Which of the following Television Series are Good Bets???

[shadowkat]

I threatened to do this in another post. I've saved so many television series to my DVR, and I've lost track of which are worth watching and which are a waste of time. I keep forgetting what's on when.

So, I'm curious to know what everyone else would recommend. What new television shows, assuming there are any, that you love or would recommend giving a shot? [Note if it's been on for more than a year or two, with at least 30 episodes, it's NOT new. Example: Agent Carter is new, the Arrow is not. That said, I'm making an exception with The X-Files (which is sort of a revival), American Crime (which is new each season, sort of like American Horror Story and Fargo), and shows that just started last year and popped up again now like Agent Carter.]

I'm limiting this poll to the television series that I've heard and can remember -- it's like the dreaded presidential poll, it's impossible to list them all. But, here's the thing, if your favorite isn't on this list - please put it in the comments, and be sure to include where it can be found and what it is about.

[Poll #2035240]


Thanks. Hopefully, I'll get more than five responses. LJ has been sort of dead lately in regards to posting.

ETA: I left THE COLONY off the list by accident. Has anyone seen it? Is it worth watching?

Comments

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

I'd be glad to participate but I've only seen bits of two of them - "Galavant & Shannara" and didn't care for either.

[elisi]

I looked through the list rather idly - I never know any of these - and then I saw London Spy and nearly tripped over my fingers to press the button. EXCELLENT show. And only 5 episodes. Never managed to write much about it because... I could never find the words. But so, so good. ETA: I even made an icon. ♥

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I was debating on whether to try it or not. It just popped up on BBC America. And it's short enough that if I miss an episode, I can grab it "on demand".

[liliaeth]

I was hesitant in whether or not Izombie would fit, but I think it's just over the number of episodes to be considered a 'new show'

Lucifer is surprisingly good, considering how little it has to do with the comic it's supposedly based upon.

I'd say that Jessica Jones is new, but if I well remember, you already watched that one.

Of the ones on this list, I'd definitely suggest Supergirl. Yes, it's cheesy, but that's the whole point. It's like the Flash in that it's supposed to be a bit cheesy.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

So Lucifer gets better? Tried the first episode and wasn't sure.

[liliaeth]

I actually haven't seen the second episode yet. But I loved the first one.

It's not easy to get me to even tolerate an asshole character like Lucifer, let out like him, and yet the actor still managed to do so. That alone, makes it a success for me.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

The actor is very likable. He's the best thing about the series. I was actually surprised at some of the casting, which is rather good. Now if the writing could just improve a bit...but then that's been my reaction to most television series lately.

[liliaeth]

It is incredibly rare for a show to get the writing right from the first episode on. the last one I could remember doing so, was Pushing Daisies.

So for me, what makes or breaks a series, is if the casting feels right, and if I like the characters. Lucifer passes that test, so I plan on giving it a chance :-)

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I find the lead interesting enough to stick with it for a while. The criminal procedural bit may eventually bore me...though. I have almost no patience for criminal procedures. ;-)

[ann1962]

I didn't click DC Legions, because I haven't decided yet about it. It could go either way.

ETA: Man in the High Castle is excellent. I really enjoyed that.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to figure out what I think about DC Legions as well. It feels like someone took a Doctor Who cross-over superhero fanfic and removed anything that could be deemed as copyright infringement. But there are some interesting characters in the mix and it appears to be character driven...so there's potential.

Two of the one's I marked, I'm not sure about...

Did try The Man in the High Castle - but I think you have to be in the right mood to concentrate on it? So, will go back to it -- thank you. It's on streaming so easier to watch whenever.

[liliaeth]

the thing with DC Legends, and the reason I didn't click it on, was because it literally feels like a comic book. And not the good ones.
It literally feels like a comic book team up, you know, one of those mini-series, that have most of the fighting and the occasional rare scene outside of that, with little to no character development.

Don't know if you read the Civil War miniseries, it's a bit like that. Except it's only the main series, and not the explorations of each character that you got in their own books, which usually made the event worth reading.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean. I read Avengers vs. X-Men, and yep, it felt like that, exactly. (The reason I passed on Civil War -- because in order for that series to make sense, you need to be following the Avengers, Iron Man, Captain America, etc. The Avengers vs. X-men only worked for me, because I read the X-men leading up to it. But the Avengers side fell a little flat. They actually across as jerks, because I didn't follow that end of the story.)

A comic book team up that doesn't really dig enough into the characters to be interesting. (Although it may do that yet, it's not real clear at this point. The pilot sort of ...dug a bit into Hawkman and Hawkgirl.) I unfortunately had stopped watching The Flash and Arrow, prior to the resurrection of White Canary, the Atom, and the re-introduction of the two villains. They've basically taken all the supporting crime fighters from those series and dumped them into this one.

So, I agree...it feels a bit too comic bookie and not in a good way.

I did click on Shannara Chronicles...mainly because it is growing on me. There's an interesting world there, and potential. (Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy World Coming of Age Tale, with a bit of a gender flip on the weak/niave ingenue blond boy, and two fighter trained women.) But, I'm also a bit on the fence about it...because, it is incredibly cheesy. Written by the guys who did Smallville.

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

I'd vote, but I just haven't been watching TV for months.

[atpo-onm.livejournal.com]

I've already posted some time back about Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which I liked right off the bat, and have liked even more as the season progresses. 8 on a 10 scale.

Supergirl is decent, but the writing is a mite too adolescent comic-booky for my tastes, same problem I have with The Flash and for that matter most recent seasons of the BtVS comic book. However, the actress playing Supergirl is insanely talented and supremely likable, and for me is just about carrying the show. 6.5 on a 10 scale.

Lucifer was better than I expected, but too early to tell otherwise. I'll keep watching for a few more eps before deciding whether to continue or not. Right now it's kind of like first season Sleepy Hollow, enjoyable wackiness. 6 on a 10 scale.

The X-Files reboot is horrendous. I forced myself to watch all of it, thinking all the while-- "It can't be this bad... It can't be this bad..." Duchovny and Anderson both look like they were on tranquilizers for the entire ep, and the writing would have needed to get much better to rise to cringe-worthy. I most certainly did not expect this. 1 on a 10 scale. Or maybe 0.5.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I heard the first two episodes of the X-Files were skippable, but that the third episode was worth watching, which is a stand-alone episode and not by Chris Carter. I recorded that one. Haven't seen it yet, though. (I only liked the stand-alone episodes of the X-files. The arc episodes didn't work for me.)

Agreed on Supergirl and The Flash, gave up on it for the same reasons. Not the right demographic. I'm too old for it. Maybe ten or fifteen years ago -- I'd have loved it.

Also agree on Lucifer, the first episode was better than expected. A bit cheesy in places, but the lead saves the show. He's really good. So is the cast, generally speaking. Now, if I can just past the boring mystery of the week format...;-)

Shannara Chronicles was also better than I expected, albeit cheesy and the casting, sigh...it could have been better. But it has potential.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

I do recommend Agent Carter. It's very watchable, funny and scary and well done altogether. I loved the first season, and so fay the second season doesn't disappoint me.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I'd have to agree -- it's actually the only one on the list that I think truly notable.