definitely over the Sopranos that had too much filler, and too many flat out boring episodes. The Wire is also timeless; technology will improve but the power struggles displayed will be on display in our society until the end of time.
so I didn't read the whole list. But OZ would be up there for me, definitely in my top 10. Not just for being the first of its kind, but that material for the first half of that show's run was very compelling. It also paved the way for so many acting careers (Simmons, Melnoi, Perrineau, Wong just to name a few of the many). It got ridiculous towards the end though, which is why its not in my top 5.
yes, like so many other shows, including the Sopranos
and all the talk of what is revolutionary, etc, Game of Thrones is by far the best that I have seen. It's a fantastic movie, every episode.
But it's really such a different animal than typical shows, of which The Sopranos and Breaking Bad are so epic.
Haven't seen The Wire or Mad Men yet. Saving them for raining days, when football season is over, I don't have a stack of good books to read, etc.
Pretty good list from what I can see.
One problem I have with a lot of shows, especially ones like Lost (Watched probably 10 episodes or so when it was broadcast), is that they are basically Soap Operas...where any crazy twist or turn is justified by some supernatural or other force that just makes me feel like it's a writer or writers that just make up shit for the sake of twists and turns, and has no authentic representation of how real people would act/react.
Of course, they are all doing this in some ways, but if I can feel that happening, I lose respect.
For me, Breaking Bad was the best "real" drama I have ever seen.
But GoT is on such another level of quality, suspense, production, characters, quasi-history and on and on.
fell victim to AMC's greed, like many of their shows. Its an all time great show though. Between the writing and perfectly executed depiction of the advertising industry and the 60's/70's, they really nailed the subject matter and feel of the era. But, it got stale, went on tangents, and did what all other shows that run too long do.
should feel like a movie, it has movie budgets. Its definitely an all time great show for me, but I have my gripes which I won't list out. But if you haven't watch the Wire yet, than you haven't experienced the far superior storytelling. It also has even more characters, and you like all of them for different reasons. The Wire was also created, written, and co-produced by David Simon who was a reporter for the Baltimore Sun. To me that's more impressive than an adaptation of one of the greatest fantasy series' to come out in the last half century.
Both shows are definitely in my top 10, but The Wire is easily a cut above GoT (even though its an apples to oranges comparison).
I'm sure it's high on the list somewhere but I don't have a century to scroll through the whole thing.
Amazes me how well that show STILL holds up. Timeless...currently the favorite show of my 8-year-old and 6-year-old. The younger one just refers to it as "The Funny Lady." I remember loving it when I was their age, and I still find it damn funny.
Love Key & Peele but over Eastbound and Down?
Ren & Stimpy but no Batman The Animated Series?
Buffy the Vampire is way too high
Little surprised that Mad TV wasn't on the list
should feel like a movie, it has movie budgets. Its definitely an all time great show for me, but I have my gripes which I won't list out. But if you haven't watch the Wire yet, than you haven't experienced the far superior storytelling. It also has even more characters, and you like all of them for different reasons. The Wire was also created, written, and co-produced by David Simon who was a reporter for the Baltimore Sun. To me that's more impressive than an adaptation of one of the greatest fantasy series' to come out in the last half century.
Both shows are definitely in my top 10, but The Wire is easily a cut above GoT (even though its an apples to oranges comparison).
Right on...re: GoT. I hear you.
I am sure I will love The Wire. I have read about the show and the writer's background and have no doubt it will deliver in a huge way.
has a lot of issues for me with the order of the numbers and trying to look at a concise list.
Was trying to see if Rome is on there. That show is top 10 for me, but I am filtering out a lot of older things that I can appreciate, but have no desire to watch anymore, or things like variety shows.
I may be in a minority of one, but I think House of Cards is WAY overrated. Funny - the list cites Frank's soliloquys as being irresistible...and I just found them annoying as hell. Not pithy, not heavy not funny, just forced and awkward. Never have gotten the whole Spacey thing, why people say he's such a great actor. I would say to people who say Frank is so cold and ruthless...you obviously have never watched Breaking Bad or The Wire.
I may be in a minority of one, but I think House of Cards is WAY overrated. Funny - the list cites Frank's soliloquys as being irresistible...and I just found them annoying as hell. Not pithy, not heavy not funny, just forced and awkward. Never have gotten the whole Spacey thing, why people say he's such a great actor. I would say to people who say Frank is so cold and ruthless...you obviously have never watched Breaking Bad or The Wire.
same here with House of Cards, wildly overrated. Though at #83 (thanks to Vin's better link) I think that's a fine ranking considering season 1 was fantastic. Its just the rest ruins it, especially after season 2.
Hill Street Blues is way too low. Girls is unwatchable. I remember trying to watch it with Mrs. in CT once. She couldn't stand it, and I remember saying that if that's what young girls are like, I'm glad I'm old.
I said it last week...The Wire is the Dostoevsky of television.
Freaks & Geeks is extremely high quality television. Lots of "real" moments and I believe one of the pioneers of no laugh track?
Awesome to see Larry Sanders show. The definition of "ahead of its time".
Letterman over Carson is not far fetched. He jumped the shark very hard later on, but early Letterman is a legend.
Twin Peaks has aged disastrously. It's awful. And I like David Lynch a lot.
Only with him gone do we we realize how ridiculously, unbelievably good Jon Stewart was at his job. Noah never had a chance.
Curb Your Enthusiasm is too high. LD is great and hilarious, but the shittiness of the supporting cast highlights just how contrived the plots are. The Seinfeld actors were good enough to gloss over the crappier, also contrived later episodes
South Park is a top 20 show of all time.
Shoot me, but I thought Veronica Mars was a really well done show.
Re: Homicide. I've been trying to find a way to watch this show forever. I think I'm down to renting DVDs (which presumably still exist?) from my local library (which presumably still exist?)
but having it at #11 with only two seasons (18 episodes total) means to me that (for example) the 1 ridiculously good season of True Detective and one mediocre season should make it a top 10 show.
but it's not.
It should definitely be top 100 IMO, but #11 is kind of high given the limited scope. It didn't have time to get bad. Dexter could have been top 11 with just two seasons.
but having it at #11 with only two seasons (18 episodes total) means to me that (for example) the 1 ridiculously good season of True Detective and one mediocre season should make it a top 10 show.
but it's not.
It should definitely be top 100 IMO, but #11 is kind of high given the limited scope. It didn't have time to get bad. Dexter could have been top 11 with just two seasons.
Fargo, after two seasons might be on the top 100 list.
I just think there has to be a longevity factor. maybe 4 or 5 seasons of quality.
but maybe there would be a top 50 then not top 100.
Sure the special effects are hokey, but back then they were good, but each episode has really interesting story lines. I recorded the first two season and watch them all the time.
Sure the special effects are hokey, but back then they were good, but each episode has really interesting story lines. I recorded the first two season and watch them all the time.
Kind of. It was canceled half way through the season. they later on showed the remaining episodes.
And counting it as one season makes it even less compelling to be top 11. There have been a lot of shows that had one great seasons and then nothing else after that or went quickly downhill.
I would have put Fawlty Towers near the very top. My second favorite comedy series after Seinfeld. Definitely better than Monty Python F C whose sketches were often hit or miss for me.
Did not notice Alfred Hitchcock Presents on list. Long lasting anthology series which sometimes was very good.
One personal choice for a short lived series which was scary as hell for a kid. Kolchak the Night Stalker. I believe that was the inspiration for the X files.
The Wire was far better than The Sopranos.So was Breaking Bad.
from Masterpiece Theater are eligible, there are a number of better entries than Dowtown Abbey. The best was I Claudius. Also better were The Forsyte Saga and Upstairs Downstairs and probably a few others.
but imo it's overrated because of America's fascination with the Italian Mob.
So many great topics that have been covered, yet the go-to "best" in both movies (Godfather 1+2) and TV (Sopranos) is about the Italian Mob? LOL. It's a fun topic but come on.
Whereas The Godfather deserves the hype, I don't think The Sopranos does. It was a 1st ballot HOFer but it wasn't the best ever and doesn't even belong in the discussion imo.
It's not even close to The Wire. The Wire showed that not only could TV match the Big Screen, but it could far surpass it by creating a level of depth beyond anything 2.5 hours of movies could possibly show.
The Sopranos was great for the 1st 2 seasons. I was to me mainly
is definitely top 10 for me, and once you're in the top 10 it's really shifting a few spots one way or the other.
I'd probably have Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, the Wire and Deadwood ahead of the Sopranos but not many more.
Maybe Oz, Vikings (how was that not on the list?), Seinfeld, Simpsons, and Curb, with Six Feet Under and Friday Night Lights in the next tier.
and some fringy ones that I like (and fringy because they're not on the list I don't think) would be It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and the Americans maybe top 20.
One more good season of Fargo and I'd add it to the list. Rome should have been on here too, but not enough seasons.
The show was over the top, unrealistic, often over and badly acted, had it's share of clunker episodes.
Mad Men is absurdly overrated.
Columbo
Perry Mason
Rockford Files
Kojak
Lost in Space
Batman
Boardwalk Empire
Monday Night Football should count because Cosell, Meredith et al were quite entertaining.
But it's really such a different animal than typical shows, of which The Sopranos and Breaking Bad are so epic.
Haven't seen The Wire or Mad Men yet. Saving them for raining days, when football season is over, I don't have a stack of good books to read, etc.
Pretty good list from what I can see.
One problem I have with a lot of shows, especially ones like Lost (Watched probably 10 episodes or so when it was broadcast), is that they are basically Soap Operas...where any crazy twist or turn is justified by some supernatural or other force that just makes me feel like it's a writer or writers that just make up shit for the sake of twists and turns, and has no authentic representation of how real people would act/react.
Of course, they are all doing this in some ways, but if I can feel that happening, I lose respect.
For me, Breaking Bad was the best "real" drama I have ever seen.
But GoT is on such another level of quality, suspense, production, characters, quasi-history and on and on.
Both shows are definitely in my top 10, but The Wire is easily a cut above GoT (even though its an apples to oranges comparison).
Amazes me how well that show STILL holds up. Timeless...currently the favorite show of my 8-year-old and 6-year-old. The younger one just refers to it as "The Funny Lady." I remember loving it when I was their age, and I still find it damn funny.
Ren & Stimpy but no Batman The Animated Series?
Buffy the Vampire is way too high
Little surprised that Mad TV wasn't on the list
And I agree, Twilight Zone should be #1
Both shows are definitely in my top 10, but The Wire is easily a cut above GoT (even though its an apples to oranges comparison).
Right on...re: GoT. I hear you.
I am sure I will love The Wire. I have read about the show and the writer's background and have no doubt it will deliver in a huge way.
link - ( New Window )
Was trying to see if Rome is on there. That show is top 10 for me, but I am filtering out a lot of older things that I can appreciate, but have no desire to watch anymore, or things like variety shows.
Nice !
I may be in a minority of one, but I think House of Cards is WAY overrated. Funny - the list cites Frank's soliloquys as being irresistible...and I just found them annoying as hell. Not pithy, not heavy not funny, just forced and awkward. Never have gotten the whole Spacey thing, why people say he's such a great actor. I would say to people who say Frank is so cold and ruthless...you obviously have never watched Breaking Bad or The Wire.
I may be in a minority of one, but I think House of Cards is WAY overrated. Funny - the list cites Frank's soliloquys as being irresistible...and I just found them annoying as hell. Not pithy, not heavy not funny, just forced and awkward. Never have gotten the whole Spacey thing, why people say he's such a great actor. I would say to people who say Frank is so cold and ruthless...you obviously have never watched Breaking Bad or The Wire.
2.) The Sopranos
3.) Breaking Bad
------
Everything else
Sopranos isn't better than Deadwood or Justified.
What's the fun in that?
House
Married with Children
Burn Notice
Golden Girls ad honeymooners ranked way too low. Married with Children has to be on the list somewhere. Al Bundy is too much of an icon to disclude.
Freaks & Geeks is extremely high quality television. Lots of "real" moments and I believe one of the pioneers of no laugh track?
Awesome to see Larry Sanders show. The definition of "ahead of its time".
Letterman over Carson is not far fetched. He jumped the shark very hard later on, but early Letterman is a legend.
Twin Peaks has aged disastrously. It's awful. And I like David Lynch a lot.
Only with him gone do we we realize how ridiculously, unbelievably good Jon Stewart was at his job. Noah never had a chance.
Curb Your Enthusiasm is too high. LD is great and hilarious, but the shittiness of the supporting cast highlights just how contrived the plots are. The Seinfeld actors were good enough to gloss over the crappier, also contrived later episodes
South Park is a top 20 show of all time.
Shoot me, but I thought Veronica Mars was a really well done show.
Re: Homicide. I've been trying to find a way to watch this show forever. I think I'm down to renting DVDs (which presumably still exist?) from my local library (which presumably still exist?)
but it's not.
It should definitely be top 100 IMO, but #11 is kind of high given the limited scope. It didn't have time to get bad. Dexter could have been top 11 with just two seasons.
but it's not.
It should definitely be top 100 IMO, but #11 is kind of high given the limited scope. It didn't have time to get bad. Dexter could have been top 11 with just two seasons.
Fargo, after two seasons might be on the top 100 list.
I just think there has to be a longevity factor. maybe 4 or 5 seasons of quality.
but maybe there would be a top 50 then not top 100.
St Elsewhere?
CSI Original?
Dallas but no Dynasty?
Survivor?
Yes, Downton Abbey should be top 10
Mad Men is absurdly overrated.
Right. Oz made it possible for all the others to happen.
Great show, but there have been better since
Wonderful World of Disney
Carol Burnett Show
Really skewed towards modern stuff and shows on TVLand
I'm guessing no one on the selecting panel was over 40
what other show would make everyone else flee the TV room and leave me holding the remote??
There was only 1 season and it's amazing.
^^^^^^
Also:
Laugh In
Smothers Brothers
Sesame Street
Quote:
and geeks vault it to top 10?
There was only 1 season and it's amazing.
Kind of. It was canceled half way through the season. they later on showed the remaining episodes.
And counting it as one season makes it even less compelling to be top 11. There have been a lot of shows that had one great seasons and then nothing else after that or went quickly downhill.
Maybe, but no The Big Bang Theory implies that the list *isn't* garbage.
But there are supposedly 23 shows better than Friday Night Lights? I'll have to watch them all.
That show was a great guilty pleasure and all, but that shouldn't earn it a spot in the top 25.
Sports Night
Homefront
Bonanza
I Spy
Ed Sullivan Show
Smothers Brothers
And if it's international
Monty Python
Secret Agent Man
Dick Cavett
Lots of others
Did not notice Alfred Hitchcock Presents on list. Long lasting anthology series which sometimes was very good.
One personal choice for a short lived series which was scary as hell for a kid. Kolchak the Night Stalker. I believe that was the inspiration for the X files.
The Wire was far better than The Sopranos.So was Breaking Bad.
So many great topics that have been covered, yet the go-to "best" in both movies (Godfather 1+2) and TV (Sopranos) is about the Italian Mob? LOL. It's a fun topic but come on.
Whereas The Godfather deserves the hype, I don't think The Sopranos does. It was a 1st ballot HOFer but it wasn't the best ever and doesn't even belong in the discussion imo.
It's not even close to The Wire. The Wire showed that not only could TV match the Big Screen, but it could far surpass it by creating a level of depth beyond anything 2.5 hours of movies could possibly show.
I'd probably have Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, the Wire and Deadwood ahead of the Sopranos but not many more.
Maybe Oz, Vikings (how was that not on the list?), Seinfeld, Simpsons, and Curb, with Six Feet Under and Friday Night Lights in the next tier.
and some fringy ones that I like (and fringy because they're not on the list I don't think) would be It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and the Americans maybe top 20.
One more good season of Fargo and I'd add it to the list. Rome should have been on here too, but not enough seasons.