I have a very short attention span when it comes to television. When the millionth season of whatever is announced, I’ve already tuned out. It takes a lot to hold my interest after one or two seasons however, there’s a bunch of shows that I have enjoyed, from beginning to end.
From the eighties and nineties, my absolute favourites (as opposed to the shows everyone watched: Melrose Place, 21 Jump Street, Moonlighting, Seinfeld, Ally McBeal and Friends) were –
01. Cold Feet – there’s one bit I actually never thought I’d recover from…
02. This Life – spent a good hour every week debriefing with work colleagues over this show.
03. Felicity – The. Best. Show. (also, Team Ben)
04. Party of Five – cried, every week.
05. Teachers – funny, sentimental, grim.
Once I had kids, I started binge-watching (to be honest, binged on crap). I didn’t have the time or the brain-space to watch tele in a leisurely or thoughtful way –
06. Grey’s Anatomy – it’s ridiculous, I know. Soooo over-the-top. Anyway, the finale of season six gave me a three day migraine (also, Team McDreamy).
07. North Square – I’ve never been into courtroom dramas – this was the exception.
08. Gossip Girl – Blair and Chuck…
09. Scrubs – never failed to make me laugh.
10. Downton Abbey – if only for Maggie Smith.
11. Hollowmen – half laughing, half horrified – it’s billed as a comedy but is actually exactly what my previous workplace was like. Exactly.
My most recent favourites (granted, have only seen one season of some of these…) –
12. Catastrophe – possibly have never laughed so hard at a show.
13. Banshee – the most violent and gripping thing I’ve ever seen (fun fact: it’s written by Jonathan Tropper).
14. UnREAL – now I can watch The Bachelor with a whole new appreciation.
15. Utopia – another cringe-laugh combo modeled on my previous workplace.
I’ve only seen Scrubs & Catastrophe of these, but loved both 🙂
Cold Feet is back! The new series started yesterday, I think.
Back?! As in they’ve remade the original series or the original cast is 20 years older (as I am!)?
The original cast is 20 years older. I can’t judge as I didn’t watch the original, but I think the first episode went down pretty well 🙂
Guess what?! Just yesterday they announced the new series of Cold Feet will be shown in Australia! Hooray!
They’ve announced today that the new series is coming to Aus in October. Yay! (I think!).
Totally agree with your list. Hollowmen – a fave. Ashamed to say that I never saw Catastrophe, but is on my TBW list. Am currently working my way through ER. I’ve seen every episode up to season 9 so far (that’s every episode with Dr Greene, Dr Ross, Dr Benton). Impressive or tragic? Can’t make up my mind.
Oddly, I never watched ER (with all the ‘talent’ in the cast, I have no idea why not!). The only other medical show that I’ve watched (and just realised should have been on this list, although I missed the last few seasons) was House.
You MUST watch Catastrophe. It is hilarious.
Love the montage!
I toyed with the idea of simply a big Ben vs Noel pic… or McSteamy vs McDreamy… 😉
Downton Abbey!! Ugh, I miss that show so much. I still haven’t found something to fill the void. 😉 Great list!
IKR?! My Downton void was filled for a short while by Indian Summer and more recently by The Durrells, which I’ve just started watching and seems promising.
Oohhh Felicity.
Sometimes I just watch a random episode because I miss it so much…
Party of Five! I used to be really into that one… and Scrubs… so good! Great list!
I own the DVDs of Party of Five but haven’t watched it again – afraid it might not be as good as I remember!
I’m with you on Downton Abbey and Gossip Girl hehe 😀 http://www.curious-daisy.com/top-ten-tuesday/my-top-8-tv-shows/
Gossip Girl is such guilty viewing! I plan to watch it all again from the beginning, now that I know who GG is.
I only started watching Downton Abbey a while ago, so I’m only in season 2 so far, but I love it:)
There are a few twists and turns but on the whole it’s just one of those things that’s lovely to watch 🙂
And it has Maggie Smith so that’s a huge plus 😀
I still haven’t watched Downton Abbey. I don’t know why I didn’t watch it when it first started, but I eventually decided not to watch it because everyone else was.
Chuck and Blair 4eva.
Next time you’re deciding on a series to binge watch, I can highly recommend Downton. Maggie Smith has the BEST one-liners and the period detail (costumes) alone make it brilliant viewing.
It’s on Netflix, so it looks like I’ll be watching it soon!
I recognise a few there – Utopia and Hollow Men I also love(d). I enjoyed UnREAL as well and am looking forward to season 2. I love TV far more than movies. Not sure why but TV on DVD (or Netflix I guess) is my fave thing… other than books!
I enjoy the experience of going to the movies and yet rarely watch them at home – my home viewing is confined to series or crap like Real Housewives of Anywhere which I don’t actively watch but just have on in the background while I read or do crosswords.
OMG!!!!! This Life!!
I devoured that show in it’s all too brief run. I now watch The Walking Dead simply because I spotted that Egg was the lead actor in it!
Utopia and Hollowmen and Frontline were all big favourites with me too.
I also binge watched Roswell back in the late 90’s and before that Northern Exposure.
Mr Books also converted me to West Wing.
I loved the first two seasons of Downton but it got too soapy for me after that.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane 🙂
OMG! I can’t believe I forgot Northern Exposure! I LOVED that show. Might need to track it down.
Pingback: Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts | booksaremyfavouriteandbest