What kind of storyline is your favorite?

[SierraLea]

I personally love storylines that have a lot at stake and several big reveals. That's why I loved FMA Brotherhood so much, because it has both!

What kind of story peaks your interest, and it can be anything.

[rocklobster]

I like stories that have lots of "Wham!" episodes.

[Vilo159]

I like storylines, regardless of genre, that have meaning. Stuff that explores a certain theme, or a controversial or difficult question is faced, where the characters learn and grow and are dynamic. I like dynamic shows.

Also, storylines with some good filler episodes.You can only be beaten over the head with action and plot for so long, there needs to be some good, lighthearted filler there.

[SierraLea]

I like stories that have lots of "Wham!" episodes.

What's a "Wham!" episode?

[Vii]

What's a "Wham!" episode?

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WhamEpisode

[Yuki-Anne]

I really like complex serials where the stakes are high, stuff where every episode builds on the one before, building tension on tension until you kind of want to explode at the end of every episode. And you can NOT miss an episode without missing something important. The later seasons of Deep Space 9, FMA:Brotherhood, the new Doctor Who (especially season 4), season 1 of Heroes, Spooks (MI:5), Supernatural... these all have the serial "save the world" plotlines that I love.

[rocklobster]

What I can't stand at all are recap episodes. I don't mind one or two scenes from previous episodes, but when it's the whole freaking episode, that really annoys me. If you must have recaps, put them in the "previously on" bits at the beginning.
I also like it when we're given flashbacks that contrast what's currently going on or enhance the story. Lost did this expertly.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I love episodes featuring interesting characters and thought-provoking themes and/or story developments, ones that are either philosophical or psychological in nature. I love a good mystery and a combination of something fairly grounded and something more fantastical. I also love a good care-free but character-centric episode. Flashbacks are also great when they're done well (eg. most of Lost, The Pretender storyline etc.)

[Vilo159]

I love episodes featuring interesting characters and thought-provoking themes and/or story developments, ones that are either philosophical or psychological in nature. I love a good mystery and a combination of something fairly grounded and something more fantastical. I also love a good care-free but character-centric episode. Flashbacks are also great when they're done well (eg. most of Lost, The Pretender storyline etc.)

This. You said it way better than I did.

[Yuki-Anne]

What I can't stand at all are recap episodes. I don't mind one or two scenes from previous episodes, but when it's the whole freaking episode, that really annoys me. If you must have recaps, put them in the "previously on" bits at the beginning.
I also like it when we're given flashbacks that contrast what's currently going on or enhance the story. Lost did this expertly.

Oh my gosh, Stargate was THE WORST about this. I loved Stargate but their recap episodes were lazy and obnoxious.

[rocklobster]

I remember Lost did a couple recaps, but they were pretty inventive by doing them from a certain POV rather than completely replaying the scenes. I liked that trick.

[AndrewinIce]

I liked the way that Gun X Sword had the first half (Roughly) of its series be made up of fun, light-hearted 'fillers' in which you became very familiar with characters and the world also.

The second half, well, a little over half, was made very serous episodes that built on each other, and ran almost like one long movie.

Another thing about GXS was the fact that the[spoiler] bad guys were actually, for the most part, good people who helped people out, wanted to save lives, felt bad when they killed, etc. [/spoiler]

[the_wolfs_howl]

I find it funny that we're all assuming this topic is about TV shows.

I need the characters to be real, interesting, and likeable. If I'm drawn in by the characters, I'll keep watching no matter what the plot or execution is like. This is something I've observed in anime, TV shows, movies, and books alike. I need to feel for the characters, and that will make everything else worthwhile.

[Vilo159]

I find it funny that we're all assuming this topic is about TV shows.

I need the characters to be real, interesting, and likeable. If I'm drawn in by the characters, I'll keep watching no matter what the plot or execution is like. This is something I've observed in anime, TV shows, movies, and books alike. I need to feel for the characters, and that will make everything else worthwhile.

Well, it is an anime forum, but it could easily apply to books too.

And I agree, characters are crucial points.

[SilverToast]

My most favorite storyline is someone going to a foreign land and having large success there than in his or her home country.
I don't find many stories like this though.

I'm not very picky on other storylines and generally enjoy them if they are creative and well executed.

[Otaku_Alex]

I like romance like in OHSHC.

[Rusty Claymore]

Tragic hero types. At least one character who has a haunting past that changed them into someone who now lives for others or just tries to be left alone. Like Tsubasa, Gun X Sword, Trigun, etc.
Quirky Slice of Life is a favorite too. Stuff like Nichijou, Daily Lives of Highschool Boys, Dirk gently's Holistic Detectives Agency, etc. Though I guess those aren't really Slice of Life... not sure what to call them.

[Broly Ultimatrix]

Personally I have a hate of Lost that I'll never get over. My rather unrealistic hatred of Lost i myself don't fully understand and thinking about it drives me mad like my brain is going to fold in on itself and explode... gunna stop before it really does. My favorite storylines vary from moment to moment in my life but generally I have a couple favs and watch what's availiable that match my preferences at the moment. I'm always down for those adorable slice of life anime like Azumanga Daioh, Lucky Star and Strawberry Marshmello. I enjoy battles of wits since I myself tend to be perseptive with breaking down a story line before it's reached completion and things like Death Note and Kami no Puzzle test the mind so much in the individual moments that there isn't a chance to predict the whole story. I balance out my exceptionally Violent anime (Hellsing OVA, Death Note and my one failed attempt each at watching Higurashi no koro nako ni kai and Elfien Lied) with the innocent lighthearted and shorter anime like the ones named earlier but the left and right side need a backbone something that connects the two and is its own organism and that comes in the form of what I call Epics for lack of knowlege of their real manes. These are expansive anime which cover a little of every genre nameley One Piece (My personal alltime favorite anime for the history of my life from here on out) Bleach, Naruto (the first and Shippuden) and... I feel like theres a fourth but that's all I remeber lol well that's my two bits and if your wondering why I dont list Live Action/real people shows it's because my utter hatred of Lost I have a beyond difficult time watching anything with real people in it even if I know it's good. So far the only thing I have gotten into is Doctor Who (been watching it with my mom so it's going to take forever since she watches so many shows at once and maybe that's the show I was thinking of when I was thinking of epics we'll go with this)

[rocklobster]

My favorite themes are ones that deal with our nature, like What Does it Mean to be Human? (Artificial Intelligence, Pinocchio, Ghost in the Shell), The Nature of Evil (Monster, Clockwork Orange), and Destiny (The Butterfly Effect)

[bigsleepj]

I have such wide-ranging tastes, but I usually like anything done intelligently. Stories that appeal to me is where the character's views get challenged, where they ask questions regarding themselves. I also enjoy mindscrews a lot, especially if they're done well. Good characterization is also a plus for me.

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

I like damsel in distress story ideas!
I like cinderella types of things too. Like a girl who seems to be nothing or is just average, but some reason a famous guy still falls for her.
I also like it when characters change in good ways. Example, a meanie or jerk learns to love.
And comedies! Monty Python and Gintama don't exactly have story lines, but their stupidity type of humor is great.

[SierraLea]

I've found that I don't like romance stories that have nothing besides the romance going on. A lot of Shojou is like that, and it gets old fast. Romances that have something else going on at the same time, like Crimson Hero and Howl's Moving Castle, are the best kind in my opinion. This is also why I don't like chick flicks or romantic comedies.

[Zeldafan2]

I enjoy romance to a degree (but if not done right, it can become irritating.) I'm also a fan of slice-of-life series, but also greatly enjoy storylines with deep, branching plotlines that stretch over most to the entire series.

[rocklobster]

Sierra, I highly recommend Romeo X Juliet.

[Makachop^^128]

I've always loved stories that have quirky characters but you can relate to them. I love stories with a deep meaning and about humans in someway. Also I love stories that make me want to write haha.

[FllMtl Novelist]

Also I love stories that make me want to write haha.

^This. xD And those that make me jealous for not thinking of them first. Both of those can be just about any kind of story, really, as long as there's something uniquely clever about it, or if I find myself liking it a lot more than expected.

[LupoRedgrave]

I often enjoy mysterious ones, detective kind of ones, and ones with a big twist/WHAM/"surprise it's actually ___"
I also enjoy commedy ones too.
I'm not up for romance but I do like romantic commedy

[the_wolfs_howl]

I enjoy battles of wits since I myself tend to be perseptive with breaking down a story line before it's reached completion and things like Death Note and Kami no Puzzle test the mind so much in the individual moments that there isn't a chance to predict the whole story. ... because of my utter hatred of Lost I have a beyond difficult time watching anything with real people in it even if I know it's good. So far the only thing I have gotten into is Doctor Who (been watching it with my mom so it's going to take forever since she watches so many shows at once and maybe that's the show I was thinking of when I was thinking of epics we'll go with this)

Taking all this into consideration, I'd highly recommend the BBC show Sherlock. Don't know if you care for Sherlock Holmes at all, but it's a modern-day retelling of the stories that is extremely well done. The idea was to make Sherlock Holmes as edgy to a modern audience as it was for its original audience, and I think they've succeeded. Excellent portrayals of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and Moriarty in particular, and the battle of wits between Sherlock and Moriarty is fascinating to watch. Might get you over your aversion to live-action shows? *shrug*

[Broly Ultimatrix]

I enjoy battles of wits since I myself tend to be perseptive with breaking down a story line before it's reached completion and things like Death Note and Kami no Puzzle test the mind so much in the individual moments that there isn't a chance to predict the whole story. ... because of my utter hatred of Lost I have a beyond difficult time watching anything with real people in it even if I know it's good. So far the only thing I have gotten into is Doctor Who (been watching it with my mom so it's going to take forever since she watches so many shows at once and maybe that's the show I was thinking of when I was thinking of epics we'll go with this)

Taking all this into consideration, I'd highly recommend the BBC show Sherlock. Don't know if you care for Sherlock Holmes at all, but it's a modern-day retelling of the stories that is extremely well done. The idea was to make Sherlock Holmes as edgy to a modern audience as it was for its original audience, and I think they've succeeded. Excellent portrayals of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and Moriarty in particular, and the battle of wits between Sherlock and Moriarty is fascinating to watch. Might get you over your aversion to live-action shows? *shrug*

I'll have to look into it thanks. Who knows there might be hope for me yet

[SierraLea]

My most favorite storyline is someone going to a foreign land and having large success there than in his or her home country.
I don't find many stories like this though.

There are tons of these in the Bible, especially where prophets are concerned.