posted
I have mentioned watching Smallville through Netflix, and being pleasantly surprised. Started in on Season two. It's still uneven, but fun. In the Red-Cryptonite-in-the-class-ring episode, I had an epiphany: Tom Welling is Hot. It's Clark Kent and all the teen angst that sort of bores me. And Lana. Lana must die Ron hates Chloe, but I still don't know why.
Then, we watched the first disc of the Second season of The Dead Zone. I know, I know. Third rate cable network, aging brat packer. But still.
The first season was about half and half. The sensitive handling of the awake-from-a-coma Johnny and his now-married-to-town-sherif fiance was a surprise. Not only did Johnny work very hard to keep her at arm's length, even though he still loved her, but he fought very hard to save the sherif's life on many occasions.
Also, the typical "sleezy religious type" played with care by David Ogden Stiers, turned out not to be so sleezy after all. He was shown to be a man with faults, but one who really believes in what he's doing, and really cares for people (even if he must needs be a bit ruthless at times).
That was genuinely surprising. Also, the way they handle Johnny's relationship with his son (raised to the age of seven believing the sheriff is his father) was believably done. The kid doesn't warm up to 'mom's old friend, who played hocky just like me'. Not at all-- which is entirely believable, though he may eventually, lesser writers would have pushed it, I think. This just feels real, at it's best.
At its worst, it's a psychic mystery of the week (which can still be fun, but in the first season some of them were really awful).
Imagine our surprise when all four eps on the first disc were winner. *All four* Ron said, "That show makes me feel guilty for wasting my time watching Smallville." Because Smallville is still about half and half (as far as we've gotten, anyway) but Dead Zone Season Two has had a smashing start.
At least in my opinion.
Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've recently become obbsessed with The West Wing on DVD that was a birthday president to my Dad. That's right folks, I'm obssesed with someone else's DVDs.
posted
I just got the first season of Quantum Leap and the original Jonny Quest series on DVD for my birthday. I'm waiting to open them until I finish watching the Gilligan's Island set. I can only take one episode a week of Gilligan.
Posts: 2655 | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
West Wing and Dead Zone are my two favorite shows. After them I like Stargate. Those three shows I always record, if I haven't already recorded the episode.
Olivetta, a question--is there any additional material (such as deleted scenes or expanded scenes) on the Dead Zone DVDs?
Posts: 3742 | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
yes, sometimes there are extras. I can't remember if they were on the individual dvds or collected on the last disc of the season.
Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
When viewing the final episode of the first season of Quantum Leap recently, I remembered just how impatient I got waiting for the next season. It was the first time Sam leapt into a woman.
Last weekend I picked up the first two series of Red Dwarf and I've been laughing my smegging head off!
Posts: 1843 | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Alias rocks on so many levels. I was surprised at it's consistency, and it's resistance to boring cliches (the whole 'Q' geek-spy cliche gets a wonderful take in Alias ).
My fiancee and I burned through the first 2 seasons in a couple months (sooner, if it wasn't for busy schedules).
posted
Yeah. I hope season 3 comes out on dvd soon. Like, before season 4 starts showing. (Saw Alias season one through kazaa, then a friend taped the whole of season 2 for us to watch, but forgot to share his tapes for season 3 -- taped over 'em).
I think I have a Thang for bad boys, since Tom Welling wasn't attractive to me (except for the whole 'scarecrow' thing in the first season, dunno why) until Clark went bad.
Then there's Sark. Sark is nummy. Can't stand ol' beagle-faced Vaughn. Also fell hard for Spy Daddy. Um, what was I saying?
I wonder why they can't come out with the Simpsons or Futurama any faster than they do.
Oh, and this year I may get around to watching the X Files, season 8 : The Afterthought. I really liked the Terminator 2 guy, but the material was just mined out by then. Or so I assume, since I've only seen seasons five thru seven since the dvds came out.
Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Somebody really needs to get Get Smart on DVD!! And soon!
I wishlisted To The Manor Born on half.com, but I'm kinda poor. I want to buy the whole thing, that's one of my favorite sitcoms of all time!
Posts: 7877 | Registered: Feb 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I would get TNG on DVD, if I had the money. What I'm really waiting/hoping for is the original animated X-Men cartoons. That would be awesome.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have the first three volumes of Futurama, the first season of Kung Fu (a total bargain at $20), the first season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, the first four seasons of Red Dwarf, and the first season of Northern Exposure.
I love the Dead Zone. Unfortunately, the only channel that carries it on Edmonton cable is Space, and we get it about 6 months later. Not only that, but there seems to be a large time period between seasons, even in the US. So I saw the second season cliffhanger about a year ago, and nothing since then. A pox on Canadian television!
Posts: 1855 | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
MASH (season 1) I had surprisingly never seen this show before plunking down the money for the DVD set. As a kid, I'd always change the channel when I saw the helicopters, and heard the theme start - it just seemed like a boring show to me as a kid. Now? some great stuff with a fluffy exterior, but meaty interior. Hawkeye is one of the most fun, interesting characters in TV history. Season highlight: "Ronny" Howard as an underage soldier begging Hawkeye not to snitch and send him home.
Battlestar Galactica (complete series) What can I say - this show is fun. I had watched it some back when it was one of only three or so shows on the Sci-Fi channel, but somehow never ended up watching all the episodes. It was groundbreaking for SciFi on TV at the time, and although INCREDIBLY cheesy at some times, also has enough redeeming qualities to give it a spin or two. Plus, I find all the LDS 'wink-winks' from Glen Larson fun to catch - things I didn't notice at all first time through the show. Plus, you gotta love their euphamisms. And remmeber - before Joss Whedon brought you "Gorram", Galactica brought you "Frak" and "Feldercarb".
Star Trek: TNG (season 1) Back when Roddenberry was still at the helm, and everything was happy go-lucky, and in several cases, cheesy and contrived as hell. Picard always did, and still does, rule the Trek 'verse. And thank the Great Bird of the Galaxy that it only took them another season to fix those horrid low-neckline Pajama uniforms.
Twin Peaks (Season 1) David Lynch is a brilliant, twisted, mad genius who seems to make things up as he goes. But man, if Dale Cooper isn't one of the most fun characters on television. He dreams of midgets who give him clues to solving murders! How cool is THAT?
The Critic (Complete Series) Apart from the Simpsons, this is my favorite animated sitcom. Jay Sherman is my hero. Acham! Acham! And the parody movie clips are still funny. Scent of a Wolfman? Rabbi P.I.? The Nightmare Before Chanukah? The Silence of the Lambs II: Honey I Ate the Kids? Genius. Noone in their right mind can join Jay in saying that, well, "It STINKS!"
Friends (Season 1) I've never watched this show before. After 10 years, I still had never watched a complete episode. And now, with the Final Episode having aired, I thought it would be about time that I found out what people loved about this show so much. And what did I find? Well, hell, it's actually pretty dang funny. And for 1994, it was pretty new and fresh for the sitcom market. And now? Well, the eps from that episode continue to make me laugh, even now, which proves that even if their hair and clothes didn't age well - the humor and writing certainly did. Kudos.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Season 2) Joss Whedon funny man.
Sports Night (Complete Series) Aaron Sorkin pre-West Wing. Brilliant dramedy series that ABC didn't know what to do with. Bang-up cast, featuring Peter Krause, who would go on to star in the magnificant SIX FEET UNDER.
24 (Season 2) I found season 1 to be incredible, non-stop excitement. The season opener seems to suggest that this season will be the same way. Can't wait to see how it turns out. [and no, I didn't watch any of season 3 so as not to be spoiled]
Smallville (Season 1) Alright. I'm lovin' the hell out of this show. I find every episode to have some sort of impactful redeeming quality to it. Even the episodes with incredibly cheesy MOWs (Monsters of the Week) have within them a fascinating evolving emotional arc concerning Clark trying to figure out who he is, what his responsibilities are, and exactly what sacrifices he has to make for the better good. There's some heartwrenching stuff here that feels real. There's some tough scenes to watch here, some almost nearing the impact of a Freaks & Geeks episode. I'm on episode 10 now, and I highly recommend it.
Currently unavailable on DVD, but still found a way to watch: Scrubs (Season 1) finally checked it out based on ravings from friends of mine. And I'm really loving it. Can't wait to see Zach Braff's film Garden State. Oh, and Doctor Cox rules the world.
Wonderfalls (Most of the complete series) Stupid Fox Stupid Fox Stupid Fox Stupid Fox Stupid Fox Stupid Fox Stupid Fox Stupid Fox...(repeat ad nauseum)
Shows currently airing new episodes that are must-see: Six Feet Under (Season 4) My favorite show. Best, most fascinating group of characters. Peter Krause's Nate Fisher is my #1 favorite television character. So complex, so real, so powerful. This is NOT a show for everyone, but for those who can take it - it's an emotionally intense journey that always gives you something to think about.
Nip/Tuck (Season 2) "Tell me what you don't like about yourself," is how the show always begins. And it's a biting dramtic satire. One of the most fascinating things about the show is how one of its character, Dr. Christian Troy, can be at the same time both an unsympathetic vile human being who you can't stand - and also a fascinating sympathetic person at the same time. It's like the guy you know whose very values make him a dispicable human being, and you start tyo hate him - and then he comes along and does something selfless, so you start to think that maybe he's okay after all, just give him a chance, this is a new side of him --- and then he goes back to being the jerk and you hate him all over again. And everytime this rollercoaster roide goes around, you fall for it each and every instance. Great stuff. Once again, not for the squeamish.
Posts: 2689 | Registered: Apr 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Actually, Dead Zone is on my 'to view' list.
As for Battlestar Galactica:
A Quorum of the Twelve holding special 'keys' of authority
When Apollo and Serena are married, there are "sealed for time and eternity" through Adama's special authority.
In the episode "War of the Gods," they encounter mysterious beings clad in white. In one scene, Starbuck asks the them if they are angels. The "entity" responds with, "Oddly enough, there is some truth to your speculation." When he inquires, "But why are you bothering with us? We are from a simple handful of human survivors," Starbuck is told: "Because, as you are now, we once were. As we are now, you may become."
All of the colonies began from an original source world called Kobol.
Satan himself is a character on the show, known as Count Iblis (Iblis being a name given Satan in the Qur'an), and is described by saying "He now uses his powers to corrupt and lead others away from the truth." Apollo figures out the Count's true identity, by thinking "back to the original records. The names Mephistopheles, Diabolis, the Prince of Darkness."
And I'm sure there's even more that aren't coming to mind right now.
Posts: 2689 | Registered: Apr 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
On the recommendation of Jamie, I rented disc 2 and 3 of the xfiles, season 2. Holy crap, I like this show. The problem with shows like these is that there is a continuing plot line between some episodes, so it makes it nearly impossible to enjoy reruns on TV, or watch them out of order. Still though, I was able to keep up enough.
I got my dad season 4 of ST:TNG. Yeah, I watch it more than he does.
Also, a very good DVD to get for those that like dark cartoon shows, get Invader Zim. I highly, HIGHLY recommend it. The first 9 episodes are out right now, but there were 26 total.
What they need to have is The Tick and Sam and Max on DVD. Please, DVD Gods, I beseech thee. Give me my childhood cartoons to watch over and over again.
posted
ST: DS9 has been incredible on DVD. We've been getting them disc by disc from NetFlix, and it's like watching a 7 year long movie, excellent at times, not-so-excellent at other times.... (like the first two years!). We've only got four episodes to go... not sure what we'll do with ourselves once it's done.
I heard that Food Network's "Good Eats" is on DVD now. Can't wait till that shows up on NF!
Posts: 1681 | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yeah, I know. Well that happened, when I finally heard about how good the show was, it was season 4 or 5, and I was totally lost.
Posts: 9754 | Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Let's see. Off the top of my head, I've got:
Simpsons seasons 1 - 4. Futurama seasons 1 - 3. M*A*S*H seasons 1-6. Firefly season (sob) 1/2. Quantum Leap season 1. The Tick season 1. Fawlty Towers, both seasons.
And I'm co-owner of Buffy seasons 1-6 (we go in half with my brother-in-law for these).
I'd get X-Files and Star Trek but I just can't pay $100 per season. I consider that robbery, forget it. I'll get 'em through Netflix if I feel the urge.
Ones that are out I want: Black Adder, The Critic, Cheers, Frazier, Smallville.
Ones that are not out that I really want: Animaniacs, WKRP in Cincinnati (unlikely), Queer Eye.
Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Ron hates Chloe, but I still don't know why.
![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Grumble]](graemlins/grumble.gif)
