Favorite HBO Series?

[Boy Jeenius]

I sure enjoyed the Sopranos, but The Wire is just top notch. Entourage is great too.

[TooLiveBrew]

Colbyjack, excellent call on Band of Brothers. I'm really embarrassed that I forgot that one. Epic.

 

Also, one word for ya'll... [blue] ARLI$$ [/blue]. Sorry, carry on. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[valpocrewsader]

Not a single person so far has mentioned Tell Me You Love Me? That's my favorite ... only show on TV I set my TiVo for.

[Hammer]

I really could not get in to The Wire but that is probably because I was too busy doing other things while trying to watch it. Showtime's Californication is really my favorite show running right now on pay tv. My wife and I watched it on the first showing each week...and then one more time for good measure on the repeats. Great stuff...

[jordanmuehl]

I haven't watched "Tell Me You Love Me" -- actually, there are quite a few shows I haven't seen that recently premiered on HBO or Showtime.

[jloos19]

The Wire is just so fantastic, but I must say that Dexter is incredible. Michael C. Hall is absolutely brilliant as Dexter and the supporting cast is almost as good. Plus, the writing in the first two seasons matched anything that I've ever seen. I also second Hammer's praise of Californication, which I think dominates Entourage in every area. Who knew David Duchovny was this good of an actor (minus his stuff on Twin Peaks).

[TooLiveBrew]

You obviously haven't seen Zoolander. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[brewcrewreview]

Tell Me You Love Me is fantastic!

I also like/liked:

Da Ali G Show

Curb

The Legendary Boxing Series (Bowe/Holyfield, Tyson/Holyfield, etc.)

 

I liked the Cathouse series also.

[brettac1]

Yeah, I love Tell Me You Love Me, too.

 

I'm waiting for the DVD, though, because I missed some of the early shows.

 

And everyone mentioning Dexter as amazing is correct.

 

Another note, sort of relating to Toby's bringing up of Homicide is that The Corner is the show (miniseries, actually) that started it all as far as The Wire goes. That was a remarkable accomplishment.

[twobrewers]

Wow. Not much love for Rome.

 

My wife and I rent HBO shows and pound through entire series all the time. I do think "The Wire" has been the best so far. (Although Netflix has a ridiculous delay on the newest season)

 

But I really loved the first season of Rome. I think it fell off a little during the second season, but still a great show.

 

We are going to be renting Deadwood next. I am looking forward to that one as well.

[PeaveyFury]

Rome was good, but not great, IMO.

 

Band of Brothers was fantastic. Too bad it was only a mini-series, but HBO's past success with mini-series has me looking very much forward to John Adams this spring, especially with Paul Giamatti as Adams.

[NeedMoreFans]

I'm excluding mini-series'...

 

Curb

Flight of the Conchords

 

Those are the only two I watch.

[StrangeBreww]

Is Carnivale worth watching knowing it has no ending?

[docduany]

As others have said, if Band of Brothers is on the table, for me all discussion ends. I was a big fan of Rome. We never miss an episode of Big Love. And please don't banish me from the kingdom, but I did watch Sex and the City with the Mrs. And if I'm being honest, I didn't hate it.

[StrangeBreww]

And please don't banish me from the kingdom, but I did watch Sex and the City with the Mrs. And if I'm being honest, I didn't hate it.

ditto.

 

I watched the first couple of seasons with my wife too, but lost interest. She has me watching OCTOBER ROAD (not hbo) too and to be completely honest, I enjoy the heck out of that show.

[And That]

Even considering Band of Brothers, which was brilliant, The Wire still tells the better story. It's a better story because it's an oft-untold story, and a story that is much more difficult to tell than what went on in WWII. I consider hardly anything on TV or film to be in the same league as The Wire, and Band of Brothers isn't one of those things.

[colbyjack]

It's tough to compare Band of Brothers vs. The Wire. I understand your point about how there are plenty films similar to Band of Brothers out there Toby, but people have generalized about The Wire as well, citing that there are plenty of cop shows out there too. You and I both know that The Wire is far from a cop show, and to that point I would argue that there isn't any other war movie that delved into the aspects of war that Band of Brothers did. When the series was over I was seriously sad knowing that it was over, and I've never experienced that before when it comes to anything I watch on TV.

 

And that isn't to take anything away from The Wire, which I think is pure genius, and as I noted above, is by far the best series HBO has aired.

 

Carnivale was an interesting show. The first season was pretty good. It was slow to develop, but it really drew you in. A classic good vs. evil storyline, pitting the downtrodden good guy vs. the saintly bad guy.

 

Season two however was much more fast-paced and patched together, as if the creators had no clue the series itself would be extended through another year. Watch season one for sure, and if you like it well enough, move on to season two.

 

We've had the Rome debate before. Again, I liked the first season, but they seemed to cram too much into season two, which they even admit to doing. There were some painfully corny parts sprinkled into that second season as well that made it very hard to take seriously.

 

I'm sorry, I can't comment on "Tell me you love me" too much without offending someone. There's only one reason I would watch that show, and anyone telling me they were enthralled by the soap opera storyline is a liar http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif.

[And That]

It's tough to compare Band of Brothers vs. The Wire. I understand your point about how there are plenty films similar to Band of Brothers out there Toby, but people have generalized about The Wire as well, citing that there are plenty of cop shows out there too. You and I both know that The Wire is far from a cop show, and to that point I would argue that there isn't any other war movie that delved into the aspects of war that Band of Brothers did. When the series was over I was seriously sad knowing that it was over, and I've never experienced that before when it comes to anything I watch on TV.

It's tough to compare the Band of Brothers with The Wire, I agree with you there. They take place in completely different environs, under completely different circumstances.

Actually, that's why The Wire is so much better. You're saying that Band of Brothers delved into places no other war movie had... I disagree. They told the story better than most, but it's an unequivocal fact that many war movies have gone behind the front lines to tell the story. Saving Private Ryan, MASH, Full Metal Jacket and Flags of our Fathers have all gone way beyond the battle. Band of Brothers stayed behind the lines for the most part, but most people (including myself) will tell you that the most powerful episode of Band of Brothers was the snowy episode during their attack on Bastogne.

 

The Wire, on the other hand, has gone where no one else has ever gone. They have attempted to tell stories no one else has told before, including Band of Brothers. No one has been willing to put the realism on the screen that David Simon and crew have done.

[colbyjack]

I feel like I'm going to try to argue about who I like more: My wife or my son. The Wire has been my favorite show since day one, and Band of Brothers has been the best thing I have ever seen on TV. Again, I understand your point Toby, but you seem to be going out of your way to try and point out why Band of Brothers isn't as good. If you were to simply say that you like The Wire better "just cuz," I'd buy that more than comparing Band of Brothers to MASH, Full Metal Jacket or even Saving Private Ryan (who was made by the same people but IMO wasn't anything close).

[And That]

But it isn't better "just cuz." The Wire is better because it has told a story that hasn't been told before vs. a story that has been told copious times before. Was Band of Brothers very well made? Hell yes. Was it a rehash? Also yes. The Wire is not a rehash - and because it is on at least equal footing in terms of story and character it is clearly the better piece of fiction.

[Roscoe Chill]

Not to be rude, but I can't believe "Tell Me You Love Me" is actually liked by someone. I've watched enough bits and pieces to find out, I hate every single one of the main characters on the show. The graphic sex scenes got my attention, but what a whiny show.

 

I, like danzig, never started watching "The Wire" so I'll have to get to it by renting the DVDs.

[sgtcluels]

The new special "Hard As Nails" was pretty intense. I told my dad to watch it because he's a former pastor...... just watching this guy connect to kids in a way that a lot of the churches are afraid to do. He says at the end, "Hey, if you don't like the way I'm doing it, go do it yourself".

 

That guy is nuts. I watched that and Jesus Camp in the same day. As an Agnostic, I don't understand some of his methods. Like why does he have some guy hit him with a chair when he says "Jesus Love You". What does that have to do with anything?

[StrangeBreww]

If I had to pick which series to own on dvd between the wire and band of brothers, Band wins hands down. I like the wire, but band of brothers touched a part of me no other series has. The wire is a great show, don't get me wrong, but Band Of Brothers is higher on my list.

[Patrick425]

Curb your Enthusiasm

[TooLiveBrew]

But it isn't better "just cuz." The Wire is better because it has told a story that hasn't been told before vs. a story that has been told copious times before. Was Band of Brothers very well made? Hell yes. Was it a rehash? Also yes. The Wire is not a rehash - and because it is on at least equal footing in terms of story and character it is clearly the better piece of fiction.

That last one's a tricky statement though, since B.o.B. was based on the true story. So unless your qualification is that since B.o.B. is based on the book... I can't fully get on board with the distinction you're trying to draw. If your claim is that the story of The Wire hasn't been told... and that B.o.B. has, others have pointed out that (obviously) there have been many crime/cop dramas.