FTA-TV Best TV series' of the last 5 - 10 years

[Demonic Ascent]

Im 33. The only good Aussie stuff I can think of is Fast Forward/Full Frontal. We had a brief golden age of excellent comedians who came together and made some great stuff. Apart from that, everything else is s**t. Particularly drama type stuff. Australia just doesnt make good TV. Not enough talent. Not enough production budgets to make it look slick, not enough good writers and all the talents actors are in Hollywood, not staying in Australia making TV shows.

Fair enough, we're about the same age (I'm 32) - I'll disagree with you but I think you're selling some of our stuff short, particularly the ABC/SBS produced stuff. I'll agree with you 100% on the commercial TV stuff though.

FWIW I loved Full Frontal/Fast Forward as a kid but I don't think that sort of comedy will really hold up - The Late Show on the other hand was brilliant and still is. I guess we just have different tastes but again Frontline (and The Games) is one of the best TV shows I've seen - I'm assuming you've watched or at least heard of it but if not do yourself a favour, it still stacks up today (and is probably more relevant if anything).

 

[Financialpanther]

Fair enough, we're about the same age (I'm 32) - I'll disagree with you but I think you're selling some of our stuff short, particularly the ABC/SBS produced stuff. I'll agree with you 100% on the commercial TV stuff though.

FWIW I loved Full Frontal/Fast Forward as a kid but I don't think that sort of comedy will really hold up - The Late Show on the other hand was brilliant and still is. I guess we just have different tastes but again Frontline (and The Games) is one of the best TV shows I've seen - I'm assuming you've watched or at least heard of it but if not do yourself a favour, it still stacks up today (and is probably more relevant if anything).

Late show was Champagne Comedy - lets not forget the Micallef Program also. I couldn't stand Fast Forward or Full Frontal largely as I was exposed to the D Generation.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Kind of agree. Watch Fast Forward or Full Frontal now and they are pretty terrible. My memory thought of them kindly but I showed them to people who had never seen them before and it was cringeworthy.

 

[Roobs321]

Love My Way was one of the better dramas of the last decade or so. Australia has the capacity to make great drama. There are others as well.

 

[Funkunbunk]

For me it's Treme and Community S1 & S2
Although not the best, Chaser's war gets an honourable mention as I loved it in High School

 

[JoondalupJ]

Hello everyone,

Besides prompting debate about which has been the best and providing good recommendations for others, my reason for creating this thread is I've never been into TV much (prefer sport and movies) but I was recently given Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones by a friend and after being initially skeptical, have thoroughly enjoyed them and nearly finished both series (particularly GoT despite not being into fantasy at all). So, now I'm keen to get an idea of recommendations from the Big Footy folk who seem to have good taste hoping to get some suggestions on what else is out there? So...

What do you reckon has been the best/your favourite TV series of recent times and why? (Will add poll once popular nominations emerge)

(Feel free to mention the two I've seen as this thread is also about which is number 1 and is not only for me).

It depends on the sort of stuff you enjoy. I love Game of Thrones , I loved, True Detective, Boardwalk Empire , Deadwood, Rome , a real favorite.
Spartacus was just OK.
But if you are into those type of shows , gangsters like The Sopranos , police shows , swords and dragons , shows of an historical nature, thats great because they are great.
But if you are a watcher of quality shows, you may miss out on some of the best stuff going around that is of a different nature . But top quality.

Off the top of my head three Australian shows that I have found as good as anything I've ever watched are Tangle , a brilliantly written series . Also I think on a level as the best I've seen in the last five years. Up there too of course is Offspring, which is quirky and funny and sad but brilliant. Then I watched and am in the middle of the next season of Time of our lives. What about the slap great series.

Australians make some brilliant series and a lot get missed. Some of these shows maybe for older audiences but let me tell you younger people , and I know young people with depth in the way they see stories and situations who would love some of these shows. You young adults not only enjoy the adventurous typed stories because they are exiting but because they carry complicated story lines and feelings. Bloody fantastic.
But do yourselves a favor and catch some of the local series if you haven't already . You can buy then on DVD as well.

The BBC has a series of a four episode show called Fear. Its nearly finished , buy it you'll love it. Crook business men and gangsters. Acting is superb.Buy, nearly finished.

Also the ABC are showing a five part series called Secret State about British politics , its a ripper. You may need to wait for it to repeat or buy it.

They seem to be making less episodes per series these days. And much better quality with time to direct properly .

 

[JoondalupJ]

the wire. started in '02 but ran into the timeframe specified.

boardwalk empire.

house of cards (season 1).

entourage.

parks & recreation.

YES HOUSE OF CARDS forgot that .

 

[JoondalupJ]

Other than what's already mentioned I'd say Fargo, True Detective and even Orange is the new Black. All recent ones and pretty early into things (1,1 & 2 seasons) but all very good so far.

If you're looking for a good comedy from the period you mentioned hard to go past Arrested Development. Pushes Seinfeld for GOAT comedy imo.

Forgot Fargo too. That is a classic. One of the best things I've ever watched.

 

[JoondalupJ]

Last message. We in Australia don't do many, but when Aussies do good stuff , they do the best there is. I keep seeing American shows and I know they are great , I watch them all. But you got to look in your own backyard too. You might get a surprise.

 

[Quokka]

For all time The West Wing still just edges out The Wire for me, though we're halfway through Sopranos for the first time and its certainly up there (haven't seen Breaking Bad yet).

But as soon as you see the HBO screen it's hard to go wrong: The Wire, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, True Detective, Band of Brothers, Boardwalk Empire, Entourage, Oz, Deadwood, Curb your Enthusiasm....

For current, True Detective was great and big shoes to fill in season two. The new Cosmos series is also good if you like science docos and Archer is easily my favourite animated show.

 

[jod23]

I thought True Detective started really well and built up really well but the last couple of episodes were disappointing. It wasnt as awesome as I hoped it would be. Still pretty good but not absolute top drawer. I thought it lost it's way a little towards the end.

 

[djrossie16]

Love My Way was one of the better dramas of the last decade or so. Australia has the capacity to make great drama. There are others as well.

I really enjoyed Tangle which was exclusive to foxtel a couple years back. Quality drama.

 

[benji2]

Last message. We in Australia don't do many, but when Aussies do good stuff , they do the best there is. I keep seeing American shows and I know they are great , I watch them all. But you got to look in your own backyard too. You might get a surprise.

One more thing - we did a poll of best Australian shows too.
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threa...-shows-countdown-counting-down-top-5.1039817/

We have made some good shows even if there aren't many being made now

 

[grizzlym]

Three shows for me: The Wire, Sopranos and BSG (minus the last silly episodes of season 6).

 

[Rod Stroker]

Oh and I almost forgot about THE WEST WING.

I hate politics. Hate it!

Yet I LOVE THIS SHOW. That should tell you all you need to know about how good that show is.

Go watch Boss with Kelsey Grammer. I was never a fan of politics or Grammer. This show turned me around. His performance was phenomenal, won the Emmy.

 

[Rod Stroker]

For comedies, Silicon Valley the best I've seen this year. It's similar to BBT or IT Crowd, but funny.

 

[HenrikLundqvist]

For comedies, Silicon Valley the best I've seen this year. It's similar to BBT or IT Crowd, but funny.

Thought it was light on for laughs.

Halt and Catch Fire is receiving no praise from this board. Up there with the best series this year. Worth checking out, quality actors, some great scenes and a great score.

 

[Buckleys Jocks]

I've been in bed crook for the last few days and binge watched Hannibal. Season One had me hooked early and despite a few ups and downs it generally got better each episode I thought but Season Two just blew me away, it just jumped to a whole new level.

 

[jim boy]

Breaking Bad
Game of Thrones
House of Cards
Hannibal
The wire
Black Mirror
True Detective

I'm glad this got a mention, usually anything by Charlie Brooker is well worth watching. His Screenwipe series was also a gret series if you like shows like "Media Watch" and is well worth catching up on even though it is now a little out-of-date.

Having kids, I get a guilty pleasure out of watching Harry Hill's TV Burp. The fact that the shows are all uk-based matters not at all to the kids as really it is just a vehicle for Harry Hill's caustic humour. This show also being a salutory example as to the perils of trying to recreate a successful overseas show locally.

 

[Norwegian Blue]

Been trying to find those two, any idea where I can "obtain" a copy - PM me if you need to.

Phoenix and Janus have both been out on DVD for few years now. Check your ABC shop. You can "obtain" it there.

 

[djrossie16]

Among shows that started their run in the last 5-10 years, Mad Men might be my favourite. Certainly worth giving a go if it looks like something which might appeal to you.

You know while seeing The Apartment recently I kept flashing back to episodes of Mad Men in my head

 

[Roobs321]

Haha yeah, I get that too lol.

Recently the Arc Cinema in Canberra here actually did a theme of Mad Men movies (late 50s and early 60s films that have been an inspiration or reference point for Mad Men). The Apartment was certainly one of them. My best friend in film buff land actually has The Apartment as his favourite film (for me its just outside the top 50), so he was delighted to be able to lap it up on the big screen.

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

Most of the good ones have already been mentioned so I'll chuck Rick and Morty into the mix. Only one season so far but it was serious quality.

 

[gaskin]

One that is not very well known but is one of the best if not the best comedy of the past 10 years is Blue Mountain State.

 

[Glenno23]

I just can't go past Breaking Bad. The attention to detail and quality of acting was ridiculous. EVERYTHING meant something

Just brilliance