FX Network hourlong dramas

Gotta be Damages. Is Justified any good btw? I really like the Deadwood dude, and I loves Westerns, tho it's like a modern day type Western thing? Worth watching while I wait for Mad Men to start again?

Gotta be Damages. Is Justified any good btw? I really like the Deadwood dude, and I loves Westerns, tho it's like a modern day type Western thing? Worth watching while I wait for Mad Men to start again?

― Mordy, Tuesday, June 1, 2010 10:05 AM (43 seconds ago) Bookmark

i second both the sentiments and the questions in this post

i was apprehensive about Justified and the first couple episodes didn't really dissuade my concerns, but once it got going it's been really enjoyable.

think i'm gonna vote for Sons of Anarchy, though. just finished the first season and am kinda frustrated that the 2nd season DVD doesn't have a release date yet.

what is this 'damages' and is it really better than the shield?

yes on 1, no on 2

Damages is a legal thriller with Glenn Close. I think it's better than The Shield. Very tightly wound plotting + drama, and pretty experimental approaches to television narrative. Plus very very fine cast, maybe the best dramatic cast on TV atm.

is s2 of damages good?

THE SHIELD

s02 of 'damages' is great and idk where the haters are coming from

thanks i might check it out xp

i haven't heard many BAD things about s2 of Damages but s1 felt like such a self-contained story that it's probably a hard act to follow. still looking forward to watching it, though.

for years The Shield just seemed like not my kinda thing and even now i'm kind of intimidated by how many seasons there would be to catch up on, but i've heard too many good things about it from people who know (or make) good TV to keep avoiding it.

especially from the third or fourth season (with glenn close; the fifth had forest whitaker), 'the shield' is one of the best shows of the decade. the last season, especially the last episodes, is breathtaking.

i don't know why people disliked the second series of 'damages'. completely amazing special guest stars, if nothing else.

^^OTM xp

the shield is one of my fav shows ever, you will need to watch it from the beginning though.

The Riches seemed very promising at first but i've never seen a show write themselves into a corner with bad plots twists and cliffhangers and needlessly escalated craziness so fast. did anyone ever watch the Thief miniseries? I wanted to but then just kinda missed it.

s2 of damages is good but not nearly as good as s1

s3 is better

Going to give Justified a try. Can a fan tell me how long I should give the show? I'm willing to watch at least a few episodes, but I don't want to cash out right before the big payoff when the show starts getting good. How many eps do I need to invest in before it gets up to speed?

i like justified a lot

i'd say the first 4 or so episodes should give you a good taste of both the overarching plot (which i have a limited interest in) and the more episodic standalone procedural stuff (which i think are where the fun is). xpost

There's a bit of a quality dip after the pilot, but I have genuinely enjoyed every ep so far, and it has become just as great as I was hoping it would over the last few weeks.

S2 of Damages is dire

gotta vote Shield

Rescue Me can be intermittently great but Leary himself gets very tiresome. Also, points off for "pile on the suffering" syndrome (see also 6FU.)

kinda boggles my mind when I think about how much rescue me I've actually watched, like 4 or 5 seasons of the stuff

especially from the third or fourth season (with glenn close; the fifth had forest whitaker), 'the shield' is one of the best shows of the decade. the last season, especially the last episodes, is breathtaking.

― transient truff (history mayne), Tuesday, June 1, 2010 10:35 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark

Sooooo OTM - tho the 1st-3rd seasons, w/ the Terry Crowley murder & the Armenian money-train heist & its aftermath, are no slouches either.

Anyone seen Justified, the new FX series w/ Walton Goggins?

* cough *

OK yeah, I need to read threads more. still would like some more inside info on this from ilxors tho.

Of these I've only seen Rescue Me, which was fucking awesome.

damages never really felt as complex or as tightly plotted as the ppl who love it claimed but it was consistently enjoyable imo. really liked the ellen/patty stuff in the 2nd season

Sons of Anarchy for me, easy. Season was very good, season 2 was flat out amazing. I hope 3 can continue without going over the top.

the last ep of SoA's second season let me down a bit - a few too many neat little contrivances - but yes overall it was much improved.

I liked S1 of Damages but it really tipped over into self-parody after that, the big season-ending reveals have been more "LOL" than "MIND BLOWN"

voted Sons of Anarchy

I should probably try The Shield on DVD, I've only seen episodes here and there

did anyone ever watch the Thief miniseries? I wanted to but then just kinda missed it.

Yeah, I watched it - it's enjoyable, not amazing or anything. Andre Braugher's always good.

I saw it too. Definitely entertaining and the heist scenes were fun but some of the relationships (like between him and his step daughter) rang false to me

the last ep of SoA's second season let me down a bit - a few too many neat little contrivances - but yes overall it was much improved.

Yeah the end of the last ep is what kind of has me worried about season 3, but hopefully it was just rushed resolution/staging rather than a new direction. There have been a few interviews with Sutter that make next season sound pretty well thought out and great.

Gotta vote Damages, loved it through and through, every season.

Agreed about SoA - second season was a big improvement but the shocker ending (which was kind of awfully built up) worries me a lot for the show's future. Still in for it though.

For those of you wondering if Justifed is worth it, I'd say probably yes, especially if you already like Timothy Olyphant from any of his other TV shows. It does slow down a lot after the pilot into a lot of one-and-done episodes, but these are still pretty enjoyable and then it picks up the main plot again in the back half.

what channel is "breaking bad" on?

AMC, the same one as Mad Men.

am obsessed with damages, and i think season 2 of it is just as good as season 1. sounds like i need to watch the shield?

have gotten into Justified the last couple of weeks. would basically watch tim olyphant in anything tbh.

s3 is better

― max, Tuesday, June 1, 2010 10:55 AM (9 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

omg crazy talk maxtually!

S3 is better, though - I mean, Campbell Scott alone, let alone Short and Tomlin and everybody else they added to the cast. And I really liked S2!

i don't think season 3 is as compelling about ellen and patty as season 2 is. i am grateful to the makers of damages for casting formative crushes of mine in tim olyphant and campbell scott.

martin short aside the cast of s3 is nowhere close to the ppl that got for s2. & the case was lame

did love the frobisher auditions tho

i just rewatched season one and watched this featurette in the special features where ted danson says he basically played frobisher as himself!

I voted for SoA, but have to shout out for Lucky which was everything that Entourage tried to be but couldn't.

s3 is better

― max, Tuesday, June 1, 2010 10:55 AM (9 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

omg crazy talk maxtually!

― horseshoe, Tuesday, June 1, 2010 8:23 PM (58 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

not even--s2 isnt nearly as tightly-plotted or gripping as s1 or s3! plus rawls is so unbelievable in that role.

nothing is as good as the BIG REVEAL in the final ep of s1

max: still wrong

started watching sons of anarchy & its p really enjoyable but gd do they love long, pointless montages in the middle and end of episodes.

S2 of SoA is much better than S1.

SoA has had some really good montages, though. i think what gets me more are the overly on-the-nose dramatic speeches that strip the show of any subtext and make it all text, the S1 finale had way too much of that.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Who the heck voted for Lucky? (in fairness, that show was kinda good, and had Craig Robinson)

but it was neither an hourlong nor a drama...

Good showing by Damages. Surprised Nip/Tuck did so poorly tho, I thought it was a well-liked show?

mostly lost interest in soa feel like the writing is generally p weak overall & its static and soap-ish dg the love for it

SoA is pretty much worth it purely for the performances by the three leads - do wish the writing was a little better

I am beginning to feel like Justified has the potential to rival The Shield by the time its run is over - the second half of its first season has been phenomenal.

Looking forward to checking out Justified in the TV off-season. Walton Goggins' contribution to the last season of The Shield was one of the finest dramatic performances I've witnessed in any medium. dude is a PRO.

Who the heck voted for Lucky? (in fairness, that show was kinda good, and had Craig Robinson)

― Loup-Garou G (The Yellow Kid), Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:14 AM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

but it was neither an hourlong nor a drama...

― Loup-Garou G (The Yellow Kid), Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:19 AM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

sorry, wikipedia listed it under one-hour dramas

gotta watch justified

watched the first episode of damages last night. was pretty awesome!

I got through the first 4 episodes of The Shield and am struck by a paralyzing indifference toward watching any more.

can't believe i missed this. Justified --> The Shield/Sons of Anarchy ---> everything else

still seriously bummed that damages is over...i got into it right around the time it got cancelled

btw i been watching the shield it's crazy

justified ended up being so good in case anyone is reading this thread wondering and didnt trust the other people who already said it was good but trusts me

no way i just started watching justified tonight and am digging it hard!

also in other weird psychic moment, the scene in the first one with the fried chicken, my friend called me at that moment and invited me over for fried chicken

true story guys

yeah dude it gets even better

yes, there are more fried chicken moments!!

i better tell my friend

dentist-on-the-run one was dope

forest whitaker's performance in season 5 of the shield is unnerving

SO FAR AT LEAST DON'T TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS

FW as Cavanaugh >>> FW as Idi Amin

overall, but esp. in terms of being a scary ass mofo

oh man is there an idi amin character on justified

so ppl on this thread who have seen The Shield in its entirety are actually saying that it is trumped by the first season of Justified.. I really need to find an excuse to spend a weekend indoors sometime soon.

i havent seen the shield but justified is real good so far imo

The Shield may try your patience in its middle stretch, but o man does all that plot-layering & character-scrutinizing pay off in the end.

it's hard to compare, really. i would not say that the shield is trumped by one season of Justified, but i might say the first season of Justified is better than the first season of the Shield. walton goggins is v v good in both.

What Pillbox said. The Shield is probably not so great for a few seasons but the 2nd/3rd seasons and the last one are so great, even if they do not seem to be able to ever sustain tension in a given situation for more than 1/2 episodes at a time! I haven't seen any of the other shows, but I will try to check out Justified. Love Walton Goggins.

can i just say, about the shield, i think michael chiklis is a reasonably goodlooking dude and i get that vic mackey's alpha male persona is meant to be attractive, but i find it absurd how every pretty woman he encounters hits on him shamelessly within 5 minutes of meeting him.

xxp - that is what I hear & I don't doubt it. Goggins is next-level. So much so that I've even thought of paying to see Predators.

Is he really a reasonably goodlooking dude?

It is interesting to note the types and uses of sunglasses in The Shield.

Plus since I have lived in LA I love being able to identify all the locations in the background. I guess they shot around Silver Lake/Echo Park A LOT.

he's a reasonably goodlooking real person. maybe not reasonably goodlooking in the context of tv stars.

i know, i think about sunglasses so much when i'm watching the shield!

haha

is it messed up that that show kind of makes me want to move to LA?

not at all. it is pretty much like that

http://www.omogenia.com/stars-images/emmy2002/chiklis.jpg

http://www.morethings.com/fan/the_shield/pictures/vic-shane-neededdone.jpg
http://www.morethings.com/fan/the_shield/pictures/vic-shane_new-spot2342.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czu2_WPCYz0

Is he really a reasonably goodlooking dude?

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/6881/thecommish.jpg

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/7527/6chiklismichaelfantasti.jpg

soooo late to the party lol

haha
http://www.morethings.com/fan/the_shield/pictures/claudette-bucknaked.jpg

LOL these are awesome!!
http://www.morethings.com/fan/the_shield/pictures/corinne-other_cops-families.jpg

cch pounder's character is my fave. she rules and i become very invested in her storylines.

http://www.morethings.com/fan/the_shield/pictures/aceveda-female_admirer.jpg

see if u can find one of Dutch & Steve getting in the most humiliating fistfight ever.

would buy all the pretty ladies hitting on aceveda a lot more tbh

adam you are asking about male attractiveness a lot lately

no I always ask about that

why what are you saying?

I'm just constantly amazed when people go "[dude x] is attractive" and I have to reconfigure my whole idea of male beauty. I mean, c'mon, Chiklis!

Well, he did share several overlapping love interests w/ Jay Karnes.

i just thought maybe you were feeling insecure, i wanted to reassure you

I'm just constantly amazed when people go "[dude x] is attractive" and I have to reconfigure my whole idea of male beauty. I mean, c'mon, Chiklis!

― Tolaca Luke (admrl), Monday, August 9, 2010 9:28 PM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

u should relax your fascist beauty standards imo

I think you're right, actually. That's sort of what I'm saying!

I am shallow =(

aw i was kidding!

i started watching the first season of The Shield recently and i'm really having a hard time giving a good goddamn about anything that happens in it, like my eyes practically roll into the back of my head with indifference.

it gets better. the very end of season 1, stuff starts to kick into high gear. it's wildly implausible and kind of sensationalistic but i don't know, i'm totally hooked now.

wildly implausible - just wait until you get to the "blackmail box" sequence..

Terriers has had an OK start. It seems like they're going for a slow build, like Justified. Logue's no Olyphant, but he and that guy from True Blood are amusing enough, and there's an interesting darkness just underneath the skin of those characters. I'll probably give it a few more weeks at least, it may have potential.

it's like Veronica Mars with (more) grownups! the one-liners aren't quite there yet but the tone is nice. the relationship btwn Logue and his ex-wife is really well-done too.

is it pronounced terry-ayes

not an hourlong drama, but "the league" makes me want to punch everyone involved repeatedly

"the league" is to fantasy football what "nick & norah's infinite playlist" was to indie rock

looks pretty good.

I'm enjoying Terriers. Some good character stuff. Not great but watchable.

wait, meant that The League looks pretty bad.

I would have voted for the Shield, but damn SoA is pretty good, if only for Hunman and Sagal (sp for both?). Kurt Sutter co-wrote on the Shield, didn't he? I wouldn't say that SoA is as good as the Shield, but it's pretty fucking good. I mean ffs it has Henry Rollins in season 2! I was so happy I screamed. lolol

Justified is back in February! Still no word on a Terriers renewal, though. Btwn those, the League, It's Always Sunny and SoA these guys are killing it right now.

so happy about justified. SOA is my fav show on air right now. But enough with the nude Hunnam.

so there's no way Lights Out will be any good, is there? do we need a The Walking Dead-style series length string of boxing movie cliches?

last Terriers ep was fantastic

Tonight's Terriers ep. wz great too. Any word on its cancellation yet?

no, but the feeling is that it is imminent.

obviously it won't happen until after the finale though.

'lights out' kinda interests me, holt mcallany has always been a good actor.

TV critic I follow on twitter watched the first season and said it has some problems but was enjoyable. I don't really trust that critic though.

you should probably stop following them on twitter

i like to see a wide range of perspectives.

per my post upthread, the ads for Lights Out are so unappealing to me (and are SO LONG and appear in EVERY ad break every time i've watched any other FX show on demand the past few months) that i'm kind of predisposed to hating it, but i also feel like the network's quality control lately has been high enough that i'll at least give the first couple episodes a chance.

Sepinwall digs it

i'll give it a shot, but i was also foolish enough to hang onto Rescue Me for a couple of seasons. no Terriers or Sons of Anarchy on the air so I guess I'll give this a couple of weeks

Jordan could not be more wrong about The League

the League has gotten better than i ever thought it could be but it's still square in the middle of aightville

Holy shit Terriers is good, and then in ep 4 it turns great

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand)

Terriers was so good :(

oh man, we need to redo this poll with all the hourlong dramas that have been added

kind of thinking the later season would result in Sons of Anarchy dropping down the list a lot

(Justified ranking below Sons of Anarchy is just some bullshit)

I gather that that's because Justified was still brand new when the poll was run, otherwise lol.

Sons of Anarchy got really bad much sooner than I remembered - in my mind there was a season and a half of wacky biker hijinks before they killed Opie's wife.

Sons of Anarchy and Damages, both of them I remember from how early we pulled the plug, thinking it was way too ridiculous. Like, in both cases, maybe season 2? The Shield and Justified both perfect.

Sons got waaay stupider than humankind could conceive and I am proud to say I watched every stupid minute of it

i have no life :D

the answer to the question posed by the thread, and in fact most questions in general, is justified

Yeah Justified is so good. Except that Michael Rappaport season :/

Season is fine despite him.

It's really not. It was so grim and joyless, I think maybe a side effect of Leonard's passing just before (or maybe in the early stages of) production.

it was bloated & unenjoyable

Thrilled to announce that all 13 episodes of #Terriers will be part of the inaugural #FXonHulu lineup starting tomorrow 3/2 on @Hulu. Thanks to all the @FXNetworks execs who have worked w/me the past few months to make this happen. @donallogue @MRaymondJames #OceanBeachForever

— Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyanTV) March 2, 2020

God, that show got shafted.

The best show

I found Donal Logue 100% annoying in everything but weirdly adorable in Terriers. The Olyphant-looking partner is great too. It’s very difficult to play a convincing idiot.