Mix of already mentioned and new ones:
- Game of Thrones
- Bosch
- Expanse
- Bodies
- The Wheel of Time
- Jack Ryan
- Altered Carbon
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Some great recommendations above.
The Expanse saw me through much of my indoor rides last spring. I’m on to Peaky Blinders for this fall.
I find I can pay attention to shows like this only for easier workouts. For VO2 max workouts, I stop paying attention to the show, as I’m focused on trying to keep the pedals moving. For hard workouts, POV bikes rides have worked well for me. Megavalanche videos have been some of my favorites.
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- Fargo (both the movie and the series are excellent)
- Broadchurch
- Hinterland
- Vikings
- Black Mirror (though the last season is a bit of a step down IMO)
- Luther
- The Sandman
- Black Sails
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I loved the first season, but really struggled and quit after the first episode of the second. Did it get better?
Yeah, I only watch TV for rides up to and including SS….anything over that, I am listening to music and staying focused on the effort.
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20 years?..well, if you missed it, and have HBO Max…“Six Feet Under”. I’m rewatching the series, but off the bike.
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Tons of great recommendations above. High quality shows
However, I struggle with complex storylines when I’m working out, my focus wanes and I miss things
Thus I need to mix in procedurals every so often to fill the time, saving the ones I’m really interested in for the time I know I’ll maintain focus
Having a ‘dessert’ show like Breaking Bad is a nice way to shift gears and give you something to look forward to while prolonging the enjoyment of the best shows
My low mental energy shows are cooking reality like the great British bake-off or procedurals like House or Suits.
Netflix:
- Bodyguard
- The Night Agent
- The Diplomat
- Treason
- The Recruit
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Agreed with all those choices, but I haven’t yet watched Treason, so can’t comment on that one yet.
The Diplomat was surprisingly good (if a bit unrealistic).
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The Strain
Halt and Catch Fire
How I Met Your Mother
Prison Break
Band of Brothers
Penny Dreadful
Breaking Bad
Better Call Saul
Snowfall
GoT
12 Monkeys
I used to read Apple ebooks, but on a really aggressive workout, was caught off guard at the beginning of a few high demand spikes, and on a couple of them, I was in a bad pedal stroke, and struggled to get on top of them. Painful, not very graceful… And audio book would have its benefits as it wouldn’t take up the screen.
This shows will keep you sticked to the trainer:
Drama
- 24
- Succession
- The Shield
- The Old man
- The Blacklist
- Bosch
- Mare of Easttown
- Euphoria
- C.B. Strike
Sci-fi/fantastic
- Mr. Robot
- Stranger Things
- The Expanse
- The Wheel of Time
- The Witcher
There are many different examples of (I suspect) GREAT shows in this thread… some of which I HAVE watched (both on and off the trainer), but I find myself having real difficulty focusing on what I’m watching (especially during hard interval days), so I take a different approach.
I watch videos from FulGaz. These keep me focused on the task at hand (I’m cycling, so why not watch first person vids of cycling routes???), and if I miss a little bit of the video because I have my head down suffering through a 5th 2min effort at 120%, then I don’t feel like I missed something important in any show that might be playing at the time.
You don’t even need to be a sub on Fulgaz to get the video content (at least not LONG TERM). I haven’t subbed to that app in over a year. All you need is a login, whether that be a month paid OR a free trial… once you have a valid login (which doesn’t get deactivated after canceling sub), you can continue to access their members page on their website which has all their videos available for either download and/or streaming!
YMMV, of course! Good luck in whatever you choose!
Quick EDIT: The still valid login works on their website members page ONLY. The app itself will no longer work without remaining subbed.
I would suggest anime, starting with Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Akira (movie), any Studio Ghibli movie; the list is ridiculously long and some have hundreds of episodes. Just Google the best anime to start with and you’ll find lists.
I personally search for and read the parent guide first even though I’m a grown man, so I don’t have to learn in real-time the ‘fan favours’ in an anime are beyond what I’m willing to put up with. There are plenty without them, and most are mild.
However, I only watch them with subtitles because I find the English language voice actors (often Northern American) make it really cheesy and unwatchable.
I don’t mind subs for endurance, probably not good for blurry-eyed intervals.
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I think Arcane is a good “intro to anime” with great English voice acting.
I’d agree with that. There are some newer ones on this level.
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@cnidos Breaking Bad tip…. I accidentally started watching season 1 at Ep 5, which was where the action starts to kick in. I finished the season and realized what I had done. It didn’t feel like I missed anything. Years later, I tried watching the first few episodes from the start and realized they aren’t as engaging as they need to be.
Short form comedies:
Silicon Valley on HBO.
Norsemen on Netflix - Norwegian Monty Python style humor
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Good recommendations.
As The Wire was already mentioned, I’ll add its two less known predecessors: Homicide and The Corner. To me The Wire is probably “peak television” thus far. Don’t know if it works while doing intensity, though!
And if surreal stuff is one’s cup of tea, then Riget (The kingdom) is a series I would recommend. At least the original series from the 90s. Think about a Nordic take on Twin Peaks in a hospital setup, kinda. Don’t know if it is easily available, but very, very good for intensity! 
Bron (The Bridge) is also quite alright. Bread and butter Nordic noir.
Liked Fleabag too.
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The Wire - 90s Baltimore drug/police
Rescue Me - 9/11 NYC firefighter
House Of Cards - DC politics
The Sopranos - mafia show
Narcos - 80s 90s drug cartels
Mindhunter - start of FBI serial killer detectives
True Dectective - star studded crime/cop
Last Chance You - inside JUCO football
Month of July watch TDF
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All my hard workouts have music(separate from the video) and a youtube video of first person cycling videos. Hard threshold efforts tend to feel better when I am climbing some crazy mountain.