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It's time to upgrade my geek! Any good suggestions on shows, movies or books? I have heard Dr. Who is good but with so many "versions" I'm not really sure were to start.

So help me out my fellow geeks/nerds

Edited for spelling...typing on a tablet sucks.

[This message edited by dlmos at 9:37 PM, March 4th (Monday)]

I think we need to know what your current GOS is. (<--- Test in statement.)

Lol, um...test failed?

StbxWW thoroughly disapproved of any of my geek/nerdiness and openly spent the last ten years grinding it into dust... It wasnt till I started reading again I remembered how much I loved the stuff. Prior to M I was really into D&D, fantasy novels, and scifi stuff. Prior to DDay I was really starting to get into wharehouse 13, castle, fringe. Everything kinda died after DDay...due to certain plot lines I couldn't even stomach the walking dead.

Right now I'm reading the Monster Hunter International series, prior to that world war z.

Hope that helps

Archer.

It is an intentionally anachronistic cartoon about super spies who fail miserably as human beings.

Plus it has the greatest justification evah for doing horrible stuff. "It's a RAMPAGE!"

Pretty safe to pick up Dr. Who at the present point, because he is just starting with a new companion. The only thing you will miss out on is that she may have been a Dalek.

I am just getting into Arrow (Based on The Green Arrow), and catching missed episodes on http://www.ctv.ca/Arrow.aspx but in the US it was on The CW.

You should also check out the Spartacus series. Each season has a different title. The first was Blood & Sand, then a prequel God's of the Arena, most recently Vengeance.

Moo just inadvertently reminded me, you have to see The Prisoner. Ancient Geek lore there. If you think you understand it, you need to go back and watch it again.

Interestingly enough, we only get hints here of the Existence of MangledHeart, who is #1, and DS who is #2 appears to run things. Therefore we can conclude that SI is all about someone going by the name of Tonya.

Try not to let Rover get you.

I advise starting Doctor Who (note it isn't abbreviated and that Ama is an anal retentive geek ) at the 2005 series. That's when they started over after 20 years hiatus, and the writers knew they wanted to attract new fans who weren't familiar with the history and backstory, so they went out of their way to explain a lot of stuff in conversations between the Ninth Doctor and Rose. It'll all just make more sense if you start with 2005. Plus, then you get 7 wonderful seasons to catch up on. It's addictive. You'll find they go much too quickly.

Also recommend looking up Firefly on Netflicks. Love and miss that one.

I like Warehouse 13, Arrow (only missed one episode so far), Doctor Who, (2005 series though the 10th Doctor is my fave). Firefly is a good one ( got the whole series and the movie on DVD). Farscape is another good one. For the (slightly) weird, Supernatural is good.

As far as series books, I highly recommend The Dresden Files. It's up to 13 books plus an anthology of short stories that take place between events in the books.

Looks like you have a lot of catching up to do.

Happy watching (and reading).

Familiarizing yourself with all Star things Trek and Wars will definitely boost your EP.

I like Warehouse 13, the new Sherlock is interesting, Archer is hilarious, and I still haven't finished Fringe. Misfits is good too although the new season didn't really live up to the first few.

ETA: I hear the BBC Sherlock is good but I was talking about the show Elementary. It's a new age sherlock series

[This message edited by Unagie at 2:05 PM, March 5th (Tuesday)]

Doctor Who! Doctor Who! Doctor Who! Doctor Who!

Did I say DOCTOR WHO?????

at the end of March, BBC America is premering a new show "Orphan Black"...looks good.

ETA:
THE WALKING DEAD!!!!!!!!!

[This message edited by itainteasy at 1:23 PM, March 5th (Tuesday)]

Just watch Big Bang Theory then watch and read everything they mention.

rpg geekery novels I obsessed over were Gaunts Ghosts, Eisenhorn and Ravenor series by Dan Abnett, set in 40k. Usually the Black Library novels are the equivalent of cheap ass bodice rippers in the genre but Abnett is awesome. Also, he's written episodes for Dr. Who and Torchwood so there is geek crossover. I think.

If you want a bit more erudite geekery then Neal Stephenson is awesome.

TV shows: the new CTN Star Wars: Clone Wars. If you like star wars at all it is required viewing IMO. The character development is great, the bite size episodes have short attention span plots but some of them arc over 6+ episodes and the names are pure stupid Star Wars Awesome. Also, Cad Bane. Cad fucking Bane is the shit.

We've been watching How I Met Your Mother since I apparently live in a culture bubble but before that we watched the entire series of Psych on netflix. If you haven't seen the BSG reboot then IMO just watch the miniseries and season 1 and pretend there was nothing after season 1.

I liked the new Sherlock Holmes movies. Bartitsu = coolness. Also, Robert Downey Jr. makes a good Holmes, even if the guy who plays Watson is too dour. Fuck him and his dashing good looks anyway. I want to look dashing. Asshole.

Spirited Away is a Miyazaki toon but it's a great fairy tale kinda movie.

HBO's Rome is my favorite TV series ever.

My Name Is Bruce is hands down the best sci-fi, horror, action, drama, romance, comedy and documentary film all at the same time ever made.

Terry Pratchett. Anything he's written is fine. Because after you read anything he wrote you will buy everything else he ever wrote to read it. If you don't then I dunno I'm wrong.

Second Firefly, Farscape, and Archer.
Would like to add Battle Star Galactica, Game of Thrones and the new BBC Sherlock series!

RE: Doctor Who I have started from 2005 series 2x and can only get 2 eps into it. Does it get better? Tell me it gets better and the first two eps are supposed to be terrible and I will try again.

My Name Is Bruce is hands down the best sci-fi, horror, action, drama, romance, comedy and documentary film all at the same time ever made.

That is quite an assertion. I will be looking into this....

You have to understand the Doctor Who is actually a childrens program. It was meant to be educational, with a focus on science and history. The first companions were even teachers. Obviously those plans changed.

Speaking of childrens shows, I was in Walmart and saw the box sets for the first two seasons of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Say what you want about later stuff, but that early Tommy/Kimberly/Pink Ranger/ evil Green Ranger stuff was great drama for a kids show, and if it does not bring a tear to your eyes the first time they combine all of their hand held weapons together to form the Power Blaster, then you just have no appreciation of marketing.

Certainly must check out Firefly, and the movie Serenity, in that order.

Farscape is interesting.

Babylon 5 is historically important. The first show done with a predefined 5 year story arc and the intention to tell that story and be done regardless of ratings.

If you have any appreciation of video games, you must see Wreck It Ralph.

"Zangief, you are bad guy, but that not make you.. bad guy."

I disagree with the following:

Familiarizing yourself with all Star things Trek and Wars...

ST:TNG introduced some unfortunate concepts as canon early on that have plagued storytelling in the universe ever since. Voyager with it's Lost in Space plotline was the only series with an adequate work around for this, although DS9 came close after they changed to the B5 inspired format with a finite story arc. TNG really needs to be a Borg episode to be worth watching, otherwise it is the Red Shirt of Sci Fi series.

As for Star Wars... The first two (episodes 4 and 5) were great. I am of course referring to as originally released. Han shot first!!!

After that, George Lucas was considered a genius in Hollywood and allowed to do whatever he wanted. The man should never be allowed near a word processor without adult supervision. Yes I am including Jedi in the list of suck. I mean really, the Empire was taken down by Ewoks, who then perform a celebratory musical dance number? How is it that everyone in the world, including remote polynesian tribesmen and starving children awaiting food from the singer from Boomtown Rats knew they were called Ewoks when their name was not mentioned once in the movie?

As for the prequel, just listening to the arrogant hypocrisy, hubris, and general control freak nature of the Jedi council had me rooting for the Sith. That of course is when I wasn't whining about the repetitive strain injury to my neck from shaking my head so much at the inane dialog.

Only the Sith deal in absolutes
-- Obi Wan

WTF dude? Really?
What part of wrong in that statement are you missing? Clearly the core concept.

The man should never be allowed near a word processor without adult supervision.

According to Carrie Fisher, he sucked as a director too. His two main directions were "faster" and "more intense".

OK, dumb question (or perhaps I'm an inquisitive idiot - thank you Despair.com): what is the difference between a geek and a nerd and a dork? Would love to know the correct classifications.

aesir, you almost have to watch Firefly before watching Serenity, otherwise some things won't make much sense. When it was cancelled, there was almost as much fan outrage (or maybe as much) as when Star Trek TOS was cancelled. Joss Whedon and the entire cast has expressed interest in coming back to continue the series.

OK, dumb question (or perhaps I'm an inquisitive idiot - thank you Despair.com): what is the difference between a geek and a nerd and a dork?

Nerds require an understanding of math to go along with these interests. Dorks have a general misunderstanding about life and can not spot the flaws that annoy the geeks.

[This message edited by aesir at 5:16 PM, March 5th (Tuesday)]

Hmm. So Stewie from "Family Guy" would be a nerd because he builds time machines and whatnot, whereas his father Peter would be a dork because... yeahhh...

And a geek happens to be smart/passionate about a specific subject. Got it. Thank you!

[This message edited by silverhopes at 5:22 PM, March 5th (Tuesday)]

aesir, you almost have to watch Firefly before watching Serenity, otherwise some things won't make much sense.

And others will make too much sense.
Can the Reavers possibly provide as much horror at their appearance if you have seen Serenity?
Could Shepard Book really be as compelling and mysterious a character after watching Serenity? Suddenly instead of providing insight and explanation in an almost Deus Ex Machina manner, it is just as predictable as a typical Hulk Hogan finger wag followed by shrugging off three punches followed by a leg drop towards the end of an old WWF match.

Zoë: Preacher, don't the Bible have some pretty specific things to say about killin'?
Book: Quite specific. It is, however, somewhat fuzzier on the subject of kneecaps.

ETA:
Then of course there would be that suspense ruining feeling every time some dramatic and dangerous thing happens of "Well, shit, just let River handle it."

[This message edited by aesir at 5:33 PM, March 5th (Tuesday)]