Shows that don't work in marathon viewing

2187 Views 27 Replies 26 Participants Last post by MegaHertz67, Sep 19, 2007

jfjellstad

Discussion Starter · Sep 15, 2007

I usually tivo my shows and watch the whole season in a marathon either during the summer months, or I have a mini-season during Christmas break. Interesting enough, certain shows seem better watching in a marathon, while others seem really bad. What's some of the shows you don't think work or work in a marathon viewing?

Bad:
24 - first season wasn't too bad, but then it started getting progressively worse (Tony breaking his leg and then a couple of hours later walks around fine...). The show seems to be built on the idea that you forget details between the episodes.
Battlestar Galactica - technical problems in one episode is not a problem in another. Relationships are formed out of nowhere

Good:
Heroes - Works really well. Didn't see anything obvious popping up.
Lost - Works great as a marathon. Even going back and pick up additional clues. Although some have been changed that becomes obvious when you do a marathong viewing (Sawyer was clean shaven with short hair when he came to the Island, but all flashback has him with stubs and long hair like he's been on an island for months)

What are some of your shows?

1 - 20 of 28 Posts

David Platt

· #2 · Sep 15, 2007

Best:

Buffy- this was the very first show I ever watched on DVD in a marathon, and no other marathon experience has ever come close. The attention to detail, the ongoing story arcs, everything just added up to a really rewarding viewing experience.

sushikitten

· #3 · Sep 15, 2007

The only show I ever watched in marathon style was Gilmore Girls - which was great, because I don't think I could have waited a week between episodes.

I am about ready to start an Office marathon and Scrubs mini-marathon (first two seasons).

Aniketos

· #4 · Sep 15, 2007

Actually I liked BSG in marathon form, because when there was a bad episode it'd get made up by a few other good episodes. If I had to wait a week in between with some of the 2.5 and season 3 episodes, I'd be kind of pissed.

Alpinemaps

· #5 · Sep 15, 2007

I, too, have been enjoying BSG in marathon format. I'm also watching Grey's Anatomy that way, and enjoying it.

Personally, I'd rather watch a show in a compressed format, than not. It's easier to stay focused on the characters and the storyline. You just have to overlook some of those continuity glitches. Because there are just as many between episodes, as there are within episodes. They don't bug me too much.

I guess I'd say that any serialized show works really well in marathon format, but anything episodic, especially a comedy (for me) - I'm okay watching week-by-week.

Jeeters

· #6 · Sep 15, 2007

Best: Entourage, Weeds.... any of the half hour cable series with ongoing storylines where when you try and watch them weekly, they feel like they end five minutes after the episode starts. A whole season of Entourage can be watched in under three hours; and it's a really fun three hours.

JustAllie

· #7 · Sep 15, 2007

I watched the first six seasons of Stargate: SG-1 in a marathon fashion a few years ago. I think at one point I was watching about 3 episodes per day on some days -- one over breakfast, two in the evenings. It worked well that way, at least for me.

It is sad to get to the end of the DVDs, though.

Enrique

· #8 · Sep 15, 2007

Charmed:

Very Good: I watched all 8 Seasons within a 1 to 2 month Period.

7 Days:

Some What: If you Watch to long you get bored but still a good Tv show.

The 4400:

Bad: I Mean i have Watched all 3 Seasons but not in one sitting but i have tried to catch up with Seasons 4 but zzzzz

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cheesesteak

· #9 · Sep 15, 2007

I think 24 works perfectly in a marathon

MasterOfPuppets

· #10 · Sep 15, 2007

Back when I didn't have FX, I'd watch The Shield in marathon viewings when the DVDs came out. It worked quite nicely.
Same with The Sopranos.

I don't know that I've ever watched a series in a marathon that didn't work well.

Fl_Gulfer

· #11 · Sep 15, 2007

Deep Space 9 and Star Trek Voyager work great in Marathon. and Soap Yea I loved 7 days

Cainebj

· #12 · Sep 15, 2007

Funny the original poster asked shows that "didn't" work well in a marathon and we are all thinking shows that DID!

Same experience shows I missed in first run and then caught on DVD or in marathon re-runs:

(the latest one) DEXTER! (amazing for marathon viewing)!
The Shield
House
Doctor Who
Sex and the City
The X Files

and the current one:
Prime Suspect

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sushikitten

· #13 · Sep 16, 2007

JustAllie said:
I watched the first six seasons of Stargate: SG-1 in a marathon fashion a few years ago. I think at one point I was watching about 3 episodes per day on some days -- one over breakfast, two in the evenings. It worked well that way, at least for me.

It is sad to get to the end of the DVDs, though.

This series is planned for sometime after hubby gets home. I've always wanted to see the entire run, and have only seen sporadic episodes over the years. I need him here to explain things, otherwise I will be very lost and confused.

JustAllie

· #14 · Sep 16, 2007

jenhudson said:
This series is planned for sometime after hubby gets home. I've always wanted to see the entire run, and have only seen sporadic episodes over the years. I need him here to explain things, otherwise I will be very lost and confused.

They're about to release the entire series DVD set in a cool box.

I have been pondering getting that set because I'm a completist, but I already have seasons 1-8 on DVD.

HiddenSky

· #15 · Sep 16, 2007

JustAllie said:
They're about to release the entire series DVD set in a cool box.

I have been pondering getting that set because I'm a completist, but I already have seasons 1-8 on DVD.

There's nothing wrong with being a completist...says someone with all 10 seasons who still has the complete set preordered.

markz

· #16 · Sep 17, 2007

I love pulling out the DVDs of Sports Night or The West Wing and watching as much as possible in a sitting. They work well, because even though they can stand alone, they have continuing stories as well.

I do hate watching the promos, theme music, "on previous episodes" etc though when watching a marathon.

lmk911

· #17 · Sep 18, 2007

Grey's Anatomy does not work for me in a marathon.

Vito the TiVo

· #18 · Sep 18, 2007

Nip/Tuck is a disaster in a marathon. No continuity between episodes, motivations change on a dime. Individual episodes might be fine, but their season arcs suck.

Jesda

· #19 · Sep 18, 2007

BAD:
Ally McBeal -- Jarring, and you start to hate the characters.
CSI -- Depressing.

GOOD:
Boston Legal -- Fast-moving show, makes a viewing session feel brief.
Veronica Mars -- You can remember the important details for the story arcs.
Big Love

Honora

· #20 · Sep 18, 2007

Good: Babylon 5 - Things touched on in the first season come to fruition one, two or even
three seasons later.

Xena - If only for watching Gabrielle go from "girl hostage" to self-sufficient warrior

Worst: Any soap opera

My sisters used to record their favorite soaps (thank goodness there were only 2) and then sit and watch them altogether during the weekend, fast forwarding over the storylines that didn't interest them. That's when I realized you could watch the Friday & Monday episodes, skip the three days in the middle and not miss anything.

One day they were watching something where a girl was being held prisoner by the bad guy of the month, and her boyfriend was at a cocktail party. He kept saying that he had to look for her, but each day somebody stopped him just by talking to him. It took the poor guy all week to make it to the door. In the meantime, the girl did the mandatory screaming in terror scene each day.

1 - 20 of 28 Posts

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