Sticky TV Series I Currently Like and Recommend

[Katzenfreund]

LIST UPDATED: July 16, 2018

While as a youngster I liked fast action and superheroes , now I prefer more every day life cop stories with contrasting characters, logical deduction as to "who-dun-it" and the occasional twist. And of course, not too much violence and gruesome scenes.

So, based on the above specs, my favorites are:

Foyle's War (mild but clever cop in wartime UK, my top favorite)
Maigret (Georges Simenon's French cop)
Poirot (Agatha Christie's Belgian private dick)
A Touch of Frost (old fashioned English cop)
Inspector Morse (classic English cop)
Inspector Lewis (Morse sequel)
Endeavour (Morse prequel)
Inspector George Gently (English cop with strong accent)
Get Smart (1965 - 70) (US, secret agent satire)

Followed by:

Broadchurch (one story per 8 episodes)
Elementary (American style modern Sherlock Holmes)
Monk (American private "Defective Detective", with humor though sometimes exaggerated)

UPDATE
I've recently discovered some gems from continental Europe. They are usually complete with hardcoded English subtitles.

Italian: These are my favorites, characterized by the Italian mentality of talking with the hands and giving prominence to food, wine, pretty girls, always with a touch of humor.

• Una Famiglia in Giallo (A Family of Detectives) (2005). 8 self-contained epis, but try to watch them in sequence.
• Il Giovane Montalbano (The Young Montalbano) (2012–). Prequel to Inspector Montalbano.
• Il Commissario Montalbano (Inspector Montalbano) (1999-). Probably the most successful Italian cop series ever.
• Il Commissario Manara (Inspector Manara) (2008- ). Egocentric, in pursuance of la dolce vita, but still effective.

If you like dogs, there’s the Austrian series based in Vienna:
Kommissar Rex (Inspector Rex) (1994-2008). A comedy-drama, where Rex is a police dog helping the human hero.

And one from Sweden:
Wallander (2008–2016). The best known cop series from Sweden. Some Epis are by the BBC in English, the rest in Swedish with English subtitles.

Main Women in Italian shows:

Milena Miconi, Family of Detectives

Sarah Felberbaum, Young Montalbano

Roberta Giarrusso, Inspector Manara

I'd welcome any suggestions of further series to top up my gradually diminishing reserves.

 

[Dr Pickles]

As a fan of Elementary I'm quite familiar. Would you be so good as to compare Sherlock to it?

 

[Katzenfreund]

Sherlock and Elementary are both loosely based on the original heroes and take place in modern times, but Sherlock is closer to the original, especially as regards Dr Watson who’s a man instead of a Japanese woman, and takes place in London. Sherlock is rated 9.3 as compared to Elementary 8.0, though the difference is probably not big.

If you want to watch the randomly picked 1st episode of the latest series, ie S03E01, here’s a fast link for free downloaders, and only 350 MB.

http://www.putlocker.com/file/0EE559DBFA8CFC07
or
http://billionuploads.com/2cywgd02dqvb

However, personally I actually prefer the first four series I mentioned.

 

[NavyRet]

Inspector George Sweetly ?? Did you mean George Gently?

 

[Katzenfreund]

Yes, indeed it's Gently, edited. Thanks for gently pointing this out.

 

[bum4evr]

LOL

especially as regards Dr Watson who’s a man instead of a Japanese woman

Lucy Liu is Chinese... But she's turning Japanese.. I really think so...

 

[NavyRet]

DCI George Gently is one of the best TV series I have ever watched. I have every episode aired so far.

 

[Katzenfreund]

I've just discovered "Foyle's War" (2002– ) rated 8.5, about a police inspector investigating crimes on the south coast of England during the war.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0310455/

So far, it looks promising.

Here's a link to the first episode if you want to try it.

http://rg.to/file/307b8f76fe188dfa19230d47e79ee75a/foyles.war.s01e01.avi.html

 

[NavyRet]

Thanks. I already have the full series.

 

[Katzenfreund]

Having watched the first episode of "Endeavour", I can add it to my OP list. It's a prequel to Inspector Morse. For those who don't know the term, prequel is the opposite of sequel, as it depicts young Morse when he joined the police force as a sergeant.

 

[Tango]

I havent found any series I like for ages.


Walking Dead is great, the only thing I watch each week.
Oldie - Red Dwarf
And Stargate


I would guess you might like this

http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/fawlty_towers/

I watched all of these years ago

http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/goodnight_sweetheart/

And you cant miss watching a few of these

http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/only_fools_and_horses/

 

[Dr Pickles]

Walking Dead is great, the only thing I watch each week.

I've just started this series. Not really into the Undead thing. Starting episode 104 tonite.

 

[Katzenfreund]

Not a fan of zombie stuff either but it's highly rated. On the other hand, so was True Detective that I didn't like the first episode and gave it up.

I'll check out the British comedies, they're usually the best. I know Fawlty Towers, and from the reviews at least Only Fools and Horses should also be good, despite being a sitcom.

In the meantime, Castle and Eureka are also worth watching cop series with some humor thrown in.

 

[Film Boy]

I Liked Walking Dead , Great Show. We just finished Breaking Bad " It was one of the best shows I have ever seen Very dark in spots though. FB :icecream: :icecream:

 

[NavyRet]

DCI Banks is another great British cop show. A little grittier than George Gently, but with nice plot twists and excellent acting.

 

[bmark240]

Luther is another good British 'Cop Show' It scores 8.6 on IMDB.

Series 1 (Season to you 'Mericans) with 6 episodes:

http://hugefiles.net/uskvnsxjpcl3

See if you like it.

 

[Film Boy]

Well we just started watching " House " We love it. FB :icecream: :icecream:

 

[timbinchicago]

Thought I'd throw my 2 cents in as well. Currently I'm watching:

The last season of The Walking Dead.
Elementary
Salem (Just Started)
Warehouse 13
Arrow
Supernatural (Is this show ever going to die?)
The Vampire Diaries
About A Boy
Bones
Ressurection
The Tomorrow People
Once Upon A Time
Believe
The Originals

See I've got a well rounded viewing habit.

 

[TRUBos]

Have to say I'm really impressed with the CW network. The Tomorrow People and The Originals both new shows this season are fantastic.

 

[Charlie Harper]

Two and a Half Men is the best TV Show ever

 

[chrasna]

Midsomer Murders.
Always been one of my favourites!

 

[Katzenfreund]

Just discovered another British TV cop series. It's called "Inspector Lewis" and is a sequel to the very successful Instpector Morse. Lewis was his assistant in that series and is now carrying on as inspector himself, also in Oxford.

I'll report on my impressions after I watch a couple of episodes.

EDIT: OK, my first impressions are positive. While it's not quite as good as Morse, it's still watchable. It's a continuation of the Morse series, but conditions have changed for Lewis.

 

[Katzenfreund]

I've just finished watching the brit cop series 1 "Broadchurch". It's one story stretching over 8 episodes, totaling 6 hours. Though I don't normally like this, I found the series absorbing and can recommend it. I understand they're now working on series 2, but I don't understand how they'll justify it, as the main hero had health problems.

 

[bmark240]

Katz me old potato...Have you watched another critically acclaimed show called 'Suspects'.

It's filmed in a very 'real life' way but is still very good.

Watch the first episode streaming from here:

http://vidto.me/z7jr7f36cijd.html

...and see if you like it Katz

 

[Katzenfreund]

Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a try.

 

[TRUBos]

On season Four of The Vampire Diaries, I'm addicted. I've already seen the first season of The Originals. New seasons of both start in October.

 

[seb141]

Sharpe - Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe, a fictional British soldier in the Napoleonic Wars.

 

[Tania Tee]

Revenge

Looking forward to the Flash 2014 in October this year.

 

[Katzenfreund]

UPDATE

After following some suggestions and searching further, I've revised the original lost adding:

Foyle's War (in wartime England, my top favorite)
Inspector Lewis (Morse sequel)
Endeavour (Morse prequel)
A Touch of Frost (old fashioned cop)
Broadchurch (one story per 8 episodes)
Castle (some humor and romance)

while removing Sherlock, whose later episodes did not match my expectations.

See my OP for the full, updated list.

 

[chrasna]

Katz, you should watch A Touch of Cloth. so friggen funny!

-Chris