I just started a membership with zip.ca (the canadian netflix) and my wife and I would like to catch some television series for the first time. I'll describe a bit about what we've seen and liked, and if anybody has recommendations they'd be much appreciated. The only requirements are please no reality tv, and it has to be available on DVD.
We have both watched and enjoyed:
24 (I gave up halfway through the last season, she stuck with it)
Arrested Development
Firefly
Battlestar Galactica
The X-Files (up until season 5 or 6)
Carnivale
Deadwood
Seinfeld
In addition, she watches Gilmore Girls and CSI. We tried Curb Your Enthusiasm and she wasn't a big fan. Neither one of us really got into Entourage after watching the first couple of DVDs. We have only seen the pilot of the Sopranos, but it didn't grab us.
I have heard some good things about Veronica Mars and The Shield... any opinions on those two? Any other suggestions? Heroes?
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It's pretty grim, but compelling viewing.
Scrubs
Freaks and Geeks
Undeclared
The Office (UK)
The Office (AM)
The Shield
Weeds
Big Love
Dead Like Me
Odyssey 5
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The Wire - excellent serious cop drama
30 Rock - very funny, and gets funnier as the show goes on
Dexter - wonderful show about a vigilante serial killer, at turns creepy and hilarious
Extras - best cameos on television, and fantastic awkward humour
Veronica Mars - is great
Cupid - older show, made by the Vmars guy, stars Jeremy Piven as a crazy man who thinks he's cupid (or is he crazy?) and he has a mission to unite couples without his godly powers
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - probably the funniest show on television for me. It's like arrested development with lower class people who are even more profoundly awful people than the Bluths
Rome - very funny at times, also amusingly violent; mostly a political drama
Boston Legal - fucking hilarious dialogue and it's worth watching it just for Alan Shore's overwritten closing statements in every trial, which are always excellent
Also, if you're looking for something to have some good drinking games with, House.
If you liked the general feel of Firefly, go for Buffy and Angel as well.
For comedy:
Boston Legal
30 Rock
They're both absolute gems.
Man, I tried watching Rome, but it sort of came off as an excuse for porn, but with much, much longer badly acted bad scene work.
Homicide: Life on the Street
The Wire
Six Feet Under
The Shield
Deadwood (my wife doesn't like this one, maybe because everyone is either a cocksucker or a cunt)
Millennium
The Office (both)
The Riches (whenever it comes out on DVD)
Rome (another one I liked but my wife did not)
And since I don't have many comedies on this list, Futurama. Also, my wife enjoyed Veronica Mars, but I didn't watch it. Not because it's bad, but I didn't catch it from the beginning so meh. I feel like I'm missing something big, but oh well. Kudos on Carnivale, that show was beautiful.
Rome takes awhile to grow on you. I thought the acting was sub-par at first, but by the end I loved it.
Every time House orders a lumbar puncture, or has a startling revelation while reluctantly working on a patient in the walk-in clinic, take 1 shot.
Every time it can't be an infection because the patient doesn't have a fever, take 2 shots.
Every time someone suggests lupus, take 3 shots.
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The Prisoner is sort of obscure and geeky, but it's aged well.
House of Cards is fantastic and smart.
Not sure if it's already been mentioned, but Extras is great.
Peep Show's another good one, but I don't know how easy it is to track down in the States.
I went into it thinking it was going to be a standard monster-of-the-week story, but it ended up being much much more. Moving, funny, just the right touch of a thrill, and it just gets better as the episodes go.
As for VMars, I don't watch it (I just never started and didn't want to start in the middle/at the end) but my girlfriend loves it. From what I hear it's very snarky/amazing.
And I know it's nothing like the other things on your list, but I just have to recommend Lost. It's one of my favorite shows out, and honestly, it's just incredible.
Last but not least: Bones. It's very reminiscent of X-Files but without the supernatural/alien aspect of it.
(Thirding the recommendation for House, too. I've never used it for a drinking game, but the series is just great.)
black adder is a good one, if you like british humor (it has mr. bean and house).
I don't know when friday night lights is coming to dvd, but I know I'll be getting it for sure.
heroes is great, waiting for that to come out on dvd.
and even though I've missed most of this season, I thoroughly enjoy medium, which I know is available.
edit: and Spaced
Freaks and Geeks - Also, awesome. Only one season though, but it's really good.
If they don't' finish up season 3 of it I'll have to hurt someone.
Brisco County Jr. was a great show, although I've only watched a few episodes.
Also, if you want gritty prison drama, try Oz.
My Backloggery
That was an excellent show, though, especially season 2.
Here's a list of some of my favorites, minus the ones the OP already mentioned that otherwise would have gone on this list.
Alias
Sliders - only up through season 3 available on dvd afaik, but it was starting to go downhill at that point imo, anyway.
CSI: Miami - not as good as CSI, but still pretty good.
Dead Like Me
Lost
The Dead Zone
The Simpsons
Futurama
Buffy
Angel
Veronica Mars
Invader Zim
The Office
- Gary Busey
A Glass, Darkly
Frasier (Can't recommend enough)
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Scrubs
Band of Brothers
Futurama
Harvey Birdman
Lost
The Office
Firefly
I'm not that far into it yet, I've only discovered it recently, and watched through the first three quarters of season 1 so far.
HUFF
Don't do Lost unless you want endless questions that never get answered.
Kyle XY is good if you like warm and fuzzy family drama/comedy.
Over There is a 13-ep mini-series about the soldiers in Iraq. Very good.
Navy NCIS is like CSI but with humor.
Traveler is a new thriller that's pretty good.
Supernatural is good if you like a nonstop sausage-fest.
Life on Mars waas also excellent
And for comedy, The office (eng) and Extras are very good as well
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Coupling (Obviously UK)
Friends (Bite me. Usually not the best jokes, but very well plotted with large ensemble cast juggling)
Big Love (Very well written and acted)
The Wire (Just plain Awesome)
coupling, its just above but serfiously its friends but a little more raunchy....
SportsNight
The West Wing