How Many TV Series Are You Watching?
Me? I think I might be juggling a bit too many. But let’s face it, television series have become really, really, good. And there’s a lot of them. The problem in the pandora household is that I’m a binge watcher. Mr. Pandora is not. Which means… either I go at his pace (which is ridiculously slow, imo) or I ditch him and watch them on my own. Right now we’re doing a bit of both.
So which series am I watching? Right now I’m hooked on:
The Walking Dead – Mr. P and I watch this series when it airs because the internet will ruin it if you don’t watch it immediately. I absolutely love, love, love this show and could discuss it endlessly. FYI: It isn’t about zombies.
House of Cards – Can’t believe we haven’t finished this season yet. Have I mentioned my husband’s slow pacing? It’s killing me. Even though every character is awful, I love the show. I read somewhere that the two most frightening/tough characters out there are Claire Underwood and Carol from the Walking Dead. Agreed.
The Leftovers – I’m watching this series on my own. It’s really depressing, but super interesting and the acting is great. I just started this series (yep, binge watched it while Mr. P was away on business) and I have no idea where it’s heading, but the role belief and religion play in this show keeps you guessing.
How To Get Away With Murder – This show is a crazy ride, but I love every minute of it. I did like season one better, so far, but Viola Davis is an amazing mix of strength, arrogance and vulnerability. She really makes the show. When she’s on the screen everyone else fades in the background.
Breaking Bad – I might have to abandon Mr. P and binge watch this show. We’re still in season one and I want to move on. I’ll admit that right now I can’t stand any character other than Jesse, but I’m sure that will change. I’ll even admit that I’m having trouble going back to the show. It just hasn’t grabbed me, but I know it eventually will. Everyone I know loved this show and I respect their judgement. If you’re reading this, Mr. P, you’ve been warned. I’m moving on with or without you!
Game of Thrones – I started watching this show for the same reason I started watching The Walking Dead – I was looking for something that would appeal to my son. I love this show, and am considering re-watching all the episodes because I know I missed a lot. (Not sure how I’ll fit this into my schedule!) This is also a show you must watch when it airs or the internet will ruin it for you.
Orange Is The New Black – This show is amazing. Yep, I totally binged watched this season with my daughter and nephew. I re-watched it with Mr. P this fall. He did finish this season, so I guess that means he really likes this show!
Outlander – I started this series with my daughter (she banned her father from watching with us due to the sex scenes. LOL) and we binged on it. Talk about a guilty pleasure.
Sherlock – If you haven’t watched this series you are missing out. There’s a special airing on New Year’s Day and my entire family will plan our day around it. This show is so smart and funny. The dialogue is brilliant and the dynamics between Sherlock and Watson are perfect. Go watch it!
Mad Men – Just finished this series (binge watched with my daughter) and while I hated the ending I guess it made sense. But what I really liked was watching this with an 18 year old who thought all of it was fantasy (we’ve come a long way, baby!) and had no idea what a re-run was. When I explained a re-run to her she couldn’t wrap her head around a world without On-Demand, Netflix, etc.. She felt very sorry for us.
Transparent – I haven’t finished season one, but I think I will. On my own. Mr. P walked away from the show saying everyone was too messed up and he would have liked the show to focus more on the trans parent, and her struggles and accomplishments, and not make everyone so dysfunctional. He has a point. Everyone in that show has major issues. Everyone. And it does take away from the main character. It also sends a message that I’m not comfortable with. Perhaps if they had one well-adjusted character it would be better, and I would like to see a story where the focus is on the transition rather than the completely screwed up family. But I may be speaking too soon since I haven’t finished season one. So, yeah, I’ll go back and give it a chance.
Mozart In The Jungle – This is an Amazon series that all four us watched last winter. I liked it, but didn’t love it. That said I will watch season two. There’s an energy there, altho I’m not sure where it’s heading.
American Horror Story – I haven’t watched every season, and I’m way behind on this season (it just hasn’t grabbed me), but it’s rare to find a show with such strong, older female leads – Jessica Lange, Angela, Bassett, Kathy Bates, Frances Conroy. That’s awesome!
I’m sure I’m forgetting something and I haven’t included series I’ve finished a while ago (Dexter, True Blood, etc.) or series I gave up on several years ago (Downton Abbey, Reign) OR the series on my to-be-watched list (Fargo, Sons of Anarchy, The Wire). There really isn’t enough time in the day!
So… what are you watching? Are you like me, wondering if you’re watching too much TV? I haven’t watched many movies in the last few years. Given a choice I’m always choosing series.
Tags: Entertainment, Popular Culture
The dramatic long story arc series is a great advancement in TV (thank you Steven Bochco, Michael Kozoll & Hill Street Blues), but holy shit – you are a power user. And now you have to add “Better Call Saul” which is awesome.
Shouldn’t I watch Breaking Bad first, Jason?
The good thing is that these series don’t run at the same time, so I’m not watching GoTs, Sherlock, Outlander, etc. now. Also, given Mr. P’s travel schedule I end up with time in the evenings. It’s kinda weird being home alone and having complete control of the remote!
And I forgot… I watched Fear The Walking Dead this summer/fall. Not sure how I felt about that one.
I guess you might want to wait, although it isn’t mandatory.
Fear The Walking Dead is growing on me. I didn’t like season 1 of ‘the walking dead’ so these types of shows (at times) need a season or so to find their legs.
ALSO – Fuck Glenn. He better be dead. Although, lets face it, he probably isn’t.
Currently watching
The Walking Dead (watch live unless the Eagles are on Sunday night football)
Homeland (watch on DVR on Monday)
The Good Wife (watch On Demand during the week)
Madam Secretary (watching first season on Netflix right now)
Grey’s Anatomy (yes, I still watch it on DVR, don’t judge me)
The Man in the High Castle (this will be dropping on Amazon soon and it looks amazing. It is an alternate history fiction about what happen if the Nazis and Japan won WWII and divided America between them)
Will watch when the series resumes
House of Cards (although this series jumped the shark for me last season with some very unbelievable plot turns and I can see myself dropping it soon)
Game of Thrones
Orange Is The New Black
The Fall (I hope there is a third season, because this BBC show was amazing and I recommend it to all on Netflix)
Bloodline (awesome show on Netflix)
Series that are on my list to watch
The Leftovers
How To Get Away With Murder
Outlander (I just added it to my list due to your mention of sex scenes)
Hannibal (I watched the 1st and 2nd seasons, and I am waiting to watch the third and final)
Top of the Lake
The Returned
Series that I have stopped watching
American Horror Story (I liked the second and third seasons, but hated the fourth, and this season, despite the sex scenes, seems too weird).
And the Good Wife is getting close to being added here.
I have already finished Mad Men and Breaking Bad.
GLENN LIVES
Yeah, I’m thinking they’re going to pull a Jon Snow with Glenn. I love Glenn, but what would be better is our group coming across zombie Glenn (OMG! That would kill me, but it would be believable) or at least Glenn returning to Alexandria with a zombie bite (a la Bob).
DD, when you watch The Leftovers we’ll have to talk.
Pandora… I think at the mid season finale (which is in 2 or 3 episodes), they are going to pull another Sophia in the Barn on us. Remember that? That was devastating.
Breaking Bad is, imho, the best show ever to air. Keep with it, it gets better and better. No promises that you will LIKE characters more, but they are all well written and well acted. Ive never felt so satisfied with a show ending as i did with that one.
Transparent- I like it a lot, but it’s about a Trans woman and her HORRIBLE children. Mora is the only decent human being on that show.
House of Cards.. really hoping season 4 is the end. ( I’ve heard tell there were supposed to be 52 episodes, like a deck of cards, so it would make sense) It has to potential to drag on too long. This is another reason why Breaking Bad was so good. There was always an ending in sight and it didnt get drawn out forever because it got rating (like How I Met Your Mother)
OITNB- same as Breaking Bad. I want it to be a complete story, rather than a formula… also I cant stand Piper, I like Alex when she is not with Piper (most toxic couple ever) and am really glad Pie-Boy was nixed. All the supporting characters, however, are really great.
Game of Thrones… Im hooked on the books, hooked on speculative discussion forums about the books and love the show… HOWEVER… If a Release date for Winds of Winter exists before the next season starts, I will hold off until I can read the book.
Arrow/Flash – Violent, campy, lots of DC geek pleasing. Love em.
Gotham – same as Arrow. If you are pre disposed to liking super hero shows, it’s great. If not, dont waste your time.
Daily Show _ Trevor Noah is KILLING IT! I went in WANTING to like him, so he didnt have to work too hard to impress me, but he is really beginning to hit his stride and is doing faster than Jon did…. true, he was left with a MUCH better show than Kilbourne left Jon with, but he has handled it very well.
I am about to start Twin Peaks, everyone tells me I should
edit: SENSE8! How could I forget Sense8! The Wachowskis let me down with Matrix 2 and 3, so Im still wary of how this show will progress, but I will certainly give season 2 a chance based on season 1.
Has anyone seen Heroes Reborn?
None. Did watch Breaking Bad when it was on. Often forced to endure listening to TV from the other room, which is how I know I don’t miss it.
Ben, I too cannot stand Piper on OITNB. But love Red, and she is pretty much why I watch.
I am also looking forward to Twin Peaks. And I love Trevor Noah. He was a great pick.
I did not watch Heroes, and won’t be watching Heroes Reborn.
Not watching any right now. However, if you missed out on Justified when it first aired, you owe it to yourself.
Justified was Mr. P’s favorite show!
DelDem–I watched the first episode of The Man in the High Castle when it arrived and was incredibly pissed to have to wait months for the second episode to appear. That said, ironically, I’m waiting another two weeks to watch it because life is so crazy. The novel that created it is one of my all-time favorites, and while this is not a straight adaptation (you literally cannot do a straight adaptation of anything Philip K. Dick wrote), it is amazing–especially visually.
An older guilty pleasure was Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse” which started out as just episodic adventure candy and soon developed into something far darker and more interesting with a great series of story arcs and an amazing (if a tad truncated because it got canceled) and satisfying ending. Just two seasons and an easy weekend binge by itself.
Like you I’m working my way through Season One of Madam Secretary or Netflix.
For a completely off the wall anthology show that will drive you absolutely nuts, try Black Mirror on Netflix. It’s Brit and to some extent is what would have happened if Monty Python had continued to develop and get darker and darker. There are only six episodes available, but in it’s twisted way it is awesome. Here’s a teaser without spoiler from S1 E1:
The most popular female royal in GB has been kidnapped and will be killed this evening unless the Prime Minister goes on TV … and has sex with a pig. Seriously. I know it doesn’t sound like it, but it is incredible.
No American shows. I have been watching foreign firms and shows recently (mainly Japanese, Chinese, and Korean, but also some Australian/NZ and Scandinavian).
I will say that not a single show from pandora’s list above really interests me. We are apparently in entirely different universes.
Liberal Elite NZ TV How about “The Almighty Johnsons”?
I can get C-span on my cell phone now. That’s all I need !
I would like to watch Homicide: Life on the Street from end to end again. Currently watching House of Cards.