Television Entertainment: What's your poison?

[greyorm]

There is probably a great deal you can learn about a person in knowing what sorts of mass shows they watch regularly.
Thus, this is my useless contribution to the Birthday forum. Wait...I had a meaningful contribution? Shuddup you.

This is all stuff that is DVR'd, because I am never around during the times the shows are playing, or don't have the stretch of free time required to watch live TV. Since I record them, you can tell I like them.

Sci-fi Channel original movies: Even the awful ones, because occassionally -- like once a year -- they have a good one. My wife does not understand how I can do this.

Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis: Religiously. Pun intended, for those keeping up with the former series.

Battlestar Galactica: I didn't get into it until way into the first season, wasn't interested at all. Then I watched one episode on a whim one night (I was bored, nothing else on) and was hooked RIGHT THEN. I found the last season disappointing in light of season one, but have high hopes for the new season.

Dr. Who: Hehe! The new series. I saw maybe one episode of the old series; strangely enough, my wife has seen more of the old series than I have. WAY more.

House: I admit my wife got me into it. Blood and needles make me faint, so I think she just wanted to watch me squirm and hide my head while making little whimpering noises.

Avatar, the Last Airbender: This is my son's fault. This is also an incredibly cool cartoon.

Justice League Unlimited: Need more JLU, damnit!

The Simpsons: A couple times a week, though I think my wife and I have finally seen every episode except the new ones.

Spongebob Squarepants: Every morning. Not only because it does the soul good, but because the kids have it on before they leave for school. And ocassionally if I'm feeling down and need an upper and it happens to be on.

American Idol: Again, my wife's fault, because she watches it; though, this year, I am only watching the highlights (as determined by the wife).

[Graham W]

Dr Who is wonderful. It starts again a week on Saturday!

Graham

[joshua neff]

We have only the most basic of cable packages, so no Sci Fi Channel, no Comedy Central, no Cartoon Network. *sigh*

What I do watch...

I am a Lost junkie. I missed the first season, caught up with it on DVD, and now I'm hooked.

I'm still a fan of Smallville, and not just because of Allison Mack (mmmmm, Allison Mack). It's nowhere near Joss Whedon quality, but it's a damn good teen adventure show, with the occasional nods to old school superhero fans.

My wife and I got into House, but lately we've been giving it a miss. I think we just need a break from the show. But Hugh Laurie is brilliant.

We love the American version of The Office. I actually like it as much as the British original, although they're two different creatures. Actually, it's because they're different that I love them equally.

We loved loved loved Rome when it was on (when our cable company was teasing us with free HBO). Too bad the next series won't be until 2007.

We loved Arrested Development with a furious passion. I'm sad it won't be continuing, although I'm happy the show is ending before it gets a chance to start sucking.

I think Saturday Night Live has the best cast it's had in ages, and the show is better than ever. Anyone who says otherwise is either living in a haze of nostalgia or just doesn't get it. (Mmmmmm, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.)

I'm still a huge fan of the original Doctor Who show and buy the DVDs when money allows. I haven't seen the new show yet, but the first series comes out on DVD soon, and I'm planning on getting it.

[Matt Wilson]

Hmm. Lots of stuff we're doing via Netflix.

Fave right now on live TV is Battestar Galactica. I thought season two was awesome and can't wait until friggin' October goddamnit. The season two finale was the most story-now episode of TV I've ever seen. It's the best stuff on TV.

Lost has its ups and downs, though they've recently been doing some really good eps. When they bring in good character stuff, it works. When they get caught up in weird plot stuff at expense of character, not so much.

On Netflix we just watched Deadwood season one, which is unbelievably good. Damn HBO and the waiting.

Also netflixing season one of the Shield, which I like a lot, but not as much as The Wire, (again, damn HBO). It's kind of like the basic cable version of the Wire, without so much swearing, with a little less awesomeness.

Also, because of scheduling conflicts, we're hoping to catch up with Veronica Mars maybe over the summer or something. Season one was pretty good.

Gilmore Girls is Meredith's show, but I watch it with her pretty regularly. She's also into Related and some of those reality shows like Top Model and some new cooking thing, but I usually choose homework over those.

Like Josh, I'm sad that Arrested Development is gone. That, Firefly and Sports Night prove that networks and television audiences are dumb and need slapping.

[Matt Machell]

Of late:

24 - I've really been enjoying series 5. The relentless "what else can go wrong?" is great.

Dr Who - A great re-imagining of an old favourite. I'm looking forward to seeing what David Tennant does with the role.

My Name is Earl - One of the few comedies I watch at the moment.

I was addicted to Master Chef in its last run.

-Matt

[Troy_Costisick]

Heya,

I really don't watch much TV regularly anymore besides the news and the History Channel.  But I do buy a lot of TV showns on DVD.  My favs are:

Babylon 5
Alias
The Shield
24
Farscape
Smallville
X Files

I'm not sure if the new Battlestar Galactica is out on DVD yet, but when it is, I plan on getting it.

Peace,

-Troy

[Jason Morningstar]

My wife and I are watching episodes of Gidget on DVD.  Gidget is a deeply weird and hilarious media object.  It would make a fantastic one-player many-GM roleplaying game.  There would be a tandem surfing minigame, Inspectres-style confessionals, and rules for using telephones. 

[Troy_Costisick]

My wife and I are watching episodes of Gidget on DVD.

Hrrkk!!!

Peace,

Troy

[Frank T]

My girlfriend and I just watched all five seasons of Ally McBeal on DVD, which is one of the greatest shows evar (also one of the most story-now). We are still searching frantically for a successor. Since she doesn't like Sci-Fi, I won't get her into Battlestar Galactica or Firefly (which I think are both truly awesome). I used to like Star Trek TNG and DS9 a lot, but not any more (too much Sim...) I also think Touched by an Angel is a very good show, from the few episodes I've seen, but it's certainly not "my poison".

[Alex F]

Like others here, I don't watch TV directly, but rent DVDs to watch when I can find time.

Comdey-wise I go for british stuff.
Black Books is superb closed-box situation comedy.
Spaced (by the Shaun of the Dead crew) was for some time my Monty Python - so many gems in every script. And totally cinematic TV.
Peep Show is twisted humiliation TV a la Office, but IMO better.
Like much of my generation, my brain was anti-damaged by the genius that is Chris Morris: On The Hour, The Day Today, Brass Eye, Blue Jam. Beyond comedy.
Other than that, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm

Drama I get from the other side of the pond.
West Wing I've been into for a while, though it has lost its edge. Soon watching season 6.
Buffy - introduced them to my girlfriend (not a fantasy/scifi/horror fan at all) and rewatched to end of series 6. Neither of us have seen the last series! Which is exciting.
Twin Peaks, for the first time - this is what you call coming to the party late. Regardless, exceptional TV.
Also came late to Firefly and Band of Brothers, both terrific in different ways.
Riget - the original Kingdom Hospital. I love, love this show. The mixing of humour, drama and horror was so fluid, the characters so involving, the acting stellar, and the direction spot-on. I think it achieves what Twin Peaks does, to some extent, but from the perspective of an utterly different vision. I watched each episode knowing that it finishes uncompleted, but even so when the music came up the last time it was a punch to the gut.
The Wire (season 1) was tre-mendous. Really, one of the best things I've ever seen. I've heard that it loses something in season 2, but I'm willing to give it a shot.
6 Feet under is great.

[Jason Morningstar]

Riget utterly rules, and if anybody disagrees, ask Graham Walmsley what will happen to you. 

I also really liked both League of Gentlemen and Little Britain.

[Larry L.]

Television? No. I don't even know if my TV can pick up any stations.
I used to watch a lot of cartoons - Simpsons, Futurama, Adult Swim Sunday.

I will probably just wait 'til summer for new Dr. Who on DVD, or get it smuggled in from Canada. (Because BBC One hates America, or something.)

[Thor Olavsrud]

I don't watch much TV at all. But here's what I do try to catch:

The Wire (Alex, I don't know who told you that it lost something in season 2, but they're wrong. It gets better with every season. I'm chewing my fingernails waiting for season 4).

Big Love (this show has surprised me...definitely worth watching if you play Dogs)

Family Guy (nuff said)

The Daily Show

The Colbert Report

Meet the Press

The McLaughlin  Group

[Alex F]

The Wire (Alex, I don't know who told you that it lost something in season 2

My snitch. And he's in for a woooorld of pain.

[Shreyas Sampat]

Avatar! This is like the awesomest cartoon ever.
Ben 10 Fun so far.
Coupling Britcom!
I'm trying to watch Firefly.
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends If there were only one comedic cartoon on the air, it should be this.
Gilmore Girls Obviously.
My Family Britcom about a dentist!

various food tv I'm starting to actually care what these people are making and try their recipes. Alton Brown's are the best!