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M$2 December 21, 2008 12:01 AM

What is the best television show on the USA network? (looking for an original USA series)

Monk is obviously the award winner... but what is the best critically? in actuality? rabid fans? ratings?
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December 21, 2008 12:28 PM
Psych is the best show in actuality, and also in terms of crazy fanbase.

Reasons in actuality: This show is hilarious, and the characters are deeply, even neurotically flawed, but completely lovable. It has an interesting and surprising mystery each week, in which the main character amusingly tries to convince people that his truly exceptional observation skills are actually psychic abilities (and this show predates the Mentalist!). The relationship between the psychic detective and his best friend is one of the most accurate depictions on TV of how best-friends-since-childhood really act with one another, and the central father-son relationship is angsty and involving but they don't spend an undue amount of time on it. All the minor characters are great, too, and are interesting, filled-out individuals in their own right. The main reason, though, is the funny!

Crazy fanbase reason:

This is trickier - how do you prove a fanbase is devoted and crazy? I suggest you use Star Trek and other big cult faves as your guide. No USA series has this type of following in terms of size of audience, but in terms of cultishness of behavior? Psych is the clear winner of all the USA original series.

Exhibit A: Fanfiction. The clearest sign these days of a cult fan following is the existence of fan communities online dedicated to telling stories about these characters, including about romantic relationships between characters that are not even involved with each other on the show. These pairings are numerous and have special mash-up names that only other fans would be able to decode. Sure sign of fan devotion. Check out livejournal.com for plenty of examples.

Exhibit B: Devoted fan communities love in-jokes. There are people who will start laughing when they hear someone say, "Pineapple."

Exhibit C: People buy "Psych" merchandise. They want Psych coffeemugs on their desk all day.

Exhibit D: There are people who watched the Dukes of Hazzard movie simply because Psych star James Roday was in it. They paid money for it and everything.
Asker's Rating:
• Wow. Excellent answer!


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December 21, 2008 01:02 PM
You beat me to it. This show is the best on The USA Network. It is even better than Monk.

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December 21, 2008 12:02 AM
Monk their portrayal of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is dead on in some situations and a little off in others

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December 21, 2008 12:09 AM
I am not looking for opinion for this question, I am looking for the criteria listed with sources.

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December 21, 2008 12:03 AM
The Starter Wife. Debra Messing is an amazing actress. She won a Golden Globe Award for her role in this series.
Source(s):
http://www.usanetwork.com/series/starterwife/index.html


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December 21, 2008 12:08 AM
I was thinking an original series...

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December 21, 2008 12:13 AM
Burn Notice is one of my favorite shows, and is USA's best show by far. It manages to be dramatic, and funny, and sexy all at the same time.

Source(s):
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/09/DD4A11LI07.DTL


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December 21, 2008 01:18 AM
If I had gotten here earlier, I would have answered this! This show is da bomb!!! Michael Westin is the best!!

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December 21, 2008 12:17 AM
Law and Order: Criminal Intent has changed a lot, and I don't find it the best of the entire Law and Order series, BUT besides Monk, I find myself watching this show before any other original USA Network series.

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December 21, 2008 12:32 AM
The Wire was one of the best TV series I have ever watched.
Just awesome. Engrossing and captivating. Quality acting and scripts.
For me, it is the show I will benchmark others against.
Source(s):
http://www.hbo.com/thewire/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wire


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December 21, 2008 06:37 PM
The Wire is not an original USA network show.

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December 21, 2008 12:51 AM
House is actually one of the most watched TV shows in the world. It is the most watched show on USA I believe.

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December 21, 2008 06:35 PM
House is a Fox show syndicated on the USA network.

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December 21, 2008 12:52 AM
The Wire, Weeds, Californication, Hereos, Lost, 24 are all top-rated.

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December 21, 2008 06:35 PM
None of those shows are original USA network shows.

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December 21, 2008 01:23 AM
Burn Notice!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjuTwc1FJeo


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December 21, 2008 01:45 AM
Here are all of the USA original series ranked by user rating on IMDB
My personal favorite is Psych, although I also really like Monk. Burn Notice was ok, I don't care for the Starter Wife or Criminal Intent (but then again I've never like Law and Order) I haven't seen In Plain Site so I don't know if its any good.

Psych-8.9/10
Law and Order Criminal Intent-8.8/10
Monk-8.3/10
Burn Notice-8.3/10
Starter Wife 7.2/10
In Plain Site-no rating yet but everyone who wrote a review seemed to like it
Source(s):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312172/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0935095/usercomments
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0810788/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0275140/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0491738/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0810726/


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December 21, 2008 01:51 AM
Aw, where's the love for Psych?

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December 21, 2008 06:15 PM
In Plain sight Is for me the best show on USA. Burn Notice coming in close second.

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December 21, 2008 06:21 PM
Of all the shows mentioned so far, House is the only one viewed in so many countries.

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December 21, 2008 06:37 PM
House is not an original USA Network show. It is original from Fox and syndicated.

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December 22, 2008 05:38 PM
one more vote for Burn Notice. Looks like USA is going to run a marathon starting at 6:00 am on the 30th of December.

this show recovered pretty well from the writer's strike. we're stuck right now in a hiatus. There are seven more episodes and they'll start running in january(?) 2009.

if you like burn notice, you'll like old reruns (or dvds) of Rockford Files.

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