Total Number of Ratings: 7
My Stack: TV Edition
First Published: Friday, July 17, 2009 6:03 PM
Last Saved: Saturday, July 18, 2009 1:13 AM
*Disclaimer: I just want to preface this piece by saying I haven't used the "Write a Response" function of Murmur. And I haven't seen it used anywhere on the site yet. So I have no clue how this is going to look or what's going to happen. I'd also like to apologize if I violated some randomn web etiquette rule by not asking the original author's permission to piggy back on his article... sorry Conor.*
Everyone has a Stack. Whether it be a pile of books you haven't gotten around to reading, a list of albums you're going to download the next time amazonmp3 puts them on sale, or a group of movies that are just sitting at the bottom of your Netflix queue, there's always media waiting to be consumed.
So I thought I'd share my Stack of TV series. These are shows I've been meaning to watch on a regular basis, but for various reasons or lame excuses, I haven't gotten around to it.
Alias (ABC, 2001-2006) I am a scatterbrain (and lazy). If something isn't on my TiVo, I will most likely forget all about it. That's what happened to Alias. If the show had started three or four years later than it did, it would not be on this list. Alias was into season four when I bought my first TiVo and by that point I heard the show had jumped the shark. What's really sad is the DVD sets for all five seasons are sitting on a shelf next to my TV and I still haven't watched it.
Battlestar Galactica (SciFi, 2004-2009) In December of 2006, SciFi was running an all-day marathon of Battlestar Galactica to ramp up for the next season. I had heard a lot of good things, so I made a point to clear time and watch this marathon. Unfortunately I got the date mixed up and instead ended up watching an all-day marathon of the new Doctor Who series, which I fell madly in love with. I still haven't gotten around to Battlestar.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (WB/FOX, 1997-2003) Before you have a coronary, I have seen Buffy. I've seen a ton of episodes, I know (and love) all the characters, I read the comic, but I never watched Buffy on a regular basis. And again it's all down to bad timing. Buffy started during my first year of college, and while I knew people who watched it religiously, I was not about to commit to anything back then. But when FX started running Buffy in syndication and I watched it whenever I could. There's still a lot I missed, and I'd really like to catch up.
Dexter (Showtime, 2006- ) Michael C. Hall as a sociopathic forensics expert/serial killer who only murders criminals. What's not to love! One problem. I don't have Showtime. I know I can watch the episodes on Showtime's website, but I'm kinda picky about how I watch TV shows. I only watch them on a television set, as they were intended to be viewed. I spend all day staring at a computer screen at work, I'm not going to do it at home.
Dollhouse (FOX, 2009- ) A new Joss Whedon show on FOX gave me Firefly flashbacks. I wasn't about to get invested in a show that was just going to get axed after a few episodes. Plus Eliza Dushku is not a selling point for me (personally I don't think she has any range as an actress and she's not *that* hot). But after 6 episodes Dollhouse was still around, and the buzz was getting really good. So I asked my husband (who watches it) to save the episodes on his TiVo because I wanted to check it out. Last night he asked me, "Honey, are you still planning on watching Dollhouse? I'm running out of room on my TiVo." Oops.
Mad Men (AMC, 2007- ) I have heard nothing but good things about this show. I had every intention of watching it last summer but it never happened. And by listing it here you know I haven't gone back to watch the DVDs. But there may be a happy ending because I've already programmed my TiVo to record new episodes, so I'm all set to jump on for season three.
Pushing Daisies (ABC, 2007-2009) I was intrigued by Pushing Daisies because it had a pretty dark premise yet it looked so cute and whimsical. But I had this nagging feeling that unless they got the balance right, the show would be awful. So I waited to see how was before adding it to the TiVo list. And in waiting I missed out. I'm sure they'll do a nice complete series DVD set... we'll see if I get around to watching it.
So what do you think? Am I missing anything else? What do you wish you were watching?
This article is in response to My Stack (January 2009)
Dexter is quite good, the first two seasons are addictive. Season 3 was allright, not terrible by any means what so ever, but not as grabbing (To me anyway) and as for Battlestar...it maybe my all time favorite drama, which is a daring thing to say, but it is great, it's everything Sci-Fi (The genre, not the channel) can and should be.
It's not on the list but if you don't watch Friday NIght Lights I recommend that as well.
And you don't have that much to hit on, because except for Buffy and Alias, all those shows tend to have 13 episode seasons (Or season box sets.)
About half of the shows on your list are in my "stack". A few years ago, I never watched TV at all. Now I am overwhelmed by the quality stuff that is out there.
I have to say you need to watch DEXTER. That thing is such a fun time. My wife and I have watched the first two seasons and enjoyed the heck out of it. Pick up the DVDs somehow, someway (Netflix? Blockbuster? Local library?).
I think Dollhouse actually dispells the notion that Eliza Dushku has no range as an actress. Yeah, in the beginning she basically played variations on "troubled hot chick," but as the show progressed, she got a chance to show some actual acting chops. One episode in particular, i felt, really showed just what kind of acting skills she has. but i will not say which one, as I do not want to spoiler anything for you.
Also, I'm finally getting around to catching up on Battlestar Galactica on DVD.
I recommend watching Dexter, but on the TV. If there's any way, go for it. It's really good.
Life is great. I watched a recent episode (recent here) with (spoilers) the main villain when Reese was missing - it's the end (for now) and it's a "fuck yeah" kind of moment. Brilliant.
You have to get past an early stupid way to create static in a computer the includes the keyboard, but it's a great series.
Since I'm not a big TV viewer and I don't seek out new shows to watch, and because hulu doesn't play for people from Israel (and other countries obviously) I can't be tempted. Conor creates intrigue but not enough for me to actively seek the shows. I'm lazy.
What I with I was seeing is canceled stuff - Invader Zim, Angry Beavers etc.
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great list. almost everything on it is on my stack, or on my "why isn't this on your stack?" list. i've started watching battlestar galactica on DVD, and it's as good as everyone says.
if you've watched buffy on FX you haven't watched buffy at all. joss's best writing is the "setup, joke, *real* joke delayed a beat later" format, and 9 times out of 10, FX cuts off the delayed joke to sell you more things. it was soooo frustrating watching the show, waiting for the best lines only to discover they've disappeared.