Anybody Watch, "House of Cards"?

[Coffee]

Phenomenal show.  Not quite as good as, "Breaking Bad" or the "Sopranos"... but definitely top 10 shows.

[MachineGhost]

Phenomenal show.  Not quite as good as, "Breaking Bad" or the "Sopranos"... but definitely top 10 shows.

The American or British version?

[MediumTex]

I have been bouncing from one great show to another for about a year.

First I finished up Breaking Bad.

Than I tore through Battlestar Galactica.

Then I watched every episode of Justified.

Then I watched all three seasons of Deadwood.

Then I got up to speed on The Americans.

Now I'm working my way through The Wire.

With these good shows, it's great because it's like watching an excellent movie that last 50 hours or more.  I have to watch episodes back to back, though.  I simply can't wait a week between episodes when there is a complex storyline and every episode contributes to the overall arc of the story.

[Mountaineer]

I have been bouncing from one great show to another for about a year.

First I finished up Breaking Bad.

Than I tore through Battlestar Galactica.

Then I watched every episode of Justified.

Then I watched all three seasons of Deadwood.

Then I got up to speed on The Americans.

Now I'm working my way through The Wire.

With these good shows, it's great because it's like watching an excellent movie that last 50 hours or more.  I have to watch episodes back to back, though.  I simply can't wait a week between episodes when there is a complex storyline and every episode contributes to the overall arc of the story.

Did one of these shows contribute more than the others to the Light Bulb - Little Green Men analogy?

Perhaps Justified was an inspirational example for corrupt Little Green Men? 

... Mountaineer

[ns3]

I have been bouncing from one great show to another for about a year.

First I finished up Breaking Bad.

Than I tore through Battlestar Galactica.

Then I watched every episode of Justified.

Then I watched all three seasons of Deadwood.

Then I got up to speed on The Americans.

Now I'm working my way through The Wire.

With these good shows, it's great because it's like watching an excellent movie that last 50 hours or more.  I have to watch episodes back to back, though.  I simply can't wait a week between episodes when there is a complex storyline and every episode contributes to the overall arc of the story.

Haven't watched any of those except for The Americans which I also highly recommend. I started watching it on on Amazon Prime and then even paid for the first two episodes of this season to get completely caught up. Will have to try Justified because I think it's also free now on Amazon.

I agree it's not the same watching in weekly installments though, especially after you started out watching them back-to-back. The first time I ever did that was with 24. I had three seasons to get through to get caught up so when they say "The following takes place in real time" that becomes literally true. Without the commercials it's more like 18 hours though.

(Edit: Another one that has all episodes free on Amazon now is "Prison Break". Like a lot of these shows it jumps the shark after the first few seasons but it's pretty good at the beginning).

[Reub]

Coffee, it is great to have you back posting on here. Please don't ever leave us again!

[AdamA]

Now I'm working my way through The Wire.

How do you like it so far?

With these good shows, it's great because it's like watching an excellent movie that last 50 hours or more.  I have to watch episodes back to back, though.  I simply can't wait a week between episodes when there is a complex storyline and every episode contributes to the overall arc of the story.

I do that too.

It's like smoking crack though. 

You watch an entire series of a great show, and then it's all over...and all you're left with is a nasty come-down. 

[Xan]

Y'all should check out the original British version, also on Netflix.  Classic.

[Reub]

I really liked House of Cards.  Very good show. 

Reub, if you haven't watched it, you really should.  The Democrats are some really bad guys ... you know, just like real life! 

I don't need a television show to tell me that!

[MachineGhost]

Then I watched every episode of Justified.

Justified ended its run already?  Waiting a week is bad enough, but when a series hasn't ended and you have to wait a year or more for the next season, that is even worse.  So I no longer watch anything that hasn't ended its run.

Then I watched all three seasons of Deadwood.

+11111111111111111  True art.

[Coffee]

Reub is like the Mafia: Just when you think you're out... Reub pulls you back in. 

[MediumTex]

Then I watched every episode of Justified.

Justified ended its run already?  Waiting a week is bad enough, but when a series hasn't ended and you have to wait a year or more for the next season, that is even worse.  So I no longer watch anything that hasn't ended its run.

Final season for Justified starts in January 2015.

[MediumTex]

Now I'm working my way through The Wire.

How do you like it so far?

Really good show.  Every episode drives the whole storyline for the season and the whole story is tight and coherent.  No side stories that don't contribute to the whole.  It makes other cop shows seem like dumb soap operas.

I never realized how corny most cop shows are until spending some time with The Wire.

With these good shows, it's great because it's like watching an excellent movie that last 50 hours or more.  I have to watch episodes back to back, though.  I simply can't wait a week between episodes when there is a complex storyline and every episode contributes to the overall arc of the story.

I do that too.

It's like smoking crack though. 

You watch an entire series of a great show, and then it's all over...and all you're left with is a nasty come-down.

I finished up Battlestar Galactica at about 3:00am one night and I didn't know what to do.  I thought about going to a methadone clinic.

[AdamA]

I finished up Battlestar Galactica at about 3:00am one night and I didn't know what to do.  I thought about going to a methadone clinic.

I think they actually have BSG methadone clinics. 

You stand in line for two hours and then once they let you inside you get to watch 15 minutes of the original 1970's series.  Then they throw you out to wander the streets until the next day. 

At the clinic for the The Wire, you get to watch Hill Street Blues. 

[MediumTex]

The Wire appears to have gone onto Amazon Prime yesterday or today, so I could have watched the whole series for free.

I'm $60 into the show ($20 x 3 seasons), but at least seasons 4 and 5 will be free.

[MachineGhost]

I finished up Battlestar Galactica at about 3:00am one night and I didn't know what to do.  I thought about going to a methadone clinic.

I like both series, but I still give the edge to the original for clean naive unbounded optimism (gotta love Lorne Green).  I imagine you're not referring to the original here.   Ever since the 90's, everything has to be dark and depressing.  We need a renaissance!

[Lowe]

Y'all should check out the original British version, also on Netflix.  Classic.

After I finished season two of the American version, I watched all three seasons of the original.  It was good, but boy does it have an agenda.  The American version is starkly non-partisan, by comparison.

[MediumTex]

I finished up Battlestar Galactica at about 3:00am one night and I didn't know what to do.  I thought about going to a methadone clinic.

I like both series, but I still give the edge to the original for clean naive unbounded optimism (gotta love Lorne Green).  I imagine you're not referring to the original here.   Ever since the 90's, everything has to be dark and depressing.  We need a renaissance!

The first one?  Seriously?

I loved the first one mostly because I was 10 years old when it came on, but the second one was, to me, vastly more nuanced, engaging and provocative.

[MachineGhost]

The first one?  Seriously?

I loved the first one mostly because I was 10 years old when it came on, but the second one was, to me, vastly more nuanced, engaging and provocative.

I look at it this way.  Do you really want to live in a dark, depressing, dystopian future like the Battlestar Galactica reboot or the jovial atmosphere of the original?  Star Trek vs Star Wars?  Silent Running vs Soylet Green?  Deep Space Nine vs Babylon 5?  etc.  I'm not saying the original can hold a candle to the reboot in terms of writing or depth, just general plot and atmosphere.  It's naive in the way the 70's were.  You have to appreciate it for its time.

I think you should watch Andromeda for a different take on dystopia.  The first three seasons are really, really good with all the overarching storylines.  I suspect it will be a long, long time before we ever have a sci-fi series like Andromeda or the BG reboot ever again.  Producing for direct syndication is pretty much a dead business model.