Ready to start a new series, what should I start?

[Warp Coil]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer - great show. The first season is probably its weakest, but it's also the shortest. Once you get into season 2, the show takes off.

Angel - also a great show. Possibly even better than Buffy. Darker.

Heroes - season one is a great ride. Seasons two and three don't hold up as well. Still, entertaining.

 

[TheArsenal]

Either way, I'm looking for a quality of show with a lot of buy-in and commitment that pays off... I can't stand shows with great potential that flutter away with no direction and leave you hanging...

I would say Dexter, then. First two of three seasons (I've only seen the two) are on DVD.

 

[Harvey]

TV Series
Dexter
The Wire
The West Wing*
Farscape*
Stargate*
The X-Files*

*Your enjoyment may wane in the latter seasons, but that shouldn't prevent you from enjoying these series.

Miniseries
Band of Brothers
From the Earth to the Moon
Frank Herbert's Dune
Frank Herbert's Children of Dune

 

[QuasarVM]

I think Jericho is one of the best series to come along in a while...mostly because I think what happens in it could actually happen.

The show developed a good fan following, but it's main mistake was to be on CBS -- the network that cancels all good series after two seasons max.

Anyway, I recommend it...

 

[mimic]

I'm looking for a quality of show with a lot of buy-in and commitment that pays off... I can't stand shows with great potential that flutter away with no direction and leave you hanging.

I'd recommend "The Wire", "Generation Kill" or "Band of Brothers." The latter two are excellent war-themed miniseries, with BoB being the more cinematic of the two and GK more realistic and less action-y. "The Wire" is personally my favorite show and definitely requires commitment. All are done with their runs and are available in their entirety on DVD.

 

[RandyS]

Here are some of my favorite shows:

DS9
nuBSG
Lost
Babylon 5
Firefly

The only new shows I watch are
The Sarah Connor Chronicles
New Galactica
Smallville

And in every case, I have waited for the DVD's.

It's not new but have you ever seen Lois & Clark the New Adventures of Superman? You can probably get that through Netflix. If you like DS9, you'll prbably like all the other Treks too.

 

[KLauderdale]

If you enjoyed Firefly, then you have to go with Whedon's first creation, Buffy. Some of season 1 are real clunkers, but the show explodes out of the gate with seasons 2 -7. And, yes, buy-in and commitment pay off big time. Stuff happens that relies heavily on earlier seasons -- which tells you how much the show is really about the characters.

 

[ialfan]

Dexter
Dead Like Me
Buffy
Angel
House

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Soap. There's a blast from the past, but it is funny as hell. I remember.

As for my recommendations if you want shows with payoff and excellent characterization--definitely Farscape and Carnivale in the science fiction department. Farscape is as good as it gets in terms of characterization if the "muppet look" of it doesn't put you off. Don't let it. Carnivale is very sublime.

In the horror category, I highly recommend Supernatural. The first half of season one is a little weak because it's episodic and mainly stand alone eps, but it really takes off in the second half of its first season. The two leads are NOT pretty boy actor wannabes. Far from it.

In drama--The Wire is as good as it gets. If you enjoyed the intricacies of The Shield, The Wire will grab you and then some. I also highly, highly recommend HBO's Big Love and Showtimes' Dexter. Deadwood is also outstanding.

 

[TrekGuide.com]

I did not personally care for the last two seasons, because they brought in "replacement" characters who I found either annoying, uninteresting, bland or all of the above.

I actually liked Robert Patrick, and I would have watched him for another 10 years. It was refreshing to have a skeptical, old-fashioned cop as the lead, rather than Mulder's tiresome open-mindedness.

And "The X-Files" was overly complicated. From the first to last season, I got the impression that the writers were just making it up as they went along. I saw every single episode, movie, and "The Lone Gunmen" spinoff, and I still couldn't tell you what the point of the series was. Maybe if I watched it again all at once on DVD, rather than over 10 years, it would either make more or less sense. ...

 

[Seven of Five]

Buffy and Angel are really good shows. Buffy season 1 is a bit hit and miss but the style and substance grows as the show goes on. Angel is like a more grown-up Buffy; watching it during/after Buffy enhances it somewhat.

You'd probably like Heroes to some extent. Season 1, as a lot of people say, has been the pinnicle so far. Season 2 was hit and miss, as is season 3 so far. I still enjoy it, not as much though.

A few people have mentioned The Wire, which comes as my biggest recommendation. The show is *so* intricate. There is a general storyline that will last for a season, but each season builds on the last to the extent that there is a very large cast. A very large, very well acted cast. It's so well written, with moments of humour found amongst the bleakness.

Other series I've enjoyed are Dexter, Six Feet Under, Oz and 24. In that order.

 

[nevermore]

I did not personally care for the last two seasons, because they brought in "replacement" characters who I found either annoying, uninteresting, bland or all of the above.

I actually liked Robert Patrick, and I would have watched him for another 10 years. It was refreshing to have a skeptical, old-fashioned cop as the lead, rather than Mulder's tiresome open-mindedness.

I feel there are more than enough shows with "skeptical, old-fashioned cops" in them. None of which I watch.

And "The X-Files" was overly complicated. From the first to last season, I got the impression that the writers were just making it up as they went along. I saw every single episode, movie, and "The Lone Gunmen" spinoff, and I still couldn't tell you what the point of the series was. Maybe if I watched it again all at once on DVD, rather than over 10 years, it would either make more or less sense. ...

Well, they were making it up as they went along, but that doesn't mean it didn't make sense.* The point was that there was a group of aliens who planned to invade earth, but they needed to establish certain parameters prior to doing so. There was a group of humans who were working with the aliens to establish said parameters while at the same time working covertly to prevent the invasion or at least to allow some humans to survive said invasion. Everything that happens is part of one of those two efforts. It's rather convoluted, but the basic premise and framework is quite simple. Perhaps you should rent the "Mytharc" sets or skim over one of the Mythology sites out there or something...

*Again, minus the last few seasons, when they were just pulling stuff out of their asses to drag the series out waaay past it's "use by" date. You can massage the Super!Soldiers and the Super!Baby into the whole thing, but it's just rather stupid.

 

[archeryguy1701]

Since it seems like you like arced shows, I'm going also recommend "Jericho". It's sadly only two seasons long, but it is a great show and it's very much tied to a larger story, particularly the last part of season one clear through season two.

 

[Mistral]

Jeremiah, J. Michael's follow up to B5 and Crusade, is pretty cool but its impossible to find S2-some kind of dispute between creator and studio.

 

[DigificWriter]

If you liked Firefly, you should definitely check out Buffy the Vampire Slayer and ANGEL, as others have already said.

Since you seem to like arc-based material, I'm going to recommend the original CSI (Las Vegas) and Bones, which are actually quite arc-based for procedural dramas.

 

[archeryguy1701]

^Would you count CSI: Vegas as arc driven though? There are some elements that show back up on occassion, but it always has seemed more about the dead body of the week than a recurring theme.

 

[DigificWriter]

CSI: Vegas might not have one continuous arc running through it like series such as BSG and B5, among others, but it is incredibly arc-based in terms of its story execution, character development, and usage of recurrant themes (such as suicide).

 

[Danoz]

Thanks for the feedback everybody.

I'm going to try the first season of Stargate SG1.

Thanks!

 

[Kirkman1987]

Dexter

 

[backstept]

Check out Journeyman on Hulu.com
it's only 13 episodes I think . . . fantastic show