Well, it turns out that a steady diet of drama (Underbelly, The Wire & Dexter) is giving my wife nightmares.
Loves the shows, hates the dreams.
So we're trying to find some way of mitigating this while still allowing us to get our drama fix. (when oh when does Dexter return to us?!?)
So I need some advice on 'lighter' shows.
We've both enjoyed Desperate Housewives, Entourage and Pushing Daisies.
We both tend to loathe normal sitcoms - We'd rather choke on our own tongues than watch 'That 70's Show' or 'How I met your mother'.
So.... advice please!
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
I never cared for That 70's Show. But I think "How I Met Your Mother" is pretty hilarious about 80% of the time.
I can't think of any suggestions for you. Maybe NCIS? It's much less of a soap opera than DH or Entourage, but it's a good mix of drama and funny, I think more so now with the current cast than when it first started, they got the balance down much better after Season Two ended. Other than that, maybe The West Wing, if you haven't already seen it. It deals with a lot of serious issues, though nothing traumatic really, and still manages to make me laugh pretty regularly.
When does Reaper come back? That was a good show that was funny without being "sitcom" funny.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Veronica Mars, season 1.
Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :
Hey Lyrhawn - great suggestion on 'the West Wing' - always intended to watch that.
I was watching Reaper, but just couldn't get into it.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
It started to feel a bit repetitive at the end of the half season. I hope they break out of the "soul of the week" format and introduce a broader story arc. But I thought the devil was a combination of scary as all hell (literally!) and pretty hilarious too.
The West Wing by the way, also helped me develop a love of Gilbert and Sullivan, who before I had only a passing fancy for.
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
I've recently fallen in love with "Boston Legal."
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Sports Night.
Northern Exposure.
Posted by Avatar300 (Member # 5108) on :
News Radio and Futurama. Also I second Veronica Mars.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
I was going to recommend News Radio, but I thought it might be too sitcommie.
Posted by Ben (Member # 6117) on :
I second Sports Night.
I also suggest that manliest of shows, Gilmore Girls.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Admittedly I haven't seen a LOT of Futurama, but, isn't it just an animated sitcom for all intents and purposes? I put it in the same genre as American Dad, Simpsons, South Park, and Family Guy, all of which are 30 minute animated sitcoms in my opinion.
Second Gilmore Girls. I never saw the last season or two, I stopped having enough time to watch it, but, despite the fact that I thought it might have been a bit too soap opera like at times, I found it charming, funny, and I love the rapid fire (even if slightly unrealistic) dialogue. I think it fits right into the description of a show you're looking for Troub.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Firefly if you happen not to have already watched it. Battlestar Galactica. The new Doctor Who. I'm hearing good things about a Canadian show called Slings and Arrows, but haven't yet watched it myself.
Posted by Starsnuffer (Member # 8116) on :
I'm a fan of The Big Bang Theory.
Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
Life on Mars was great (2 seasons - 16 total episodes). They are supposedly making an American version but I can't see it being as good.
Freaks & Geeks and Undeclared were both hilarious.
I've been enjoying j-Pod, a Canadian show about a software development team. It hasn't been renewed for a second season so there will only be 13 episodes.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
NCIS is extremely funny. But it's also a procedural drama so I doubt that's what you're looking for. Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
One more that I loved was Flight of the Conchords. My wife hated it though.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:Originally posted by Starsnuffer: I'm a fan of The Big Bang Theory.
I tried watching one episode, but it was waaaaay too sitcommie for me.
I second Freaks and Geeks.
Posted by Epictetus (Member # 6235) on :
quote:I've recently fallen in love with "Boston Legal."
Seconded.
I also recommend "Scrubs," presuming you don't watch it already.
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
The new Doctor Who, The Office (a comedy, yes, but no laugh track), Kyle XY (scifi-ish but light) and, heaven help me, if you like scifi you'll like Futurama.
Life on Mars and Primeval are drama-ish but fairly light, sometimes hoo-ha funny. House, what little I've seen of it, also seems light.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
"... but it only works for a spherical chicken in a vacuum." I love The Big Bang Theory.
New Amsterdam and Life and Numb3rs are great. They're cop shows, but they aren't heavy and nasty violence like the things you're mentioning.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Oh, well if we're listing cop shows that are "lighter", then definitely include NCIS. Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Scrubs is fun, but every episode seems to be an exercise in trying to get me to lose even more respect for the main characters. That gets really tiring.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
In what way Porter?
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
House is a pretty good "light drama." Other than a few parts where they show gore or icky medical procedures (I just look away), I can't imagine it giving anyone bad dreams.
Posted by Tara (Member # 10030) on :
The Office should be back on by the beginning of April.
Posted by Elmer's Glue (Member # 9313) on :
If you are going to watch The Office, watch My Name is Earl too.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
See, I can't stand The Office.
I occasionally watch My Name is Earl.
Posted by Elmer's Glue (Member # 9313) on :
The Office was horrible for a while, but it got much better.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
I think The Office is a mix of totally hilarious mixed with painful to watch. Some of the stuff Michael does is just beyond entertaining in its awkwardness. I find some of that impossible to enjoy.
My Name Is Earl, what little of it I've seen, has been wholly unappealing.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
My Name Is Earl is just plain ol' dumb fun comedy. You don't watch it to have your mind enriched.
I think I've mentioned before that when I was a kid I could not even watch a whole episode of I Love Lucy, because I was so embarassed for Lucy and the stuff she got into. I think that's why I don't like The Office.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
When I watch shows that I have on DVD with moments like that, I'll either pause it before they happen, fast forward past them entirely, or turn it off and watch something else (which sounds odd, I know). I can't think of a specific example, but Michael on The Office I think is the best in general example that I can think of.
I've never met anyone else who has expressed a similar aversion to seeing that on television.
On MNIE, sometimes I think dumb comedy is hilarious, sometimes I think it's too dumb to be funny. MNIE is riiiight on the line. I think if I watched a whole season through I might like it on average, but, there's other stuff out there I want to catch up on. My brother has me hooked on Jericho right now.
Posted by AvidReader (Member # 6007) on :
I think Bones is hilarious while still being a good old fashioned who dun' it every week. Plus, David Boreanaz is a total hottie. It does have decomposing bodies and skeletons, but they never bother me. YMMV.
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
Doctor Who!
Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :
Great suggestions guys & gals!
I am going to try her on The Office, since I can handle watching it again and it's a lot easier to deal with than the UK version.
Scrubs is also now on the download list, with Gilmore Girls being considered.
What I really want to know is how the West Wing could give you a love of G&S? How does that work?
She's already a hardcore BSG/Heroes/Firefly fan - can't wait for Season 4!
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
quote:What I really want to know is how the West Wing could give you a love of G&S? How does that work?
I think Aaron Sorkin must be a fan, because several of the characters are big fans (Sam Seaborn I think said he was the president of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society at Princeton), and the music is often weaved into the story in some way shape or form (especially when Ainsley Hayes is involved, as she is one of the big fans), and they even mix it into the plot sometimes. It's almost always funny. Also all the G&S goes away after Sorkin stops writing the episodes. But I'd never really heard that much of their music before hand, and hearing the little snippets here and there led me to buy a CD of theirs and I fell in love with it.
I think in general the music in TWW is fantastic. Almost all of it is music that wasn't written FOR TWW, but it's paired with the scenes expertly in many places that I never would have pictured before seeing. After you've seen a couple seasons come back and talk to me again, maybe you'll know what I mean. It's hard to give specific examples without you actually having SEEn the show.
But you'll know what I mean about G&S after the first season is over.
Posted by Reshpeckobiggle (Member # 8947) on :
Funniest show ever created, but you have to watch them in order, and closely at that: Arrested Development.
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
Oh yeah. Arrested Development, while not by any means a drama, is one of the greatest shows made. The running jokes & story lines require that you pay attention and watch in order, though.
Posted by Reshpeckobiggle (Member # 8947) on :
Oh yeah, he wanted Drama. Did anyone mention Lost? Some are critical, but it's picking up some steam after a somewhat down 3rd season.
Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :
Already onto Lost.
Mmmm.... when I get home from work I'll post our current library for better clarity.
Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :
OK - watched/watching and liking/loving:
Alias BSG Californication Deadwood Desperate Housewives Dexter Entourage Firefly Heroes Journeyman Life Lost Pushing Daisies Sarah Connor The 4400 The IT Crowd The Office The Wire
So - something that'd fit into that kind of enjoyment sphere and a little lighter than Dexter or The Wire, both of which have been giving Jus bad dreams.
*Gonna try these first:
Scrubs Arrested Development Gilmore Girls The West Wing
NCIS isn't really our style.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Have you seen Taken? It isn't on your list, and was quite well done.
Posted by Avatar300 (Member # 5108) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: Admittedly I haven't seen a LOT of Futurama, but, isn't it just an animated sitcom for all intents and purposes? I put it in the same genre as American Dad, Simpsons, South Park, and Family Guy, all of which are 30 minute animated sitcoms in my opinion.
I missed the part where Troubador said he still wanted drama, only lighter.
And Futurama has two distinguishing characteristics from the other shows you mentioned. It's funny, and the stuff that happens in one episode continues to be relevant in future episodes.
Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
quote:Originally posted by Starsnuffer: I'm a fan of The Big Bang Theory.
My friend is one of the secondary main characters. I'm so proud!
Posted by Starsnuffer (Member # 8116) on :
Really? That's very cool. I really enjoy it--even if is a sitcom, it's a sitcom that makes science jokes/nerdy jokes and that makes it good. Haha.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
quote:Originally posted by Avatar300:
quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: Admittedly I haven't seen a LOT of Futurama, but, isn't it just an animated sitcom for all intents and purposes? I put it in the same genre as American Dad, Simpsons, South Park, and Family Guy, all of which are 30 minute animated sitcoms in my opinion.
I missed the part where Troubador said he still wanted drama, only lighter.
And Futurama has two distinguishing characteristics from the other shows you mentioned. It's funny, and the stuff that happens in one episode continues to be relevant in future episodes.
So the rest of them aren't funny? I think Family Guy is on and off hilarious, the Simpsons is funny every now and then, American Dad I stopped watching almost immediately, and South Park...well, it has its moments. Futurama, to me anyway, is no more funny than any of them. And future relevance of plot points isn't unique to Futurama amongst sitcoms, it happens in a lot of them.
Posted by Reshpeckobiggle (Member # 8947) on :
Futurama is a step above most other shows, I think, on par with The Family Guy.
Scrubs is good, but it's been going one for many seasons and can be kinda lame sometimes. Arrested Development, on the other hand is exceedingly excellent throughout its entire 2 1/2 season run.
Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :
So what's the deal with the lead guy from 'The 4400' also being cast as a leading role in 'Taken'?
That seems a little weird to me....
Posted by Pegasus (Member # 10464) on :
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: Oh, well if we're listing cop shows that are "lighter", then definitely include NCIS.
There was a time when I watched a bit of regular tv, and this show was the only "must see, everyone shut up or leave" show for me. Now that I got a digital tuner, I may start watching again.
------
That's a pretty healthy list there, I wish I had some to add, though it seems you might be set for a while.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:Originally posted by Troubadour: So what's the deal with the lead guy from 'The 4400' also being cast as a leading role in 'Taken'?
That seems a little weird to me....
Yeah. I watched The 4400 immediately after finishing Taken, and it was a bit disorienting. He plays a very different character in each show, but still. It's odd.
Posted by Dobbie (Member # 3881) on :
Still Standing.
Posted by Juxtapose (Member # 8837) on :
Weeds is a very entertaining show about a suburban mom who decides to grow pot to make a living after her husband dies.
Posted by Miro (Member # 1178) on :
I'd add Wonderfalls to that list. It's only half of a season, but it is so very good. And funny.
Posted by orlox (Member # 2392) on :
Second Wonderfalls if you haven't seen it already. Same producer as Pushing Daisies and Dead Like Me. Same actor as PD. The other co-producer also did Firefly.
I've enjoyed Breaking Bad so far...
Posted by bluenessuno (Member # 5535) on :
Psych, its pilot and first season are wonderfully funny and absurd. James Roday's timing reminds me of Kilmer's in Real Genius. The drama is lite. I am no Earl fan, but loved the glimpse of Jason Lee as the Bandit.
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