What Jac has watched

An extensive list and brief commentary of ALL the english shows/series in alphabetical order that I’ve watched to date. This is quite a frightening figure – I suspect I’ve spent quite a significant amount of my life in front of the telly…

Click on the title or banner links for more articles about that show!

Arrested Development (S1 – S3)

There are dysfunctional families, and there are really dysfunctional and hilarious families like the Bluths, who get up to all sorts of hijinks all the time. No one is sane in this family. One of the funniest shows that can actually make me laugh out loud, boooooo to the networks who cancelled it after 3 seasons.

Coupling (S1 – S4)

Remember Friends? Now think of it with droll British accents, and a lot (and I mean A LOT) of sex going on between the friends and other people. I discovered this BBC gem one SQ flight, plastered with lots of Parental Advisory warnings, of course I had to watch it. Fantastic show with great quotes which I suspect sound funnier because of the British accent.

CSI (S1 – S9)

The Original crime scene show which made forensics and lab techs sexy, it’s one of those evergreen TV stalwarts with 2 successful spinoffs and is still going strong because there’s always some weird crime being committed out there. Grissom and his one liners kept me company for many a CSI marathon during my holidays, I can’t believe he’s leaving in S9…

CSI: NY (S1 – S5)

It has the same premise of the original CSI but set in the Big Apple with a better looking team and more gun-toting and shooting by the CSIs themselves. I originally started watching this because it played after the original series on AXN’s CSI Super Sundays. I heart Danny/Lindsay!

Desperate Housewives (S1, half of S2)

It struck me as a strange mix of a show – a comedy/drama about the women and families of plain ol’ surburbia Wisteria Lane but laced with murder and narrated by a dead woman? Intriguing indeed. I followed most of S1 through, but somewhere in the middle of S2 however I just stopped watching, and since then I’ve just never been able to start it up again.

Dexter (S1 – S2)

There is CSI where they hunt down serial killers, but a show where the CSI is actually the serial killer? That was something that caught my attention. The complexities and quirks of the characters make this show very compelling, though I doubt this will hit mainstream TV, what with the frequent cursing and boobs/sex scenes.

Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog

A lovely musical available online about an aspiring loser super villain, the sweet girl next door and his eternal nemesis Captain Hammer. Love it love it love it! Wish there was a sequel…

Dirty Sexy Money (S1-S2)

It’s an odd title, but the Darling family are reminiscent of the Bluths in Arrested Development, just a hell lot richer and famous and just slightly less neurotic. The undercurrent of various intrigues also kept this show riveting. Pity S1 was only 10 episodes, S2 is still great but definitely a lot more soap opera like…

Flight of the Conchords (S1-S2)

An NZ band/duo play fictional versions of themselves trying to make it big in America. They sing their own brand of weird and wonderful songs on this show, and it offers some of the dryest and duh-haha worthy material on TV today. Quite an original show, they definitely have more than one fan!

Firefly (S1)

Swashbuckling space action set in an out of this world yet completely plausible future, this fantasy dramedy complete with hilarious and real characters is another unfortunate victim of the networks ratings game, though it does have a pretty strong cult following even after just 1 season. There’s Serenity the movie and future book spinoffs for those who can’t get enough of Captain Malcolm Reynolds and gang.

Friday Night Lights (S1 – S3)

A smalltown football team’s road to the national championships and the lives of it’s players and the townspeople. Sounds description doesn’t do justice to this absolutely heartwarming and touching sports dramas. I cried a lot watching Season 1, there’s a lot about family and relationships and sports to relate to. Also it doesn’t hurt that Tim Riggins is the hottest thing, ever! S1 rocks, S2 fell off the bandwagon some but S3 returns to its awesome state again.

Glee (S1)

It’s like High School Musical and Arrested Development had a weird baby – this tale of one optimist’s plan to revive his high school Glee Club days with a bunch of misfits is chockful of musical numbers from Broadway to Kanye. It’s definitely a fun show to watch, and some of those songs are really catchy.

Gossip Girl (S1-S2)

Bitchiness and high school drama abound in this show about privileged teenagers on New York’s Upper East Side, complete with titular anonymous gossip blogger, VOed by the snarky Kristen Bell. This show has some of the best and best looking characters (Lovely Nate) and fantastic interpersonal relationships (Serena-Blair! Chuck-Blair!). XOXO!

Grey’s Anatomy (S1 – S3, half of S4)

The lives and times of Seattle Grace’s finest surgeons, Grey’s has a good mix of personal drama and medical related hijinks (and sometimes all thrown together), and is a show with pretty quoteworthy lines and great soundtrack. With McDreamy and McSteamy and McWhatever, there are plenty of different characters to satisfy tastes across the board.

Heroes (S1 – S3)

It’s like X-men in real life, but all mixed up (Confused cop has Jean Grey’s telepath powers, Jap Nerd has Nightcrawlers teleporting etc.) and with ongoing plots of world domination in S1 and bio warfare in S2. A smart show, and along with the online comics for extra info, makes one a happy fangirl. S1 was awesome, S2 & S3… well they have their moments, but it’s not looking good…

How I Met Your Mother (S1-S4)

The relationship trials and tribulations of a group of friends living in NYC. Fantastically funny show with lots of pop-theories about the way life should be, I haven’t laughed out loud at a sitcom in ages. Also, there’s no one quite like NPH as, wait for it… Barney Stinson. Awesome, Bro, What up!

House (S1 – S3, half of S4)

Cranky genius doctor solves medical mysteries in the quirkiest and most unorthodox (and sometimes highly illegal) methods while snarking at his fellow co-workers and hapless team. A pretty funny show helmed by Hugh Laurie at his best as the titular Dr. House. Competes with Grey’s to see which show can produce the weirdest and grossest medical cases.

Las Vegas (S1)

The show about the high rollers of the Casino MonteCito and its employees is glitzy and glamourous and a visual spectacle. Everybody is very good looking and they look like they’re having a lot of fun.

Leverage (S1-S2)

Hacker, Hitter, Grifter, Thief – 4 master criminals are led by 1 honest man, a former insurance investigator as they become modern day Robin Hoods using their respective skills to right wrongs. It’s like Ocean’s Eleven every episode as they play all sorts of cons. Also, Gina Bellman from Coupling (Crazy Jane!) stars as well as a yummy looking Christian Kane.

Lost (S1)

In short, a plane crashes into a strange island, there are survivors, and madness ensues. I watched Season 1 in 2 straight days – my Dad was mostly mystified as to why they were STILL on the island after all that time. I liked Season 1, intriguing, but after that it just started to sound more ludicrous and I never did follow it after that first season.

Mad Men (S1-S2)

The life and times of advertising in the 60’s, set in the fictional agency Stirling Cooper, it’s a look back in history to find out that life wasn’t really that different back in the day, save perhaps we have better technology these days! It’s a very quiet sort of show, rarely any histrionics, and sometimes so subtle you’re not sure if things are happening, but an excellent and thoughtful show overall.

Neverwhere

A 6 episode mini series which spun off into one of my favourite Neil Gaiman novels, Neverwhere is a typical BBC show (i.e. Dr Who-ish) about the weird world beneath London, and one poor chap Richar Mayhew’s unexpected stumble into adventure. Complete with Assassins, Angels, Beast Hunting and Questing.

Project Runway (S1 – S5)

This is the only reality TV show that I follow loyally. Unlike most reality shows which tend to be about the bitch fighting, PR actually has an element of talent required to win. Plus it’s always interesting to see what people can come up with, especially under pressure. Fashion baby! I heart Tim “Make It Work!”  Gunn!

Smallville (S1 – S4)

The story of Superman when he still lived in hicksville, long before he realized his Superhero destiny. There is an oddly large population of Kryptonite infected super freaks that Clark Kent has to battle (and often get beaten up pretty badly by, wuss) every week. Lana Lang is a vision of paradise and this show has one of the better soundtracks, or at least caters to my taste in music.

The Big Bang Theory (S1-S2)

A pretty spacey actress wannabe moves in to the flat next to 2 lovable droll physicist geeks. With 2 additional geek friends to round up the pack, think of it as HIMYM if everyone but Robin (and Barney) had a phD. Love the geek-speak, they just sound so intelligent! Also has a super hip and catchy theme song.

Torchwood (S1-S2)

Dr. Who spinoff featuring a team that hunts aliens and other supernatural phenomena set in Cardiff, Wales, led by one Captain Jack Harkness, who just happens to be immortal. Lots of homosexuality abound in the show, and it does have the prequisite BBC kitschy aliens, but the team dynamic iswhat differentiates it from Dr Who and it is a fantastic series.

Ugly Betty (S1)

Ugly underdog Betty gets a swanky job at a posh fashion publication and has to battle beautiful backstabbers as she tries to do her job. Wow that was a mouthful. It’s mostly a very colourful show with lots of fashion, occasionally heartwarming though Betty can be annoyingly saccharine at points. Also employed a murder theme ala Desperate Housewives in the beginning of S1 for some intrigue.

Veronica Mars (S1)

So like FINALLY I’ve started watching Vmars! I’m only less than halfway through S1, but Kristen Bell is a great choice for the young whippersnapper outcast cum private investigator. Love her dialogue, and so far characters all around have been quite interesting. Pity I only started watching so late, but it was so intriguing I had to spoil myself and find out what happened exactly so I wouldn’t stay up too late on weekdays and could go to sleep in peace!

***

Sometimes I don’t actually finish watching an entire season, but i do catch episodes on occasion when they pop up on cable re-runs or other misc occasions.

CSI Miami

Horatio’s shade twitching and Callie-gun-girl’s super high voice couldn’t keep me watching this CSI spinoff.

Doctor Who

Kitschy BBC drama about an odd time-traveller and his various companions usually involving a lot of history. The props and monsters are not always realistic (but sometimes very creepy), but the story usually manages to carry itself along. It’s not the longest running series ever (since the 1950s) for no reason.

Everybody Hates Chris

The fictional story of the life of Chris Rock and his quacky family, narration voiced by Chris Rock. It’s title is a pun on long running Everybody Loves Raymond.

Friends

You shouldn’t be here if you don’t know what show this is!

Pushing Daisies

To date I’ve watched the first episode of this techni-coloured whimsical fantasy story about a guy who can revive the dead with a touch, and kill them again with another. Strange and beautiful, this could be interesting TV.

Scrubs

A medical comedy – this is what would happen if Grey’s or House was on crack. The strange flights of fantasy main protagonist JD’s mind took into oddsville were what caught my attention, but I only ever caught episodes from time to time.

Sex and the City

4 new-age independent women trying to find love in New York with lots of fashion and sex thrown in the mix. I like it well enough, though I did realize that Carrie/SJP has a really high voice, but wasn’t fanatical enough to finish entire seasons.

That 70s Show

The catchy theme song and crazy antics of 70s teens just shows that some things can’t and won’t change. I quite liked this show and tried to watch it on cable as often as possible.

Will & Grace

A gay man and his neurotic best gal pal live together, hijinks ensue! Along with the effeminate his best gay friend and her crazy high pitched friend, I’ve laughed out loud watching this crazy comedy. The only reason I haven’t watched all of this is because i don’t have the DVDs!