OT: Top TV shows all time
Stole this from the BCS thread below and want to hear more opinions. I separate dramas and comedies.
Dramas:
1. The Wire
1a. Breaking Bad
1b. The Sopranos
4. Game of Thrones
Honorable Mention: Better Call Saul, Sons of Anarchy, Dexter.
Comedies:
1. Seinfeld
2. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
3. Curb your enthusiasm
4. The Office.
August 10th, 2022 at 2:34 PM ^
Such a difference without the laugh track. I like to watch old Monty Python and Faulty Towers stuff but it is so much different than the stuff today. I am a fan of Always Sunny and I loved the Office, but I find it hard to compare when not in front of a live studio audience.
Anybody remember Kate and Alley? My mom loved that show and I had to watch it as a kid. I also liked Mork and Mindy.
Favorite kid show that still holds up pretty well when watching with my kids was the original Muppet Show.
August 10th, 2022 at 2:44 PM ^
You're right, the sound has a huge effect.
For instance, watch the Three Stooges with the sound off. Without cartoony sound effects, the pokes and smacks and hits in the head with hammers aren't funny but look unrealistic or lame.
Same thing with late-night shows—Daily Show, Fallon, Colbert, etc. If you've ever been in the audience, you know they have people, usually guys warming up the crowd before the show and THEN when the host's about to come out, reminding us we got in for free so all we have to do is stand and hoop and holler. That is, the audiences become performing monkeys to make the host look good.
August 10th, 2022 at 1:55 PM ^
+1 for Chuck and Bob being the best couple ever.
Bob was the greatest mentalist as well.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:04 AM ^
Gotta have The Simpsons on there. Even if the last...decade (two?) doesn't hold up, peak Simpsons is as good as television has ever been.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:09 AM ^
Agreed. OP might've classed it with animation, but I'd rank its first decade above all the comedies in the list.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:58 AM ^
Should also include Futurama in with the Simpsons. Both featured some of the best writing in comedy.
If you wanted to go old school and cite the most influential comedies, search no further than I Love Lucy and The Honeymooners. Both groundbreaking from staging/filming and establishing comedy archetypes.
August 10th, 2022 at 12:25 PM ^
Must also include Family Guy...
August 10th, 2022 at 12:59 PM ^
loved the Simpsons but never laughed harder than The Critic
August 10th, 2022 at 2:37 PM ^
The Critic is so good. Also like BoJack Horseman.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:05 AM ^
Im surprised im the first person to mention Ozark…also Sopranos, the Wire, Sons of Anarchy
August 10th, 2022 at 11:11 AM ^
I really liked Ozark but I thought the last season was a disappointment.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:24 AM ^
I thought the last season was mildly disappointing but overall its a great show
August 10th, 2022 at 11:30 AM ^
I overall liked Ozark. It was basically a faster paced Breaking Bad, except the central crime being money laundering.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:05 AM ^
Hard to rank them, but a general top-10 would have to include Northern Exposure, Deadwood, Lost, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files, Game of Thrones, Dexter, Mad Men, Battlestar Galactica, The West Wing, Freaks and Geeks. I guess that's 11.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:10 AM ^
Yeah, Mad Men definitely makes a top 10 list for me.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:13 AM ^
Plus one for Freaks and Geeks- I’d put that at 1a with The Wire. Yes, for it’s one season.
For goofy comedies, I’ve loved parts of Brooklyn 99, all of Psych, and The Good Guys as well (also The Finder). I was not OK with Netflix backing out of a second season of I Am Not OK With This…until I read the graphic novel, then it made sense.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:17 AM ^
I definitely enjoyed Freaks and Geeks, but it's hard for me to put it on any list with only the one season.
August 10th, 2022 at 1:57 PM ^
On the list with Firefly for single season greats.
August 10th, 2022 at 5:46 PM ^
Good looking out on Psych and Brooklyn 99. Hilarious
August 10th, 2022 at 11:49 AM ^
+1 for Buffy and X-Files.
Honestly, never watched most of the top dramas in the OP - mostly because I never bothered with HBO/Showtime and also because I really don't care that I'm "left out" of the water cooler talk about the latest most popular thing.
That said, yes to all the OP's comedies.
In the hour long comedy (dramedy?) format, I think Psych has to be up there, along with Monk.
August 10th, 2022 at 12:36 PM ^
Instead of FOMO (fear of missing out), POMO (pride of missing out)?
August 10th, 2022 at 5:48 PM ^
USA shows had a real good stretch there. Burn notice was great also. Monk and Psych. White collar. Light hearted but good shows
August 10th, 2022 at 11:49 AM ^
Thank God someone else mentioned Buffy...my wife dragged me into it, but I love "banter" shows (Brockmire being one of the best examples I can think of) and it nailed "banter". I remember when I would discuss it with colleagues and know they would scoff...but it deserves consideration. I knew someone else would put Simpsons (above)...now if Scrubs can just get some love. (The arc with Brendan Fraiser was near perfect).
August 10th, 2022 at 12:51 PM ^
Cheers for Battlestar Gallactica nod. Show has always had niche fandom. I'm always a little surprised its never really appeared more frequently on threads like these as it has hit streaming services now and then over the years. It was on something called Tubi not long ago, randomly. I'd never heard of Tubi but rewatched BG again and it held up a second time, years later.
If it had come out 10 years or so after it did, suspect it would have a ton of fans. Quality writing, very topical for its time and even resonates today.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:09 AM ^
The Wire - Just my favorite show of all time.
Friday Night Lights - The Coach/Wife dynamic was pretty great.
Sleeper sitcoms that weren't hugely popular when they aired - Parks and Recreation and Community. I thought they were both better than The Office which I enjoyed as well.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:35 AM ^
I'd like to second Community and Parks and Recreation for sitcoms, along with Arrested Development. I have rewatched all three of these more times than I care to mention, they never get old. For the purposes of this discussion, season 4 of Community (the gas leak year) should be ignored.
And while I watch comedies far more often than dramas, I consider The Wire the greatest television program ever.
Lastly, I strongly believe Rick and Morty will ultimately belong on the list of great comedies, but I think it's too soon to say that definitively.
August 10th, 2022 at 1:21 PM ^
Community was such a loveable loser that almost got cancelled every season. Also, It was great seeing Chevy Chase be hilarious again. The Dungeons and Dragons episode is an all time classic.
August 10th, 2022 at 2:40 PM ^
Arrested Development is great. Give me all the Rick and Morty, I even watch the newer one Solar opposites on Hulu.
The Tick was a good animated series years ago also.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:58 PM ^
Surprised it took page two before Arrested Development. That show is amazing.
Also, Silicon Valley is muy bueno. Plus, it produced the best comedy scene in scripted television history (at least my lifetime). Never laughed that hard for 4 minutes straight.
Both are top 5 comedies for me.
August 10th, 2022 at 1:15 PM ^
I would sincerely like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for liking parks and rec and community better than the office. I just really don’t care for the office’s style of humor. I hate all the awkwardness.
Edit: yes I’m prepared to be negged for not liking the office.
August 10th, 2022 at 5:50 PM ^
Office was good, community and parks were way better.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:09 AM ^
Dramas:
1. St. Elsewhere
2. The Wire
3. Breaking Bad
HM - Game of Thrones - would have been my number 1 if not for the debacle of seasons 7 and 8.
Comedies:
1. MASH
2. WKRP (ruined in reruns because of the errors in music licensing that caused re-edits from the originals) "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly".
3. All In the Family - groundbreaking
August 10th, 2022 at 11:13 AM ^
Yes to MASH, 1000%.
August 10th, 2022 at 5:52 PM ^
Mash is unwatchable for me. I had a roommate in college that was a lazy asshole. We had one tv. Every time I came home from basketball practice or class he was watching Mash. Probably a great show but every time it’s on, I can’t hit the channel change button quick enough
August 10th, 2022 at 11:55 AM ^
So yes to WKRP. Les Nessman (sp?) narrating turkeys slamming into parked cars after dropped from a helicopter never gets old. I think it's the most consistent thing to get me to laugh out loud...Johnny Fever saying "booger" on air....him taking a sobriety test and getting better drunk (I know why it would never/should never air today)...classic. I think as a sports guy I love Les...him saying Chi Chi Rodriguez, being called on it and STILL saying it wrong is another laugh out loud moment all the time
August 10th, 2022 at 12:20 PM ^
As god is my witness...
I thought turkeys could fly.
August 10th, 2022 at 2:41 PM ^
All in the Family and the spin off Jefferson's both great and groundbreaking from social stand point.
August 11th, 2022 at 10:48 AM ^
I was looking for mash and all in the family. Finally, someone w taste.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:10 AM ^
Home Improvement was the first TV show I ever took the time and resources to put a blank video tape into the VCR and programmed it to record when I could not be home to watch it live. Therefore, top comedy TV show of all time for me.
1. Home Improvement
2. The Office
3. Alf
4. Mr. Ed
August 10th, 2022 at 11:10 AM ^
I have to say my favorite drama/action show is Justified. It just sucks you in within the first few minutes of the first episode. The office is my favorite comedy show though. Thanks to Peacock the superfan episodes breathe new life into a classic.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:28 AM ^
Yeah, I completely forgot about Justified. That was a great show.
August 10th, 2022 at 1:59 PM ^
Elmore Leonard could write a story.
August 11th, 2022 at 7:40 AM ^
100% Justified. Dialogue is amazing, villains are amazing, Olyphant is great, Goggins even better. I've watched it 3 times now and looking forward to the 4th.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:12 AM ^
I generally agree with OP’s list, with a couple of observations.
No list of best tv shows is complete without The Rockford Files. As a humorous drama, it doesn’t neatly fit into any category. Or so I tell myself.
And I must take issue with Curb Your Enthusiasm, a show whose later seasons make me want to poke my eyes out. Larry David finally succeeded in curbing my enthusiasm for his comedy. I’d substitute Frasier, the rare spin-off which surpasses it’s spinner.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:47 AM ^
Rockford Files might be one of the best written TV shows of all time too. Definitely second the nomination.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:13 AM ^
I watched The Wire and don't get the love for it. It was good and I enjoyed it, but I don't see it as an all-time great show.
Non-comedy shows for me (in no particular order):
- The Americans
- Breaking Bad
- Succession
Comedy shows for me:
- What We Do in the Shadows
- Letterkenny
- New Girl
- The League
August 10th, 2022 at 11:59 AM ^
Letterkenny for the win! To be fair, another great banter show. The punning off names alone is worth the entire show (and the rest of it ain't bad). Shoresy shows some promise as well...but doesn't seem quite as good yet
August 10th, 2022 at 2:12 PM ^
Ferda! To be fair, I think they started running out of jokes in the later seasons, but the first few are just so funny. Any time I grill a steak now, I can't help but think "s & p, good enough for me".
This might be my favorite scene all-time. Just because the banter is so funny while they're doing such a mundane thing. Not to mention the fact that the guy's name is Squirrely Dan...
August 11th, 2022 at 5:44 AM ^
Jumping on board the Letterkenny train. I also adore Shoresy. It's only been out a few months and I've already watched it four times. Can't wait for more episodes.
August 10th, 2022 at 12:05 PM ^
The League was so great. very topical so not sure it'd hold up on a re-watch like most other series, but so so so funny.