I haven’t been watching much in terms of actual shows for a good while, then while listening to a podcast a host casually mentioned they had rewatched Chernobyl, how it still holds up, that there’s a reason it got as much acclaim as it did, etc. So I thought I’d give it a go and wow, loved it (still one episode left to watch).
Had me thinking, what else have I missed out on? What are some “absolute cinema” TV shows that still hold up and and are considered must watch?
Chernobyl is good show but one thing it got very wrong is the idea that the molten down reactor could somehow explode again for some gigantic fireball larger than the Tsar Bomba.
It increases fear of nuclear power unreasonably. Also much much less people died or suffered from nuclear power including Chernobyl compared to fossil fuels. Even solar power causes more deaths from roofing accidents. We now know at least some of the nuclear hysteria is / was funded by fossil fuel interests.
Deadwood Invincible Mr. Robot
It feels a bit dated, but Veronica Mars is still an excellent and somehow still underrated show.
I also think Scrubs and Community are both peak television that stand up to countless rewatches.
Lots of great suggestions, I’m surprised nobody’s said Shogun. Season 1 came out in 2024, they just started working on season 2.
The Carbonyl serial is running the Russian propaganda, it doesn’t respect the real person and it does further damage to the families of the victims. I personally don’t recommend it and please don’t refer to it as a documentary, it is a work of fiction inspired from real events.
This is PEAK of my last year.
Black Books
Phineas and Ferb; I love their music and evil adventures Dr. Doofenshmirtz
I’m a huge sci-fi nerd, and can highly recommend The Eternaut I love when movies/shows come up with interesting ideas like this. It’s been renewed for 2 more seasons, but sadly it’s going to be over a year before season 2 comes out. It was so popular that they greatly expanded the budget and scope. Oh well.
At least season 3 of Silo starts soon.
- Invincible
- For all Mankind
- Pantheon
I wrote out a whole list for you then I accidentally deleted it. I was very proud of that list. Here’s a few:
- Widows Bay
- Our Flag Means Death
- Ted Lasso
- The Good Place
- Watchmen (show not movie)
- Halt and Catch Fire
- Silo
- Man in the High Castle
- Tokyo Vice
- What We Do In The Shadows
Apple TV has a lot of really exceptional Sci-Fi if that’s your thing.
AND FINALLY. The weirdest most indescribable show of all time that will not make sense it is somehow a must watch for me:
Raised by Wolves
Most people won’t like that one. It is the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. It’s a sci-fi show by Ridley Scott’s company and it feels like the plot was written by a Norwegian Death Metal band.
Androids raise children during the time of a religious war. One Android gives birth to a flying snake. A lady becomes a tree. A sea monster puts a baby into its chest cavity.
EDIT:
I get asked about recommendations a lot so after writing this, I decided to make a list. It’s not finished, I’ll add more over the next few days.
Fleabag - I can’t believe I didn’t see it yet in this thread. If you like Phoebe Waller-Bridge then you must see it, and if you’re not familiar with her yet, this is a great show to get to know her humor. It’s extremely funny and tugs on your emotions, mainly about love, trauma and family.
Comedy? Futurama (be ready to have your feels tickled)
More serious SF but still funny? The Orville
More more serious SF and not so funny, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Not at all funny and serious SF (anyone seeing a pattern?) Battlestar Galactica (2003-2009)
Extra credit serious SF, worth every hour, dated graphics and all, Babylon 5 Amazing stories, worth every minute it takes to watch it.
Better than the rest
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The Wire & Homicide: Life on the Street (David Simon Box Set)
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Atlanta
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The Expanse
Comedy
- NewsRadio (for Maura Tierney and Dave Foley and Phil Hartman and Khandi Alexander and Vicki Lewis and Stephen Root)
- Schitt’s Creek
- Ted Lasso (Seasons 1 and 2)
- Murphy Brown
- Sex Education
Sci-Fi
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
- Battlestar Galactica (2003-2009)
- Dark
- Devs
- Altered Carbon (Season 1)
Drama
- The Newsroom
- Law & Order (seasons 1-8)
- Succession
- Severance
Intense Drama (TV-MA and little levity)
- Chernobyl
- Adolescence
- Utopia
- MR. ROBOT
- Luther
- True Detective (Season 1)
- Vince Gilligan Box Set (Better Call Saul & Breaking Bad & Plur1bus (has levity))
- Ozark
Anthology shows
- Black Mirror
- Love Death + Robots
Animated
- Rick and Morty
- Samurai Jack (2001-2004, 2017)
- Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)
- Gravity Falls
- South Park
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Final Space
Perpetually on deck for me
- Fargo
- Andor
- Band of Brothers
- Barry
- Legion
- Letterkenny
- Bojack Horseman
- Scavenger’s Reign
- Fringe
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Chernobyl was a great show, yes, though technically so wrong on so many levels, but I guess it’s in part to make it more exciting
Another recommendation: The Orville. The true successor to Star Trek TNG and DS9. Especially the first two seasons are amazingly good
