6 ms·

HACF is a goodie but there's a lot of great shows no one's heard of. In an effort to sing the song of underappreciated works of greatness... Patriot - a CIA h

HACF is a goodie but there's a lot of great shows no one's heard of. In an effort to sing the song of underappreciated works of greatness... Patriot - a CIA hitman who writes folk songs about his exploits imdb.com/title/tt4687882/ Counterpart - not a multiverse, just a biverse imdb.com/title/tt4643084/ Scavengers Reign - Robinson Crusoe by way of a nature documentary of a very bizarre alien planet. imdb.com/title/tt21056886/ Common Side Effects - cops, robbers, magic mushrooms, corporate bad guys and the cure for everything. imdb.com/title/tt28093628 Evil - x-files meets Catholic mysticism. imdb.com/title/tt9055008/ The Heat Vision and Jack pilot episode - Jack Black, Owen Wilson and a script by Dan Harmon. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6lWgXDOAJ5s&pp=ygUUaGVhdCB2aXNpb24gYW5kIGphY2s%3D https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6lWgXDOAJ5s&pp=ygUUaGVhdCB2aXN...

J_Shelby_J 7mo ago
Scavengers reign is from the same people as common side effects. Both shows are amazing.
- caycecan 7mo ago
  Joe Bennet, right? https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4497617/?ref_=ext_shr https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4497617/?ref_=ext_shr I will binge anything he makes with the double bullseye of these shows
- consumer451 7mo ago
  Scavengers Reign was easily my favorite sci-fi, in any media format, of the last decade+. So incredibly inventive with the alien biosphere.
  - aa-jv 7mo ago
    Gotta add "Primal" to your list of must-watches ..
- latexr 7mo ago
  > Scavengers reign is from the same people as common side effects. In case it matters to someone, the order is reverse. As in, Scavengers Reign came before. Also, be aware it wasn’t renewed for a second season. But it absolutely deserved it, just not enough people knew about it.
john-tells-all 7mo ago
Patriot is brilliant. Very surreal with pitch-black humor and rare horror. And piping! Lovely piping.
bubblewand 7mo ago
I have seen two of your five shows and like them a lot, and heard of another and it’s already on my to-watch list. This is enough overlap to get the other ones added to the list (plus that pilot). Given the agreement in taste so far, here’s a couple to try if you haven’t: - Sweet Vicious — marred by getting cancelled after one season, but a fun season anyway. College sexual assault survivor becomes an anti-rapist vigilante. It’s, uh… more light-hearted than the premise sounds? - Review with Forrest MacNeil — A guy has a review show where he attempts to review… life. Takes viewer requests for what specifically to review in each episode. He takes his job very seriously. Avoid seeing episode counts if at all possible. Trust me on that part. Doesn’t ruin it if you do see them, but being blind to that does improve it. Another that I’m not sure counts as under-watched as it’s more recent, but I rarely see it discussed in the wild: Dickinson, a magical realism biographical show about the poet, that mixes in humor and some modern pop culture (think: A Knight’s Tale).
- caycecan 7mo ago
  Adding yours to mine as well
- skerit 7mo ago
  > Avoid seeing episode counts if at all possible I don't understand. How would knowing how many episodes there are have an impact on the show? (And the number of episodes seems just... fine?)
  - abustamam 7mo ago
    My understanding was that if you know you're on the last episode then you'll expect things to be resolved or something like that. Similarly, you probably don't expect any twists on the second episode. I've not heard of the series so I can't comment on it specifically but that was my take on their warning.
  - bubblewand 7mo ago
    Rot-13 explanation: Gur frevrf unf cbvagf vg zvtug raq, ohg qbrfa'g, naq gura qbrf noehcgyl raq abg irel sne vagb vgf ynfg frnfba. Gurer'f n yvggyr rkgen wbl gb or unq vs lbh qba'g xabj dhvgr jura vg jvyy or bire (frrvat gur rcvfbqr pbhag ba gung ynfg frnfba, va cnegvphyne, fcbvyf gung). Vg'f abg yvxr gung ehvaf gur fubj be nalguvat, ohg vg'f n yvggyr orggre vs lbh pna znantr gb erznva oyvaq gb vg.
klausa 7mo ago
The showrunner/creator of Patriot has a new show launching in a couple of weeks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DTF_St._Louis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DTF_St._Louis
- caycecan 7mo ago
  He has something to do with this show as well which was obtuse enough to keep me at a distance. It's an unhinged, detective story with puppets in a noir-laden city grit setting. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13148384/?ref_=ext_shr https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13148384/?ref_=ext_shr
- tptacek 7mo ago
  Steven Conrad also did Perpetual Grace Ltd (he also wrote the screenplay for Pursuit of Happyness, which is the scariest movie I've ever seen).
  - klausa 7mo ago
    I need to get around to Perpetual Grace; I've watched the first 15 minutes of it like four times and always ended up bouncing off of it for one reason or another; but I know if I got into it, I'd probably really dig it.
    - tptacek 7mo ago
      Same! Funny thing about watching Patriot for the first time: my sister in law showed up on it. We had no idea. Just all the sudden there she is on my TV. She's the mute cop, Sophie.
    - billbrown 7mo ago
      It's terrific. Just rewatched it for a third time.
  - caycecan 7mo ago
    I tried Perpetual Grace and didn't get it. If it's a 4th-episode-it-gets-good show I'll dive back in.
tptacek 7mo ago
Patriot is amazing, more people should watch it, everyone I know who has was enthralled by it. Counterpart was great but structure made it hard for to watch knowing it'd been cancelled. Scavengers Reign was great; I couldn't get into Common Side Effects. Evil is exactly the Catholic X-Files, which is an amazing concept, but by the end of the 2nd season it is all the way off the rails and hurtling into a canyon. Given your list, you might dig Lodge 49, which is somewhere in the intersection of HACF, Evil, The Big Lebowski.
- caycecan 7mo ago
  Adding it as well
  - caycecan 7mo ago
    Evil got cancelled with a 6 episode finish, which is unheard of when making TV. It wanders around, and has highlights in each season. The x-files got real sloppy near the end too. Also in the running for great title sequences as well
- skerit 7mo ago
  Oh, so does "Counterpart" not have an ending?
  - jclulow 7mo ago
    It does actually wrap up well enough I reckon. It's not really a cliffhanger or whatever.
  - Sylamore 7mo ago
    It does, though it was obviously setting up a future season things wrap up well enough. I wouldn't be mad to watch it again.
- robot_jesus 7mo ago
  Patriot is my single favorite show of all time. I absolutely adore it and every preposterous, absurd line. So many quotable moments. Vantasner Danger Meridian. Structural Dynamics of Flow. The attaché badge. So many phenomenal scenes. I’m not surprised it didn’t get more traction with the general public but it was unafraid to take some serious and weird risks. But they pay off in spades for me!
ajcp 7mo ago
While it has many many amazing scenes, I think Patriot's "cover" of the Rockwell Retro Encabulator is absolutely top notch. https://youtu.be/FFK7RHYdWCc?si=w8R0eO6W3uGgXt3R https://youtu.be/FFK7RHYdWCc?si=w8R0eO6W3uGgXt3R
_boffin_ 7mo ago
- secret city - Black Earth Rising - Pine Gap
kgwxd 7mo ago
Station Eleven. Wouldn't have made it past a few episodes if I didn't know how good Mackenzie Davis was from watching HCF 1000 times. I stuck through a few things I didn't care for at first, now it will probably remain my favorite show of all time.
- jackp96 7mo ago
  Station Eleven is so beautiful and human. Great pick. Highly recommend The Leftovers if you liked that one. Its exploration of life and grief and humanity following a secular rapture is stunning, and the performances are outstanding.
  - kgwxd 7mo ago
    I have (re)watched everything Patrick Somerville has worked on because of Station Eleven :) I rewatched The Leftovers last month. Maniac last week (this time I noticed a funny reference by Sally Field's character pitching something on the phone about a guy with special hugging powers). None of that was my type of thing before, now it's all I want. I think the genre might be called absurdist fiction, but I'm not sure that covers the full vibe. Dan Romer is an excellent composer too, I listen to his stuff a lot. I have the Station Eleven soundtrack in my car, now my kid randomly sings Wandering Under The Moon, and it's one of my favorite things in the world.
latexr 7mo ago
> Scavengers Reign For those curious, start by watching the 8 minute short which originated it all. If it hooks you, you’ll love the show. https://vimeo.com/179779722 https://vimeo.com/179779722 But be aware the show wasn’t renewed for a second season. Not enough people knew about it.
- m_gloeckl 7mo ago
  I've heard about the show on an episode of the podcast "Endless Thread", where the creator Joseph Bennett talked about how the show came to be and how his creative process worked. It was very intriguing and I started watching it on the same day. This would have really deserved a renewal for another season, but sadly it got cancelled.
  - latexr 7mo ago
    > an episode of the podcast Mind sharing a link? I found the podcast but not the episode.
- 542354234235 7mo ago
  One of the few sci fi shows that makes an alien world truly feel alien. Where it clearly has its own evolution, ecosystems, rules, etc., but they are so... alien that it is barely comprehensible to the characters and audience.
- hackeraccount 7mo ago
  I watched the first episode or so and that was it for me. I don't remember it being super grim but it was too depressing and ominous for me.
losthobbies 7mo ago
Rubicon I always add Rubicon to these types of lists. Amazing spy series.
- audeyisaacs 7mo ago
  Rubicon is excellent. I was disappointed at the time it only got one season, but in retrospect it worked out okay because it's one season done very very well.
Markoff 7mo ago
great recommndations, Patriot is amazing dark comedy with great atmosphere, SR is great semi-documentary about alien planet ecosystem, very peaceful, didn't like CSE and Counterpart though I would suggest also Devs just for the visuals and Tales from the Loop for the most peaceful TV show I've ever seen
bwv848 7mo ago
HACF only has four seasons, but it features great character arcs and a beautiful ending. I don’t think it’s on the level of The Wire, but it’s way more than enough to stand apart.
HelloUsername 7mo ago
Task (2025)?
alsetmusic 7mo ago
Counterpart is one of the best shows I've seen. JK Simmons is brilliant playing two roles. I can't imagine anyone doing a better job.
billbrown 7mo ago
I'll second Patriot and add Perpetual Grace Ltd. from the same creator. I'd also add the two other legs of the Lee Pace Great Television stool: Wonderfalls and Pushing Daisies.
billbrown 7mo ago
Also, if you loved Patriot, the creator has two podcasts stemming from it: https://www.lgclaret.com/ https://www.lgclaret.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-techniques-in-modern-practical-close-combat/id1654250902 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-techniques-in-mode... (And he's also done two bands: The Jones Sisters and Hoist the King.)
goryramsy 7mo ago
I like this list, thank you!

J_Shelby_J 7mo ago

Scavengers reign is from the same people as common side effects. Both shows are amazing.

caycecan 7mo ago
Joe Bennet, right? https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4497617/?ref_=ext_shr https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4497617/?ref_=ext_shr I will binge anything he makes with the double bullseye of these shows
consumer451 7mo ago
Scavengers Reign was easily my favorite sci-fi, in any media format, of the last decade+. So incredibly inventive with the alien biosphere.
- aa-jv 7mo ago
  Gotta add "Primal" to your list of must-watches ..
latexr 7mo ago
> Scavengers reign is from the same people as common side effects. In case it matters to someone, the order is reverse. As in, Scavengers Reign came before. Also, be aware it wasn’t renewed for a second season. But it absolutely deserved it, just not enough people knew about it.

john-tells-all 7mo ago

Patriot is brilliant. Very surreal with pitch-black humor and rare horror. And piping! Lovely piping.

bubblewand 7mo ago

I have seen two of your five shows and like them a lot, and heard of another and it’s already on my to-watch list. This is enough overlap to get the other ones added to the list (plus that pilot). Given the agreement in taste so far, here’s a couple to try if you haven’t: - Sweet Vicious — marred by getting cancelled after one season, but a fun season anyway. College sexual assault survivor becomes an anti-rapist vigilante. It’s, uh… more light-hearted than the premise sounds? - Review with Forrest MacNeil — A guy has a review show where he attempts to review… life. Takes viewer requests for what specifically to review in each episode. He takes his job very seriously. Avoid seeing episode counts if at all possible. Trust me on that part. Doesn’t ruin it if you do see them, but being blind to that does improve it. Another that I’m not sure counts as under-watched as it’s more recent, but I rarely see it discussed in the wild: Dickinson, a magical realism biographical show about the poet, that mixes in humor and some modern pop culture (think: A Knight’s Tale).

caycecan 7mo ago
Adding yours to mine as well
skerit 7mo ago
> Avoid seeing episode counts if at all possible I don't understand. How would knowing how many episodes there are have an impact on the show? (And the number of episodes seems just... fine?)
- abustamam 7mo ago
  My understanding was that if you know you're on the last episode then you'll expect things to be resolved or something like that. Similarly, you probably don't expect any twists on the second episode. I've not heard of the series so I can't comment on it specifically but that was my take on their warning.
- bubblewand 7mo ago
  Rot-13 explanation: Gur frevrf unf cbvagf vg zvtug raq, ohg qbrfa'g, naq gura qbrf noehcgyl raq abg irel sne vagb vgf ynfg frnfba. Gurer'f n yvggyr rkgen wbl gb or unq vs lbh qba'g xabj dhvgr jura vg jvyy or bire (frrvat gur rcvfbqr pbhag ba gung ynfg frnfba, va cnegvphyne, fcbvyf gung). Vg'f abg yvxr gung ehvaf gur fubj be nalguvat, ohg vg'f n yvggyr orggre vs lbh pna znantr gb erznva oyvaq gb vg.

klausa 7mo ago

The showrunner/creator of Patriot has a new show launching in a couple of weeks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DTF_St._Louis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DTF_St._Louis

caycecan 7mo ago
He has something to do with this show as well which was obtuse enough to keep me at a distance. It's an unhinged, detective story with puppets in a noir-laden city grit setting. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13148384/?ref_=ext_shr https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13148384/?ref_=ext_shr
tptacek 7mo ago
Steven Conrad also did Perpetual Grace Ltd (he also wrote the screenplay for Pursuit of Happyness, which is the scariest movie I've ever seen).
- klausa 7mo ago
  I need to get around to Perpetual Grace; I've watched the first 15 minutes of it like four times and always ended up bouncing off of it for one reason or another; but I know if I got into it, I'd probably really dig it.
  - tptacek 7mo ago
    Same! Funny thing about watching Patriot for the first time: my sister in law showed up on it. We had no idea. Just all the sudden there she is on my TV. She's the mute cop, Sophie.
  - billbrown 7mo ago
    It's terrific. Just rewatched it for a third time.
- caycecan 7mo ago
  I tried Perpetual Grace and didn't get it. If it's a 4th-episode-it-gets-good show I'll dive back in.

tptacek 7mo ago

Patriot is amazing, more people should watch it, everyone I know who has was enthralled by it. Counterpart was great but structure made it hard for to watch knowing it'd been cancelled. Scavengers Reign was great; I couldn't get into Common Side Effects. Evil is exactly the Catholic X-Files, which is an amazing concept, but by the end of the 2nd season it is all the way off the rails and hurtling into a canyon. Given your list, you might dig Lodge 49, which is somewhere in the intersection of HACF, Evil, The Big Lebowski.

caycecan 7mo ago
Adding it as well
- caycecan 7mo ago
  Evil got cancelled with a 6 episode finish, which is unheard of when making TV. It wanders around, and has highlights in each season. The x-files got real sloppy near the end too. Also in the running for great title sequences as well
skerit 7mo ago
Oh, so does "Counterpart" not have an ending?
- jclulow 7mo ago
  It does actually wrap up well enough I reckon. It's not really a cliffhanger or whatever.
- Sylamore 7mo ago
  It does, though it was obviously setting up a future season things wrap up well enough. I wouldn't be mad to watch it again.
robot_jesus 7mo ago
Patriot is my single favorite show of all time. I absolutely adore it and every preposterous, absurd line. So many quotable moments. Vantasner Danger Meridian. Structural Dynamics of Flow. The attaché badge. So many phenomenal scenes. I’m not surprised it didn’t get more traction with the general public but it was unafraid to take some serious and weird risks. But they pay off in spades for me!

ajcp 7mo ago

While it has many many amazing scenes, I think Patriot's "cover" of the Rockwell Retro Encabulator is absolutely top notch. https://youtu.be/FFK7RHYdWCc?si=w8R0eO6W3uGgXt3R https://youtu.be/FFK7RHYdWCc?si=w8R0eO6W3uGgXt3R

_boffin_ 7mo ago

- secret city - Black Earth Rising - Pine Gap

kgwxd 7mo ago

Station Eleven. Wouldn't have made it past a few episodes if I didn't know how good Mackenzie Davis was from watching HCF 1000 times. I stuck through a few things I didn't care for at first, now it will probably remain my favorite show of all time.

jackp96 7mo ago
Station Eleven is so beautiful and human. Great pick. Highly recommend The Leftovers if you liked that one. Its exploration of life and grief and humanity following a secular rapture is stunning, and the performances are outstanding.
- kgwxd 7mo ago
  I have (re)watched everything Patrick Somerville has worked on because of Station Eleven :) I rewatched The Leftovers last month. Maniac last week (this time I noticed a funny reference by Sally Field's character pitching something on the phone about a guy with special hugging powers). None of that was my type of thing before, now it's all I want. I think the genre might be called absurdist fiction, but I'm not sure that covers the full vibe. Dan Romer is an excellent composer too, I listen to his stuff a lot. I have the Station Eleven soundtrack in my car, now my kid randomly sings Wandering Under The Moon, and it's one of my favorite things in the world.

latexr 7mo ago

> Scavengers Reign For those curious, start by watching the 8 minute short which originated it all. If it hooks you, you’ll love the show. https://vimeo.com/179779722 https://vimeo.com/179779722 But be aware the show wasn’t renewed for a second season. Not enough people knew about it.

m_gloeckl 7mo ago
I've heard about the show on an episode of the podcast "Endless Thread", where the creator Joseph Bennett talked about how the show came to be and how his creative process worked. It was very intriguing and I started watching it on the same day. This would have really deserved a renewal for another season, but sadly it got cancelled.
- latexr 7mo ago
  > an episode of the podcast Mind sharing a link? I found the podcast but not the episode.
542354234235 7mo ago
One of the few sci fi shows that makes an alien world truly feel alien. Where it clearly has its own evolution, ecosystems, rules, etc., but they are so... alien that it is barely comprehensible to the characters and audience.
hackeraccount 7mo ago
I watched the first episode or so and that was it for me. I don't remember it being super grim but it was too depressing and ominous for me.

losthobbies 7mo ago

Rubicon I always add Rubicon to these types of lists. Amazing spy series.

audeyisaacs 7mo ago
Rubicon is excellent. I was disappointed at the time it only got one season, but in retrospect it worked out okay because it's one season done very very well.

Markoff 7mo ago

great recommndations, Patriot is amazing dark comedy with great atmosphere, SR is great semi-documentary about alien planet ecosystem, very peaceful, didn't like CSE and Counterpart though I would suggest also Devs just for the visuals and Tales from the Loop for the most peaceful TV show I've ever seen

bwv848 7mo ago

HACF only has four seasons, but it features great character arcs and a beautiful ending. I don’t think it’s on the level of The Wire, but it’s way more than enough to stand apart.

HelloUsername 7mo ago

Task (2025)?

alsetmusic 7mo ago

Counterpart is one of the best shows I've seen. JK Simmons is brilliant playing two roles. I can't imagine anyone doing a better job.

billbrown 7mo ago

I'll second Patriot and add Perpetual Grace Ltd. from the same creator. I'd also add the two other legs of the Lee Pace Great Television stool: Wonderfalls and Pushing Daisies.

billbrown 7mo ago

Also, if you loved Patriot, the creator has two podcasts stemming from it: https://www.lgclaret.com/ https://www.lgclaret.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-techniques-in-modern-practical-close-combat/id1654250902 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-techniques-in-mode... (And he's also done two bands: The Jones Sisters and Hoist the King.)

goryramsy 7mo ago

I like this list, thank you!