At this time of year, thoughts tend to drift towards The Ultimate Christmas Gift.
This blog promotes the presentation of a Box Set. It’s more than a gift – it’s a lifestyle, a way to say ‘I love you’, something to place upon the shelves, an item to quieten a talkative friend/relative/lover if they are getting on your nerves over the Aussie summer. Or Northern Hemisphere winter. Hours of viewing pleasure in a slim plastic cover while you’re sipping some beer (us) snogging some brandy (north) or chugging on eggnog (in between)
Our television stations hibernate in the heat of Dec-Feb period. Perhaps you have been enjoying Glee or Flash Forward? The distressing news is that they get pulled for the Christmas holidays, stuffed with turkey and fattened up for new year. The problem arises when the Australian nights are long and hot (much like some people!) and bed just compounds the length and the heat -
literally, maybe?
To cut a very convoluted entry short, I’d like to recommend FIVE box sets that you could purchase online and give to loved ones this festive season. You don’t even have to go to a shop, which is a huge bonus from where I’m sitting.
These are in no particular order. Adult warnings do apply to some but who doesn’t love a bit of swearing, sex and full frontal nudity with their left-over rum balls?
1. Six Feet Under: I’m extremely biased where this show is concerned. It’s my very favourite and you must buy all five seasons and watch them until your eyes fall out of your head. It’s a difficult programme at times. It’s raw and confronting, dealing with each and every aspect of grief. A couple of friends I’ve recced this to couldn’t ‘like’ the characters as much as they wanted to – and it’s true. They err and their flaws colour the story to its completion. Amazing television. Controversial and complete. Buy it NOW.
2. Mad Men: This is my latest obsession. If I could, I would morph into the Mad Men set, change my hairstyle to a red French knotty thing and smoke like a chimney. I’d sing with Sinatra or watch unusual art presentations out of Manhatten and inhale incense while listening to Peter, Paul and Mary. This show is an absolute masterpiece. It’s stunning and beautifully shot. The entire cast resonate from 1960 into your home. It is my aim to introduce the entire family to Mad Men before the Christmas season is over (and we are only at the end of season 1) There are 3 full seasons and more being made!
3. Dexter: Dexter, Dexter, Dexter. How I love you. The basic premise of this show is (in the words of my Sydney mate, Sarah) so ‘out of the box’, you can only sit back for the ride. It’s almost impossible not to fall in love with Dexter (serial killer) Morgan, his sister Deb and the gang at the Miami PD. Season 4 is almost finished in The States, so only the box sets of Season 1-3 are available to purchase at this stage. This is a violent show, but the layers of morality, character dynamics and family make it easy to almost ‘ignore’ the blood and focus on story telling. Wonderful stuff, but adult warning applies to this one and Six Feet Under.
4. The Sopranos: Chatting to a lady about Tony & Co. at school the other day, she said ‘the mafia thing really puts me off watching The Sopranos.’ I totally agreed with her. The idea of sitting through six seasons of Godfather-like tv didn’t appeal until I was encouraged to watch it. The Sopranos is riveting viewing. Again, its strength is gained through story telling. The characters involve the viewer (and they evolve) and the standard of acting is supreme. The big ‘themes’ are dealt with – ethics, family, religion, crime. Fabulous television, with a language warning as well.
5. The Tudors: I wrote a BSB edition about The Tudors here. Gorgeously filmed, fabulous costumes, attractive casting and (mostly) accurate historical content reward the viewer over three seasons.
So why put up with free-to-air television that never runs to time, reeks with advertising and is about as fresh as last year’s plum pud? I hope the five ideas have helped to inspire some creatively fun small-screen viewing over the silly season. Don’t sit too close to the screen! You’ll get square eyes!
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Thanks Lady, may have to buy some of these for the fam, but check them out first, just to make sure they’re suitable!!! Also, in case you get me for KK, I’ve only watched Six Feet Under…xoxoxo
Wow, where do you find the time to watch all these shows, haha?
Let’s see…
Dexter: done.
The Tudors: only saw S1, but enjoyed it. Henry Cavill: YUM.
Mad Men: watched half of the pilot, but ran out of time to keep on watching. Maybe I’ll catch up during the Christmas break!
SFU: I WANT TO WATCH THAT (if only I had more free time! Or if days could last for 48 hours instead of 24…).
The Sopranos: It does look great, but I have NO TIME for another show. Maybe I’ll dive into it next July/August, during the summer holidays.
Thanks for the recs!
*waves and runs away*
Gay, remember if I get you for KK, I’m going to buy you bed sheets, LOL. Every woman’s hope at Christmas time. Have you finished SFU? The next shows I have to get your on are Mad Men and Dexter. I need Mon & Ben to get into Dex too. *hugs*
Maureen -- I don’t do anything else apart from watch TV, you know that. *g*. One hour per night is all I watch usually (but then I WILL NOT watch crap) so most of the top quality shows race by.
It’s a pleasure for the recs. I think you would adore MM, especially from a cinematic POV. Wonderful stuff. Be well, and thanks for visiting.
Our DVD shelf is groaning with box-sets waiting to be viewed, but I’m adding Mad Men to the list. Summer is a great-time to catch up. There’s NOTHING on TV to view, we spend more hours in front of the TV than usual and there’s no sewing machine at Merimbula. Can’t wait!
Thank God for DVD box sets, I say! I’ve converted a few of my own family to this method of telly watching, a fact which comes in handy at this time of the year, lol.
I am totally in LURVE with teh Dexter man, as you know… I defy ANYONE not to champion his cause after watching just a few episodes!
Awesome recs, love! SFU, TT and Dex I have seen but have put MM and TS in my list to watch when I get the chance (after True Blood, of course!)
xx
So last night I said, “Hey Charlie, Mad Men was recommended. Do you want me to start downloading a few eps?” And he gave me an absolute, no-doubt-about-it, NO. Why? I have no idea. He saw some promos and is already completely against it. This happens with him sometimes. Once an opinion is in place, it’s hard to dislodge. First impressions are critical with Charlie.
Sigh.
But I second the Dexter and STU recs! (And so does he!)
Fiona. I think you need to hook up the TV to the sewing machine. Imagine the creations you’d get then, love!?
Sarah -- glad to rec, my dearest. I think you will LOVE MM, but you know me and you -- we agree on most things (especially husbands in the doghouses)
Amy -- wtf with Charlie? *smacks him* Dexter is awesome but I think YOU would really enjoy the visuals of MM
xx
Six feet under…*sighs*…I want the all seasons box set, the one looking like an urn. *cries*
Pauline! You need to stop working and just watch box sets. Or better yet -- take them into your classroom, LOL. *waves*
[...] just that she has to think about gifts, recalled last year’s festive post about DVD Television and decided that it was time to brush off the recommendations [...]