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G4 picks the five best television programmes you haven't seen (possibly)

g3.7

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g3.7

g3.7

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5) mad men. drama set in the sixties involving men and women working in the world of advertising, basically, it's a character peice which like life on mars it makes looking at it's particular era seem as alien as possible. really slick, with all the characters slowly falling apart inside. might make you want to take up smoking however.

4) garth marenghi's darkplace. basically the premise is that a load of actors look back on a horror series they made in the 80's, which was too edgy for release at the time. so the creators present the episodes spliced with talking heads looking back at their making. the joke is that the programme is clearly rubbish, and has been made (in 2005 or so) intentionally so bad that it's funny.

3) the thick of it. political comedy from armando iannucci (alan partridge and more), and one of the writers off peep show. you could say it's a cross between yes minister and the office because of the subject matter and way it's filmed, but I'm not sure. it's very funny though. remade for america by the creator of my second choice.

2) arrested development. genuinely the funniest programme I've ever seen, it's very dense and contrary to the usual sitcom formula, so much so that you'll only pick up on 60% of the jokes on the first viewing. revolves around an appalling family with just the one good apple tasked to save their company (they're developer and the CEO is arrested, get it?). getting my excuses in early, it's surprisingly difficult to find a suitable clip on youtube.

(literally the only clip without rubbish music plastered over it)

1) the wire. of course I was going to say this. but it really is the best viewing out there on big or small screen. the best acted, written and directed body of work you could ever hope to see, sprawling from the first seasons' story about the police and their neverending war on drugs to include criticism on the myth of reform, politics, the education system and the media.

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bjd

bjd

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You left off King Of Queens G4....

Cant argue with The Wire. Best tv series ever.

Heres my choice - Weeds.

A widow (superbly played by the wonderful Mary Louise Parker) deals smoke to suburbia. Season four on now.

Ive also been getting onto the American Office, i thought i would hate it and that it wouldnt work but it really is very, very funny and far superior to mr one tricks uk version.

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dkw

dkw

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The IT Crowd is far too hit and miss for me and can feel really laboured at times. Don't get me wrong there's some good moments, the gay musical epsiode and the dinner party come to mind.

i thought the new series was better, but the 1st did have some poor efforts. also, family guy is a superb programme, i actually like it more than the simpsons...

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sweet waffle

sweet waffle

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i thought the new series was better, but the 1st did have some poor efforts. also, family guy is a superb programme, i actually like it more than the simpsons...

Family Guy is brilliant, sadly The Simpsons has gone right down hill, it's probably time they called it a day.

My recommendation is The Unit.

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ethicalstrategy

ethicalstrategy

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I'll chip in.

I tried Mad Men but I found it a bit too depressing.

I've just finished watching True Blood. I'm not usually into that sort of thing but this was excellent.

My other current favourites are Dexter - I'm just about to watch season 3 - and The Larry Sanders Show. I've just acquired all 6 seasons.

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Tim

Tim

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Some very good calls there G4. Wasn't a big fan of Mad Men to be honest, and haven't seen Arrested Development, but The Wire, Darkplaces, and The Thick of it, in particular, are brilliant stuff. Some of Malcolm's rants are just incredible.

I would include Green Wing as well. So surreal at times, and characters like Guy Secretan and Alan Statham (especially the latter) are absolutely hysterical. Very underrated and under watched in my opinion.

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bonetti

bonetti

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Some very good calls there G4. Wasn't a big fan of Mad Men to be honest, and haven't seen Arrested Development, but The Wire, Darkplaces, and The Thick of it, in particular, are brilliant stuff. Some of Malcolm's rants are just incredible.

I would include Green Wing as well. So surreal at times, and characters like Guy Secretan and Alan Statham (especially the latter) are absolutely hysterical. Very underrated and under watched in my opinion.

Gotta agree with that - one of the funniest series ever - crap ending though

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bjd

bjd

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anyone ever get to see reaper on E4? was pretty enjoyable

yeh it was ok, just ok. a bit of a buffy rip-off. worth it to see that girl though! (andi was it?)

anyone seen any of Californication series two yet ? hank is a legend!

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just

just

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I made a point of watching the wire on your recommendation G4. I brought and watched the first series before Xmas and have now just started season 2. I found it took a bit of getting into at first but I'm hooked now. Have to say though, for me, The Sopranos was better.

I also like the IT crowd and have got seasons 1 & 2 on DVD. It's good but nowhere near Linehan's earlier masterpiece Father Ted.

The greatest TV series I have ever seen, and probably ever will see, was Spielberg's and Hank's "Band of Brothers". Absolutely stunning.

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bjd

bjd

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The greatest TV series I have ever seen, and probably ever will see, was Spielberg's and Hank's "Band of Brothers". Absolutely stunning.

Wasnt it just ?

For me though the best show ever is Twin Peaks. Not one for everybody though!

Im a huge Lynch fan and i constantly find myself going back to watch Twin Peaks year after year and always finding something new in his wonderful, f**ked up world.

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just

just

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Watched all of Twin Peaks when it originally came out BJD. I freely admit it was mostly because it had Sheryl Lee, Laura Flynn Boyle and Sherilyn Fenn in it.

Damn, I just thought of Sherilyn Fenn. Anyone got a Kleenex?

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g3.7

g3.7

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I made a point of watching the wire on your recommendation G4. I brought and watched the first series before Xmas and have now just started season 2. I found it took a bit of getting into at first but I'm hooked now. Have to say though, for me, The Sopranos was better.

I also like the IT crowd and have got seasons 1 & 2 on DVD. It's good but nowhere near Linehan's earlier masterpiece Father Ted.

The greatest TV series I have ever seen, and probably ever will see, was Spielberg's and Hank's "Band of Brothers". Absolutely stunning.

now band of brothers is something else too... most expensive television programme ever... I think each episode cost ten million dollars to make! obviously the sopranos is also wonderful- I'd say those are the three best television dramas.

I saw twin peaks recently and I watched it all the way until they stopped but I thought the first season's storyline was really the only thing I'd watch again from it.

I totally agree with the linehan assesment- even though the second series is decent, it's hardly father ted- but he wrote on black books which I prefer to ft so maybe look for that.

barney, I was actually recommended weeds recently, so I may look out for that. I've still yet to start dexter (only seen one or two eps out of context) so I'll add it to the list, but I cannot agree with you on the american office. I mean, I think it's funny, but IMO it's not as dramatic or as affecting as the uk one. saw twin peaks for the first time a few months ago and really liked it, although annoyed at the point at which it was cancelled. at least arrested development hastily concluded!

also I've just remembered that the creators of the wire have got a new show called "generation kill", which is about the war on terror I think (featuring ziggy from the wire), so that's to look out for, and they also did a mini series years back called the corner (based on one of simon's books)... don't think you can get it here, but amazon ships region 2 version from holland for about £20 so I've ordered that despite my complete brokeness.

p.s. yeah saw dead set- it's by charlie brooker who has a good column in the guardian and an interesting show on the industry of british television on channel 4 (also wrote on brasseye with chris morris and did nathan barley which is quite a marmite comedy)

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loz

loz

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I hardly ever turn on the TV other than to watch football or a film and as a result I have missed just about every series on TV since Zammo chased the dragon and got a smack on the nose.

However I have finally got round to downloading the entire 1st season of The Wire so will start watching that on my PC over the next few weeks.

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Liam

Liam

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I hardly ever turn on the TV other than to watch football or a film and as a result I have missed just about every series on TV since Zammo chased the dragon and got a smack on the nose.

I'm the same. I really only watch the news and the odd documentary. Too busy meditating, taking exercise and of course my charity work.

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