on developments in science, technology, mathematics and physics (which is my educational background).

Edit - We didn't get our first color TV until I was about 15. Color TV had been around for a while but our B&W TV worked just fine and it was all I knew.

And, just for the record, for anyone wondering if the Wyoming chapter was a hardship; on the contrary, it was without a doubt the absolute best time of my life, and I'd go back to that same lifestyle in a NY second given the opportunity (even at my much older age).

[TokenLiberal]

It sounds like both of you have a lot to catch up on. I'm envious. There have been many excellent shows made in recent decades (arguably, all of the best shows were created after 2000). Before I try to sell you on my favorite of all time, which has by many been accused of being "slow" and "boring", I think it's safer I suggest some more popular shows. These are liked by virtually everyone, so it's almost a certainty that you will enjoy them too.

By the way, all you need (and all I have) to watch TV shows is an internet connection. I torrent most of my shows, but there is an even easier way to watch them: Websites like FlixHQ or Goojara. I'll include direct links to the first episodes.

Breaking bad is an instant classic about a chemist who is diagnosed with terminal cancer and, finding he has nothing to lose and as a way to raise money for his treatment and family, starts cooking and selling crystal meth. Things escalate. (Spin-off Better call Saul is also excellent).

Band of brothers is a miniseries based on a book about true events during the 2nd world war, featuring "easy company", a heroic company of soldiers from the 101st airborne.

Fargo, named after the movie, is an excellently written black comedy anthalogy series (different story each season), the only common theme being crime.

Chernobyl is a miniseries about the events around the Chernobyl disaster. Tied with Band of brothers for my favorite historical drama.

Game of thrones you must have heard of (if not, come out from under that rock). It's the GOAT fantasy series, even with the disappointing later seasons.

[TokenLiberal]

It has been years since watching a television show. The remake of Battlestar Galactica is the last one I recall really liking.  The touch of the ship's doctor smoking like a chimney was amusing. I remember over on ATS in the UFO forum, Battlestar Galactica was sometimes suggested as the reason for UFOs and humanity's children were coming home. - I loved the UFO forum mostly for wild ideas such as that.

While I have some notes about the details (and especially about the execution), it's true that the basic premise of BG could end up coming true. It could even be in our lifetimes that machines turn against us. The AI race doesn't seem to be slowing down, and AI safety research is already so far behind (makes sense, it's not lucrative) it might never catch up. It's going to take some luck to get out on the other side of this with human civilization intact.

[NobodySpecial268]

While I have some notes about the details (and especially about the execution), it's true that the basic premise of BG could end up coming true. It could even be in our lifetimes that machines turn against us. The AI race doesn't seem to be slowing down, and AI safety research is already so far behind (makes sense, it's not lucrative) it might never catch up. It's going to take some luck to get out on the other side of this with human civilization intact.

Well, we have survived the atom bomb, and it has been 80 years now.

I really liked BG, even have all the seasons on DVD. There is also a lot to say that the UFOs and Orbs are machine minds. Back on ATS there was a lot of serious discussion on exactly that. My own opinion is AI in itself is harmless enough when approached with common sense. Just don't become dependent on it like we have with calculators, it is horrifying when one realises most young people cannot do mental arithmetic anymore.

[FCD]

I did watch Breaking Bad; we bought the DVD set (no commercials / propaganda)

I also watched GoT, well, most of it (also on DVD, bought the set).  I kind of lost interest in the later ones after the dragons started showing up.  As long as they were distant and off in the background of the storyline it was fine, but once they started showing up as a material element of the show, I was out.  I'm not into fantasy stuff like that.

I've heard people rave about BoB; I might have to check that out (on DVD, of course).

I will have to look into Chernobyl.  Chernobyl has always been a subject which fascinated me for a variety of reasons.  I have done a lot of science type research on the event, so I am very familiar with it, but this is the first time hearing about a docu-drama of the same genre.

I've heard enough about Fargo to know that's probably not something I'd get into.  I'm not really a black comedy kind of guy.  The humor is usually lost on me.  I generally don't get into satire either; the humor is also usually lost on me.

One modern program you didn't mention which I really liked was 'Yellowstone'. But I grew up in Wyoming, so I could readily identify with the entire backdrop because I lived it. (Again, on DVD)

[TokenLiberal]

We passed on Yellowstone for two reasons. One, my SO doesn't like westerns (I'm at best neutral on them). Two, it has a pretty low metascore. We only watch things with a metascore of less than 70 if the premise particularly appeals to us. Unfortunately we have to be selective these days, for lack of time.

I have no doubt you will enjoy Chernobyl a lot. It's edge of your seat stuff and historically accurate. It will be especially great if you have an existing interest.

Almost certainly you will enjoy BoB as well, unless you have an aversion to war movies/shows for some reason (some people do).

Why on DVD? Just click the links ;) There's no ads if you have a good adblocker.

[FCD]

I put exactly zero stock in what critics have to say about a movie or program.  I can't even count how many times critics raved about a movie and I absolutely hated it, and other times when they wrote scathing reviews about a program which I loved.  I also find a lot of these critics tend to align pretty closely with trendy political correctness, agendas and woke ideology.  Those aren't factors which belong in criteria determining whether a program is good or not.  NOTICE - This last statement is not same as saying I only watch movies/programs which support a certain political ideology.  It is only saying these factors shouldn't be criteria in determining whether a program is good or not.

[TokenLiberal]

That's fair, if critic ratings aren't a predictor for whether or not you will like a show, obviously you shouldn't put any stock in them. In my experience they have been a pretty good predictor. I don't really discriminate when it comes to themes, genre or whatever (with exceptions) as long as the execution is good, and critics tend to take a similar view. I usually only disagree with them about police procedurals (I hate them), and flicks (be it action flicks or romcoms) which they tend to rate higher than I would.

Casting that obviously doesn't fit the character and is clearly meant to make the show more "inclusive" (I don't know if you watch Rings of Power, but the black elf is a good example imo) slightly annoys me too. It hurts immersion. I don't think it's a factor in critic ratings though. Critics are neutral about this stuff, probably on purpose (they don't want to alienate anyone). They don't give shows a higher score for inclusivity, but they are also unlikely to give a show a lower score if it tries to force inclusivity, immersion be damned.