Obscure, overlooked and terrific

The goon show.

LOVED The Goodies. I think I watched them on PBS when I was a kid. So no, you're not alone.

Francis Dunnery is the most brilliant songwriter of the last 25 years. Two albums/CD's of his that show his genius are Tall Blonde Helicopter (1994) and The Gullery Flats Boys (2005).

Made in Heaven. A movie released in 1987. A great cast inlcuding Neil Young, Tom Petty and Ric Ocasek! And some really great uncredited appearances to boot.

I remember The Goonies from my childhood as well. I barely remember an episode about armed, rampaging babies. Thought it was hilarious at the time......

Movie: Local Hero; TV Show: SportsNight; Album: Ringo; Book: Mother Night

the goodies were terrific on pbs. Are they available on DVD? There was a show on HBO or showtime or Cinemax within the last few years that reminded me of the goodies, it was a comedy troop that was short lived, and one of the sketches was called the vag badger and another was an employment agency getting you a job as the king of spain. i only wish I can remember the name of that show as well.

"Nowhere Man," which ran briefly on UPN and starred Bruce Greenwood. It was a clear descendant of "The Prisoner" and a forerunner of "LOST." I think my husband and I may have been two of only a dozen people who watched regularly, but we were hooked.

Wonderfalls tv series

The most underated movie "Boondock Saints"

You have got to see The Young Ones. Early '80's Brit TV. Milk through the nose funny!!

Judith Ivey starred in a shortly lived comedy on NBC during the 1990-91 TV season called "Down Home." It was a terrific show that, sadly, never found it's footing.

Dabney Coleman's series, "Buffalo Bill", from the
mid-80's. (On DVD now, but the way.)
If you like, "Michael Scott" from "The Office", you'll
love Bill Bittinger ! Great, great show.

The martial arts/comedy gem 'Wing Chun.' Directed by legendary fight coordinator Yen Wo-Ping and starring not only Michelle Yeoh but many other familiar kung fu players, I have watched and loved this movie for years. If you're looking for a good time (and have an adventurous movie store nearby) check this one out.

The album "Hats" (released in 1989) from the scottish band "the Blue Nile". In fact any of their albums are great.

I don't know if you can consider a T.V. series obscure or overlooked if it spawned a movie but since it ran for only one season it was obviously overlooked when it was new. My pick is Firefly, the sci-fi series on Fox that was canned after one season had phenominal writing and story arcs as well as a fantastic cast. Go rent the DVD set and don't plan on getting off of your couch for a couple of days.

Appletree Theater, a great concept album from 1967 by John and Terence Boylan

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – Great melodic punk rock combined with a strong social and political conscience. The most honest music you'll find anywhere. They tour constantly and put on one of the most energetic and solid live shows anywhere. From what I hear, they're also nice guys.

I'm a Yank, but I lived in a flat in London with a bunch of Aussies and Kiwis. This was in '77-'78. We always watched "The Goodies". I thought it was funny as hell!

Profit, 1996 on Fox. Deep, dark and amazing. Made me suspicious of "hero" Adrian Pascar from day one.

Band: Jellyfish Album: Spilt Milk

MTV's The State..... all that needs to be said

I have also watched "The Goodies" on PBS a long time ago... late 70's maybe 80's? I'm not sure whenever it was it was a very funny show. Isn't that Graham Chapman from Monty Python's Flying Circus in the picture? Also, regarding the comment from "Paul" you're a little confused. "The Goodies" was a comedy on the BBC, "The Goonies" was a Speilberg movie made in the 80's about a bunch of misfit kids searching for a pirate's lost treasure (Chester Cooperpot was his name). I'll be looking for the Goodies, hope I find them somewhere!

The Brits have all the good shows. I'm still waiting for The Mighty Boosh to make it here.

Couldn't agree more with Sean about the Blue Nile's Hats, and with HeyZeus about Local Hero and Sportsnite. If I chose a book that's a classic no one knows about, it would be Katherine Dunn's Geek Love.

Album by the group Chrome – Half Machine Lip Moves – brilliant melding of garage rock, abrasive industrial noise, found sounds and abstract lyrics. Great SF band.

"The Pretender" was a very fun television show. Also miss "Arrested Development." I also liked both of Bonnie Hunt's forays into television. She just never caught on with viewers for some reason.

The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers

Early '70's Spy Show: The Man from U.N.C.L.E., And Bristish Show: The Prisoner

To my ears, The Bogmen's 1995 debut, "Life Begins at Forty Million" doesn't sound like much else from that time. In a good way. A totally overlooked album of the nineties that should not be missed.

You are not alone in your love of The Goodies! Thanks to Public Television I got to see quite a bit of them back inthe day! Dave Allen At Large is another one. I tried never to miss an episode.

I also have to put in my two cents for "The Boondock Saints" Very good and Very Under rated.

"Equilibrium" is another intelligent well made and very under rated movie. Shows what can be done on a LIMITED BUDGET!

Music – An Australian band of the 80s, the Saints. I just loved their stuff, but they never caught on here in the states.

TV show? The Guardian with Simon Baker. Really underrate drama, I think it was only on for about 2 years.

Movie? The Whole Wide World – an incredible film with Renee Zellweger and Vincent D'Onofrio.

Alyson-

Spilt Milk is one of the best albums ever. I wish I had been old enough to see Jellyfish live, I hear they put on a great show!

Book? Grunts by Mary Gentle. Only the grunts are Orcs. Wonderful skewed telling of good vs evil.

Movie? Cat' s Meow- a "what if" version of the infamous boat trip with Hearst, Marion Davies and Charlie Chaplin.

TV? Babylon 5- only because after the 1st season you had to hunt on every channel and at every timeslot to find the darn show.

TV Series, "Dark Skies", great cast, good writing too smart for its own good.

Music: Chris Rea (he's big in Europe but not so in the US) Blues Vocals and Guitar.

Movies: Dark City (Sci Fi with R. Sewell, J. Connelly, K. Sutherland) 1998

TV Show: Joan of Arcadia (2003-2005)

TV Show: American Chronicles (Fox, '90-'91)
TV Show: Thanks (CBS, 1999)
Album: Freakin' at the Freaker's Ball by Shel Silverstein
Album: Ready for the House by Jandek
Album: Black Monk Time by the Monks
Book: Codex Seraphinianus by Luigi Serafini
Movie: Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story by Todd Haynes

Goodies... say goodie goodie yum yum....
Te best episode featured a giant cat...

Also.. another greatly overlooked Brit import on PBS:
"Tripods".

MR. SHOW!

Clockwise- a British farce staring John Cleese. Murphy's Law having it's way with the timing of our actions (he is just seconds off, either too late or too early over and over) creating a comedy of errors. Cleese's reactions are priceless. Yet he always maintains his stiff British upper lip. If you like Monty Python, Fish Called Wanda, or Faulty Towers, you will love this movie.

The TV series 21 Jump Street...A very young (AND HOT) Johnny Depp!

Dead like me

Book: Double or Nothing (1972) by Raymond Federman. It's a novel about a man who plans to lock himself in a room for 365 days and write a novel. The guy gets hilariously sidetracked figuring out how much food, toiletries and other supplies he will need. Concrete poetry prose at its finest.

Movie: Deadly Drifter, starring Peter Coyote. Based on the novel OUT by Ronald Sukenick. Enthralling, subtly humorous '70s counterculture/espionage flick.

Ok, here we go!! In the music category ,Todd Rundgren, Jellyfish, Jason Falkner, Big Star, Ross Rice, Cotton Mather/Future Clouds And Radar, The Move, Badfinger and Cheap Trick. The Goodies!!! Definetly!!! I head that the "Icky-Thump" episode actually killed someone!!! Rock on!!!!!

Firesign Theatre – esp when you were st*ned. Of course, Monty Python. And you people are crazy. Boondock Saints was a sh*tty movie with a cool title. A different genre but better unknown movie was Miracle Mile. Well done doomsday flick. The Job was a great, funny cop show with Dennis Leary. Also Bakersfield PD.

Best undiscovered pop album: Brendan Benson's (The Raconteurs) solo record "The Alternative to Love." If you love melody and great songwriting, this is a gem.

Dead like me. It was cancelled on HBO or showtime after two seasons. It was an amazing funny comedy/drama about life after death.

Profit – 90s tv show

Sam Phillips – she did most of the background vocals on The Gilmore Girls. She's amazing.

Holly Black – Author of Tithe. A wonderful young adult novel

Bubba Ho-Tep – comic genius!

Music: 70's – Gentle Giant; 80's – Big Pig, Bela Fleck; 90's – Rainbow Butt Monkeys

TV Show: Gotta be Buffalo Bill. Better written than MASH, Cheers, Murphy Brown and Sienfeld combined.

Movie: Boondock Saints; Any time you can cast Willem Defoe as a cross-dressing, savant-ish detective, and Billy Connolly as a latin Biblical verse spouting avenging angel/hitman, not to mention death by toilet bowl, you have an ingenious movie. Also anything by Darren Aronofsky pre-fountain, or Terry Gilliam pre-Fear and Loathing.

Music – Nominally 'indie rock', Shudder To Think's mid 90s "Pony Express Record" is brilliant, hard to digest, surprises on the 30th listen, and, well, rawks. Worth finding a copy of.

The Five Mrs. Buchanans

A very witty show, with a great cast.

Book: The Chronicles of Amber I & II
Author: Roger Zelazny

This was published before it's time, written in a unique First Person and done very well. If Peter Jackson was to make a movie out of that series, with today's technology, it would rock big time. Understand, it was never considered into a movie because the special effects weren't possible for what the book offers the imagination. Seriously. Corwin of Amber has a story unlike any other out there... and it's a serious trip across many worlds, from the Courts of Chaos right to our very own Earth.

TV- "Space Above and Beyond"- cool sci fi show that Fox cancelled after one season. "Key West" – another cool but quirky show cancelled too soon. "The Young Ones" also is a must-see.

Movie- "Making Mr. Right" w/ John Malkovich- does anyone remember that one? I never see it on tv...very funny.

Music- The Church- really good Australian band.

The Professionals, grew up with it, great show, good actors, great theme song, maybe a good remake, or a movie (not in holywood).

Overlooked / Obsure movies: Ladybug, Ladybug (atom bomb fright in a small 1950s school. B/W, Intense. The Ninth Configuration (mental hospital in an old castle for Armed Service members, with dark secrets hidden...super psychological story...not horror, but horrific & very violent at times. William Peter Blatty of Exorcist wrote). Music: Lori Lieberman, wonderful female vocalist/writer:studios didn't know what to do with her. Private label but available. And finally, for movie fun... It Came From Hollywood... hosted by SNL favs like Murray, Radner, Candy, et.al, film clips with narration (hysterical!) of grade D monster movies. For those that love bad movies, this is priceless. (Also HARD TO FIND). Why not on DVD? Enjoy!

Movies: Brick and Land of the Blind. Both Brilliant movies in their own way.

Music: Clumsy Lovers and Deadeye Dick (and depending on your circles Jonathon Coulton)

NBC had a series called The Powers That Be that was canceled after one season. A brilliant cast that included David Hyde Pierce, Holland Taylor and Robin Bartlett, (probably the most under-rated, but sublime actresses I've ever seen.)

It was funny, literate and never talked down to its audience. So of course it had to go!

Music: The Kinks (specifically the albums "Arthur" and "Muswell Hillbillies")

Movie: Culpepper Cattle Company

Yes...this is
fabulous!

Glad I read
it.

Love all the
CNN blogs.

Linda
http://www.attentiontodetailgifts.com

Movie – Wonder Boys with Michael Douglas, Frances McDormand, Robert Downey Jr. and Tobey Maguire. Terrific and nobody noticed.

THE TRAILER PARK BOYS. brilliant. nobody in america has any idea what i'm talking about.

the movie BLOW UP. spectacular

POSH NOSH on pbs.

a simple but perfect ghost story film called SIGAW. made by the young filipino director Yam Laranas after a murder happened in his apartment building. it has a cult like following around the world. Hollywood took notice and made a remake. it's now called The Echo. Maybe it won't stay obscure for long.

Movie: Kinky Boots – a delightful british comedy about the story of a Northampton British shoemaker and his factory, and what extremes he goes to to save it from financial ruin. Features the incredible Chiwetel Ejiofor who does a completely phenomenal job portraying a truly loveable character.

Album – Kathy Brier: Heartbreaker

This talented young actress's has a voice and delivery that make her one of the great American vocalists.

British TV: Filthy, Rich, and Catflap
Ditto "The State"
Movies: Circuitry Man, Nemesis and the last two "Aliens"
Music: Big Audio Dynamite II The Globe

p.s. "The Boondock Saints" deserves underating because the ending is crap.

agree with the kudos for Firefly and it's movie Serenity

TV Show: Night Gallery. This was post Twilight Zone and didn't seem to have as big of a following but I loved it for creating such a creepy ambiance!
Album: Nick Drake, Pink Moon. I would love to profess that I was a fan of Nick Drake before the Volkswagen commercial but I had never even heard of him.
Movie: The Apostle. Robert Duvall and cast make this movie incredible.
Book: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Notes from Underground. This really makes you question the difference between insanity and brilliance. Not that the question is posed in the book its just makes you wonder.

Second City Television out of Canada. Absolutely hilarious.

A very funny series on CBS in the early 90's. "Doctor,Doctor" starring Matt Frewer of Max Headroom fame. This show was consistently funny and smart and paved the way for many similar shows that followed. You're welcome Aaron Sorkin. It's a shame this series was never given a chance to flourish as I'm sure it would have.

Agree with you 100% on "The Goonies", a most underated british comedy troupe. I would also add the album "Hands On" by british band 1000 Yard Stare(sadly out of print) and the movie: Freebie and the Bean with Alan Arkin and James Caan as inept policemen(sadly unavailable on dvd)!

Tom T, "Goonies" is also correct for the "Goon Show". Many people referred to it and the fans as "goonies".

The movie "Once". I just happened to hear about it one day when some movie critics were on tv talking about it. When it came out on DVD, I got a copy from the library and watched it THREE TIMES IN A ROW! The music IS the movie! And it will blow you away. Really liked this film.
Another great movie is "Perfume".

"Chaos & Disorder", by the music artist Prince. It's an older album, but it could possibly be one of the best collections of music he has ever released...and that's saying alot!

I too am one of the dozen or so who watched "Nowhere Man." Don't let "Pushing Daisies" get on this list permanently. Excellently written quirky show that's going to get new life, but still needs an audience. "Space: Above and Beyond" was another solid show. It had a very similar feel to "Battlestar Galactica"

For some great music you've probably never heard, check out http://www.jpjones.net. If you only listen to one song, I'd recommend A Man Stands Up.

Oh my gosh! The Mighty Boosh!!! I love that show, and waiting for it to come to the US.... Same as with Snuff Box. I have never heard or watched The Goodies, but I will try to check the show out!

Stephen Chow's "Kung Fu Hustle". I am the last person in the world who would see a movie like this, but I sat and watched it recently and was completely blown away. It is the most original movie I have ever seen. The story is good and fight scenes are incredible. For those who shy away from graphic violence, the opening 5 or 10 minutes is over the top with violence, but if you can stay with it, the rest of the movie is incredible and not as out of hand with the graphic violence.
P.S. It's available on Blu-Ray now

Local Hero

Underrated TV Shows:

Fridays : sketch comedy show; featured I think Mark Blankfield (Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde Together Again) and possibly even Michael Richards. More socially unapproachable than Saturday Night Live of the same period. Great comedy

D.C. Follies: Been trying to find it on DVD for years. Same puppeteers that did the figures for the old Land of Confusion video by Phil Collins. So funny, even the uptight conservatives most of it was about had to laugh...

Mad Movies: How come there is no recorded evidence of this show. I believe it came on NBC. Basically they'd take a full movie, cut it down to half an hour w/ commercials, and redub the dialogue to make a new plot. Did Bedtime for Bonzo, Terror of Tinytown, like MST3k without silhouettes, GENIUS!

TV – La Femme Nikita, very avant guarde. Dealt with many of the terrorism issues we're facing today, but produced pre-911.

Music – Ani DeFranco. Amazing poet and musician, totally Indie, and is a driving force helping revitalize downtown Buffalo, NY.

Book – The Warriors of Spider, by Michael Gear. Sci-fi, but has the most profound definitions of "God" that I've ever come across.

TV – Red Dwarf, about the last living human and his crew on an interstallar space ship was very funny/witty, Wonderfalls which suffered comparisons with Joan of Arcadia (both were good, the former was just funny), and Dead Like Me. I saw The Goodies also and I really miss them. Along those lines, where's The Benny Hill Show?

Movies – Arlington Road which has a kicker of an ending and A Walk In The Clouds, a shamelessly romantic movie with a very lovely leading lady.

Music – The Smithereens and Big Star.

Books – Al Capone Does My Shirts and The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nightime.

TV show: Agree that "Nowhere Man" was a Prisoner-like baffler that had me hooked ... Never got a resolution, though and it still grates me!

Album: How about "Hexbreaker!" by The Fleshtones. Great party rock (Liked "Roman Gods" too)

Movie: "Point Blank" w/ Lee Marvin. Exceptional 60s noir from John Boorman. I can always watch this one.

Book: "The Ginger Man" Poignant, crude, often hilarious and utimately affecting portrait of a rogue.

He and She – with richard benjamin and paula prentiss. 60's? 70's?

USA Network's G vs E was brilliant and nobody cared but me.

Portishead needs more respect too.

Completely agree with "Kinky Boots"–beautiful movie.

One of the most underrated television shows (definitely of the last few years, anyway) was "Boomtown". It ran for one season on NBC–phenomenally written and acted; just all around smart TV.

Music wise, I have to go with Canadian artist Amanda Marshall. Amazing voice, thought provoking lyricist as well.

one truly great and overlooked album: the British band James worked in collaboration with Brian Eno and created Wah Wah in 1993 or 4, with remixed, haunting, danceable, make-loveable music.

I would like to reiterate that Firefly was a great show that many people missed (myself included) while it was actually out. I rented the DVD set and was saddened there are only 14 episodes. The movie ppicks up where the show left off. Created by Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy: the Vampire Slayer).

My sister and I are huge American fans of the Goodies. To this day, one need only say to the other "Catch that gibbon," and we both fall into gales of hysterical laughter.

Back in the sixties Jackson C. Frank released his only album. At the time it was called simply Jackson C. Frank but later CD versions have been called Blues Run The Game. It is some of the most inspired songwriting you will ever hear. It was produced by a then unknown Paul Simon.

Album: Causing a Catastrophe Live by Flickerstick
Book: Boy by Roald Dahl

I want a date with the female Jellyfish fans!! BTW I saw Jellyfish 3 times!!!! Where Is Andy???

(Which part of "just one to a customer" did so many of you not understand?)

My choice for "lost in undeserved obscurity" is Firefly and I wish Joss Whedon would make a sequel to the movie Serenity. Failing that, what is your next project, Joss?

Recording artist: Roy Harper (Many good albums- I would recommend "Flat, Baroque, and Berserk" as a starter.)

Movies: Things Change (Don Ameche, Joe Montegna); Hear My Song (Ned Beatty, Adrian Dunbar, Tara Fitzgerald)

Book: "Barney's Version" by Mordecai Richler. Acclaimed in Canada, but fairly under-appreciated in the states.

Hey Brit Comedy Fan:
I agree, "Clockwise" was hilarious!! I don't think I know anyone else who has seen it or liked it, but I thought it was great.

Music: The Tragically Hip are huge in Canada, but somewhat unknown in the U.S. They are amazing performers in concert, and I don't understand why their music hasn't caught on here...

Movie: A gem from the late '70s is "The SIlent Partner," starring Elliott Gould and Christopher Plummer. I think it finally got a DVD release - well worth renting.

When in comes to having your story told, the all-American goofball has never been in better hands than Charles Portis's. He's best known for True Grit, the novel made into the movie for which John Wayne won his Oscar. Reading the book made me realize just how good Wayne really was in the movie (which lifts pages and pages of Portis's dialogue) but that's a minor part of how tremendous the book is. Then there are Dog of the South and Masters of Atlantis. Drop-the-book funny and heartbreaking at the same time. Unmatched.

Drop the Dead donkey ~ an hilarious sitcom from the UK.

The TV show "Lucky" (starring John Corbett) was wickedly brilliant. How many shows have had the balls to introduce a character named "Trake" who smoked out of a hole in his neck while gambling his life away?

Music – Marshall Crenshaw – so many of his songs sound like they should have been Top 10 Hits!
T.V. – I agree that Wonderfalls and Firefly were amazing.

Remember seeing the Goodies while growing up in India in the late 70s. It was hilarious!!

The band "The Sun Sawed in 1/2" was an amazing 90s power pop group who had some killer albums on not lame records. Also, the Aussie band Straightjacket Fits were stunning. The films Highway 61 and Junebug should have been bigger.

Tim Brook Taylor rules! The Goodies forever!

TV show; Millenium
Music; Timbuk 3. Too bad most people couldn't get past quirky "The Future's so Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" because they were cool and different and intelligent.
Overlooked/Forgotten book; Dune by Frank Herbert.

As for music? The best, least appreciated band must be 'FAILURE'...

They only made 3 albums, but I can listen to them over and over. If yer a rock fan, please DL something by them. You won't be disappointed... =B=

Everyone should do everything he can to get a copy of Rohan O'Grady's "The Curse of the Montrolfes". This is one of my favorite books of all time. It has everything; a dark secret, a plot bridging the past and present, sinister characters, manipulations....a ridiculously well crafted story (would even make a killer movie). Check it out!!

Sports Night, possibly the greatest show ever! If HBO had bought it after ABC cancelled, I would have shelled out the extra cash just to watch that show.

I forgot about DC Follies with Fred Willard. Memorable part of my Sunday evening viewing in the late 80's, following the original Fox comedy lineup (remember "Duet"?).

Most underrated album in my opinion is the eponymous debut from Marshall Crenshaw. A perfect album.

MUSIC....people naming bands that have major label contracts? How about the little guys out there. Check out Geoff Achinson (Austrailian) if you like blues you will not be dissapointed!

One of the best tv series ever....Brooklyn Bridge.....

Local Hero is my all-time favorite film!

The Heart Throbs' 1990 debut album "Cleopatra Grip". Whilst Manchester was all the rage in the UK, these girls and guys dropped a little 12 song recording that encapsuled a lot of what was brilliant about British pop back in the late 80s and early 90s. The girls in the band were sisters to Echo & The Bunnymen's late drummer Pete De Freitas, but their sound was influenced by Joy Division and The Patti Smith Group (if you can imagine the latter hijacked by Phil Spector's "wall of sound" production, you're halfway to what this record sounded like). In the US, they made a dent on alternative radio with the single "Dreamtime" which got a lot of play on 120 Minutes (check the youtube video). "She's In A Trance" would reach the lower rungs of the US Alternative charts.

The Trouser Press record guide refers to this debut as "a total decimation of The Darling Buds, Voice of the Beehive, et all" and approximated their style to being a grown up version of The Primitives' garagey fuzz pop.

Feedback? shoot it to myspace.com/poptone

Movie: Super Troopers (by the Broken Lizard gang). Stupid crude humor at it's best, and you can watch it a million times and still laugh till your gut hurts.

The Goodies were great. There are a few episodes on DVD (not the episode that killed a man, which The White Stripes named an album after – Ickey Thump).

Music – Uncle Tupelo. They only released four albums in the early 90's, but go out and buy all four. Two bands formed out of their remnants when they split up – Son Volt and Wilco.

Movie: Berry Gordy's The Last Dragon. Awesome.

TV Show: Firefly. Extremely under-rated.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal

Music-John Hiatt, the Skydiggers (Canadian), Eva Cassidy.

TV-Sportsnight, Arrested Development, Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (no DVD yet?), Victoria Woods as Seen on Television (British sketch comedy with alot of familiar faces).

THe CBS show "Moonlight"–just cancelled-but check out "The Vampire List" in the second to last scene-obscure and hilarious choices.

Eat The Rich: Bizarre, wonderful British comedy with an accent on gallows humor. One of the co-stars is Lemmy Kilminster of Motorhead (who also contribute the title song and others to the soundtrack). Many, many cameos, including (but not limited to) Former Rolling Stone Bill Wyman, "soft porn" actress Koo Stark, and none other than Sir Paul McCartney himself (who's protest of "I'm with the band!" as he's dragged away is one of my favorite moments in the film!).

Movie-King of Hearts with Alan Bates; Book- Doomsday by Connie Willis and Dune

Also was a huge "Goodies" fan ("Kitten Kong!!!!!") and also loved "Dave Allen at Large" (and always wondered what had happened to his hand?), BUT, for some good ol' home-grown American humor, I have to say that many of my laugh-til-I-cried moments were as a result of listening to Joel or Mike and the Bots on "MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATRE 3000"!!!!!!

Movies: Ground Zero with Colin Friels and Donald Pleasance, Still Crazy with Billy Connolly, Hopscotch with Walter Mathau
TV Series: Nowhere Man, Freaks and Geeks, Space: Above and Beyond (absolute guilty pleasure)

Music: John Hiatt, Mike Stinson

Dominick and Eugene, Echo Park, Eat The Peach, Gregory's Girl

Music-Jon Dee Graham-one of the best singer songwriters ever but he would never sell out to the big man. Local Austin band that has been around for years but does not seem to get the appreciation they deserve outside of Austin that is....

The 2003 album 'Set yourself On Fire' from the Canadian band Stars. Unique and, I think, unforgettable for its pop-rock-with-a-twist genre.

The 1988 movie 'A Fish Called Wanda', with John Cleese, very funny.

The TV show 'Arrested Development', this is geniusly funny.

And The Dune Chronicles by Frank Herbert. It's a profound perspective on timeless trends.

Firefly – absolutely. Peaceable Kingdom and Dolphin Cove didn't go long or far; I wish these had been developed further and lasted longer. Looks like New Amsterdam is going that route, too. Pity.

Firefly was definitely one of the funniest (and sometimes scariest) shows that has been lost in the shuffle. The cast was perfect (Nathan Fillion as the Captain, and Adam Baldwin–in a delicious departure from his normal well-tamed roles, among others), and it's one I miss greatly. Be sure to watch the series before watching Serenity, though.

Space Above and Beyond was another bad one to lose–James Morrison as LT was sublimely fierce. He's a fantastic actor!

Movies/Actors: Treed Murray (2001, Canada), written by William Phillips. Nothing (2004), written by Vincenzo Natali, Andrew Miller, and David Hewlett, and A Dog's Breakfast (2007), written by David Hewlett, who starred in all three. If you don't know who David Hewlett is, check out Stargate: Atlantis and sit back and enjoy Rodney McKay. He is so damn funny, and so very talented. Nothing is absolutely insane and is a great way to wile away a lazy afternoon and A Dog's Breakfast is wicked–many familiar Stargate faces here. Just skip your coffee beforehand-it's a little manic and will have your nerves zinging by the end–and don't miss a single minute!

Loved "The Goodies". The title song was "Goody, goody yum yum". Still remember the words (& tune) after 30 years! Also loved The Young Ones which included Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson who also came up with the wonderfully nasty "Bottom" series. Adrian's wife is Jennifer Saunders who co-created and stars in "Ablsolutely Fabulous" another great comedy show that can still be seen on BBC America.

There are SO MANY great books and shows and movies that are underrated- but my vote goes to True Romance, since I don't see it yet on this list. How can you go wrong with a movie written by Quentin Tarantino (pre-Pulp Fiction) and that stars Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Gary Oldman, Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Val Kilmer, Michael Rappaport, Bronson Pinchot, Brad Pitt (as the funniest stoner EVER), Tom Sizemore, James Gandolfini, and Samuel L Jackson?

And yet it seems like nobody I didn't personally introduce to this movie has ever seen it.

A kids documentary show that was on for only one year in 1970/71 season called Hot Dog. It was hilarious; it had a number of comedians (including Woody Allen) explaining how things were made. I remember LOVING the show, and have never been able to find it on video.

My favorite overlooked movie is "Cousin Bette" starring Jessica Lange.

Album, Tonio K's "Life In The Foodchain." So good, my sister taught the lyrics in her Lit classes at Berkeley and UCLA. Movie, "The Castle", the Australian comedy about an Everyman losing his house to development. Makes me laugh every time I see it. As for television, there was a short-lived show called "Make Me Laugh" in the late 70's or early 80's that you had to watch with a friend in case you started to choke. Contestants and professional comics were paired up and the comic had 60 seconds to make the contestant laugh. Most of them didn't make it to 20 seconds. The funniest show I have ever seen, hands down.

Doctor Who....

An institution that has been around since 1963!

best overlooked band would be "gong", best t.v. series, "deadwood, and best film "used cars". catch em' if you can

My favorite TV show that was overlooked and cancelled too early is Tim Reid's sitcom "Frank's Place." It had a great cast, a unique setting, and intelligent, character-driven humor, and no laugh track! CBS kept moving it around the weekly schedule so much it couldn't develop a following. So they cancelled it. And with all the dreck that's being published on DVD, can someone please tell me why "Frank's Place" isn't available?

"Frank's Place" starring Tim Reid is one of the best, most overlooked TV shows of all time. A true classic which should have lasted much longer than it did.

I remember my brother and I watching "The Goodies" as teenagers–funniest show I have ever seen. Goody goody yum yum!!

Movie: Serenity, TV Show: Firefly. Great concept, great stories and great cast.

Band: the disbanded September '67 with their out of print album "Lucky Shoe"
T.V. Show: "The Vicar of Dibley"(thank you, BBC), "Freaks and Geeks"
Movie: "Hands on a Hard Body", great documentary about a contest to win a truck somewhere in Texas, very funny and an interesting look at the effects of sleep deprivation
Gotta find me some "Goodies"!

Eerie Indiana !!!

The Young Ones and The Kids In the Hall. You can't watch Rik Mayall at his best without spitting a liquid substance out and laughling really hard.

Album: The Chills 'Submarine Bells' – an early '90s New Zealand band
Movie: The Tall Guy – a British romantic comedy starring Jeff Goldblum, Emma Thompson and Rowan Atkinson
TV Show: American Gothic – spooky, short-lived series

Pump Up the Volume. It's a movie made back in 1990 I think. It stars Christian Slater and Samantha Mathis. I'm 24 and I've been watching that movie since I was a kid. I think all high school kids should watch it because it sums up so well how you feel as a teenager. It's like a teenager wrote the movie to show adults how teenagers really feel. Plus, you have Slater as Happy Harry Hard-On, way too funny to miss. Anyway, the movie's message still applys today and still applys to people of all ages.

oh and for music. Nick Drake. He only had one album because he died but it is excellent. If you like Iron and Wine or basically any music from the movie Garden State then you'll like Nick Drake.

Movie: How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog or Girl
Musician: St. Vincent (aka Annie Clark) or Bon Iver
TV Show: Notes from the Underbelly
Book: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

Movie: "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"- Amazing cinematography. Casey Affleck was superb...

TV Show(s): "Arrested Development" and "On the Lot"

Musician: Sufjan Stevens, especially his "Illinoise" album...

I also loved the Guardian. Great show, underated and removed from TV to soon. My favorite movie of all time is The Color Purple. Great movie, excellent acting and cinematography.

Sliders was also a great Sci-Fi show. Franks Place too!

"Get a Life" with Chris Elliott. A hilarious series from the early 90s. Hysterical, esp. the first season. It is criminal that it's not out on DVD.

Boomtown, on NBC a few years ago. Loved the concept of seeing the same event from three or four different people's perspective.

Due South. It's a mid-90s tv show about a Mountie who "first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of his father, but for reasons which don't need exploring at this juncture remained attached as liason to the Canadian Consulate." By far the best written, cast, directed, and produced show I've ever come across!

TV Show – Red Green Show
Album – Anything done by Stan Rogers, also the Arrogant Worms
Move – Rhinestone Cowboy with Sly Stalone and Dolly Parton

The television series "Nichols" with James Garner. This should be released on DVD.

Loved the Goodies. Pictured from left to right are Bill Oddie, Grahame Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor. My husband showed an episode to my son last week (found online). Definately still appeals to 10 year olds 30 years on!!!!

I loved the Goodies! Goodies! Goody, goody yum yum! (Theme song). A great overlooked movie is Fresh about a teen drug runner who manipulates his way through his life as though it were a chess game. I have to throw out a vote for True Romance, too. For TV: The Ben Stiller show starred Ben Stiller, Andy Dick, Janeane Garofalo and Bob Odenkirk. Way before its time. Manson as Lassie is the funniest thing ever shown on TV.

Considering current events, talking about the gay novel may be either off-putting or enticing, but I'm gonna do it anyway. There have been remarkable gay (and even pre-gay) novels throughout the century, but the most obscure that I consider the absolute best were "Better Angel", published in 1933 and republished in the 90s.
On the other chronological end are the books by Joseph Torchia, Kryptonite Kid and As If After Sex.
They still come up in memory and conversation, years after the last time I've re-read any of the above books, but they deserve a wider readership than many purported best-sellers.
Walker, Sonoma Co., North Bay, CA

Films:

"Smile" with Bruce Dern, Barbara Feldon

"The Presiden't Analyst" with James Coburn

"Charley Varrick" with Walter Matthau

TV BBC, the fall and rise of reginald perrin. Outstandingly funny.

BBC series sci-fi comedy series Red Dwarf