Have you tried: Castle, The Killing (1 and 2), Wallendar (the Swedish version), Fringe, Spaced, Gilmore Girls (very fast talking with loads of cultural references and music-not as sappy as you might think), Black Books, Being Human, Misfits, The Fades and, a new series just started last night, Borgen?

Castle is great fun, although it violates the "No policemen" rule. However, the main character is (a)charming and (b)a writer, and it doesn't take itself too seriously, which helps an awful lot. It's basically Murder She Wrote with a better plot hook. Endlessly watchable, largely for the awesome banter.

Fun enough to be worth putting up with the dumb, I'd say.

Of a similar vintage to House of Cards, but dealing instead with local politics in a northern city and a lot of inter-twined personal vendettas, you might like GBH. It's only seven hour-long episodes long, so won't keep you going forever, but meets your criteria and would fit nicely on your 'intelligent' (though somewhat surreal) list.

Oh, that is a brilliant suggestion. It is exactly for reminders of stuff like GBH that made me post this. The great thing is that I can remember almost nothing about this series but the name Michael Murray and that I loved it and thought Robert Lindsay was excellent. Thank you so much.

For drunk amusement try The Inbetweeners. I also really like Shameless.

Ah... interesting recommendations. Shameless might trigger "too embarrassing" for Caron. You know how some people can't watch Fawlty Towers or Peep Show because they have too much empathy? Is Shameless going to be like that?
Both could be good "while drunk" recommendations though.

If you've not seen it before, both series of A Very Peculiar Practice are now available on DVD. I second the recommendation for GBH, too.

If you liked The West Wing, you might also like Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, which is also by Aaron Sorkin.

I Clavdivs
I've not seen all of the series (and aim to correct this someday) but I've read the books a couple of times and really liked them. That family tree of the Julio-Claudian emperors at the end of the book is a life-saver, and just about helped me keep track of how everyone was related to everyone else that week.

Bah, you beat me to it. Wasn't it criminal that Studio 60 only got one season? Genius writing and genuinely engaging characters.

Entourage: It's "Sex and the City" for boys, excellent drunk watching.

Aha... thank you -- I will check this out. In fact Caron and I are both big fans of SATC so this is worth thinking of.

You know how everyone ever goes on about The Wire? There's a reason for it. It's police, or proceeds through police, but I've got no time for police stuff normally either, and was sucked right in from the first episode. I can't explain much better than it being all about the excellent characters and what goes on in their lives, but there are of course plenty of reviews out there that can explain in much greater detail why it's very good if you look for them, and the best thing for me to say as a recommendation is that no, really, they're not being hyperbolic. As for duration, the first and second series are the outstanding ones and there are another three, but dropping a short distance from outstanding is still a very long way from jumping the shark.

Charlie Brooker on The Wire: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/jul/21/tvandradio.guide

FWIW I took a few more episodes to get into it, and I couldn't now say which season was my favourite - they are all outstanding.

Did you watch Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip? Tragically only ran for 1 season but was by Aaron Sorkin, who wrote The West Wing, and was like 30-Rock but a zillion times better.

Second recommendation for that so it definitely makes the list. Thanks.

Oh, and Misfits (available on 4OD). Hilarious black comedy about a gang of ASBO teens suddenly gifted/cursed with super powers.

For more serious super-power/transhumanist stuff, Alphas.

Misfits surely fails the "currently running" test though?

Misfits is one of the best things I've seen on telly EVAH. Start with series 1 and go from there. I've just finished series 3 and still love it.

Also if you fancy skiffy with no spaceships, Fringe is pretty good (you can get it on DVD if you don't have cable). G and I have watched 3 seasons of it so far and I hear it's still going strong on season 4.

I'm not sure if you would like the Inbetweeners, but Caron might. (It appeals to my shamefully juvenile sense of humour)

Season one of the Killing is good. Slow but good. Can't speak for season 2 yet.

If you get a chance to watch Archer from the very first episode, give it a try - it's pretty funny, even though animated. It's a spy spoof, sort of like an irreverent American James Bond.

Lol at Dean Boreanis... (though he does remind me of you a bit!)

Love Buffy. It's a totes guilty pleasure cos it does have a lot of duffer episodes in between the decent ones, but the overall fondness you feel for the characters makes up for it... (mainly Giles, obv)

(though he does remind me of you a bit!)

Bah... Caron is always repeating Spike's line -- he is "bloody stupid and his hair goes straight up". (I think he's David not Dean Boreanaz -- and I bet he was teased in school for that).


I'm not sure if you would like the Inbetweeners, but Caron might. (It appeals to my shamefully juvenile sense of humour)

Ah.. I snigger at knob gags and love Peep Show so I may try this one. Jane also gave it a recommend.

mainly Giles

Heh... Caron is like that too -- but he's such a lame duck from about season four you just feel sorry for him and Xander. They have nothing to do or contribute.

Some of these shows are surely failing the "still running" test?

We've just finished watching Doc Martin, Kingdom and Jonathan Creek. All of which we enjoyed.

Oh I love Jonathan Creek. I'm afraid I watched them all again quite recently though. When it's done well there's something so perfect about the "here's how it was done" -- it's annoying when you guess it too early though or when the "reveal" is a bit naff -- but it's a great show.

Kingdom has a previous recommendation so I'll look into that but it's it a police show?

Skins is worth a watch - seasons 1&2 are pretty much self-contained, as are seasons 3&4. We've seen season 5 too, not sure if there'll be a season 6.

That does sound interesting... thanks Will.

I don't see Breaking Bad mentioned. It's on it's final season now (either filming or about to air), and is one of the best shows I've watched in a while. It's pretty grim and dark most of the time, and while it involves a DEA agent, it's not a police procedural.

I've just started watching this, and it is indeed fantastic - I've been staying up way too late to get one more episode in. It's surprisingly funny for a show with a pretty dark subject matter, and features a lot of overcoming obstacles by using SCIENCE.

What about "Carnivàle"? It was a chance purchase, but soon had me hooked.

Never even heard of that one -- sounds quirky but interesting.

I agree with stevek about Carnivale. Have you seen Californication? I know it's also still running but just curious if you have seen it. What about Dead Like Me?

Oh I loved Dead Like Me. Tho again possibly only one season? Did it get renewed? It sort of vanished..