Tuned In Poll: The TV Shows You Loved, Alone

Years ago, when I was in high school, I was a huge fan of "Covington Cross," a drama set during medieval England starring King Arthur ("Excalibur") himself, Nigel Terry. Two of his sons were played by the late Glenn Quinn (from "Roseanne") who used his real accent, and --the real reason I watched it-- Jonathan Firth (Colin's brother), who I still love. I think I knew all three people who watched it.

Roswell.

And for the record I'm still watching TMYLM.

Submitted for your consideration: The Famous Teddy Z starring Jon "The Killer" Cryer. Great Hugh Wilson show about a studio mail clerk who makes the jump to full agent. Perhaps a bit too inside Hollywood but the episode where the older agent unknowingly packages Mr. Smith Goes to Washington as an over the top '80's action flick is hilarious. The show made me want to go west and become a big time movie player. Alas, that was a million cubicle jobs ago...

Jack and Bobby. Even though it managed to do the unthinkable - namely, misuse Christine Lahti - it was a WB teen drama that was, in some sense, about West Wing-style politics.

I really can't explain why I stuck with this show for as long as I did when I knew it had to be cancelled (and eventually was), but the show's premise (let's see this future great president grow up, and see the impact his teen years had on his presidency) was an irresistible hook. I'm still perplexed as to why it didn't work better, but I'll place the blame on the writers for turning Lahti into a one-note, shrill disaster of a character as the title boys' pot-smoking liberal professor mother...what a waste.

I've got the first two episodes of TMYLM and I will watch them, just not sure when.

As far as shows I've watched go down, does The Dresden Files count? I really enjoyed the playfulness of that show and the supernatural details. It wasn't as bad as other shows I've seen gain success and I'm still not sure why it failed.

Even though I didn't find it until it was already canceled (since that happened so quickly) I hold a candle for Kitchen Confidential, a show I feel could really have become a success.

Lastly, I was a fan of Six Degrees, mostly for Shiri Appleby

Young Americans - it was a summer replacement show (I think)in 2000. It lasted 8 episodes and featured Katherine Moennig (late of The L Word). She played a girl that passed as a boy at an all boys boarding school. It was a great little show and I was sad to see it go. I am not sure if it received any critical buzz, I certainly do not remember seeing any and I remember that none of my friends new what I was talking about when I brought it up!

Also - James, I love TMYLM and I was scouring this page for your "watch". I am pleased that you will be putting one up for this show.

Ned & Stacey! Fox started scheduling it erratically in its second season, and then it just disappeared.

When I found out the never-aired second half of the second season was being shown in re-runs on USA, I was the happiest man alive for a while.

Day Break.

"G. vs. E" -- which needs to be released on DVD, please!

And "It's Like... You Know"--which fell victim to the Reign of Regis.

I'll also cast a vote for the pure pulp goodness of Summerland....I definitely wasted a whole summer watching marathons of that wonderful show. Pretty impressive pedigree, too, launching the careers of Jesse McCartney and Zac Effron or whatever his name is from High School Musical.

The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire. Loved it, and never understood the critical bashing. Also love Tell Me You Love Me. Hope it doesn't suffer the same fate.

Joe Millionaire 2 and Paradise Island.

I think everyone gave up on "Twin Peaks" soon after the second season started (no way it could live up to the first); and even though it started getting way, way out there and making little if no sense in some storylines (what the hell did the owls have to do with anything? never was sure), the VERY end of the show still sends chills...Great show, in its own way, up to the finale!

Dilbert and The Critic. I have the DVD's and still watch those two show's regularly.

Sorry to be off topic, but I'm so annoyed and really need to vent for a moment about something I just read on this site. Richard Corliss, in his review of "Across The Universe" says of the 1960's:

Kids actually did stuff then. Those who didn't go to war protested it. (The existence of a military draft helped.) They rebelled against their parents' values, political views and choice of recreational drugs — from martinis to marijuana. They marched for civil rights, vandalized their universities, exiled themselves to Canada. Unlike today's young people, they were idealistic, reckless, suicidal and interesting.

I would just like to say to Mr. Corliss-- Perhaps they were 'more interesting', but then they went on to become self-centered, navel-gazing, workaholic philanderers who completely screwed up Generations X and Y through their ineffectual and misguided parenting. Look at Bill Clinton and George Bush and you'll understand why I am SO tired of the Boomers and their self-aggrandizement. Thank you. Rant is over now.

Grounded for Life. I'm ashamed to say that I followed it across networks and watched it (and liked it) until the very end.

"Keen Eddie." It was a summer comedy about an American cop working for Scotland Yard starring Mark Valley. It was very funny. Unfortunately it aired on FOX the same summer that the OC debuted, so it kind of got lost.

I'm not sure "Love Monkey" would even count, as the entire series lasted all of eight episodes... and the bulk of them were burned off on VH1, so maybe that does count for something.

Like Chaddogg, I was also a follower of "Jack and Bobby" to the end -- and even though it's not likely more than the character name, you should know that Bobby McCallister lives... that's the name of the Republican Junior Senator from California played by Rob Lowe on "Brothers and Sisters." AND, he's running for President. Kind of a neat trick by Greg Berlanti, who was the showrunner on both programs. No mention yet of Jack or Grace, though. If I had to speculate, I'd say this is sort of an "alternate universe" Bobby -- different timeframe, etc, even though in J&B Bobby was a Republican who ran as an independent for President... the B&S Bobby is a moderate Republican. Hmmm...

Maximum Bob. Quirky and funny and beautifully plotted and acted. I'd like to think it would do better now, but I'd have thought it would've done all right when it was originally on.

Roswell, Daybreak, and a cartoon called Exo-Squad

Touching Evil was the best show on television......for about 5 weeks in early 2004. It had the added bonus of Vera Farmiga. Glad to see Jeffery Donovan back in Burn Notice. I was also a very big Keen Eddie fan.

Boston Public. Out of loyalty to Chi McBride, Anthony Heald, and Loretta Devine, the only remaining awesome after Nicky Katt and Rashida Jones left.

Upside: witnessing Michelle Monaghan's big break when she did a guest arc. Downside: Mini-Me's appearance, and the bizarre Kelley-ness of it all that was mitigated early on with great acting. Aside: How is it that Jason Katims can run Boston Public into the ground -- it was truly terrible the last two seasons, after starting as a proto-O.C. teen/adult snarky soap -- then turn around and run a genius series like Friday Night Lights? Maybe this could be called Greg Garcia Syndrome.

About ten years ago (or more)I really enjoyed a show called The Good Life which starred Drew Carey before the sitcom that made him famous. He played the friend of star stand up John Caponera. The show was really funny. And I don't think anyone would remember it.

I loved Keen Eddie, so now I know there were 2 of us.

I am ashamed to admit it, but On The Lot captured me this summer. The show was awful, the host was the WORST, but I cared about those film makers and wanted to see who won.

I liked a show called "Pacific Palisades" that was a generic Melrose Place that lasted for about 10 episodes one summer on Fox.