I need a new show...

[blayze]

Rarely do spinoffs work IMO. The only one I can think of that equaled the success of its original show, and that may be stretching it in some people's opinion, is "Frasier" which was a spinoff of "Cheers".

It NEVER occurred to me that Frasier was a spinoff of Cheers... but damn, you're right. Frasier definitely earns the title of best spinoff ever.

[blayze]

I can't say that I like the history of spin-offs where the characters involved already had very clear identities on the shows they were previously on. Saul had a very specific corner on a much broader show. Doesn't seem that there is really that much to explore. I mean, sure, we'd all love to see more Saul interacting with drug dealers but that sounds more like a series of web shorts than a full blown TV series. I mean, what's there to know about Saul beyond what we already know? And how can there be stakes when we already know where he ends up?

I'll give them a million chances to prove me wrong but I'm just not a believer.

I disagree. I think the concept is open-ended enough that they can take the show in any number of ways. It doesn't have to be limited to what we know about him through Breaking Bad... that connection can easily be loosened by playing with the timeline... before or after Breaking Bad. It doesn't even have to be strictly about drug deals. He can deal with murderers, white collared crime, etc.

I think the premise is intriguing and broad enough for a long-running show... it will be a matter of creativity and execution.

[havanablast21]

It NEVER occurred to me that Frasier was a spinoff of Cheers... but damn, you're right. Frasier definitely earns the title of best spinoff ever.

What...you didn't love Joey Tribiani's short lived spin off from Friends?

lol...

[blayze]

Speaking of spinoffs... one spinoff that I would LOVE to see is Ari Gold from Entourage. There were rumblings of it for a long time, but it just never took off.

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What...you didn't love Joey Tribiani's short lived spin off from Friends?

lol...

He had a spinoff?!? I could never stand him anyway... but good to see he fell flat on his face.

[Magicstew]

Got a couple of shows that we have started to watch recently.

Crossbones and Night Shift.
You have to watch both from the start, wasn't sure about Crossbones at first, but John Malkovich is terrific as Blackbeard.

Also hooked on Big Brother now, but that is because I started watching with my daughter, so I blame her.

[metaldude26]

I disagree. I think the concept is open-ended enough that they can take the show in any number of ways. It doesn't have to be limited to what we know about him through Breaking Bad... that connection can easily be loosened by playing with the timeline... before or after Breaking Bad. It doesn't even have to be strictly about drug deals. He can deal with murderers, white collared crime, etc.

I think the premise is intriguing and broad enough for a long-running show... it will be a matter of creativity and execution.

Definitely doesn't have to be about drug deals but tell me that you honestly think a show about the slick, shady but hilarious criminal lawyer is really that different from what we've already seen based on the types of crimes the people hiring him commit, because I don't.

I'll agree that creativity and execution are what will matter but that matters with ALL SHOWS. The difference is that the bar is set higher because these are characters we already know so there's less to be explored from a character development standpoint.

And we already know that this is a prequel show because of the involvement of the character Mike. It's possible that this show bounces around the timeline with flashbacks or flash forwards but I doubt that will be the case.

What I am wondering is whether this show is going to be more of a procedural with a weekly dumb criminal (which we've already seen fail - thanks Rake) or much more serialized. I'd be out on a procedural almost instantly even if there were heavy serialization on top of the procedural format. I'm hoping they go for more of a serialized take and a format similar to that of a show like Justified where every season there's a new bad guy. That's a show I could probably enjoy.

What would be really interesting is if instead of Saul being the main character they simply had him as the vessel for the show and instead we really focused on one idiot criminal who happens to come into Saul's life. If we focused on that character instead then we could have a show with actual stakes since we don't know that character's fate yet. Saul could continue to be a supplementary character. A vital one but not the one whose fate the show ultimately rests on. I'm just not sure that character has enough depth for such an undertaking.

[blayze]

I personally think procedural shows are dead.

The last great procedural was Seinfeld.

[metaldude26]

I personally think procedural shows are dead.

The last great procedural was Seinfeld.

Tell that to CBS. They make an absolute killing off procedurals. They aren't dead, they simply appeal to a different demographic.

[Pengwin7]

Good article from last November on Better-Call-Saul & successful spinoffs:
http://www.businessinsider.com/best-...e-2013-11?op=1

I remember Facts of Life, Different World, Simpsons, Melrose Place, and Frasier all when they spun-off.
Laverne & Shirley was a pretty funny show too... for the 40+ crowd on this site.
(Probably modernly equated to "Two Broke Girls".)

Yes... Laverne went there.
LOL.

[blayze]

Finally got around to starting House of Cards last night. Watched the first two episodes... I like it so far. I can't decide if I like or hate Spacey in it yet, but it's definitely entertaining.

That Zoe Barnes chick... she is smoking! Love her character.

[JagrBomb]

Speaking of spinoffs... one spinoff that I would LOVE to see is Ari Gold from Entourage. There were rumblings of it for a long time, but it just never took off.

hell yes, i can watch hours of this:




man i might consider rewatching entourage again. ari and drama were my favorites.

[Pengwin7]

That Zoe Barnes chick... she is smoking! Love her character.

Indeed.
And she has a look-a-like sister.
Worth a google image search.

House of Cards is terrific.
Most people that I talk to, that like their TV shows, put House of Cards up there in their top 3-5 shows watched over the last few years.
(Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... those would definitely be 3 of my top 5 shows of last few years too.)

My wife & I just started watching Suits.
Two episodes in and loving it.
Two characters which are very familar "types".
The main guy, Harvey, is basically the "law firm" version of Donald Draper (Mad Men). Professional, arrogant, very good at his job, ladies man.
The secondary character, Mike, is the brilliant-savant type that didn't finish college. Mix of Will Hunting (brains) & Jesse Pinkman ("look").

I'm giddy that we've got 5 seasons ahead of us on this one.

[MarmotKing]

Yeah Zoe Barnes is hot.

I'm almost done with Season 1 of House of Cards.

I'm also currently watching Orange is the New Black with the wife. Good show too.

[blayze]

Indeed.
And she has a look-a-like sister.
Worth a google image search.

House of Cards is terrific.
Most people that I talk to, that like their TV shows, put House of Cards up there in their top 3-5 shows watched over the last few years.
(Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... those would definitely be 3 of my top 5 shows of last few years too.)

My wife & I just started watching Suits.
Two episodes in and loving it.
Two characters which are very familar "types".
The main guy, Harvey, is basically the "law firm" version of Donald Draper (Mad Men). Professional, arrogant, very good at his job, ladies man.
The secondary character, Mike, is the brilliant-savant type that didn't finish college. Mix of Will Hunting (brains) & Jesse Pinkman ("look").

I'm giddy that we've got 5 seasons ahead of us on this one.

I absolutely love Suits - one of my favs. It's not on the same level of Breaking Bad, GOT, etc... but I have a soft spot for it because my job is similar so the storylines and humour really resonate with me.

Fun fact - they try to pass it off as NYC with the yellow cabs and subway signs, but Suits is actually filmed downtown a few buildings from where I work. Those guys are wildly popular in Toronto.

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hell yes, i can watch hours of this:




man i might consider rewatching entourage again. ari and drama were my favorites.

Hahha one of my fav Ari gold scenes for sure.

[Pengwin7]

I'm also currently watching Orange is the New Black with the wife. Good show too.

Yup, my wife totally loved it too.
I wouldn't think girls would like a "prison show", but they do a good job with it.
My favourite part is actually when they take a side-character and make them sort of a focus for the one episode.
Most of my wife's friends watched it through and loved it.