I have a few favorite shows on television which I missed when they first aired. I don’t know how I missed them, other than for the mere fact that they weren’t on any of the three major networks and, because I record everything I watch>>> so that I can skip through the advertisements.
I accidentally taped The Closer one night… and after the first fifteen minutes, I was hooked! Unfortunately, I caught it during a time when the network (TNT) was playing the shows as sort of filler, since they were all repeats, so I was unable to get the shows in their correct order. Which, of course meant that I either had to rent the shows (from the beginning of the series) or buy them.
I like this show so much, that I have given our DVDs to our daughter (22 years old) and she likes them as much as I do. I wonder if it’s because the lead detective is a strong-willed, opinionated woman who has the courage to appear without makeup (anyways that’s what it looks like to us) when the shows call for it, OR if it’s because all of the characters are well-developed, three-dimensional “people,” OR if it’s because the writing is phenomenal, OR because, it’s simply one of the best shows on television!
Anyway, if you have a favorite show that you would like to share with some of us cozy mystery readers>>> please feel free to write about it in a comment, or write me a letter via the website. If you all are anything like I am: tired of the writers’ strike, tired of tired shows, tired of the umpteenth season of the same shows, tired of the different shows that are actually the same show set in different cities>>> Then let’s share some ideas of really good shows!
Vickie says
Okie dokie….My two most favorite “Don’t bother Mommie, she’s watching….” are Eureka on the SciFi channel and Bones on Fox or reruns on TNT. So much so I will watch on purchased DVDs over and over and on hulu.com.
I will watch Murder She Wrote whenever it’s on.
There are others, like Dr Who, Torchwood, X Files, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer… that I will watch when I see them on the lineup.
Marla says
a couple of good shows are: McBride (the Hallmark channel) which is a legal mystery and only available during August (sorry) but is shown a few times during the year. they do one new show a year – a 2-hour movie! John Larroquet stars and is a real 180-degree turn from “Night Court”!
also, “Burn Notice” which runs in the summer, is a real blow-’em-up spy show set in Miami. a little over-the-top, but pretty cool and the main character has to deal with his nosy mom, an ex-girlfriend who loves guns, an ex-FBI pal who snitches on him, and a brother always in trouble. he helps people (sort of like Robin Hood), but just skirts the edges of the law to do it. plus, he’s trying to figure out who ratted him out of the CIA, so you get 2-for-1.
a bonus – “Life” on NBC is a 2-for-1, also. a detective who was jailed for a crime he didn’t commit is trying to find out who did it. he’s out of prison and back on the force, but many cops think he’s guilty. he and his partner (who doesn’t trust him) solve weird murders each week, plus he gets another clue to solve his own puzzle each episode. I also love “the Closer”. On Labor Day, you can see this season’s episodes starting at 9AM – in order! good luck.
CCLady says
I watch exactly one hour of tv per week – The Closer. It’s the only one I know of where there really is a mystery to solve.
Now if we can just find a way to stop them from wasting half of the hour trying to get us to watch “Saving Grace”. . .
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi Vickie…
I love your “Don’t bother Mommie, she’s watching…”!
I have to admit to not knowing anything about Eureka. I will have to take a gander…
As for Bones, I am sorry I didn’t start it at the beginning. It has really become a popular show.
You must have been ecstatic on Labor Day… They had a Murder She Wrote marathon that I was able to catch while going back and forth to my hotel room. That, and the National Geographic channel was “marathoning” The Dog Whisperer.
Great shows!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hello to you, Marla!
I used to watch the McBride shows but then forgot to “find them” since the season is so short. I’ll see if I can catch the reruns of this past season. I thought they were done with the series.
I am really out of it! I have never heard of Life or Burn Notice… Will have to take a look at them.
I’m all caught up (finally!!!) with The Closer, and am already looking forward to next season. Isn’t Brenda Lee a kick!!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi CCLady,
Aren’t the commercials long!?! Now that Saving Grace is over, they are touting Raising the Bar. I am guessing that Raising the Bar will have The Closer ads sprinkled throughout… at least for the next two weeks. I’m sorry that The Closer is reaching the season’s end…
Marla says
I love Brenda Lee, but something bad is going to happen to her in the next episode, so I hope she comes out of it okay. McBride shows can be found on the Hallmark Channel website. The show list comes up on the right side of the first page and you can click on the show titles to go to the dates it will be available. you can catch up on many episodes of your fave shows this way, on any of the station’s websites. you can even watch episodes online. or DVR them (TiVo) and fast-forward through the “Raising the Bar” mega-commercials!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marla!!! Tell us it ain’t so!!!
I followed McBride for at least the first two seasons, so I shouldn’t be that far behind. We went with the Replay machine instead of the TiVo, since I found the Replay easier to manipulate… Wouldn’t you know, it went the way of the Beta (vs. VHS), and now we can only get the Replays on E-Bay! Anyway, I will set up McBride on our version of the TiVo…
Kalena says
My very fav show is Rosemary & Thyme – you can find it in reruns on PBS stations and the DVDs are for sale on Amazon. It’s a British series about two middle-aged women who are just the type of people you’d want for friends. They’re hired to fix estate gardens but always find a body or two while digging around!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi Kalena,
I have the Rosemary & Thyme show on my TV and Movies theme page. I sure did enjoy the first two seasons of the show…
Chris Well says
We don’t have TiVo and we don’t have cable … so the only first-run TV we even bother with is THE OFFICE.
We catch up with MONK on DVD, plus many of the classics now on DVD, including COLUMBO, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, THE EQUALIZER, and REMINGTON STEELE.
We also got hold of a great box set on Amazon that features 150 episodes of old detective shows … including DRAGNET, MR. AND MRS. NORTH, CHECKMATE, MANNIX, MICHAEL SHAYNE, BURKE’S LAW, and many others. For the price, it is an excellent way to sample old shows, some dating all the way back to the beginning of TV. We highly recommend it.
By the way, I did get to see several episodes of EUREKA, and second that recommendation.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hi Chris,
Looks like you watch the same types of shows that we do…. Oh my gosh! I haven’t thought of Burke’s Law in years!!! I am going to have to go take a look at that boxed set…
We just started making our way through the first season of Mission: Impossible and are getting quite a kick out of those shows.