Need some TV Series on Netflix recommendations

[CRTGAMER]

Star Trek - honestly, just a research thing on my part, a bit overwhelmed and no idea where we would have to start. I typically don't enjoy 1960's-70's TV - it takes some fine acting and writing for me to overlook the production quality on a lot of the early sci-fi stuff, so would lean toward one of the newer series, if the previous series weren't prerequisites?

Each of the series have some very very good episodes, Next Generation has quite a few great ones. But no, you don't have to watch them in sequence.

Original Star Trek - City On The Edge Of Forever
This has got to be the best of the series. Really if you watch one episode of the original make it this one.

Next Generation - Inner Light
Unique perspective in how an long dead civilization shows it history thru Piccard living the life of one of the scientists. The story really draws you in, that flute a reminder of a lost son.

There are other good episodes of Next Generation such as Darmok where the language is in metaphors or when Piccard reunites his brother back on Earth. One episode where the captain and the young cadet are stranded; the best line, "Oh, I envy you, Wesley Crusher... You're just at the beginning of the adventure."

[marurun]

Each of the series have some very very good episodes, Next Generation has quite a few great ones. But no, you don't have to watch them in sequence.

I agree with this, mostly. Next Gen, in later seasons, does start to get a lot more sequential, so order does become important. Same for some of the later ST series.

Original Star Trek - City On The Edge Of Forever
This has got to be the best of the series. Really if you watch one episode of the original make it this one.

I hear people say this all the time, but I have to heartily disagree. My wife and I watched this just last night and we were a bit disappointed. The episode is not nearly as strong or coherent as some of the other great episodes. Harlan Ellison's name is on it, but I'm not sure that means very much. I actually think Space Seed is my favorite episode so far.

[indecks]

Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Honestly, we both really really disliked it. Mainly the acting, all 4 main characters (DeVito wasn't in the first season, which is the only full season we watched). It was like they had one decent joke...and they'd make an episode out of it, like finding a way to get underage kids in a bar, or protesting at some women's function. The sort of thing that would have been one 30 second joke on Seinfeld they milked for 23 minutes each week. Felt very lazy and just not great, and again, all 4 lead characters were just annoying to us.

Ok...

I know exactly how you feel about these characters. When me and my wife started watching the show I could not get into it I didn't like the characters at all. Once I got past the first season the show got a lot better. They started getting what was coming to them. I think the episode that really changed my mind on the show was Dennis runs for comptroller. These horrible people finally got their just desserts. That is something I really enjoyed. You should probably give it another chance. It gets Brilliantly funny in the second season, when Danny DeVito joins the cast.

Also, breaking bad is brilliant. You should really try that one once more!

[Jrecee]

Justified. No idea if it's on netflix. Season 1 is entertaining. But Season 2 and up are incredible.

Heroes, season 1. Stop after that. If you start watching season 2 you'll just keep watching hoping it will get better and it won't. Then you'll watch until the end and then fall into a pit of despair at all the great ideas that got floated on screen for 30 seconds but never paid off.

Fringe is great. Peaks with season 3. After that it got really convoluted. Then Fox gave them a final half-season to wrap everything up and instead of unwinding the paradox of convolusion they created, they started an entirely new story that built up and built up and built up until you realized there was no chance they could possibly resolve everything in the series finale. Which they didn't. They just settled for the "it's emotional so it doesn't have to make sense" play.

Breaking Bad. God do I hate people like Jesse Pinkman in real life, but damn do I like him on tv. Keep watching. If the cold open of episode 6 doesn't give you shivers(the badass kind), maybe this really isn't your show.

[mjmjr25]

We started Once Upon a Time, 3 episodes in and it's ok, but not into it enough yet to keep going. So now we started Heroes and yeah - excellent off the bat. I know what you mean about series just getting bad after a good first or second season, so we'll just have to fight the urge to continue on because right now after 4 episodes it is so good.

[fastbilly1]

- Scrubs is a witty hospital comedy that is ironically the most accurate portrayal of a hospital according to all of my doctor friends.
- Lilyhammer is supposed to be really good, and is a Netflix original series.
- Sliders is a fun scifi show that kinda falls apart in the fourth season.
- Spaced is an amazing British comedy for geeks - Simon Pegg and Nick Frosts springboard.

If you dont like 60s-70s shows that dont have damn fine acting, count the original BSG out. Its good, but a bit campy.

Also, you need to watch Microcosmos and The Castle. They are films, but two really awesome indies that are a bit in left field. Microcosmos is macrovideography of insects, while The Castle is a slice of life Aussie film that is just comedy gold

[indecks]

Fringe is great. Peaks with season 3. After that it got really convoluted. Then Fox gave them a final half-season to wrap everything up and instead of unwinding the paradox of convolusion they created, they started an entirely new story that built up and built up and built up until you realized there was no chance they could possibly resolve everything in the series finale. Which they didn't. They just settled for the "it's emotional so it doesn't have to make sense" play.

What? They did answer just about everything in the final episode(s). The ending did make sense too.

Walter takes Michael forward to meet that scientist in Oslo, to stop the eventual evolution of the Observers. Essentially having the Dr go on a slightly different path, so Observers probably still exist, but not in the emotionless state they existed in throughout the show. Which in turn 'stopped' the Observers from invading in 2015.

How did that not make sense? Fringe's finale was great, especially when compared to shit like LOST's 'we all went to heaven' ending.

edit: Additionally, the 'main' storyline (that is, The Pattern, and the Alt universe) was wrapped up in the final episode of Season 4. They were pretty much done, but since they knew they had that half season, they presented the 2036 episode, and wrapped up it's plot line in the final season.

[Blu]

I have a few suggestions:

LOST - Amazing for like the first four seasons. Loses its momentum later on, but still satisfactory.

Battlestar Galactic Blood and Chrome - Gamerforlife mentioned it, I'll second it. Very great series from a younger William Adama.

Freaks and Geeks - This was an awesome series that prematurely ended. Watched it for the first time this summer with my girlfriend, I found it to be very nostalgic and reflective, feel good comedy. Definitely for the geeks more than the freaks.

[Jrecee]

They never really resolved the peterless universe concept. Sure, Olivia regained the memories of the old Olivia, but what about everyone else? They more or less erased 2 years of the whole show and never brought it back. I guess that's a personal annoyance more than a plot hole. Why did Walter have to bring the kid to the future? It was established that the kid wasn't actually a kid multiple times, and there were several times where he actually guided the other characters, so the idea that he needed Walter to hold his hand to go to the future was silly. Also, the time travel inoculation didn't seem to actually be necessary. The plot line of the "man who kills olivia" never got picked back up. The idea of walter disappearing from the timeline was also left in a very vague state. Does Peter remember him? Does anyone? Did he simply cease to exist or vanish at a certain point? Peter disappearing at the end of season 3 lead to a completely different world forming, shouldn't Walter disappearing do the same? Would they really be at that same park? Would Peter and Olivia even be together?

[Stark]

My recommendations:

Grimm - Fairytale Cop Drama - Not on Netflix (that I know of), but seeing as you didn't like Once Upon a Time, I think this might be more your style. It feels more like Buffy or Angel to me.

House of Cards (UK or US) - Political Thriller - I don't usually like to recommend things I've not seen yet, but I've heard a ton of awesome things about either of these series, seems like they'd be worth checking out.

Sherlock (BBC with Cumberbatch) - Mystery - Love this show. The writing and acting is beyond good. I was looking forward to the new Star Trek and then I saw this show and now I am dying to see the new Star Trek.

Downton Abbey - Period Drama - My wife loves this show and I can see why, but I've only seen an episode. Just oozing style.

Damages - Courtroom Drama - I consider season 1 of this show to be some of the best television I have ever watched. I'm about halfway in season 2 and it's great too.