Define Cynical Fan Forums

The Wire absolutely destroyed all other crime dramas for me. I used to like NCIS too, but after one season of The Wire my frame of reference as to what's actually good television has been drastically shifted. Now I can't stand five minutes of NCIS. Or those shows with quirky detectives as central characters. Or pretty much any show that tries to depict police work as cute or fun.

I remember hearing about Richard Pryor saying that the then-popular commercials featuring various celebrities putting out anti-drug messages were ineffective, and he said that what television should do instead was not put out programs like "Miami Vice" which he felt glamorized drugs.

Or those shows with quirky detectives as central characters. Or pretty much any show that tries to depict police work as cute or fun.

Not even Monk?

The Wire absolutely destroyed all other crime dramas for me. I used to like NCIS too, but after one season of The Wire my frame of reference as to what's actually good television has been drastically shifted. Now I can't stand five minutes of NCIS. Or those shows with quirky detectives as central characters. Or pretty much any show that tries to depict police work as cute or fun.

Never seen The Wire, but Homicide is the same way to me. The episode where the entire hour is two detectives drilling the suspect they know did it, but can't prove it without a confession is so much more powerful then anything else on most crime shows.

Not even Monk?

I was really just including straight-up crime dramas in that broad brush of mine, and I'd consider Monk to be part drama and part comedy. I still didn't enjoy watching Monk, but you're right in that it would be unfair to lump it in with shows like NUMB3RS, Bones or The Mentalist since Monk isn't pressed from the same mold.

Never seen The Wire

See it. Someone's got to have the first season for rent somewhere near you. The scattered Youtube clips of the show don't come close to doing it justice.

Probably the most overrated TV sitcom is Fawlty Towers, and I suspect its popularity is only because John Cleese was in it. He can be very funny, but in this show he basically overacted and screamed like a banshee, and I thought the show silly rather than clever.

Fawlty Towers is an excellent sitcom, in my opinion. John Cleese does overact occasionally but not to any detrimental effect, and some episodes probably qualify as among the greatest in British comedy.

I love Fawlty Towers. I actually liked it because it was silly. While we're on the subject of former Pythons, I love Time Bandits. I also enjoyed The Adventures of Baron Manchausen, it was surprising to see a very young Uma Thurma. Apparently it was one of her first films.
Then theres Rowan Atkinson... Black Adder is amazing, I never had an oppurntunity to watch past the Dark Ages one.
I used to watch Upstairs, Downstairs with my parents, but I don't recall much.

Yeah, I'll rent The Wire. Rent it from bit torrent.

Caoimhin, you should see Blackadder seasons 3 and 4. Hugh Laurie has a costarring role and is why I can't watch House and take it seriously.

Caoimhin, you should see Blackadder seasons 3 and 4. Hugh Laurie has a costarring role and is why I can't watch House and take it seriously.

I'm aware of that. I've also seen Black Adder's Christmas Carol and remember him in one of his roles. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to stream the series soon on my Blu-Ray player. Netflix works amazingly.

Yeah, I'll rent The Wire. Rent it from bit torrent.

That works too. I was lucky enough to find the series box set on sale for $140, but free is definitely a better price.

Blackadder [. . .] is why I can't watch House and take it seriously.

QFT.

On the subject of Hugh Laurie, A Bit of Fry and Laurie is a great sketch show by him and Stephen Fry. Very clever humour which I understand was groundbreaking at the time (not that it has anything to do with how great it is). It's up there with Flying Circus in terms of sketch comedy.

Black Adder is amazing, I never had an oppurntunity to watch past the Dark Ages one.

Second and Fourth seasons are some of the greatest comedy shows I've seen. Blackadder's bitterness and sarcasm at everything really grows more subtle and hilariously terrible. Maybe because the writing staff changed but the first season feels like a completely different show.

Hello? Yes, yes, I'd like to leave a message for the head of the Flying Corps, please. That's Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Massingbird-Massingbird, VC, DFC and Bar. Message reads "Where are you you bastard".