Interference's 50 Greatest TV Shows

[MrsSpringsteen]

St Elsewhere

Wonder Years

 

[corianderstem]

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
2. The X-Files
3. Arrested Development
4. Mad Men
5. Breaking Bad
6. The Wire
7. Twin Peaks
8. Freaks and Geeks
9. The Simpsons
10. Sex and the City
11. Extras
12. My So-Called Life

Shit, forgot one!

13. The Sopranos

 

[LemonMelon]

There aren't many TV shows that I despise, so for me there isn't a great deal to do in this thread besides nod and pat backs. I will say that Sex and the City and Friends are annoying and bland, respectively. I have no use for either of them. Otherwise, I mean, yeah, I'm not going to bitch much. I really have no idea what I'm talking about anyway; I've only seen a small percentage of the shows that have been mentioned so far.

Here's a top 10, such as it is, with a strong emphasis on childhood favorites:

1. The Simpsons
2. Breaking Bad
3. House, MD
4. Seinfeld
5. Twin Peaks
6. South Park
7. Monk
8. Mad Men
9. Dexter's Laboratory
10. Rocko's Modern Life

 

[Jive Turkey]

South Park

 

[bonocomet]

9. Dexter's Laboratory

Forgot about that one and it should be on my list! The Muffin King.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Monk-mania? A list with Extras but not The Office? Enjoying the unpredictability so far.

Also, if you're even thinking about doing a list, don't fret about the actual positions. Since it's only a one point difference for each rank, it likely won't matter if you rank a series a few spots "wrong" as our overall consensus list will likely have much bigger gaps between shows than a few measly points.

 

[PhilsFan]

1. The Wire
2. Arrested Development
3. Breaking Bad
4. Mad Men
5. Parks and Recreation
6. Community
7. The West Wing
8. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
9. Seinfeld
10. 30 Rock

 

[bono_212]

1. Get Smart
2. Monk
3. Boston Legal
4. Quantum Leap
5. Twin Peaks
6. 24
7. House
8. Frasier
9. Law and Order SVU
10. Futurama
11. Scrubs
12. X-Files
13. Mystery Science Theater 3000
14. Monty Python's Flying Circus
15. Married with Children
16. NYPD Blue
17. Rocko's Modern LIfe
18. Courage the Cowardly Dog
19. How I Met Your Mother
20. Simpsons

I think that's about right.

Of course, there are always qualifications. The first 2.5 seasons of Monk were just that damn good, otherwise, after that, I kind of hate the show. 24 is another one that I just love the first few seasons that much, even though the rest is not so good. HIMYM is as low as it is because I've only seen the first 2.5 seasons, but I'm sure it will continue to rise.


Had to leave a few things off that I love, but pretty solid feelings about the above.

 

[mikal]

Twin Peaks

 

[namkcuR]

I'm having trouble ranking dramas and sitcoms in the same list. I feel like it's apples and oranges. Anyone else feel this way?

 

[MrPryck2U]

Random order:

1-Sopranos
2-Curb Your Enthusiasm
3-MASH
4-Dexter
5-Night Court
6-Frasier
7-Larry Sanders
8-Roseanne
9-Survivor
10- Seinfeld

 

[Irvine511]

i can maybe name 10 TV shows ...


1. The Simpsons
2. Breaking Bad
3. The Sopranos
4. The Wire
5. Mad Men
6. Roseanne (is probably the most honest show ever)
7. NYPD Blue
8. The Cosby Show
9. South Park
10. 6 Feet Under


i admit that i haven't seen Arrested Development, but i will on Netflix.

i also just realized that no one has mentioned the most politically insightful show of our time, and a major influence on NLOTH: Battlestar Galactica.

 

[cobl04]

Where is the love for Geordie Shore

 

[corianderstem]

Monk-mania? A list with Extras but not The Office? Enjoying the unpredictability so far.

I almost put the British Office on the list, but as much as I liked it, I did like Extras more overall. I cringed less and laughed more.

 

[Irvine511]

Ooooh, Extras was brilliant. Especially the Kate Winslet episode.

 

[corianderstem]

Speaking of Gervais, I laughed so hard I cried during the first season of The Ricky Gervais Show, but it hasn't even made me crack a smile this season.

Woe.

 

[deep]

I'm having trouble ranking dramas and sitcoms in the same list. I feel like it's apples and oranges. Anyone else feel this way?

yes, a lot of sitcoms finish high in the TV ratings, and many of them are not near great at all.

 

[Lancemc]

1. The Sopranos
2. Treme
3. Mad Men
4. Arrested Development
5. Luck
6. Breaking Bad
7. Louie
8. Twin Peaks
9. Deadwood
10. Curb Your Enthusiasm

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Speaking of Gervais, I laughed so hard I cried during the first season of The Ricky Gervais Show, but it hasn't even made me crack a smile this season.

Woe.

Each of the three season was progressively less funny, but the animation keeps getting better with each. For me, it totally adds to the humor and makes the jokes even funnier (I couldn't never concentrate to the podcasts very well). I've found a few of the episodes in Season 3 to be up there with the best and was definitely crying, but the last couple that have aired have only been decent. It's hit or miss, but it's usually to-die-for about 75% of the time.

They probably should end it soon because Season 4 would require them to record all new podcasts. Who knows if the quality would be nearly as good...

yes, a lot of sitcoms finish high in the TV ratings, and many of them are not near great at all.

I think almost anything with a laugh track making someone's list usually proves that they haven't seen a lot of the better comedies or are placing it in as a nostalgia trip. Decades from now, nobody trying to watch the greatest television shows will watch any multi-camera comedy not named Seinfeld. I equate network television from the 50's through 80's as being similar to pop music from 1910-1950 - most of its unremarkable and was forgotten immediately after its creation.

 

[cobl04]

I'm torn on The Office. The UK version was great but it was so dark. I much prefer the US version, which was hilarious, had more likable characters, had heart and colour, but this only seasons 2 through 4.

 

[LemonMelon]

I nearly included The Office (US), but the show was only truly great for the first three seasons or so. There are more terrible seasons than good ones now.

You can say that about the Simpsons too, but no other show has 8 great seasons to its name (Seinfeld maybe?). It's offered as much to popular culture as one could ask of a show.

 

[Steved1998]

I am currently on the third season of my marathon and I have to say YOUR LIST SUCKS without The Wire. Seriously one of the best shows ever.

 

[Steved1998]

The office sucks ass now. Andy or Erin need to be killed off.

 

[namkcuR]

I think almost anything with a laugh track making someone's list usually proves that they haven't seen a lot of the better comedies or are placing it in as a nostalgia trip. Decades from now, nobody trying to watch the greatest television shows will watch any multi-camera comedy not named Seinfeld. I equate network television from the 50's through 80's as being similar to pop music from 1910-1950 - most of its unremarkable and was forgotten immediately after its creation.

Wow. I couldn't disagree more. I mean, really?

I Love Lucy?
The Mary Tyler Moore Show?
All In The Family?
The Jeffersons?
The Cosby Show?
Cheers?
Friends(I know it's polarizing but it's still one of the most syndicated/popular sitcoms ever, and I happen to love it)?
Frasier?
Everybody Loves Raymond?

These(just to name a few) were forgotten?

 

[cobl04]

Yeah, that pretty much destroys your argument BigMac. I was 3 when Cheers finished and whenever I see repeats on TV I watch it.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I too watch tons of that sort of thing. I watched and loved reruns of shows from the '60s and '70s on Nick at Nite as a kid. They show them on MeTV now and I still watch them from time to time.

6. Roseanne (is probably the most honest show ever)

Oh, yeah. It's truly freaky sometimes how much my family can relate to that show. My family was a lot like the Connors (Dan WAS my dad in TV form, swear to god), and I knew tons of families like them, too. Heck, I remember one night watching an episode and listening to Roseanne and Dan having some sort of discussion about money woes, and it was pretty much the exact same conversation my own parents had had the week before, word for word.

Good idea for a thread. I'll think up my list and share it within the next day or two here.

 

[djerdap]

1. The Wire
2. The X-Files
3. Twin Peaks
4. Monty Python's Flying Circus
5. Homicide: Life on the Street
6. Deadwood
7. Breaking Bad
8. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
9. Angel
10.The Shield

I still have to watch The Sopranos (the whole thing), Six Feet Under and Mad Men. Those could be contenders.

 

[nextlife]

I hate ranking things, so here are some of my favorite shows

It's always sunny in Philadelphia
The Wire
Breaking Bad
Dexter
Seinfeld
Arrested Development
The Office (UK)
The Office (US) first 3 seasons
Curb your enthusiasm
Six Feet Under
Lost
Monk
Psych
Community
Flight of the concords
The IT crowd
Freeks and geeks
The west wing
Veronica mars
Buffy
Dead like me
Big love
MacGyver
Wilfred(AUS)
Doug

 

[anitram]

I am currently on the third season of my marathon and I have to say YOUR LIST SUCKS without The Wire. Seriously one of the best shows ever.

Srsly.

To me, it's The Wire, followed by a large gap and then the rest.

 

[bono_212]

Wow. I couldn't disagree more. I mean, really?

I Love Lucy?
The Mary Tyler Moore Show?
All In The Family?
The Jeffersons?
The Cosby Show?
Cheers?
Friends(I know it's polarizing but it's still one of the most syndicated/popular sitcoms ever, and I happen to love it)?
Frasier?
Everybody Loves Raymond?

These(just to name a few) were forgotten?

You pretty much said what I Was going to, but with a different list so...I concur.