Shockingly good.

[Eofaerwic]

I'm in shock. I've just watched the most recent series of Torchwood (well the first two eps of a 5 ep run)... and it's actually good!

For those who have managed to avoid Torchwood it has been for the past two seasons the 'darkier and dodgier' Doctor Who spin off, with cartoon levels of sillyness, sex for sex's sake and plot holes you could drive the Death Star through. But this, this is actually really good Sci-Fi.

It's like watching the new Star Trek film and realising that not only was it a good Star Trek film, it was actually a good film full stop (well for a summer blockbuster). It's not meant to happen, and yet somehow it does.

So what have other people seen recently which has managed to surprise you by actually being decent fare, despite all past experiences with the series/franchise/genre?

[JuNii]

I'm in shock. I've just watched the most recent series of Torchwood (well the first two eps of a 5 ep run)... and it's actually good!

For those who have managed to avoid Torchwood it has been for the past two seasons the 'darkier and dodgier' Doctor Who spin off, with cartoon levels of sillyness, sex for sex's sake and plot holes you could drive the Death Star through. But this, this is actually really good Sci-Fi.

It's like watching the new Star Trek film and realising that not only was it a good Star Trek film, it was actually a good film full stop (well for a summer blockbuster). It's not meant to happen, and yet somehow it does.

So what have other people seen recently which has managed to surprise you by actually being decent fare, despite all past experiences with the series/franchise/genre?

Burn Notice. I got the first season for my b-day last year. watched it recently... hunted down Season 2... can't wait for season 3.

House. MD shows really don't do it for me. but this was surprisingly good.

[Conserative Morality]

The Conduit. In my experience, most games involving conspiracy theories or FPSs involving the Wii both tend to be rather 'meh'. The Conduit surprised me by doing both and still managing to be a pretty good game.

[Eofaerwic]

Burn Notice. I got the first season for my b-day last year. watched it recently... hunted down Season 2... can't wait for season 3.

I watched Burn Notice on a recommendation from a friend, and because it had Bruce Campbell in it - I too was shocked at how good it was. It's one of the those "better than it sounds" shows.

[NERV arms conglomerate]

i am watching torchwood on my TV at home, in fact just a few minutes ago, i have liked Dr who and torch wood from the start, and im not giving up

warning torchwood spoiler!

the bit with jack as just a skeleton was really disgusting

[Saint Clair Island]

It's like watching the new Star Trek film and realising that not only was it a good Star Trek film, it was actually a good film full stop (well for a summer blockbuster). It's not meant to happen, and yet somehow it does.

That happened to some people? I watched the new Star Trek film and thought that it was not only not as good as some of the other films in the series, complete with ludicrous plot holes, even more implausible science than usual, and rather annoying characters, it lacked most of the essential elements of what I've come to know as Star Trek, verging on parody at times. Meh, that's over now.

Regardless, I generally don't form opinions of anything in advance. That way, on the extremely rare occasions I do watch a TV show or a movie or something, I won't find it "shockingly good" -- if it's good, I'll find it good; if it's bad, I'll find it bad. That's it.

[Grave_n_idle]

I really liked "Torchwood", but then - I expected to.

"Fringe" was a lot better than I expected it to be. "Leverage" was, also.

The "new Doctor Who" franchise was better than a lot of the old Doctor Who, which was a surpise.

But, for me, the ultimate example in this field is "Firefly", which turned out not only to be surprisingly good, and even good by the standards of it genre, but arguably one of the best pieces of televisual entertainment I've ever seen.

[JuNii]

"Leverage" was, also.

I expected Leverage to be good. but then I love the Premise.

[JuNii]

Burn Notice. I got the first season for my b-day last year. watched it recently... hunted down Season 2... can't wait for season 3.

I watched Burn Notice on a recommendation from a friend, and because it had Bruce Campbell in it - I too was shocked at how good it was. It's one of the those "better than it sounds" shows.

yeah. but after watching those three in action... Weston, Fi and Sam...

they're, so far, the best televised team I've seen so far.

[Grave_n_idle]

"Leverage" was, also.

I expected Leverage to be good. but then I love the Premise.

I already liked several of the cast from other projects. I thought they'd be good. I liked the concept. But - I've liked the concept of a lot of stuff, and it's turned out to be Babylon 5.

[Iron Chariots]

I really liked "Torchwood", but then - I expected to.

"Fringe" was a lot better than I expected it to be. "Leverage" was, also.

The "new Doctor Who" franchise was better than a lot of the old Doctor Who, which was a surpise.

But, for me, the ultimate example in this field is "Firefly", which turned out not only to be surprisingly good, and even good by the standards of it genre, but arguably one of the best pieces of televisual entertainment I've ever seen.

Absolutely this. Especially because it was my first Joss Whedon show, I had no idea what to expect.

[Fartsniffage]

"Leverage" was, also.

I expected Leverage to be good. but then I love the Premise.

I already liked several of the cast from other projects. I thought they'd be good. I liked the concept. But - I've liked the concept of a lot of stuff, and it's turned out to be Babylon 5.

So, brilliant then?

[Dumb Ideologies]

I was also surprised by Torchwood, which I fully expected to be shit, having seen a few early ones and tiring quickly of the initial ZOMG HOT LESBIAN ALIENS-type storylines. The recent ones have been fairly decent, if still a bit unevenly paced.

The Big Bang Theory...an American sitcom, thats actually quite funny. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?

Also, of course, Firefly. GIven that most people I knew who liked it were...well...a bit geeky, I had low expectations, expecting it to be inaccesible, dry sci-fi. Needless to say, it wasn't.

[Getbrett]

Can someone please explain what's so good about Firefly? I've seen every episode and the film, but I didn't think it was particularly special. Personally, I think Whedon's a bit of a hack. Dollhouse was awful.

[Grave_n_idle]

I expected Leverage to be good. but then I love the Premise.

I already liked several of the cast from other projects. I thought they'd be good. I liked the concept. But - I've liked the concept of a lot of stuff, and it's turned out to be Babylon 5.

So, brilliant then?

If you mean 'briliiant' as 'shiny and gaudy, but lacking substance', yes...

[Smunkeeville]

The big bang theory is one of my favorite shows. I've been avoiding sitcoms for ages as they've all been basically the same format, either stupid guy with hot wife or group of singles that are woefully incompetent.......this one is different. I wonder though if there are not a lot of people watching it who don't understand half of what's being said. I laugh so much at it, but I worry too that it might be a bit too witty to last very long.

[Fartsniffage]

If you mean 'briliiant' as 'shiny and gaudy, but lacking substance', yes...

It's TV, of course that's what I mean.

The space combat was realistic, decent story arcs and characters that I liked and were decently developed. I'm not sure what more you want from sci-fi?

[Saint Clair Island]

Can someone please explain what's so good about Firefly? I've seen every episode and the film, but I didn't think it was particularly special. Personally, I think Whedon's a bit of a hack. Dollhouse was awful.

I haven't seen Firefly, but neither the premise nor the episode summaries nor the fandom has me chomping at the bit to rent the DVD box set.

[Getbrett]

Can someone please explain what's so good about Firefly? I've seen every episode and the film, but I didn't think it was particularly special. Personally, I think Whedon's a bit of a hack. Dollhouse was awful.

I haven't seen Firefly, but neither the premise nor the episode summaries nor the fandom has me chomping at the bit to rent the DVD box set.

It's good. It's just nowhere NEAR one of "best pieces of televisual entertainment."

[Fartsniffage]

It's good. It's just nowhere NEAR one of "best pieces of televisual entertainment."

It combines the best of spaghetti western with Star Wars, I don't see why it's not loved even more that it already is.

[Getbrett]

It's good. It's just nowhere NEAR one of "best pieces of televisual entertainment."

It combines the best of spaghetti western with Star Wars, I don't see why it's not loved even more that it already is.

Star Wars is shit and I've yet to see a spaghetti western that was any good.

[Saint Clair Island]

Can someone please explain what's so good about Firefly? I've seen every episode and the film, but I didn't think it was particularly special. Personally, I think Whedon's a bit of a hack. Dollhouse was awful.

I haven't seen Firefly, but neither the premise nor the episode summaries nor the fandom has me chomping at the bit to rent the DVD box set.

It's good. It's just nowhere NEAR one of "best pieces of televisual entertainment."

Ok. I guess it stays in my "not worth my time" category.

[Grave_n_idle]

I haven't seen Firefly, but neither the premise nor the episode summaries nor the fandom has me chomping at the bit to rent the DVD box set.

It's good. It's just nowhere NEAR one of "best pieces of televisual entertainment."

Ok. I guess it stays in my "not worth my time" category.

It's rather clever. It's subversive. It will probably resonate better with Americans than with anyone else because of some of the subtext - so it's entirely possible that Getbrett, for example, doesn't get the full depth of the show. That's not an insult.

[Getbrett]

Ok. I guess it stays in my "not worth my time" category.

If you enjoy sci-fi it's worth your time. It's entertaining and fun but so hideously overrated that it almost makes me sick.

[Fartsniffage]

Star Wars is shit and I've yet to see a spaghetti western that was any good.

Your lack of taste is disturbing.