TV recommendations

[DavCobb]

That are not on the BBC 

There is so much (too much) great TV to choose from but always on the look out for gems that may have been missed. I love a gritty drama, ideally 6-8 episodes but have to be really selective with the big commitments, e.g. I have never seen the Sopranos and G.O.T isn't my bag.

All time greatest TV for me are Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, I couldn't split them. IMO I have never seen anything that comes close to those two.
Currently really enjoying Monster, the Menedez brothers, which is compelling and disturbing. The one take ep5 was outstanding.
I quite like the throwaway stuff like Squid Games, Alice in Borderland, 24, Prison Break, The Blacklist etc.
Any one off documentary is great too.

Next up for me with be The Jinx.

[BackOfTheNet]

Agree on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. I started watching the latter almost immediately after watching the former but really struggled with the change in pace and gave up on it. I came back to it later on for a second go and I'm glad I did because it's brilliant. The episode with Saul and Mike out in the desert and the courtroom episode where he ties his brother in knots are the standout episides for me.

Sons of Anarchy is also very good but quite a commitment (a loose retelling of Hamlet in a biker gang setting).

The Boys on Amazon Prime is worth a watch even if you don't like superhero stuff - it kind of asks the question of what would superheroes be like in the real world and concludes they'd be a bunch of power mad,  narcissistic, corrupt and commercialised arseholes!

The original Monster series on Netflix followed Jeffery Dahmer and was quite good. If you like those then also written by the same guy is American Horror Story, which is a horror compendium with a different story in each season (although with largely the same set of actors playing the parts). There's a law of diminishing returns on those as the later series are dire, but the first few are very good (especially series 2, Asylum).

The Haunting of Hill House was decent.

And one I didn't expect to like but loved was Happy Valley. That is on the BBC though!

[Deepcut Cobbler]

The two previous posts have mentioned a dozen or so programmes on TV, I haven't watched or seen any of them. 
I'm a sport, comedies and quiz show viewer, with Historical, Police and Military real life TV shows (Interceptor, 24hrs in Police Custody etc..) as and when.

[Shoemender]

The two previous posts have mentioned a dozen or so programmes on TV, I haven't watched or seen any of them.
I'm a sport, comedies and quiz show viewer, with Historical, Police and Military real life TV shows (Interceptor, 24hrs in Police Custody etc..) as and when.

Nor me.

[guest3687]

I switch the TV on on Saturday afternoons to watch the football scores, then switch it off again.

[Worthless Recluse]

I'm in agreement with Dav and Botn regards Breaking Bad and Saul. Had similar misgivings when I moved straight to Saul from BB but stuck with it and after a few episodes was firmly hooked. Interestingly the wife enjoyed both series as much if not more than me, which is rare.

[DavCobb]

Agree on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. I started watching the latter almost immediately after watching the former but really struggled with the change in pace and gave up on it. I came back to it later on for a second go and I'm glad I did because it's brilliant. The episode with Saul and Mike out in the desert and the courtroom episode where he ties his brother in knots are the standout episides for me.

The amount of people I've heard who gave up on BCS, especially due to the slower pace of S1 and S2. I try to convince the BB fans of just how good it gets, making Saul my favourite character of the BB universe. They weaved in why Kim didn't feature in BB very well, whilst keeping you guessing her fate. The amount of Easter eggs in BCS left me either re-watching or googling BB as a reminder, even though I'd seen it twice. I loved the Saul/Walt scene waiting in the vacuum man's store.  I'm glad you went back to finish it. My 82 year old mum has done both (easy box set birthday/Xmas gifts) and she loved them too!
I think anyone unsure whether to invest time in watching Breaking Bad just needs to watch the first episode. It clearly builds into one of the best series of all time but if you dislike the first episode you're probably not going to like it but will miss out on some fantastic characters.

Thanks for the recommendations. I liked the S1 Dahmer one too, IMO S2 is better.
True Detective S1 is awesome too.

I check the football scores on my phone.

[guest3687]

And to update the TiVo thingy as well

[BackOfTheNet]

The amount of people I've heard who gave up on BCS, especially due to the slower pace of S1 and S2. I try to convince the BB fans of just how good it gets, making Saul my favourite character of the BB universe. They weaved in why Kim didn't feature in BB very well, whilst keeping you guessing her fate. The amount of Easter eggs in BCS left me either re-watching or googling BB as a reminder, even though I'd seen it twice. I loved the Saul/Walt scene waiting in the vacuum man's store.  I'm glad you went back to finish it. My 82 year old mum has done both (easy box set birthday/Xmas gifts) and she loved them too!
I think anyone unsure whether to invest time in watching Breaking Bad just needs to watch the first episode. It clearly builds into one of the best series of all time but if you dislike the first episode you're probably not going to like it but will miss out on some fantastic characters.

Thanks for the recommendations. I liked the S1 Dahmer one too, IMO S2 is better.
True Detective S1 is awesome too.

I check the football scores on my phone.

I think the best thing about Breaking Bad is the way the writers take you on a journey with Walt. He starts out as a loveable, put upon everyman just going to desperate lengths to fund his treatment and you are really on his side.

Then the story progresses and he's doing things not because he needs to but simply because he wants to but  you are still on his side, because his actions become more abhorrent by small degrees. Yeah, he's just had someone killed but he really had no choice... then he's doing something awful but by then you're invested in him and you're cheering him on regardless.

It's amazing writing and the way they drop in little flashbacks that show actually, he's always been like this and he's just kept it bottled up kind of pulls the rug from under you as a viewer.

[DavCobb]

I think the best thing about Breaking Bad is the way the writers take you on a journey with Walt. He starts out as a loveable, put upon everyman just going to desperate lengths to fund his treatment and you are really on his side.

Then the story progresses and he's doing things not because he needs to but simply because he wants to but  you are still on his side, because his actions become more abhorrent by small degrees. Yeah, he's just had someone killed but he really had no choice... then he's doing something awful but by then you're invested in him and you're cheering him on regardless.

It's amazing writing and the way they drop in little flashbacks that show actually, he's always been like this and he's just kept it bottled up kind of pulls the rug from under you as a viewer.

I can’t forgive him for Mike, it should have been Skyler!

[Manwork04]

Narcos is epically good.

[singcobb]

Just finished watching The Expanse on Amazon if you're into a bit of sci-fi.