my love gave me a ...

[calimac]

DVD, or in fact two DVDs, completing my collection of Monty Python's Flying Circus in this medium.

I now have complete DVD collections of four television shows:
The Prisoner (1967)
Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969-1974)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
Firefly (2002-2003)

So are these my four favorite tv series of all time?

Well, yes, I think they probably are. Considering that I'd pretty much stopped watching TV by 1974 and didn't watch anything regularly for another 25 years, it may be pretty astonishing that I'd find an all-time favorite when I returned to the set: but actually, nothing less than an all-time favorite would have induced me to do it. I'd occasionally before dropped by the living room to see what shows B. was watching, but I'd have to leave after 15 minutes, or she'd make me do so, since I couldn't keep my disdain to myself. So I was considerably surprised to find myself sitting and watching a show, and liking it.

I expected nothing less from Firefly from the same creators, and indeed this one has grown on me: even more than Buffy, the episodes can be re-watched with increased appreciation. Firefly is sort of the anti-Babylon 5. Babylon 5: great premise, highly inconsistent and often dubious execution. Firefly: extremely stupid premise, extremely excellent execution. I know which one I think works better.

We've found a good new Valentine's tradition, by the way: have our nice dinner out the evening before Valentine's (or, this year, on Friday). No unexpectedly limited menus and intense crowds at our favorite local Italian restaurants. For Valentine's itself, stay home for a quiet evening and open presents.

I bought my love some chocolate and Anonymous 4 singing Landini love songs.

Comments

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

I think I'd like to have the Prisoner collection--though I don't know how it's aged. I do recall the last episode I thought stunningly stupid, as if they just didn't know what to do.

Little House on the Prairie, too, at least until Michael Landon's ego had inflated so mightily he destroyed the show.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

The last episode of The Prisoner was thrown together at the last minute, after the show was not renewed for a second season, so they couldn't end on a cliffhanger as originally intended. It's not one of my favorites. Many of the earlier episodes, however, still work very well; there's none of the cheesiness of BBC skiffy or the flabbiness of 60s American drama (with its time-wasting establishing shots of detectives slamming car doors: establishing shots in The Prisoner are always artistically integral). "The Chimes of Big Ben" with Leo McKern as Number Two, and "A, B and C" with Colin Gordon as Number Two, are particular favorites. Then there's "The Schizoid Man" with its peculiar challenge game featuring quarterstaffs, motorcycle helmets, trampolines, and a wading pool; plus, see Anton Rodgers when he was young and handsome!

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Oooh, now I think I must put it on my save-up list. (No doubt it's extremely expensive, sigh.)