What TV show should I watch next?
June 30, 2013 7:35 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for an AMAZING show to watch next. Something short-form, well written, emotional, the kind of thing I will tell everybody around me to watch. I don't care what genre it is in.
There is so much good stuff to watch right now, but much of it is so long ... (just started watching MI-5, for instance, as well as the new Under the Dome adaptation. Hundreds of hours of storytelling. And we are of course awaiting the final few hours of Breaking Bad.). I find myself craving a story that is fairly concise, has a defined beginning/middle/end, and is a self-contained whole. "Top of the Lake" is the best example in recent memory. The BBC miniseries "Jekyll" also comes to mind.
I don't care if it's hour-long drama or comedy or anime (I have been told that I would love "Steins Gate," so that's on the list) or audiobook or whatever. I just want amazing stories that begin, tell their story, and then come to a satisfying conclusion. What would you recommend?
There is so much good stuff to watch right now, but much of it is so long ... (just started watching MI-5, for instance, as well as the new Under the Dome adaptation. Hundreds of hours of storytelling. And we are of course awaiting the final few hours of Breaking Bad.). I find myself craving a story that is fairly concise, has a defined beginning/middle/end, and is a self-contained whole. "Top of the Lake" is the best example in recent memory. The BBC miniseries "Jekyll" also comes to mind.
I don't care if it's hour-long drama or comedy or anime (I have been told that I would love "Steins Gate," so that's on the list) or audiobook or whatever. I just want amazing stories that begin, tell their story, and then come to a satisfying conclusion. What would you recommend?
Slings & Arrows is only 3 seasons of 6 episodes each. It's about a guy trying to run a Canadian Shakespeare festival with the help/hindrance of a ghost. Each season references and parallels the Shakespeare play they're doing this year -- Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear. The characterization and the humor are really well done and the endings (of each season) are perfect.
posted by Jeanne at 7:45 AM on June 30, 2013 [20 favorites]
posted by Jeanne at 7:45 AM on June 30, 2013 [20 favorites]
Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective is six hour-ish episodes long, tells a complete story, and is one of the best things I have ever seen on television.
posted by dfan at 7:49 AM on June 30, 2013 [10 favorites]
posted by dfan at 7:49 AM on June 30, 2013 [10 favorites]
I recently watched Les Revenants and IT WAS AWESOME. Haunting, moody, FRENCH. Soundtrack by Mogwai. Loved it.
posted by mooza at 7:51 AM on June 30, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by mooza at 7:51 AM on June 30, 2013 [7 favorites]
I'm quite enjoying the new season of The Killing on AMC. It's pretty dark.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:04 AM on June 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Thorzdad at 8:04 AM on June 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
Came here to say Slings and Arrows
posted by Salamandrous at 8:13 AM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Salamandrous at 8:13 AM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Hannibal, if you count that you already know the story.
Life on Mars and the sister series, Ashes to Ashes.
posted by oflinkey at 8:15 AM on June 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
Life on Mars and the sister series, Ashes to Ashes.
posted by oflinkey at 8:15 AM on June 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
The 2003 BBC miniseries "State of Play" (NOT the movie with Ben Affleck and Russell Crowe) was excellent, and only 6 episodes long.
posted by Janta at 8:15 AM on June 30, 2013 [11 favorites]
posted by Janta at 8:15 AM on June 30, 2013 [11 favorites]
Another Dennis Potter-penned recommendation: Cold Lazarus and Karaoke, two related miniseries starring Albert Finney and especially notable for being the only BBC/ Channel 4 co-production, ever. Both are excellent, and Potter died very shortly after he finished writing them.
posted by goo at 8:20 AM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by goo at 8:20 AM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you liked Top of the Lake, you might like The Silence, available on Netflix. It's just 4 parts, so no heavy investment. Not as good as Top of the Lake, but a similar feel.
Heads up: I had to turn subtitles on. The Bristol accents (combined with the worsening trend for actors to mumble in order to appear natural, or something) was difficult in parts to decipher.
posted by The Deej at 8:27 AM on June 30, 2013
Heads up: I had to turn subtitles on. The Bristol accents (combined with the worsening trend for actors to mumble in order to appear natural, or something) was difficult in parts to decipher.
posted by The Deej at 8:27 AM on June 30, 2013
Consider the new BBC Sherlock. You'll want to watch them in order, but there's only 6 and each is pretty much self-contained.
posted by Wulfhere at 8:30 AM on June 30, 2013 [16 favorites]
posted by Wulfhere at 8:30 AM on June 30, 2013 [16 favorites]
I just watched The Fall on Netflix and loved it. A six episode mystery series in which Gillian Anderson plays a Scotland Yard detective sent up to Belfast, Ireland to help close a difficult case.
Doesn't quite fit your bill as it's a series and there are some hanging threads at the end of the six episodes, but totally worth it for the character that Gillian Anderson plays.
posted by brookeb at 8:33 AM on June 30, 2013 [7 favorites]
Doesn't quite fit your bill as it's a series and there are some hanging threads at the end of the six episodes, but totally worth it for the character that Gillian Anderson plays.
posted by brookeb at 8:33 AM on June 30, 2013 [7 favorites]
I've gotten into the Americans recently.
posted by dfriedman at 8:35 AM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by dfriedman at 8:35 AM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
I came here to recommend Jekyll, but I'll go with the BBC House of Cards. It's three seasons of 4 episodes. I only watched the first season so far, but it was self contained and excellent.
posted by cali59 at 8:35 AM on June 30, 2013
posted by cali59 at 8:35 AM on June 30, 2013
Mouretsu Pirates (AKA "Bodacious Space Pirates") is a fantastic story. It's a 2-cour anime, and available now in North America on BD. (It's also on the torrents. And Crunchyroll has it.)
Kato Marika lives on the planet Uminoakehoshi ("Sea of the Morning Star"), in the Tau Ceti star system. She was raised by her single mother Ririka, and doesn't know anything at all about her father. Just after she enters high school, she finds out that her father just died. He was captain of the space pirate ship Bentenmaru, which was actually a privateer, having a letter of Marque. For complex reasons (which are explained in the show) letters of Marque pass down through family lines. Since Marika is his only heir, she is the new captain of the ship -- if she wants it.
She decides that she does, and the show is about her becoming captain of the ship, and the various adventures she has while doing so. It's a blast. And it might surprise you in other ways: Despite lots of high school girls floating around in zero-G in short skirts, there are NO panty shots. None. In fact, there is very little fan service. (Such as there is usually features Misa or Ririka, both of whom are in their 40's.) And that's fine, because the show doesn't need it. There's plenty else to keep you interested.
The whole thing is extremely well done, and it pulls you in.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:39 AM on June 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
Kato Marika lives on the planet Uminoakehoshi ("Sea of the Morning Star"), in the Tau Ceti star system. She was raised by her single mother Ririka, and doesn't know anything at all about her father. Just after she enters high school, she finds out that her father just died. He was captain of the space pirate ship Bentenmaru, which was actually a privateer, having a letter of Marque. For complex reasons (which are explained in the show) letters of Marque pass down through family lines. Since Marika is his only heir, she is the new captain of the ship -- if she wants it.
She decides that she does, and the show is about her becoming captain of the ship, and the various adventures she has while doing so. It's a blast. And it might surprise you in other ways: Despite lots of high school girls floating around in zero-G in short skirts, there are NO panty shots. None. In fact, there is very little fan service. (Such as there is usually features Misa or Ririka, both of whom are in their 40's.) And that's fine, because the show doesn't need it. There's plenty else to keep you interested.
The whole thing is extremely well done, and it pulls you in.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:39 AM on June 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
The State Within. You will watch the entire mini series in one sitting, I guarantee it.
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 8:39 AM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 8:39 AM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
You've seen The Wire, right?
posted by mibo at 8:41 AM on June 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by mibo at 8:41 AM on June 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
The BBC series Life on Mars was one of the best shows I've ever come across, even though it's only 16 episodes.
posted by Telpethoron at 8:48 AM on June 30, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by Telpethoron at 8:48 AM on June 30, 2013 [7 favorites]
There's a longer cut of the "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" trilogy (the Swedish one, not the US remake) that's divided up into hour-long chunks. I haven't seen it (I've seen the US theatrical release of the first Swedish movie) but a lot of the reviews I've read say it seems like the miniseries format is a much better way to experience that story.
Lars Von Trier's "The Kingdom" is magnificently insane and gripping (again, not the US remake). But I'd advise watching the first season (I think it's 4.5 hours) and skipping the second season. The first season had a sick sense of humor that arose naturally from the story and characters. The second season seemed to be pushing the humor too hard and I felt like it lost its way. So maybe not entirely satisfying if you're really looking for an ending, but it's one of my all-time favorite minis.
I'd also like to throw in another voice recommending "The Singing Detective" (again, not the US remake). Michael Gambon is riveting.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 8:49 AM on June 30, 2013
Lars Von Trier's "The Kingdom" is magnificently insane and gripping (again, not the US remake). But I'd advise watching the first season (I think it's 4.5 hours) and skipping the second season. The first season had a sick sense of humor that arose naturally from the story and characters. The second season seemed to be pushing the humor too hard and I felt like it lost its way. So maybe not entirely satisfying if you're really looking for an ending, but it's one of my all-time favorite minis.
I'd also like to throw in another voice recommending "The Singing Detective" (again, not the US remake). Michael Gambon is riveting.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 8:49 AM on June 30, 2013
Girls und Panzer was the surprise breakout anime hit of 2012 in Japan. (Torrent)
The basic concept is frankly absurd: tank combat as a varsity sport for girls' high schools. And when it was announced, everyone expected it to be a niche title. But it was so well done, with such wonderfully conceived characters, that it ended up being one of the best selling titles in anime history.
Part of why it works is that it's all handled slightly tongue-in-cheek. Not wholly so, and the battles are really well done, but every once in a while the director gooses the audience in the ribs, just enough to say, "Yeah, we know it's silly. Go with it."
They went to a lot of effort to make sure that Miho (the protagonist) didn't turn into a Mary Sue, which would have ruined the show. And there was enormous attention to detail in all the CG of the tanks. But it is handled so well so that you don't have to be a tank-freak to get into it, because the characters are wonderfully engaging.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:50 AM on June 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
The basic concept is frankly absurd: tank combat as a varsity sport for girls' high schools. And when it was announced, everyone expected it to be a niche title. But it was so well done, with such wonderfully conceived characters, that it ended up being one of the best selling titles in anime history.
Part of why it works is that it's all handled slightly tongue-in-cheek. Not wholly so, and the battles are really well done, but every once in a while the director gooses the audience in the ribs, just enough to say, "Yeah, we know it's silly. Go with it."
They went to a lot of effort to make sure that Miho (the protagonist) didn't turn into a Mary Sue, which would have ruined the show. And there was enormous attention to detail in all the CG of the tanks. But it is handled so well so that you don't have to be a tank-freak to get into it, because the characters are wonderfully engaging.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:50 AM on June 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
The Second Coming is only two parts and it's pretty darned good
posted by bunglin jones at 9:07 AM on June 30, 2013
posted by bunglin jones at 9:07 AM on June 30, 2013
I really enjoyed Orphan Black.
posted by birdherder at 9:20 AM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by birdherder at 9:20 AM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
We have enjoyed a few things that might fit and that are easy to access and try out. The Thick of It ran four seasons and about 25 episodes. It is a British political comedy, like Veep but run by an angry, profane Scotsman. Some House of Cards like backstabbing. Single arc.
The Yard is a Canadian show with only a single season of 6 episodes. Think of it as Tony Soprano taking over a generic Disney Channel show. Not really a clean ending to the storyline, but they could not have keep the actors from aging anyway.
Another single season show grabbed by Hulu is an ensemble comedy from the UK called Whites.
posted by cgk at 9:29 AM on June 30, 2013
The Yard is a Canadian show with only a single season of 6 episodes. Think of it as Tony Soprano taking over a generic Disney Channel show. Not really a clean ending to the storyline, but they could not have keep the actors from aging anyway.
Another single season show grabbed by Hulu is an ensemble comedy from the UK called Whites.
posted by cgk at 9:29 AM on June 30, 2013
I came in to recommend "Slings and Arrows", "The Singing Detective", and "State of Play", but was beaten to all of them. MeFites have good taste.
posted by Johnny Assay at 9:33 AM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Johnny Assay at 9:33 AM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
I really enjoyed Ultraviolet (not the bad movie), which is a BBC miniseries about vampire hunters as police procedural. Think of it as Law and Order: Special Vampires Unit.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 9:37 AM on June 30, 2013
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 9:37 AM on June 30, 2013
Party Down is very funny and all too brief. And, each episode can be taken on its own.
posted by loveyallaround at 9:41 AM on June 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by loveyallaround at 9:41 AM on June 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
Black Mirror! Each episode is self-contained and is about 45 minutes long. It's like a great, short movie and you can watch them all at once ( 6 hours) or space them out.
posted by mrfuga0 at 10:02 AM on June 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by mrfuga0 at 10:02 AM on June 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
I thought the 2005 BBC adaptation of Bleak House was quite compelling. The episodes move swiftly, the acting is superb, and it's a miniseries based on a novel, so there's a well-constructed narrative arc with a definite conclusion. Despite being a BBC costume drama, it has a modern feel to it.
If you never saw the original Prime Suspect series (two longish episodes), I recommend it. The later sequels were really uneven, and I hated the last one, but the first one was ground-breaking in the way it dealt with workplace sexism very bluntly while featuring a flawed heroine. It's also a good solid murder mystery / police procedural with tight pacing and interesting characters.
posted by Orinda at 10:07 AM on June 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
If you never saw the original Prime Suspect series (two longish episodes), I recommend it. The later sequels were really uneven, and I hated the last one, but the first one was ground-breaking in the way it dealt with workplace sexism very bluntly while featuring a flawed heroine. It's also a good solid murder mystery / police procedural with tight pacing and interesting characters.
posted by Orinda at 10:07 AM on June 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
Don't worry about how many seasons there are of MI-5 -- it begins to disappoint fairly early on and I lost patience with it at about season 4.
You've seen Downton Abbey I HOPE?? Series 1 is absolute perfection.
I agree that the BBC series State of Play would be a great choice.
Also Five Days was satisfying to me in the ways you're looking for.
I also really liked The Lost Room even though I'm the first to admit it had some imperfections.
posted by janey47 at 10:50 AM on June 30, 2013
You've seen Downton Abbey I HOPE?? Series 1 is absolute perfection.
I agree that the BBC series State of Play would be a great choice.
Also Five Days was satisfying to me in the ways you're looking for.
I also really liked The Lost Room even though I'm the first to admit it had some imperfections.
posted by janey47 at 10:50 AM on June 30, 2013
Call the Midwife! It's like Downton Abbey but way way better. More liberal ideals underpinning it, plus it's about amazing ladies and babies. The first season is available on Netflix and short enough that you can watch it in a day.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 11:06 AM on June 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 11:06 AM on June 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
Zen was a BBC series starring Rufus Sewell as Italian detective Aurelio Zen. It was cancelled after one series, unfortunately, but each of the three completed episodes is a ninety-minute long adaptation of one of the first books in Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen novels.
posted by vespertine at 11:06 AM on June 30, 2013
posted by vespertine at 11:06 AM on June 30, 2013
Seconding Ultraviolet and Prime Suspect. Also:
Spaced
Cowboy Bebop
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:34 AM on June 30, 2013
Spaced
Cowboy Bebop
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:34 AM on June 30, 2013
I enjoyed all three seasons of Wallander.
posted by seawallrunner at 11:45 AM on June 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by seawallrunner at 11:45 AM on June 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
Hannibal is fantastic but the first season ends on a cliffhanger, so I don't know if that's something you want to deal with. (although the long term ending is basically already known)
The 7 episodes of Generation Kill are fantastic although there are definitely parts that are hard to handle. I have heard a lot of people (who have not seen it) dismiss it as egregious war glorification but it really isn't.
posted by elizardbits at 12:06 PM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
The 7 episodes of Generation Kill are fantastic although there are definitely parts that are hard to handle. I have heard a lot of people (who have not seen it) dismiss it as egregious war glorification but it really isn't.
posted by elizardbits at 12:06 PM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
The Arne Dahl series (more Nordic noir) is all made up of two-parters.
posted by penguin pie at 12:39 PM on June 30, 2013
posted by penguin pie at 12:39 PM on June 30, 2013
+1 on Luther & The Singing Detective. (I miss Luther a lot.)
The Red Riding trilogy is dark as hell, but very good. "Dubbed 'Yorkshire Noir' by some critics." I did have some trouble understanding the accent, though. A little over 5 hours for the entire thing.
posted by Bron at 1:46 PM on June 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
The Red Riding trilogy is dark as hell, but very good. "Dubbed 'Yorkshire Noir' by some critics." I did have some trouble understanding the accent, though. A little over 5 hours for the entire thing.
posted by Bron at 1:46 PM on June 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
The Bletchley Circle was excellent, and it was short.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:57 PM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:57 PM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Echoing the Dennis Potter recommendations. My girlfriend was actually at a conference about his work yesterday, if that gives you any idea of the level of regard he's given.
The one-off drama The Blackstuff and it's short serial sequel, Boys from the Blackstuff (7 episodes) is an amazing sequence of television, depicting the plight of ex-miners struggling with terminal unemployment in the largely unsympathetic Thatcher era. I know that sounds exceptionally grim, and it kind of is, but it's also humorous, warm and brilliantly written.
There's also the excellent Our Friends In The North (9 episodes), which covers the lives of four friends from Newcastle from the 1960s until the 1990s, touching on (in a fictionalised form) many of the major social issues of the days. Christopher Ecclestone had only been in Shallow Grave at that point, and it was the first major roles for Daniel Craig, and Mark Strong. (Poor Gina McKee, didn't really reach the big time like those three.)
Both well worth a watch.
posted by Magnakai at 2:20 PM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
The one-off drama The Blackstuff and it's short serial sequel, Boys from the Blackstuff (7 episodes) is an amazing sequence of television, depicting the plight of ex-miners struggling with terminal unemployment in the largely unsympathetic Thatcher era. I know that sounds exceptionally grim, and it kind of is, but it's also humorous, warm and brilliantly written.
There's also the excellent Our Friends In The North (9 episodes), which covers the lives of four friends from Newcastle from the 1960s until the 1990s, touching on (in a fictionalised form) many of the major social issues of the days. Christopher Ecclestone had only been in Shallow Grave at that point, and it was the first major roles for Daniel Craig, and Mark Strong. (Poor Gina McKee, didn't really reach the big time like those three.)
Both well worth a watch.
posted by Magnakai at 2:20 PM on June 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Better off Ted
Arrested Development
BBCs Sherlock
Defying Gravity
Downton Abbey
House of Cards
Planet Earth
posted by blue_beetle at 2:30 PM on June 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
Arrested Development
BBCs Sherlock
Defying Gravity
Downton Abbey
House of Cards
Planet Earth
posted by blue_beetle at 2:30 PM on June 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
The Sandbaggers was a 70s era British drama about covert operations. It was written by Ian Mackintosh who, by all accounts, knew what he was writing about from firsthand experience (conceivably too much - he disappeared in a plane crash before he could finish writing all the episodes). Think of it as a cerebral, low budget but realistic stab at James Bond.
posted by rongorongo at 3:12 PM on June 30, 2013
posted by rongorongo at 3:12 PM on June 30, 2013
Seconding Better Off Ted, Slings and Arrows, Luther
Hit & Miss. (On Netflix. Too short--I wanted more!)
Endgame (Also short, and ends on a cliffhanger, but I am still glad I watched)
I really like Psych. It is a smart dumb, you know? You can watch those without a lot of commitment to the whole run.
posted by thebrokedown at 4:37 PM on June 30, 2013
Hit & Miss. (On Netflix. Too short--I wanted more!)
Endgame (Also short, and ends on a cliffhanger, but I am still glad I watched)
I really like Psych. It is a smart dumb, you know? You can watch those without a lot of commitment to the whole run.
posted by thebrokedown at 4:37 PM on June 30, 2013
I'd second the recommendations of State of Play, The Second Coming, Our Friends in the North and Call The Midwife, and if you watch Downton Abbey, watch the first series then leave it alone if you can. The scripting gets progressively lazier as you go, though the one-liners remain exquisite. Here are some other series that I think are *awesome*:
Tutti Frutti -- early starring role for Emma Thompson in a six-part comedy-drama about a rock band rattling around Scotland. Her co-star is Robbie Coltrane, who is fantastic as a charming wastrel. It's funny and short and the music is great.
Speaking of Robbie Coltrane, Cracker is absolutely extraordinary in places. It's a series, so it doesn't have a definitive end but it's gold
Holding On never gets mentioned, and it's very good. This article refers to it as The Wire UK, which is a bit strong, but it unfolds with just as much tension and attention to character. It's about a disparate group of people all involved, however tangentially, with the murder of a young woman, and how the terrible consequences of that one random act of violence impact on their lives, and David Morrissey is terrific in it.
Two UK miniseries that were turned into, respectively, a good film and a mediocre one: Traffik, which was compressed and geographically shifted to become the Soderbergh film Traffic, and Edge of Darkness, which is one of the weirdest, best series I've ever seen. It deals with a policeman who is trying to discover what happened to his daughter and cracking up from grief, but deals with energy policy, corruption and mystical forces.
If I were you I would also try Takin' Over the Asylum, about a radio station in a mental hospital, notable for the first major sighting of David Tennant; Between the Lines, a tough-minded police procedural about a unit investigating corruption, with very strong performances and well-rounded, if dislikeable, characters (this has one of the best closing scenes ever); and Broadchurch, starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman, which was 2013's attempt to adapt the Scandy crime drama template for a UK audience.
Also, it was made for kids but it's wonderful, rich and funny: Press Gang was the first thing Steven Moffat wrote for TV, and it has all of his tricks and few of his tics. I commend it to the house.
posted by finisterre at 5:20 PM on June 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
Tutti Frutti -- early starring role for Emma Thompson in a six-part comedy-drama about a rock band rattling around Scotland. Her co-star is Robbie Coltrane, who is fantastic as a charming wastrel. It's funny and short and the music is great.
Speaking of Robbie Coltrane, Cracker is absolutely extraordinary in places. It's a series, so it doesn't have a definitive end but it's gold
Holding On never gets mentioned, and it's very good. This article refers to it as The Wire UK, which is a bit strong, but it unfolds with just as much tension and attention to character. It's about a disparate group of people all involved, however tangentially, with the murder of a young woman, and how the terrible consequences of that one random act of violence impact on their lives, and David Morrissey is terrific in it.
Two UK miniseries that were turned into, respectively, a good film and a mediocre one: Traffik, which was compressed and geographically shifted to become the Soderbergh film Traffic, and Edge of Darkness, which is one of the weirdest, best series I've ever seen. It deals with a policeman who is trying to discover what happened to his daughter and cracking up from grief, but deals with energy policy, corruption and mystical forces.
If I were you I would also try Takin' Over the Asylum, about a radio station in a mental hospital, notable for the first major sighting of David Tennant; Between the Lines, a tough-minded police procedural about a unit investigating corruption, with very strong performances and well-rounded, if dislikeable, characters (this has one of the best closing scenes ever); and Broadchurch, starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman, which was 2013's attempt to adapt the Scandy crime drama template for a UK audience.
Also, it was made for kids but it's wonderful, rich and funny: Press Gang was the first thing Steven Moffat wrote for TV, and it has all of his tricks and few of his tics. I commend it to the house.
posted by finisterre at 5:20 PM on June 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
All the ones I was going to suggest have already been suggested (definitely Luther and Red Riding), except The Last Enemy.
posted by biscotti at 5:37 PM on June 30, 2013
posted by biscotti at 5:37 PM on June 30, 2013
The West Wing.
I'm not a politics guy, but I decided to watch a few episodes and I got into it. Fantastic writing and you really do end up caring a lot for the characters. And I'm only on the third season!
posted by morning_television at 6:51 PM on June 30, 2013
I'm not a politics guy, but I decided to watch a few episodes and I got into it. Fantastic writing and you really do end up caring a lot for the characters. And I'm only on the third season!
posted by morning_television at 6:51 PM on June 30, 2013
Terriers. It's one season concluded its big plot-line fairly conclusively. It's about two Ocean Beach private detectives who stumble onto a conspiracy that is much bigger than themselves (hence the title, small dogs trying to take on the big dogs).
posted by john-a-dreams at 7:09 PM on June 30, 2013
posted by john-a-dreams at 7:09 PM on June 30, 2013
Let me second Sandbaggers, which I found to be completely absorbing, even though there is very little "action".
posted by wittgenstein at 7:50 PM on June 30, 2013
posted by wittgenstein at 7:50 PM on June 30, 2013
You mentioned anime, and I watch too damn much of it. So the criteria here are AWESOME, and 13 or less episodes. Searching ratings databases is easy, but online ratings tend to skew vaguely sex appeal. So I'll throw in a another test -- a "no harem" rule. This rules out Steins;Gate which is basically a dating sim game turned on it's ear turned into an anime. It's good, and more of a vestigial harem than a plot anchor so if someone recommended it to you, go with it.
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 Short, emotional, well written. As you can surmise from the title, the key event in the story is a massive earthquake affecting Tokyo. Fairly realistic, though it adds in a few mildly optimistic robots, very sparingly. Probably a bit more emotionally weighty if you actually live in the Pacific Rim or have been in an earthquake before.
FLCL. 6 episodes. I'd call it manic in pacing, and certainly the emotional / mental state of the characters is a crucial axis to understanding what you it is you just watched. It's a comedy though.
Baccano!! and Durarara!!. Both feature a guge cast of characters crammed into a short set of episodes. Baccano!! is probably the better of the two. Possibly because I really really like the intro. But also because there's more of a definite ending.
The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi. Short, pretty well written. Originally aired out of sequence intentionally, it's a bit odd. Like FLCL, it's got a bit of references to other anime, so episode 1 (in airing sequence) may not be a great opener for the uninitiated, but the other episodes are good.
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit. It's 26 episodes. I don't care, it makes the list. Great animation, great story, conclusive ending, solid characters. The source material for this show has won several awards, and was written by an ethnologist.
posted by pwnguin at 1:04 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 Short, emotional, well written. As you can surmise from the title, the key event in the story is a massive earthquake affecting Tokyo. Fairly realistic, though it adds in a few mildly optimistic robots, very sparingly. Probably a bit more emotionally weighty if you actually live in the Pacific Rim or have been in an earthquake before.
FLCL. 6 episodes. I'd call it manic in pacing, and certainly the emotional / mental state of the characters is a crucial axis to understanding what you it is you just watched. It's a comedy though.
Baccano!! and Durarara!!. Both feature a guge cast of characters crammed into a short set of episodes. Baccano!! is probably the better of the two. Possibly because I really really like the intro. But also because there's more of a definite ending.
The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi. Short, pretty well written. Originally aired out of sequence intentionally, it's a bit odd. Like FLCL, it's got a bit of references to other anime, so episode 1 (in airing sequence) may not be a great opener for the uninitiated, but the other episodes are good.
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit. It's 26 episodes. I don't care, it makes the list. Great animation, great story, conclusive ending, solid characters. The source material for this show has won several awards, and was written by an ethnologist.
posted by pwnguin at 1:04 AM on July 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
Homeland, for Pete's sake. "The series stars Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison, a Central Intelligence Agency officer with bipolar disorder, and Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody, a United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper. Mathison has come to believe that Brody, who was held captive by al-Qaeda as a prisoner of war, was "turned" by the enemy and now threatens the United States."
Arrested Development and here's why. This show is packed with more puns, in-jokes and outright AND subversive hilarity than probably any other show on TV. (See David Cross' rant after the show was cancelled by Fox. Note: VERY NSFW) AD isn't just a TV show, it becomes an addiction and you will find yourself bonding with people who say, "I just blue myself," or "I've made a huge mistake."
posted by kinetic at 3:29 AM on July 1, 2013
Arrested Development and here's why. This show is packed with more puns, in-jokes and outright AND subversive hilarity than probably any other show on TV. (See David Cross' rant after the show was cancelled by Fox. Note: VERY NSFW) AD isn't just a TV show, it becomes an addiction and you will find yourself bonding with people who say, "I just blue myself," or "I've made a huge mistake."
posted by kinetic at 3:29 AM on July 1, 2013
Most UK series are very short - usually 6 episodes per season. I really really like Pulling - a dark comedy about three women in their thirties which starts with one of them leaving her fiancee.
posted by mippy at 4:18 AM on July 1, 2013
posted by mippy at 4:18 AM on July 1, 2013
Breaking bad- best show ever
posted by privatechef at 5:20 AM on July 1, 2013
posted by privatechef at 5:20 AM on July 1, 2013
I would recommend In the Flesh , it has only 3 episodes.
It is set after a zombie uprising, where a cure was found - now, they are called partially deceased syndrome (PDS) patients. It does avoid many zombie tropes, using the background as a metaphor for social issues. Very emotional and heart-breaking, while having a subtle and dark sense of humor.
posted by florzinha at 8:57 AM on July 1, 2013
It is set after a zombie uprising, where a cure was found - now, they are called partially deceased syndrome (PDS) patients. It does avoid many zombie tropes, using the background as a metaphor for social issues. Very emotional and heart-breaking, while having a subtle and dark sense of humor.
posted by florzinha at 8:57 AM on July 1, 2013
Seconding Black Mirror. Perfectly fits the description of what you are seeking.
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:29 AM on July 1, 2013
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:29 AM on July 1, 2013
Game of Thrones is something you should check out if you have any interest in fantasy or historical fiction, and maybe even if you don't. The show is based on an unfinished 7-part book series, which for the most part it follows pretty closely. Game of Thrones follows the fictional continent of Westeros as a feud between two powerful families erupts in a chaotic civil war. Of course, there's a lot more to it than that. Season 1 is very light on the fantasy elements, to the point that it's basically an alternate-world version of the War of the Roses. As the series continues, though, fantasy elements start to become more prevalent.
The first few episodes are relatively slow, and it takes a while to get into (I wasn't really sold on the show until episode 4 or 5, personally.) There are a lot of different characters and families and names to learn, but you figure most of that out relatively quickly.* Once you get into it, though, Game of Thrones can be one of the most suspenseful, engaging and addictive shows around... even if it things don't always work out well for your favorite characters. (You've been warned.)
*One thing in particular threw me early on: Ned Stark has two older sons, Robb Stark and his bastard son Jon Snow. The third "son" is actually Theon Greyjoy, from the rival Greyjoy clan, and was taken as a hostage during a previous war to keep the Greyjoys from attacking the Starks again.
On edit you already said Breaking Bad, so nevermind that.
posted by Green Winnebago at 12:43 PM on July 1, 2013
The first few episodes are relatively slow, and it takes a while to get into (I wasn't really sold on the show until episode 4 or 5, personally.) There are a lot of different characters and families and names to learn, but you figure most of that out relatively quickly.* Once you get into it, though, Game of Thrones can be one of the most suspenseful, engaging and addictive shows around... even if it things don't always work out well for your favorite characters. (You've been warned.)
*One thing in particular threw me early on: Ned Stark has two older sons, Robb Stark and his bastard son Jon Snow. The third "son" is actually Theon Greyjoy, from the rival Greyjoy clan, and was taken as a hostage during a previous war to keep the Greyjoys from attacking the Starks again.
On edit you already said Breaking Bad, so nevermind that.
posted by Green Winnebago at 12:43 PM on July 1, 2013
Tons of good choices already listed, but here's a few more:
The Americans
House of Cards (BBC, 3 series)
The Wire
Borgen (Danish)
posted by jack.brodey at 3:18 PM on July 1, 2013 [2 favorites]
The Americans
House of Cards (BBC, 3 series)
The Wire
Borgen (Danish)
posted by jack.brodey at 3:18 PM on July 1, 2013 [2 favorites]
Puella Magi Madoka Magicka. The whole run (12 episodes, each about 30 minutes) is watchable on Hulu. You will enjoy it more if you avoid reading too much about it beforehand.
posted by kagredon at 3:48 PM on July 1, 2013
posted by kagredon at 3:48 PM on July 1, 2013
Justified, it's about the U.S. Marshal's service and is set in Kentucky. Timothy Olyphant (see also: Deadwood).
posted by print at 9:34 PM on July 1, 2013
posted by print at 9:34 PM on July 1, 2013
Those I would recommend that haven't been mentioned:
TV Series ongoing
Banshee - Knock out action in an Amish town.
Bates Motel - A young Norman Bates. Vera Farmiga as his mother is excellent.
Copper - Irish cops in NYC, 1860's. Very stylish.
House of Lies - Don Cheadle crashing through the fourth wall. The episode with Matt Damon was an absolute ripper.
Longmire - Laconic sheriff in Wyoming. Katee Sackhoff has an appealing role in this.
Mad Dogs - Likely lads abroad, what can go wrong? Everything!
Mr Selfridge - Ari Gold becomes the department store pioneer.
Silk - Maxine Peake lawyers about with a bunch of double-barreled upper crusts.
The Borgias - Poisonous goings-on in the Vatican in this great big, sumptuous, sprawling, drama.
The White Queen - New series, shaping up quite rosily.
Vikings - No sleep for Ragnar Lothbrok (does not contain any Ralph).
TV Series finished
Blackout - Dark doings in Cottonopolis.
Hunted - Spy vs spy.
Line of Duty - Corruption, police and counter-terrorism.
Political Animals - Sigourney Weaver as Secretary of State.
Puberty Blues - Australian girls coming of age in the Shire in the 1970's.
The Firm - Based on the Grisham novel.
The Hour - Great BBC production. The first season is particularly good (Suez crisis and the formation of an investigative BBC television programme).
The Shadow Line - Intriguing conspiracy thriller.
The Village - Maxine Peake again [see Silk above] in this evocative drama of English country life.
posted by unliteral at 8:14 PM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
TV Series ongoing
Banshee - Knock out action in an Amish town.
Bates Motel - A young Norman Bates. Vera Farmiga as his mother is excellent.
Copper - Irish cops in NYC, 1860's. Very stylish.
House of Lies - Don Cheadle crashing through the fourth wall. The episode with Matt Damon was an absolute ripper.
Longmire - Laconic sheriff in Wyoming. Katee Sackhoff has an appealing role in this.
Mad Dogs - Likely lads abroad, what can go wrong? Everything!
Mr Selfridge - Ari Gold becomes the department store pioneer.
Silk - Maxine Peake lawyers about with a bunch of double-barreled upper crusts.
The Borgias - Poisonous goings-on in the Vatican in this great big, sumptuous, sprawling, drama.
The White Queen - New series, shaping up quite rosily.
Vikings - No sleep for Ragnar Lothbrok (does not contain any Ralph).
TV Series finished
Blackout - Dark doings in Cottonopolis.
Hunted - Spy vs spy.
Line of Duty - Corruption, police and counter-terrorism.
Political Animals - Sigourney Weaver as Secretary of State.
Puberty Blues - Australian girls coming of age in the Shire in the 1970's.
The Firm - Based on the Grisham novel.
The Hour - Great BBC production. The first season is particularly good (Suez crisis and the formation of an investigative BBC television programme).
The Shadow Line - Intriguing conspiracy thriller.
The Village - Maxine Peake again [see Silk above] in this evocative drama of English country life.
posted by unliteral at 8:14 PM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Consider huntind down some of Stephen Poliakoff's television series. Shooting the Past is excellent and was just three episodes long.
As mentioned above, BBC's Sherlock is excellent.
posted by pipstar at 12:48 PM on July 4, 2013
As mentioned above, BBC's Sherlock is excellent.
posted by pipstar at 12:48 PM on July 4, 2013
I've really been enjoying rewatching the early seasons of Burn Notice.
The show loses some of its awesomeness after a while so if you're looking for short, you could quit after the first season. (That being said, it never got bad enough for me to stop watching it, so there's that.)
posted by suetanvil at 1:11 AM on July 6, 2013
The show loses some of its awesomeness after a while so if you're looking for short, you could quit after the first season. (That being said, it never got bad enough for me to stop watching it, so there's that.)
posted by suetanvil at 1:11 AM on July 6, 2013
Fanstastic list! I'll add:
Thief
Day Break
Party Animals
NY-LON
American Horror Story (2nd season)
John Adams (HBO)
I, Claudius
House of Cards (US Netflix only version)
The Decalogue
posted by xammerboy at 4:24 PM on July 6, 2013
Thief
Day Break
Party Animals
NY-LON
American Horror Story (2nd season)
John Adams (HBO)
I, Claudius
House of Cards (US Netflix only version)
The Decalogue
posted by xammerboy at 4:24 PM on July 6, 2013
Rectify's first season aired on Sundance earlier this year and it was GREAT.
posted by getawaysticks at 7:49 AM on July 8, 2013
posted by getawaysticks at 7:49 AM on July 8, 2013
Another vote for Les Revenants. While it's easy to play "Spot the Influence" (which covers Let the Right One In, Twin Peaks, Six Feet Under, and Lost), it's also completely its own show and very sad/creepy universe. The next season isn't coming until Fall 2014, plenty of time to obsess over theories.
posted by green_flash at 12:53 AM on July 18, 2013
posted by green_flash at 12:53 AM on July 18, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by shivohum at 7:41 AM on June 30, 2013 [2 favorites]