Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

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LateReg
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by LateReg »

Stavrogyn wrote:
Agent Earle wrote:I had The Plot Against America somehwere in the back of my mind, but the fact that it's as recent as it is managed to slip my mind. I'll check it out, but not before I give Treme a go - that's another Simon community show, looking into New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I'm hoping for an immersive, sprawling tapestry of characters in the vein of The Wire, Show Me a Hero and The Deuce.

Speaking of which, I've reached the end of season two and need to catch my breath before delving into the 80s with the third season. I shudder to think what Simon will do with the AIDS crisis...
This is something rather different, but have you seen Angels in America, which I mentioned earlier? It deals with the AIDS crisis in the 1980s in New York City, and I found it extraordinary. It was based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning play.

Regarding Simon, I wasn't aware that he is also responsible for Show Me a Hero, which I have somewhere in the back of my mind, but keep forgetting about it. I guess it must be good too?
Anything Simon is good. Show Me a Hero is great, sharp, concise. And yes, Earle, The Duece is very vivid and works very well for all three seasons. It's a shame it didn't get more attention, as it was a serious program taken for granted in a sea of content.
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by eyeboogers »

Stavrogyn wrote:
Regarding Simon, I wasn't aware that he is also responsible for Show Me a Hero, which I have somewhere in the back of my mind, but keep forgetting about it. I guess it must be good too?
I think it is the best thing David Simon has produced so far.
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by Agent Earle »

Stavrogyn wrote:
Agent Earle wrote:I had The Plot Against America somehwere in the back of my mind, but the fact that it's as recent as it is managed to slip my mind. I'll check it out, but not before I give Treme a go - that's another Simon community show, looking into New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I'm hoping for an immersive, sprawling tapestry of characters in the vein of The Wire, Show Me a Hero and The Deuce.

Speaking of which, I've reached the end of season two and need to catch my breath before delving into the 80s with the third season. I shudder to think what Simon will do with the AIDS crisis...
This is something rather different, but have you seen Angels in America, which I mentioned earlier? It deals with the AIDS crisis in the 1980s in New York City, and I found it extraordinary. It was based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning play.

Regarding Simon, I wasn't aware that he is also responsible for Show Me a Hero, which I have somewhere in the back of my mind, but keep forgetting about it. I guess it must be good too?

Funny you should mention Angels in America - I have it stashed somewhere for about a year, since I've heard about it, and have been meaning to give it a go, as the AIDS crisis and what it meant and caused in sociological terms, is something I'm deeply intersted in in recent years. But when I saw some images from it and heard the detail you mention - ie. the fact that if was based on a theatrical play - I got spooked a little; I fear it might be too "stagy" for my liking. But I guess I should drop my prejudices and proceed with it, huh?

As for Show Me a Hero, yes, that's Simon. It has that sprawling cast/character ensemble and probe into social issues of urban existence (housing, in this case) he's famous for. I'd place it somewhat lower than The Wire and The Deuce personally, as it's only six episodes long and could do with a bit more room to breathe, but the main character - real-life one-time mayor of the city of Yonkers Nick Wasicsko - is fascinating and Oscar Isaac is terric in the role.
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by Agent Earle »

LateReg wrote:
Anything Simon is good. Show Me a Hero is great, sharp, concise. And yes, Earle, The Duece is very vivid and works very well for all three seasons. It's a shame it didn't get more attention, as it was a serious program taken for granted in a sea of content.
I was swept off my feet when I started watching because I find it incredible that I've never heard about it! I stumbled upon it on IMDb by way of browsing. How come no one's talking about it, I pondered, since this kind of quality demands recognition. I'm happy that its meager three-seasons run was not dictated by lackluster response and that it's an intended part of the showrunners' (there's also novelist George Pelecanos besides Simon, one of the writers of The Wire) vision. Well, at least the show's still pretty recent and has plenty of opportunities to find the viewers retrospectively and gain reputation - I'd say that time is definitely on its side.
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by Agent Earle »

One other note: I saw Extras, the Ricky Gervais/Stephen Merchant sitcom, for the first time over the Christmas holidays, and fell in love with it. I can't for the life of me decide whether I like this or The Office (which I first watched over the previous Christmas holidays) better. What a couple of shows! And their comedy - something that is a lot closer to drama, and even tragedy, for most of the time - is just my cup of tee!
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by LateReg »

Agent Earle wrote:
Funny you should mention Angels in America - I have it stashed somewhere for about a year, since I've heard about it, and have been meaning to give it a go, as the AIDS crisis and what it meant and caused in sociological terms, is something I'm deeply intersted in in recent years. But when I saw some images from it and heard the detail you mention - ie. the fact that if was based on a theatrical play - I got spooked a little; I fear it might be too "stagy" for my liking. But I guess I should drop my prejudices and proceed with it, huh?

As for Show Me a Hero, yes, that's Simon. It has that sprawling cast/character ensemble and probe into social issues of urban existence (housing, in this case) he's famous for. I'd place it somewhat lower than The Wire and The Deuce personally, as it's only six episodes long and could do with a bit more room to breathe, but the main character - real-life one-time mayor of the city of Yonkers Nick Wasicsko - is fascinating and Oscar Isaac is terric in the role.
Re: Angels in America, it's definitely a F-I-L-M, and a great one at that.

And I agree with your assessment of Show Me a Hero. (And also Extras, which I haven't seen in years.)
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by windh »

TP (S 01 and 03 and select eps from 02)
The Office (UK)
True Detective S01
Fawlty Towers
Extras
Rome S01
House of Cards (until Spacey got sacked, deservedly so)
Tre Kärlekar (Swedish WWII-era drama)
Seinfeld
Survivor (yes, you heard me)
/windh
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by JackwithOneEye »

Top ten drama

1. Twin Peaks (the pilot for me is still the unrivaled, best 2 hours of television ever, most authentic depiction of grief and loss I've ever seen, saw it when it first aired, subsequent Lynch eps are all masterpieces, and I loved The Return)
2. The Sandbaggers. (the characters, all the performances, perfect series)
3. Doctor Who (1963-85, 2005-2009 eras, 'Blink' is one of the single best, most creative hours of TV era I think)
4. Tinker Tailor Solider Spy. (Alec Guiness performance and the cross cutting
to the Ian Bannen and Ricky Tarr narratives, loved how they adapted the novel)
5. I. Claudius. (such a suspenseful TV serial experience watching these once a week;
no budget at all, just actors being masters of the craft. John Hurt episodes scared the hell out of me as a kid, loved all of it)
6. The Wire (seasons 1-4, I wasn't in love with the homeless people storyline in S5, but the rich tapestry of characters, eco system of society was rather awe inspiring)
7. Prime Suspect (1 + 6; Helen Mirren's performance and character arc,
I frequently re watch series 1, series 6 comes close)
8. House of Cards (BBC version, Ian Richardson, one of the most charismatic performances
in the history of tv, wonderful monologues and twists, and it's sequel To Play the King was superb)
9. The Leftovers (S3e03 particularly; Scott Glenn in the outback)
10. Blake's 7 (some of the most compelling characters I've seen in a series;
how idealism vs cynicism represented, some of the debates and arguments
between Blake and Avon is great TV, juxtaposed with this shoestring space opera,
which despite the low budget, has intriguing and interesting production and costume design)

comedy

1. Monty Python's Flying Circus. (the absurdity of it, the editing, the animation,
just sheer, pure creativity and imagination, I find it mind boggling how they pulled this off pre digital editing era)
2. The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. (really vivid and authentic portrayal of depression,
deconstruction of the sitcom format)
3. The Young Ones. (the characters, the little vignettes, all brilliant)
4. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. (the animation sequences and the performances get
it all just right)
5. On The Air (pilot I've watched a million times, laugh every time, I loved
the production design and all the characters were so wonderful. Miguel Ferrer unchained.
Ian Buchanan as pretentious thespian, so great)

non fiction - a lot of good journalism out there,
but these three really impressed me, and i found them as compelling
as a drama

1. Vietnam.
2. The Staircase.
3. The Power of Nightmares


Other shows I've been really impressed by -

Guyana Tragedy - Powers Boothe's charismatic performance, non linear approach with flashing forward
and backwards was really striking to me as a kid when I saw it.

Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective and Pennies from Heaven I thought were both really imaginative and eerie.

Star Trek - 'The Ultimate Computer ' episode that addressed
downsizing, technology, and Captain Kirk afraid of losing his job is my favorite - underrated, brilliant episode. Mirror, Mirror I thought was intriguing and imaginative too.

The Six Wives of Henry VIII + Elizabeth R - like the Marvel MCU, overlapping characters and actors, really good dialogue and performances

The Kingdom/Riget
- I remember being blown away by it in the 90's, haven't watched in years.

Degrassi Jr High/ High - 1980's version I found super relatable, and the kids strikingly authentic,
and really stood out to me compared to all the trash tv out there about teenagers.

The Prisoner - I love the first episode and the last few, and the themes about society
and the individual, prisons we create for oursleves - some in the middle episodes were filler
and a bit pedestrian I thought.

A very British Coup
- really interesting concept and characters.

To Serve Them All My Days
- the lead character I found really relatable, authentic. His arc and transformation over time and multiple installments over decades I remember striking me in the 80's as a strength of something you can do in TV, hard to do in 2 hour feature format.

Chernobyl - spectacular.

Surivivors
- 1970's BBC - underrated, I liked a lot of the slow re-build of civilization
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

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1. Twin Peaks
2. The Sopranos
3. Our Friends In The North
4. The Fast Show
5. Blackadder Goes Forth
6. Ozark
7. The Day Today
8. Jam
9. Breaking Bad
10. Too Old To Die Young
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Jonah
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by Jonah »

Giving this another shot.

1. Twin Peaks
2. Lost

Those are my top two consistent shows and ones I regularly rewatch/discuss/think about. I went through a period of watching/trying out shows that were supposed to be The Next Twin Peaks or The Next Lost or were inspired by them, but never found one that came close.

8 - 10 - A mixture of things:

3. Frasier
4. Northern Exposure (loved it but haven't rewatched it in a few years)

Not sure how to rank the others but here's the other ones I really liked - Friends, Wings, Seinfeld, The Golden Girls, Monk, Agatha Christie's Poirot, Fawlty Towers, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Tales of the City, Cheers, Ellen (the 90's sitcom), Westworld, Dexter, The Comeback.

I don't really think of myself as a comedy fan, yet I love a lot of classic sitcoms from the 80's and 90's. Recently rewatched "Wings" and really enjoyed it.

I said some of this in my last comment - I also loved "Frasier" and "Fawlty Towers" quite enjoy "Friends" (loved it back in the day, still like it but think "Frasier" is better), "Seinfeld", "The Golden Girls", "Ellen" (the original sitcom), "Cheers". i also enjoyed the show "Monk" a lot (Tony Shaloub is brilliant - he was also in "Wings"). Speaking of which, I finally watched "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" recently (which he's also in) and was surprised by how much I loved it - watched it all over the course of a few days. So while I don't think of myself as a comedy fan per se, a lot of my favourite shows other than the top 2 seem to be comedies. I've also watched and enjoyed most of "The Office" (never saw the last episode - it's on the list!) and the first half of "Parks and Rec" (which I came to late but haven't gone back to, stopped around Season 5 I think) - other things like "30 Rock" I missed the boat on completely, though have heard of. I also really like "Tales of the City", both the old one and the new one. I wanted to rewatch "Newsradio" but the behind the scenes tragedy kind of put me off it - it's hard to watch without thinking about what happened, especially as it's a sitcom, it feels weird to laugh to. There's a few others from this time I've rewatched a little of too - "The Naked Truth" and "Just Shoot Me" - but only a couple of epsiodes.

I don't really watch many new shows - I tend to rewatch a lot of older stuff over and over. I'm not massively into longform narrative storytelling anymore, aside from TP and Lost. I usually lose interest by Season 3 tops. Shows I'm meaning to go back to as I said before are still on my list - "Person of Interest" (have 2 seasons to go) and "Fringe" (only saw the first season).

I gave up on shows like "Homeland" after three seasons (though I've heard Season 4 is very good so I might go back to it, not so sure about 5-8 - it's a show that really felt complete to me after the first three seasons as it wrapped up that arc completely), "Weeds", etc. (I almost gave up on "Lost" mid Season 3, but went back to it stronger than ever then). One show that seems really great but I just cannot get into is "The Americans". I've started and stopped that at least twice, maybe more, now. I remember the first two episodes really well, but either stopped then or shortly after it. It seems like something I'd love but for some reason just can't get into it. Never really got into the "X-Files" though tried to watch/rewatch Season 1 and I've seen bits here and there, the boat episode, the movies, etc. I feel like it's something I should like - but couldn't get into it back then and, despite loving 90's nostalgia, still can't. I might try to find a list of the best episodes and just watch them and the movies sometime, but it's low priority. I did watch the first season or two of "Millennium" but it's been years. I also loved "Nowhere Man" back in the day, don't think I'll rewatch it, maybe just the first episode soemtime. I also want to watch a couple of episodes of "Moonlighting" such as the Shakespeare one, but don't watch to rewatch the whole show. I also liked the sitcom "Cybill" and "Caroline in the City" back in the day. I liked the first season, maybe even the first three seasons, of "Desperate Housewives", but gave up after Season 4, I think. I believe I really liked "Riget" a lot but it's been at least 10-15 years (during one of the periods I was trying to find TP-like shows) and can't really remember it very well. I may have also seen some of Stephen King's "Kingdom Hospital" around this time, can't remember for sure. Oh, and I've seen all of "Dexter" too - Seasons 1, 2, 4, and 7 are the best imo, 3 and 5 are only okay, 6 is bad but entertaining, and 8 is awful. I hope 9 will be good. "Treme" is a show I thought I'd get into but didn't. I'd be open to going back to it.

I recently watched a lot of limited series one season shows and liked them - "Feud", "Hollywood", "The Bodyguard", "The Night Watchmen". I've sporadically watched "AHS" - all of the first three seasons, most of Season 4 (gave up in last couple of episodes but know how it ends), none of Season 5, a tiny bit of Season 6, most of or the first half of Season 7 but gave up again, first few episodes of Season 8 but also gave up on it, and all of Season 9 (which I didn't really like beyond the concept of it being an extended slasher movie). I'll probably give Season 10 a shot, but it's a real mixed bag for me. Like other shows here, I think the first three seasons were probably enough for me. I like the concepts - but I think they run out of steam quickly.

I've got a lot of things on my To Watch list, but they are also mostly old stuff I want to either revisit or finally get around to seeing. I want to finally get around to watching Oliver Stone's "Wild Palms", which I've been meaning to watch for 15 years. I also want to watch/rewatch "China Beach" which I haven't seen since back in the day, and "The Prisoner" (only seen the first episode and bits), "The Leftovers" (only saw bits) which I've avoided thus far because I don't want to watch anything too heavy or depressing due to a lot of already heavy and depressing life stuff - I prefer to keep entertainment lighter/more escapist lately. I've got a list of about 200 movies (maybe more) to watch/rewatch but also want to take a break to get back to reading and writing books.

I recently watched "Big Sky" and have very mixed feelings about it - like some of it, think some of it is pretty bad - so I don't think I'll stick with it beyond this season. I also saw the first season of "The Morning Show" which I enjoyed for Jennifer Aniston, but didn't find it all that great - just so-so to good. I might check out Season 2 of that when it airs. I'm looking forward to the "Frasier" revival and whatever "Wisteria"/"Unrecorded Night" turns out to me. I'll also probably check out "Lisey's Story" on Apple. Overall, while I think it's great how much stuff is out there now, I find there's just too many tv shows and movies - it's overwhelming. It's already a massive list so I can't imagine what it would be like if I started adding new shows to it.

Edit - forgot to mention. I also really like Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Comeback, both on HBO. And I loved Carnivale - it's a shame it was cancelled. I also like Westworld, though I couldn't get into the latest season at first and had to go back and rewatch it and then finish it. I think the first season (and to some extent the second) were the best, which I think most fans agree with.
Last edited by Jonah on Sun Apr 25, 2021 2:02 am, edited 3 times in total.
I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by Agent Earle »

@Jonah

Sounds like you haven't seen the majority of the so-called Golden Age of TV shows... I'd definitely rectify that if I were you. You're missing out.
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by Jonah »

Which ones would you consider part of that Golden Age? "Game of Thrones" doesn't appeal to me, "Mad Men" is a maybe, "Breaking Bad" also doesn't appeal to me. "Deadwood", "The Wire", and "The Sopranos" are other ones that doesn't appeal to me. Are they the main ones? I'm not against newer shows per se, as I'd forgotten to mention "Westworld" and ""The Walking Dead" (first 2-3 seasons only, and that was enough for me) and a couple of others that I have seen, but most of them just don't appeal to me for some reason. Maybe I'm too moored back in the 80's/90's, early 2000's. And while there are a few upcoming shows at the top of my list, there's a lot of older ones - e.g., I'd probably rather invest time watching "China Beach" (which will feel like a new show to me as can barely remember it) than "Mad Men" or try to go back to one of the ones I haven't finished ("Person of Interest", "Fringe") than watch "Breaking Bad", which everyone raves about but just doesn't appeal to me at all.
I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by Rainwater »

I don't know what else Earle had in mind, but Mad Men, Sopranos, Deadwood, The Wire would be some.

What do you mean when you say one of them doesn't appeal to you, Jonah? That you've watched some and it just didn't grab you, or that you've looked at the setting and read a synopsis, and decided it's probably not for you based on that? If the latter, then it's not really enough to evaluate a show(or film). There's so much more to it than can be glimpsed from a plot summary or whatever. Deadwood, for example, is widely regarded as some of the best TV writing ever, by the great David Milch. Funnily enough, he wrote the show as set in ancient Rome, and HBO told him, we've already got a show like that(Rome), can you change the setting? So he did, and now it's in the Wild West. So in case it's just that westerns aren't your thing, that's not at all the defining element of the show, I would say.

(edit: I was writing the above as you were still editing and writing your own post but whatever)
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Jonah
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by Jonah »

It's sort of a combination really - I've either tried them out and couldn't get into them or read about them/watched clips.

I do regularly follow TV shows, the reviews, the current thing that's being critically acclaimed in the zeitgeist, even if I'm not watching it myself. For example, I know a lot about GRRM and GOT from following along with discussions and reviews, and watching interviews with him, but for some reason I've never had any interest in sitting down and watching the actual show. Hard to explain.

The others just don't appeal to me at all - either the concepts are too heavy or the fact that everyone raves about them might be putting me off (though I don't think it's that). It's just like you can sort of tell what's your type of thing, what might be, and what isn't. I'm sometimes surprised when I give something I didn't think I'd be into a chance, but usually I can tell and I'm rarely wrong. Its not that I'm trying to not follow current trends or whatever, as I was big into TP and LOST when they were the in shows, for example.

I suppose maybe I'm more into escapism than gritty realism - and those shows seem to have that air about them, which puts me off (I don't always need red curtains in the woods or a magic island but it helps - I'm not not into realistic stuff, it's just in general gritty realism isn't my thing with TV shows, movies I'm more open to but when it comes to long-running shows, I kind of prefer more escapism maybe). I'm not into outright fantasy/sci-fi either, though - I suppose a blend of real world and something strange or supernatural, a blend of normal/odd, sort of like what TP (murder mystery in the real world slowly reveals supernatural world) and LOST (mostly unhappy people escape their lives in the real world and get marooned on an island, slowly revealing a strange world) were. (I'm not even sure I'll get back into "China Beach" either as that setting might be too realistic too.)
I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.
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Re: Peaks Fans Top 10 TV shows

Post by Rainwater »

Well, fair, to each their own. I can understand wanting a strong escapist element in there somewhere, or a bit of magical realism or the like.
A show like Deadwood really thrives on its characters and dialogue. In that sense, it's a very very different beast from something like TP, because the focus is really almost entirely on the writing a lot of the time. I guess it can be considered quite gritty. It can get dark and somewhat brutal, but there's always a very.. humanistic? (can't think of a better word right now) thread running through it, a highly empathetic writer's perspective of the characters and their struggles, and consequently a lot of beauty to be found even in the darkest moments. All of which is far more than can be said for a show like GoT, which seems to me to just revel in its edginess and brutality with nothing to show for it. I personally don't think GoT belongs anywhere near a list of all-time great shows anyway, as entertaining as it can be. I know there's some fans on this board, please don't beat me up.
But yeah, I'm not really trying to convince you of anything, because that doesn't really work anyway(although Deadwood is one of my favorites, as you can probably tell). Either it's your thing or isn't. But I do recommend giving those shows a second chance if you're ever running out of things to watch, maybe you'll end up liking something you didn't think you would. It's happened to me before. Actually, funnily enough, nearly all of my favorite things didn't quite click with me instantly and a bunch of them took a second try to really get into. Dunno why that is, maybe that's just me.
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