Best new show this season, and what should I catch up on?

Basq

So, good people of the Television forum, I'm completely out of the loop on good new shows.. so am looking to ye all for recommendations.

Started watching one or two network shows earlier in the year like Brooklyn-Nine-Nine but maybe watched 2 - 3 episodes of that but haven't invested much time in anything else new this year!

I'm seeing good things about The Blacklist but anything else worth my time? Agents Of Shield? Masters of Sex? Almost Human? Sleepy Hollow?

In fact, the only US shows I'm keeping up to date with are The Walking Dead, Parks And Rec and Community.. and trying to catch up on Person Of Interest - nothing else really. Have loads to catch up on including Elementary (this still good?), How I Met Your Mother (not bothered I don't think), Modern Family (tired of it), Raising Hope (also grew tired of it). Oh, and practically a season behind on Justified as well! :eek:

Basically I've some spare time now to just splurge on some TV.. and I love watching series in bulk, now's my chance.

While we're on the subject - has anything took a nosedive this year and isn't worth catching up on?

Thanks in advance.

JP Liz V1

For me the new shows worth watching are:-


Ray Donovan
The Americans
Rectify
Sleepy Hollow
The Blacklist
Almost Human
The Originals

Dozen Wicked Words

Not new series as such, but still worth viewing. 2nd season of original version of The Bridge has started, 4 episodes there to view in an afternoon, and will be up to 6 available to watch by Saturday. If you haven't seen season one highly recommend that too, good day or so viewing there too.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Comedy wise, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is great. I wasn't crazy about it at first, but it grew on me as the weeks went on and now it's up there with the best of them.

I've also thoroughly enjoyed The Crazy Ones - not a whole lot of people discussing it, but every episode has been great.

Although it probably won't see a second season due to ratings, I'd very much recommend Trophy Wife - getting great critical acclaim and the cast are great.

The Goldbergs isn't everyone's cup of tea, and it's not ground-breaking by any means, but if you like stuff along the lines of The Wonder Years, give it a shot.

On the drama side of things, there's not a whole lot going on to be honest. Almost Human is the best of a bad bunch of rookies, but it's getting the Firefly treatment over at Fox and won't live past it's 13 episode run.

Chicago PD started last week and the first episode was very strong, but if you're gonna watch that, you're better off having also watched Chicago Fire. I really enjoy both the shows, but dunno if they'd be your cup of tea Basq, but sure give it a go, you never know.

I thought you watched Supernatural at one point and that's definitely worth catching up on. This season has been amazing. Not many shows can say that in season 9. If you've never watched, you've got 8 and a half seasons of Supernatural to sink your teeth in to...

Mr E

Person of Interest is one of those rare shows that gets better and better as it goes. The last 5 or 6 episodes have been a highlight for me.

Elementary has been very good this year, but is plateauing IMO.

Basq wrote:

I'm seeing good things about The Blacklist but anything else worth my time? Agents Of Shield? Masters of Sex? Almost Human? Sleepy Hollow?

All good and worth a watch. None of them are blowing my socks off, but they are all enjoyable in their own way. I'd add Intelligence to that list too.

Basq

Thanks for the suggestions all.. just on what has been mentioned so far:

Watched all bar the final episode of Ray Donovan last year. Despite the great performances, I can't say it fully grabbed me. It just seemed to tread familiar ground and quality was far from consistent throughout IMO.

Watched the first few episodes of The Americans but wasn't gone on that either.. but I might give it another shot.

Remember hearing about Rectify around the same time I heard of Top Of The Lake and both have been on my radar for a while - especially TOTL after Elizabeth Moss's win at the Golden Globes last weekend.

Watched the first episode of Sleepy Hollow, and quite enjoyed it. But lost track of it, but was very promising alright!

Watched the two episodes of Almost Human and quite liked that too, although couldn't help but feel like it needed a season wide story arc quick or it could get tired. Procedurals just aren't grabbing me anymore!

The trailer for The Blacklist didn't really inspire me, and I must be the only person who is really tired of James Spader. It all felt familiar - especially given The Following last year. But I have heard good things about it.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't The Originals a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries? To quote any one of The Dragons, "sorry but I'm out". Not a fan of TVD, so can't imagine a spin-off will grab me!

There's been so many remakes that I'm unsure why I haven't watched The Bridge sooner.. but I might give it a shot though my history with foreign language TV series is patchy - didn't finish 'Forbrydelsen', 'The Returned' or half a dozen others.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine definitely looked like a winner from the few episodes I saw.. think I saw maybe 4 - 5 but they were always decent (bar Chelsea Peretti... ugggghh!). Big fan of Andy Samberg too, so glad to see both himself and the show won at the Golden Globes last weekend. Will catch up on this I think.

I watched the first 2 - 3 episodes of The Crazy Ones and didn't like it. But I'm a fan of the dramatic Robin Williams (see Good Will Hunting, Insomnia, One Hour Photo etc) ahead of zany "wooooooooohhhh-zany-what-crazy-wacky-thing-will-I-do-next Robin Williams". That plus Sarah Michelle Gellar has the comedic timing of a well-peeled orange.

Didn't think much of the first 2 episodes of Trophy Wife either - which is a shame as I'm a big Bradley Whitford fan but the weak script and eye-candy of Malin Akerman (nyom-nyom) wasn't enough to win me over. That plus I'm trying to avoid the inevitably-cancelled at this stage.

I watched the first 2 or 3 episodes of The Goldbergs and quite liked it despite the bad reviews, though wasn't funny or clever enough to really keep me coming back for more.

Watched the first few episodes of Chicago Fire last year and just found it all too procedural.. has any good season wide story arcs kicked in yet? Unlikely to watch Chicago PD til I at least catch up on Chicago Fire.

Ahh Supernatural.. how I loved thee. From a quick look on EpGuides.com, I think I gave up early in season 7. It just became all so tired.. there were good episodes in there but the bad far outweighed the good at that stage. Could be a summer catch-up if it continues on a good streak though.

Person of Interest has remained so bloody consistent that I'm annoyed I lost track, but I'm looking forward to catching up despite some MAJOR plot-points of the most recent season being spoiled on me already from various TV sites.

Elementary was at it's best when it was dealing with the whole

Moriarty and Irene Adler

stuff. Although the procedural was always good, I just found myself wanting more of a story arc.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Basq wrote: »

Watched the first few episodes of Chicago Fire last year and just found it all too procedural.. has any good season wide story arcs kicked in yet? Unlikely to watch Chicago PD til I at least catch up on Chicago Fire.

Ahh Supernatural.. how I loved thee. From a quick look on EpGuides.com, I think I gave up early in season 7. It just became all so tired.. there were good episodes in there but the bad far outweighed the good at that stage. Could be a summer catch-up if it continues on a good streak though.

Not really a fan of procedurals myself, which is what I like about Chicago Fire. I can't really remember what the first few episodes of season 1 were like, but it definitely gets in to the story arcs pretty early on as far as I remember. It's very much character driven with some cool explosions and fires thrown in along the way.

I gave up on Supernatural probably about the same point as you did in Season 7 and only went back when I was assured it had improved. It starts getting much better in the second half of season 7, and Season 8 and 9 are back on form. Better than ever.

JP Liz V1

You don't need to like or have watched TVD to watch The Originals as it establishes it's own back story and is more of an adult drama plus it is set in New Orleans

Axwell

Person of Interest has been great, some really big episodes in it and its never started to slip in my opinion to a point where I just watch it for the sake of it each week like some other shows.

Sleepy Hollow has been decent, not mind blowing by any means but its kept my interest and sort of filled a bit of the void in my sci fi interest that Fringe left behind when it finished.

Elementary I was a big fan of but this season I find has been hit and miss, not helped by a lot of breaks in the American tv schedule and the story arcs have been kind of jumping in and out too much that you lose interest or forget what was going on in them but it did start to pick up again in the last 2-3 episodes and is worth watching.

Agents of Shield, Intelligence, Arrow - all shows that I watch but I dont find myself hopping on the lap top waiting for the delivery from Uncle Torrence so i can watch it like the others do.

Basq

Axwell wrote: »

Agents of Shield, Intelligence, Arrow - all shows that I watch but I dont find myself hopping on the lap top waiting for the delivery from Uncle Torrence so i can watch it like the others do.

I'm a massive Marvel fan but was a tad underwhelmed with the pilot of Agents Of Shield.. watched the first episode and felt it had the Joss Whedon spark and the brillant

Agent Coulson "back from the dead"

but found pretty much every character to be irritating.

I read some mixed reviews of Intelligence last week so might give it a few more episodes. Most mid-season shows I've liked tend to be doomed before the get-go so will see how it performs over the next few weeks and if another season is likely.

Arrow is one show that people do tend to rave about but as a big fan of all things superhero and action-packed, I always thought it seemed kinda cheap and a bit lame - certainly in the earlier episodes.

CaptainNegative wrote: »

Not really a fan of procedurals myself, which is what I like about Chicago Fire. I can't really remember what the first few episodes of season 1 were like, but it definitely gets in to the story arcs pretty early on as far as I remember. It's very much character driven with some cool explosions and fires thrown in along the way.

Think Lady Gaga's beau was generally just wandering around constantly looking pissed off and high for 2 - 3 episodes. Ah no, I think after the excellence of 'Rescue Me', I'm gonna find any fire-fighter related shows a disappointment. But might give it a shot come Summer.

CaptainNegative wrote: »

I gave up on Supernatural probably about the same point as you did in Season 7 and only went back when I was assured it had improved. It starts getting much better in the second half of season 7, and Season 8 and 9 are back on form. Better than ever.

Cool.. probably wait til the season is out and maybe another summer catch-up show.

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

You don't need to like or have watched TVD to watch The Originals as it establishes it's own back story and is more of an adult drama plus it is set in New Orleans

Hmmm.. think my better half watches it so might get her 2c as to whether I'd like it. Probably best as I tend to just cringe and insult every show on The CW.

JP Liz V1

Supernatural is a CW show

Basq

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Supernatural is a CW show

Yeah.. but that the exception that proves the rule!

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Supernatural is a WB show, that just so happens to have survived since The WB was re-incarnated as The CW, a far lesser network that produces Visual Chick-Lit, which is fine for those who like that kinda thing...

But for your average Joe Man Face actual CW shows are pretty awful...

Basq

CaptainNegative wrote: »

But for your average Joe Man Face actual CW shows are pretty awful...

Actually my middle name..

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Basq wrote: »

Actually my middle name..

Please tell me your first name is Algernon?

Because Algernon Joe Man Face Basq has an almightily epic ring to it...

Wait-the-what!? Basq isn't a TV mod anymore!?

Lovely Bloke

No-one mentioned Masters of Sex, apart from the OP.

IMO, it's excellent. Sheen is superb in it, as he is in anything he appears in - and to seem in a series like this is brilliant.

Bit of a slow burner, but well worth watching it all the same.

FunLover18

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

No-one mentioned Masters of Sex, apart from the OP.

IMO, it's excellent. Sheen is superb in it, as he is in anything he appears in - and to seem in a series like this is brilliant.

Bit of a slow burner, but well worth watching it all the same.

This! Masters Of Sex is absolutely fantastic, the writing and performances are quite subtle but it truly is excellent.

Sleepy Hollow is probably the most entertaining new show for, completely bonkers but great fun without being utter fluff. The team behind also seem to know what they're doing with hints of a 7 season arc planned. Instead of ordering a second half of season one, a second 13 episode season was ordered which also bodes well.

The Blacklist is also fun but a tad fluffier. If it wasn't for Spader I might have stopped watching.

evilivor

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

No-one mentioned Masters of Sex, apart from the OP.

IMO, it's excellent. Sheen is superb in it, as he is in anything he appears in - and to seem in a series like this is brilliant.

Bit of a slow burner, but well worth watching it all the same.

Agreed. Great show.

Padraig Mor

As you haven't seen it, Rectify first up no question.

Next I'd say Banshee - you'll love it or hate it, and know which after the first episode.

Finally, Hannibal. Takes a few episodes to get into gear, but delivers after that.

None are "new" shows, but all have new seasons started or coming along shortly.


I'm presuming BTW that you've seen House of Cards (IIRC you have). If not, it goes straight to the top of the list. Season 2 due out 14th Feb as well.

bunnymunro

Basq wrote: »

So, good people of the Television forum, I'm completely out of the loop on good new shows.. so am looking to ye all for recommendations.

Started watching one or two network shows earlier in the year like Brooklyn-Nine-Nine but maybe watched 2 - 3 episodes of that but haven't invested much time in anything else new this year!

I'm seeing good things about The Blacklist but anything else worth my time? Agents Of Shield? Masters of Sex? Almost Human? Sleepy Hollow?

In fact, the only US shows I'm keeping up to date with are The Walking Dead, Parks And Rec and Community.. and trying to catch up on Person Of Interest - nothing else really. Have loads to catch up on including Elementary (this still good?), How I Met Your Mother (not bothered I don't think), Modern Family (tired of it), Raising Hope (also grew tired of it). Oh, and practically a season behind on Justified as well! :eek:

Basically I've some spare time now to just splurge on some TV.. and I love watching series in bulk, now's my chance.

While we're on the subject - has anything took a nosedive this year and isn't worth catching up on?

Thanks in advance.

If nothing else watch the latest episode of modern family...it was a 10/10 episode probably my favourite so far..admittedly the precding one were pretty poor..

The Pooka

Agree with above, best new show was Masters of Sex by a mile!

jimboblep

Have to agree with banshee only stumbled on it by accident hooked since
Dont know if its new but what ive seen of southland has impressed and the new dracula is quite good but could be a bit marmite

Sir Oxman

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is very funny.
Banshee Series 1, haven't watched series 2 yet

titan18

True Detective

Only a few episodes into the season, so you don't have much to catch up on, but it's excellent. Probably the best thing on TV atm

LoonyLovegood

I'll third (fourth?) Supernatural. NCIS and NCIS:LA are, as usual, excellent. I'm still enjoying them both, and NCIS doesn't feel at all like a show that's been running for 11 seasons.

As for new shows, I really enjoy Almost Human, but it'll probably end after the 13 episodes it has. Fox loves firefly-ing SciFi.

jenjenten

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

You don't need to like or have watched TVD to watch The Originals as it establishes it's own back story and is more of an adult drama plus it is set in New Orleans

Agreed....you cant drop into The Originals with knowing about TVD. But i have to say the characters on The Originals are a damn sight better then the utter much TVD has turned into in the last two seasons!

Dont be at yourself

Another vote for True Detective. It's really special - best thing I've seen on TV in years.

Skerries

Black Sails is only 2 episodes in and is shaping up very nicely as a show cashing in on the Pirate zeitgeist, and seeing as it is made by Starz there are loads of nudey bits on show

Helix is decent as a mystery series set in a giant scientific research base in the Antarctic where a virus has broken out and there are further sub plots which the CDC team sent in to deal with it have to uncover

Alphas starring John Goodman is set in Washington where 4 senators all live in the same house and the hijinks they get up to, it's part of Amazons foray into tv so all the episodes were released at once like Netflix. Also try Betas another Amazon show

Shiraz 4.99

Dont be at yourself wrote: »

Another vote for True Detective. It's really special - best thing I've seen on TV in years.

titan18 wrote: »

True Detective

Only a few episodes into the season, so you don't have much to catch up on, but it's excellent. Probably the best thing on TV atm

I've read this is a few places, McConaghey & Harrelson sound like a good partnership.
I've been tempted to torrent it but decided to wait as I heard it was out this month on Sky Atlantic.
Hope it lives up to the hype.

ixoy

'The Following' - worth watching? In its second season now.

FunLover18

ixoy wrote: »

'The Following' - worth watching? In its second season now.

No. I wouldn't recommend it, very poor writing. The biggest engine driving the plot forward in the first season was the unbelievable incompetency of the FBI. It was fairly lazy, and the characters weren't even interesting. I haven't gone near the second season.

Mr E

On the flip side, I enjoy it immensely. Leave your brain at the door and just enjoy the ride. Dumber than a box of rocks, but a lot of fun.

Kenjataimu

Skerries wrote: »

Helix is decent as a mystery series set in a giant scientific research base in the Antarctic where a virus has broken out and there are further sub plots which the CDC team sent in to deal with it have to uncover

Helix has kept me interested a few episodes in. Seems to be decent so far, watching on Channel 5.