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TV show meme
Fifty Greatest TV Shows meme.
No, it's not my top 50.
1. Bold the shows you've watched every episode of
2. Italic the shows you've seen at least one episode of
3. Post your answers
Whoever compiled this list much be British or a real Anglophile. (Ah, Empire Magazine. I think I was right.) Sure, there are a lot of American shows at the top, but more Britcoms than would be on a lot of American lists. So, some odd omissions include Mary Tyler Moore Show, MASH, All in the Family, The Prisoner, "I, Claudius", "Yes, Minister/Prime Minister" (damn titles with commas), The Powers of Matthew Starr, Misfits of Science... (Okay, I'm kidding about the last two, which I fear I could probably bold, but not the others.) But given how recent the shows are, I'm thinking someone younger than I am, or with a much shorter attention span.
Still, I clearly watch too much TV.
Allen
P.S.: So, despite what Empire says, why is the original Star Trek better than its successors? Because they actually told stories instead of had people talk about stories, because they didn't get mired in "readjusting the subspace field harmonics" technobabble, because they weren't afraid to have big emotions and big themes ... and because the original Star Trek was a plucky little TV show always on the verge of cancellation, not a servant of some corporate Moloch. That last point is why DS9 is my favourite of the sequels. Born in the shadow of Next Generation, cast aside for promoting the newer Voyager series. DS9 had only about six months as the primary Trek franchise. So, people didn't pay as much attention to what DS9 did. That's why their characters didn't act like emotionally-stunted robots. That's why they could explore the darker elements of the human condition. And that's why DS9 has come the closest of any Trek franchise to having gay characters. The 1960s Trek was ahead of its time -- the later shows by and large are not. (But with DS9's focus on terrorism, at the angels giving up freedom and morals for sake of security, I'd say it was a good few years ahead of its time too. Mind you, I can't imagine a hero like Major Kira proudly declaring herself a terrorist today.)
No, it's not my top 50.
1. Bold the shows you've watched every episode of
2. Italic the shows you've seen at least one episode of
3. Post your answers
50. Quantum Leap
49. Prison Break
48. Veronica Mars
47. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
46. Sex And The City
45. Farscape
44. Cracker (Original UK version, only some of the US remake)
43. Star Trek
42. Only Fools and Horses
41. Band of Brothers
40. Life on Mars (hope to italicize or bold this soon -- I hear it's good)
39. Monty Python's Flying Circus
38. Curb Your Enthusiasm
37. Star Trek: The Next Generation (Why is this a higher number than much superior original or DS9?)
36. Father Ted
35. Alias
34. Frasier (My mom worships this show. She could probably bold this.)
33. CSI: Las Vegas
32. Babylon 5 (I could come close to bolding it)
31. Deadwood
30. Dexter
29. ER
28. Fawlty Towers
27. Six Feet Under
26. Red Dwarf (I've seen all of the first 6 series.)
25.Futurama
24. Twin Peaks
23. The Office (UK original version, only selected episodes of the US remake)
22. The Shield
21. Angel
20. Blackadder
19. Scrubs (they did a musical episode -- I was ordered to watch)
18. Arrested Development
17. South Park
16. Doctor Who (new version)
15. Heroes
14. Firefly
13. Battlestar Galactica (new version)
12. Family Guy
11. Seinfeld
10. Spaced
09. The X-Files
08. The Wire
07. Friends
06. 24
05. Lost
04. The West Wing
03. The Sopranos
02. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
01. The Simpsons
49. Prison Break
48. Veronica Mars
47. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
46. Sex And The City
45. Farscape
44. Cracker (Original UK version, only some of the US remake)
43. Star Trek
42. Only Fools and Horses
41. Band of Brothers
40. Life on Mars (hope to italicize or bold this soon -- I hear it's good)
39. Monty Python's Flying Circus
38. Curb Your Enthusiasm
37. Star Trek: The Next Generation (Why is this a higher number than much superior original or DS9?)
36. Father Ted
35. Alias
34. Frasier (My mom worships this show. She could probably bold this.)
33. CSI: Las Vegas
32. Babylon 5 (I could come close to bolding it)
31. Deadwood
30. Dexter
29. ER
28. Fawlty Towers
27. Six Feet Under
26. Red Dwarf (I've seen all of the first 6 series.)
25.Futurama
24. Twin Peaks
23. The Office (UK original version, only selected episodes of the US remake)
22. The Shield
21. Angel
20. Blackadder
19. Scrubs (they did a musical episode -- I was ordered to watch)
18. Arrested Development
17. South Park
16. Doctor Who (new version)
15. Heroes
14. Firefly
13. Battlestar Galactica (new version)
12. Family Guy
11. Seinfeld
10. Spaced
09. The X-Files
08. The Wire
07. Friends
06. 24
05. Lost
04. The West Wing
03. The Sopranos
02. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
01. The Simpsons
Whoever compiled this list much be British or a real Anglophile. (Ah, Empire Magazine. I think I was right.) Sure, there are a lot of American shows at the top, but more Britcoms than would be on a lot of American lists. So, some odd omissions include Mary Tyler Moore Show, MASH, All in the Family, The Prisoner, "I, Claudius", "Yes, Minister/Prime Minister" (damn titles with commas), The Powers of Matthew Starr, Misfits of Science... (Okay, I'm kidding about the last two, which I fear I could probably bold, but not the others.) But given how recent the shows are, I'm thinking someone younger than I am, or with a much shorter attention span.
Still, I clearly watch too much TV.
Allen
P.S.: So, despite what Empire says, why is the original Star Trek better than its successors? Because they actually told stories instead of had people talk about stories, because they didn't get mired in "readjusting the subspace field harmonics" technobabble, because they weren't afraid to have big emotions and big themes ... and because the original Star Trek was a plucky little TV show always on the verge of cancellation, not a servant of some corporate Moloch. That last point is why DS9 is my favourite of the sequels. Born in the shadow of Next Generation, cast aside for promoting the newer Voyager series. DS9 had only about six months as the primary Trek franchise. So, people didn't pay as much attention to what DS9 did. That's why their characters didn't act like emotionally-stunted robots. That's why they could explore the darker elements of the human condition. And that's why DS9 has come the closest of any Trek franchise to having gay characters. The 1960s Trek was ahead of its time -- the later shows by and large are not. (But with DS9's focus on terrorism, at the angels giving up freedom and morals for sake of security, I'd say it was a good few years ahead of its time too. Mind you, I can't imagine a hero like Major Kira proudly declaring herself a terrorist today.)
TV
We all watched way too much TV.
Coronation Street deserves mention just to laugh at anyone who's seen every episode.
Re: TV
I Love Lucy and the Honeymooners (both left off, I think) deserve to be there, even if they aren't my cup of tea. I don't think Happy Days and Three's Company do. Besides, they'd probably put Man about the House on the list instead if they were so inclined. (Then again, All in the Family is also based on a British sitcom.)
Allen