Short TV series with short episodes!
April 15, 2014 12:14 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for good TV shows that have a short season (9-10 episodes absolute maximum) with episodes that are 30 minutes or less. A mini-series of 3-5 episodes that is available on Amazon Prime would be ideal. Does this exist?!
Best answer: You might enjoy Burning Love. A few more episodes per season than you prefer, but I'm pretty sure each episode is under 10 minutes, so everything balances out.
posted by pineappleheart at 12:24 PM on April 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by pineappleheart at 12:24 PM on April 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
British or Australian sitcoms are going to be a good bet here, since they tend to do series of around 8 episodes. Maybe something like Spaced or Kath & Kim (not the American version)?
posted by bcwinters at 12:32 PM on April 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by bcwinters at 12:32 PM on April 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
I think you need to be a lot more specific! But how about Archer. Or Broad City. Or Review, which I believe is based on an Australian show of the same name.
posted by mskyle at 12:34 PM on April 15, 2014
posted by mskyle at 12:34 PM on April 15, 2014
Party Down. 2 seasons of 10 episodes. 30 minutes each. Amazon has it to stream, but not as part of Prime. It's totally worth paying for though. Great cast.
posted by bondcliff at 12:44 PM on April 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by bondcliff at 12:44 PM on April 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
Best answer: You're looking for comedies exclusively, then.
Anything British will be good (British series are usually 6-7 episodes).
Also look at US cable shows, which usually run 10-13 episodes per season.
Canistream.it is a great resource to figure out what shows are streaming on what services. Does not cover YouTube, though.
posted by Sara C. at 12:48 PM on April 15, 2014
Anything British will be good (British series are usually 6-7 episodes).
Also look at US cable shows, which usually run 10-13 episodes per season.
Canistream.it is a great resource to figure out what shows are streaming on what services. Does not cover YouTube, though.
posted by Sara C. at 12:48 PM on April 15, 2014
Peep Show! I don't know about Amazon Prime, but it's on (free) Hulu.
posted by phunniemee at 12:51 PM on April 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 12:51 PM on April 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
Adventure Time!
posted by ocherdraco at 12:56 PM on April 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by ocherdraco at 12:56 PM on April 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
Are you looking for a maximum of 10 episodes total, or 10 episodes per season? What kinds of shows are you into?
I ask because I'd also recommend Red Dwarf. 10 seasons, 61 total episodes (average of about 6 episodes per season), 25-30 minutes per episode. I'd classify it as comedic sci-fi, leaning more toward comedy.
I'd classify Black Adder as comedy with a historical setting.
My wife really enjoys The Guild. That's a spoof on World of Warcraft and other games of that ilk.
posted by tckma at 1:07 PM on April 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
I ask because I'd also recommend Red Dwarf. 10 seasons, 61 total episodes (average of about 6 episodes per season), 25-30 minutes per episode. I'd classify it as comedic sci-fi, leaning more toward comedy.
I'd classify Black Adder as comedy with a historical setting.
My wife really enjoys The Guild. That's a spoof on World of Warcraft and other games of that ilk.
posted by tckma at 1:07 PM on April 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
I came to suggest Archer and Adventure Time too. Also Venture Bros., but I don't think it's as funny as Archer.
But, all of these are 13 or so episodes/season.
posted by sevenless at 1:09 PM on April 15, 2014
But, all of these are 13 or so episodes/season.
posted by sevenless at 1:09 PM on April 15, 2014
Best answer: Episodes--three seasons, with 7/9/9 episodes. It's set in Hollywood with two VERY dry British leads (Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig). The two leads are writers who have a hit British show that gets RUINED by the Hollywood machine. Bonus: Matt LeBlanc playing himself as a jackass.
It's kind of like Curb Your Enthusiasm but less cringy, more funny, imo.
posted by Lardmitten at 1:11 PM on April 15, 2014
It's kind of like Curb Your Enthusiasm but less cringy, more funny, imo.
posted by Lardmitten at 1:11 PM on April 15, 2014
Axe Cop maybe?
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 1:11 PM on April 15, 2014
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 1:11 PM on April 15, 2014
Oh, also Snuff Box, although Snuff Box is definitely not everyone's cup of tea.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 1:12 PM on April 15, 2014
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 1:12 PM on April 15, 2014
If you can find someone to give you HBO Go credentials, then Bored to Death for sure. Three seasons, only 8 eps per season, but so very, very funny. I really wish there were more of it made.
posted by Ufez Jones at 1:17 PM on April 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Ufez Jones at 1:17 PM on April 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Agreed that you want British series, which often have "seasons" of 6 or so episodes (alas).
Try Spaced and Black Books in particular. They are good!
posted by jsturgill at 1:42 PM on April 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
Try Spaced and Black Books in particular. They are good!
posted by jsturgill at 1:42 PM on April 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
Miranda, British sitcom staring Miranda Hart (Chummy on Call the Midwife, if you're familiar). Two six-episode seasons available on Hulu Plus. Well worth it.
posted by CheeseLouise at 1:59 PM on April 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by CheeseLouise at 1:59 PM on April 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
Best answer: A Young Doctor's Notebook, starring Daniel Radcliffe and Jon Hamm. Two seasons of four episodes each are available on Netflix streaming. Excellent, pitch-black comedy about a morphine-addicted doctor, his younger self, and the Russian Revolution. Also, be warned that it is pretty gory.
posted by cmoj at 4:37 PM on April 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by cmoj at 4:37 PM on April 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Yet another British show, which I'm surprised no one's mentioned: Fawlty Towers
posted by ckape at 4:45 PM on April 15, 2014
posted by ckape at 4:45 PM on April 15, 2014
Enlightened starring Laura Dern had a 10-episode 1st season and an 8-episode 2nd season before being cancelled. Episodes are in the 25-30 minute range. Not quite a comedy, not quite a drama, but completely excellent! It was on HBO, so you would need HBOGo or pay for episodes.
posted by wsquared at 6:46 PM on April 15, 2014
posted by wsquared at 6:46 PM on April 15, 2014
Coupling: Six best friends talk about all aspects of sex and relationships on their never-ending quest to find true love. 4 seasons (though the last is sort of weak having replaced one of the primary characters and featuring a pregnancy); half a dozen episodes per season.
posted by Mitheral at 6:58 PM on April 15, 2014
posted by Mitheral at 6:58 PM on April 15, 2014
The IT Crowd, on Netflix streaming. Four seasons (or "series" as they say across the pond), 6 episodes each. About tech support in a soulless corporation.
Seconding Party Down, Red Dwarf (so hard), and The Guild. Party Down is much less nerdy than the others.
posted by jeoc at 7:29 PM on April 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
Seconding Party Down, Red Dwarf (so hard), and The Guild. Party Down is much less nerdy than the others.
posted by jeoc at 7:29 PM on April 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
Green Wing is another fun britcom.
If you can find it, you could also watch Slings and Arrows which is an often overlooked show that happens to have exactly 6 episodes per season. The episodes are longer than half an hour, but it won't feel like it.
posted by Poldo at 7:45 PM on April 15, 2014
If you can find it, you could also watch Slings and Arrows which is an often overlooked show that happens to have exactly 6 episodes per season. The episodes are longer than half an hour, but it won't feel like it.
posted by Poldo at 7:45 PM on April 15, 2014
Flight of the Conchords. Season 1 is 12 episodes, Season 2 is 10.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 8:40 PM on April 15, 2014
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 8:40 PM on April 15, 2014
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (Hulu) -- Only 6 made. Comedic gold though.
posted by starman at 7:57 AM on April 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by starman at 7:57 AM on April 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'll also say that a great one is Rock Follies. Two seasons, Region 2, so if you're in North America, you have to watch it on computer.
It is great, and although it was made in the seventies, it holds up really well.
Red Dwarf is on Netflix, and that's always been a hoot.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 8:19 AM on April 16, 2014
It is great, and although it was made in the seventies, it holds up really well.
Red Dwarf is on Netflix, and that's always been a hoot.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 8:19 AM on April 16, 2014
THANK YOU for asking this question so I could realize that the best British hangout show of all time, Gavin and Stacey is streaming free via Amazon prime! There're only like 18 episodes all told, but it will feel like you've known these people forever. Also, they're very funny.
posted by kickingthecrap at 7:10 PM on April 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by kickingthecrap at 7:10 PM on April 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
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