posted
Alright, I just started my Netflix subscription back up again, because there isn't any movie at the local Hollywood Video that I either haven't already seen or looks like it was made by six year olds.
So I'm back on Netflix. And I've learned that I enjoy finding series I can get involved in and lost in for long periods of time. But I hate waiting another season for DVDs to come out, and REFUSE to try to watch any more of these shows live (Except maybe 24. All will eventually kneel before 24).
So anyways, I'm tapping the wisdom of Hatrack for suggestions for complete TV series that have been released on DVD and offered a satisfying resolution at the very end.
I know a guy starting a thread at Hatrack has as much chance of controlling the tread as of roping the moon, but please try to keep it as spoiler-free as you can. But if you disagree with somebody please say so in as spoiler-free a way as is possible--this is going to be a huge chunck of my time whatever I choose, and I want to make this decision informed.
--------------------- Short version for people who skimmed the self-indulgent paragraphs:
Know any good complete TV series on DVD?
Posts: 1894 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I quite enjoyed Buffy the Vampire Slayer and am now starting on Angel. Buffy had a satisfactory conclusion; I don't know about Angel yet as I've stayed pretty spoiler-free, but it ran for five seasons. Those two are all I can think of off the top of my head.
Posts: 957 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Brilliant writing, acting and character development. The drama and the comedy are both nailed perfectly. It's only one season, so you won't be ordering DVDs forever. There isn't a single boring or inessential episode in the lot. And it's got one of the most satisfying conclusions I've ever seen. It's really bittersweet, because a show like that should be on the air forever, but they couldn't have ended it better in a million episodes.
A Judd Apatow production. What else can I say?
Posts: 563 | Registered: Feb 2006
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The two seasons of the original UK version of The Office. I think its about 13 total episodes, so it won't take as long as a full US series. Plus it leaves you with more time to rewatch it because you'll want to.
Posts: 407 | Registered: Mar 2006
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All the shows I would have suggested have just been suggested...
Going back a bit, you've also got Twin Peaks (you can stop watching after they reveal Laura Palmer's killer) and maybe Wise Guy.
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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I'll second Angel, though some of the early seasons are shaky.
And I loved West Wing. Others might disagree, but I thought that was some quality writing and acting for television. That's the only TV series on DVD that I've actually purchased so far (most of my DVD money is reserved for movies I'm writing papers about).
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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I wouldn't call Firefly a complete story arc. Satisfying it is, but not complete, it'll leave you hanging, but that says nothing about the quality of the show.
I second West Wing. Amazing show. Stumbled a bit when Sorkin left, but went out strong.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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Earth: Final Conflict could've had a great story arc if they hadn't killed off the main guy after season one, then brought in the hot guy, then shot the hot guy off into space, at which time the show became another Chicks with Boobs and Guns show.
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Since you say you like 24, you might give Alias a try. I only watched the first three seasons, but for the most I rather liked them. Somebody else will have to tell you if the end was satisfying.
Posts: 1947 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Along with that I recommend Slings & Arrows, Season One. I haven't seen the other seasons yet, but I adored the first one, which is a complete story arc. It's a bit oddball, but if you like the sound of a dysfunctional Shakespearean theatre company (including one main character who's dead), this might be the show for you.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
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My new favorite show is Coupling, which is like a slighly racier *British* version of Friends in it's general setup - and it's like Seinfeld in that all of the random tangents of the characters get pulled together in every episode. Basically, it's really, really good comedy writing. I haven't yet worked my way through all the seasons (there are four), but a friend tells me it ends pretty satisfactory.
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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The final season five should be out on DVD by Christmas.
There are a few really good Halloweeny episodes in the first four seasons. My faves are the episode in which Sam meets Satan, and the episode involving an Egyptian tomb.
Unfortunately, like a lot of TV, as much as they pretend to travel around the world, it all looks like So. Cal.
Posts: 2655 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Both Buffy and Angel had complete story arcs, although I think the latter was more successful, going out on its highest note (whereas Buffy sorta puttered to a stop).
The West Wing had several very satisfying story arcs during its run, at least while Sorkin was in charge. The entire second half of Season 2 is some of the finest storytelling ever to hit television, an unbroken string of A+ episodes that all wrap up in one hell of a season finale (which in turn sets in motion the major story arc of the third season).
My top recommendation: Veronica Mars, both seasons 1 and 2, are densely plotted and complete story arcs. And unlike most television series (including Buffy and Angel), the season-long arcs are planned in advance, so that hints given in early episodes actually pay off in full- one of the few story-driven series where it's just as fun to watch the second time through, because then you can really pick up on all the little hints the showrunners scatter throughout each season. There are lots of red herrings, since the show *is* a noir, but each of them is actually revealed to be a red herring, rather than being tossed aside and ignored.
Coincidentally, the third season of Veronica Mars just premiered today, and you can watch the entire episode for free online here. It's being purposely aimed at new viewers, since the show has never had the best ratings, so the episode is very "pilot-y." A great time to jump on board if you haven't given the show a try yet. Posts: 1321 | Registered: Sep 1999
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quote:The two seasons of the original UK version of The Office. I think its about 13 total episodes, so it won't take as long as a full US series. Plus it leaves you with more time to rewatch it because you'll want to.
I wouldn't waste my time. It was... uncomfortable. It's watching someone embarrass himself constantly, over and over again. I would not willingly watch it a second time. I'd rather burn the DVDs and do a rain dance around them or something.
Coupling - there's both the British version and the American version. We have both and have watched both. The British version is much, much funnier.
Alias... We got bored about season 3, but kept watching to the end of season 5 anyway. Everything was wrapped up, but... I dunno, the last two seasons aren't great, unfortunately.
I agree with West Wing. I'm not American, I don't like or undertand American politics, but the show was fun, intelligent, and interesting anyway. I've only seen the first few seasons, though, although I'd love to get the rest...
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Eaquae Legit: Due South.
I love that show.
Due South is great. Not so much of a story arc, but its a great show.
Well, it has a beginning and an end, and most of the loose ends get tied off one way or another. No, there's not a continuous plot running through all four seasons, but the story is complete.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
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Regarding the UK version of the The Office, quidscribis wrote:
quote:I wouldn't waste my time. It was... uncomfortable. It's watching someone embarrass himself constantly, over and over again. I would not willingly watch it a second time. I'd rather burn the DVDs and do a rain dance around them or something.
Although I love the show, there may be some truth to this depending on your comic sensibilities. I lent my copies to a buddy of mine and he had the exact same reaction as quidscribis. My friend couldn't get past the first season because the show made him feel so unconfortable. Comedies are hard to recommend because humor is so different from person to person.
I forgot to mention one of my all-time favorite shows: Wonderfalls. It only lasted 13 episodes and is from some of the same people who made Firefly. The producers understood that their quircky show was a long-shot so the the 13th episode ends by tieing-up the lose ends a with a sense of closure.
Posts: 407 | Registered: Mar 2006
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Sports Night. Some may argue that it didn't conclude, but I think the few episodes wrapped wrapped up loose ends in a very satisfying way.
Posts: 1572 | Registered: Jan 2004
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I don't know if I'd say Angel had a complete story arc. It was building up to its climax, it got cancelled, and Joss scrambled to put a capper on the end of that season that wouldn't be entirely disappointing. There were an amazing number of balls tossed into the air and left hanging at the end of the final episode.
Posts: 3960 | Registered: Jul 2001
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quote:Sports Night. Some may argue that it didn't conclude, but I think the few episodes wrapped wrapped up loose ends in a very satisfying way.
While I love that show, the arc, what little of it there was, was one of the weakest parts of that show. If you're looking for good story arc, it's pretty unsatisfying.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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quote:Originally posted by FlyingCow: I don't know if I'd say Angel had a complete story arc. It was building up to its climax, it got cancelled, and Joss scrambled to put a capper on the end of that season that wouldn't be entirely disappointing. There were an amazing number of balls tossed into the air and left hanging at the end of the final episode.
I agree that the mid-season cancellation forced Joss to write an ending for the series a lot earlier than anyone had expected, but I think the ending we got was pretty much the ending we would have gotten even if the show had run for another two seasons.
(SPOILERS AHEAD)
The ending on a "cliffhanger" was absolutely a measured decision by the showrunners, who could very easily have ended the show with a big battle between Angel Investigations and the Wolf, Ram and Hart. A big finish, closure for the biggest plotline of all, everyone goes home happy. Except that the overarching theme of the entire series is that the fight never ends. It's suggested pretty much from the very first episode that there can be no grand victory for the Angel crew, because evil ultimately comes from the very people they are trying to protect. In fact, I'd argue that "Not Fade Away" is one of the most ambitious series finales of all for actually taking its show's somber theme to its logical conclusion (not to mention that it's gorgeously filmed, and does provide a great deal of personal closure for each of the main characters). Plus, only Joss Whedon would have the guts to kill off every remaining human protagonist in his show. Posts: 1321 | Registered: Sep 1999
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A second for the first seasons of Veronica Mars. The second seasons was a complete story as well - very satisfying.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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I second (or third or forth): Buffy, Angel, 24, Wonderfalls and Bab5.
Seasons 3 and 4 of Bab5 are possibly the most satisfying TV ever written. The characters, the plot, everything is wonderful.
It makes it worth suffering through the first season to get the joy of seasons 3 and 4. You are seriously missing out if you don't watch this show.
Oh, and don't cringe too much with the pilot? It's a wonder we even got the show...
...
And after you watch Wonderfalls (which I can't recommend enough), you'll want to watch Dead Like Me, even though it was cut short and wasn't really an arc show anyway.
quote: And unlike most television series (including Buffy and Angel), the season-long arcs are planned in advance, so that hints given in early episodes actually pay off in full
I disagree about this in regards to Buffy. Buffy is clearly planned in advance. I enjoyed watching it a second time almost more than the first because of all the little hints.
Posts: 1947 | Registered: Aug 2002
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I'll add Life On Mars, a British show about a Detective Inspector who is hit by a car in 2006 and wakes up in the 1970s. Very funny and serious as well.
I liked the first season of Veronica Mars more than the second but both are definitely worth watching.
Wonderfalls was excellent and the end was very satisfying.
Freaks and Geeks is amazing. One of my favorite shows ever. The ending was appropriate but I didn't want it to be over.
Corner Gas isn't a story arc kind of show but it is one of the funniest shows in recent years.
Saved had it's first season finish a few weeks ago and I thought it was quite well done. It ends with a cliff hanger though.
Posts: 1336 | Registered: Mar 2002
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How about Northern Exposure? I didn't see all the episodes, and probably missed a couple of entire seasons, but what I saw I loved, and I did see the last Dr. Fleishman episode, which is where the series ended. There were no additional episodes with a different doctor and his silly wife.
Posts: 202 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Life On Mars, a British show about a Detective Inspector who is hit by a car in 2006 and wakes up in the 1970s.
Fantastic show. I checked it out after your recommendation in a previous tv thread, and loved it. I hear they're working on an American version, and I have to wonder why.
I just finished watching Buffy yesterday. I never watched it on TV, and always thought it looked kind of stupid. But then Firefly made me a Whedon fan, and I decided to check it out. I watched the entire series, and for the most part I thought it was great. There were definitely some weak moments, but even the worst seasons have incredible episodes.
Ah, Northern Exposure. Perhaps my favorite show ever. I agree that it should've ended with Joel leaving. Maggie and Chris getting together just seemed wrong.
Posts: 1855 | Registered: Mar 2003
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One of the best series ever. The series finale of that show was so intense after everything that came before, I cried through most of it.
There are five seasons, and you MUST watch them in order. It's like one intense movie that lasts for days. Beautiful show.
Posts: 511 | Registered: Mar 2006
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Buffy, Angel, Alias and B5 were kind of the ones I had in mind going in, but for some reason there's a bit of hesitancy for me on all three. I was hoping to see whether someone could talk me into them or out of them.
Here's my rationale on each:
Buffy While I watched this sporatically during its run, that was it--sporatically. I never got really into it, to where I had to watch it each week. So I'm afraid I'll get started on it, still feel almost as apathetic about it, but then feel obligated to see the thing through.
Angel Feel like I can't do this until I'm done with Buffy.
Alias I actually really dug this show, but just didn't have time to watch it. However, I've heard very bad things about where things went when the star got pregnant, and that it kind of fizzled out at the end.
Babylon 5 When this was on, I didn't know the difference between it and any of the sci-fi crap that came out around that same time--around the same time we got all the Xena-inspired fantasy crap. I still need a little more reassurance this show is more than just another "Bad Actors in Bad Makeup" show.
As for the others:
Veronica Mars My wife is really into this, and the best reccomendation I've heard for it is that it's what Smallville would be like if it were about Chloe. I dig that, but I think I want to wait until it finishes up. Which might be soon, unfortunately.
Firefly Know it, own it, love it.
Quantum Leap I was a teenager when this one was on, and I think I saw all the "important" epsiodes. Good stuff. Weird ending. Didn't get it at all.
All The British Shows These all sound great. I really want to see The Office and Life On Mars. The problem is my wife just doesn't do British comedy, and I kind of need something we can at least marginally agree on. I will definitely get to them.
Freaks and Geeks I'll have to check this one out.
And the Rest Some great suggestions in this thread.
Any other ideas? Or thoughts about my concerns on series that have been suggested?
Posts: 1894 | Registered: Aug 2000
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quote:Buffy While I watched this sporatically during its run, that was it--sporatically. I never got really into it, to where I had to watch it each week. So I'm afraid I'll get started on it, still feel almost as apathetic about it, but then feel obligated to see the thing through.
That's similar to my situation. I saw episodes here and there, and wasn't all that impressed. But on the recommendation of others, I neflixed it and really enoyed it. Watching it in order adds a lot to the show.
Angel -- I agree. Don't bother with it until you get to that point in Buffy.
quote:I still need a little more reassurance this show is more than just another "Bad Actors in Bad Makeup" show.
It's more than that. It's an excellent story which was designed from the beginning to last for five years.
There are a few episodes in the first season that might make you doubt me, but it's really fabulous.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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By the way, to add my voice to the further reassurance, Babylon 5 is very, very good and very, very epic. Think of a Lord of the Rings-type of story in space, but done (unfortunately) on a very low budget and with a series of small false starts (the writers stuttered a bit at first because their first concern was trying not to get cancelled, and their second concern was the big story they had in mind). If you can get past the low budget kind of stuff, you will be rewarded in a huge way.
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by docmagik: All The British Shows These all sound great. I really want to see The Office and Life On Mars. The problem is my wife just doesn't do British comedy, and I kind of need something we can at least marginally agree on. I will definitely get to them.
Life On Mars is not really a comedy. Each episode has a crime to be solved and that part of the show is taken seriously, as is the sci-fi element of the show. The humor comes in because it is about a modern police officer being thrust into the environment of a cheesy 70s cop show (Complete with all the politically incorrect and socially reprehensible behaviour that went on there).
It is only 8 episodes (for the first season, more to come in January I think) but it is one of the best shows that I have seen in the past few years.
Posts: 1336 | Registered: Mar 2002
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Star Trek DS9 has what I thought was a very good story arc. Like most Star Trek, it wanders away from the arc every now and then to do some character development stories, but it always comes back to it. In the last few seasons, it's almost always pushing forward, and it's exciting. It's still my favorite Trek show, and at the end I felt very satisfied.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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With dialogue like the following, how can you not want to watch?
quote:"I'm not authorized for that kind of information."
"But you are the head of security."
"Then what kind of head of security would I be if I let people like me know things that I'm not supposed to know? I know what I know because I have to know it. And if I don't have to know it, I don't tell me, and I don't let anyone else tell me either. Now look, we have tried most of the other ambassadors, why don't you speak to G'Kar, maybe he knows something about this ship."
"Under the terms of our recent treaty, I am not authorized to have any official conversation with the Narn without Centauri approval."
"So you'll ask unofficially. And I can give you reasonable assurances that the head of security will not report you for doing so."
"Because you won't tell yourself about it?"
"That's right. I never get involved with my own life. It's too much trouble."
"This is a very strange place you have here, Mr. Garibaldi."
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In terms of arc storytelling "Babylon 5" stands out the most, at least in its first four seasons. I can't comment on season 5 as I haven't seen it, but I've read that it was haphazardly produced. In fact, except for the final episode (which was originally produced to conclude season 4), the whole of season 5 of B5 is "optional" viewing. The first four seasons though are a must for any sci-fi fan.
I've seen some Buffy and honestly I've never been a great big fan of this show, but Season 3 & 4 of Angel absolutely impressed me with their strong story threads and evolving story.
Final season of Deep Space Nine is neat too.
Also, "Gargoyles" from disney: Nearly every plot element builds on something that came before. It's very dense and story-arc driven.
Posts: 722 | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote: Someone's going to hate me for asking this, but...
...what the hell is Veronica Mars?
If you have forty minutes to spare, watch the episode linked to above by Tarssk. Even better, rent the first disk of the first season. Veronica Mars has one of the best first episodes I've ever seen.
It used to be on UPN and is now on the CW. It's about a teenage detective. The dialogue is witty, the characters are developed, and the mysteries are intriguing. It's currently on its third season.
Posts: 1947 | Registered: Aug 2002
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