With the bulk of the prime time Fall television season still ahead of us, we find ourselves in something of a programming rut. Thanks to Netflix, which I re-subscribed to for our Roku 2 review, we caught up on the fourth season of Mad Men – in HD, via AppleTV, for all of $7.99. We’re also keeping up with the fourth season of Breaking Bad in near real time via FiOS. But otherwise, there’s not much on my radar (after giving up on True Blood).
I wonder what else we might catch up on or look forward to this fall. I queried folks on Twitter – with Eureka, Rescue Me, Sons of Anarchy, and Wilfred each clocking multiple mentions. Concur? Have other suggestions? Let us know below…
Eureka just got cancelled. Fringe is starting back up next month though.
We enjoyed the first season of Falling Skies on TNT. While the season finale aired this past Sunday, my guess is that all of the episodes will still be available *somewhere*.
Since I’m a sucker for reality TV, I’m really digging the game show take the money and run. They could tweak it a bit to make it more competitive, but I like the cops vs. robbers premise of it all.
My wife and I recently discovered a British show called Misfits. We watched both seasons and can’t tell you how good it was. It’s like Heroes if it was hilarious and actually good.
Bonus. Both seasons are streaming for free on Hulu:
http://hulu.com/misfits
Torchwood! I agree about Falling Skies. I didn’t have too much hope for it, but its better than I expected. Still have 4 or 5 of them sitting on my Tivo.
“Thanks to Netflix, which I re-subscribed to for our Roku 2 review, we caught up on the fourth season of Mad Men – in HD, via AppleTV, for all of $7.99.”
Like I said, it’s a bargain just for the Mad Men.
“We’re also keeping up with the fourth season of Breaking Bad in near real time via FiOS. But otherwise, there’s not much on my radar (after giving up on True Blood).”
The tangent: I’m a big fan of local caching the multicast, but the AMC series are best enjoyed via Amazon VOD. Manual comskip on hour-long dramas is no fun. And watching the ads is no fun, cuz good hour-long dramas actually take you somewhere.
The topic: I fully agree with you on True Blood. First season was utterly perfect, and then it got old quick. Same thing happened on Alan Ball’s previous show.
Breaking Bad is oddly compelling, isn’t it? Frankly, I find it formulaic and mediocre TV. Plus, it’s about stupid and unhappy people, which seems like it’d be a turnoff. But somehow, it is indeed oddly compelling.
Boardwalk Empire is the best thing that’s been on TV in years.
And if you can handle Larry David, he’s live these days.
More immediately, the Joe Strummer concert they’ve been streaming on BBC World News is interesting TV.
(I’ve still got Game of Thrones sitting live on the TiVo. Got half way into episode 1 and gave up. But I’ll try again sometime.)
“via AppleTV”
Am I the only one who hates the ‘hand feel’ of the Apple Remote?
(From my POV, the white one was bad, and the metal one is even worse.)
No, I dislike the Apple TV remote as well. I was planning a Roku versus Apple TV post at some point, and the remote was to be part of the comparison. But the Apple TV is much more reliable, plus it’s generally quick and pleasant to look at. So I’ll deal with the remote (and some related UI quirks). I did mess with the iPhone app, which I don’t like either. I haven’t pulled out our Harmonies since we moved – don’t find that I miss them too much…
“But the Apple TV is much more reliable, plus it’s generally quick and pleasant to look at. So I’ll deal with the remote…”
That’s my situation with my Mac Mini HTPC in a nutshell. Love the system enough to deal with the insane remote. (I actually buy white ones and stick in new batteries.)
“I did mess with the iPhone app, which I don’t like either.”
Apple’s iOS apps to talk to a LAN iTunes or Apple TV setup are as insanely bad as their remote.
(I have a handmade quicky HTML iOS “app” to talk to my HTPC via PHP just so I don’t have to deal with Apple’s Remote app on a regular basis.)
I liked Eureka. It wasn’t the most awesome show ever, kind of quirky, but ok.
It fell into the pattern-problem. Each week some random scientist would have some experiment go out of control and threaten the town and while all of the geniuses are stumbling around to try to fix it, somehow the sheriff, which no technical knowledge whatsoever stutters together an incoherent plan to save the day. Each and every week it was like that.
It also fell into the: show a few shows in one month, and then the show is not seen for 7-8 months until they show a few more shows to finish out the season. Instead of the viewer following the story the viewer forgets all about the story of if the show is even still on and you lose people following the show.
A lot of shows have this problem now. Psych (no idea if it’s still on. I thought they had some episodes in January and figured more would come in July but haven’t seen any). Warehouse 13 (good show along the lines of Eureka).
Misfits is good (as mentioned above). “Save me Barry!” (that got a laugh out of me – someone will get that).
My daughters turned me onto Glee. It’s a fun show. If you’ve stayed away because you figure it’s some high-school-girls’ show you should give it a chance. It’s quite entertaining. Sue Sylvester is awesome.
had many people tell me to watch Friday night lights. Really good tv and you get 4 seasons via Netflix streaming.
Louie. there is nothing like it on television.
Eureka canceled? Say it ain’t so!! Granted it is so similar to Warehouse 13, Haven in formula, but with actual likeable characters. Having canceled the high caliber Stargate Universe and Caprica shows, what the heck does SyFy have left? No wonder they are showing wrestling — they have forgotten their core audience. I guess this frees up funding for ‘Manquito 5: Revenge of the Bug Zapper”.
I watched Falling Skies but found it profoundly mediocre. However, it reminds of John Christopher’s “The Tripod Trilogy” and now my son and I are through Book 3. Now that’s good stuff.
I personally find Breaking Bad incredibly Good TV, but a year without Mad Men? Really bad decision–though I guess the 1960s aren’t going anywhere. I am looking forward to Dexter—why no mentions? I enjoyed the Walking Dead, too. That’s this a little later this fall.
Re: Netflix — looking forward to when Torchwood: Miracle Day finally wades into the video stream. I was so looking forward it to this summer, but didn’t know they had made that 90-day deal with StarZ.
I am probably the only person jonesing for Terra Nova this fall. I am a big time travel chump. But I bet it’s terrible; it is much easier to do a bad job on this than a good one. I would vastly prefer they adapted Julian May’s “The Saga of the Pliocene Exile”, but no dinosaurs during the Pliocene — except at the Creationist Museum in Northern Kentucky of course — so I am sure it’s a nonstarter for television.
Surprisingly, my old Logitech harmony 670 can control my AppleTV.
You are still limited to small number of buttons, but I can switch among my TiVo, DVD, and AppleTV using just one remote, volume control included.
Netflix just got Sports Night and NewsRadio. Nothing new, but stuff we haven’t seen in a long time.
I must agree with @David , Nothing Like Louie on FX. That and curb your enthusiasm are my favorite shows on right now. I also gave Wilfred a try but found it to be more irritating then funny.
“I personally find Breaking Bad incredibly Good TV”
“Compelling” is a genuine compliment in my book. It just doesn’t seem like it should be compelling….
Last year, I had the entire season of Breaking Bad TiVo’ed but because of how season 2 ended, my wife and we couldn’t bring ourselves to start watching it—because the experience was so intense, it bordered on pain. We had to force ourselves to start it.
While we both agreed it was an excellent season–we went through a lot of wine. It’s kind of intense. But ‘compelling’ is a good word for it. Strangely, we didn’t have any trouble starting season 4.
Dexter is also intense but it serves a dark need that is (sadly?) pleasurable.
Hm, we’ve been meaning to watch Friday Night Lights since it debuted. And my mother-in-law’s boyfriend swears by it. We may have to take that in while I’ve still got Netflix.
I’ve been a fan of Dexter, although losing some steam. Hadn’t heard much or anything actually about the next season. I also enjoyed Walking Dead, via Amazon VOD, although Melissa slept through most of it. Looking forward to Season 2. Heard Falling Skies was similar in some ways – I could deal with that.
BradB, I hear you on ‘formula’ – gave up on Burn Notice awhile back because most episodes were largely the same.
Will check out several of these, thanks, including Misfits – hopefully it’s also available on Hulu Plus.
Friday Night Lights is a MUST SEE. Seriously, the coach and his wife have the most realistic married relationship ever on TV. Its so good. You can taper off as the seasons tick by, but do watch it for a few shows. I think you’ll find its worth it.
Louie is the greatest f*cking show. Can’t believe its on TV. My wife hates it though, other than the episode with Joan Rivers. I think its hilarious. She thinks its depressing.
Saw the trailer for Walking Dead Season 2 a little while ago and was seriously jonesing for some new episodes for a while, but its still a ways off.
Been watching Curb again after laying off it for a few years. That Palestinian Chicken episode was a riot!
Pacing myself through the new season of Top Gear. Another 6 episode season though, pisses me off.
Trying a few BBC comedies this week–Outnumbered and Friday Night Dinner. Quite licked the latter, actually.
And yes, the Apple TV remote sucks. I like the silver one better than the white ones actually, but they both suck. Still nothing approaches the Tivo peanut for “hand feel”.
And thanks for the recommendation Chucky, I’ll try Misfits. I noticed nobody mentioned Alphas above, which I’ll take to mean it ain’t getting any traction…
Louie is great, but you know what is greaterer? His old show Lucky Louie – one episode even had full frontal male nudity (not sure if that helps or hurts the suggestion)
Dexter, Season 5 recently became available, so I will be checking that out soon. Enjoying the new season of Breaking Bad so far. Hated to see that Men of a Certain Age was recently cancelled. I got turned on to the show a few months ago by a co-worker and just finished the two seasons of the show. Top shows in my little world…in no particular order:
House
Dexter
Breaking Bad
Fringe
Special mentions to Flipping Out (over the top reality) and Hoarders (for a reminder there are some sick, sick folks out there).
To those who enjoy Dexter the TV Show I assume you know that the books existed first, or at least one or two of them. And while I think the first season of Dexter was really awesome, the rest really aren’t as good as the books that spawned the series. The books are MUCH funnier. Of course they’re also much more creepy/awful/scary, so be aware of what you’re getting into. Highly recommended though.
Once the Closer ends it’s last summer season I will completely
drop cable ($95 per month) in favor of over the air TV, (1) netfilx disc, Roku with Amazon Prime.
Until procycling season begins next spring I don’t feel I will miss anything, unless of course the NBA comes back but I doubt that will happen this season.
Definitely give sons of anarchy a run. i didn’t think i liked it but i fell in love after only a few episodes. also I’ve been watching the back catalog of Netflix (rescue me, the office, the daily show) quite a bit. if you don’t like the re-runs on TV just make your own :)
“Been watching Curb again after laying off it for a few years. That Palestinian Chicken episode was a riot!”
If HBO ever rebroadcasts it, or if HBO Go ever comes to lean-back, I highly recommend the previous season – aka the “Seinfeld Reunion” season. Very funny stuff.
“To those who enjoy Dexter the TV Show I assume you know that the books existed first … Of course they’re also much more creepy/awful/scary, so be aware of what you’re getting into.”
If you don’t mind creepy/awful/scary books, I tell everyone that Bolaño’s 2666 is the best thing I’ve read in a decade.
“Once the Closer ends it’s last summer season I will completely drop cable … unless of course the NBA comes back but I doubt that will happen this season.”
I can’t imagine ever fully dropping cable in favor of heavier delivery of OTT media and Netflix physical media, but the loss of an NBA season would make the option several notches more palatable for me personally, though I don’t think that reasoning would help with the WAF…
Sons of Anarchy is so worth it – it has a great long arc story with drama in each show over moving the long arc along and the ending of the last season!!? It was spectacular in how they wrapped it up while leaving the true bikers with their cahonies.
Fringe is always good
Eureka does have 6 or 13 shows left to wrap things up in.
I have season 3 of True Blood about to be delivered to my mailbox via Netflix
Liked falling Skies myself – could watch it with my young teens without cringing, which is something folks forget sometime in wanting spectacular. I just want something I can watch with my Young Teens.
Really happy to hear Walking Dead is still around – another series that takes so long between “seasons” I really thought it was just a one off mini series that ended weakly.
Hey Dave, check out Luther on Netflix. Idris Elba trying to stay sane while chasing serial killers in London. Ruth Wilson is a revelation as the psychopath Alice.
Check out The Booth at the End on Hulu+.
I find it incredibly depressing that Eureka was cancelled. It was one of two main shows on SyFy along with Warehouse 13 and they’ve done some nice cross-over episodes.
“Ugh, Dexter is approaching shark jump territory.”
Dexter jumped the shark somewhere during the second season…
Showtime Original Programming is all about fun high concepts, not fully thought-through long-arc series. I’m amazed it took Weeds 5 seasons before it jumped the shark, but that’s the exception, not the rule.