TV series you were really late to (NO SPOILERS PLEASE)

Just watch "Newsroom". Binged all three seasons. It's about a decade old. Does that count?

What hooked us in was seeing the opening scene on YouTube. Stumbled across Jeff Daniels character having a rant about why the USA wasn't the greatest country in the world.

Peaky Blinders.

I didn’t start watching it until 18 months ago.

Firefly.

Haven’t seen the spin off movie Serenity.

I didn't watch the wire until 2015. Started on Sunday afternoon and watched a couple of episodes thinking well it's ok but I don't see what the fuss is about, 2am on Monday morning I am still watching thinking I can watch just 1 more episode before going to bed (I have to get up at 6).

It is just so perfectly paced, from episode to episode, no big cliffhangers but the story just develops so well it is hard to stop, very moreish just like crack cocaine.

Just watch “Newsroom”. Binged all three seasons. It’s about a decade old. Does that count?

Deffo. I was the same actually with The West Wing, which (if you've not seen it) you'll like if you like Newsroom, written by the same fella (Aaron Sorkin). And it's now 20 years old, so it'll definitely count 🙂

I didn’t watch the wire until 2015. Started on Sunday afternoon and watched a couple of episodes thinking well it’s ok but I don’t see what the fuss is about, 2am on Monday morning I am still watching thinking I can watch just 1 more episode before going to bed (I have to get up at 6).

Yep, late to The Wire too, and agree that after the first episode you think 'meh', but after a couple more you're absolutely hooked. It is superb.

Breaking Bad - I started watching it about 4 years after the last episode had aired.

Spiral/Engrangés Très bon.

Haven’t seen the spin off movie Serenity.

Only about 15 years late, but I'm just getting to the end of 30 Rock and I've loved it so much - I genuinely regret not watching it at the time. It would have made my life better.

Haven’t seen the spin off movie Serenity.

Watch it, is good.

Is Firefly on any of the streamers now? My daughter might like it.

Haven’t seen the spin off movie Serenity.

don’t

Haha, well I remember enjoying it... I think.

Spiral/Engrangés Très bon.

Ah, oui, ca c'est un autre que nous etions en retard.

We finally watched the Sopranos last year. Mad men the year before that.

Is Firefly on any of the streamers now? My daughter might like it.

It’s on Disney+. Serenity doesn’t seem to be available on any of them unless you pay though.

Jericho (2006) on Netflix it's not perfect but they have an interesting take on a nuclear apocalypse maybe more relavent now.

Before committing to watching I checked they had a full storey arc as many US series get cancelled after one season and you never get a conclusion, but fortunately fan demand got a limited s2 commissioned and they wrapped threads up in a brisk 7 episodes.

I think it would be better if made now in terms of what can be achieved with TV visual effects these days.

Happy Valley S1E1 last night. apparently it is quite good even though the wife said she was bored by it the first time we started watching it 8 years ago so we have to try again now.

What hooked us in was seeing the opening scene on YouTube. Stumbled across Jeff Daniels character having a rant about why the USA wasn’t the greatest country in the world.

Well, if we're sneaking in clips...

Deffo. I was the same actually with The West Wing, which (if you’ve not seen it) you’ll like if you like Newsroom, written by the same fella (Aaron Sorkin). And it’s now 20 years old, so it’ll definitely count 🙂

After The West Wing there was Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip which I reckon is well worth a watch (although I have no idea where you would find it).

Prior to West Wing there was Sports Night. For some reason the early episodes had a laugh track. Very jarring. They turn it down until it's gone by the 2nd season from what I remember.

Honestly though, I find Sorkin's stuff hasn't aged brilliantly. I still love the characters and the dialog but it just seems naively optimistic and unrealistic these days.

Call the Midwife - I shit you not... always assumed it was sentimental trash, but then watched an episode at my Mum's reluctantly... turns out to be one of the best things made for TV... writing, acting, all of it. Now six season in on iPlayer.

Honestly though, I find Sorkin’s stuff hasn’t aged brilliantly. I still love the characters and the dialog but it just seems naively optimistic and unrealistic these days.

Yeah, I'd agree with that, but with a heavy heart, and it's more down to the cesspit that modern politics has become than the shows I think. And yeah, I've seen Studio 60, I enjoyed it but it only got one season though.

I didn't start watching Game of Thrones until about season 4 had already aired. Binge watched the first seasons, which were excellent, then as soon as I caught up, it turned to garbage.

I never watched Lost. It didn't appear on my radar until the final season was underway so I figured I'd binge watch it once it was finished. Then I learned what happened and there was no point in watching it.

It’s on Disney+.

Cheers pal.

Honestly though, I find Sorkin’s stuff hasn’t aged brilliantly. I still love the characters and the dialog but it just seems naively optimistic and unrealistic these days.

This is how I felt about West Wing at the time TBH.

Recently learned about the term "competence porn" (is safe to Google) to describe it, and some other genres.

The thrill of watching imaginary clever people being great at their imaginary jobs.

The thrill of watching imaginary clever people being great at their imaginary jobs.

Surely this some up a LOT of TV/film watching though, doesn't it? Lots and lots and lots and lots of shows/films are about watching someone imaginary doing something they're very good at.

Recently learned about the term “competence porn” (is safe to Google) to describe it, and some other genres.

The thrill of watching imaginary clever people being great at their imaginary jobs.

Criminal Minds on Disney+. It's just a CSI type thing, started in 2005 but never heard of it before. 16 seasons at 24 episodes each. We average maybe 1 per night, currently up to start of season 7. Should be all caught up by end of June maybe!

Also did Breaking bad starting in about 2019, then 5 seasons of Better Call Saul before the final season started.

Surely this some up a LOT of TV/film watching though, doesn’t it? Lots and lots and lots and lots of shows/films are about watching someone imaginary doing something they’re very good at.

Fair comment, but it's particularly useful to describe some shows/films. And it doesn't have to be a negative thing.

e.g. this article highlights The Martian as a really good film which is also a strong example of the trope.

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/02/the-martian-sherlock-holmes-and-why-we-love-competence-porn/

ha, interesting. Never really got into those kind of shows, much prefer Seinfeld/Curb etc where all their elaborate plotting eventually (and inevitably 😂) backfires. Incompetence porn? 🤔 😂

You should try Spiral - it's great, but we nicknamed it "Incompetent French Police"; they're always, always ballsing something up.

Detectorists - binged all series over Xmas so I could watch the Xmas edition.

Recently learned about the term “competence porn” (is safe to Google) to describe it, and some other genres.

I really liked the west wing, but always felt it idolised the "american president" role. Especially as I was raised on the incompetence* porn" of Yes minister/prime minister.

*not to be confused with incontinence porn.

Amateurs - my 15 year old daughter started watching Dynasty during a bout of Covid recently and it has turned in to a Monday night staple. I am actually quite enjoying it 🙂

And Catterick as well

The other big example is when we started watching the Sopranos for the first time in 2012, 15 years after it was released… And it’s still The Best TV Series Ever.

I actually still haven't watched it - bought it on bluray a few years ago.

Its my habit generally to wait until bigger series are over before I start watching them. Theres always the risk of spoilers when a series is current and much talked about. If you're not watching at the time then because you dont know who anyone is its info you just forget what you've heard when you come to watch it.

I started watching the Wire after casually flicking channels and happening across a re-run of the final episode. So I watched the last episode first - then went back and watched the other 59.

I really liked the west wing, but always felt it idolised the “american president” role. Especially as I was raised on the incompetence porn” of Yes minister/prime minister.

I listened to an interview with Richard Schiff (who plays Toby) about this, and he was saying that, regardless of the incumbent, the 'office' of President is more revered in the US than the office of the PM is here, which is why you get a show like the West Wing over there, and Yes Prime Minister here.

But even with that in mind, yeah, I think it did idolise it, I think that was in some purpose the point - what would happen if 'good' people (and in the West Wing it recognised that the good people were not all on one side of the political debate) ran the country.

I really liked the west wing, but always felt it idolised the “american president” role. Especially as I was raised on the incompetence* porn” of Yes minister/prime minister.

Absolutely. And I think Yes Minister & The Thick Of It / Veep have proved much more insightful, prophetic and authentic than The West Wing.

*not to be confused with incontinence porn.

Hahaha, Google: "Did you mean..."

Call the Midwife – I shit you not…

Wasn't expecting this. Interesting. Please list other things you like, in case they include a disqualifying answer, like 'Mrs Brown's Boys' or 'Holby City'.

After firing up Prime for a month to get at the latest Handmaid's Tale ad-free, and casting round the desert of content otherwise available, I stumbled on 'The Last Ship.' Total bollox, on a par with Jericho mentioned above, but I somehow find myself halfway through the second season while waiting for this weather to improve...

In my defence, it does have Rhona Mitra in a lead role.

Absolutely. And I think Yes Minister & The Thick Of It / Veep have proved much more insightful, prophetic and authentic than The West Wing.

This is all true but part of the reason I love The West Wing is the escapism it brings. Really it's as likely to come to pass as Firefly (also brilliant) but I still love the characters and the stories they tell.

Absolutely. And I think Yes Minister & The Thick Of It / Veep have proved much more insightful, prophetic and authentic than The West Wing.

Yes, you don't have to look far on Twitter to find people who've worked in the White House who say that Veep is a better reflection of reality than The West Wing.

I watched the first season or two of The West Wing. It was ok, but the idea that the president is going to make a great impromptu speech and all his critics will suddenly break out in applause and drop their opposition wasn't realistic even at the time. These days, it's just ridiculous.

Call the Midwife – I shit you not…

For a moment there I thought that was the name of one of the episodes

Please list other things you like

Yeah, I was surprised as well.

Other things I've watched, was late to, and can solidly recommend...

How To with John Wilson

Man Like Mobeen

Detectorists

Mum

Yes, you don’t have to look far on Twitter to find people who’ve worked in the White House who say that Veep is a better reflection of reality than The West Wing.

I'm sure, but no-one watched, say, Inspector Morse because they thought it was an accurate reflection of police work in Oxford.

This is all true but part of the reason I love The West Wing is the escapism it brings.

Exactly.

This is all true but part of the reason I love The West Wing is the escapism it brings. Really it’s as likely to come to pass as Firefly

Bosch on Amazon Prime. I’m up to date on Jack Ryan and Reacher and was looking for something else and a mate suggested Bosch. First episode or so I was a bit meh - but now I’m plugging through season 2 and enjoying it. Got 7 seasons worth to get through and then the spin off Bosch:Legacy.

I was liking ‘Unforgettable’ and got to the end of season 4 (I think) and they left it on a cliff hanger and then the whole thing got cancelled. Annoying - was quite a few years late watching that one - I should have done my research!

Travel Man

Another Happy Valley fan here well written and I was brought up on Taggart thurs been a murrrdar.

meanwhile the really smart people are watching Rick & Morty 😉

I watched the first episode of that and just didn't get it/wasn't smart enough(!), so watched Bojack Horseman instead. People rave about it though so should probably give it another shot.

Watched the first episode of The Expanse last night, having read the first book (Leviathan Wakes) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have a slight suspicion that the show won't live up to it though so might try The Witcher instead which has been on my list for a while.

Just working my way through 7 seasons of Justified and am up to season 2 of Lucifer.

More entertaining is the list of series I haven't seen.

Game of Thrones. S01 Ep01: Saw 30 minutes. No tits or dragons. I'm out.
The Wire
West Wing
Newsroom (Although now I'm keen to try it.)
Breaking Bad
Better Call Saul
The Expanse
The Sopranos
Peaky Blinders
Mad Men
Lost
Any CSI series. (I did like the original NCIS for about 5 seasons.)
Detectorists. (I did watch the Christmas special)

I really like the idea of waiting until a series has completed until watching. Too many prematurely end, I'm looking at you Mindhunter, and I've just deleted 1899 from my downloads as I've just found out it's been canned.

Recently rather enjoyed Lucifer and binged the lot. Not exactly high brow but by the end I'd gelled with the characters and cared what happened. It also finished of nicely I thought. Reminded me of old school TV like Moonlighting and such, easy watch light entertainment.

I'm currently restarting Ozark which I've found amazingly stressful, there doesn't seem to be a scene where something isn't happening and I feel I've watched way more than a season and a half. I understand that the series has been cancelled and restarted a couple of times and I'm hoping that it's now complete,I don't want to delve too deep unless I unearth any spoilers.

+1 The Wire. Friend talked about it all the time when it was airing in the UK all those years ago but we weren't interested. Picked up the DVD box set a few years later and smashed through S1-3.

The missus only got round to watching Breaking Bad 2 years ago and binged it in a few weeks.

EDIT: Watched Generation Kill a few years after its release. Bloody good.

I understand not wanting to start a series which might not finish, but you'd end up missing some of the best TV that way.

Glow
Deadwood
The OA

All very enjoyable for what they are, despite getting canned.

In no particular order:

Borgen - Mrs Fruitbat hates it because of subtitles

Two Doors Down - perhaps a bit parochial

Motherland - also a bit parochial perhaps

Three great options... and following on from Borgen... we were late to watching Roadkill... well worth a watch.

We started watching Borgen after about five years of my mum saying "are you watching Borgen?". Really enjoyed it.

Roadkill is on the iPlayer watch list to, er, watch.

Another vote for the Expanse. Stopped watching at S3 or similar when it moved from Netflix to Amazon.

Motherland is surprisingly enjoyable. Although none of the characters are particularly likeable. The main characters Husband cracks me up when he drops in for the odd telephone call, complete and utter throbbed.

Watched Generation Kill a few years after its release. Bloody good.

Yes. I watched it last year. Really good show.

Honestly though, I find Sorkin’s stuff hasn’t aged brilliantly. I still love the characters and the dialog but it just seems naively optimistic and unrealistic these days.

It was always idealised, but I find the escapism more necessary than ever.

Detectorists – binged all series over Xmas so I could watch the Xmas edition.

Same. I'm up to date now bar the Xmas episode.

Mad Men, finally binged the lot last year. It’s now my favourite telly program ever. Well that and The Sopranos.

I never had the time to watch Breaking Bad when it came out. Ended up watching all 6 seasons of Better call Saul first and have now just started watching BB for the first time. It seems to make way more sense watching them this way round as its in timeline order and you have all th backstories all ready which makes the characters even more well rounded in BB

and yes, series getting binned is a real pet hate  - I wasted precious viewing time on both Y the last man (Disney) and 1899

Never watched an episode of Still Game until a week ago. We are on series 5 now. Was it only on in Scotland maybe why I missed it?

I was late to Breaking Bad, mostly due to not being a fan of Bryan Cranston's over-acting. Went through it during lockdown, cos stranded WFH with not much going on. It passed the time ok.

Quite fancied Mad Men when I saw it was free on that Pluto streaming service. But it doesn't remember where you got to! I was 3/4 through an episode and couldn't skip to where I'd left it as it insists on showing the ads. Gave up.

Mad Men, finally binged the lot last year. It’s now my favourite telly program ever. Well that and The Sopranos.

Southland on FreeVee (via Amazon) one of the best US Cop shows out there.

I'm a huge sitcom fan and only recently discovered the utterly brilliant Community on Netflix. Originally aired about a decade ago I think.

Southland on FreeVee (via Amazon) one of the best US Cop shows out there.

Yes, that was really good. Closest thing to a Hill Street Blues successor I've seen.

I’m a huge sitcom fan and only recently discovered the utterly brilliant Community on Netflix."

I really liked the first couple of seasons, then go bored and stopped watching.

I never had the time to watch Breaking Bad when it came out. Ended up watching all 6 seasons of Better call Saul first and have now just started watching BB for the first time. It seems to make way more sense watching them this way round as its in timeline order and you have all th backstories all ready which makes the characters even more well rounded in BB

You'll have a few pretty serious spoilers though.

It's like watching Star Wars in timeline order, it completely ruin's Vader's identity.

hmmm, never actually watched MM 🤔 Love The Sopranos though, seen it twice all the way through and can happily dip in & out of random episodes, everyone in it is so good it’s a joy to watch & doesn’t matter if I can’t quite remember what’s going on with the storyline 😂

Mad Men is a slow burner. I didn’t even like it until season two, loved it by season three.

Amen about The Sopranos, it’s that good.

Community is absolutely brilliant, such an inventive show. I'm also a Motherland fan, although that might partly be because it's filmed around where I used to live (I used to be able to see the school they hang around outside from the balcony of my flat).

This has also reminded me that it's been ages since I've watched Generation Kill (or read the book it's based on). Should probably do something about that.

Never watched an episode of Still Game until a week ago.

That last DVD boxset I brought (from a charity shop)... bloody love it.

On the Buses. 😲

Community is absolutely brilliant, such an inventive show.

Did you (or anyone else) not think it went totally up its own arse by season 4 or 5?

Felt like they were really milking the "quirky" characters and forgetting to write actual jokes.

Community is absolutely brilliant, such an inventive show.

Did you (or anyone else) not think it went totally up its own arse by season 4 or 5?

There's a reason season 4 of Community was referred to as its 'gas leak season'.

It did take a few episodes before I really "got" Community. It did dip a bit in series 4 when Dan Harmon (creator) left, but picked up again in series 5 when he returned. Not a coincidence I suspect.

To be honest it won't be to everyone's taste, but I thought it very funny. I gather Chevvy Chase eventually left the show because he just didn't understand/like the sort of humour they were going for, and yes it does get very self-referential and "meta" which a lot of folk won't like, but each to their own and all that.

One of those shows I can watch more than once and see new jokes every time. And Abed has to be one of my all time favourite sitcom characters.

Put off watching the detectorists until pretty recently and then chuckled my way though them all very quickly

The clone wars (yes the cartoon ones) only recently watched and thought they smashed the hell out of the shite prequel films.

Rome and Spartacus. These had been out for ages but just looked like they would be awful so after pretty much exhausting everything else I buckled and was really surprised. Loved the dialogue, butchery and obviously the sex. Really worth a watch (imo).

What we do in the shadows...ok it's still going but only picked it up quite recently after someone at work kept getting called Colin Robinson.

The clone wars (yes the cartoon ones) only recently watched and thought they smashed the hell out of the shite prequel films.

This show starts off pretty grating (IMO obvs), but by the end it's Star Wars storytelling at its best. Plus, the animation has come on so far that it looks absolutely stunning.

There’s a reason season 4 of Community was referred to as its ‘gas leak season‘.

OK maybe I'll pick up again with S5 at some point 🙂

I thought a lot of S3 was way too self-indulgent, but that piece kind-of addresses that as well.

Black Spot

Rome

Is this streaming somewhere?

I loved it at the time, great fun.

I managed to not only avoid Homeland for the entirety of its run, but also avoid spoilers for it. So I’ve been binging that over my Christmas break and am now up to season 5.

It’s great, but I do find myself saying ‘why the hell are you doing that stupid thing’ to the main character an awful lot.

The A word, we only watched one by accident at the start of the last series and had to binge the rest.

Also Snowfall which was a find whilst idly flicking through iPlayer when there was nothing on.

@cougar   Most of the spoilers revealed in Saul were obvious and tbh its not really a plot driven series. I prefer knowing the back story to Saul, Mike and Gus anyway as they are better actors than the two main protagonists!  I think Saul was the better series so far anyway (I'm on S3 E4)