Something-to-Enjoy-When-Your-TV Show-Enters-Reruns, by Zoe

Are you nearing the end of your favorite TV series? Not quite ready to dive into another 7 or 8 month commitment? A little freaked that you might have to actually read, or have conversations with three dimensional people? Let me recommend some great fun that you may not have even thought to try. Fun series that had short runs, but are some of my favorite TV shows:

Firefly: Joss Whedon (of Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Smart, hip, funny space adventures that will make you want this gem back on the air. Fear not, if the movie version (due out this fall) is a big enough hit, there is talk of a resurrection of the series.

Sports Night: Aaron Sorkin from West Wing. (Ask Donna, she loves this one.) I don’t like sports, but this a terrific show about relationships, TV tons more. (It also features pre-Six Feet Under’s Peter Krause)

My So Called Life: Clair Danes stars as an angst-ridden teen (redundant?) and her very interesting, real, and poignant life. It ran only one season, but it’s brilliant.

Family Guy: Animated, irreverent family fun. I do love Stewie and Brian.

Futurama: Matt Groening (The Simpsons). Ask Eric about the Coffee episode! Love this one!

Freaks and Geeks: One of my favorites, and not just because I went to school in the 80’s.

Popular: This is really where the whole Mean Girls thing came from. My favorite character is Mary Cherry. She is wicked fun, just the cure to a cold winter night.

The Vicar of Dibley: Dawn French (French and Sanders) as a sweet hearted English Vicar in a strange, sweet hearted English village. It is kinder, gentler, and funnier.

Father Ted: Catholic priests in Ireland. It’s a bit slapstick, but its heart is in the right place.

Fawlty Towers: John Cleese is a GOD! This may be the best 13 episodes you will ever see. My favorite is the Basil the Rat episode.

Strangers with Candy: Amy Sedaris in the MOST un-politically correct TV show this side of South Park.

The Forsythe Saga: A sprawling saga of a British family. They are bitter and conniving and a lot like “Dynasty”. This is a must for the Costume Drama fan.

The Tick: Patrick Warburton plays the quintessential dopey superhero, in a world where superheroes hang at the neighborhood diner and talk to their agents on cell phones.

Greg the Bunny: Eugene Levy and Seth Green as a father and son who work on a kids TV show, in a world where Puppets are real. “They can sing and dance and they don’t wear pants, they are just like you.”

Red Dwarf: British, outer-space, one of Eric’s staples, and with good reason.

Quantum Leap: Scott Bakula in one of the most loved and beloved scifi series ever.

Deadwood: Shakespearean in story, character, and dialogue.