I'm looking for tv shows, films, animation that feel unique, smaller and less like it was made to order and taken through incessant A/B testing and market research and more like a creative type was given a bit of freedom and went with it, and least to a point.

What I love about these series is the overarching plot that isn't too obvious, lots of character growth, and a great mix of comedy and seriousness between episodes.

A show I tried that was advertised as similar was Star vs. the Forces of Evil that was a little too in your face with a lol random personality that I don't really click with.

No restrictions on time period, and feel free to suggest anime if it fits the bill, I just posted in TV as I these aren't anime and I don't have much experience in the area.

I've just finished 1883. I haven't shed so many tears over a stupid show in a long time, if ever, and I want more of it. It was similar when I watched several lets-plays of The Last of Us.

I'm not sure I can pin down what I'm looking for. I think it's the journey through hostile territory and thriving in it. There's mostly suffering and hardship, and every small moment of joy is only followed by more bad times. But for the protagonist this is food, it only makes them grow and become more fierce. Not necessarily to their advantage, but that's drama I guess.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

American here. Wife and I have seen every American film and TV show we would ever want to watch. Broadening our horizons lately.

Not a huge fan of super abstract/art house type of stuff (usually). Big fan of sci-fi and moody/dramatic stories, but I also appreciate most of the truly great stories from any genre.

So far I've seen:

Dark (German series) - Absolutely loved it.

Parasite (Korean movie) - Amazing

Squid games (Korean series) - Amazing

The Wandering Earth (Chinese movie) - Interesting and visually appealing but objectively a terrible movie. Couldn't suspend my disbelief at all.

Still Game (Scottish series) - Hilarious and comforting. Endlessly rewatchable. This show does for me what friends does for my wife.

Kim's convenience (Canadian series) - Funny and easy to watch.

Derry Girls (British/Irish series) - Love it. Hilarious. Much like the office, you have to cringe through an episode or two before you actually get it.

I left out most of the British stuff like Month Python and Black Mirror because they're pretty well-established in American culture.

What else would you all suggest?

I'm looking for more tv series that I haven't already found and preferably that show cultural difference than what I am used to.

In the last four years I have watched and am rewatching the Japanese slice of life series Midnight Diner.

In the past I have enjoyed Kim's Convenience and Corner Gas from Canada and Derry Girls from Ireland, all comedies. I also loved the crime drama Giri Haji that is set in Japan and the UK.

I don't know where to start with korean or indian content, but I am open to anything you enjoyed that I might not have heard of. If it's obscure enough and from the UK or US, I'll take that also. Please share.

Previous submission

I am once again asking for your show recommendations for my parents! Please check the original thread for the requirements and for what has already been recommended.

Most of the previous recommendations have been watched by them, rejected by me, rejected by them or (likely) impossible due to not having portuguese subtitles or not meeting other requirements. Yellowstone is an example of a successful rec coming out of that thread while some rejections were:

• Succession: Too depressing, because everyone hates each other and there are no redeeming factors (paraphrased).
• Black books: Too goofy in a dated way (I liked it myself though).
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: No idea. Maybe they found it ideologically threatening? I still think it's a hell of a good show.

Sorry this is so difficult! I appreciate any help.

A mistake some people seem to have made last year was misreading "conservative-leaning" as "super conservative" based on the recommendations. We're not americans so the craziness level may be a little lower than expected despite some weird hang ups about specific things.

My biggest difficulty is still balancing finding stuff that involves varied locations and good cinematography, of the kind you might find in certain european moviemaking industries like french or italian (but also some original english language shows), and stuff that actually has portuguese subtitles. The lack of portuguese subtitles tends to exclude a lot of otherwise great recommendations. Sorry about that.

I've been thinking of throwing in some Taskmaster or something like that since they do like game shows but what we get here in Portugal is... mediocre at best.

I've recently been watching the old episodes of Patriot act, and it occured to me that since we cut the cord with regular cable I have no clue if there is a contemporary analog for that show. Basically, a left leaning, comedic news and current events show that tends toward actually doing it's homework on the topics covered would be awesome.

I have seen the vibe I am looking for in MASH and in the Dukes of Hazard among other comedies. Basically significant subplots making fun of the characters who see themselves as morally superior. Thank you.

Even before the pandemic I've been struggling to keep up with stand-up comedy. Feels like there was a real sweet spot in the 2010s where you'd constantly find new and interesting acts on YouTube, comedy central, late shows and even a few American panel shows. But it's only gotten harder as most shows and streaming services only really push big or topical names.

It feels like in the States, the mainstream comedy is getting very one-note with the tone of rich people problems and call backs to older material; while the more up and coming stuff is needlessly provocative and vulgar. And there's a underlying obsession with the idea of cancel culture, almost like they're trying to bait themselves into the press.

I love British stuff too but big names are focusing on other projects. At least there's panel shows where they can showcase new material and comics.

And the global comedy space is interesting but a lot is lost in language and cultural translation.

Maybe theres a vibrant underground scene of weird, surrealist comedy and I'm just held back by the big streaming platforms? Or I've just become picky old man now?

So suggestions for interesting or new comedy that's worth a watch?

I've been exploring the world of having the TV on in the background. In the world of FAST streaming, (Free Ad Supported Television) I'm a fan of Midnight Pulp, a live feed of weird, macabre, and strange programming that would fit well in a late night block. Is there a recommendation you have for something to put on when you have to have something on, but not want to pay attention?

Would anyone who watches more TV than I do (not hard) like to help me pick some shows for my parents to watch? On their own they just watch whatever's on cable/satellite channels and don't enjoy it very much. They're conservative-leaning boomers, but I like to give them subtly progressive stuff. In the past they have praised The Good Place (but, crucially, lost interest before the end of season 2). They really loved the first two seasons of Ted Lasso (will watch the third one soon) and of Only Murders In the Building (I believe they'll watch season 3 of that as well, when it's out).

Some more information about their tastes: Probably no recurring kid stuff whatsoever (a side character or two in their late teens are probably fine). Good humor is fine but nothing that gets too goofy (might be why The Good Place was dropped). Nothing that's too heavily horror or mystery; no police procedurals (Only Murders was skirting that line). Anything that feels like generic, quintessential hollywood will probably be rejected outright (european shows will get more of a pass). And definitely, absolutely, not a hint of high fantasy, sci-fi or space travel of any kind. Some light romance is good; travel is good; places around the world instead of LA-is-everything.

I'm looking for modern shows with good writing and actors, don't necessarily have to be famous. Modern shows - especially shows made for streaming - are more likely to have portuguese subtitles available, which are a must.

Thanks!

EDIT: A clarification re: children - My parents love children. They have toddler grandkids and spend an unreasonable amount of time with them. They're just the kind of TV watchers who aren't at all interested in kid POV/kid centric episodes, because they don't identify with their worries and dramas anymore, so these quickly make them lose interest. I know there are people right here on tildes who feel the same way.

It's still OK for children to exist in the story, though. Don't overthink it too much :)

Over the past 2 weeks I watched Arcane, mainly because a friend of mine insisted it was a masterpiece when it first came out and has been waiting to hear my opinion since. While I think it's very good from a technical standpoint, I found it very tropey and ultimately I was underwhelmed. Part of that was the expectation going in that it was supposedly perfection, but part of that was simply my own lack of investment throughout. I realized I wouldn't bother to watch season 2 whenever it's released, because I simply don't care enough about the story or characters to keep going.

However, my friend thinks it's the best Western animated show since Batman: The Animated Series, and I've been trying to think if there's any other legit contenders. Any suggestions? My taste favors stuff like Robot Chicken and Archer, but I think comedies are kinda at a disadvantage in serious comparisons.

By "not too specific to the UK", I mean something that can be enjoyed and understood (on a cultural level, not the language - subtitles take care of that) by someone who is not part of that culture. For reference, I really enjoyed The IT Crowd and Peep Show. Thanks!

I started tracking down commentary tracks for The Sopranos. Has anybody gone through them? If so, are they worth it? I try to do commentary tracks for everything I watch, but sometimes they're lame 'oh, I love this actor' 'this day was fun <no story or context>'

I'm mostly interested in backstory, technical details, etc.

Is there a show focused on current affairs that you would feel like recommending? I'm looking for reportages, in-depth interviews, and high-quality commentary, maybe not overly US-focused, the more international the better. The only one I know is VICE News, which leaves a bit to be desired sometimes. Grateful for any recommendation!

I’ve started exercising to TV and need some shows with episodes of 30 minutes (or less) because anything longer is not in the cards for me yet.

I’m open to any suggestions, but would prefer more recent shows and less well-known ones. It’s easy to find recommendations for stuff like The Office and a lot harder to surface those hidden gems that are out there.

Any streaming service is fine. My husband and I don’t really stay subscribed to any and just toggle individual ones on and off as needed.

Emphasis on interesting, please. Obviously subjective, but I'll say I don't generally find dramas qualify unless they also examine a system or make a commentary in the process, e.g. The Wire, The Newsroom. Just about anything else is fair game.

Any language welcome. Fiction, non-fiction, whatever.

I wasn't sure if this should go in ~tech or ~tv. Feel free to move if it's more appropriate over there.

I am planning to cut the cord soon and get rid of cable TV. I have an older TiVo Premiere that's rarely over 5% full. I'd like to get an indoor HDTV antenna to connect it to for those rare occasions when we want to watch something live, or record something off broadcast TV. I know next to nothing about HDTV antennas, though. I see that BestBuy carries them for prices from ~$20 to ~$120. I'd like one that works well and can be kept out of sight. (I've read some can even be painted over!) Does anyone have any recommendations or any things I should be aware of in getting one?

I'm interested in anything that's basically non-fiction television that isn't news or news commentary. They don't have to be documentaries but certainly can be, and I'm open to stuff available on any streaming service.

Wow this show is good. The last 15 minutes of S1E4 is the best television I have ever seen. Just to appreciate it watch this scene out of context and leave it there if you want to. But I'm pretty sure you'll want to carry on.

What other TV shows have got you hooked from a scene with no prior watching?

I'm currently re-watching all episodes of Detectorists and it's one of my favourite tv things ever, so I thought maybe Tildes would be interested. Detectorists is a single camera sitcom about two men and their friendship around their metal detecting hobby.

Here's the link to the BBC Four webpage for it: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06l51nr

Some review sites -

Rotten Tomatoes 100% (few reviews), 99% audience score: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/detectorists

IMDB 8.6 : https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4082744/

Guardian review (because she writes about it far better than I can): https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/dec/09/detectorists-rich-portrait-unremarkable-lives-gone-slightly-awry-mackenzie-crook

Detectorists is about nothing and everything. Made with palpable love, it’s about people and their passions; camaraderie and community. As a portrait of male friendship, it is closer to documentary than drama, delving beneath the topsoil of mid-life ennui via the sparsest of exchanges. You won’t find a laughter track, or smart-arse punchlines or an oh-so-subtle veil of irony here; instead of begging for your attention, Detectorists is notable for its avoidance of snark. It’s the drama least likely to culminate in alpha plonkers blowing up cars, taking down baddies or ravishing beautiful women.

Instead, it lingers lovingly over dewdrops on grass, magpies on gateposts, scudding clouds and gently fluttering leaves. Even an alfresco wee takes on a painterly aspect, viewed solely through the steam cloud billowing from behind a sunlit tree. Meanwhile, the camera makes high art out of Lance’s face in closeup, crestfallen as he unearths a scaffolding bracket instead of an Anglo-Saxon nugget, and from Andy’s silent incredulity when a colleague jokes about Richard Attenborough when he means David.

Radio Times review https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2017-12-13/detectorists-series-3-review/

If all British programmes took this much care over their tone, look and overall distinctiveness, the golden age of television would never go away.

Modern comedies are often predicated on cruelty: laughs are hard, clanging or sharp as barbed wire. In its quiet, undemonstrative way, Detectorists has ploughed its own furrow. Buried in its field of fun are evergreen truths about life, and the things we don’t say but should. So if kindness and companionship are unfashionable, I know which side of the hedge I’d rather stand.

We've had a few threads recently criticising the direction of various shows cough Game of Thrones cough and @Amarok suggested a thread celebrating the good stuff on TV instead. Personally, television is by far my favourite means of visual storytelling, a good TV show can go into the kind of depth and complexity that the more time-limited format of movies just can't touch.

A few of my favourite shows then, in no particular order:

House MD - recently rewatched this and it definitely stands the test of time. Sure, there are a few weak episodes here and there but on balance it's solid. Hugh Laurie absolutely nails the role of Sherlock Holmes Greg House and the supporting cast are excellent too. It has one of my all-time favourite endings of all television shows, even knowing what was coming I still ended up a little moist of eye by the end. Also they grade the colour with increasing desaturation throughout season 8, almost to the point of it being monochrome - until the final scene is in glorious, bright colour and I love little touches like that. TV shouldn't just be actors reading lines, there is a whole medium to tell stories with (Game of Thrones also did this kind of thing well).

Detectorists - BBC show about two metal detectorists. Gloriously paced, slow and gentle but insistent in telling it's tale, with really strong characters. Finishes beautifully, at just the right time. A gem of a show, it's very well written and nearly flawless throughout. Mackenzie Crook (writer, director) was offered more seasons but he declined because the show was finished and that takes guts to do but I love that he did. Also features Diana Rigg (Olenna Tyrell) who is never not brilliant.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer - I mean what can you even say about Buffy. Might have been the last show where my friends would meet up for a watch party every week, hanging out for hours discussing it and enjoying herbal cigarettes for the evening. Streaming is great and so convenient but in some ways I do miss TV being an event. There was someone very special about getting everyone together once a week to share in that world, and especially with Buffy because the characters were so close in age to me (I'm slightly younger than Alyson Hannigan and I had such a crush on Willow). Sure, it had it's wobbles (the entire Adam story arc, for example) but also some of the best TV moments of the 90s/early 2000s. Once More With Feeling and Hush are fan favourites for a reason.

Hannibal - Produced by Bryan Fuller, who is always good, but absolutely outdoes himself here, and Mads Mikkelson is terrifying in the titular role. Visually it's stunning, the plot is engaging and deeply disturbing, the characters well drawn and believable (Hannibal particularly so, which is all the more horrifying) and the sound design is absolutely astonishing. I bought a whole new sound system literally just for this show and it was totally worth it. Sound design is one of those things which you only notice when it's particularly bad or particularly good and Hannibal is definitely the latter. It's such a well-rounded piece of television, it uses colour and light and sound and all the tools in the TV maker's box. the ending is a little on the weak side but they got axed early - Bryan Fuller had five seasons planned but they only got three.

I could go on, but I won't because I'll go on for ages! Please add a couple of your favourite shows and maybe we can all find a few new things to watch.

Over the past couple weeks I’ve gone and binged The Dick Van Dyke show on Netflix. Turns out, it’s fantastic! The writing is great and there’s all kinds of content that has been reused for modern sitcoms.

What are some other older shows that folks recommend to watch and enjoy?