J-rap Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 So, we never used to be a TV family, but since my husband's stroke we are really into watching a single TV series big-time. The whole family does. That is, we'll find just one series that's maybe already been on a couple years and then watch it every night or two for months on end, until the series is done or we're caught up. Or, we'll find a mini series that will last for a week or two. Now we're at the end and can't find any that we like. We like ones that have some intrigue (political, historical, case to solve, etc), they can be somewhat lighthearted (but not pure comedy); they can be very serious too. They need to be more than just a soap opera (so no Downton Abbey -- sorry!), but still one where the characters play out and evolve. We've loved some BBC ones. Some of our favorites: Foyle's War The Little Dorrit BBC series The Mentalist Psyche Monk Homeland (although I watch that one alone -- it sometimes crosses the line between what I'm comfortable watching with my children!) The Hour (Our latest favorite -- a BBC series, which I HIGHLY recommend, except that it only lasted two seasons. :( So, it's already over.) The BBC mini-series, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy The mini-series, A Town Like Alice Band of Brothers Recommendations are very much needed!! Thank you! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 White Collar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 If you have Prime, I loved London Hospital. http://www.amazon.com/Episode-1/dp/B003UPMK1Y If you have Netflix, both "House of Cards" are great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kebo Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Lie To Me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Burn Notice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I second House of Cards (maybe not for kids, depending on what you're comfortable with and their ages) Mad Men Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 call the midwife Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upward Journey Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Blechley Circle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Coast School Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Since you seem to like British... Jeeves and Wooster Poirot (Agatha Christie, so there is a murder in every story. You might want to preview for kids) The Vicar of Dibley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 BBC's Robin Hood Series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThelmaLou Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I second Call the Midwife and London Hospital. Also, Lark Rise to Candleford, Little Dorrit, North and South, Cranford, and Bleak House. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 We seem to have similar tastes. How about MI-5 (my new obsession)? I am on season 4 and I am really enjoying it. The first couple of seasons were really good. As much as I love the new characters they add, I am wondering how long they can keep the plot points fresh so we will see if I will see all the seasons that Netflix offers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Coast Mom Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Alias Prison Break Parenthood House Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5of5 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Caste. There are a number of BBC police/detective shows, but they don't tend to have a lot of episodes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 second the recommendation for White Collar West Wing is excellent Parenthood is one of my favorites too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Lost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I just finished West Wing and really liked it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia7278 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Older BBC Sherlock with Jeremy Brett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
housemouse Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 How about Doctor Who on BBC America, the one that started in 2005. The only thing is that it is probably best to start in the beginning with season one. And the first season is kind of slow since they are still developing characters. It gets very good starting about 1/3 way into season 2. Right now they are entering season 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto3innc Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 On Netflix from BBC we love Sherlock and Mi5. Not sure about Mi5 with kids. Also love parenthood and Friday Night Lights. Also The Unit (we had this on DVD so not sure where it is online). All have been ones we "binge watched". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Seconding Lie to Me (though it does end kind of abruptly). Perception The Americans Orphan Black (that one is kind of woo-woo silly science fiction, but it's really addictive) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Revolution. Concept is that something has happened that makes anything electrical not work - anywhere. so - sort of post nuclear war without the radiation. Then stuff happens. Best to start at the beginning. It has some interesting characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Sherlock (BBC modern Holmes show with longer, more movie-like episodes) Elementary (American modern Holmes show with shorter more tv-like episodes) Orphan Black (BBC America and bit more intense then a lot of stuff I watch but interesting episodes that leave you hanging) Freaks and Geeks (American teen show set in '80s, heart warming) A Bit of Fry and Laurie (sketch comedy) News Radio (American comedy) Pushing Daisies (American, almost fairy tale-ish) Dead Like Me (ditto, a bit darker) If I'm looking for something light sometimes a particular writer or producer has a specific style that translates between their different series. For instance, Joss Whedon does a lot of supernatural stuff with a strong ensemble cast (Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Alan Sorkin also does ensemble cast shows with snappy dialogue (Sports News, The West Wing). If you try out something of theirs there is usually more you can try with similar quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrub Jay Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Nikita. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Add my kudos for White Collar. It replaced Monk and was a worthwhile replacement, so if you liked Monk... We also liked Burn Notice (except for the last season which, to us, was a dud). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 If you have Amazon Prime you might look into Murdoch Mysteries. You can get 5 seasons free if you're a Prime member. Season 6 isn't available yet, but dh and I keep checking. It's a Canadian show about a Toronto police detective in the late 19th century. It mixes in real history and historical figures (and of course plays loose with them). If you like mysteries or police procedures, try this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mango Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Do you do Netflix? I've enjoyed Land Girls, Call the Midwife, and Flyboys recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Gosh, no one has suggested Firefly, so that will be my contribution. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Northern Exposure! The Waltons (I think it totally holds up over time.) Hamish MacBeth (quirky 1990s Scottish mystery series like Northern Exposure meets Twin Peaks). These are on YouTube. The accent takes a little getting used to. The Great Lochdubh Salt Robbery is the 1st one. You can look up the order of the episodes on Wikipedia. It is important to watch them in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 My husband is in charge of getting our television to watch, and he's lately turned to weird foreign shows because we're out of the series that the library carries. Anyway, we've really, really liked Borgen, a Danish political show, kind of like the West Wing. Also, we enjoyed The Returned, a French show about dead people who return to a small town. The problem with foreign shows is that I can't really knit/plan/write/computer while we're watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Derek, it stars Ricky Gervais, it's on Netflix. It's sad, funny, sweet, very well done. It's done like the Office, or Parks in Rec, with a single camara. It's situational, taking place in a nursing home. Doctor Who, Sherlock, Firefly, Eureka, Warehouse 13, Broadchurch, Fringe, Supernatural Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upward Journey Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Longmire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Right now we are enjoying Kung Fu once a week, and The Little Rascals most evenings. When the kids get a bit older (they are 7), I hope they will enjoy Barney Miller with me - it is my all-time favorite TV show. Might also buy The Honeymooners and maybe I Love Lucy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 what about older shows? We're working our way through old Perry Mason series right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 If you're willing to swing sci-fi, Fringe is really excellent. It starts out episodic, but as the series developed its overarching story had a ton of depth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pink&bluemommy Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Derek, it stars Ricky Gervais, it's on Netflix. It's sad, funny, sweet, very well done. It's done like the Office, or Parks in Rec, with a single camara. It's situational, taking place in a nursing home. Doctor Who, Sherlock, Firefly, Eureka, Warehouse 13, Broadchurch, Fringe, Supernatural I thought you were trying to explain to a previous commenter named Derek what some show was about. So I googled Ricky Gervais and nursing home and found the name of the show is Derek! I'm slow today, didn't sleep much last night, but figured I could give someone else some giggles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jlynn Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Breaking Bad Doc Martin Wallander Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Homeland definitely NOT for the kids....but I wanted to mention that Virgil (The surveillance expert) is played by my cousin, David Marciano. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meena Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Person of Interest and White Collar are my current must-watch series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Homeland definitely for the kids....but I wanted to mention that Virgil (The surveillance expert) is played by my cousin, David Marciano. No way! He's one of my favorite actors. Cute, too. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Midsomer Murders Inspector Morse and Inspector Lewis Rosemary and Thyme Cranford and Return to Cranford Poirot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 No way! He's one of my favorite actors. Cute, too. :) NO! David is a sweetheart. are there the original seasons of Due South out there? David has the lead in that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Robin Hood Merlin Sherlock Touch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 So, we never used to be a TV family, but since my husband's stroke we are really into watching a single TV series big-time. The whole family does. That is, we'll find just one series that's maybe already been on a couple years and then watch it every night or two for months on end, until the series is done or we're caught up. Or, we'll find a mini series that will last for a week or two. Now we're at the end and can't find any that we like. We like ones that have some intrigue (political, historical, case to solve, etc), they can be somewhat lighthearted (but not pure comedy); they can be very serious too. They need to be more than just a soap opera (so no Downton Abbey -- sorry!), but still one where the characters play out and evolve. We've loved some BBC ones. Some of our favorites: Foyle's War The Little Dorrit BBC series The Mentalist Psyche Monk Homeland (although I watch that one alone -- it sometimes crosses the line between what I'm comfortable watching with my children!) The Hour (Our latest favorite -- a BBC series, which I HIGHLY recommend, except that it only lasted two seasons. :( So, it's already over.) The BBC mini-series, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy The mini-series, A Town Like Alice Band of Brothers Recommendations are very much needed!! Thank you! :) Primeval (BBC) All Creatures Great and Small (James Herriott) Dr. Who MI5 (you might want to preview before showing to the kiddos, they can be intense) Keeping Up Appearances Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 Homeland definitely NOT for the kids....but I wanted to mention that Virgil (The surveillance expert) is played by my cousin, David Marciano. Virgil is your cousin!?? Oh wow!!! I love that character in the series!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 THANK YOU EVERYONE!!! I finally had a chance to look over all of your recommendations! I'm making a list of them and will be checking them ALL out. I really, really appreciate it!! Some of you brought up some that we have indeed been watching as well but forgot to mention: White Collar, Sherlock, Pushing Daisies (whoever mentioned that, you are the only other person I know who has even heard of it!), Blechley Circle (I heard they may be coming out with another set at some point?? They were fantastic!), Bleak House, the Old Sherlock ones with Jeremy Brett - love those!, Murdoch Mysteries -- those are great, and I'd forgotten about them! There are many of those we haven't watched yet... I'm excited to look into the others that I hadn't heard of or watched yet... Thanks again! Keep 'em coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 We've enjoyed Burn Notice and White Collar among some of the others mentioned. But, I see a serious lack of Dr Who on your list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Monarch of the Glen Ballykissangel both may need some previewing depending on ages of kids. Anne of Green Gables (no previewing necessary) The Road to Avonlea (no previewing necessary) The Waltons Andy Griffith Show Upstairs Downstairs (there is a new one with 2 seasons available) Call the midwife (may need previewing) From Lark Rise to Candleford (mostly kid friendly) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 NO! David is a sweetheart. are there the original seasons of Due South out there? David has the lead in that. Interesting! My mom gave middle son Seasons 1-3 of Due South for Christmas - she just picked it out of a bin at Wally World... We've watched the first few, but stopped when my guy went back to college. It's kind of a cute series that many might like (we do)! Now I'll think of you whenever we watch more... On another note... does anyone know what Mark Valley is doing now? (I have to go to school in 10 minutes, so can't google at the moment.) I went to high school with him - his sister was one of my best friends. I've long since lost track of both... Mark, of course, went to West Point, but then got into acting. I remember he was in Boston Legal (I never liked it enough to watch it though). I think he did one more series afterward that I haven't seen at all. I'm also thinking Lynne might be acting now too if I remember correctly from the rumor mill last time I was "home." Must go to school now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Virgil is your cousin!?? Oh wow!!! I love that character in the series!! Thank you. Yup. He ALWAYS said he was going to be an actor. If you can find the series DUE SOUTH, that is a good for everyone series. He played the lead......I think his character was 'Ray' and he was a cop from Chicago. I am hoping he gets put back to a regular on homeland when they start shooting Season 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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