How do I get my crappy television fix?

June 4, 2009 2:31 PM

Help me find television programs that I might enjoy while my favorites are on hiatus for the summer.

Watching TV helps me unwind after a long day, but most of my weekly standbys have either ended for good or are off the air for the summer.

Shows that I like:
The Bachelor/Bachelorette
The Hills
The City
Sex and the City
Desperate Housewives
Grey's Anatomy
Private Practice
Ugly Betty
Pushing Daisies
Secret Life of the American Teenager
The L Word
Queer as Folk
Brothers and Sisters
Gossip Girl
America's Next Top Model
Jon & Kate Plus 8
What Not to Wear
Ace of Cakes

Shows I have tried but do not like:
Cake Boss
Family Guy
Two and a Half Men
Project Runway
Lost
Heroes
24
Scrubs
House
CSI
Survivor
Amazing Race

I recognize that many of these shows are not considered high-quality programming, but I enjoy them! I am looking for suggestions of other shows that I might like based on my interests. Renting series or watching them online are both options for me, so I can begin with past seasons or watch shows that are no longer running at all. I'm in the US, if that matters.

posted by summit to Media & Arts (35 answers total)

If you like Pushing Daisies, try Wonderfalls. Those two shows, along with Dead Like Me (I've never seen it so I can't vouch for it) were created by Bryan Fuller.

All links Wikipedia.
posted by reductiondesign at 2:37 PM on June 4, 2009

My husband and I just started Season 1 of Big Love. It's got a touch of drama and a touch of funny and lots of Mormon sex! We're only on Episode 5, but we've already decided to watch the whole series.
posted by chiababe at 2:39 PM on June 4, 2009 [1 favorite]

True Blood (HBO)
Dexter (Showtime)
posted by youngergirl44 at 2:39 PM on June 4, 2009

Big Love (on preview seconding Big Love)
Weeds
posted by ephemerista at 2:41 PM on June 4, 2009

What not to Wear just started their summer season. I like Grey's Anatomy as well, and I'm going to check out USA's Royal Pains that is premiering tonight. It looks bad, but it looks funny too.
posted by Night_owl at 2:41 PM on June 4, 2009

I have to recommend Deadwood. My wife and I are watching it together right now. It's surprisingly good couch-cuddle television.
posted by elder18 at 2:42 PM on June 4, 2009 [1 favorite]

OMG, finally, someone who shares my taste. I bet you'd like "Degrassi: The Next Generation" or "Instant Star", two fine teen soap operas from Canada.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 2:47 PM on June 4, 2009 [1 favorite]

Possibly some of the PBS (quasi-)reality shows -- e.g., Manor House, 1900 House, Frontier House?
posted by scody at 2:54 PM on June 4, 2009

Entourage
Veronica Mars
nthing Weeds and Big Love
posted by theDrizzle at 2:56 PM on June 4, 2009

We watch a lot of the same stuff, and I agree withThePinkSuperhero, I love both of those shows.

Greek, on ABC Family is good, I didn't get into it until this season but new eps are on right now.
posted by wuzandfuzz at 2:57 PM on June 4, 2009

Ack, hate to double post, but have you watched any of the old WB/CW teen shows? Roswell, Dawson's Creek, Felicity, or Popular, for example? Gilmore Girls?
posted by wuzandfuzz at 3:03 PM on June 4, 2009

I'm finding that the Real Housewives of any major American city is HIGHLY entertaining...Bravo just started The Real Housewives of New Jersey and it's fantastic.
Also, nthing Big Love, Weeds, True Blood and Entourage...
posted by dearest at 3:10 PM on June 4, 2009

jPod - you can stream the full series here.
posted by elsietheeel at 3:11 PM on June 4, 2009

N'thing Big Love, Dexter and True Blood.

Friends raved about Mad Men. I hesitated and missed the first two seasons. This past winter I broke down and rented Season 1 from Netflix. It drew me right in! I can't wait for the DVD realease of Season 2 (which will ship in July) and the start of Season 3 on AMC later this summer.

I also recommed The Tudors.
posted by ericb at 3:20 PM on June 4, 2009

Possibly some of the PBS (quasi-)reality shows -- e.g., Manor House, 1900 House, Frontier House?

I concur. Also Colonial House.
posted by ericb at 3:22 PM on June 4, 2009

Friday Night Lights. Seriously. Even as someone who doesn't particularly like football, I can not stop watching this show.

It even has a slight, documentary feel to how it is shot...
posted by elkerette at 3:26 PM on June 4, 2009

YES to Instant Star. And another Canadian show: Being Erica. Really funny and touching. You might be able to stream it from that CBC site, but if not, I think Soapnet might be airing it in the States.
posted by pised at 3:47 PM on June 4, 2009

Rescue Me
posted by iamkimiam at 3:51 PM on June 4, 2009

Friday Night Lights. Seriously. Even as someone who doesn't particularly like football, I can not stop watching this show.

Damn. I forgot. That is an incredibly well-written, well-acted show. Put it on the top of your list!
posted by ericb at 3:52 PM on June 4, 2009

I have to disagree with those who suggested Big Love, Dexter, and True Blood.

I can't in good faith classify those as "crappy television", which she specifically requested in the post title. Based on her lists of likes and dislikes, I don't actually think she'd like these three shows. I'm just one data point, but her "do not like" list contains shows I like, and all the shows on her "like" list are shows I either do not like or have no interest in. I happen to like Big Love, Dexter, and (even) True Blood, so I would expect them on her "do not like" list.
posted by ellenaim at 4:03 PM on June 4, 2009 [3 favorites]

Big Bang Theory (2 seasons)
How I Met Your Mother (4 seasons)

I also really liked Kitchen Confidential (1 season, 13 eps), even though it only went for one season. Risque lifestyle of Jack Bourdain (modeled off Anthony Bourdain). Gratuitous sex, food, wine with good looking actors/actresses.
posted by liquoredonlife at 4:07 PM on June 4, 2009

I'll second Mad Men and Entourage (Entourage is basically Sex in the City, but for guys, and Hollywood, not NYC. It's a hoot). Mad Men takes a bit of concentration, but I got totally hooked on the Don Draper character.

Couple older ones:
Freaks & Geeks (a friend of mine thinks it's awesome, didn't do that much for me, but a lot of people like it. It's by the Judd Apatow crew)
My So-Called Life. I thought this was great.
posted by Bron at 4:19 PM on June 4, 2009

I'm not sure if they qualify as "crappy" television, but our favorite summer series are Burn Notice and Psych, both on USA. I would describe Burn Notice as 2 parts James Bond meets MacGyver, 1 part humor. Psych is a very funny show about a prentend psychic who works with the police.

New season of Burn Notice starts tonight (Thu) and new season of Psych starts, uh, soon I think. Both have previous seasons available on DVD.

(FWIW, I watch 6 of the shows on your like list and only 2 on the don't like list.)
posted by geeky at 4:50 PM on June 4, 2009

I love almost everything on your love list and dislike almost everything on your don't like list.

I'll also second Greek on ABC Family (there's two seasons on DVD, the third season is wrapping up now, and the fourth is coming back in August!), Friday Night Lights (sooooo good), Psych (easy to watch one or two random episodes to get the feel), Wonderfalls (can take a couple episodes to get hooked), How I Met Your Mother (totally underrated comedy). Freaks and Geeks is my favorite TV show ever, but I know some friends who don't like it because it's so subtle in its humor. Undeclared is also good, from the same creators of Freaks and Geeks, about college life. You might like Veronica Mars, the first season is especially fantastic. I also love the old WB/CW shows -- Gilmore Girls (beware: fast-talking, quirky characters), Popular, Felicity, Roswell and Dawson's Creek.

Have you watched Laguna Beach? MTV used to have the full episodes online, don't know if they're still up.

Also try Skins, a British teen drama/comedy. The first two seasons are on DVD here.

I also enjoy watching foreign versions of Top Model, particularly Australia. You need to dig for them on YouTube or other video sites.
posted by wsquared at 5:55 PM on June 4, 2009

Hells Kitchen if you like reality shows.
posted by sharkhunt at 6:24 PM on June 4, 2009

In case you haven't heard, ABC started airing the final three episodes of Pushing Daisies last Saturday. Last week's episode is up on their website.
posted by Knappster at 9:00 PM on June 4, 2009

The American version of The Office. The first season was only six episodes, and is somewhat optional, although the Diversity Day episode is an all-timer. If you're not totally addicted by the time of season two's Christmas episode, then you can probably abandon ship. The more you get to know all the different characters, the more you'll get out of the show.

Seconding How I Met Your Mother and Freaks & Geeks. Also, Undeclared.

And how cold you not like Lost?
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 9:39 PM on June 4, 2009

No longer on, but Arrested Development is worth trying. You can rent the whole series. Promise you'll watch the first three episodes, then you can bail if it's not for you, but our love/hate list is nearly identical!!!
posted by hollygirl at 10:04 PM on June 4, 2009

Forgot one! WIFE SWAP!! They are re-running the older ones on one of the cable channels (sorry, can't remember which one.) You will love it! The older ones are actually better than the newer ones since the newer ones seem to focus on berating--the older ones seemed like they actually wanted to learn something from another.

Oh...and check out It's Me or the Dog. Semi-entertaining and the psychology of it is very interesting. Don't watch them all...just if it's on and you're bored, it's pretty good.

Oh no...that reminded me of another one...and I'm a little hesitant to suggest this, but (whispering now) have you tried Intervention? It's on A&E. Definitely reality TV at its best (or worst), but I find myself always rooting for the addict to recover in the end. "C'mon...you can do it! Did he do it?!?" Warning: very gritty and sometimes disturbing but always looks at the family dynamics and root causes of the addiction which is interesting.

On a MUCH, MUCH lighter fare...you HAVE to watch the Millionaire Matchmaker...hysterical in a way that does not mean to be hysterical, which of course, just makes it more hysterical.

I don't know if you can do this, but a follow-up post in a couple of weeks with your updated list of likes and dislikes would be great! I'd like to see how close any of us are---or how far off. Make lots of popcorn and enjoy! :-)
posted by hollygirl at 11:11 PM on June 4, 2009

I'm just one data point, but her "do not like" list contains shows I like, and all the shows on her "like" list are shows I either do not like or have no interest in. I happen to like Big Love, Dexter, and (even) True Blood, so I would expect them on her "do not like" list.

I think you're oversimplifying - they seem to fit with "the L Word", "Queer As Folk" and maybe "Sex and the City". And to me the only good shows on the good list are House and Scrubs (and Scrubs wasn't good the last couple seasons, and House is only "good" because of Hugh Laurie) - basically I think she likes personal/romantic relationships and emotional investment, and doesn't go for sarcastic humor or big action / suspense stuff, and doesn't care tremendously about the quality of the writing or acting (like how House likes his soaps).

The old WB stuff was mentioned - you might look into 90210 & Buffy if you never saw them. If you join netflix you can rate what you like and get recommendations too, and then get the DVDs shipped directly...
posted by mdn at 8:52 AM on June 5, 2009

Adding another vote for Veronica Mars. Has the girl power of some of your other selections, it's a bit dark sometimes but at other times funny, like Grey's, etc. There are three seasons, so it's a good length to go through on DVD during the summer.

Likewise Weeds, for the same reasons as above. Good female characters, good inter-character drama, funny, risque at times, etc.
posted by davextreme at 8:52 AM on June 5, 2009

A lot of great suggestions, the one that I'll second is Psych, because it's just the best combination of adorable/hilarious that I think might appeal to your tastes.

But what I absolutely recommend is Ed! It's well-written and very funny with some great characters/actors. Produced by David Letterman's Worldwide Pants, which gives you a good indication of the humor value.
posted by KatlaDragon at 9:04 PM on June 5, 2009

You might enjoy Joan of Arcadia, although I should warn you it was cancelled on a cliffhanger. Also nthing Dead Like Me.

I have no idea about True Blood or Big Love but I'm not sure you would like Dexter. It's very funny (in a sick way) but it's about, uh, a serial killer. And it's occasionally very gory, though less than you would think.
posted by bettafish at 2:28 AM on June 6, 2009

But what I absolutely recommend is Ed!

I loved Ed too, but it's not on TV (as far as I can tell), or on DVD, although that may change... eventually.

Anyway, I've since gotten my dramedy/love triangle fix on the aforementioned The Office, available on DVD. Oh, and TBS is currently airing the first season on their double Tuesday showings (although they already aired Diversity Day).
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 2:46 AM on June 6, 2009

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia is an awesome show. All of the characters are amoral and the show succeeds because it doesn't try to make them redeemable in any way.
posted by reenum at 7:00 PM on June 6, 2009