/r/IWatchedAnOldSeries

Photograph via snooOG

Watched an old TV show and have no one to discuss it with? Join us and discuss!

Watched an old TV show and have no one to discuss it with? Join us and discuss!

RULES

1. The show must be over.
The show you're gonna discuss about must be over. Additionally, if it isn't over, the season you're gonna discuss about must have aired at least 5 years ago. Exceptions will be made. If you're not sure, please message the mods.

2. Tag your spoilers!
This applies for both posts and comments.
Spoiler tags are implemented!
The code is the following:

    [The Sopranos:](#s "whatcha gonna do?")  

And it looks like this:
The Sopranos:
Please note that you have to write an space after the "#s". Use them and remember you can write anything between the "[ ]".

/r/IWatchedAnOldSeries

520 Subscribers

6

I watched 'Yes, Minister'

A lot of what goes on in the bureaucracy and politics is still relevant, this show honestly feels like a whistleblower's expose of the state machinery, with intelligent jokes and overly verbose dialogue as humour. It's funny and very comprehensive at the same time.

0 Comments
2022/01/09
12:28 UTC

4

I'm re-watching Veronica Mars...

Since the new season came out I figured I should re-visit it, since I haven't watched it since it came out. It is so good. My feelings towards Logan are so mixed. He is so vile to so many people, yet I remember his family life was so bad and his love for Veronica is so strong. I'm still only at the end of season one so I'm interested in seeing if I'm opinions of him have changed after all these years

0 Comments
2019/08/23
03:34 UTC

5

I watched Cheers

I am sure this has been done.
Lead me to the discussion? My search on mobile is trash.

0 Comments
2019/07/02
15:28 UTC

10

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

I started watching The Mary Tyler Moore Show this month, and I have several observations, even though I'm only partway through the first season.

I find the fashions, for instance, fascinating--they aren't the fashions that I normally think of when I think of the seventies, like teenage bell-bottom jeans or feather earrings or hippie dresses. These people were all middle-class professionals. Their clothing is a bit more formal and professional. I believe that their clothing would have been considered "square" by people involved in the counterculture of the time. It's interesting to see, though. Every is wearing shirts and coats with huge, pointed collars and lots of the dresses and sports coats are in really loud patterns. Here's a few pics showing what I mean.

Seeing Cloris Leachman as a spoiled, snobbish SAHM was hilarious. Her big blonde 'do and loud, almost psychedelic clothing cracked me up. I was really shocked though by the portrayal of Rhoda as insecure. I thought Valerie Harper was prettier than Mary Tyler Moore was, and I found it interesting that they portrayed her in that way. She regularly makes cracks about dieting and being fat.

The main thing I noticed, however, was how much everyone focused on being married. Leachman was constantly making comments or doing nosy things that revolved around who Mary and Rhoda were seeing, whether it was serious and when they were gonna get married. She treats Mary's broken engagement (the backstory/inciting incident for the show) like a tragedy--obviously, this was done for laughs, but it really struck me how much focus was placed on young women needing to find a man or they were perceived as failures.

Rhoda, being insecure, really internalized this and was constantly wanting to go on double dates with Mary and scheming to pick up men any way she could. In the second episode she aggressively picks up a guy she hit with her car, but he turns out to be married. She constantly jokes about getting engaged or getting into serious relationships.

The humor is good, even though some of it is dated. A lot of the physical comedy is still funny. I can see why it is considered such a great show, the writing is top notch.

2 Comments
2018/04/25
00:50 UTC

0

Just start watching Marvel's Luke Cage

It's awesome. I should have never listened to critics and reviewers. I found the series a lot of fun than Jessica Jones Season 2. I found both villains good although I consider the first half as cimpelling and extravagant than the second half of the series. Here's a toast for Marvel and Netflix.

0 Comments
2018/04/14
11:31 UTC

4

My mom has been binge watching Hill Street Blues the past few days and after the little bit and I asked her if there was a decent amount of humor in it and she said no, so that intro is way to upbeat for that show

1 Comment
2018/01/07
19:38 UTC

2

I watched Friends

I have been told by many friends that I needed to watch the show. I was kinda skeptical. But after about two weeks. Pumping out about a half season a day. I have to say. I really enjoyed the show. Very good storytelling. Only criticism is not as much filler and turn the heat up on set. All the actresses are always nipping.

2 Comments
2017/12/26
21:23 UTC

1

I'm watching Married With Children

I'm on season 9 and it's great to watch again but it just hit me, How did Al & Peggy meet?

They have been together since Highschool where they both went, yet Peggy's family lives in Wanker County Wisconsin but Al has been in Chicago his whole life.

1 Comment
2017/12/23
10:10 UTC

6

I'm starting HIMYM.

Watching the pilot, it's all right. It's definitely better written than a Chuck Lorre show, even though 2.5 Men was great back in those days. Don't know what more to expect with this show and I guess I'll keep watching.

10 Comments
2017/10/13
22:15 UTC

8

I watched Soap (1997-1981)

All I knew before starting watching it, was that it was a comedy in soap opera format... deduced by the name.
I was surprised by the actual subjects in the series

This series was from before my time, but I'm assuming many of those subjects were quite taboo back then.. hell, some are even taboo today many places.

It had some great comedic moments, and at the same time had very nice amount of suspense and intense story arcs.
But of course it ended with loose ends, don't know how I could expect anything else from it.

Edit: typo in title, it's obviously 1977-1981.. not sure how I can change that.

4 Comments
2017/10/09
00:06 UTC

9

I watched The Sopranos. (Spoiler Free)

I can't recommend it.

To start, most shows with a heavy focus on crime don't age too well because technology and laws change, not to mention that we learn things that were going on less visibly at the time. The Sopranos definitely feels weakened on that front. The show began in the 1990s', before 9/11 and major reforms in federal law enforcement. With the Patriot Act and the extent that it was grossly abused that we're aware of now its hard to believe that the feds had difficulty dealing with a mob boss who isn't terribly good at being a mob boss to begin with. The Sopranos is more of a drama than crime show but its impossible to ignore things like this when the main character is a known mob boss.

Another way it didn't age so well is that it has difficulty transitioning to post-9/11 concerns. For a show that is supposed to be about the mid-life crisis of a white guy living in North Jersey. The show struggled making Tony sympathetic enough in the first place so being extremely out of touch with the general population in regards to the biggest, most culturally defining event in a while, probably since the Vietnam War, makes accecpting the central conceit of the show, sympathizing with Tony Soprano, much more difficult.

The show is way too long. It took me a few months to get through and there is just way too much filler in every episode. Watching The Sopranos its hard not to understand how HBO gets some of its reputation. Most episodes there are extraneous cuts to one of Tony Soprano's businsses, a strip club. Showing a little boob every once in a while I understand, feeling the need to shove it in every episode in a series with almost ninety episodes becomes a distraction that is borderline insulting your intelligence. When you look at the show in retrospect there are a fair amount of cuts to irrelevant go-nowhere subplots. Most of the subplots that do go somewhere take way too long to get there for ultimately minor character development or details. I wouldn't complain if it felt like most of these detours were at least done well but they usually feel drawn out and tired by the time you're halfway through one. The pacing gets shot to hell because of all of these typically either needless or overdone detours. A notable exception is the Pine Barrens episode because that one more or less takes up the space of a single episode and manages to be funny as hell.

Its sort of fitting in a way that the show feels far too slow to develop and that changes often feel forced because one could say the same of the main character. Tony is an old-school man caught at the turn of the millennium struggling to change as his world changes around him - his "profession" is dying out, his wife wants a larger say in family decisions, his kids are growing up and not seeing eye-to-eye with him or just plain not meeting his ideal traits. When his friends and family die its not a swift, more pallatable death like a car accident that we just think of as a tragedy, its somebody slowly dying of cancer that came out of nowhere or struggling with senility. The show does a great job of exemplifying Tony Soprano's anxieties. Also as somebody from New Jersey they also nail what it is to be a traditional italian american from New Jersey. The show starts off with a good understanding of what the character is like. Its just that once the show actually starts moving he takes forever to change, most changes feel sudden and forced, and he's almost impossible to sympathize along the way because of his darker side. Its hard not to see why this show was a hit with middle-aged white men with families but for somebody who doesn't relate with Tony strongly, like the target demographic of Reddit for example, you're not going to be able to care that "oh no, his marriage is on the rocks" when he's snuffing out the lives of decent, often innocent people left and right and surrounding himself with people who gradually reveal themselves for how evil they are.

I won't actually complain about the infamous ending because it works. You'll fill in the gaps with your judgement of the character. The last few episodes have a great focus on wrapping up his character and you can't help but feel like you're making a final judgement on who he is as a person so it works in that regard. The finale does feel rushed however, with apparently months or even years of living going by within two hours and it sort of creates a jarring effect where I think the show pushes you much more into the judgement you were originally inclined to make right before the finale. The only way to make everybody happy was to cut to black because otherwise you would've split the viewers, as undoubtedly many are more sympathetic towards him by the end while others (admittedly like myself) aren't.

If the show did what it did in half the time I might have been able to recommend it but it doesn't. Minor subplots are distracting, major subplots often have little impact, the show falls into predictable patterns after a while, extraneous details often end up being insulting, the show feels significantly dated compared to other HBO dramas from the late 90s'/early 2000s' and the main, underlying plot tying the whole show together isn't executed particularly well. If I could describe the show its a lot like my judgement of the main character - it starts off making very clear what it is but takes too long to develop, frequently resists positive or construtive changes, progress is often dialed back, and its efforts are too weak and too few to redeem it. Stay clear of this one.

9 Comments
2017/10/06
16:03 UTC

6

Just started supernatural.

Holy crap why did I wait so long?!?

My only complaint is the music. It’s terrible. It fits the show but holy crap im halfway through season one and I can’t stand every single song of every episode.

1 Comment
2017/10/03
15:05 UTC

7

Has anyone watched the Neighbors? 2012 New Jersey.

Basically it is about a bunch of aliens who live in a gated community. One of the alien couples leaves, and some humans move into the community.

It was originally panned by critics, but it's pretty funny. One thing the writers do is explore tropes just by making the alien leader aware that they exist.

6 Comments
2017/09/17
18:34 UTC

10

I watched Mad Men S1

I don't know if I love this show. It's beautifully shot and it has a semi-interesting story, but I didn't like S1 that much. I'm 4 episodes into S2 and I can say I'm liking it much more than S1 though!

4 Comments
2017/09/07
17:14 UTC

7

I just watched the pilot for Hill Street Blues (1981)

I love cop shows and only heard about this show a little over a year ago. Idk how long it's been on Hulu but I just found it yesterday and watched the pilot. It's obviously very 80s dramatic and over the top but I love it. Looking forward to watching more!

2 Comments
2017/09/05
03:05 UTC

14

I've been watching "Parks and Recreation."

I tried to watch it before, but it was so hard to get through season 1. After I finished "The Office," I decided to give it another try and I'm enjoying it. I just started Season 3.

The characters have gotten a lot better compared to the first season. Leslie seems more like a real person, rather than a caricature of the dutiful civil servant. I especially love her and Ann's friendship and how it's grown over time.

I think Nick Offerman as Ron and Aubrey Plaza as April really show what subtle acting can do. They are both so expressive in their non-expressiveness. It's great.

I didn't like Andy, at first, but he's grown on me.

The only character I still don't like is Tom because he's just such a creep. I'm hoping they will do more with his character going forward.

9 Comments
2017/09/04
20:10 UTC

11

I watched the first two seasons of Twin Peaks

So throughout the years I kept hearing how Twin Peaks was a great show and how it influenced a bunch of shows down the line. Been always meaning to give it a shot, but never got around to it, even when hearing a revival was coming. Finally got around to watching it a month ago on Netflix and just caught up.

Dunno if I would've kept with it if I tried the show nowadays. After the first couple episodes I spoiled myself like I tend to do for shows, so I was at least able to follow what was going on, but think I would've been driven mad trying to know what was going on week to week, and in a frustrating way instead of intrigued way.

Definitely gotta give props to Kyle MacLahlan (spelling). Great performance from him and he's someone I loved to follow. His upbeat attitude was addictive. Actually, the cast in general did really well. Took a bit to get used to the hammy acting from certain characters and some of the odd moments, but also recognize how moments like that can stand out and how they became iconic down the line (like the dance diner scene).

Side plots hit or missed for me, even in season 1. If what I understand is true, Twin Peaks really broke ground in having a town be the cast and showing not only the interplay on how the town folk interact with each other but having multiple plots following various folk in the town and expanding the characters. Before it's normally just a core family or group, but here there's multiple families, different age groups and groups in general. And the bulk of the fun is seeing the town get together and mingle. And gotta respect that.

Here's hoping season 3 is worth the watch as well. Only thing is I am bugged by the ambiguity of scenes and actions. Dunno if I would've caught all the nuances if I just watched the show on my own without reading sources online about what was going on. But can't tell if that's just me not following closely or if it's meant to be confusing, given that's also part of the creator's style from what I can gather.

3 Comments
2017/09/04
04:25 UTC

26

I've been watching Frasier (1993-2004), around half-way done

Started watching this and have to say that it might be my favourite 90s sitcom. I think it's just more consistent than Seinfeld and it holds up better than Friends. The amount of jokes/puns is a bit higher and they're often smarter. It's still a laugh-track sitcom so don't expect Community or P&R but the writing is still generally good. I saw it as boring when I was growing up as a kid so never gave it a go back then but the characters grew on me and I don't have a problem understanding the jokes now obviously. David Hyde Pierce's Niles character is probably my favourite, a lot of comedic gold from him and also some great physical comedy here and there (not the Kramer type, a lot more subtle).

Obviously for a show being 11 seasons long, it has some dud episodes here and there but like I said, generally consistent. I started watching it around three years ago and so far so good half-way in season 6 with no drop-off. It's on Netflix US and also on /r/Megadownloads if you search that.

4 Comments
2017/09/04
01:11 UTC

4

I watched The Rat Patrol

Not really posting to discuss I guess, since I'd bet very few have seen it. But give me a shout if you have!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060018/reference

It's about a small group of men in the deserts of Africa during WWII. They do little scout missions and such all over the region, running around in jeeps bristling with machineguns. They are essentially The Inglorious Basterds for The Afrika Corps.

They are frequently drawn into the personal lives of whatever little village they come across. There's some romance, tons of high adventure, and a healthy dose of shooting Nazi's. And I do mean HEALTHY. The gun battles usually last for several minutes and are pretty intense.

Overall, I'd give this series an 8/10. Production quality was very high, and the stories are compelling. Some great acting too, with a cast that is super likeable. Doesn't seem to have lost much with age the way a lot of 60's serials did. Great for binging on a lazy weekend.

2 Comments
2017/09/02
23:12 UTC

8

I watched Jericho

6 Comments
2017/09/02
20:24 UTC

12

Should I watch Seinfeld?

My dad used to watch it when I was little and I hated it. Now that I'm an adult I think I might understand the humor more. Is it worth it?

14 Comments
2017/09/02
13:50 UTC

5

Just started once upon a time.

Holy cow. I used to internally rage at the super fans but omg. It's sooo good I binged myself up to season five. The connections!!! The way they gave a modern spin on our old time classic fairy tales. I could gush for hours! Also team Regina!!!

6 Comments
2017/09/02
05:23 UTC

17

I watched the first 2 seasons of Psych

This has to be one of my favorite comedies

1 Comment
2017/09/02
02:59 UTC

8

Shameless

Just finished season 1-6 of Shameless. Jesus, they are a hot mess!

6 Comments
2017/09/02
02:14 UTC

20

Night court

Was pretty damn good. There were a few episodes where they had to show the audience they were still just a t.v. show. It's amazing how comedy has changed and its a real eye opener to how jokes used to be..

11 Comments
2017/09/01
23:35 UTC

28

I just watched the original seasons of Arrested Development

I'm about to start season 4. I've heard from a friend that I can watch it in order or some people online have reworked the episodes to watch them in the shows chronological order. Has anyone heard of the chronological order and where I might find out how to watch it this way?

3 Comments
2017/09/01
22:30 UTC

13

Watched Stranger Things

I Honestly think it was a little overhyped.

Was a good show. Don't think I'll watch the new season though.

7 Comments
2017/09/01
21:12 UTC

39

I just finished Season 1 of Community

I just started watching it last night and got hooked! The show is hilarious! The episode where Abed makes a film was my absolute favorite and broke my heart at the end with his father. I love this show and can't wait to binge through the rest!

7 Comments
2017/09/01
20:35 UTC

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