life's important questions

[such_heights]

I am trying to decide what to watch this year! Decisions, decisions. I am also trying to pick my next show to play catch up on and watch over lunch etc.

In terms of weekly viewing, so far I only have Merlin. (Well, I keep sort of drifting back to Supernatural, mostly via everyone's reaction posts - wow do a lot of people watch that show - but really, truly, I think that we're done now. The show I used to tune in for back in Series 2 is well and truly gone, and I can't get into the new thing even if it weren't for all the fail.) I am excited about Flash Forward, I think, mostly because I am all over that cast list. John Cho! Alex Kingston! A bunch of other people I heart! Save Dollhouse and Glee, which I won't be watching, anything else on/coming up in the States I should be tuning into?

So, catch up viewing. I want to watch all of these at some point, but where to begin? Also, guides to episodes I should skip etc much appreciated! Like, I gave up on Bones because it seemed to be going in wtf directions - I was cranky at Angela! do not want! - does it pick up again? Similarly, Friday Night Lights I hear dips then comes back. Psych, I don't even know why I stopped watching, what is wrong with me, I must have been distracted by something. Help me, Obi-Wan Flist, etc etc.

Poll #1344

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 30

View Respondents

What should Amy watch next?

View Answers

Being Human
12 (40.0%)

Legend of the Seeker
1 (3.3%)

Bones Season 4
1 (3.3%)

The Dead Zone [blame this post]
4 (13.3%)

Friday Night Lights Season 2
0 (0.0%)

Psych Season 2
2 (6.7%)

Veronica Mars
5 (16.7%)

Something else I will tell you about!
5 (16.7%)

(Also, I feel I should note that this mood/graphic match up is possibly the greatest thing ever. :D)

Comments

[wildestranger]

Generation Kill starts on 5th October (I think?) on Channel 4. It's pretty good and interesting to watch for many reasons (I mainly watched it for the porn, but it is critically valued as well).

[such_heights]

Oh, I didn't know that was coming to the UK! That's cool, I'll have to pimp it out to people. I actually have been watching it already, albeit in chunks - it's very, very good, but I find I have to be in the right mood for it.

[eponymous]

The only one I've watched is Veronica Mars.

Maybe I'll make a list of what I'm watching these days...

[such_heights]

It sounds like one of those really cool shows everyone's seen but me, I am intrigued.

And please do! I enjoy stalking other people's viewing schedules. :D

[builtofsorrow]

I'm definitely trying out Flash Forward, omg. SULU JOHN CHO!

Bones definitely picks back up... I got really annoyed with Angela too, and that didn't change a whole lot in S4, but there were a lot of other amazing things to make up for that. Sweets really comes into his own in S4, I think, and I fell irrevocably in love with Cam, and there're all these fabulously adorable interns, and yesss. I love it, and that's why it got my vote.

I did love Being Human though... I sort of forgot a new series was coming up; when does it start, do you know? Oh, and going off Being Human, I'm in the middle of Desperate Romantics, which I really like too... it's kind of odd, but it has some really strong female leads, and I'm loving that.

And okay, yeah. Veronica Mars, I'd cast a vote for that too...

I'M BAD AT DECISIONS; YOU KNOW THIS. :P

[such_heights]

Okay, I am glad to hear there is other good stuff! I blame you for the fact that I kind of have the urge to pick it up again.

Being Human isn't coming back for a while, as far as I know - I'll have to make sure I catch up in time!

TOO MANY SHOWS, TOO LITTLE TIME. This is my problem.

[eruthros]

That's a hard call! I'm really enjoying the Dead Zone right now, but the first season of Veronica Mars is also pretty great! Oooh, and Psych is fun too!

Your radio buttons make life hard :)

[such_heights]

I look forward to getting to all of them, then! How I wish I had time just to sit and watch all of these things all the time. That would be lovely.

[heathershaped]

You must check out Being Human, it's brilliant! And I would actually liked to have selected a bunch from your list, but I could only choose one. :P

[such_heights]

I will get to them all eventually! But yes, Being Human looks marvellous and I will definitely catch up by the time S2 rolls around, at least.

[xtricks]

Dead Zone is quite good, I think. It kind of trends downward towards the end and has many of the limits American TV has but the wrangling of relationships was one of the most complex ways I've seen Amerian TV handle issues like that in some time.

[such_heights]

I'd never even heard of it before yesterday, but it sounds really appealing!

[topaz_eyes]

I like "Lie to Me" (FOX).

[such_heights]

*googles* Huh, that sounds kind of intriguing!

[gandaki]

You should ALWAYS watch Psych.

Unfortunately, I don't think Bones really fixed any of the problems it picked up. I didn't watch the most recent season regularly, and when I did there was a lot that irked me. :(

[such_heights]

I think that is sound life advice, yes.

I am sad to hear that! I will give it another try at some point, but :(

[shewhohashope]

You should watch being human AND legend of the seeker. Legend ou the seeker is terrifically bad. Appallingly good? I like it anyway.

[such_heights]

I have watched the first few episodes of LotS and OMG LOVE. It's soooo cheesy yet strangely wonderful. *_*

[anoel]

Veronica Mars is so, so amazing (in S1). But that first season is one of the best I've ever seen. The characters are love, the plot is beautifully, beautifully crafted over the entire season with amazing mystery of the week plots (this coming from a TOTAL HATER of them), it's emotionally affecting and thematically wonderful. I can't praise it enough.

FNL also is great, S2 is weaker but S3 is awesome.

[such_heights]

Oh, that sounds wonderful! All this praise is certainly moving VMars up the list.

[iambickilometer]

I'll put in a vote for Criminal Minds, the intelligent crime show that Does It Right. Fail is minimal, win is off the charts, characters are likable and easy to relate to and Inigo Montoya is in it. It's about a bunch of FBI profilers who figure out whodunnit with psychological analysis.

[such_heights]

I have been reading good things about it recently, it goes on the list!

[stellastars]

Being Human is quite lovely, but you there is plenty of time for catching up with it. (I wish it would be back on sooner!)

Veronica Mars Season 1 is brilliant, but it was actually a show I fell out of love with (which is pretty rare for me) so I'd recommend S1 strongly, S2 somewhat, and not so much on S3 (though that's mostly cause I gave up on it in S3).

And, though it's not new and would involve quite a bit of catching up, the NCIS season premiere was fantastic (probably my favorite premiere of all the premieres going this fall) so I'd point you in that direction. The NCIS: LA series premiere was also good (and full of texty/subtexty/slashy goodness) but too soon to tell how the overall season quality will be.

[such_heights]

Yes, I am feeling that just sticking to S1 of Veronica Mars would be a plan. Thanks for the input! *takes notes* :D

[fallingtowers]

I'd go for the first season of Veronica Mars. It's not perfect, but they are at least trying to do their best with regard to ethnic diversity in casting or tackling the class divide in a California small town etc. I fucking love Veronica in S1, as this peppy blonde teen turned cynical snarky bad-ass, and the supporting characters are really three-dimensional. They may often be plain wrong or utterly fucked up, but their behaviour is also acknowledged as such.

It should have a trigger warning for themes of sexual assualt, though. If this bothers you, please stay away.

Oh, and no matter what, DO NOT WATCH S2 AND S3. After season three in particular, I was livid with rage for one extremely asinine and douchbaggery anti-feminist rape storyarc, so just pretend that the show ends as soon as Lilly Kane's murderer is revealed. Then you'll be happy. :)

[youarefree]

Very much agreement on this.

[such_heights]

Awesome - Season 1, I will definitely investigate. :D

[gorgeousnerd]

I'm watching loads of TV right now, but nothing that's on your list! The only shows I really care about are Supernatural, Fringe (which isn't great, but I enjoy it), Mad Men, and Merlin. I did enjoy the pilot to FlashForward, too.

[such_heights]

Mad Men! I forgot about that one - I don't know if it's the show for me or not, but it sounds like good TV.

[gorgeousnerd]

Mad Men's very much a love-or-hate kind of a show, but it's worth trying. I love its focus on character.

[magic_at_mungos]

Being human. I love it!

[such_heights]

That seems to be where my flist's heart lies! I will investigate directly.

[magic_at_mungos]

And it doesn't hurt that the main cast are smoking hot.

[thingswithwings]

Join me in loving on The Dead Zone! Wheeee!

. . . but I should say that Veronica Mars is EXTREMELY worth your time, and that Being Human has a lot of good good stuff going for it (though, there's this plot about sexual violence that I found maaaaybe problematic, but I think they were trying for something progressive, I'm not sure), and Psych season 2 is vastly superior to Psych season 1.

[such_heights]

I think that I will! Basically, I need to spend lots of quality time with all of these shows. My life, so hard. :D

[avendya]

I do not know, but whatever you watch, I'll watch with you as I have the same problem.

[such_heights]

Yay, please do! I think I am shortlisting Being Human, The Dead Zone and Veronica Mars - preference?

[avendya]

Veronica Mars for me - I made it four (possibly five?) episodes into Being Human, and gave up. I never quite got over the changes from the pilot (which I loved beyond all reason).

[such_heights]

Yeah, I think I'm going to avoid the pilot in case that happens to me. Okay, VMars it is! I'll work on getting hold of some episodes.

[tavella]

The first season of Veronica Mars is good, the second starts to fall apart, both plotwise and relationshipwise (I kind of despise the asshole boyfriend who you are supposed to feel soooo sorry for because he's Sekritly Wounded trope), and the ending of season 2 had me skipping season 3 entirely. I'd say watch season 1, don't bother with the others (unless you love Logan.)

Myself, I'm enjoying Leverage.

[such_heights]

Leverage is lovely! I'm quite behind on it, actually, yet another thing I need to catch up on.