View Full Version : In your opinion, what is the best TV series ever created?
dookie1481
12-23-09, 13:32
Doesn't matter what genre, or what the criteria are. Which TV series moved you the most?
I have to nominate The Wire. I've never seen something that was so plain yet so intricate at the same time.
If you haven't seen it, you owe it to yourself to watch all 5 seasons.
What is your favorite?
Jay
colt191145lover
12-23-09, 13:35
Gunsmoke , M*A*S*H and Miami Vice :D
Waaaaay before my time but "Get Smart" that show is HILARIOUS!!!! I have the complete box set. Another favourite is "In Living Colour". Lastly NCIS
colt191145lover
12-23-09, 13:44
oops! I forgot Star Trek ;)
Business_Casual
12-23-09, 13:51
I would say "24" BUT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME!
M_P
For me, the series "The Shield" brought me back to watching television after all these years of a "numbness" I found in the stories and the characters that producers were putting on the screen. The premise of the "Strike Team" and all their faults reminded me of many of the people I work with and I've met over the years. The character of Vic Mackey was so real -- a guy that although he keeps wanting to do the right thing, in his heart, continues to keep digging himself into a deeper and deeper hole. It's grittiness and always on the edge texture kept me glued to every episode. I was never a Chikklis fan but after seeing the first season, I couldn't stop watching it and found myself watching 4-5 episodes in an evening. Even my wife got into it. What appealed to me the most was the way they handed out "street justice". A fantasy of course but in the world we live in, it's nice to be able to escape for several hours and fantasize about how we'd like the justice system to dispense "justice". Give it a watch. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
It seems to have jumped the shark, but I'll nominate "The Simpsons" as a strong contender. "South Park" too.
I was a big fan of the remake of Battlestar Galactica, but I will admit that by the last couple of seasons I was kind of tired of watching man's weakness (love, hate, jealousy, addiction, etc.) always be his undoing. If I want to watch that shit I can look out the window or go for a drive, or invite the inlaws over.
Generation Kill. Be sure to watch the interviews that follow with the "real" Recon Marines and their imbedded reporter.
Dexter is really good and so is Weeds.
FromMyColdDeadHand
12-23-09, 14:06
"The Tyra Banks Show"
Makes me feel smart. The episode titled "Are my Boobs Real?" was the clincher for me. If Tyra can't remember...
tiger seven
12-23-09, 14:12
The original (1959-1964) Twilight Zone. IMO, it remains one of the most comprehensive and thought-provoking explorations of the human experience ever.
Derek
dookie1481
12-23-09, 14:13
Generation Kill. Be sure to watch the interviews that follow with the "real" Recon Marines and their imbedded reporter.
That was a fantastic show and it was produced by the same guys who did The Wire.
Jay
Dexter is really good and so is Weeds.
That reminds me....
6 Feet Under was probably my favorite show of all time, in spite of all the gay shit. Thank God for the DVR and the fast-forward button! :D Also had the best series finale of any show I've ever watched or heard about.
dookie1481
12-23-09, 14:14
Dexter is really good and so is Weeds.
I've only seen the first two seasons of Dexter, I will have to watch the rest. Thanks for reminding me.
Jay
That reminds me....
6 Feet Under was probably my favorite show of all time, in spite of all the gay shit. Thank God for the DVR and the fast-forward button! :D Also had the best series finale of any show I've ever watched or heard about.
Netflix is great for getting alot of the TV seasons too. No commercials to wade through and alot of them are direct streaming which is nice too.
I've only seen the first two seasons of Dexter, I will have to watch the rest. Thanks for reminding me.
Jay
It gets better :D
dookie1481
12-23-09, 14:18
Hard to say my favorite all time but my favorite right now is It's always sunny in Philadelphia. Every single one of the characters, minor and major, are absolutely brilliant.
Another one of my favorites :D
Amp Mangum
12-23-09, 14:23
Andy Griffith show.
Hard to say my favorite all time but my favorite right now is It's always sunny in Philadelphia. Every single one of the characters, minor and major, are absolutely brilliant.
Never heard of it but just added it to our queue.
Man, reading through the list I remembered more shows like Scrubs (the original the new one is so so) and Community is HILARIOUS!!!!
TV sucks balls.
What brand do you have?!?! :D
sandman99and9
12-23-09, 14:51
I have several to mention.
#1 hands down would be Band of brothers.
#2 the shield
#3 the wire
#4 deadwood
#5 southpark
#6 samurai jack
S.M.
It seems to have jumped the shark, but I'll nominate "The Simpsons" as a strong contender. "South Park" too.
Southpark is probably one of the smartest shows on tv(not sure how much that really means)...If you can get past the whole "vulgar cartoon" thing.
Sponge Bob is quality entertainment as well(far too much saturation though). :D
I would go with Dexter followed by The Sopranos.
...I've only seen an episode or two of The Wire and Weeds.I plan to start watching both from the beginning soon.
Firefly. If you've got a libertarian bone in your body, you gotta love Firefly. Then again, coming from a guy that hasn't owned a TV in years, this opinion means almost nothing.
MASH followed by Homicide, Life On The Streets, and The Rockford Files. But, then there is Dexter!! :D
Top Gear
If you're a gearhead, you can't help but like this show. It's also one of the funniest shows on TV, and they seem to like guns. Some of the things they do are absolutely insane. All other car shows pale in comparison.
If you aren't watching it you're cheating yourself.
Oh, and South Park is brilliant! :)
I have the Firefly series and Serenity on DVD as well.
askani79705
12-23-09, 15:22
Band of Brothers
Firefly
Rome
Las Vegas
Everybody Loves Raymond
MASH
Good Eats
:D
1 NCIS
2 The Family Guy
3 24
4 All in the family
5 Hogan's Hero's
6The Simpsons
7Mash
8 Seinfeld
9 Everyone loves Raymond
I cant just pick one, so these are some of my favorites.
Inspector Gadget, Charlies Angels and the A-Team gave me the drive to be the woman I am today!
In this decade I'd say Family Guy is the only TV show I can relate to.
http://images2.layoutsparks.com/1/22608/stewie-bitch-teddy-cartoon.jpg
I had a big post typed up then I closed the tab by accident. D'oh.
Short and sweet version:
Dramas: Battlestar Galactica, Deadwood, Rome.
Comedies: Arrested Development, Scrubs, Futurama
Honorable mentions: Generation Kill, Band of Brothers (miniseries can't really be on this list, can they?), News Radio, Studio 60, Firefly, Friends, Seinfeld, Lost, Top Gear
In closing, I watch too much TV.
I had a big post typed up then I closed the tab by accident. D'oh.
Short and sweet version:
Dramas: Battlestar Galactica, Deadwood, Rome.
Comedies: Arrested Development, Scrubs, Futurama
Honorable mentions: Generation Kill, Band of Brothers (miniseries can't really be on this list, can they?), News Radio, Studio 60, Firefly, Friends, Seinfeld, Lost, Top Gear
In closing, I watch too much TV.
Forgot about Friends. From it I learned that most indoor places in NYC must keep the temperature on the cold side! :D
TV sucks balls.
If that were a literal statement men would NEVER get out of the house and women would dominate the world....this can't happen
SeriousStudent
12-23-09, 15:55
1. Tactical Impact
2. Tactical Arms
Damn, I'm surprised to be the first one to sneak those in there. ;)
John_Wayne777
12-23-09, 15:59
The M4C approved answer is Tactical Impact & Tactical Arms, starring M4C SME's Larry Vickers, Kyle Defoor, and Jason Falla.
Season 1 of Tactical Impact is currently availabled on DVD. TI season 2 and season 1 of Tactical Arms will be available on DVD soon.
NinjaTactics
12-23-09, 15:59
My top 5 TV series ever created:
1. In Living Color
2. The Prisoner
3. The Fugitive
4. The A-Team
5. Dukes of Hazzard
Honorable mention: Seinfeld
dookie1481
12-23-09, 16:00
Never heard of it but just added it to our queue.
Know before hand that there is not a single redeeming quality amongst any of the characters on that show, and that's what makes it hilarious.
Jay
Jericho a few wishy washy love scenes but other than that a pretty great show. Oh and Supernatural gotta love the old '67 Impala and Dean's 1911.
So many good shows throughout the years but my favorites are....
1. Southpark
2. The Wire
3. The Shield
4. The Office
5. Lost
6. Top Gear
I really like
Sons of Anarchy
NCIS
The Unit
I like Sons because my wife won't let me have a bike:(...........:D
RancidSumo
12-23-09, 16:58
Dexter and The Simpsons
The Job, Arrested Development, Get Smart, Original Outer Limits 62 - 63, Twilight Zone, Original Star Trek, South Park. Mini Series - Band of Brothers
Seinfeld
NCIS
In Living Color
Two and Half Men and The Big Bang Theory are pretty funny.
I remember Night Court being pretty funny, but then again I was probably 5 or 6:o
Babylon 5
I might have nominated Band of Brothers, but the OP said series, and I don't think an HBO special qualifies.
ThirdWatcher
12-23-09, 17:49
Twilight Zone (the original) as a child, I found it thought-provoking; the Andy Griffith Show (as Andy showed an uncommon amount of common sense and compassion as a lawman); and Third Watch (as it tried to show the human side of first responders).
Belmont31R
12-23-09, 17:51
1. MASH
2. Married with Children
3. South Park
4. Little House on the Prairie
5. I Love Lucy
NCIS is awesome! I also LOVED the US version of Life On Mars. Harvey Keitel is my hero! The new Doctor Who is pretty cool too. It's pretty quirky and I'm amazed at all the little tie-ins and references that they make.
The Shield
NYPD Blue
Dexter
In no particular order.
geminidglocker
12-23-09, 18:15
MacGuyver. I grew up without a Dad, he passed from Cancer when I was 8. Watching MacGuyver gave me a role-model. Do the right thing, protect people, and make awesome weapons out of common house hold items and so forth. Mac is one of the reasons I joined Boy Scouts when I was younger. It also paid off in the Army, as a lot of the time we had to improvise with what we had on hand.
ETA: since we can pick more than one, The Equalizer, Airhawk, and Knight Rider were my other favs, not to mention Land of the Lost.
Nowadays I've really been into the Lost series.
MacGuyver. I grew up without a Dad, he passed from Cancer when I was 8. Watching MacGuyver gave me a role-model. Do the right thing, protect people, and make awesome weapons out of common house hold items and so forth. Mac is one of the reasons I joined Boy Scouts when I was younger. It also paid off in the Army, as a lot of the time we had to improvise with what we had on hand.
DANG!!! I forgot about MacGuyver!! That show was wicked!!! Sorry to hear about your dad
Regular TV: Jericho (post-apocalyptic fantastic), Family Guy
Cable: Band of Brothers, Dexter, the Wire
Most influential of all time: MacGyver
Chris Long
12-23-09, 19:04
Combat
What brand do you have?!?! :D
None brand anymore.
MarshallDodge
12-23-09, 19:18
I liked A-Team quite a bit when I was growing up. Seinfeld was pretty good for a laugh but I think King of Queens is better.
Right now I enjoy Deadliest Catch and Dirty Jobs.
Seinfeld:Entourage:Curb:Twin Peaks and SP is pretty damn funny.:D
SeriousStudent
12-23-09, 19:25
The M4C approved answer is Tactical Impact & Tactical Arms, starring M4C SME's Larry Vickers, Kyle Defoor, and Jason Falla.
Season 1 of Tactical Impact is currently availabled on DVD. TI season 2 and season 1 of Tactical Arms will be available on DVD soon.
Sliding under the wire by four minutes! :D
(please see post number 39)
Do I win a hat, or just a copy of the home game?
Anthony Bourdain's: No Reservations.
If you can watch that show without becoming hungry for some of both the best and the nastiest food you've ever seen then you're not human.
Ok it's not even close to the best series ever created but man does it make me hungry!
Leave It To Beaver- Laugh all you want. What a great family show that actually teaches good values.
Not to mention the line, "Ward, you were a little hard on the Beaver last night."
Dukes of Hazzard for sure. Forgot about The Wire and The Shield great shows.
Heavy Metal
12-23-09, 21:03
1960's: The Twilight Zone
1970's: The Rockford Files
1980's: Magnum P.I.
1990's: Seinfield
2000's: Firefly
The best series of all time bar none is The Wire, end of story.
RogerinTPA
12-23-09, 21:13
Battlestar Galactica (Latest Version)
Star Trek (Original Version)
X-Files
Stargate series (SG-1 and Atlantis)
Dark Angel (ONLY because of Jessica Alba's sexy azz)
Space, Above and Beyond (kinda hoke, but pretty decent)
Band of Brothers
The Shield
The Unit
Sinefeld
The Adventures of Jonny Quest!
Drama: The Wire, Sopranos, Generation Kill, Rescue Me, Sons of Anarchy
Sci-fi: Firefly
Comedy: Arrested Development, It's Always Sunny in Philly
Animated: Family Guy (have not seen a single episode that did not make me laugh very hard) Frisky Dingo, The Boondocks was good.
Business_Casual
12-24-09, 08:17
Star Trek (Original Version)
Particularly the episodes where the production budget is cut so low they have to make up stories to use with Nazi uniforms or American Indian tribes.
M_P
Carne Frio
12-24-09, 09:03
I'm old school:
Amos and Andy
Reno 911 ( I love cop shows):D
Joe_Friday
12-24-09, 09:09
The Unit (at least until the bastards cancelled it, and yeah I know it was a little cheesy but hey it's just TV and they were shooting the BGs)
NCIS (Pauley Perrette is hot regardless of age)
NCIS Los Angeles ( I know it's not well recieved by the NCIS loyal fans but it's just a different spin and the story lines have not been too bad. Kinda reminds me a little of The Unit)
CSI Miami (The last season was a little wierd but overall it's still a good show)
Sanford and Sons (Yeah it's old but still hilarious) :D
I really think that your particular age has everything to do with which TV shows you think are the best.
I was born in 1952. TV was in it's infancy. I remember going to my dad's friends house to watch their color TV. Sunday's it was Wonderful World of Disney and Bonanza. When Tinker Bell hit the castle with her magic wand, the screen exploded in color and it was extremely awesome. Then the match trick behind the map in Bonanza was great.
We had shows that used true 'movie stars', even before their time. I remember watching a very young Rowdy Yates which of course was Clint Eastwood, then there was Josh Randall (Steve McQueen), Maverick, Paladin, Have Gun, Will Travel.....and so on.
I loved all the cowboy shows, but there were WWII shows as well. Combat and the one that a lot of people forget (probably on purpose) was Rat Patrol.
Growing up watching good guys vs bad guys, there wasn't too much gray area. Nowadays, I think there is too much gray......TV is suppose to be entertainment, an escape from reality, not mimic real life. That said, I still like shows like NCIS, early The Unit shows (got too weird near the end), Burn Notice, Fringe, etc. I enjoy the hunting shows like The Bucks of Tecomate, Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild, Power Horn Montana, and all.
Just have to remember, I grew up when there was no thing as cable. That really opened up what could be shown and said. When there was just 'over the air' TV shows, you couldn't cuss or show skin. The imagination is a very powerful thing. I don't have to see two people in bed bumping and grinding to understand how to make love. Just show them going into the bedroom is enough for me.
I remember when John Wayne said 'damn' and my mouth dropped open. Shows like Deadwood, using the F-bomb every other word is just too much. Swearing is/was meant to imply emphasis. When overused, it means nothing more than show a lack of vocabulary.
Anyway, basically, I believe the best shows are the ones you grew up with that made a big influence.
I would like to see things like the original Ed Sullivan show. That was real variety. I remember watching the Beatles, The Rolling Stones and others. When Star Trek first came on, I watched it every week and it was great. That one really did open up eyes.
I would have to say The Sopranos, but Family Guy is running a very close second.
Andy Griffith show.
Number one situation comedy ever, as funny and relevant today as it was when first aired.
On a more contemporary timeline I would have to go with The Office. The Shield and SOA are(or were) very strong but have unsustainable story lines.
Original Dukes of Hazard
A team was good too
Mash
Current tv
Criminal Minds is not bad
Mentalist
Holmes on Homes
Sons Of Anarchy
MacGyver
Cheers
Scrubs
Simpsons
Taxi
Pardon the Interruption....best sports show ever
Outlander Systems
12-24-09, 11:56
The X-Files, hands-down.
cannarella
12-24-09, 12:27
No particular order
New Yankee Workshop
This Old House
M.A.S.H
Family Guy
Robot Chicken
Futurama
The original (1959-1964) Twilight Zone. IMO, it remains one of the most comprehensive and thought-provoking explorations of the human experience ever.
Derek
That is what I was gonna say. I have other shows I like more, but none that made me think as much.
China Beach, Northern Exposure, and Seinfeld
Now im hooked on The Fist 48 & MadMen
ThirdWatcher
12-24-09, 14:21
Cohibra45, I'm a couple years younger than you and I totally agree with what you've written.
CarlosDJackal
12-24-09, 14:34
I liked "Tour of Duty" - at least before it got stupid and then got cut.
But my absolute favorite was "Combat". :D
X-Files...
+1. And second place is Star Trek Next Gen.
Star Trek---all of them:-) I like the old Hill Street Blues series as well.
white spaniard
12-24-09, 17:04
Beverly hillbillies, Gomer Pyle USMC
RogerinTPA
12-24-09, 19:28
Forgot about "The Outer Limits" both old and newer versions.
Tough call for me between Star Trek The Next Generation & Homicide Life on the Streets. Probably give the nod to Picard.
cannarella
12-24-09, 20:35
I liked "Tour of Duty" - at least before it got stupid and then god cut.
But my absolute favorite was "Combat". :D
Ohhh Tour of Duty. That was a good one.
Married Children. Al Bundy was basically my TV father.
And of course South Park. :D
No Bananas
12-24-09, 20:44
No particular order:
M*A*S*H
Simpsons
South Park
Seinfeld
Friends
Knotts Landing JUST KIDDING!!!:p:p
Hard to say my favorite all time but my favorite right now is It's always sunny in Philadelphia. Every single one of the characters, minor and major, are absolutely brilliant.
I'd have to agree! Right now I'm watching ASP, have you seen the Very Sunny Christmas episode? If not you must!
Hill Street Blues
Dexter
7 Days (if you ignore a few "wandering" episodes)
The Shield
EzGoingKev
12-25-09, 10:25
HBO's The Wire was the best TV I have ever watched. Several people mentioned Band of Brothers was also excellent, but I really don't consider that a TV series, just a multipart movie. Same as Generation Kill.
The Sopranos started out really good but ended up blowing in the end.
The Shield was really good too. The older Law & Order's were really good and Andy Sipowicz from NYPD Blue had some of the funniest lines of all time.
Jeremiah was really good and it was too bad it got canceled during its second season.
Surprisingly, I really enjoyed The West Wing.
All the old classics were great and I am surprised no one mentioned Ba Ba Ba Blacksheep.
The shield
third watch was great too.
also the old battlestar and miami vice.
sandman99and9
12-25-09, 12:07
I forgot about watching the gunny on Mail Call. I guess I owe him 25 :D
http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr147/sandman99and9/thegunny.jpg
S.M.
Babylon 5
Venture Bros.
For HBO-specific series:
Rome
Band of Brothers
Only saw 1st season of Jericho, but I loved it.
Band of Brothers, The Office, Criminal Minds, 24, Family Guy, South Park, Arrested Development
Favorite shows that are over: The Wire & Generation Kill, and just getting into Band od Brothers.
Favorite shows still aired: Top Gear, Sons of Anarchy, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and a possible newcomer, The League.
*A little rant: The Simpsons were my all time favorite. I watched that show since I was 5. Unfortunately, I stopped watching it when they started putting in a lot of pop culture and political references. To me it's a sign of the lack of talented writers when they need to refer to current events rather than writing timeless material. "Dental plan! Lisa needs braces!"
The Wire
Hill Street Blues was another all-time great.
Top Gear
The Simpsons
Futurama
IMHO, these four shows maintained their greatness throughout.
The Wire
Deadwood
The Shield
In Living Color
Honorable Mention
The Unit
Sorpranos
X files
60 Minutes
Some shows are best for their writing, some their acting, some their storyline, some their relevancy. One best for all? Tough call.
Shows should be evaluated both on the quality of same in their time, as well as their ability to endure as classics.
Band of Brothers, while incredibly good and must-watch TV, was not a TV series as much as a mini-series. How does that fit in? What then of V? Kane and Abel? Roots? Winds of War?
Interesting responses thus far. Lots of early to mid 20's in this crowd, or those simply contemplating the current or recent TV schedule.
Some shows are best for their writing, some their acting, some their storyline, some their relevancy. One best for all? Tough call.
Shows should be evaluated both on the quality of same in their time, as well as their ability to endure as classics.
Band of Brothers, while incredibly good and must-watch TV, was not a TV series as much as a mini-series. How does that fit in? What then of V? Kane and Abel? Roots? Winds of War?
Interesting responses thus far. Lots of early to mid 20's in this crowd, or those simply contemplating the current or recent TV schedule.
One other point I would like to add is cable only series vs 'over the air' networks. Much different broadcasting rules and the shows reflect it!!!;)
Some shows are best for their writing, some their acting, some their storyline, some their relevancy. One best for all? Tough call.
Shows should be evaluated both on the quality of same in their time, as well as their ability to endure as classics.
Interesting responses thus far. Lots of early to mid 20's in this crowd, or those simply contemplating the current or recent TV schedule.
True true, some historical context must be maintained. However TV is a different medium from movies. TV is much more of a snapshot of a culture at a specific time and place. Outside of that cultural context, it's hard to evaluate where a show falls. If I Love Lucy came on as a new show today, it wouldn't make it to the first commercial break before it got axed. (According to Jim gets what...5 seasons? WTF is that?)
So I think it's only natural to evaluate TV within the context of a generational time frame.
The television show series that I have enjoyed by far the most is definitely the UNIT, created by David Mamet and Eric Haney.
Regular TV: The Unit
TV series on Cable: The Shield
Comedy (Either): In Living Color (better than anything else I can think, maybe except for the old Saturday Night Live episodes). Funny Stuff
SkiDevil
The Wire
Hill Street Blues was another all-time great.
I haven't seen the Wire yet, I will have to check it-out. Yes, Hills Street Blues was a great show.
Commander in Chief
Just kidding. I only say that because I was an extra in the pilot. :D
I'd have to also nominate:
MASH (poignantly funny)
Band of Brothers (serious and FULL ON)
Family Guy (funniest shit ever)
Dr. Who (any reiteration of it)
V.
24
nBSG
Firefly
But the absolute best was Kings. NBC can rot after they canceled that.
Combat
Sgt. Saunders(Vic Morrow was my hero)
...and a very close 2nd was "12 O'Clock High"
i'm surprised no one has mentioned Happy Days.
but for me, Twilight Zone(original series). easily.
close 2nds: ABC's Wide World of Sports, and Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom.
24, South Park, Time Warp, Mythbusters even though they lack a full understanding of the science they wish to talk about. Despite that, they still inspire people to learn a complex field, so I comment them for that.
I have been and always shall be a super SciFi fan. I think the best recent sci fi show:
Farscape - has to have been the best.
Babylon 5 - what can you say, well thought out and incredible
Star Trek - original - that is where it all started.
for mini-series - agree Band of Brothers.
Babylon 5 ... You will laugh, you will cry, and you will care for the characters.
Star trek next gen
the shield
firefly
farescape
ER
The unit
mash
magnum PI
lost first 3 seasons
Stargate series
The Wire is pretty close to the top of my list.
ThirdWatcher
12-27-09, 07:57
Hill Street Blues was another all-time great.
Yeah, I forgot that one. Back in the day (pre-VCR, believe it or not), my squad used to meet every Tuesday? night to watch Hill Street Blues.
We didn't have portable radios but we had a scanner & would run out to our patrol cars to answer status checks. Damn, those were good times. ;)
Its not the BEST tv show, but what do you guys think of Trauma??? I've been a First Responder and been with a VFD for a four or five years. Its not completey correct, but its not a bad show. The Blond paramedic isn't bad looking.
HBO's The Wire is not only far and away the best TV series ever created, it's one of the greatest stories ever told. I'd compare it more to a really good novel than to anything else on TV.
Dexter was pretty good, but the last season really went downhill IMO.
I recently watched season 1 of Deadwood - very good TV series thus far, I look forward to continuing it.
No Bananas
12-27-09, 11:08
Best Reality Show:
Deadliest Catch
DeputyMend
12-27-09, 11:17
The Office
Battlestar Galactica
Dexter
The Simpsons
And of course: COPS!
FireFly BY FAR. Fox screwed them from the beginning by not going with the Series Premier and airing the 2nd episode, then airing the episodes out of order. Joss Weddon, and the cast were awesome
anything with this guy
http://www.howtoavoidthebummerlife.com/weblog/archives/David-Hasselhoff.jpg
NCIS
Scrubs
X Files
Family Guy
FireFly BY FAR. Fox screwed them from the beginning by not going with the Series Premier and airing the 2nd episode, then airing the episodes out of order. Joss Weddon, and the cast were awesome
+1, so much potential that was pissed away by TPTB
Littlelebowski
03-16-10, 11:28
Firefly.
I'm going to go with "Northern Exposure." It is the best-written series I've ever seen and Janine Tuner looks really really really damn cute in it. :D:D
Magnum P.I. is my all-time #1.
Honorable mention:
Three Stooges
Looney Tunes
Tom & Jerry
The Simpsons
Samurai Jack
Venture Bros.
The Wire
The Shield
Dexter
LOST
Breaking Bad
The Mighty Boosh
The Office (UK)
The original (1959-1964) Twilight Zone. IMO, it remains one of the most comprehensive and thought-provoking explorations of the human experience ever.
Derek
I agree.
Magnum PI
Tour of Duty
X-Files
Psych
And now that I have a four year old son....Phineas and Ferb.
There used to be a Friday the 13th series that had nothing to do with the commonly titled character Jason. It was a series of episodes dealing with the occult, supernatural, mysterious, etc. and I used to think it was pretty entertaining.
They cannot be released on DVD due to some property or licensing agreement however.
Agree wholeheartedly on the Shield. I still can't get over the fact they killed Lem.
The remake of Battlestar Galactica was also surprisingly good, and I don't even like sci-fi so much.
Original Twilight Zone and Outer Limits are good.
Noone mentioned Twin Peaks.
+1 with the original b/w Outer Limits seasons in 61 and 62, not the crappy remakes.
Anyone remember Police Story from the early-mid 70's? I think Joseph Wambaugh was a technical advisor or something like that. Good show that delved into the police subculture.
The Trololo Show.
... :D In case anyone has missed trolo man..
http://trololololololololololo.com/
tracker722
03-16-10, 20:34
*****
Doesn't matter what genre, or what the criteria are. Which TV series moved you the most?
I have to nominate The Wire. I've never seen something that was so plain yet so intricate at the same time.
If you haven't seen it, you owe it to yourself to watch all 5 seasons.
What is your favorite?
Jay
The wire for sure; I used to look forward to it all week. I remember watching some of the episodes 3-4 times in a week.
I'm voting for OZ the 1st season........ maybe just half the 1st season. It showed pretty much everything you thought happened in prison and probably scared the shit out of some people enough to not end up there.
I'm voting for OZ the 1st season........ maybe just half the 1st season. It showed pretty much everything you thought happened in prison and probably scared the shit out of some people enough to not end up there.
wow.. that's olskool. i watched 15 minutes of one episode, and saw a dude giving another dude head.
that was plenty to scare me- from ever watching OZ again.
Best all time is hard to get down to for me...
Maybe Lost or Seinfeld.
But TV right now is as good as I ever remember...
Lost, Breaking Bad, 24, Southpark, Flashforward (good enough), Justified (brand new but seems to have potential), V, The Office, The Soup, and a few other good ones.
That's the way I see it anyway.
1811tactikool
03-17-10, 01:10
Third Watch... Best cop show evar.
X-Files was great. Office is fun, my favorite comedy. It is like a train wreck every week! :p
MistoGators
03-17-10, 06:12
Generation Kill; perfect representation of being in the marine infantry.
I also have a big soft spot for The Shield.
There used to be a Friday the 13th series that had nothing to do with the commonly titled character Jason. It was a series of episodes dealing with the occult, supernatural, mysterious, etc. and I used to think it was pretty entertaining.
They cannot be released on DVD due to some property or licensing agreement however.
Agree wholeheartedly on the Shield. I still can't get over the fact they killed Lem.
The remake of Battlestar Galactica was also surprisingly good, and I don't even like sci-fi so much.
Original Twilight Zone and Outer Limits are good.
Noone mentioned Twin Peaks.
Check out Warehouse 13 in SyFy........ it's a rip off of Friday the 13th. Just Feds instead of an antique store.
wow.. that's olskool. i watched 15 minutes of one episode, and saw a dude giving another dude head.
that was plenty to scare me- from ever watching OZ again.
That's what mad it so damn good. You never ever saw that anything remotely like that. Took scared straight to a whole new level. And the dude who became the "bitch" was in for something lame like tax evasion or insider trading.
FlyAndFight
03-17-10, 09:45
The ones that made my list are the ones that even today I can be flipping through the channels, up they pop up, and I can still enjoy watching any episode.
In no particular order:
1. Star Trek: The Next Generation
2. Star Trek (Original Series)
3. LOST
4. Seinfeld
5. The original "Looney Tunes" & Bugs Bunny cartoons! :D
6. I Love Lucy (THE best comedy show)
7. The Carol Burnett Show (THE Classic variety show. Burnett, Lawrence, Korman & Conway were brilliant. )
8. In Living Color
9. MASH
10. Still thinking... ;)
"Band of Brothers" is by far my favorite mini-series.
While certainly not the best ever, but among recent series I was really enjoying The Unit before it was cancelled, great show.
Random others I enjoy/enjoyed:
MASH
The Office
Seinfeld
National Geographic Explorer stuff
Deadliest Catch
This Old House
Reno 911
ER (up until Dr Greene died)
Dirty Jobs
Mythbusters
travistheone
03-17-10, 11:04
The Wire.
1. Air Wolf
2. CHiPs
3. A-Team
I don't watch as much TV now as I did when I was younger, but I used to LOVE these shows.
As a kid I loved Tour of Duty and the Black Sheep Squadron (no one mentioned it?).
Nowadays, the only show I seem to understand is the Family Guy. I can't sit down long enough to get into anything else.
Band of Brothers has to be the best series of all time.
The Wire? I never even heard of it until reading this. From all the reviews here, I guess it's something I should look into.
I really should spend more time watching TV :p
Gutshot John
03-17-10, 16:00
Deadwood or the most recent Battlestar Galactica. The Wire is pretty close
Best equals best writing and characters.
Since Band of Brothers was an HBO show I'd have to place my vote for it. The new HBO series from Spielberg "Pacific" may be a great one also.
There are many good shows posted here, I'll add one no one has mentioned that many people, myself included, enjoy a great deal.
Breaking Bad. It's on A&E and is worth checking out, especially if you're into:
The shield & The wire
The new season is coming up this week or next, so they're reshowing the whole series from the beginning. Great time to catch it on the DVR.
The gist of the show (in a nutshell, google-fu for the whole deal) is a high school chem teacher finds out he has cancer and a few months to live, so he starts cooking meth to make a pile of cash to leave his wife & son. It's basically how a good, honest guy 'goes bad' and some of the best written TV I've seen in a while. Good mix of drama, action, and some good funnies too.
High Desert
03-17-10, 18:49
Growing up we only had two channels so not much exposure.
Star Trek
The MOD squad
Gunsmoke
Wild, Wild West
and Disney and Wild Kingdom every Sunday night!
Now we have 5 channels but only watch the news and "24"
The show I wish would have been sucsessful by far was Firefly.... never knew about it until 3 years ago. We have it on DVD.
HD
In no particular order:
Band of Brothers - really a mini-series, but I'll still count it
The Wire
The Sopranos
Deadwood
Six Feet Under
True Blood
Carnivale
Some here may not like the last 3, due to subject matter, but they are extremely well written and well-acted. Once you start watching they draw you in, and you have to keep watching.
Of course, all are HBO series. After getting used to the freedom of cable-based series' I can't stand to watch sanitized and edited network TV shows with commercial breaks.
I was a big fan of the remake of Battlestar Galactica, but I will admit that by the last couple of seasons I was kind of tired of watching man's weakness (love, hate, jealousy, addiction, etc.) always be his undoing. If I want to watch that shit I can look out the window or go for a drive, or invite the inlaws over.
I agree for the most part, however we were really pleased with how they ended the series. I was afraid that they had gotten so scattered that the finale would suck. They did a good job with the finale.
1. Richard Boone as Paladin in "Have Gun - Will Travel"
2. Homicide: Life on the Street
3. The Unit
4. The Big Bang Theory
5. Soupy Sales
6. Gunsmoke
and finally,
7. Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday in "Dragnet". When this series was popular in the 1950's my father was working as a Detective for the Glendale, CA PD. Needless to say this program was required viewing in my house.
http://images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/1900000/Beavis-and-Butthead-beavis-and-butthead-1967996-445-278.jpghttp://cdn3.ioffer.com/img/item/970/008/33/cogWcwgH8URHM2b.jpg
http://www.graphicsdb.com/data/media/435/beavis_and_butthead.jpghttp://www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/bb9.gifhttp://bungholeworld.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/bbpunk.gifhttp://www.pick-up-lines.info/beavis_and_butt-head_pick_up_lines.jpghttp://www.iwatchstuff.com/2009/09/02/extract-beavis-butthead.jpghttp://cicadagame.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/beavis_real.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m396/LiL_MiZZ_BREE/beavis_butthead011.gifhttp://dvdmedia.ign.com/dvd/image/article/722/722891/beavis-and-butt-head-the-mike-judge-collection-volume-3-20060802015810329-000.jpg
my generation.
I AM THE GREAT CORNHOLIO!!! I NEED TP! TP FORRRRR MY BUNG-HOLE!
Yeah, those were the days, watching Beavis and Butt-head in junior high.
In all seriousness, though, I think I'd have to go with, in no particular order:
The Shield
Band of Brothers
Battlestar Galactica (the remake)
NCIS (Yeah, it's corny, but they have good characters and it's overall a hell of a lot better than CSI:anywhere)
Family Guy (The FCC episode has to rank among my favorite TV episodes of all time)
X-files (Before they got all paranoid about government/alien conspiracies)
Mythbusters (has any show ever blown up this much stuff?)
The shield, sons of anarchy, and now Justified. Fox has some great shows in my book.
The shield, sons of anarchy, and now Justified. Fox has some great shows in my book.
justin_247
03-18-10, 05:24
In no particular order:
House
The Shield
Battlestar Galactica (re-imagined version)
Third Watch
Band of Brothers
The Tudors
Mythbusters
The Unit
Wings (NBC, not Discovery)
Hill Street Blues
Dexter
7 Days (if you ignore a few "wandering" episodes)
The Shield
Finally someone mentions Hill St Blues. Andy was the best, favorite TV show line ever? Cow ain't go no down genes. ;)
Honorable mention for China Beach
Brother Rat
03-18-10, 11:31
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT!
Cartoon: Futurama
Sci Fi: Firefly, New Battle Star Galactica, Babylon 5, Star Trek (all)
Drama: Lost, Rome, Dexter, China Beach
I'm sure over the years I've forgotten some I used to watch, but these are the standouts for me.
*******Magnum PI********
M*A*S*H
Combat
'Chips'
The Andy Griffith Show
The Lucille Ball Show
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Seinfeld
M*A*S*H
Rat Patrol
Get Smart
RiverRat1953
03-18-10, 22:31
All in the Family
Dirk Williams
03-18-10, 23:19
COMBAT
DESERT RAT.
DWilliams
Fastlane, Miami Vice and That 70's Show.
Magic_Salad0892
03-26-10, 09:53
Generation Kill
Six Feet Under (No problem with the homosexual content.)
Dexter
The Mighty Boosh
Superjail
LOOK AROUND YOU
Californication
M*A*S*H*
just a scout
03-26-10, 09:57
The new Battlestar Galactica, followed by the first 3 seasons of The Unit, till they brought in the new producer and everything was set in CA. The stories started getting way too hoakie.
Years ago i liked Alf too, lol
Who didnt?
arizonaranchman
03-26-10, 12:42
I prefer comedies... light stuff to make me laugh. Seinfeld and Frasier are ones that come to mind. Years ago i liked Alf too, lol
FireFly
The onyl series I ever watched where I can say I enjoyed every episode, and the movie that wrapped it all up.
Manimal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVQoHc-KHf4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iQ-mzYRl3s
Blankwaffe
03-26-10, 17:35
My all time favorite is Gunsmoke,particularly the early to mid episodes in black and white.Its the only TV series I routinely watched and continue to watch.They don't make TV like that anymore.
Next favorite was Have Gun Will Travel.Still watch that too.
Homicide: Life on the Street, 24
What I watch or have watched I have no "all time fav".
Brady Bunch
Gilligan's Island
Mash
Happy Day's
Seinfeld
Heroes
The Office
Survivor
Biggest loser...those fat pathetic peeps are a riot.
Parenthood...new show I am digging.
Tie between Deadwood and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Animal_Mother556
03-26-10, 19:30
Top Gear
Generation Kill
Rescue Me
Dexter
LOST
Entourage (Jeremy Piven's character is worth it)
1. The Shield because i was in the season opener as a paramedic when macky turned the firehouse on the rioters at the school, I was the guy on the left walking out of the cafeteria.
2. Squad 51 with Johnny and Roy, what made me want to be a paramedic.
Broadcast: Veronica Mars
Cable: Dexter
The_War_Wagon
03-27-10, 18:14
X-Files...
Hard to beat - especially the first 8 seasons or so.
Some others;
Star Trek - The Next Generation
The A-Team (I was 15 when it started, so that was pretty damn cool!)
Hawaii 5-O
The Wild, Wild, West
Dark Room (late 70's ABC version of The Twilight Zone - James Coburn hosted!)
Baa Baa Black Sheep (later, "Black Sheep Squadron")
Tour of Duty
Life on Mars (American version - Harvey Kietel was OUTSTANDING!)
M*A*S*H
and, The Simpsons!
http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc305/The_War_Wagon/DOHHH.jpg
Mike Miller
03-27-10, 18:54
Junkyard Wars
Dirty Jobs
Law and Order
South Park
I agree with the OP, 'The Wire' was really good.
IMHO, the Best!
Three's Company
http://ecolemanpr.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/threes20company.jpg
How It's Made
http://altheforce.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/how-it-made.jpg
Chuck (NBC)
http://www.canmag.com/images/front/tv/chuck1.jpg
Sienfeld
The Office
Magnum P.I.
Sledgehammer
The Wire
Battlestar Galactica (new)
Arrested Development
Quiet-Matt
03-28-10, 06:41
The Simpsons
Battlestar Galactia (new version)
FireFly
lately Archer is really funny...
Jeremy
there are so many,
simpsons
dexter
overhaulded
family guy
...
The Unit (Just A scout is right season 4 was a joke)
The Shield
Firefly
Generation Kill
Galactica (new)
Original "V" mini series
South Park
No Reservations
Insomniac
I just started watching Breaking Bad and must say that it is one of the best shows I have ever watched. Definitely check it out if you haven't already.
Alpha Sierra
03-28-10, 17:22
I fail to see NCIS' appeal.
OK, the Israeli chick was hot. Other than that.......:confused:
The original (1959-1964) Twilight Zone. IMO, it remains one of the most comprehensive and thought-provoking explorations of the human experience ever.
Derek
that was an awesome show.
as far as stuff i'm into lately... the venture brothers-adult swim cartoon, kind of a spoof of jonny quest (who actually is in the show as a drugged out unstable adult)
Dexter-mentioned here... love that guy.
house-it's silly and formulaic, but it's so entertaining.
The Shield was one of the best. There has only been a couple of episodes but so far Justified seems to be good.
Boston Legal!!!!!!!:D:D:D
Very funny................and Denny likes guns and shooting people!!!:cool:
I was hooked on Unsolved Mysteries when I was a kid.
For comedy, it's a toss up: Arrested Development/Seinfeld/South Park
The Shield and Sons of Anarchy are great.
Entourage is my all-time favorite.
When I was a kid Seahunt was my favorite ,,scuba diving and a boat nothing better.
Have to add a series that has had my wife and I up watching until 1:00 am this whole week (she just bought the first two seasons on DVD):
Friday Night Lights.
Start from the first episode and it's like potato chips. You can't stop with just one.
GermanSynergy
04-03-10, 20:00
The Shield was awesome...
frontsightnow
04-03-10, 22:25
Rockford Files
Breaking Bad
The Shield
Seinfeld
Battlestar Galactica
The ATM episode of Breaking Bad should alone receive a major award, even bigger than a French Leg Lamp..
The FBI - with Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
The Fugitive - are they ever going to get that one armed man?
Hawaii Five O - hey, I was a kid, didn't know that Jack Lord was keeping the Hawaiian man and the Asian man down...
All in the Family - sock and a sock, or sock and a shoe...
Monty Python's Flying Circus - and now for something completely different...
Firefly - never saw it once on the tube, but the dvd set is outstanding.
The Green Hornet!!!!
Hell yeah! Bruce Lee!
I used to run around as a kid and throw steel tipped darts at shit just like Bruce as Kato did!
platoonDaddy
03-08-19, 05:24
Performing Search on HBO's Deadwood Series and came across this OLD thread.
Therefore a bump
My grandchildren will tell you Laverne & Shirley & I Love Lucy
Mine is: All in the Family & The Sopranos
LowSpeed_HighDrag
03-08-19, 05:29
To this day, nothing has beat this equal tie: Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones. The Pacific and Band of Brothers are tied for best mini-series, of course.
just a scout
03-08-19, 06:10
Battlestar Galactica reboot
Person of Interest
Bluebloods
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Not sure on one overall, but different genres(slight variations on that at least):
Magnum PI
X Files
Andy Griffith Show
Seinfeld
Longmire
Downton Abbey
Rules of Engagement
In no order:
Miami Vice
Strike Back
Death Valley Days
Sailor Moon
JAG when Catherine Bell had her hair just right
Flashpoint
X Files before it got gay
Sabrina the Teenage Witch until they got rid if the milfy aunts
Highway to Heaven
Outer Limits
The Rifleman
Averageman
03-08-19, 08:12
"Cheaters"
It's like a train wreck in a Trailer Park, I'm really not sure why someone hasn't been killed yet.
The Wire
Battlestar Galactica (new)
Justified
Southland is very good but seems to be underrated
Bosch
The Wire for sure
Arrested Development
The Sopranos
Chapelle Show
Top Gear/ Grand Tour
Straight Shooter
03-08-19, 09:40
Twilight Zone
Andy Griffith
BattleStar Galactica 2004
Another one for Twilight Zone.
Doc Safari
03-08-19, 10:45
In no particular order:
Dragnet (the one with Jack Webb and Harry Morgan)
M*A*S*H
Star Trek (the original)
Babylon 5
Jericho
Hill Street Blues
The Twilight Zone
60 Minutes
WKRP in Cincinnati
Three's Company
X Files
Monty Python's Flying Circus
The Midnight Special
The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson
"24" before the PC horseshit took over
Soooo many great ones listed, I thought back to when I was younger and thought I'd mention "The Fall Guy." Made me want to be a stuntman for years until I met a few that told me they had broken most of the major bones in their bodies multiple time ( Hollywood was a lot different before special effects and CG came into the scene.) :)
The Simpson’s is hard to beat. Homer Simpson is one of the greatest characters ever.
South Park is crass and way ahead of the curve and not afraid to bash anyone and everyone over the head.
Seinfeld is just classic funny.
I really loved Coach. It went under the radar but there were tons of great life lessons and wisdom in the writing.
The IT Crowd is probably the best fit comedy for me personally. It’s amazingly witty and at the same time over the top and ridiculous and just downright hilarious.
Twin Peaks was definitely freakishly awesome and went down roads and discussed frietheningly real issues nothing else had before it.
Those are my favorites.
The only reason I never mentioned Firefly was because it is not a show but a real time documentary like Walker Texas Ranger
Five_Point_Five_Six
03-08-19, 16:19
The Wire is the one show that I think is the best ever, but it's not my favorite. My favorite show of all time is Miami Vice. I was just a kid in the 80's but once a week, whatever night it was on, I was glued to the TV. I remember the feeling of sadness watching the final credits start to play on the series finale.
Some honorable mentions in no particular order:
The Shield
Game of Thrones
Breaking Bad
Justified
Sons of Anarchy
The Sopranos
Dexter
Strike Back
Magnum PI
24
In no particular order.
Cheers
Night Court
Battlestar Galactica remake - This was the last series that I watched episode by episode every episode. Haven't watched another since.
Miami Vice
The Andy Griffith Show
M.A.S.H.
Three's Company
The Cosby Show
All In The Family
Sanford and Son
The Dukes of Hazzard
Sopranos
I’m tellin’ ya Josh I put it on my mudda this was a good show. Know what I’m sayin’?
These other guys they kinda up to their knuckles? Ya know? ;)
The wire is probably the most realistic. The same guys later did Treme.
But my favorite is a tie bewteen Justified & breaking bad.
Back in the day, Gunsmoke. Maverick, The twilight zone, star trek.
Early black and white Andy fo Mayberry reruns were great for my grandsons when the were young
To this day, nothing has beat this equal tie: Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones. The Pacific and Band of Brothers are tied for best mini-series, of course.
Yeah I’d almost definitely give it to Game of Thrones. I did not at all like Breaking Bad. I think I suffered into the second or early third season before I decided not to let it waste any more of my time.
Also, I don’t think any other thread on this forum has made me feel like some of you guys are really old.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The_War_Wagon
03-10-19, 18:33
Since my last reply, 9 years ago - the BBC's "Sherlock."
I can't believe it took 80 years of television, to come up with a show this SMART.
turnburglar
03-11-19, 18:46
I cant believe you guys are talking about "Most realistic" without mentioning the Expanse.
That is the greatest show ever made. They beat Firefly handidly by getting to season 3 before getting canceled, and then even after getting canceled they got recast! Nathan Phillen is a rookie.
The attention to science-fi war was next level. Like when the donnager went to battle with another ship and had the crew don full EVA gear because they where expecting holes? You really could fly a space ship full of holes, its just the breathing that becomes a slight problem.
I know it's been out a while but I just finish The Pacific a few weeks ago and very much enjoyed it.
I'd always thought Band of Brothers was great but somehow I forgot about The Pacific. It was much more gruesome than Band of Brothers was and cought me by surprise.
Hopefully that counts as it's a mini series.
Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.