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?
Bosch Line of Duty Happy Valley Into The Night Lupin Luther Mystery Road The Newsroom
Babylon Berlin
Many great options here, for some more left field choices that are amazing if you are the right type of person - Braindead, The Big Door Prize, Pushing Daisies, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, Schmigadoon.
All humorous, whimsical, mysterious, surprisingly dark at times. Wonderful things.
People will mention “Eureka” in this same space, I do not agree.
Haven’t seen The League of Gentlemen mentioned (not to be confused with the movie with extraordinary in the title)
Loki isn’t bad, both seasons
- The Inbetweeners
- Frasier
it still holds up
How old does a show or movie need to be in order for such a statement to be applicable? Seven years seems really short, and feels like when a child says “when I was a kid.”
Chernobyl is great, but if you look into it’s basically retelling russian propaganda that this was individuals fault rather than a matter of when not if tragedy.
Anyways best shows:
- Better Call Saul > Breaking Bad
- For all mankind
- Altered Carbon Season 1
- The Expanse (by far the best sci-fi)
- The Wire (first of its kind for cop show that spans season arc)
- The Sopranos
- Succession
- Severance
- Santa Clarita diet (unfortunately cancelled on a cliffhanger)
- The Boys is good but kinda meh ending
- Fargo
- Andor
- Band of Brothers
- Barry
- Good Omens
- House of Cards first 2-4 season depending on your taste
- Punisher
- Daredevil (Netflix version not Disney)
- Mythic quest
- Narcos
- Peacemaker
- Peaky Blinders
- Utopia not the amazon version the British one from around 2013 is one of the most unknown shows that might be the best ever made
Comedies:
- It’s always sunny in Philadelphia
- Scrubs
- Parks and Rec
- The good place
- Ted Lasso
“How it still holds up”. Chernobyl came out in 2019. That’s not that old! It’s only 7 years. It might be a long time but not enough for a show to get dated like that.
I would like to mention Legion . It’s a SYFY/Marvel Television show made back in the era when Netflix was making their gritty, street-level shows like Daredevil and Jessica Jones for Marvel Television. I also strongly recommend the first seasons of both of those. Legion is three-seasons long with a complete story line planned for all three seasons from the beginning.
Legion takes place in an alternate world from the MCU. The main character is David Haller (Dan Stevens), an extraordinarily powerful telepathic/telekinetic with reality warping powers. He also may or may not be completely insane. One of the best things is that the show does not lead you around by the nose. You are left to puzzle your way through strange events wondering what is real and not real and whether he is insane or not.
Also, you really can’t go wrong with a show that has Aubrey Plaza and Jemaine Clement in it.
Utopia, the original one. Unfortunately it got cancelled after season two, and the IP is owned by Amazon who tried to do a relaunch, but it was a flop.
Still, everyone should watch Utopia, the visuals, the colourwork, that amazing soundtrack. I pray Amazon releases its grasp one day.
Devs
Go in blind. I still think about that show years later.
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Bojack horseman (better under lsd/shrooms)
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The Beatles: Get Back!
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Ordinary Denazification (start of the Ukrainian war with a lot of nuances)
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Ugly Americans (simple fun)
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the Act of killing (though film, it is worth it)
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Check out Westworld.
Stop at the end of the first season and you have seen perfection
Andor!
Best Star Wars content in a lonngggg time
Better Call Saul! I like it even more than Breaking Bad
