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Thread: Favorite genre TV show

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    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Default Favorite genre TV show

    I was just pondering restarting the Star Trek TOS discussions we had going on for a while here--possibly starting over at the beginning and doing them in chronological order--and that got me thinking about genre TV in general. I know we've discussed our favorite sitcoms and which was our favorite Star Trek series, but what about favorite sci-fi/fantasy/horror shows in general?

    I was very fond of Supernatural, but stopped watching at the end of the fifth season. I'd just finished the DVDs for that season when my house burned down and it took me a long time to think about trying to catch up again. Should I make an effort, or did it peak at that point?

    When I was younger, I enjoyed Buffy and Angel well enough, but I mostly just watched because I liked Seth Green and had been pulled into the fandom by friends.

    Currently, I've gotten into Once Upon a Time, which is a bit like if Lost had been dropped in a blender with fairy tales. It's been very fun.

    My old stand-by remains the Trek universe, though.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

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    my god, he's full of stars... OneCentStamp's avatar
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    In what medium are the original series Star Trek episodes available? Are they instant Netflixable? Would I have to order DVDs? I might be interested in that. I'm sure I've seen 90% of those episodes at least once, as it was in reruns throughout my childhood, but watching them in order with some serious Trekkies in attendance would be fun.

    As for the rest of it, I never really Whedoned, never really got Lost, missed the X-Files, am barely aware of Dr. Who...man, I am a very poor geek.
    "You laugh at me because I'm different; I laugh at you because I'm on nitrous."

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    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    I'd watched them on instant watch on Netflix before. I think CBS had some of the episodes up on YouTube, as well, but I only see clips now.

    I lost track of Doctor Who a couple of years back. I haven't seen any of the episodes with the new Doctor. It had been some fairly good stuff up until then, though.

    Lost, uh, lost me. I signed up for a cool show about surviving on an island, then there was awesome mystery, and then there...were...alien statue feet? Time travel? Wha?
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

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    Member Elendil's Heir's avatar
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    I've been a Star Trek fan for as long as I can remember. TNG and DS9 are still my favorites of them all, although I appreciate TOS for its retro charm.

    The Simpsons is still the best animated series on TV, although FX's Archer (a raunchy spy spoof) is coming on strong.

    Hill Street Blues is still my favorite cop show.

    Seinfeld is my favorite sitcom, with Frasier a close second.
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 05 Jul 2012 at 09:39 PM.

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    I'm the Cute one! =^.^= anyrose's avatar
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    I have had so many favorites over the years: Sitcoms, particularly those that do not rely on "slapschtick" and bungling lead characters; I've always preferred the ensemble approach (M*A*S*H, Barney Miller, MTM Enterprises productions, and more recently Friends, Scrubs, and BBT); I also very much enjoy SF, if presented with subtle humor (Buffy, Eureka, Firefly, Doctor Who). My top faves these days involve investigative work and puzzle solving. I was glued to Fringe until the whole alternate universe thing got out of hand. L&O:SVU, NCIS, CSI (the original), and the like, are always watchable, as are just about all of the USA Network originals. And yes, Star Trek (any incarnation) will always be on my list.

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    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Oh, I just discovered you can watch episodes on startrek.com. They don't have the original unaired pilot available, but it looks as though all the rest is there. Including the animated series!

    anyrose, I forgot about Eureka. That's a great show, too.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

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    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Zuul View post
    Currently, I've gotten into Once Upon a Time, which is a bit like if Lost had been dropped in a blender with fairy tales. It's been very fun.

    My old stand-by remains the Trek universe, though.
    I'm enjoying Once Upon a Time myself. I love the revived Doctor Who though the current Doctor is not as good as the prior two. David Tennant has passed Baker (#4 with the Scarf) as my favorite. The older Who is not so easy to watch any more.

    Star Trek (TOS) & Twilight Zone are still my favorites.

    Buffy was OK and at time brilliant but Angel I do not like. Firefly was very good but very brief.

    I dislike Next Generation. Voyager turned into Gilligan's Island in space. Which of course was already done as either Lost in Space or with Gilligan again, Far Out Space Nuts. Deep Space 9 was pretty good but somehow I lost interest. That last show was dreadful.

    I liked X-Files when it was new but somehow don't enjoy re-watching them now.

    Futurama is great.

    I really love Trek enough that I could probably comment on most episodes without watching them fresh. Within the last 2 years I watched every episode again with my son.


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    I see Sitcoms and Dramas where brought up ...

    My top Sitcoms: Taxi, Dick Van Dyke Show, WKRP, MASH, All in the Family, Barney Miller, Scrubs, Coupling (Britcom), Simpsons, Big Bang Theory and the soon to be departed Community.

    Next tier: Mary Tyler Moore Show, Soap, Cheers, Night Court, Burns and Allen Show, Police Squad.

    Dramas: Northern Exposure, Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, first few seasons of NYPD Blue.
    Last edited by What Exit?; 05 Jul 2012 at 09:56 PM.

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    Quote Originally posted by Zuul View post
    I was very fond of Supernatural, but stopped watching at the end of the fifth season. I'd just finished the DVDs for that season when my house burned down and it took me a long time to think about trying to catch up again. Should I make an effort, or did it peak at that point?
    I am with Supernatural until the bitter end now, but you stopped at a good break-off spot, and you will almost certainlymight be happier just leaving it there.

    I loved Buffy and Angel when they were on. The X-Files was also a favorite around the same time. Then there were all the absurd syndicated genre shows of the 90s - Hercules and Xena, Sliders, Highlander (which I loved out of all proportion and has not aged AT ALL WELL). Then there were those weird random ones that I'm sometimes not even sure existed, like TimeTrax and Earth: Final Conflict. Deep Space Nine was my fave Trek series, but I watched TNG and Voyager as well.

    Oh, and SEAQUEST. Jonathan Brandis + talking dolphin = happy, happy 12-year-old-Orual.

    You know, there as a lot of sci-fi/fantasy to choose from in the 90s. I suppose we wanted to take our minds off the terrible haircuts.

    Nowadays I like Warehouse 13, because it's about my dream-fantasy ideal place to work. I'm still pissed at Eureka for killing off my favorite character.
    Last edited by Orual; 05 Jul 2012 at 10:32 PM.

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    I'm the Cute one! =^.^= anyrose's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by What Exit? View post
    I see Sitcoms and Dramas where brought up ...

    My top Sitcoms: Taxi, Dick Van Dyke Show, WKRP, MASH, All in the Family, Barney Miller, Scrubs, Coupling (Britcom), Simpsons, Big Bang Theory and the soon to be departed Community.

    Next tier: Mary Tyler Moore Show, Soap, Cheers, Night Court, Burns and Allen Show, Police Squad.

    Dramas: Northern Exposure, Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, first few seasons of NYPD Blue.
    Are you me? All of those are also in my list of faves.

    BTW - Once Up A Time is to Grimm as Twilight is to Buffy.

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    Quote Originally posted by Orual View post
    Oh, and SEAQUEST. Jonathan Brandis + talking dolphin = happy, happy 12-year-old-Orual.
    SEAQUEST! Yes, I'd loved that show, too. I've never watched any reruns of it, though, so I just have my dim early adolescent memories of it. I think the genetically engineered super-soldiers from that series left a lasting impression on me and my sci-fi tastes, though.

    Another one I just remembered from that same era: Earth 2. It only lasted one season and ended in an incredibly frustrating way. I've longed for a good show about colonizing an alien planet ever since.

    anyrose, I've only watched one episode of Grimm, but it seemed pretty good from what I saw. I might try catching up over the summer.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  11. #11
    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    Grimm bugs me for some reason. I watch it but it's internal logic always seems flawed.

    Old shows I loved as a kid include Outer limits, Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, Wild Wild West if that can count as genre.

    I missed a major sitcom: Get Smart!

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    So. Much. Love. For seaQuest. It was probably one of the first shows I remember getting really "fanish" about. My other early favorites were Hercules, Xena, Buffy, Angel, Earth2 (Tim Curry as an evil SOB! How could I not?) SG-1...and I'm sure there was other stuff.

    Currently, I'm dreading the end of Eureka and hoping SyFy doesn't throw some new "crazy people saw ghosts here" reality show on in its place. I'm actually a big fan of most of the scripted stuff they've got going right now (Warehouse 13, Haven, Being Human [still need to get to watching the British original], Merlin, and Lost Girl).

    Outside of that, I was the one who got Zuul hooked on Once Upon a Time, which I'm loving more than oversleeping beagles right now, and I'm pretty much sticking with Supernatural to the end at this point. I had really wanted to like The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle, but I was a huge fan of LJ Smith's books when I was a kid and couldn't really forgive a dark haired Elena or a totally human Cassie.

    As far as non-scifi/fantasy goes, I prefer action and humor to gritty drama, so my "procedurals" are more in the vein of Psych, White Collar, Covert Affairs, Burn Notice, or Castle.
    So, I'll whisper in the dark, hoping you'll hear me.

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    A Groupie Marsilia's avatar
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    Also, since so many people here are into scifi/fantasy stuff, I need to ask a question, and it's one that has been weighing heavily on my mind for quite some time. Why is Felicia Day such an insanely big deal? It's not that I dislike her, she just seems to have become some kind of nerd It Girl out of nowhere, and I always get the impression I'm supposed to be more excited to see her than I've ever been.
    So, I'll whisper in the dark, hoping you'll hear me.

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    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Do you follow The Guild at all, Marsilia? A big part of why she's such a huge deal online is because she's one of the earliest actors/producers/writers who put a lot of effort into developing material for a web only format. Get away from online nerd culture and I doubt many people know her name, but if you're talking to people online--especially people heavily hooked into social media--you'll run into tons of her fans.

    She was home-schooled for most of her childhood, went to college at sixteen, double majored in mathematics and music, embraces geek culture, is very open about being a gamer, has very public friendships across social media with other nerd icons, and is a pretty, perky woman who was using Twitter as a powerful marketing tool from the early days. All of this combines into getting a lot of attention in Internet culture, because she's unusual and knows how to use new media.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

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    I'm the Cute one! =^.^= anyrose's avatar
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    Plus, anyone Joss Whedon considers a friend has got to have something going for her.

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    Oh, man - Earth 2. I was PISSED when that got cancelled. That and Space: Above and Beyond.

    Marsilia: I have developed a deep and abiding affection for The Vampire Diaries, but I never read the books. It's just so beautifully ridiculous. People angrily drink whiskey next to roaring fireplaces and then throw their anger-whiskey bottles into the flames. While shirtless. In addition to the vampires, ghosts, werewolves, were-vampire hybrids, and witches. It's like someone put Angel, Supernatural, and a daytime soap into a blender and then skimmed off only the finest whackadoo craziness for my enjoyment.

    I think Felicia Day's popularity got a bump from Dr. Horrible, in addition to all that stuff Zuul mentioned.
    Last edited by Orual; 06 Jul 2012 at 10:56 AM.

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    Ah, Space: Above and Beyond had been another good one that was cut off too soon. It always astounds me that these fantastic science-fiction shows are nominated for Emmys and then tossed in the trash after only a season, but stupid mindless trash will stay on the air for years.

    Of course, then I remind myself that the goal is to make money, not entertain people. Bah.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

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    I think Space:A&B was probably a bit ahead of its time, too. In my memory, it was vaguely Battlestar-esque.

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    I think you're right. It would actually be a great one to be revived today, if anyone would just give it a chance. Maybe not recasting the same characters, but set in the same universe.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

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    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    I'll add another. First time I watched Red Dwarf I loved it. I probably watched the first 5 seasons. But now I can't seem to re-watch them with any interest. Not sure why.

    As a kid with it being brand new, I loved, loved original Battlestar Galatica but it is suffering from hokey now. I also loved Greatest American Hero.

    Anyrose, were you also a fan of the Odd Couple? I use to love it but it doesn't entertain me anymore for some reason. Great show in its day though.

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    I'm the Cute one! =^.^= anyrose's avatar
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    GAH, OC, Carol Burnett Show, Man From U.N.C.L.E., Get Smart, I Spy, etc etc etc




    also, the theme song from GAH is one of the songs we sing at Sweet Adelines Competition when we're all standing around in the lobby Sunday morning waiting for the buses to come take us home.
    Last edited by anyrose; 06 Jul 2012 at 03:42 PM.

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    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    Carol Burnett was great. What's GAH?

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    my god, he's full of stars... OneCentStamp's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by What Exit? View post
    What's GAH?
    .
    "You laugh at me because I'm different; I laugh at you because I'm on nitrous."

    find me at Goodreads

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    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    Oh, I mentioned that one post earlier and still did not make the connection.

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    A Groupie Marsilia's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Zuul View post
    Do you follow The Guild at all, Marsilia? A big part of why she's such a huge deal online is because she's one of the earliest actors/producers/writers who put a lot of effort into developing material for a web only format.
    Okay. I'd heard of The Guild, but have never actually seen it, nor have I really heard anything of substance about it.
    Quote Originally posted by Zuul
    Get away from online nerd culture and I doubt many people know her name, but if you're talking to people online--especially people heavily hooked into social media--you'll run into tons of her fans.
    Well, like I said, she's become a nerd It Girl (including a run on Eureka and an episode of Supernatural that was so important that someone at AfterEllen wrote a piece on it). It's not like she's replacing Angelina on the cover of the gossip magazines.
    Quote Originally posted by Orual View post
    I have developed a deep and abiding affection for The Vampire Diaries, but I never read the books. It's just so beautifully ridiculous. People angrily drink whiskey next to roaring fireplaces and then throw their anger-whiskey bottles into the flames. While shirtless. In addition to the vampires, ghosts, werewolves, were-vampire hybrids, and witches. It's like someone put Angel, Supernatural, and a daytime soap into a blender and then skimmed off only the finest whackadoo craziness for my enjoyment.
    I might have to go all "It's just got the same title's all!" and Netflix it, then. We know how I love monsters and whackadoo!
    Quote Originally posted by Orual
    I think Felicia Day's popularity got a bump from Dr. Horrible, in addition to all that stuff Zuul mentioned.
    See, that was the first time I'd seen her, then she appeared in those brainwash apocalypse episodes of Dollhouse, and I just assumed that Whedon was recycling actors again.
    Quote Originally posted by anyrose View post
    Plus, anyone Joss Whedon considers a friend has got to have something going for her.
    The patience to deal with Joss (He strikes me as someone I wouldn't like, regardless of talent) and a built in fan base? Seriously, though. I've enjoyed his work (actually met one of my dearest friends through the Buffy fandom), but a lot of the genre cred that seems to come from working with him--to me--is misplaced. He's worked with some good people, but he's also given the right roles to some not great people.
    So, I'll whisper in the dark, hoping you'll hear me.

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    Hardly watch TV but it is generally SF or Scandinavian detective stuff - just watched the "Bron" (The Bridge) series and found it excellent.
    Currently watching two hours of Stargate Universe each Saturday night.

    That's about it, two hours of TV per week.
    Lightly Seared On The Reality Grill

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    I think Space: Above & Beyond had potential and might have grown into an essential show in its 2nd or 3rd season but after a decent start it just seemed kinda dull.

    I find most sci-fi tv terrible. I've tried watching Star Trek:TNG again of late when I've noticed it on, and while some episodes still hold up, most aren't great, overly wrought, plodding satire etc. I think TOS holds up much better, an opinion I would not have held 15 years ago.

    I started a thread on here ages ago abut the "perfect" sci-fi, I dunno if anyone will ever make it. I'll just have to find some novels that do it right.

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