I often have this discussion — because it’s so hard to pin down the best teevee shows of all-time. We’re in the golden age of television and the production levels are movie quality, as well as the scripts. We can harken back to the days of Seinfeld or even before that, say All in the Family or Three’s a Company, and suggest they were the best shows — but that’d be a lie, especially since it’s untruthful.
As much as I loved Seinfeld, I like Curb Your Enthusiasm more.
I’ve consumed way too much television for any living man and know far too much about this subject than usual. This is part of the joys of working from home, blogging fast into the warm summer nights. I get to waste away in front of the tube, immersing myself into world’s that I do not belong in, distractions designed to placate and entertain. There are few joys in this world: love, laughter, intrigue, taste, scent, and equanimity — might as well enjoy them while we can.
Here are my top 5 shows of all time, skewed heavily with a recency bias. This does not include mini-series, such as Band of Brothers. My tell is whether or not I’d like to see repeats of these shows now, if they were on teevee.
Game of Thrones
The Wire
Eastbound and Down
The Office
Rome
Rome is a tough one to include, especially since it only lasted for two seasons. But for the two seasons it aired on HBO, it was by far one of the best shows ever aired on tv. Naturally, I left out a lot of fantastic shows, such as Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Crown, Downton Abbey, Sherlock, House, House of Cards, Peaky Blinders, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Deadwood, Supernatural, The Turn, Boardwalk Empire, Luther, Hannibal, Entourage, 24, Homeland, Twilight Zone, The Honeymooners, 30 Rock etc. Yes, I left out Sopranos on purpose.
What am I missing? VEEP? Never bothered to watch it.
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I agree with most of what you mentioned. Two really good BBC shows I enjoyed were Broadchurch and The Fall….both I believe you would enjoy. Master of None on Netflix was very good, although wouldn’t make my top 10 but worthy of mention. Chance on Hulu is a nice dark drama- Hugh Laurie plays a psychiatrist and the show has its moments.
Holy shit. I didn’t even know about Chance. Will look
how is OZARK not on either of your lists?….for it’s time, the Honeymooners is the best ever. Sneaky Pete is pretty good too for a recent one.
The Andy Griffith Show
Little Rascals
Seinfeld
The Sopranos
Breaking Bad
Narcos
The Shield
Ozark
Best recent show: counterpart
No one talks about it, but jk Simmons is a beast on it
1. Faulty Towers
2. Office (UK Version)
3. Trigger Happy TV – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRwhLThNF_o
4. Stella Street – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY4isQVSgDg
5. I’m Allan Partdrige: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4T_4uLQ7e0
Father Ted if 6 allowed
The Bob Newhart Show
Columbo
Fawlty Towers
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes-Starring Jeremy Brett
The Office (UK)
Sopranos
True Detective
Breaking Bad
The Simpsons
Twin Peaks
Mad Men
Law & Order
I can keep going
californication season 1
californication season 2
Forgot Black Sails. Definitely one of my favorites.
Gilligan’s Island
I dream of Jeannie
Lost in Space
Green Acres
Beverly Hillbillies
Get Smart
Rat Patrol
Bugs Bunny
Mel Blanc and those animators are national treasures.
The Wire
Breaking Bad
Sopranos
Game of Thrones
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
I just started season 2 of arrested development. It’s great.
Does Chappell’s show qualify?
The Andy Griffith (‘”Nip it in the Bud”) Show
Seinfeld
Leave It To Beaver (“That’s a very nice sweater you have Mrs. Cleaver”- Eddie Haskell).
I Love Lucy
The Middle
Spartacus and the Last Kingdom are tight up there with the greats. So tough to narrow down to five. GOT and Sopranos are the only two locks for me
Money Heist was the best new show I watched in a while
Liked money heist. Best new shows is a different topic… taboo, dark, atypical, Ozark… giving maniac a go
Magnum PI
NYPD Blue
Sopranos
Homeland
Breaking Bad
Do like many of your mentions as well.
The Outer Limits (original)
Star Trek (original)
Monty Python Flying Circus
All in the Family
Revolution
Surprised no one said Lost yet.
Yeah, the first couple of seasons were dope. That was the last show I waited a week to watch
Using the repeat viewing test
Better call Saul
Father Ted
GOT
House of Lies
The Wire
If you like Rome at Game of Thrones you gotta check out Vikings.
The Prisoner
F Troop
The Avengers
Hogan’s Hero’s
The Fugitive
This comment section has turned out a nice way to reveal the personalities of Dr. Fly’s readership. Brilliant!
…or a clever Fly trick to sucker boomers into a reveal that puts them on his ageist blacklist.
Lost
Chappelle’s Show
Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm
Friday Night Lights
24
Justified
Not sure about my own list of 5, but Justified is number one for me.
And Hell on Wheels as a honorable mention
The shield has to be included in any top 5
Westworld, the obvious choice.
Lots of good mentions in this thread …Looney Tunes, Simpsons, 30 Rock, Rome, first season of True Detective, Breaking Bad.
Surprised no one mentioned Star Trek. Also, SNL (in the Belushi/Aykroyd days was groundbreaking and hip enough that youth would pause their night or debauchery and tune in …er, according to my ole Pops.)
..sorry, see that Star Trek was mentioned. I’d add both Sagan’s and Tyson’s Cosmos.
I mentioned Star Trek. Look above.
Sorry Ferd I was screwed up after a double Martini.
Deadwood. Everything else is second tier. Fuck the Sopranos. Very clever Big Pharma advertisement tho.
Goodtimes
Game of thrones
Xfiles
Sanford and son
Chappell show
East bound and down (its the best)
Walking dead
Game of thrones
Rome
Deadwood
Star Trek DS9
West Wing
Deep space 9 was great, nice pick
Regards
Chuck Bennett
Star Trek TNG
Star Trek Voyager (I used the Voyager theme in my wedding reception)
Justice League
Three’s Company
Black Mirror
Dexter
6 Feet Under
The Handmaiden
Monty Python
BBC Original Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy