FARK.com: (6701459) About five years ago, we were lamenting the loss of sitcoms on TV. due to Reality TV. Now, sitcoms are back, but we're still wondering where our good dramas are

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		About five years ago, we were lamenting the loss of sitcoms on TV. due to Reality TV. Now, sitcoms are back, but we're still wondering where our good dramas are (nymag.com)		100
		More: Interesting, human beings, Vincent D'Onofrio, Munsters, Drop Dead Diva, dark comedy, Greg Berlanti, Joel Silver, Ethan Hawke

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jaylectricity

2011-11-03 12:06:21 PM

For awhile the only television I watched was sports and cartoons. But the sitcoms have been building up a little.
Currently watching (in order of day of the week aired):
The Simpsons
The Cleveland Show
Family Guy
Whatever comes in between or after those shows
How I Met Your Mother
Two Broke Girls
Two and a Half Men
New Girl
Workaholics
Modern Family
South Park
The Big Bang Theory
Rules of Engagement
Whitney
Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Wow, that's a lot.

As for dramas I stopped watching those a few seasons into House. I can't remember week to week what's going on during most dramas so they end up boring me. I like my shows in a nice package.

I've made an exception for American Horror Story. At least for a couple weeks.

Wendy's Chili

2011-11-03 12:08:21 PM

AMC, HBO, and Showtime.

Brooklyn Irish Mets Fan

2011-11-03 12:27:10 PM

Wendy's Chili: AMC, HBO, and Showtime.

Over in 2

Jake Havechek

2011-11-03 12:28:47 PM

I've been watching Two Broke Girls religiously but big boobs are no longer winning over the terrible writing by a blowout.

sigdiamond2000

2011-11-03 12:29:20 PM

Television has been better in the last 10 years than it ever has been in history.

GAT_00

2011-11-03 12:29:43 PM

Watch The Good Wife. You're welcome.

Jake Havechek

2011-11-03 12:31:18 PM

Grimm is pretty cool, which means it will get canceled soon.

scottydoesntknow

2011-11-03 12:31:32 PM

jaylectricity: List.

Pretty good list, but you're missing The League.

Balchinian

2011-11-03 12:33:19 PM

Silly Subby, lamenting is the whole purpose of television! The whole idea is to put viewers into a lamenting mindset with the programs so that you will be more receptive and desiring when they show you the ads for all the things that will make you feel better. Where have you been that you did not know this?

Galvatron Zero

2011-11-03 12:34:09 PM

Brooklyn Irish Mets Fan: Wendy's Chili: AMC, HBO, and Showtime.

Over in 2

I was pretty much going to post this.

I could easily live with only these three channels and cancel everything else.

That being said, I don't typically watch much TV these days anyway. If I could pick just 3 shows a week to watch and pay for just that, I'd be good.

scottydoesntknow

2011-11-03 12:36:03 PM

Galvatron Zero: Brooklyn Irish Mets Fan: Wendy's Chili: AMC, HBO, and Showtime.

Over in 2

I was pretty much going to post this.

I could easily live with only these three channels and cancel everything else.

That being said, I don't typically watch much TV these days anyway. If I could pick just 3 shows a week to watch and pay for just that, I'd be good.

FX too. They went from just "FX has the movies" to "FX has some of the most original and humorous shows on TV."

Jake Havechek

2011-11-03 12:36:07 PM

There were a lot of sitcoms in the 80s that sucked as well. The old man found a 13" black and white TV at the dump and gave it to me, so when I wasn't listening to the radio, I was was watching lame sitcoms. I watched the Charles and Diana wedding, some of it, on that TV.

jaylectricity

2011-11-03 12:37:12 PM

scottydoesntknow: jaylectricity: List.

Pretty good list, but you're missing The League.

Actually, I do like that show but I don't watch it religiously so I forgot to include it. It's programmed to record on the DVR.

Obscure Login

2011-11-03 12:37:30 PM

scottydoesntknow: jaylectricity: List.

Pretty good list, but you're missing The League.

...and Community.

And so far so good for Once Upon a Time. It seems like something that could do better as a mini series, but we'll see how it goes.

SDRR

2011-11-03 12:37:44 PM

Who is "we"? Do you have a mouse in your pocket?

8 inches

2011-11-03 12:37:53 PM

Person of Interest.

Leader O'Cola

2011-11-03 12:37:59 PM

Wendy's Chili: AMC, HBO, and Showtime.

missing USA and FX

Smelly McUgly

2011-11-03 12:39:08 PM

There are quite a few good dramas out there. Homeland, The Good Wife, and Breaking Bad for example (in no particular order).

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat

2011-11-03 12:40:35 PM

Obscure Login: scottydoesntknow: jaylectricity: List.

Pretty good list, but you're missing The League.

...and Community.

Yeah. Community's the best sit-com on TV right now.

/In this or any of the other parallel universes.

MoronLessOff

2011-11-03 12:41:17 PM

Jake Havechek: I've been watching Two Broke Girls religiously but big boobs are no longer winning over the terrible writing by a blowout.

Leaked cell phone pics. That is all.

AcneVulgaris

2011-11-03 12:43:02 PM

I haven't had cable since 1992. I just wanted to come in and tell you all how much better than you that makes me.

bigmattress

2011-11-03 12:43:14 PM

/hotlinked

Happy Endings is getting better, showing some promise. Not on the same level as Parks and Rec and Community, but better than the dreck.

KingKauff

2011-11-03 12:47:11 PM

Terra Nova has shaped into a nice drama.

scottydoesntknow

2011-11-03 12:53:38 PM

KingKauff: Terra Nova has shaped into a nice drama.

They lost me after the 3rd episode. You're on prehistoric earth, surrounded by man-eating dinosaurs, and you're already doing the illness episode?! WTF I didn't sign on to watch you battle dino-flu!

Wendy's Chili

2011-11-03 12:53:51 PM

scottydoesntknow: Galvatron Zero: Brooklyn Irish Mets Fan: Wendy's Chili: AMC, HBO, and Showtime.

Over in 2

I was pretty much going to post this.

I could easily live with only these three channels and cancel everything else.

That being said, I don't typically watch much TV these days anyway. If I could pick just 3 shows a week to watch and pay for just that, I'd be good.

FX too. They went from just "FX has the movies" to "FX has some of the most original and humorous shows on TV."

Always Sunny and Archer are good. But they're not exactly dramas.

scottydoesntknow

2011-11-03 12:59:28 PM

Wendy's Chili: scottydoesntknow: Galvatron Zero: Brooklyn Irish Mets Fan: Wendy's Chili: AMC, HBO, and Showtime.

Over in 2

I was pretty much going to post this.

I could easily live with only these three channels and cancel everything else.

That being said, I don't typically watch much TV these days anyway. If I could pick just 3 shows a week to watch and pay for just that, I'd be good.

FX too. They went from just "FX has the movies" to "FX has some of the most original and humorous shows on TV."

Always Sunny and Archer are good. But they're not exactly dramas.

Sons of Anarchy, American Horror Story, Rescue Me, Terriers (horribly underrated). and they've got a few coming out next year. They also had The Shield, Damages, and Nip/Tuck.

barneyfifesbullet

2011-11-03 01:00:39 PM

where our good dramas are

You have the ones about New York cops.

You have the ones about New York detectives.

You have the ones about New York lawyers.

Wot da fook da ya want anyway?

That coward David Lopan

2011-11-03 01:04:54 PM

Fringe
Mad Men
Sons Of Anarchy
Boardwalk Empire
Dexter

Do you really need to watch more drama than that a week?

Fongul

2011-11-03 01:06:25 PM

I'm a big fan of "Dr. Cop, Esq"

(Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones are all I need)

ElusiveWookiee

2011-11-03 01:07:57 PM

Anybody not watching "Last Man Standing" is missing a very good sitcom.

simusid

2011-11-03 01:08:35 PM

Drama?

Downton Abbey

that is all.... just not enough episodes :(

GavinTheAlmighty

2011-11-03 01:09:12 PM

scottydoesntknow: Pretty good list

Well, it's a fulsome list, but it can't be both a good list and contain The Cleveland Show, Two Broke Girls, New Girl, Whitney, and Big Bang Theory.

GAT_00: Watch The Good Wife. You're welcome.

100% solid. One of the best-cast shows on television right now. Josh Charles and Alan Cumming are terrific.

StRalphTheLiar

2011-11-03 01:09:27 PM

Maybe if anyone had watched a good drama like Friday Night Lights, they would be willing to make more of them. Instead, everyone wants to see NCICSI: Toledo and their magical cell phone video enhancement machine.

animal900

2011-11-03 01:09:30 PM

bigmattress: [images.wikia.com image 624x351]
/hotlinked

Happy Endings is getting better, showing some promise. Not on the same level as Parks and Rec and Community, but better than the dreck.

Pretty funny show, but two things grate on me when watching:

1) The rapid-fire "Gilmore Girls" dialogue

2) The chick married to the Wayans brother. Overacts on every line

IlGreven

2011-11-03 01:10:15 PM

Eh, about the only thing I watch with any regularity these days is Castle, and even that's slipping 'cuz I'm on 3rd shift.

GavinTheAlmighty

2011-11-03 01:10:30 PM

bigmattress: Happy Endings is getting better, showing some promise. Not on the same level as Parks and Rec and Community, but better than the dreck.

It still has a long way to go. I watched it last night and it got precisely one laugh out of me.

CujoQuarrel

2011-11-03 01:11:02 PM

Justified

AverageJoe77

2011-11-03 01:14:04 PM

scottydoesntknow: Wendy's Chili: scottydoesntknow: Galvatron Zero: Brooklyn Irish Mets Fan: Wendy's Chili: AMC, HBO, and Showtime.

Over in 2

I was pretty much going to post this.

I could easily live with only these three channels and cancel everything else.

That being said, I don't typically watch much TV these days anyway. If I could pick just 3 shows a week to watch and pay for just that, I'd be good.

FX too. They went from just "FX has the movies" to "FX has some of the most original and humorous shows on TV."

Always Sunny and Archer are good. But they're not exactly dramas.

Sons of Anarchy, American Horror Story, Rescue Me, Terriers (horribly underrated). and they've got a few coming out next year. They also had The Shield, Damages, and Nip/Tuck.

Um, mentioning good shows on FX without mentioning Justified is inexcusable.

FirstNationalBastard

2011-11-03 01:15:51 PM

Psych is funnier than 90% of the sitcoms on TV.

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat

2011-11-03 01:16:51 PM

simusid: Drama?

Downton Abbey

that is all.... just not enough episodes :(

I'm a bigger fan of Professor Spacetime.

laserhan

2011-11-03 01:20:08 PM

Seriously, Community.

Anyone listing a sitcom they watch that is NOT Community is wrong. It has become my favorite sitcom currently on tv, and is about to push past arrested development as favorite ever, assuming it doesn't take a nose dive.

The combination of fantastic cast, brilliant writing, and a rapidly expanding list of side characters is phenomenal. I mean seriously, its becoming like a live action version of the Simpsons in the mid 90s. Except their version of Lisa has a smoking rack and doesn't ruin every episode she appears in.

scottydoesntknow

2011-11-03 01:20:20 PM

AverageJoe77: Sons of Anarchy, American Horror Story, Rescue Me, Terriers (horribly underrated). and they've got a few coming out next year. They also had The Shield, Damages, and Nip/Tuck.

Um, mentioning good shows on FX without mentioning Justified is inexcusable.

Yes that's my bad. And I realized it after hitting submit.

Thinking about it now, I haven't really seen many commercials for Justified in the past couple months, it's all AHS.

laserhan

2011-11-03 01:21:04 PM

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat: simusid: Drama?

Downton Abbey

that is all.... just not enough episodes :(

I'm a bigger fan of Professor Spacetime.

You mean inspector spacetime, right?

jbuist

2011-11-03 01:26:40 PM

animal900: 2) The chick married to the Wayans brother.

He's the child of a Wayans brother. Looks freaking exactly like his dad though.

Seth'n'Spectrum

2011-11-03 01:31:45 PM

Thanks for the recommendation, Fark.

Suburgatory is incredibly awesome. Reminds me a lot of Veronica Mars.

But nothing else this year has really impressed.

chapman

2011-11-03 01:33:32 PM

scottydoesntknow: Sons of Anarchy, American Horror Story, Rescue Me, Terriers (horribly underrated). and they've got a few coming out next year. They also had The Shield, Damages, and Nip/Tuck.

American Horror Story shows promise. SOA is finally getting back to the meat of the story that they promised in the first season. I'd say FX is almost in the same tier as AMC when it comes to drama. But FX managed to cancel two dramas better than anything than big 4 networks have done in years, Terriors and Lights Out were fantastic. Hell, if they packaged them as mini-series you'd have to admit that they were both wonderfully self contained seasons. Terriers ended pretty damn well, it almost made me forget how much I dislike Donal Logue.

TimeWaste

2011-11-03 01:33:55 PM

laserhan: Seriously, Community.

Anyone listing a sitcom they watch that is NOT Community is wrong. It has become my favorite sitcom currently on tv, and is about to push past arrested development as favorite ever, assuming it doesn't take a nose dive.

The combination of fantastic cast, brilliant writing, and a rapidly expanding list of side characters is phenomenal. I mean seriously, its becoming like a live action version of the Simpsons in the mid 90s. Except their version of Lisa has a smoking rack and doesn't ruin every episode she appears in.

This.

What other sitcom can make a Halloween zombie special relatively believable, in the sense that it continues with the storyline?

Hell, I've never seen a show take on so many styles and made them work that well ever before. It's incredible.

laserhan

2011-11-03 01:35:57 PM

TimeWaste: laserhan: Seriously, Community.

Anyone listing a sitcom they watch that is NOT Community is wrong. It has become my favorite sitcom currently on tv, and is about to push past arrested development as favorite ever, assuming it doesn't take a nose dive.

The combination of fantastic cast, brilliant writing, and a rapidly expanding list of side characters is phenomenal. I mean seriously, its becoming like a live action version of the Simpsons in the mid 90s. Except their version of Lisa has a smoking rack and doesn't ruin every episode she appears in.

This.

What other sitcom can make a Halloween zombie special relatively believable, in the sense that it continues with the storyline?

Hell, I've never seen a show take on so many styles and made them work that well ever before. It's incredible.

I like in the newest halloween episode they even reference it... "I hear Dean Pelton got Taco Meat from the ARMY this year!"

animal900

2011-11-03 01:38:14 PM

jbuist: animal900: 2) The chick married to the Wayans brother.

He's the child of a Wayans brother. Looks freaking exactly like his dad though.

images3.wikia.nocookie.net

redmid17

2011-11-03 01:44:15 PM

chapman: scottydoesntknow: Sons of Anarchy, American Horror Story, Rescue Me, Terriers (horribly underrated). and they've got a few coming out next year. They also had The Shield, Damages, and Nip/Tuck.

American Horror Story shows promise. SOA is finally getting back to the meat of the story that they promised in the first season. I'd say FX is almost in the same tier as AMC when it comes to drama. But FX managed to cancel two dramas better than anything than big 4 networks have done in years, Terriors and Lights Out were fantastic. Hell, if they packaged them as mini-series you'd have to admit that they were both wonderfully self contained seasons. Terriers ended pretty damn well, it almost made me forget how much I dislike Donal Logue.

I love FX programming but I could not get into Terriers for the life of me. Their marketing was farking abysmal. I made in through 1 1/2 episodes before I turned it off for good. I've blocked it out of my mind so well I can't even remember what I didn't like about it. SOA, AHS, The Shield, and Nip/Tuck (till season 4 or 5) are/were all awesome and some of my favorite shows. Toss in shows like Archer and Sunny, and FX is probably my favorite network.

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