I tried Chicago Med after my most recent ER binge, and I got through a season-ish before I gave up. Not even as good as Stamos ER. I never watched House when it was on, but I might try that one next.
I can imagine. Like it says in the column, Rob and Ryan are very open about the advantages that come from their celebrity and the popularity of the show, while also being clear throughout that the town of Wrexham isn't fundamentally more special than the homes of other League Two teams they could have purchased. It's just the one that was available.
Blue Sky shows I find to be really good for treadmill (or exercise bike in my case) TV. So I'd suggest White Collar - a couple of suspenseful capers each episode, fun banter, breezy pacing and some very pretty people.
My non-streaming holy grail for a long time has been the Miles Drentel Cinematic Universe shows - thirtysomething and Once and Again.
thirtysomething's importance in TV history is undisputed (and it's influence on Mad Men has been largely overlooked, I think.) Once and Again has some extraordinary performances, especially by Evan Rachel Woods and Julia Whelan (who aparrently has carved out a top-notch audiobook career) and deserves to be rediscovered.
Also, talking about old TV shows. Have been rewatching some House lately, and is incredible how rewatchable it is. Can't believe Hugh Laurie never got a Emmy.
The X-Files is my #1 suggestion for a streaming (re)watch. The mythology loses its steam near the end, but the chemistry between Duchovny and Gillian remains great. There's also the newcomers Moonlighting and Northern Exposure (please give the latter another chance!).
I remember you mentioning you didn't complete the DC shows on the CW which still contained high adrenaline components in later seasons, even when things became too convoluted. In similar realm, also recommend Angel, House, or even Discovery if you want to be completest. Or the missed seasons of the Doctor Who revival.
P.S. I have a few ER questions, but I'll save those when you're done watching the final season.
Fire away with your ER questions! I remember the later episodes well enough that you won't spoil anything, and it's driving me nuts finding someone to talk about my niche opinions on 16-year-old episodes of television. Like, Simon Brenner is introduced as a serial sexual harasser who then discards and mistreats his coworkers after sleeping with them, and in the following season they show him being nicer to one of those women, but never (at least not so far) present a scene where they talk about why he's acting differently.
Also? Tony and Sam were exasperating enough when they were part of a larger ensemble. When it's only six regular characters in the final season, it is just a whole lot of those two. Yeesh.
Brenner's behavior does get explained later although it's a clear Emmy-ploy for David Lyons. When an episode isn't focused on returnee cast member (main or recurring), the final season does really drag (such as the Tony & Sam relationship and Neela's personal struggles) for the most part. Production seemed so much more motivated for the special episodes.
As for my ER questions, it's in comparison to NYPD Blue as you're the foremost expert on it and two fought for the Best TV Drama title in the '90s:
1. Which show did you find it better/enjoyable at its peak (ER 1-6 or NYPD 1-5)?
2. Inversely, which one did you find more satisfying/less struggle to complete post-peak and all the way through?
P.S. Do you know what happened to Amanda Wilson? I can't find any writings of hers post-2005.
Oh, I've gotten to the child molestation thing (and remembered that from the original viewing). It's more the specific nature of how he's a total heel when introduced in season 14, particularly with how he deals with the students and residents, and then is acting like a good guy, as if he was all along. The stuff where one of his former conquests — to whom he was just AWFUL after they slept together, and dismissive of her medical abilities — is surprised that he's now being nice to her is the only acknowledgment at all of the shift. And even that episode seems to be missing a scene where either 1)she confronts him more directly about their past, and he apologizes, or at least 2)she discusses it with another doctor. It's weird.
1. At the time, it was obviously NYPD Blue for me. In hindsight, I'd say that ER was more consistently great, and for longer, since NYPD's peak is really only the first three seasons, with a lot of unevenness for the rest of the Milch days.
2. While I didn't watch all of ER in the original run, this particular binge has been more satisfying for me than the post-Milch years on NYPD. But I'm also approaching latter-era ER with extremely lowered expectations, and have already moved past my incredulity with some bad choices along the way.
You're right about the awkward character transformation of Brenner. I'm guessing the producers just hand-waved and moved on quickly so they could justify/focus on his next storyline (relationship with Neela which was another annoying soapy thing in the later seasons) in final stretch.
Hear me out: the original CSI, which is on both Paramount and Hulu, is better than you remember and a great show for what you’re looking for. Starts really fascinating, dry but engaging with really interesting mysteries and slowly overtime morphs into a hangout cop shows. No huge personal dramas, always watchable and you never really feel like you miss anything if you zone out a few minutes. And just as it starts to feel stale it mixes up its formula just a bit.
I feel like the old USA shows would be good for your purposes. Enough episodes to last a while, all while maintaining a slightly above baseline energy level.
Would something from the Law and Order franchise have enough adrenaline moments for the treadmill? There certainly are enough episodes!
I still have one more Welcome to Wrexham episode to watch from this season. So I haven't read your review yet--though of course I know what happens to them. In fact, that's kind of the biggest disappointment for me about the show. Since they've blown up, it's been too hard to ignore what happens to them, so I knew well in advance of the premier of this season that they were promoted. It does take a bit of the drama away, though the off-the-pitch storylines are still quite effective. (Again haven't read your review yet, so maybe you touch upon this.)
Fun Fact: The highest ranking show in TV the Book that's not streaming (other than Louie for obvious reasons) is Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Next (skipping Cosby) is East Side/West Side followed by The Bob Newhart Show, which was on Hulu until recently. Quite Comically, Prime has all the episodes of followup series Newhart except for its famous series finale.
Ah, math! FWIW, Mary Hartman and EW/WS were both shows Matt championed. And he's slightly higher on Bob Newhart Show than I am. I suspect if you went back to our raw ballots, China Beach would be higher than all of these on mine.
Regarding 'Best Shows not on TV', I agree about China Beach being #1. Along with WKRP and ED, Thirtysomething and Murphy Brown would round my top 5. Also honorable mentions to Millennium, Homefront, and I'll Fly Away.
There's also a few shows (HSB, Newhart's shows, Lou Grant) from MTM Productions that have inconsistency in streaming availability. For being such a prolific showrunner, weirdly most of David E. Kelley's catalogued broadcast shows are not available (even on DVDs).
Grey's would be great. Would really like to hear your thoughts every friday about the show. There are a lot of prestige TVs right now, but i am not a fan of 99% of them so i am just going back and rewatching shows i loved or watching something i never saw. But more network stuff. The one i have liked, though, is Presumed Innocent. Surprised you didn't like. Never saw the movie or read the book, but, 3 episodes in, i am really enjoying it. This and Hijack are things i would like more right now. Also watching for the first time Line of Duty. Really good.
Yeah, GG not treadmill. Few months ago i started watching CSI for the first time, thought it was very good. Everything felt much better, at least for me, that the average Dick Wolf shows-NCIS episode.
I tried Chicago Med after my most recent ER binge, and I got through a season-ish before I gave up. Not even as good as Stamos ER. I never watched House when it was on, but I might try that one next.
As a fan of another League Two club, I'm very glad to see the back of Wrexham and their circus.
I can imagine. Like it says in the column, Rob and Ryan are very open about the advantages that come from their celebrity and the popularity of the show, while also being clear throughout that the town of Wrexham isn't fundamentally more special than the homes of other League Two teams they could have purchased. It's just the one that was available.
You could do a West Wing rewatch, and imagine that Sorkin is having you do walk-and-talks.
Seconded!
Blue Sky shows I find to be really good for treadmill (or exercise bike in my case) TV. So I'd suggest White Collar - a couple of suspenseful capers each episode, fun banter, breezy pacing and some very pretty people.
My non-streaming holy grail for a long time has been the Miles Drentel Cinematic Universe shows - thirtysomething and Once and Again.
thirtysomething's importance in TV history is undisputed (and it's influence on Mad Men has been largely overlooked, I think.) Once and Again has some extraordinary performances, especially by Evan Rachel Woods and Julia Whelan (who aparrently has carved out a top-notch audiobook career) and deserves to be rediscovered.
I did a good chunk of White Collar s1 last summer in the wake of the Suits phenomenon. Might not be a bad one to go back to.
And, yes, it's frustrating that My So-Called Life is the only HerskoZwick show that's ever been streaming. I'd 1000% try Once and Again again.
Once and Again is one of my favorite shows. I really wish it was streaming. I'm glad to hear that Julia Whelan has a successful career.
Also, talking about old TV shows. Have been rewatching some House lately, and is incredible how rewatchable it is. Can't believe Hugh Laurie never got a Emmy.
The X-Files is my #1 suggestion for a streaming (re)watch. The mythology loses its steam near the end, but the chemistry between Duchovny and Gillian remains great. There's also the newcomers Moonlighting and Northern Exposure (please give the latter another chance!).
I remember you mentioning you didn't complete the DC shows on the CW which still contained high adrenaline components in later seasons, even when things became too convoluted. In similar realm, also recommend Angel, House, or even Discovery if you want to be completest. Or the missed seasons of the Doctor Who revival.
P.S. I have a few ER questions, but I'll save those when you're done watching the final season.
Fire away with your ER questions! I remember the later episodes well enough that you won't spoil anything, and it's driving me nuts finding someone to talk about my niche opinions on 16-year-old episodes of television. Like, Simon Brenner is introduced as a serial sexual harasser who then discards and mistreats his coworkers after sleeping with them, and in the following season they show him being nicer to one of those women, but never (at least not so far) present a scene where they talk about why he's acting differently.
Also? Tony and Sam were exasperating enough when they were part of a larger ensemble. When it's only six regular characters in the final season, it is just a whole lot of those two. Yeesh.
Brenner's behavior does get explained later although it's a clear Emmy-ploy for David Lyons. When an episode isn't focused on returnee cast member (main or recurring), the final season does really drag (such as the Tony & Sam relationship and Neela's personal struggles) for the most part. Production seemed so much more motivated for the special episodes.
As for my ER questions, it's in comparison to NYPD Blue as you're the foremost expert on it and two fought for the Best TV Drama title in the '90s:
1. Which show did you find it better/enjoyable at its peak (ER 1-6 or NYPD 1-5)?
2. Inversely, which one did you find more satisfying/less struggle to complete post-peak and all the way through?
P.S. Do you know what happened to Amanda Wilson? I can't find any writings of hers post-2005.
Oh, I've gotten to the child molestation thing (and remembered that from the original viewing). It's more the specific nature of how he's a total heel when introduced in season 14, particularly with how he deals with the students and residents, and then is acting like a good guy, as if he was all along. The stuff where one of his former conquests — to whom he was just AWFUL after they slept together, and dismissive of her medical abilities — is surprised that he's now being nice to her is the only acknowledgment at all of the shift. And even that episode seems to be missing a scene where either 1)she confronts him more directly about their past, and he apologizes, or at least 2)she discusses it with another doctor. It's weird.
1. At the time, it was obviously NYPD Blue for me. In hindsight, I'd say that ER was more consistently great, and for longer, since NYPD's peak is really only the first three seasons, with a lot of unevenness for the rest of the Milch days.
2. While I didn't watch all of ER in the original run, this particular binge has been more satisfying for me than the post-Milch years on NYPD. But I'm also approaching latter-era ER with extremely lowered expectations, and have already moved past my incredulity with some bad choices along the way.
You're right about the awkward character transformation of Brenner. I'm guessing the producers just hand-waved and moved on quickly so they could justify/focus on his next storyline (relationship with Neela which was another annoying soapy thing in the later seasons) in final stretch.
Maybe a deep dive on how M*A*S*H holds up all these years later?
Sitcoms aren't ideal for my purposes. Even the surgical scenes on this are pretty sedate.
Hear me out: the original CSI, which is on both Paramount and Hulu, is better than you remember and a great show for what you’re looking for. Starts really fascinating, dry but engaging with really interesting mysteries and slowly overtime morphs into a hangout cop shows. No huge personal dramas, always watchable and you never really feel like you miss anything if you zone out a few minutes. And just as it starts to feel stale it mixes up its formula just a bit.
Treadmill show: ALIAS.
When I ran on the treadmill more, I was a big fan of watching CW shows, especially the Arrowverse. Arrow, The Flash, Black Lightning, etc...
Potential treadmill shows: LA Law, Hill Street Blues, a quick burn through Moonlighting, Justified
Psych, Monk, Burn Notice?
I feel like the old USA shows would be good for your purposes. Enough episodes to last a while, all while maintaining a slightly above baseline energy level.
Would something from the Law and Order franchise have enough adrenaline moments for the treadmill? There certainly are enough episodes!
I still have one more Welcome to Wrexham episode to watch from this season. So I haven't read your review yet--though of course I know what happens to them. In fact, that's kind of the biggest disappointment for me about the show. Since they've blown up, it's been too hard to ignore what happens to them, so I knew well in advance of the premier of this season that they were promoted. It does take a bit of the drama away, though the off-the-pitch storylines are still quite effective. (Again haven't read your review yet, so maybe you touch upon this.)
Fun Fact: The highest ranking show in TV the Book that's not streaming (other than Louie for obvious reasons) is Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Next (skipping Cosby) is East Side/West Side followed by The Bob Newhart Show, which was on Hulu until recently. Quite Comically, Prime has all the episodes of followup series Newhart except for its famous series finale.
Ah, math! FWIW, Mary Hartman and EW/WS were both shows Matt championed. And he's slightly higher on Bob Newhart Show than I am. I suspect if you went back to our raw ballots, China Beach would be higher than all of these on mine.
Regarding 'Best Shows not on TV', I agree about China Beach being #1. Along with WKRP and ED, Thirtysomething and Murphy Brown would round my top 5. Also honorable mentions to Millennium, Homefront, and I'll Fly Away.
There's also a few shows (HSB, Newhart's shows, Lou Grant) from MTM Productions that have inconsistency in streaming availability. For being such a prolific showrunner, weirdly most of David E. Kelley's catalogued broadcast shows are not available (even on DVDs).
Why isn't "Frank's Place" anywhere?
Music rights.
But if you search around on a certain Google-owned site, you'll find it.
Grey's would be great. Would really like to hear your thoughts every friday about the show. There are a lot of prestige TVs right now, but i am not a fan of 99% of them so i am just going back and rewatching shows i loved or watching something i never saw. But more network stuff. The one i have liked, though, is Presumed Innocent. Surprised you didn't like. Never saw the movie or read the book, but, 3 episodes in, i am really enjoying it. This and Hijack are things i would like more right now. Also watching for the first time Line of Duty. Really good.
What about Gilmore Girls?
I rewatched most of GG with one of my kids a few years back. Wouldn't feel the need to do it again, even if it was less cozy and more kickass.
Yeah, GG not treadmill. Few months ago i started watching CSI for the first time, thought it was very good. Everything felt much better, at least for me, that the average Dick Wolf shows-NCIS episode.