OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

OK, we've got yet another trek is better than farscape is better than bab5 is better than trek thread going on over there, but what about non-scifi? Anyone ever watch any of that?

So come on, drama, sitcoms, soaps... anything with regular characters and some kind of story, past and present. Let's hear it...

Here's some stuff that springs into my mind:

-American gothic. I believe they cut it dead at the end of the first series but that first series was utterly awesome. The way sherriff Buck manipulated people- for me he is about the most sinister character in anything I have ever read, watched or heard. The blurred boundaries between good and evil, the creepily undefined supernatural stuff ... breathtaking. I loved that series.

-Spaced. Cult, late-night comedy series about a bunch of wierdos in London. Laugh? I nearly shat myself when I first saw the one with the imaginary gunfights.

-Black books. Strange, dark, strange comedy about a bunch of misfits in a bookshop. Again, late-night channel4 stuff. If you live somewhere where they don't show it (ie anywhere but here in the UK) then i pity you.

-The Young Ones. Four incredibly violent and stupid students sharing a house in the 80s with anarchic action to make the Cantina look like a tea-room. Vyvian has been my role-model since I was about 15.

-The Sopranos. It's got good plot, good characters and the whole thing is frighteningly convincing. It is pervaded by a kind of dark humour that makes you shiver rather than laugh.

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

I vote for M.A.S.H. It was and still is a top quailty drama with just the right touch of comic relief! Even though all that plays now are re-runs, It beats many of the current crop of crap!

West Wing is the one modern day (and currently active) show that even comes close to M.A.S.H. Very well written, and an excellent ensemble cast!

Just my 2 cents!

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

The Avengers

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

Simpsons !! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

Simpsons. Just because they are awesome! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

CSI: Miami. I like the whole show. It's interesting to see how they dig up small clues to put the crime scene together. I like Miami better then just the original CSI though.

Pretender. This is a great show. I don't think they are doing it anymore though. But I still watch re-runs on TNT all the time. They had a great actor to play Jared. Miss Parker is hott and just everyone on the show are great actors and actresses. Just a well rounded series.

Sponge Bob Square Pants. Who doesn't like this show?! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Lots of others that I like but those stick out the most.

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

</font>

• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"That 70's Show"</font>
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Barney Miller"</font>
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Johnny Bravo"</font>
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Designing Women" (well, the first few seasons, before Jan Hook & Julia Duffy joined the cast)</font>
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"M*A*S*H"</font>
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Married with Children"</font>
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"South Park"</font>
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Josie and the Pussycats"</font>
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Flintstones"</font>
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Get Smart"</font>
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Trading Spaces"</font>
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Emeril"</font>
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Two Fat Ladies"
  </font>

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yeah, it's quite an assortment... I'm donning my flame-proof jacket now... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

Simpsons
70s show
CSI
Alias
football (American)

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

I can't even remember all of the shows that I've seen either prime time or in syndication, but here's a list of shows I do like:

MASH
24
X-Files
Dallas (at least the first couple of seasons)
The Dukes of Hazzard (come on, who doesn't like fast cars and Daisy Dukes)
Simpsons
Married With Children

I'm know there's more, but I can't think of any right now.

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

Simpsons
Family Guy
South Park
Futurama

[ March 19, 2003, 22:07: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

Yes!! American Gothic Owned! I miss that show, I wish it had run longer. The relationships between the characters, especially Caleb and Sherrif Buck was excellent.

I know everybody is going to look at me like I am crazy, but Brimstone was awesome! (the one with the guy hunting escaped souls) I mean, the main character was so interesting, and not your typical hero, and the guy who played Satan did such a great job.

Picket Fences was good too.

There are so many others....

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

The few episodes of Brimstone I saw were interesting. I wouldn't call the show "awesome", but it looked like a "good" show. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

One word: DI-NO-SAURS.

It was the "Simpsons" of the late '80s and tackled social issues too!

Not the mama! Not the mama! Bonk! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I forgot about that one. That show was awesome! The Sinclair family. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

XENA http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Yeah,
Primitive likes Xena.

+ West Wing
+ Simpson (first 4-5 seasons)
+ Coupling (BBC sitcom, don't know if it runs in the US, its like Friends on Viagra)
++ Many old shows I can't remember the English name for at the moment.

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

Blackadder!!

Askan

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

WWF http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Seriously, I have no clue, the list is long.

ER
Law & Order
Friends
Night Court
Cosby Show
Mash
LA Law
TJ Hooker
Simpsons
OJ Trial
Clinton TV
Mod Squad
Dallas
Brady Bunch *[insert]shudder[/insert]*
The Price is Right
Saturday Night Live
Mad TV
The Tonight Show (Jay Leno, Carson and the other two guys)

The list just goes on and on and on and on and on.

But I would generally say that the top non scifi show would have to be one with a lot of hot chicks scamply clothed and running around on a beech. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yeah, those are the best! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ahem! You should have said (specified) the 'Slow-Motion running'. After all, that's what gave you the time to aprieciate them in the first place! Right?

LOL http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

Has to be slow motion. What is the point if it is not in slow motion?

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Because in fast motion you can get a lot of them in, and then you can tape, and slow it down later... If I've told you once Fyron, I've told you a million times, Quantity, not Quality!

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

Damn, I forgot about the simpsons. That definitely goes into my list.

Interestingly, just about everyone in this thread has mentioned it, perhaps we should simply declare it the best bit of non-scifi tv ever, and then put it up against farscape (or whatever that other thread concludes with) for the title of "the utterly definitely bestest thing on tv of any kind in the whole world ever."

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

The Simpsons may be great (personally I'm not a fan!) but I wouldn't place it in the same Category as live-action shows (you know with actors!) I would place it near the top of a "Best Animated Non-Sci-Fi Series". (My pic for the best in this Category would have to be "The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Hour")

..Now for Best Animated Sci-Fi series my votes would go for either "The Jetsons", or "Rocket Robin Hood"

..another 2 cents from my humble self!

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I have to disagree. Just for atmosphere and storyline, I say that Batman is the best animated show ever, and followed up by Superman. I haven't had the chance to watch Justice League yet, but I'm sure it's of the same quality.

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">But there is more life in Homer then in all actors from your average show ! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Best animated Sci-Fi series? I vote for Gundam Wing. Giant mecha combat and an incredibly complex storyline! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Slow motion cameras actually take more pictures. They only become slow when you play the tape back at normal speeds.

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

Best animated? I would have to vote for...

...What else? Tasmanian Devil Cartoons! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

Every once in a while someone asks an easy question. This one is sooooo easy.

The best show ever:

VENGEANCE UNLIMITED

In case you didn't hear that:

VENGEANCE UNLIMITED

I damn near quit watching TV when they cancelled it. No other show even comes close to this one and I'll bet there isn't one in ten who remember it.

Kim

(I have all the episodes on tape!)

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Because in fast motion you can get a lot of them in, and then you can tape, and slow it down later... If I've told you once Fyron, I've told you a million times, Quantity, not Quality!</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I think quality is more important than quantity. It's better to have one very beautiful slow-motion running girl running on the beach, then to have twenty average-looking girls running fast.

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

And what about the A-team, THAT was the best serie....well when I was 10-15.
I really loved the end game, when they had to come with something to K.O. all the bad guys.
And that serie was also very good, because no one was killed, although millions of guns were fired.
But when I saw it some months ago...... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif did I really liked that serie.

But my other vote will go to married with children.

NO'MAM rules!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Sparhawk

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">And let's not forget Big Uns!!!

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Taz, did you notice my vote for "The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Hour"? Taz was an integral part of that show. In fact I believe it's where he made his first appearence!

I even think it should have been called 'the Bugs Bunny and Taz show!' http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Cheers!

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Taz have MUCH better name: The Taz and some other guy Show http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

Yeah, A-Team was a fun show. I remember that they really like to weld extra armor plating on their van just before they move in to get the bad guys. That Murdock guy was really crazy. It was funny how BA was always irritated by him.

Speaking of lots of guns being fired and nobody getting killed, remember the G.I. Joe cartoons? In every battle, nobody is ever hit. Sometimes they shoot a helicopter or fighter, and there's a big explosion. But then a parachute comes floating down out of the explosion - the pilot is OK!

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Slow motion cameras actually take more pictures. They only become slow when you play the tape back at normal speeds.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">What does that have to do with anything?

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Just to link this topic to the SciFi list, don't forget that Face from the A*Team was on Battlestar Galactica... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

here is my list

Simpsons
Family Guy
Father Ted
Black Adder
Mr. Bean
Monty Python
not the 9 oclock news
Two Ronnies
Alas Smith and Jones
Dave Allen at Large
Hill Street Blues
Flinstones
Mash
24
90210 ( ha ha... we used to watch it and play drinking games )
HNIC ( Hockey night in Canada )
National ( Canadian evening news program )
Faulty Towers
Hidi Hi Campers ( Cannot remember what the show was called... perhaps some one can help me on the title )
And Last but not least

Rat Patrol

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

Someone mentioned Rat Patrol. Although a good show, I preferred Combat.

Other shows I like(d) are:

Big Valley
Rawhide
Wagon Train
Cheyenne
In Search Of
The Fugitive (the original)
Adam-12
Emergency
Marcus Welby

Those were some of the shows I grew up watching, either prime-time or in syndication. I couldn't tell you much about current tv shows, other than the ones I was forced to watch during my computer free period, and I'd rather have been playing SE4 or surfing the net than watching some of the crap my wife watches.

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Just to link this topic to the SciFi list, don't forget that Face from the A*Team was on Battlestar Galactica... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">and dont forget that Murdock (Dwight Shultz) was Mr. Brockly, umm Barkley, on ST:TNG

edit: non sci fi shows
adam 12
emergency
not necessarily the news
you cant do that on televison
columbo
mccloud
alias smith and jones
man from uncle
the saint
sesame street
electric company

[ March 24, 2003, 18:52: Message edited by: desdinova ]

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

I just remembered some shows I used to watch all the time when I was younger. Rescue 911. This show qas awesome back then! I mean, to have Captain Kirk hosting a rescue show, priceless. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Also I used to love Unsolved Mysteries. The dudes voice that hosted this used to make me cringe, especially when watching it late at night, man I would get the creeps. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif Just remember I was like 12 at the time. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

ER, I watched that up to about 3 years ago. Just lost track and haven't really cared to get back into it.

I can't leave out the NCAA, or the NFL. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Many others but they arn't coming to mind just yet.

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

..Ok, I'm gonna take a little walk outside the box... anyone here remember a show called "Holmes and Yo-Yo"? LoL http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Cheers!

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I didn't know it was the same guy, but now that you mention it, I see the resemblence. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

does anyone watch the trailer park boys ???

Currently i think the best show on the air is 6 feet under. And the Sopranos is really good as well.

Band of Brothers was another fantastic show.

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Trailer park boys? Never heard of it. Is it a Canadian show?

As far as the HBO series, I just never got into the habit of watching them, so I can't offer an opinion on them. (except for Sex in the City, but the few times I watch it, I don't see any sex).

Band of Brothers was an excellent show. War movies were my first love, followed by sci-fi. I'm glad that they're willing to show some realistic stuff in war movies and shows now. NO more getting shot and not even seeing the wound. Now, if they can do more shows like Band of Brothers, I'd be happy. I just wish the DVD set didn't cost so much.

[ March 25, 2003, 17:59: Message edited by: gregebowman ]

Re: OT Best NON-Scifi Series Ever?
 

Tesco: Father Ted, YES! That is such a fantastic show. Also the League of Gentlemen - wierd, dark, nasty wierd comedy.

But Hi de Hi? Are you kidding me? Hi de bloody Hi?