Help me to quirkify my life
June 27, 2011 7:15 AM   Subscribe

I need some recommendations for TV shows set in small towns with quirky inhabitants. The more eccentric and lovable they are the better.

I found an earlier post in relation to films, but not television.
Here are some programmes I have enjoyed:
Ballykissangel
Doc Martin
The Vicar of Dibley
Gilmore Girls
Little Mosque on the Prairie
Monarch of the Glen
All Creatures Great and Small
Gavin and Stacey
posted by jihaan to Media & Arts (51 answers total) 35 users marked this as a favorite
 
Eureka!
posted by scolbath at 7:18 AM on June 27, 2011 [3 favorites]


Is Twin Peaks too weird?
posted by knile at 7:18 AM on June 27, 2011 [6 favorites]


Northern Exposure.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:19 AM on June 27, 2011 [23 favorites]


The Canadian sitcom Corner Gas fits the bill.
posted by cider at 7:19 AM on June 27, 2011 [6 favorites]




Ed was always too focused on the horrible romance between the lead and the cardboard blonde, but the supporting cast was delightfully weird. I always particularly enjoyed watching Michael Ian Black put his entire soul on the line to prove that he was better than the material.
posted by Etrigan at 7:22 AM on June 27, 2011 [1 favorite]


Northern Exposure is set in small-town Alaska and has a fantastic cast of characters.
posted by yukonho at 7:24 AM on June 27, 2011 [3 favorites]


Seconding Northern Exposure.
posted by amyms at 7:25 AM on June 27, 2011 [3 favorites]


It was already mentioned above, but Northern Exposure is one of my all-time favorite shows. Based on what you've mentioned, I think you'd like it. Please, get thee to Cicely, Alaska.
posted by Elly Vortex at 7:25 AM on June 27, 2011 [3 favorites]


Green Acres
posted by kimdog at 7:26 AM on June 27, 2011


The League Of Gentlemen features a small town with eccentric inhabitants but they're not what most people would call lovable...
posted by BinaryApe at 7:27 AM on June 27, 2011 [3 favorites]


Last of the Summer Wine for sure. I'd say that Internet favorite Wonderfalls almost fits that. Newhart.
posted by skynxnex at 7:28 AM on June 27, 2011 [1 favorite]


Nthing Northern Exposure.
posted by marsha56 at 7:28 AM on June 27, 2011 [2 favorites]


Father Ted. Although it's an island, rather than a town, so dunno if it counts.
posted by afx237vi at 7:28 AM on June 27, 2011 [5 favorites]


The Beachcombers
posted by beau jackson at 7:29 AM on June 27, 2011


Evening Shade
posted by amyms at 7:33 AM on June 27, 2011 [1 favorite]


You might be turned off by the first few episodes of Parks and Recreation, when it had a slightly cynical The Office kind of tone. Once it settles in during the second season it really gets charming.
posted by bcwinters at 7:34 AM on June 27, 2011 [2 favorites]


South Park
posted by bondcliff at 7:36 AM on June 27, 2011


Picket Fences
posted by koinonia at 7:37 AM on June 27, 2011 [1 favorite]


Pushing Daisies
posted by Wordwoman at 7:37 AM on June 27, 2011 [5 favorites]


Seconding Picket Fences. The main family's characters are fairly normal, but the supporting quirky characters and even quirkier plot lines are what really make the show.
posted by booksherpa at 7:45 AM on June 27, 2011


Seconding Eureka
posted by patheral at 7:50 AM on June 27, 2011


Green Acres
posted by Thorzdad at 7:52 AM on June 27, 2011


Might not be loveable enough, and it's quite campy for a police procedural, but Midsomer Murders may be worth a shot.
posted by methroach at 7:56 AM on June 27, 2011


Little Britain. It's all characters. Some lovable, most insane. And hilarious.
posted by Dragonness at 8:04 AM on June 27, 2011 [2 favorites]


How do you want me?
posted by SyntacticSugar at 8:11 AM on June 27, 2011


Northern Exposure is the best show ever! (wrt to small town quirkiness). Yes, I am the fifth or so person to say that...I couldn't resist!
posted by bquarters at 8:28 AM on June 27, 2011 [1 favorite]


Eerie Indiana

The Charmings
posted by Nanukthedog at 8:30 AM on June 27, 2011


Yes, Green Acres... plus all the other CBS programs deleted as part of the Rural Purge.
posted by Rash at 8:37 AM on June 27, 2011


Hamish Macbeth
posted by Crane Shot at 9:03 AM on June 27, 2011 [2 favorites]


wonderfalls, is just amazing and funny, from the same people that brought us firefly
posted by bartonlong at 9:19 AM on June 27, 2011


Nthing Newhart.
posted by Oriole Adams at 9:27 AM on June 27, 2011


Seconding Twin Peaks, it totally fits your parameters. Plus it makes a damn fine cup of coffee.
posted by tomboko at 9:40 AM on June 27, 2011 [1 favorite]


Larkrise to Candleford
posted by hot_monster at 9:41 AM on June 27, 2011 [1 favorite]




Everwood. (Though I'd start with other people's suggestions of Wonderfalls and Pushing Daisies.)
posted by Margalo Epps at 9:54 AM on June 27, 2011 [1 favorite]


Seconding Corner Gas.
posted by CdnMathTeacher at 10:17 AM on June 27, 2011 [1 favorite]


Not a small town per se...but, I've dug Trailer Park Boys
posted by littleredwagon at 11:07 AM on June 27, 2011 [2 favorites]


Wonderfalls.
posted by kestrel251 at 11:35 AM on June 27, 2011 [2 favorites]


Seconding Hamish Macbeth.
posted by bentley at 11:49 AM on June 27, 2011 [1 favorite]


If you don't mind the horror / vampirism elements, True Blood might work. For me, it kind of scratched the 'Twin Peaks' itch.
posted by rjs at 11:59 AM on June 27, 2011


Get outta that big town livin' in Mount Pilot and head over to Mayberry for the Andy Griffith Show that's probably the beginning of this kind of television. Oddball characters like Otis and Ernest T. Bass made this show great.
posted by pappy at 12:33 PM on June 27, 2011 [1 favorite]


Nthing Twin Peaks. And that is good coffee.
posted by LonnieK at 1:28 PM on June 27, 2011 [2 favorites]


The Australian show Sea Change if you can get hold of it.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 6:12 PM on June 27, 2011


The Australian show Sea Change if you can get hold of it.

I think there are a few recent shows inspired by that, but I can't remember the name.

Kingdom starred Stephen Fry as a gently quirky small town lawyer.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 6:35 PM on June 27, 2011 [1 favorite]




A lot of the good ones have been hit already. Here's my two cents...

Death Comes to Town, the Kids in the Hall series

The Commish

Waiting for God (technically not a small town, but a retirement home; if you like stuff like Ballykissangel or Vicar, I think you'd dig this)
posted by world b free at 10:19 PM on June 27, 2011


If you try out Newhart as suggested above (which I thoroughly agree with), I would suggest also watching The Bob Newhart Show. It doesn't take place in a small town, however. It actually takes place in Chicago, except the city has little to no influence on the plot. The cast of characters (friends, Bob's co-workers and his patients) are so quirky, funny, and loveable, that I think you might enjoy it anyway!
posted by Mael Oui at 10:26 PM on June 27, 2011


I know this is a movie and not a TV show, but since I saw that it wasn't mentioned in the other post you linked to: Lars and the Real Girl.
posted by marsha56 at 5:49 AM on June 30, 2011


I've really been enjoying Raising Hope. Unusual mix of extreme sitcom with genuinely lovable characters.
posted by Ness at 7:33 AM on July 1, 2011 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Thank you everyone for your suggestions.
posted by jihaan at 6:35 AM on July 2, 2011


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