Favorite Current TV Shows

[Mr Light]

What are your favorite TV shows on the air right now? That means no 24, LOST, Galactica, or Doctor Who. I'm putting sit-coms in a separate category from the drama/action shows since they're completely different animals.

#8 SHIELD: It's exciting to see the story drawing to a close but it hasn't been particularly epic so far. I prefer S4-5.
#7 FRINGE: Walter Bishop and son are a hoot, but the rest is turgid and pretentious, particularly the awful lead character.
#6 PUSHING DAISIES: the show is cute and amusing but I really don't see how much longer they can drag this non-story along.
#5 C.S.I.: only two episodes so far but they were good ones And I'm interested in the forthcoming appearance of Morpheus!
#4 TERMINATOR: This season has definitely been an improvement.
#3 PRISON BREAK: I've always enjoyed this show, and I'm glad to see they're wrapping up the story and going directly after the Company. Plus this season has lots of expensive looking on-location action!
#2 HEROES: This is definitely my favorite season. Lots of powers, lots of villains, lots of action. The new characters are very interesting, particularly Gateway and the Flash-ess. And Sylar's "redemption", while pretty left-field, is pretty interesting. Not happy about how Mohinder is being treated, though, he's one of my favorite characters or used to be anyhow.
#1 CLONE WARS: ah, nostalgia. and much better than I thought it was going to be. Sure the droids are asinine, but Ashoka is much less annoying than in the movie, and the action is pure classic Star Wars. New Star Wars every Friday night. Me likey!

HONORABLE MENTION: I'm just now watching Chuck Season One on DVD and I'm loving it, but I'm not watching it live. It's a lot of fun though!

God, I can't even rank the sit-coms really.

THE GOOD ONES:
NEW CHRISTINE: again only on DVD but it's cute.
BIG BANG THEORY: only saw S1 on DVD so far, and while it's no classic it was pretty amusing.
TWO AND A HALF MEN: again only on DVD but its occasionally hilarious.
KING OF THE HILL: always amusing
AMERICAN DAD: certainly the bastard child of Seth McFarlane but can be funny.
SIMPSONS: I still like it! Not as much of course but its still worth watching.
SUNNY IN PHILLY: sometimes this is the funniest show on TV, but then they'll do a bunch of just "ok" episodes.

THE GREAT ONES:
MY NAME IS EARL: This show has always been excellent; I loved the S3 prison storyline but its great to get back to the original premise now.
THE OFFICE: excellent show, excellent humor, excellent characters.
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: unfortunately I only get to see it on DVD but I absolutely love this show. So hilarious, love the characters, love the crazy story structure and foreshadowing and callbacks.
SOUTH PARK: this show has always been great, though the spring batch of episodes were just "good". I've enjoyed both of the recent ones so far.
FAMILY GUY: always hilarious though increasingly self-indulgent

Once 30 ROCK goes back on the air in a week it will go back to the top of my list!

 

[auntiehill]

TERMINATOR--I watch because my husband likes it, but I find myself liking it more and more.

BOSTON LEGAL--I love Alan's closing, and he and Denny are the best couple on TV.

PUSHING DAISIES--it's charm and wit is very much like a classic '30s film--if it were directed by Tim Burton. Plus, I love Emerson!

HEROES--still caught up in the drama of the main characters. Lots of good character development this year, but not liking what they did to Mohinder.

DEXTER--by far the most gripping and horrifyingly delightful show on the air. I can't get enough.

When LOST and DOCTOR WHO come back, they will be on my list, as well.

The only sitcom I watch on a regular basis is HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. It always makes me laugh, or at least smile. I don't generally like sitcoms.

 

[Hermiod]

I tend to put my shows in to groups. When I get ahold of a new episode it's a case of "must watch now!", "watching that tonight" or "watch when I get time". I'm going to ignore the "nothing that's not on the air right this minute rule" as otherwise I would be posting a very short list.

Must watch now! - Lost, Battlestar Galactica

Watching that tonight - Heroes (if I'd posted this yesterday it would be in the top group but this week's final scene really hurt the show for me), Stargate: Atlantis

Watch when I get time - Smallville (I usually watch Smallville and Stargate together as a pair), The Simpsons (I Sky+ episodes I haven't seen that I spot in the planner), Mythbusters (I've only just discovered this show so I'm watching loads of random older episodes on Discovery Science), NASA's Greatest Missions

Add to that Star Wars: Clone Wars, WWE and Top Gear and that's all I watch in terms of entertainment programming.

 

[MattJC]

24, Boston Legal, and Sons of Anarchy.

 

[Geck]

I don't really watch that much: Dexter (my favourite), Pushing Daisies, The Office, Desperate Housewives, Simpsons, Family Guy, occasionally American Dad, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (tho this season has largely sucked), and I'm randomly watching Survivor again for the first time in years.

I watch Heroes and House because my friends do and we get together every Monday and Tuesday night. They're both alright, but I wouldn't watch them on my own.

Once Lost starts back up, it'll be on the list too.

 

[HappyDayRiot]

It's all about Heroes and House for me. I would say Family Guy too, but this week's episode was absolutely terrible. Reeked of laziness. Shame, because the previous two were excellent.

 

[Spot's Meow]

Big Bang Theory
The Office
Fringe
Brothers and Sisters
Biggest Loser: Families
Amazing Race
Survivor
Degrassi: The Next Generation

I wanted so badly to like How I Met Your Mother. I've been watching the DVDs and I've seen bits and pieces of each season because my dad loves it. But I just feel that there's something missing. The characters aren't quite right. The female characters are written very badly and completely one-dimensional. I am watching the beginning where Lilly and Marshall were just engaged and all Lilly talks about is sex. Her character has absolutely no personality besides wanting to constantly have sex. Also their relationship doesn't feel realistic to me. Barney is of course great, no complaints there. But overall there is just something missing from the show that prevents me from really enjoying it or wanting to watch future episodes. I think that Big Bang Theory definitely has that something.

 

[Mr Light]

It's a fair point that Lilly lacks in characterization, particularly in the opening episodes. My characters are by far Marshall and Barney.

 

[TheArsenal]

I watch 5 shows currently, and the jury is still out on two.

Current favorites:
Sarah Connor
Mad Men
Heroes

I'll add 30 Rock in a week or so when it comes back.

Undecided:
Fringe
Life on Mars

Dropped:
True Blood

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Well shows that are still in production should still count, but of the ones that are airing this fall...

1. Dexter - OMG perfection.
2. Heroes - the fun is back!
3. Chuck - very glad I decided to start watching. Charming and hilarious.
4. Pushing Daisies - I think they need to take this to the next level in terms of solid, dramatic conflict. The way the ratings have been going, maybe they shouldn't bother.
5. Mad Men - very artsy and elegant, tho a bit inert compared with S1.
6. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - frakkin hilarious and I can't wait to see what those nutbags do with sci fi in Going Boldly Nowhere.
7. Prison Break - it's lost its unique identity and is just a generic thriller now, but the fun characters are still enough to keep me watching.
8. My Own Worst Enemy - hard to tell right now, but it seems to have potential
9. SG:A - blergh, but I'm still watching, which is more than I can say for #10 on the list because there is no #10.

When 30 Rock comes back, I'll pick that back up, but this has been a lousy year for new shows. Only one has interested me and even then only marginally.

Sylar's "redemption", while pretty left-field, is pretty interesting.

I think it's interesting too but how can it be "left field" when I've been continually yammering since S1 that that's where they'll take the character if they keep him (and considering how popular he became and the PR value of Quinto's role as Spock, it was obvious they'd keep him). And it was foreshadowed beginning in the early S1 episodes, so it's not at all unexpected for either in-story or real-world reasons.

 

[Mr Light]

Did you ever try The Shield, Temis? I think it'd be up your alley; gritty morally nebulous cop drama. Though I haven't been quite as up on the show for the past couple seasons.

 

[Pensive]

Boston Legal
The Mentalist
NCIS
Supernatural

 

[Shurik]

How I Met Your Mother is probably a current favorite and will remain like that for a long long time. The rest, in no particular order, are:
The Big Bang Theory
House
True Blood
South Park

 

[Ethros]

That are actually airing right now?

er... South Park... that's about it.
I'd include Terminator:SCC and Clone Wars, but the new eps haven't started yet in Blighty.

The only other new show I watch on a regular basis is Neighbours. Oh yes

 

[Top41]

I'm a bit disappointed with the fall season so far, but my favs are:

CSI: NY
CSI
Gossip Girl (my guilty pleasure)
The Office

I'm also watching/still into:

CSI: Miami
Heroes--I agree with a co-worker who calls it pretentious but am still mostly enjoying it, even if I think some things about it (structure, going into the future, constantly introducing new characters) are tired
House--still good, but the cases are getting harder to follow and the formula feels a bit tired
Grey's Anatomy--still haven't seen the eps beyond the premiere of the season, but it doesn't seem quite as gripping as it once was. Still good though.
Mad Men--I think I appreciate it more than I love it, but an excellently produced show

Dropped:
Fringe--After four episodes, it hasn't hooked me. I liked the premiere but lost interest steadily each week

Put me to sleep twice:
Eleventh Hour--and yet, Rufus Sewell keeps me coming back.

Have taped but have yet to watch:
Life on Mars
The Ex-List

 

[Jax]

Current Top 10 On Air...

10. Californication
9. Family Guy
8. Heroes
7. The Big Bang Theory
6. Bones
5. Stargate Atlantis
4. Have I Got News For You (UK)
3. Dexter
2. House
1. Boston Legal

On the air yearly then I would put Scrubs, LOST, Doctor Who and possibly Kyle XY in there.

 

[cardinal biggles]

Boston Legal
Doctor Who
The Rachel Maddow Show
Life on Mars (the U.S. version)
CSI: Miami
Knight Rider (guilty pleasure)

 

[ialfan]

Shows Currently on Air I Watch in Approximate Ranking Order:

1. Battlestar Galactica - One of my favorite shows ever. I still wish it had gotten a fifth season but at least it's getting another TV movie, extended lengths for the last 10/11 episodes and another series of webisodes. I think this is a show people either love or hate (like Enterprise) and I love it. The only thing I am worried about is the ending. It will either make or break the show.
2. Dexter - Great show. Hopefully they will call it quits after Season 5 instead of milking it.
3. Heroes - Season 1 was awesome, Season 2 pretty good, Season 3 great so far. It feels like there are too many storylines going on to fit in a 42 minute show though.
4. House MD - Great show and characters.
5. True Blood - Pretty good so far but I don't think the premise has a lot of depth in it so the show should only go a few seasons. They rely a bit too much on titillation of the audience.
6. The Office - Usually pretty good but I feel like it will go on far too long. Plus I think I am remembering a few times they talked to the camera guy which takes me out of the story. Dwight is a bit annoying these days, just completely stupid sometimes.
7. Family Guy - It was Good/Great for the first four seasons but nowadays is either great or horrible. This season has had two awful episodes and one almost excellent one. I love the characters except Cleveland so that makes up for some of the less than great scripts. Honestly, if it doesn't have some great episodes this season I might make it my last.
8. Pushing Daisies - I like the characters but I feel the show isn't going anywhere plot wise and it's becoming a bit too fluffy.
9. American Dad! - Consistently better than Family Guy but I just don't care about the characters or even like any of them that much.
10. Reno 911! - Only occasionally funny these days. Not even sure if it's coming back for a sixth season but it hasn't been cancelled yet so it's likely. I wouldn't miss it if it ended now though. I would actually be glad it couldn't get any worse. Plus I HATE it when they talk to the cameraman -- takes me right out of the episode.
11. Degrassi: The Next Generation - I seriously might stop watching this soon. Should have ended after season 7 or done a college spinoff with the original characters instead of sidelining them.

My problem is I keep watching TV shows even when their quality goes to crap. I just can't stand not knowing how the story ends.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Life on Mars, definitely. Awesome, awesome show. Harvey Keitel and Jason O'Mara both rock.

I would have also said all three Law & Order shows but SVU is the only one that's on at the moment, and it's been unimpressive so far.

 

[stj]

Currently? Brothers & Sisters, Big Bang Theory, Pushing Daisies, CSI, ER and Numb3rs. But I'm trying out Life on Mars, Eleventh Hour and Sanctuary. And if I had showtime I'd be watching Dexter season three.