In which we ask for input...

[jesshartley]

Pat and I managed to miss out on most of the Firefly fervor way-back-when, and have only recently started watching it as part of our "evening ritual". (I make dinner, we sit down to eat and watch Firefly, Autumn stays about half-way through then goes up to play NeoPets, Pat and I cuddle on the couch and finish watching the episode before going to clean up the kitchen and go on with whatever else is on our plans for the evening. It's really quite domestic.)

But, we're only about four episodes from being done. Panic has ensued. We're both prone to channel flipping, and have different tastes in television (I'm not big on the history channel, he gets bored with the food network/hgtv).

We're looking for a series that we can use to fill our "firefly" ritual when we're done with the released episodes of firefly.

I hear rumors of Veronika Mars, but I don't know anything about it.

We're looking for something funny (but not stupid), clever but not high brow.

And, cool costumes don't hurt. (I just realized that Firefly fits my criteria for whether I will like a movie or not. It has cool costumes... but that's another conversation altogether.)

Does anyone have any advice on already released to video (or potentially to the internet) television series that they would recommend to us?

Comments

[melsner.livejournal.com]

Sci-Friday on the Sci Fi channel is pretty good... The Stargates are fun and Battle Star Galactica is fairy intense.

Smallville has its moments.

[arimenthe.livejournal.com]

yea, I would say stargate - you can get into the current stuff, or collect them season by season...like we're doing..

[wiredwizard.livejournal.com]

Veronica Mars: Nancy Drew meets The O.C. w/ a dash of Twin Peaks. Overall not bad.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

My friends foam over the new Battlestar Galactica. They appear to think it's quite good. And I just watched the season closer for Veronica Mars; the writing is smart, the characters for the most part avoid acting stupid unless it's in character, the dialogue is snappy and makes me laugh, and quite often I didn't solve the mystery half way through the episode. Lost should probably be out on DVD soon too, if it's not already out.

[sgtjesse.livejournal.com]

Veronica Mars is like if Buffy didn't have any supernatural elements to it.

I'd suggest Battlestar Galatica and Stargate Atlantis as well.

Rumor has it that there's the works for another show to errupt out on Sci-Fi network, but nothing official has been mentioned.

[jesshartley.livejournal.com]

I'm really looking more for earlier stuff that's already out on DVD rather than "current, have to try to catch it" stuff.

[jessicac.livejournal.com]

The first season of Battlestar Galactica will be out on DVD in September. :)

Tim and I loved Farscape and it's entirely out on DVD.

I'll have to think about other recommendations, I'm not a big TV watcher. I usually rely on Mimi to point me at what's good. She is a font of TV and movie knowledge.

[noxenlux.livejournal.com]

sept 20th battlestar will be out :)

[sgtjesse.livejournal.com]

Yes, Farscape was wonderful. I can't think of a better series, however I felt robbed by the series (and mini-series) ending.

DVD goodness

[carnaleminence.livejournal.com]

Millenium
The 4400
American Gothic
Deadwood (western but cool)
Tru Calling (Ok, some people hated it, but it's Eliza Dushku...heh...and the premise of the show wasn't half bad.)
Dead Zone (series with Anthony Michael Hall, not bad)

If you can find someone who taped it:
Jeremiah (Showtime SciFi thing)
Dead Like Me (another quirky Showtime series possibly being picked up on SCiFi soon)

Showtime also did a scifi show called 'Odyssey 5'. No clue how that went, but it's got a good review on a fan site.

[rickj.livejournal.com]

I'll echo the reccomendation for Farscape, and I think the Battlestar Galactica mini-series is out on DVD already.

We've got the following shows in our NetFlix queue.

Neverwhere, Profit (a very sick and dark show), Jeremiah (I liked the episodes that I saw in Showtime), The Wire (recc'ed by dozens of folks), Moonlighting, the Greatest American Hero (both nostalgia shows), the 4400, Greg the Bunny, Wonderfalls, 24, Alias, Smallville (we never caught much of those 4 on TV, and want to give it a try).

[jeffcarnegie.livejournal.com]

I'm a huge fan of the West Wing. I've also been enjoying Smallville and Stargate SG1.

[nuke-c.livejournal.com]

I just started in the Stargate SG-1 Series, through Netflix.. I get 2-3 DVD's at a time. And they have like 5+ seasons I think.

I also really enjoyed Monk and Allias as well as 24 and Deadzone.
I don't think 24 would be good for Autumn though...or The Badge (another good series IMO)

When I get caught up with Stargate..I am going to start into Farscape myself

BTW Netflix rocks!

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Plus, I saw the first episode of 'Carnivale' and I'm somewhat intrigued.

[oakthorne.livejournal.com]

Carnivale is an absolute, absolute must-see. Without a doubt.

Joe

How about some comedy

[kokyu.livejournal.com]

The original BBC series "Coupling" is fantastic! Well the first three seasons are over the top, unbelievably good. The fourth season is a disappointment... it's merely as good as the better US sitcoms.

Or if you want to stick with sci-fi.. and you've already seen Farscape try the animated show "Cowboy Bebop"... again must be watched in order.

Babylon 5 is one I hope to watch in order someday so I can't recommend it.

Would you believe...?

[laurinrose.livejournal.com]

I've got to say that among the SciFi shows I don't watch, one that I try to make time for is the Twilight Zone. With Rod Serling--the old black-n-white reruns.

You'll be pleasantly surprised at the Names you'll see (back before they became Names).

And many, many of them are appropriate (albeit intense) for Autumn. Very thought-provoking.

Currently, the girls and I are enjoying Numbers and House.

[sheriffjoe.livejournal.com]

Jess, there are several "complete series" that I've purchased of late that are on the list to watch as soon as I complete season two of CSI:Miami. Unfortunately, most do not fall within the category of funny with costumes (Boomtown, Profit, Tru Calling, Sports Night, etc ...). Very few genre shows ARE any good, to be honest.

In terms of guilty pleasures, Kindred:The Embraced is pretty fun (if you ignore the stilted dialogue and over-the-top acting). What I've heard that is very good (and short as a complete series) is WONDERFALLS.

I LOVED season one of Carnivale and got so bored with season two so quickly that I stopped watching it after six episodes. It got weird for the sake of being weird and, for some reason, lost its allure because of it.

Joe

[prince-cosmic.livejournal.com]

I recommend Farscape and Buffy/Angel. Babylon 5 is another. As you know, I only watch dvds... ;)

[tersa.livejournal.com]

I third (I think?) the votes for "Veronica Mars", although unfortunately season 1 isn't due out on DVD until October. It's very rare that I can't figure out a mystery until the reveal (unless it's Agatha Christie, damn her anyway :P), and there are lots of hotties to look at. :)

I would also vote for "Dead Like Me", both seasons of which are out on DVD right now. The premise of that is that not all dead people die, but become 'undead' and Grim Reapers, and follows the trials and tribulations of a small group of these Reapers as they continue on with their unlife--and following one family dealing with the aftermath of the death of the main character, George (Georgia). Smart, funny, and thought provoking.

[keridwen.livejournal.com]

The new Battlestar Galactica is amazing. The first season is out on DVD.

[keridwen.livejournal.com]

...and I guess that I'd just *assumed* that you've already seen Babylon 5, SG-1, and Farscape. B5 is one of the best scifi shows ever made.

Babylon 5 is complete, with five seasons and four TV movies.

There are currently seven seasons of Stargate SG-1 out on DVD. Season 8 will be out in October.

Farscape is four seasons, plus one miniseries, all out on DVD.

The West Wing is also wonderful. Currently the first four seasons have been released.

I, Claudius is an old Masterpiece Theater series that everyone should see and love. :)

The complete series of Upstairs, Downstairs is also available on DVD now.

Four seasons of Jeeves & Wooster are on DVD, as is all of Fawlty Towers, if you're looking for comedy.

The Horatio Hornblower series is another good one.