I haven’t been watching much in terms of actual shows for a good while, then while listening to a podcast a host casually mentioned they had rewatched Chernobyl, how it still holds up, that there’s a reason it got as much acclaim as it did, etc. So I thought I’d give it a go and wow, loved it (still one episode left to watch).
Had me thinking, what else have I missed out on? What are some “absolute cinema” TV shows that still hold up and and are considered must watch?
It might not be “absolute cinema” and had maybe 5% of the budget of Chernobyl, but given that people have suggested Ted Lasso, I’ll go one step further into the realm of fuzzy feel-good TV and drop a mention for my favourite TV show of all time.
There isn’t a single moment in that programme where any of the characters are mean to each other (save for the when dealing with a rival club). It’s just 20 beautiful episodes of people looking for gold, living their lives, and doing their best to be supportive.
And it’s incredibly funny.
The Great (Hulu) is an all time favorite of mine and almost nobody talks about it.
Over 600 comments, and among the many recurring mentions of the greatest shows in television history, I didn’t see The Venture Bros. mentioned at all. It is quite possibly the best-written show of all time.
Andor. Pluribus. 3 Body Problem. Queen’s Gambit. Babylon Berlin. Alice in Borderland. Shogun (the 2024 series). The Expanse. First two seasons of For All Mankind.
Shogun and Andor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexx
It’s old-ish and maybe not the greatest work of art on screen, but I love that it had a very unique world and characters and humour and it keeps on developing and changing throughout.
It’s been too long. I really kind of want to watch it again.
Curb Your Enthusiasm. Pretty pretty good
I just started watching Kevin can Fuck Himself. Im really enjoying it. I’m only 3 episodes in so no spoilers please.
It takes on the trope of the goofy sitcom husband with the exasperated hot wife.
Every scene Kevin is in is played as a sitcom, but when he’s not around it’s about his wife planning to kill him.
Comedies that are must watch to understand the media landscape that follows Friends Seinfeld How i met your mother Sex and the city
Top of all The wire Chernobyl Breaking bad The office (the British one) Battlestar galactica Band of Brothers Fargo The West Wing Dark
Incredible, but took a turn for the worse Dexter (s1-3 are good) Game of Thrones (s1-4) Stranger things (s1-4.5) True detective (s1)
Incredible, but cut short Mindhunter Firefly
Animation The last airbender Spectacular Spider man Attack on titan Batman: the animated series Death note South Park (note. There are a lot of seasons. I like 13, but you might very well hate it)
Fringe Classics that are aquried tastes Black adder Fawlty towers Freaks and geeks Twin Peaks
My wife and I have been binging a show called The Last Ship. Supposedly came out a number of years ago. It’s a Michael Bay production and kind of a post apocalyptic scenario but well worth a watch.
And of course there’s Always Sunny.
It feels a bit dated, but Veronica Mars is still an excellent and somehow still underrated show.
I also think Scrubs and Community are both peak television that stand up to countless rewatches.
Still Game. YT has every epi. Old Scottish guys dealing with how life has changed around them. Comedy, M rating, feels like a Blazing Saddles fan
For an older one I would go with “Jericho”
If you like the fantasy genre Shadow and Bone is great.
This is PEAK of my last year.
