Before I start my diatribes on the movies and television shows I've been watching, I thought I should let you, the gentle reader, know what I think is the best out there. I feel it's important to have that frame of reference. Now usually I will put my favourites into top 10 lists but the subject of 'all-time' seems to broad to narrow down. The best TV shows comes a lot more naturally to me than movies, so I'm going to start there.
Best TV Shows of All Time (in no particular order)
Sitcoms: Simpsons, Cheers, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Friends, Scrubs, Arrested Development, Entourage, Fawlty Towers and The Office (BBC and American version).
Dramas: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Serenity, Lost, Veronica Mars, Sopranos, 24 and Alias.
Other Shows: Amazing Race, Chappelle's Show, Robot Chicken, and The Daily Show.
Now you may be saying, "What about The West Wing?" Well, you may be surprised but I haven't seen every show that is on the air. I never got into The West Wing. I'm a little scared of fast-talking American politics, and I feel stupider watching it. (If I want American politics, I'll watch some Daily Show to get my fix.) While I realize that Aaron Sorkin (creator of West Wing) is a genius when it comes to the walk and talk dialogue, I already got my chance to see his work get pioneered in his short-lived wonderfully made drama/comedy called Sports Night which aired a couple of years before West Wing. And I'll definitely catch more of his work this fall with Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip starring Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford. So I don't feel like I'm missing out that much. If you want to challenge my list and ask why certain shows are missing or why I have a show so absurdly titled as Buffy the Vampire Slayer on my list, feel free to comment. I'm ready to defend my choices. Bring it on.
6 comments:
I'm glad you're doing this, Mark. You have a lot of insight to offer and you are a great writer. Great combination for a blogger. I've added you to my list of "blogs to check out when work is driving me batty".
dave ashton
Okay, work is still driving me batty, here is a quick question.
Why Cheers? I enjoyed Cheers, sure, but it really doesn't stand out to me as outstanding comedy. Did it make a huge social impact? Push envelopes? I'm not convinced. Two shows I think would be better suited in that spot on your list would be The Cosby Show or the Mary Tyler Moore Show.
The Cosby Show was one of the first television shows to star an affluent black family. Besides that, the first five or six seasons the show destroyed its competition without shying away from controversial issues (drugs, teen pregnancy, suicide and others). The show entertained, trailblazed and taught some important lessons along the way.
The Mary Tyler Moore show was similar, but it's moralizing had less to do with family and more to do with equal opportunity and human decency. The writing was very sharp and the cast was one of the most impressive in all of televisiondom.
You might not be aware of the MTM show, you are quite a bit younger than me. But you must have considered the Cosby Show, why didn't it make your list?
I am super stoked you have a blog. I would add my "amen" to those who have said that you've got insight to offer, etc. I'll be linking you from Gotthammer...
And you've never lead me astray when it came to TV. A year after mocking you for owning them, I've now completed watching all of the Gilmore Girls...except the current season. Gotta wait 'til September.
Why Cheers? Well, it was one of the first great workplace comedies. Mary Tyler Moore had some great episodes (especially Bozo's death) but the Rhoda scenes at home I found tirsome. Cheers managed to stay in the bar and it only got wittier as the seasons progressed. They are also the gold standard when it came to the Sam-Diane chemistry that has found its way onto almost every sitcom since. I will admit that The Cosby Show is a very important program and that it contains some very funny episodes that included moralistic messages. However, I often found that the show got a little too cutesy. It basically morphed into a show where Cliff lost his respected status and just spent time watching kids say the darndest things. Which is why Olivia was brought in to replace Rudy who had gotten older. I do have a bunch of Cosby shows on tape but I did find that the show got sillier as it went along.
Hmm I love the idea behind this website, very unique.
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Keep up the good work. thnx!
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