[100ProofBE]

So the nominations for the Emmys came out today.

You can see them here: http://www.tvguide.com/News/2010-Emmy-Nominations-1020284.aspx

First and foremost... fuck Glee. I don't expect that to be a particularly controversial or outlandish thing to say on a forum filled primarily with intelligent adult males (and a smattering of intelligent adult females), but the fact that this garbage garners 19 nominations would be flabbergasting if it wasn't so predictable from the award show that spent years rewarding Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy. Yet another one of those situations where I'd be disappointed with the state of popular culture if I didn't understand how far detached I am from that particular demographic.

Anyway, with that bit of ugliness out of the way, what are your relationships with the boob tube? I've never been much of a TV fan (always preferred movies and video games in my idle time), but I always manage to have a few regular shows. 90% of what I watch these days is Discovery (Mythbusters), History (whatever's on at the time), and ESPN, but I must admit scripted television has gotten pretty good in the last 10 years since networks decided "reality" game shows was the wave of the future and all of the good talent started moving to cable. 

So I suppose my question is... do you watch episodic television? If so, what do you watch? Anyone have recommendations?

I'll start off with a couple:

If you aren't watching Mad Men, start. DVDs can be had on the cheap and AMC will be running the entire series up to this point before it's season premiere in a couple of weeks. Apart from the lovely Ms. Christina Hendricks (who is nearly worth watching the show for on her own), the show is a bastion of intelligent writing and believable characters (for the most part) written for adults.
 
If you liked the first couple of seasons of X-Files but got bored with/turned off by the alien conspiracy nonsense, I heartily recommend Fringe. Same basic format (weird stuff is afoot and the FBI gets sent in to investigate), but add in a quirky mad scientist and an overarching mythology with a very human element to it. I'm not normally one for nerd TV, but I can't get enough of John Noble (as seen in my current avvie).

I've got the first couple of seasons of Sons of Anarchy and Breaking Bad to go through as everyone in the known universe keeps telling me to watch them.

[notty]

I don't have cable, so I don't partake of casual viewing. The shows I do watch I watch religiously.

In terms of quality:

1. Dexter

Last season was just epic. Everything worked brilliantly. One of the all-time great guest appearances by John Lithgow and one of the all-time great season finales.

2. Justified

Timothy Olyphant is mesmerizing as a gun-slinging U.S. Marshall. Walton Goggins is equally good as a white supremacist turned evangelist. They both should have been nominated.

3. Mad Men

Certainly the finest pedigree on television. I only rank it third because of occasional issues with pacing, and the tendency of certain characters to disappear for several episodes. However, since they apparently pruned the cast in the amazing season finale, that may no longer be an issue.

4. Fringe

What a magnificent premise. What fascinating characters. What awesome production values. Definitely must see TV.

5. Hung

Thomas Jane as a Detroit high school gym teacher and part-time male prostitute. Jane Adams as his neurotic, ineffectual pimp. Together they are the Happiness Consultants. Funny and touching and often bittersweet.

6. True Blood

Sex, blood, and creole. Salacious subplots. Hotties who frequently get naked. What's not to like?

7. Burn Notice

Getting to be rather formulaic, but the formula still works very well. Bonus points for Bruce Campbell as Sam Axe.

8. Human Target

Cheese, but of the best kind.

[pedonbio]

I only watch broadcast tv, and not much of that, so the only two series that I follow that were nominated were The Good Wife (and I'm glad that Archie Panjabi got a "best supporting" nomination) and 30 Rock. They are about the only broadcast series that deal with sex in anything close to an adult fashion--especially all the boob talk on 30 Rock.

[Shara]

I only watch sitcoms, preferably animated.

If you need stuff to watch that'll make you laugh, ask me

[brakblake]

I don't have cable, so I don't partake of casual viewing. The shows I do watch I watch religiously.

In terms of quality:

1. Dexter

Last season was just epic. Everything worked brilliantly. One of the all-time great guest appearances by John Lithgow and one of the all-time great season finales.

2. Justified

Timothy Olyphant is mesmerizing as a gun-slinging U.S. Marshall. Walton Goggins is equally good as a white supremacist turned evangelist. They both should have been nominated.

3. Mad Men

Certainly the finest pedigree on television. I only rank it third because of occasional issues with pacing, and the tendency of certain characters to disappear for several episodes. However, since they apparently pruned the cast in the amazing season finale, that may no longer be an issue.

4. Fringe

What a magnificent premise. What fascinating characters. What awesome production values. Definitely must see TV.

5. Hung

Thomas Jane as a Detroit high school gym teacher and part-time male prostitute. Jane Adams as his neurotic, ineffectual pimp. Together they are the Happiness Consultants. Funny and touching and often bittersweet.

6. True Blood

Sex, blood, and creole. Salacious subplots. Hotties who frequently get naked. What's not to like?

7. Burn Notice

Getting to be rather formulaic, but the formula still works very well. Bonus points for Bruce Campbell as Sam Axe.

8. Human Target

Cheese, but of the best kind.

Bruce Campbell = full of awesome! ^_^

[Shara]

awesome is made of campbell

[brakblake]

awesome is made of campbell

Hmmm.....alright....I'll give you that

[Lightfoot]

Let's see... Heroes was cancelled, Lost ended...  I never got around to watching FlashForward before it was cancelled...

I still watch,
Futurama (back again after 6 years or so),
House (I suspect the next season will be the last),
Mythbusters (even though I often miss them "new")
and Stargate Universe (It's been getting better).

[Starscream]

I'm watching less & less TV shows. I basically keep it to:

Futurama
Simpsons
Family Guy
American Dad
Cleveland Show
Smallville
Chuck
Big Bang Theory
Neighbours From Hell

So 99% of that is cartoons, but that just shows how bad TV shows have become for me

[MaxBigfoot]

I mostly watch reality shows.

Mythbusters
Holmes On Homes
Holmes Inspection (Holmes On Homes' successor show)
Deadliest Catch
Destroyed In Seconds

[solvegas]

I mostly watch, if I'm watching TV at all, the Discovery channels, the Military channel, History channel, CNBC and during Football season, of course, as many Cowboys games as possible.

[100ProofBE]

Scary how closely all of our tastes align. Or it could just be that Mythbusters, Bruce Campbell, and what not are, in fact, AWESOME.

Oh... and huzzah for Futurama being back on the air!

[Palomine]

I am SO burnt out on Mythbusters... I pause while surfing past only if Kari Byron is on, and even then, only for a moment. I too am glad Futurama is back, though the first few new shows have only been so-so (but still enjoyable). I never watched it before, but I did catch the season premiere of White Collar (on USA) last night and it exceeded my modest expectations by a slight measure, so I'll probably watch it again. I also watched the series premiere of Covert Operations (or whatever it's called... the USA show that follows White Collar starring Piper Perabo whom I'm developing a bit of a crush on despite the lighter hair color) and while it's no Bourne Trilogy (contrary to what the teasers suggest) it is mildly diverting, which is saying a lot these days. The new season of Rescue Me seems weak... the show has become a caricature of itself... but I watch out of habit (as I did during the last two seasons of Lost). I'll also watch the new season of Sons of Anarchy when it comes out... I'm not a huge fan, but again: it's mildly entertaining at times (plus, Katie Sagal is always a pleasure to watch).

Um, that's about it. I wasn't wild about the first season of Stargate: Universe (other than the bits featuring Lt. Hooters) but of course I watch it too: http://forum.bearchive.com/index.php/topic,9979105.0.html . And I still enjoy Venture Brothers on Cartoon Network quite a bit, though some episodes feel iffy, as if written in a rush. Plus the usual smattering of new Frontline, Nova and similar shows.

[RandomX]

Simply because no one has mentioned it yet:

How I Met Your Mother. Though this past season was less awesome than the other awesomely awesome episodes.

[Hiram]

Personally the only thing worth watching on TV is the HBO show True Blood.  I wish all TV was that interesting.