Pick the best TV series ever (but please defend your answer)

[JackRiddler]

This is an invitation:

Please name what you think is the best series in the history of television until today.

But please play by one rule: You must provide some kind of defense of your choice.

Sociopolitical as well as artistic reasons for your answer are acceptable.

Anti-TV rants are also fair game.

I'll take my turn in the replies.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Twin Peaks.

Just because it was so original and weird.

[NRaleighLiberal]

30. Probably in my top 3! Great squirm inducing TV. The movie "Fire Walk With Me" so disturbing...

[Cheap_Trick]

32. After seeing FWWM in the theater, I felt like I needed a shower.

Some really weird stuff in that flick, and some really beautiful scenes too.

[NRaleighLiberal]

36. That whole bedroom/mirror/Bob/ceiling fan scene was totally freaky...

the revving of the car at the stop light....but yes, as usual, David Lynch puts all sorts of emotions in.

Did you see Inland Empire? Now that is one incredibly horrifying flick!

[Cheap_Trick]

45. Haven't seen it yet.

I'll add it to my nexflix que.

I'm trying to find an affordable copy of the Twin Peaks gold box (complete series). It includes the never-before-available in region 1 pilot episode.

[XemaSab]

89. The Gold Box kicks ass

:D

[XemaSab]

80. FTW

n/t

[Liberal_in_LA]

246. It was playing on cable a few weeks ago. Watched one or two, didn't hold up for me. felt dated

Sorry.

[XemaSab]

398. I think that's the point

There are a handful of things that seem very early 90's... everything else is 80's, 70's, 60's, 50's, or 40's. :P

[NYC_SKP]

2. I'd swear that GD has become the Lounge tonight. Anyway, correct answer is "Mary Tyler Moore Show"

Might as well just ask the mods to delete this now that we have the final and correct answer!

:P

[JackRiddler]

Disagree: TV is an important and political institution & I hope for a serious discussion

[NYC_SKP]

40. You make a good point, but I see you do NOT argue with my choice, the MTM show!

Thank you for your support. :P

And I support your OP, that's why I answered AND rec'd.

:toast:

[tonysam]

43. It was a great ensemble show

Still good after all these years.

[Fearless]

3. The Simpsons.

The predecessor of an entire genre of tv, not to mention longevity or anti-Fox rhetoric.

[GoCubsGo]

186. +1

What amazes me about that show is that it's been on as long as it has, and it still remains funny. I guess it's because they often go to current events for their humor.

[lumberjack_jeff]

4. Star Trek.

Just 'cuz.

[johnaries]

57. Agreed! The Star Trek franchise addressed more political, social,

and moral issues than any series. They also addressed interpersonal and even management issues.

[Liberal_in_LA]

244. +1

[WhoIsNumberNone]

332. I'm jumping on the Star Trek bandwagon too-

1) The original series was probably the most popular series in the history of television: After running a mere 3 seasons it spawned a culture of Trekkies, 6 movies, (or 7, depending on whether you count Generations as a TOS movie) and 4 spin off series (albeit beginning 20 years later)

2) Touched on many relevant socio-political issues.

3) Ever notice that when someone tells you he loves Star Wars but hates Star Trek, you usually learn he's a Republican? You know you're onto something when the conservatives hate it.

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. Six Feet Under.

Remarkable acting, creative use of music, plot twists and turns, lots of heart, quirky, episodes raced by.....and a superb final episode that wrapped it all up beautifully! We miss it, still.

Close second - The Sopranos.

[tammywammy]

8. +1

I love Six Feet Under

[Myrina]

18. Agree, for the most part.

... it got wierd with the brain tumor and the semi-incestous siblings, and for some reason unknown to me I cannot stand Rachel Griffiths, but without a doubt, the first 2 seasons were awesome.

[NRaleighLiberal]

27. I agree that of all the cast members, she is the toughest to stomach.

We waited until it got to Netflix and watched it all Marathon style. Just gripping! And again, I can't understate their great use of music (any series that fits Radiohead into an episode wins with me!)

[nachosgrande]

107. TITCR, IMO.

I've wasted a lot of hours before the television and can say with some certainty that Six Feet Under is the best show I've had the privilege of watching. If you haven't seen it, put it on your netflix list, or better yet, pick it up from your local library. Watch the first two episodes and you will be hooked for the duration of the series.

[Quantess]

404. I just started watching it, and I'm hooked.

I borrowed the first DVD from the local library.

I was already a fan of Dexter (Michael C. Hall), but I had never seen Six Feet Under. In Dexter, there are a couple of great actors, some good actors, and some mediocre actors. But the acting is all great in Six Feet Under.

Plus, I appreciate that just in the first 3 episodes I've seen, 3 of the main characters are very attractive men in their 30s (Nate, Dave, and his boyfriend). That keeps me glued to the set.

[RayOfHope]

273. +1 nt

[kalli007]

344. +1

All of the above, plus for me this show ran through a defining time in my life, so I love it even more. Although it does bring back some painful memories when I watch it now...

[LakeSamish706]

6. Still "Two and a half men" and knowing that it is coming to an end... Still like it.

My wife would say 90210 cause second cousin stars on the show..... I watch it, but not crazy about it. Oh, and will add that I really liked "All in the Family" when it was running.

[flvegan]

112. Coming to an end?

WTF? Please tell me that's not so.

[virgogal]

7. Homicide:Life on the Street

Gritty,funny,fantastic cast.

The one with Lily Tomlin was as good as it gets.

[shireen]

110. that was brilliant tv.

Andre Brauger is one of the best actors ... ever.
Great writing too.

[bluethruandthru]

179. I agree... Great show!

[Cybergata]

211. I can watch Homocide Life on the Streets . . .

over and over again. Great stories, great characters, great actors, great dialog, just a fantastic show all round.

[Corgigal]

352. also my pick

im happy a few of us DU'ers remember this great show.

[kaiden]

376. Absolutely the best series EVAH!

For all the reasons you state.

[Tempest]

9. All In The Family

Socially it was way ahead of its time.

More recently, Burn Notice. Smart, technically adept and entertaining as hell.

[R. P. McMurphy]

14. Burn Notice is one of my current faves. n/t

[LakeSamish706]

17. Yep, I agree.. and added that to my post as well... It was a great show.... n/t

[tabasco]

I'll second that. n/t

[tonysam]

41. It really hasn't dated.

Replace "Nixon" with "Bush" and it would still be relevant despite the hairstyles, etc.

I can think of any number of classic comedies that could be considered as "the best": I Love Lucy, Dick Van Dyke Show, Phil Silvers Show, The Honeymooners, Leave It to Beaver, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, and even that politically incorrect, mostly unseen show, Amos 'n' Andy.

[mascarax]

268. All in the Family is my #1 too

Unbelievable writing, ahead of its time (agree), great cast (love the 1st Lionel & Carroll O'Connor was awesome).

The genius of Norman Lear. And look how influential it was, how many other shows it spun off.

(My 2nd fave is The Larry Sanders show - more great writing.)

[dysfunctional press]

10. El Gran Juego de la Oca

mostly because it was SO FUCKING COOL.

http://members.fortunecity.com/srwood/oca.html

El gran juego de la oca is an action-packed tournament held weekly in Madrid, Spain. Four very brave contestants compete each week, trying to accomplish dangerous stunts and challenges hoping to win money and impress the gorgeous girls (and there are LOTS OF THEM!) or muscular men that hang out around the arena. Each week's winners advance to the semifinals which take place during the show's final month, then those winners move on to the finals to determine the supreme champion of the original 128 competitors. No one is voted off, and no one can help or hinder another's progress. A contestant's success or lack thereof is determined by his ability to conquer the elements of the game itself, smart betting, and ultimately the luck of the dice. From explosives to dangerous animals to underwater perils, this show is not for the faint-hearted.

It takes three people to host a show of El gran juego de la oca's caliber, and occasionally celebrities from Spain appear as guest hosts and/or participants. Also, stuntmen, magicians, and Guinness world record holders (which this show has turned contestants into!) from both Spanish and English-speaking countries perform on the show. Click here to read more about the show's various personalities. There were three seasons of El gran juego de la oca, each with their own hosts and characteristics; this website will focus on the first two seasons.

GENERAL PROCEDURE: El gran juego de la oca is based on Juego de la oca, a traditional board game played in many Spanish-speaking countries. The set is a giant 63-space human board game that covers the entire perimeter of a large arena. A swimming pool is located in the center, along with various shortcuts, obstacles, and perils.


A map showing the board layout during the show's first season. The spaces the contestants are currently on are highlighted.

Each player points his remote control at the camera to "roll" the two dice. For every space he walks, he receives 10,000 pesetas (the pre-Euro Spanish currency; 10,000 pesetas were equivalent to about 80 American dollars at the time of the show's recording.)


A contestant rolls the dice. "¡Tira los dados!"

After landing on the space designated by the roll, one of the three hosts will explain to him (or her) a prueba (mission) that he must complete, either in a certain time limit or percentagewise. The contestant bids, in increments of 10,000 pesetas, on how he thinks he will do. If he successfully completes the prueba, he receives that much money, but if he fails, he loses the money. The stunts used on this show are particularly bizarre, from souped-up Double Dare-type stunts to somewhat risque challenges (ex. unchaining a scantily-clad model from an exploding bed) to very complex challenges of Fear Factor nature.

Click here to see what kind of spaces a contestant can land on, and here to take a look at some of the favorite challenges from the show.

If time grows short, the game goes into Tirada Rápida (fast roll) mode. From the point Danny the Judge announces the Tirada Rápida until the end of the game, the contestants roll the dice and do not compete in any pruebas. This always takes place after the final commercial and usually takes about three minutes.

WINNING: Just as in the board game, the first person to get to space #63 by exact count (or by landing on #54 - the final Oca) wins. If he rolls a number that exceeds the remaining number of spaces, he must go backwards the remaining number of spaces. After the contestant reaches #63, however, the game is not over yet! Not by a longshot! After a contestant has won the upfront game, he is given a special mission, the Reoca, that he must complete to win a car (a Volvo.) He has one week, and the whole thing is taped and viewed in a ten-minute segment at the beginning of the next show. Usually he is sent to complete a task at some sporting event, but sometimes he is sent to to other cities (or Portugal, or the U.S.!) to do his job. If he succeeds, he wins the car. If he fails, he wins nothing. There was only one instance during the initial season where a contestant did not win his car...

[R. P. McMurphy]

11. NOVA

I loves me some thought-provoking science.

[Motown_Johnny]

77. good choice. I thought of fiction series... but NOVA is in a different league

[JackRiddler]

245. Fiction, non-fiction - all is fair game. Even "Sunrise Semester" and "The National Anthem"

[SutaUvaca]

12. M*A*S*H

Because of the one episode when Blythe Danner (her character) appeared and caused Hawkeye to become totally flustered and loose his normally suave, seductive way with women.

[bobbolink]

59. One good reason why I don't like these "best" polls.

M.A.S.H. was brilliant, and I still quote things from that wonderful series.

It wasn't what I chose for this thread, but there is no arguing that it was a brilliant series, and did much good for this society.

And, that episode that you mentioned was GREAT! :toast:

[jmondine]

281. +1 for M*A*S*H

One of the few series that got better with age. One thing I love is the way they kept replacing exiting characters with more interesting, complex characters.
Plus, they weren't afraid to try new things, such as:

An episode where only one character has any dialog
Shooting an entire episode from the first-person perspective of a patient
A black and white "documentary" about the unit
The first use of "Son-of-a-bitch" on network T.V.
An episode taking place in real time, as the characters race to save a patient's life
The first feature-length series finale

Not to mention balancing humor and drama so well, and presenting the horrors of war in a way that was not traumatic to the audience.

[tekisui]

13. The West Wing.

From beginning to end, I found it riveting. The characters were good, the actors were good and the writing was impeccable.

[ChicagoSuz219]

134. Saved my sanity...

...for the 8 years of the Bush Administration I watched West Wing & pretended Bartlet was my President... (wish I could say I was kidding)

[Ineeda]

168. My favorite, too.

For exactly those reasons. Plus the characters were idealistic, for the most part, but human and therefore flawed.
Edit: Boston Legal, second choice.

[hippywife]

166. That is my choice, too.

What I really appreciated, in addition to the excellent writing, was that it didn't dumb down the script. It gave you a behind the scenes look into the White House and didn't talk down to you. The actors were incredible in their ability to bring that script to life. They had to be because sometimes the dialog was extremely fast and exacting, like a dance or acrobatic performance where it is imperative that everyone hit their mark with perfection. One of the best casts ever assembled. They and the writers pulled off so beautifully one of the most intelligent series ever.

:hi:

ETA: Except for PBS, I've stopped watching TV since. Everything else is geared to numbing the minds of the masses.

[lildreamer316]

262. +awholehellofalot.

It always leaves me feeling better about myself, my country, and the world..and if it was an episode that ended on a dark note; you always feel as if you could be involved in doing something about it. Deep and well written; it blows anything on tv today out of the water..for me,at least.

I was pretty happy with Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip too...but of course, I would be.

[elleng]

275. And I often go back to it (as do many here!)

[Greyhound]

328. Picking up season 7 tomorrow.

There are a couple of episodes the real Whitehouse would do well to watch.

(I think the show suffered when Sorkin left)

[LeftyMom]

15. Oz. Because it was brilliant, socially relavent AND we got to see Chris Meloni nekkid.

From the front.

Also, it spawned the era of fantastic hour long cable dramas we now enjoy.

[BattyDem]

35. I loved Oz!

FANTASTIC acting and writing ... and of course, Chris Meloni nekkid! :loveya:

[jonnyblitz]

90. and Carmella Soprano was a prison guard!!

I loved it as well.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

The Ascent of Man

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ascent_of_Man


meaningful

[Sinistrous]

76. Seconded!

[Catshrink]

87. I loved that program!

My favorite episode was when Bronowski showed how the Pythagorean Theorem was derived.

[progressivejazz]

373. Without question the best TV ever.

My favorite episode is "Knowledge or Certainty" which ends with Bronowski's walking into the crematoria effluent pool at Auschwitz and reminding us by dipping his hand in and showing us the muck that "we have to touch people". What other written TV moment has been so powerful?

[brucefan]

16. I can't believe no one guessed it yet

The answer is the Sopranos!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

19. they should have carried it on

[The Straight Story]

20. Either 60 minutes or Twin Peaks, maybe Picket fences....

:)

[ohheckyeah]

21. My favorite that I still miss

is Northern Exposure. Why? It made me laugh.

[R. P. McMurphy]

29. I miss that show too.

Watched it in reruns for a long time. Would like to find a used boxed-set.

[ohheckyeah]

46. I bought one season two years ago.

It was a fun show.....quirky is a good description.

[theoldman]

22. Gunsmoke

Because it was the best, that's why.

[medeak]

223. my mom now 80 would gush at Matt Dillon every week

"he sits so tall in the saddle!"

[alittlelark]

23. Battlestar Galactica - the modern version.

I have never been more glued to the tube and anxious for each new installment - I would make special treats and snacks to watch it with......



We recorded and burned all the episodes.

I plan on watching the whole thing again this summer.

[AllentownJake]

26. +1

[Earth Bound Misfit]

88. You got it wrong.

See below.:evilgrin:

[Cheap_Trick]

34. Have you seen "The Plan" yet?

I'm getting the blu-ray soon. Can't wait to watch.

[targetpractice]

53. I was disappointed....

It reminded me of a "retrospective episode" including "deleted scenes"... But, it's worth watching, and the blu-ray version should be fun... I read there is an easter egg that will drive fans of the old series "ape shit." ;-) I bought the iTunes version... So, no easter egg for me.

[targetpractice]

61. self-delete

I posted at the wrong level.. My bad.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

56. Me too.

I'll probably order it soon so I can watch it next weekend.


I miss Battlestar on Friday nights!

[jesus_of_suburbia]

51. My second favorite.......

1) Buffy the Vampire Slayer (should be a tween show, but was SO much more than that if you can get past the first season)

2) Battlestar Galactica (I don't understand why some people hated the finale.. I loved it)

3) Lost (this could move up depending on the final season, but even if the final season sucks, it's earned its place in my top 3)



-also love "Six Feet Under", which has been mentioned quite a bit in this thread, but it's just in my top 10 (it IS my favorite season finale of all time).

[AllentownJake]

24. Battlestar the new series

They discussed social and political topics on that show that no other mainstream show was discussing at this time. The show on suicide bombing was particullarly eerie because it was the characters you love doing the bombing.

[tonysam]

25. There are many that deserve the title

Right now I pick "The Twilight Zone" for that honor. It was a groundbreaking series in that it tackled serious issues in a fantasy/sci-fi format.

Rod Serling was arguably television's greatest screenwriter.

[BrklynLiberal]

64. That is what I chose...

It was the beginning of a whole new TV form....and was the starting point for many, many actors.

Every single episode is a classic.

The other day I was discussing it with a friend..We tried to name the 10 best episodes...but when we had gotten thru about 20, we stopped and realized they were ALL excellent.

[tonysam]

69. There's not a bad one in the bunch

I just love that show; I have loved it ever since it first ran and I was a little kid.

[Hestia]

28. Northern Exposure

Everyone in town was there because they wanted to be there, was accepted by the town, and nobody wanted to change anyone - they were happy with the ways thing are and with the way people are. They all had their quirks, but hey, who doesn't?

[bobbolink]

62. I'm glad to see others mentioned it. Chris In The Morning always had something

to think about.

And "The Last Supper Club" episode still cracks me up! That, and Ruth Ann dancing on her own grave!

[BrklynLiberal]

65. Loved it...

[pokerfan]

155. +1

"Everyone in town was there because they wanted to be there..."

Well, almost everyone.

[flying rabbit]

174. Yeah, but he belonged there

and just didn't know it.

[Cybergata]

213. Yes, Nothern Exposure!

There were layers of wonderfulness in NoEx.

[Obamanaut]

31. Walter Kronkite's "You Are There" When teevee first started, it

was touted as a great tool for education. Programs such as this one made a nice stab at it, but everything went down the tubes, so to speak, with sitcoms such as Gilligan and Three's Company.

Now, my house is teevee free, and we watch old stuff - just finished Exodus that Miz O picked up from the library today.

[Kind of Blue]

91. I remember that and loved it!

It use to stop me in my tracks on Saturday mornings - that voice - YOU ARE THERE, and wonder is it really happening again right now :rofl:
But, really, when teevee first started??? We're not that old.

[Obamanaut]

163. Some of us are nearly that old. TV sets had vacuum tubes that you

could take out, take them to the drug store, use their tube tester, and buy a new tube right there.

Or buy a sorta green tinted piece of plastic to put on the front to pretend you had a color picture.

And Howdy Doody with Princess Summer-Fall-WInter-Spring.

[murphyj87]

102. The Twentieth Century

You really have to be OLD to remember the Walter Cronkite program "The Twentieth Century" which I remember seeing around 1956. Then me moved up north, where there was no TV. When I came back to "civilization" The Twentieth Century was no longer on Canadian television anyway.

[tonysam]

117. I don't consider myself old,

but I DO remember The Twentieth Century and the sequel of sorts, The 21st Century.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

396. Remember Biography with Mike Wallace? Before he got old?

They showed us that in school on real film in lively black and white in the 60s.

[Mendocino]

235. Nature-PBS

Almost the only thing on TV I make a point to watch.

For non-series, which I realize is off topic, most memorable were:

Last Place On Earth (Masterpiece Theater)

The Civil War (Ken Burns)

The Making of a Continent (which I consider the best program that I ever saw on television)

On edit: I wanted to add to the praise of The 20th Century, then got sidetracked.

[proud2BlibKansan]

33. Six Feet Under

I loved that it was different and the theme had always been taboo. So I liked it for its bravery.

I also think it covered many relevant social and cultural issues. I especially loved the gay brother's story line. (Oops forgot his name already)

[NRaleighLiberal]

38. David. Great character.

[rucky]

37. I Love Lucy

Broke all kinds of barriers (interracial couple, female lead, "pregnant"), never jumped the shark.

[tonysam]

42. I almost picked that one. It will NEVER be dated.

I have all of that series on DVD.

[woo me with science]

60. Absolutely. nt

[Codeine]

39. The Wire

An enormous ensemble cast where every character was fully drawn and complex and with every actor at the absolute top of his or her game. Every cop and every gangbanger was an individual with different motives and profoundly different outlooks.

Plus, Omar.

[asdjrocky]

104. Yep. 100%. Omar the man.

I'm whistling A Hunting We Will Go right now. Just killed me the way it all came down for Omar in the end. No show better, in fact I'm watching season 4 for the third time right now.

[aikoaiko]

254. The Wire sought to achieve so much more than the typical show and succeeded.

[Bigmack]

322. All in the game, yo... all in the game." nt

[LTR]

334. Oh, what an amazing show!

Arguably the best ever. Ranks up with "The Sopranos".

And Omar's an amazing character. Hey, he's got 'a code.'

Barack Obama says it's his favorite show, and Omar is his favorite character.

[Mr Rabble]

340. Totally agree.nt

[kwassa]

388. The Wire is by far the best series ever on television

The show was incredibly real, well-written, ambitious, complex, well-acted, and also was socially relevant as a bonus.

The artistic high point of television, in my opinion.

[Duer 157099]

44. Malcolm in the Middle

Because it's just so funny and timeless. Great acting, great writing.

A good series is one I can watch twice and still enjoy it the second time. A great series is one I can watch any episode any number of times and find it good on every viewing.

[gratuitous]

71. But what was the family's last name?

I can't make up my mind on whether it was "My Mother the Car" or "Hello Larry."

[wickerwoman]

157. Roseanne ages well too.

The first four or five seasons anyway.

[rurallib]

183. Roseanne was the first to portray true middle america

with financial problems, kids that had real problems etc. For the first few years anyway.
Who can ever forget the 'Becky cut the cheese' episode.

[laughingliberal]

237. Favorite episode was when they went to Burning Man nt

[TwilightGardener]

259. Great show--will never forget Hal roller-skating to "Funkytown".

And Cloris Leachman as the old nasty Polish grandma. Never get tired of the re-runs.

[bobbolink]

47. Northern Exposure

I will NOT "Defend" anything... that is just plain silly, unless we are all enemies here.

I will, however, give my reasoning, and that may be different from the reasoning of others, since we are all different, and being different is a good thing.

I loved that program because, while it was very funny, it was so intelligent that after watching reruns many times over, I still found new things in it.

It led me to read books I wouldn't have noticed, and to think through some things in a different way.

All the while having an enjoyable viewing.

[ZombieHorde]

48. In the U.S.? Avatar: The Last Air Bender or Curb Your Enthusiasm

Avatar has the best writing, the best kung-fu, and the best character development of any show.

Curb Your Enthusiasm just makes my wife and me laugh and laugh. The Beloved Aunt and Wheelchair episodes are TV classics. The urine on Jesus' face last week was great.

[madamesilverspurs]

49. Brooklyn Bridge

Excellent conversation about growing up in the post WWII years, entertaining but with a relevance that was lacking in other shows set in that era. Its run was far too brief.

---

[elleng]

274. Thanks SO MUCH!

We LOVED IT, and it showed my kids so much about us!

[Canuckistanian]

50. Twilight Zone

Despite it's "out-there" subject matter, the writing and character development was first-rate.

It's been some of the most memorable TV I've ever seen and I haven't seen a whole episode since the 70s.

[tonysam]

52. We'll take care of that

Here is a link with scads and scads of episodes from TZ:

Twilight Zone

[Canuckistanian]

94. Thanks

But I'm one of those poor souls without a high speed connection. I'm lucky if I can listen to streaming audio while I surf.

[BrklynLiberal]

66. There are usually all day marathons on holiday weekends..usually on SciFi..but on others as well.

I think I may have seen just about every episode at least three times.

[tonysam]

68. I'd like to eventually get the series on DVD

But I will settle for the internet episodes featured on the link above.

Right now I am watching "Mirror Image" with Vera Miles.

[BrklynLiberal]

74. cool......another classic.

[Liberal In Texas]

124. Agreed. I'll have to go with the original "Outer Limits" as second.

Also had good writing and "morality plays" with great twists.

[KittyWampus]

54. The Odd Couple

Because it still makes me laugh.

[alfredo]

55. The Tonight Show/The Steve Allen Show

Steve Allen created a format that has endured. Late night TV owes its success to his ground breaking work. He also launched many careers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql_3LS_B4q0 part one of four.

[BrklynLiberal]

67. Made me think of Ernie Kovacs

[alfredo]

78. Loved his show. He was very experimental: The thinking man's comedian.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX5khYGqjPY&feature=fvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EXKMJ4LMKA

[BrklynLiberal]

92. Yes he was...and hysterically funny. It was all live back then.

[alfredo]

95. Except for the shorts he did. I just added two to my post above.

[ThatPoetGuy]

58. Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

It sounded like a teenage sleazefest, but this genre-bending show startled its audience from week to week with tragedy and comedy in the classical mold, thought-provoking dilemmas, and riveting drama. Plot twists would be so unexpected, but once they'd happened, they seemed inevitable. Growing up, facing challenges, feeling socially outcast, feeling socially responsible, feeling socially recognized -- death, grief, passion, love and hate, have never been distilled so thoroughly to their dramatic essence on television. And three minutes later you'd be laughing your ass off.

[crim son]

82. Seconded.

You describe very well why it's my favorite.

[soleiri]

136. Buffy is my all time favorite show.

for exactly the reasons you wrote.

[mucifer]

218. mine too lots of great subtext and so well writen.

[pinstikfartherin]

267. Totally agreed.

No matter how many times I watch episodes of Buffy, I can't get enough. The show had it all.

[jasmeel]

369. Buffy rules! That is all.

[targetpractice]

63. Arrested Development...

...tied with Battlestar Galactica.

Arrested Development was the most "dense" comic material filmed for TV... Every moment involved layers of visual jokes, puns, dirty double entendres, self-referential humor, clever editing, brilliantly hysterical characters, and the best narration of any TV series... period.

I've watched and re-watched each episode so many times since it was canceled in 2006... I laugh at something new each time.

[Catshrink]

93. You are so right!

I love Opie's narration also. David Cross was outstanding in that program. "I am an actor." :rofl:

[optimal-tomato]

111. YES!

They mastered the call-back joke. Near the end of the show, every other line had some long story buried in an older episode.

Also, I loved Larry the Surrogate.

What a pro.

[targetpractice]

139. Exactly...

It took me a while to realize that Larry's last name, Middleman, was perfectly apt for his profession.

And, I'm really embarrassed to admit that only recently "got" the most fundamental joke of the series... She was George Micheal's cousin, Maeby.

[wickerwoman]

161. Bob Loblaw's Law Blog

I can't believe this show got canceled after only three seasons. I think it's because the title sounded kind of bland and without watching the show, you don't know how well it fits.

Now I'm going to have "Motherboy" stuck in my head for the rest of the night. "They turn you into a monster and then they call you one!"

[Initech]

199. I blue myself!

[beac]

319. Agree 100% with BOTH your picks!

I can watch any episode of AD over and over and never tire of it-- and often find something new in it, like the bus stop bench visual gags:

It makes me so mad that a great series like AD got only three seasons and lesser craptacular sitcoms go on and on and on...


Battlestar had great writing, acting and special effects AND made some timely and thought-provoking commentary on the Iraq war. Haven't seen 'The Plan' yet, but am looking forward to it.

[etherealtruth]

339. Though I am not (generally) one that watches TV

I loved Arrested Development .... I bought it on DVD and was amazed at how much I missed in each episode. This show was genius.

[propagandagirl]

393. Arrested Development my choice too...nt

[Libertas1776]

70. For me,

its pretty much a toss up between All in the Family and Married with Children. But if I had to absolutely choose one, it would be All in the Family. You just don't get good TV like that anymore.

[fishwax]

72. The Wire

Top-notch writing, great acting, and an incredibly complex network of characters and story lines. It's an amazing series, stretching (as The Sopranos and Six Feet Under had before it) the boundaries of possibility for the format.

[asdjrocky]

105. +1

[sarge43]

192. +2

and it said things about this country that needed saying.

[Adelante]

238. +3

Amazing shooting, too.

[MinM]

385. +4

Harvard class on 'The Wire'
http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/harvard_class_on_the_wire_TxvbS2nzKJOzClVuOxRDmI

[kwassa]

389. +5

[flvegan]

73. Top Gear.

Fall down funny Brit humor, crazy antics, the best (and worst) in automobiles, still running new seasons, and of course...The Stig.

[comrade snarky]

119. That's not gone well!

Some say...

The Stig on the London Underground still makes me laugh.

[flvegan]

120. How hard can it be?

Top Gear...ambitious, but rubbish.

[Life Long Dem]

75. One of my better memories as a kid that stands out...

was on Sunday nights watching Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color with my grandfather. He lived with us and from my bed I was able to see the TV (close up). So I guess I was supposed to be sleeping but he knew I was watching with him. Disney is Disney and I think all kids should see some Disney growing up.

NBC: Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
o September 24, 1961 – September 7, 1969: Sunday, 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

At times he even let me stay up to watch Bonanza!

[PurityOfEssence]

79. Absolutely Fabulous or The Avengers

Didn't mean to have foreign shows, it's just how it sorted out.

The former for the scathing loopiness of the vapid artsy-business types, with pure genius in the supporting roles with Jane Horrocks standing out as Bubble. Great episode ideas with setups that pay off beautifully and point out the folly of all.

The latter for high-style mystery that holds on every level: the straightforward stories as well as making a joke about its very premise. Over time, it built well, adding characters like Mother and Tara King, and the played-straight wackiness of some of the characters and situations made for always-satisfying fare. I'll leave out the New Avengers, done later, as a shadow of its former self, but even that was fun.

[comrade snarky]

121. Few people remember the moment when puberty hit

I do, it happened when I was watching the Avengers. The one with Diana Rig in a leather cat suit with a spikey metal collar.

Ah memories...

[msu2ba]

81. The Prisoner

Extremely thought-provoking. It refused to tie things up in neat bows and required the audience to think and question. I caught it first-run and never forgot it.

[tonysam]

86. Another great choice n/t

[Codeine]

147. I'd agree with you

if there weren't so many dud episodes. Perhaps as many as a third of the eps simply do not hold up. Those that do are perfection, however.

[Feron]

280. This is my choice as well. nt

[Whisp]

83. 1. Night Stalker with Darren McGaven

I liked his 'undetectiveness' and rumbled style. The show also introduced some extraordinary settings like Vampires in Vegas and interesting things like that.

2. Boston Legal
I loved the cast and the writing. Alan Shore was my hero and I always hung on every word of his closing statements. He could convince me blue was orange I thought he was so masterful at that.

3. Lost
I was a late starter for this show. A friend suggested it and loaned me the first season on DVD and we got hooked. Had a lot of catching up to do and spent hours at an end glued to the tv. A fantastic and varied cast with so much mystery and twists and turns. We were smiten.

We watch no tv now in the way of weekly series - I might be missing something of value but what I do cruise by is usually so excruciatingly boring and cookie cutter I just can't stomach it so its movies once in a while, Nova, Discovery, stuff like that

[rgbecker]

84. Howdy Doody!

Always there with Buffalo Bob, Clarabell and Mr. Bluster when I got home from school. Those were the days when cartoons were pieces of art work.

[L0oniX]

252. Rin Tin Tin ....yooooooo Rinnnny

[XemaSab]

85. The X-Files

The first few seasons.

The sociopolitical answer is that the X-Files was post Watergate but pre-September-11.

The idea that everything that the government says needs to be interpreted through a cynical lens holds true to this day.

[JCMach1]

160. +1

Essential TV

[DailyGrind51]

96. Seinfeld

Pure comedy with no "a very special" episodes involving tragedies.

[Auggie]

190. Totally agree. There weren't any "message" shows either.

[Initech]

201. I hate those "very special" episodes. That's why I love Seinfeld.

[Celebration]

222. YES

Finally a Seinfeld answer.

[unkachuck]

97. Monty Python's Flying Circus....

....the sharpest social and political satire ever on TV....today, it has yet to be equaled, yet alone surpassed....

[zalinda]

98. Brave Eagle

The only cowboy and indian series that came from the indian viewpoint. (Yes, I know indian is not PC, but some how cowboy and Native American doesn't sound quite right.)

zalinda

[ldf]

99. Babylon 5

the absolute best, big picture (observations of space, time, the beginning, the end, GOD), space opera, ever.

epic, on all levels.

[BlueGADawg]

115. +1

Especially those sinister Shadow ships. And the Psi Corp women Lyta and Talia. And Susan Ivanova. And Londo and G'Kar. Well, the whole thing was awesome.

[Johnny Noshoes]

226. Oh yeah B5...

"No dictator,no invader can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever. There is no greater power in the Universe than the need for freedom. Against that power governments, and armies, and tyrants cannot stand. We taught the Centauri this lesson once perhaps we have to teach it to them again. Though it may take a thousand years we will be free." Citizen G'Kar

[Proud Liberal Dem]

133. +1

I LOVED Babylon 5 too!!! The third season finale, in particular, simply blew me away!!! I loved how JMS fashioned the show as essentially one big epic TV "novel". It made the buildup and the resulting payoff so immensely satisfying. The only other show I liked almost as much was Star Trek: Deep Space Nine which ended up being, coincidentally, quite similar to B5.

[Rosco T.]

386. +1

[Archbishop]

100. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Two words: Green Man.

[asdjrocky]

101. The Wire. Hands down.

Perfect writing, even though much of it was lifted from The Wild Bunch. Perfect casting. People we've never seen before in many cases, and will never see again in many cases. Honorable mentions have to go to West Wing, Twin Peaks and if I can count a mini-series, The Corner.

[Bigmack]

321. What you said.. plus...

gritty, honest, funny, quirky, real.....

If you didn't see it... get it from Netflix... start with season 1, then re-watch it. Unless you grew up in the Baltimore street, you need to tune your ear to the language.

[nolabear]

103. Sesame Street

I mean, really. Is there any other that has had as far-reaching influence?

[jotsy]

361. Thank you!

I thought I'd find this on the list sooner, maybe I scrolled too quickly. Generations of us know this is an intro to learning, perhaps too close to the foundation to acknowledge?

[cynatnite]

106. Star Trek! n/t

[optimal-tomato]

108. Farscape

Okay, not really the best ever, but probably the best space-opera ever (movies included). The characters all develop in a natural and organic way for 4 seasons. The universe was strange and vast. It was really immersive television.

[Bushknew]

140. Firefly, enough said.

[Codeine]

150. Firefly got mistreated badly.

So much wasted potential.

Plus, Kaylee!

[Bushknew]

153. All the characters were strong, loved that show.

[MinM]

358. Captain Mal returns to TV, sort of (video)

http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/10/captain-mal-returns-to-tv-sort-of-video.html

Captain Malcolm Reynolds was glimpsed briefly on ABC's "Castle," with Nathan Fillion dressing as his "Firefly" character on Monday's episode (context: it's a Halloween costume).

"Didn't you wear that 5 years ago? ... Don't you think you should move on?"

[pink-o]

362. Castle also alluded to Nathan Fillion's start on One Life to Live

The show itself is pretty throwaway, but he's adorable and who knew he could do light fare so well?

[krawhitham]

+1

[Codeine]

149. I loved Farscape,

and Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black) was incredible.

[Johnny Noshoes]

233. There was one episode

Aeryn walks in with this huge rifle kind of weapon and just yells at this one person "On the ground NOW!" You just DID NOT mess with Aeryn Sun.

[Cybergata]

214. FarScape and FireFly

I loved them both, but FarScape is probably my favorite of the two. Again, great stories, great characters and a whole lot of fun, plus some of the best Muppets ever created.

[Greyhound]

327. Loved it, too bad SciFi fucked us at the end.

The movie was a good effort to tie things up but a final season would have been so much better.

[Bushknew]

109. The Prisoner ....

Why? Well, the MSM is propaganda, mind control & indoctrination & you are it's prisoner.

So, get with the program and take your vaccine or be ostracized, ignored or thrown in the dungeon.

[Stinky The Clown]

113. M*A*S*H ....... Bob Newhart Show(s) ........ Odd Couple ...... Carol Burnett Show .... Dean Martin

Each were written at the highest levels of quality. Each has withstood the test of time and, like the Marx Brothers, remains timelessly funny.

M*A*S*H was consistently literate, raucously funny, emotional, and educational. The acting was first rate and the characters highly developed.

Bob Newhart and Suzanne Pleshette had an incredible chemistry that made the show - as crazy as it so often got - almost completely believable.

The Odd Couple. Not one clunker of a show. Laugh-out-loud-till-you-cry funny. Jack Klugman was better in the role than was the great Walter Matthau and, honestly, Tony Randall was better than Jack Lemmon. That's hard to do.

Carol Burnette was ensemble comedy of the highest order. It was what SNL did only in its first, and maybe second, years, There may never - no, there *will* never - be a greater, funnier, mote talented, more mutually supportive ensemble than Burnette, Korman, Conway, and Lawrence. Never.

Dean Martin was really a very talented, very funny man. And the consummate professional, his public persona notwithstanding. But when he teamed up with Dom DeLuise, the comedic spots they did together were simply amazing. Plus, Dean was just cool. Really, really cool in that 50s-60s way.

Anyway ...... that's my list.

[avaistheone1]

250. MASH! MASH!! MASH!!!

Iconic. The humanity, humor, camaraderie in that show is unmatched even today.

[daleo]

114. Doctor Who

If only for K-9.

[marmar]

116. Law & Order.....because each episode is its own story and you don't have to commit to....

.... watching every episdode to follow it.


I have commitment issues..... :)

[Codeine]

151. But which Law & Order?

I like Criminal Intent for the actual stories, but SVU has Mariska Hargitay. She rather thoroughly rocks my world.

[marmar]

152. The original one.....

I don't like the lead characters on SVU (Stabler and Benson) and Criminal Intent I've never really gotten into.

The original is still the best.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

397. She is Jayne Mansfield's daughter.

Jayne Mansfield was a dumb blonde with big boobs movie star in the 1950s -60s.

Her daddy was a boxer or bodybuilder, I believe.

[begin_within]

118. Drama: "Upstairs, Downstairs." Comedy: "Monty Python's Flying Circus." Documentary; "Planet Earth."

All 3 from Merry Olde England!

They are really pretty self-explanatory, but "Upstairs, Downstairs" is the highest-quality television ever made, superb in every aspect of the production, and its central theme being the class system of the Edwardian era.

Monty Python's Flying Circus raised pure absurdity to an art form and wasn't afraid to throw in a few social darts either.

Planet Earth, well, just watch a few minutes of it and you'll be completely captivated. The best nature series.

[shireen]

122. ALF

because no one gets assaulted or murdered (tho ' poor Lucky has a few close calls), no violence, no crimes (except the occasional stolen pie), no evil conspiracies, no heart-breaking news about this depressing world we live in, no infuriating politics, no melodramatic drama. Just a dumb show about a furry wise-ass alien that looks like a cross between an anteater and sasquatch. It's perfect.

[Zavulon]

123. Frasier.

For a recurring character to have an eleven-year spinoff that was consistently funnier than the classic comedy from which it derived is a staggering achievement.

[Rowdyboy]

137. Abolutely.....Frasier was bnilliantly written and acted-the ensemble cast was flawless....

A very class act.

[lpbk2713]

125. The Smothers Brothers

They provided humor at a time when we needed it.

Drama sereies: Hill Street Blues. Good ensemble, good writing.

[comrade snarky]

126. Another vote for The Prisoner

Intelligent, allegorical story telling with a strong social critique. Nothing else like it.

A series that delves into what it is to rebel against society and whether real rebellion is even possible. The last 2 episode are two of the best hours of television ever made. They stay with you. I can't hear "All You Need is Love" without thinking about gun battles.



On edit: Damn typo spelling a word! It should know I meant "for" not "from". <mumbles and wanders off>

[madmom]

127. China Beach...because it made me understand why they came back so angry.

[Andronex]

128. Green Acres

That Arnold was one sweet pig, can't believe he never got his own TV series.

[LostInAnomie]

129. Deadwood

Amazing characters, amazing dialogue, amazing plots, amazing cinematography, incredibly graphic, great cast, etc.

[comrade snarky]

131. It's a crime Deadwood was canceled

Though now, after a few years, my father has finally stopped calling me cocksucker.

[Bigmack]

324. Or... as Wu would say...

"SanFrancisco cocksuckah!!"

I loved the pigs!

And the fight in the street where Dan killed Hearst's man.... jeeeezuss!

[comrade snarky]

353. It didn't help that I live in San Francisco

Of course so does he :-)

"I am so glad I taught you that word"

[Bigmack]

325. Or... as Wu would say...

"SanFrancisco cocksuckah!!"

I loved the pigs!

And the fight in the street where Dan killed Hearst's man.... jeeeezuss!

[bevoette]

395. i clicked on this thread to say DEADWOOD

one word: dialogue

fuckin cocksuckers! :P

[fight fraud]

130. The West Wing has got to be in the top 5 of all time

I would also include ROOTS, COSMOS, and FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON
but my favorite has to be ...

BAND OF BROTHERS

and if you have seen it then I don't think it needs to be defended.

[Alexander]

132. Blake's 7

For starters, it's warning us where humanity will end up in a few centuries if we aren't careful. The heroes are considered criminals and terrorists by the oppressive Federation, which drugs, brainwashes, discredits and even assassinates its own people to force them into obedience.

The show covers all sorts of real-world topics such as sexual harassment, the War on Drugs, rigged elections, animal experimentation, medical malpractice, religious cults, torture and so on. Characters frequently question the nature of an artificial intelligence (Zen) and one episode even references the gold standard.

We also frequently see the clash between idealism (Blake) and cynicism (Avon) that is found in every single culture and even here on DU every day.

The acting is fantastic, the characters have depth, the dialogue is crisp and witty and the storylines compelling.

Sure, the special effects are cheesy and the fight scenes almost laughable (though both got somewhat better as the series went on), but this was the BBC in the 1970s - not exactly a high-budget or violent-prone environment.

This is a show that was way ahead of its time, even by today's standards. I would love to see it revived as either a new TV show or a movie, but then again I'm worried that doing so would cheapen and water down the whole concept.

[Common Sense Party]

135. Arrested Development

Cuz it's funny, that's why. One of the best written comedies of the past 20 years.

[boomerbust]

138. Andy Griffith Show

Best cast of characters ever assembled.

[Martin Eden]

169. Yep, that's one that came to mind

It's my sentimental favorite among the shows I grew up watching (born in 1957).

[tonysam]

181. That was a show I never truly appreciated as a child

It really wasn't a kid's show anyway; there are themes on that program which were quite serious.

I love the show now and have the entire series on DVD. It had superior writing and acting.

Father Knows Best was another show which often had serious themes without being preachy. It was also an excellent series.

[voc]

141. It was a long time ago.

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

[immoderate]

142. Rockford files

James Garner exemplified what was cool.

Honorable mention: Zorro (Guy Williams) Every character had his own musical theme. Two for Zorro/Don Diego.

--imm

[G_j]

265. enjoyed that show also

[Lucian]

143. The X-Files

Government conspiracies, paranormal activity, alien abductions, monsters...what's not to like?

[upi402]

144. Betrayal of Democracy - PBS, Frontline

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/programs/info/1017.html

[truedelphi]

363. Thank you. Marking this for viewing later. n/t

[Cartoonist]

145. Warner Brothers cartoons

Not really a TV show in that all of them were shorts made for movie theaters. Still, they were part of many various kiddie shows with local hosts that every kid saw while growing up making for a shared culture that is the fabric of American humor, music, and art.

[1]

146. mr. ed. the horse could talk! and a great song. *a horse is a horse, of course, of course,...

and no one can talk to a horse of course
that is, of course, unless the horse is the famous mr. ed.

go right to the source and ask the horse
he'll give you the answer that you'll endorse.
he's always on a steady course.
talk to mr. ed.

people yakkity yak a streak and waste your time of day
but mister ed will never speak unless he has something to say.

a horse is a horse, of course, of course,
and this one'll talk 'til his voice is hoarse.
you never heard of a talking horse?

well listen to this.

i am mister ed!

[Frank Booth]

148. Magnum P.I.

Incisive social commentary, edge of your seat excitement, and a beautiful island setting.

Plus the repartee between Higgins and Magnum was priceless.

In the history of television series, it is unquestionably the crown jewel.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

154. Most Of Mine Are Comedies

The fact of the matter is that probably the best, most entertaining, best-written show I've ever seen in my 37 years on this Earth has been "Lost." I know it's not "cool" to think something made in the modern era is good, but I love that show more than any other TV series I can think of. I've never had a show I simply COULDN'T MISS week in and week out before.

But others that make the list are mostly comedies. When I was a kid, I didn't watch much of anything but comedies. Pretty much, it was sitcoms, the Dukes of Hazzard, Miami Vice, and that was about it.

The Simpsons: Still great after 20 years

Cheers: One of the best-written sitcoms in history, and the proof is that it was consistently funny every week for 12 years, right up to the very end. It never jumped the shark.

Seinfeld: Again, funny right up to the very end.

The Office (the REAL, BBC version, NOT the American rip-off version): It only ran 2 seasons (which is typical in England), but probably one of the funniest shows in history. Michael Scott doesn't hold a candle to David Brent (Ricky Gervais, who is a comedic genius). If you've never seen the British version, do so today. It is a delight. A show so Scrumtrulescent..........that I can barely moooooove.

Monty Python: A troupe of comedic geniuses. Some of their stuff was hit-or-miss, but many, many homeruns in the bunch. If you have an extra 80 bucks or so lying around, buy the 20-disk set of all the entire Flying Circus series and you'll laugh every night for a year. Also, "Holy Grail" and "Life of Brian" continue to this day to be 2 of the funniest movies ever made.

[wickerwoman]

156. Lost

because the Dharma Initiative kicks ass and because the first 5 minutes of the first episode in the second season are the best 5 minutes ever filmed ever.

Runners up would be: Six Feet Under, Arrested Development and the first three seasons of Weeds

[Broken_Hero]

158. Its hard for me to pin down which TV show is my favorite

but if you tortured me, and put the embers to my feet...I have to go with, The X Files...

The tenor of the show struck me very well, by tenor I mean a sense of realness with huge dashes of supernatural phenomena, plus the addition of humor.

I think the casting for the show was phenomenal, I cannot imagine anyone else stepping into Scully, Mulders, or Skinners shoes. The way in which Mulder fought against the Government/Corporate cover ups was a standard for the show, and his tenacity for doing so was epic, especially with his desire to find his sister(to know what really happened).

The connection I saw/felt between Mulder/Scully/Skinner felt real, and I applaud any writer/director who can actually make me care about fictional characters.

I do have to give some shout outs to other tv shows though, :D

Sons of Anarchy

House

CSI Vegas

Little House on the Prairie

Justice League/Unlimited

Batman/Superman the Animated series

Boston Legal(I'm Denny Crane, lock and load).

[Mojambo]

159. Surprised to not see Fawlty Towers mentioned.

IMHO the funniest thing ever shown on the small screen.

[Codeine]

165. It's one of those shows that I love

but I have to watch in excruciating ten-minute intervals. It makes my skin crawl after much longer than that -- the Comedy of Agony.

[DFW]

162. Liebling Kreuzberg

Completely easy to identify with (if you are German), full of dry, local (West Berlin) humor with
no "pretty" types in it, and with one of the best actors of understated comedy that ever worked.

It was absolutely THE highlight of the 1980s for me and my wife. West Berlin is gone now, and it
would come across as a little dated now, I suppose. They tried one last season after the wall fell,
but the original script writer had passed away in the meantime, and it just didn't have the same
edge to it. The first season has to be the pinnacle of German television entertainment ever. I don't
think I have EVER laughed as much at any TV series, anywhere.

[Ohio Joe]

164. The Shield

I found this show to be very... real.

It did not have "good guys" and "bad guys" per say but rather showed people as they really tend to be, a bit of both. It was also very tightly written, the events in episode 1 reverberate through the entire series, driving the motivations and actions of the characters. Each episode managed to tell a story, each season managed to have an arc and the entire series tells a complete story with few, if any, loose ends.

I found the casting of the show to be very different. Not much of the typical... hot hollywood hunks and beautiful babes found in most shows. The actors looked and felt like real people you see and interact with every day. In addition, there was not a weak spot to be found in the cast, all very believable in their roles and able to be front and center when required.

[Phentex]

167. The Muppet Show

Classicly funny, creative & uplifting.

[JackRiddler]

170. The Lounge?! People were actually interested in this question.

In our society this question may very much illuminate one's political philosophy. I doubt "what's your favorite book" would have ended up here. But that aside, what's the worry about categorization?! What danger did this thread pose to the seriousness of GD? I mean come on, a question about the World Series was not treated thus. And every day people talk about their favorite TV shows in some context considered acceptable for GD!

[Phentex]

171. Welcome to the DU landfill...

it all ends up here eventually.

[JackRiddler]

172. The reasoning for this eludes me and seems bizarre.

Especially considering the flood in their time of Michael Jackson death or "Balloon Boy" threads and other such TV-oriented hysterias going back to DU's start. Would "What's your favorite movie?" be moved to the lounge? Or, wait, this: "Name a movie that changed the world in your view." Never. But why does it matter to do this?! It's called Discussion!

[itsrobert]

175. I don't know why it's in the Lounge

I alerted it to be moved to "Entertainment". :shrug:

[JackRiddler]

176. Why would you do that?

There are hundreds of GD threads a day - how is this one so specialized or dangerous that it shouldn't be there? Why did it matter enough for you to alert on it? What do you say to my points about why it should have stayed?

[itsrobert]

177. You can't catch all violators

of the rules. But I try to help out the community as much as I can.

[JackRiddler]

180. Thanks for catching "violators" of arbitrary and imagined rules!

It's a big help to the community.

[itsrobert]

188. Cited rule here:

"The General Discussion forum is for discussion of a wide range of topics that are relevant to politics, public policy, and current events. Topics with little or no political relevance are not permitted in the General Discussion forum."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules_detailed.html

[JackRiddler]

193. This topic has political relevance, as many of the answers show...

Certainly more so than the balloon boy's non-odyssey, although that also has political relevance (media hysterias and the neurotic need to create them, people exploiting their own children, the noise machine that distracts from other issues, etc.) Television is a dominant, perhaps the dominant medium of politics in our time and how people understand it is relevant. The "entertainment" side is also relevant to politics.

Dozens of people who responded to this thread wanted to talk about it, you come in and shut that down. Shame on you.

Don't you think it's nuts for us to be debating your narrow interpretation of "political," instead of holding free discussion on the 10,000 possible political issues on GD? You would do well to hold to a standard of actual harm (this thread commits none) as opposed to legalistic and in this case highly personal (and in my view mistaken) interpretation of the rules as "law."

[JackRiddler]

197. That's not even arbitrary - it's your imagined interpretation.

[JackRiddler]

202. (PLEASE IGNORE THIS SUBTHREAD) - Thank you mods for restoring to GD!

[Martin Eden]

173. Star Trek - Next Generation

Growing up in the 1960's I really loved the original series and couldn't bring myself to watch Next Generation the first year, but then I started watching and NG just kept getting better and better. The characters developed and the storylines were intelligent, creative, and very relevant.

I've always been a fan of science fiction because the creativity and insight into the human condition are almost limitless. Star Trek showed us a fascinating future -- one that upholds our highest principles and that we hope will be the model for a better future.

[MrMickeysMom]

320. This one has my vote, too...

I came up with some 60's television favorites like Carol Brunett or The Smother's Brothers, Laugh In, The Gong Show.

However, when the strange 80's started after Roots and other mini series, I began to take interest in really wanting more from story lines and good writing. Star Trek was it.

I did connect with the great character development like Picard. Another thing about TNG was that in a very sad (George HW Bush and Desert Storm, and my first realization of corporatism after Reagan) there were many, many episodes that clicked. The Borg is one example. Lt. Commander Data's awareness and human kind, etc.

I agree, it upholds high principles and HOPE of what we CAN become.

[grace0418]

178. Either Arrested Development, Six Feet Under or Northern Exposure. I can't choose

between them, but love them all.

[tonysam]

182. Route 66 and The Fugitive

should not be omitted from any list of all-time great television shows. Both of these series had superior writing and acting.

[elocs]

184. The best that never made it a full season: "Firefly".

"Freaks and Geeks" is another one.

My defense: it's my opinion.

[rurallib]

185. Monday Night Football

It has filled a lot of prime hours over 30 or 40 years. Has a winner and a loser every week.
I may even turn it on someday.

[Blue_Tires]

409. that was going to be my choice...

people can debate its actual "greatness", but the birth of weekly prime-time sports has done more (whether it is better or worse is also up to debate) to shape the landscape of TV, society, marketing, and so much more than most of the other shows combined...And I'm not even getting into the massive revenues that started to feed both pro sports and the networks...

[graywarrior]

187. L O S T

Because it satisfies my addictive personality and it's so dense with plot and characters, and I dig the back stories, the side stories, the front stories, the mixed up shit that can't be explained, just theorized. Lots of eye candy, too.

I have a love hate thing with Curb Your Enthusiasm. I despised it when I first watched it but for some reason kept coming back to it. Now I laugh my ass off while wanting to slap the shit out of Larry.

[kid a]

195. love it

[mix]

189. I Love Lucy.

I saw it in syndication as a child. The show was multicultural and funny as hell. There was comedic genius at least once in every episode.

[Tikki]

191. Fawlty Towers.....

Along with the, I need something to make me feel better; because I'm sad,
angry, lonely, tired or stressed..I, also, love to watch any or all
episodes of Fawlty Towers when I am in a good mood...Just makes me laugh harder.



Tikki

[JTG of the PRB]

194. The new Battlestar Galactica

It dealt with timely issues and very uncomfortable subjects, and it did it all brilliantly. Plus it had excellent writing, directing, visual effects, and acting throughout the entire run of the show.

Just behind BSG I'll put Arrested Development, because that show was just damned funny and intelligent.

[PassingFair]

196. CARNIVALE

I have NEVER seen anything like it,
before or after.



The way it "ended" left SO much hanging,
I was practically SICK for weeks.

I wish it had been picked-up to run
its full course.


http://www.hbo.com/carnivale/


Second Place: Six Feet Under

L-O-V-E-D every episode, and especially the finale.

[billyclem]

198. Alcoa Presents-One Step Beyond

For the time 59-61, programs on the paranormal/supernatural were groundbreaking. The series was well written, well acted and featured quality original music.

[Initech]

200. Curb Your Enthusiasm

Larry David is such a multi-dimensional character that either - you side with him or you really want to kick his ass. This season has been absolutely hilarious - every episode. It makes you wonder how these people put up with his shit on a daily basis.

Me personally I side with Larry, I've often been in situations where it's like "What would Larry David do?".

[Swamp Rat]

203. Sanford and Son... and I don't need to defend my answer, you big dummy!

:D

[CTyankee]

204. "You are There," "Civilisation," and "Mash."

All were riviting in their own way. We still watch reruns of "Mash" today. I wish we could see reruns of the other two, also, but I guess they are just not profitable for PBS...

[superduperfarleft]

205. The Simpsons, Miami Vice, or Quantum Leap.

And I don't need to defend it, because if you disagree, you must be either a freeper, a Nazi, or a puppy-kicker.

[SammyWinstonJack]

382. Love Miami Vice. Have the box set and watch frequently.

[zappaman]

206. The World According To Jim

Is there a funnier person on the planet than Jim Belushi? No. He may well be the funniest human who has ever lived.

[JackRiddler]

220. well played!

[burrowowl]

207. MASH and All in the Family

Not only funny but contained meat for the mind to chew!

[Raine]

208. American Dreams

because it showed how America was in the early 60's and was on the way to showing how it got where it is now but then it was cancelled. :-(

[TicketyBoo]

370. I really liked American Dreams, too.

I think part of the reason it faded away was because Dick Clark was the producer, and then he had a stroke. The timing coincided, anyway.

[boston bean]

209. Streets of San Francisco

One of my all time faves!

good plots, nice back and forth and bantering between the characters.

[ThatsMyBarack]

210. Sesame Street (1969-1979)

Fun, intelligent, helped me learn to read, write, and count....

[Dr.Phool]

212. Soap.

Cutting edge insanity in it's time.

I picked up the entire series at Costco, really cheap.

[flyarm]

215. MASH, excellent acting! and ER in early days..also great acting, & ALL in The Family! eom

[KoKo]

216. "30 Something"...Captured a Time Frame in America...last of the couples

who really tried to work through their problems and cared about their kids, tried to deal with the job scene/business world after Reagan America, and quality of life issues going forward. Loved it. The young neo-hippies and the new corporatists that were emerging...and the strains that all caused.

It was better than the reviews ever showed. Dialog and circumstances. Truly a "Time Capsule" of American Life for it's time.

[gmoney]

257. They still hold up quite well...

They just released season 1 on DVD, and while some of the 80s fashions are a little dated, the stories and characters do hold up quite well.

[Cybergata]

217. I can't believe no one said FUTURAMA!

Some of the stories are about as funny as anything can get on TV. The characters are all great and there are incredible moments that could only be thought up by Matt Groening's group. It is more bitting and wicked than the Simpsons with great social commentary.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

219. Playhouse 90 - greatest dramatic series in the history of television

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playhouse_90

The writing, directng, and acting were second to none. The live 90-minute dramatic anthology series ran on CBS from 1956 to 1961 for a total of 133 episodes. John Frankenheimer was the principal director and others included Sidney Lumet and George Roy Hill. Rod Serling wrote the first two dramatic episodes, including Requiem for a Heavyweight and won the Peabody Award. The show won Emmy Awards in six categories in 1956 including the best direction, best teleplay and best actor. Actors like Charles Laughton, Claude Rains, Polly Bergen, Maximillian Schell, Jack Lemmon, Frank Lovejoy, and Robert Redford appeared. Several of the dramas were later adapted into motion pictures: Requiem for a Heavyweight, The Helen Morgan Story, Days of Wine and Roses, Judgment at Nuremberg, and Seven Against the Wall (movie The St. Valentine's Massacre). Several works of prose fiction were adated into teleplays like Fahrenheit 451, as well as works by Faulkner and Hemmingway. The dramas often involved commentary on modern society, such as Blue Men, adapted from an Alvn Boretz drama about the trial of a police detective who refused to make an arrest.

Playhouse 90 occurred during an age when you could find a lot of intelligent programming on the little screen. It was not alone as there were many other similar dramatic series at the time. But Playhouse 90 stood out for the consistently excellent directing, acting, and writing, the likes of which we will probably never see again.

[KoKo]

221. Oh YEAH...few here will remember...but it was the BEST!

Never been anything like it since. That's when TEEVEE was in it's GOLDEN AGE....so much creativity...and money to back it. So long ago.....:hi:

[mascarax]

269. I would love to see Playhouse 90

Did any tape (?) survive?

[tonysam]

354. Undoubtedly some have

But it seems what is out there on DVD are not "official" releases, i.e., they're bootlegs.

[lunatica]

224. Rowan and Martin's Laugh In

I think it was the first politics bashing show done with quick skits. I loved Sammy Davis Jr. walking across the stage in a judge's robe saying, "Here comes da judge!", and Goldie Hawn acting so ditzy dumb and Henry Gibson's dead pan poetry and Lily Tomlin as the telephone operator. It was the perfect half hour of the week.

But I like others too.

[indepat]

225. Barney Miller

[Ron Green]

231. That show had some great writing.

Good characters, too.

[gmoney]

258. I tried watching the DVDs a few months ago, and was disappointed.

I remember it being better and faster paced. Maybe at the time it was more groundbreaking, but it didn't hold up for me.

[mrs premise]

227. Life on Mars...

the original BBC series not the crappy Americanized version. The acting was brilliant and the stories top notch. And I really like How I Met Your Mother.

[Joe Chi Minh]

228. Soap! Wonderfully dotty plot lines, likewise the characters (Jessica and Chester Tate, Dutch,

Bert Campbell, a Cuban guerilla leader ... too many to cite) and some incredibly funny one-liners.

Another one that could have been from the same stable was about a hospital, but I can't remember the name. They had a young, Wall Street-type, criminal whizz-kid called, Jack, who was working as a sweeper, by way of a community-service punishment. Kind of a younger Chester Tate, though he looked a lot more villainous and raffish. Very funny. It would be even funnier today, imagining him as a Goldman Sachs miscreant.

[jmondine]

318. Richard Mulligan is one of the greatest comic actors in TV history

[harvey007]

229. Roseanne

Great actors, great writing, great comedy.

Blue collar family, reflected real life situations.

Strong female lead.

Loved the whole family.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roseanne_(TV_series)

[Fumesucker]

230. James Burke's "Connections"..

He really makes you see how so much that we know came about in such strange ways and the often highly unlikely historical accidents behind some events.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connections_%28TV_series%29

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

232. "Dekalog" from Polish TV by Krysztof Kieslowsk

Director Stanley Kubrick described 'Dekalog' as the only masterpiece he could name in his lifetime.

I agree with Kubrick. The finest TV ever produced. And, IMO, the finest film ever produced.

[mrs premise]

234. Mad Med

Had to answer again, forgot about this show. If you have seen it, then no explanation is needed. If you have not, do yourself a favor and pick up up on DVD.

[MagickMuffin]

236. Babylon 5

J. Michael Straczynski presented a great series. The show centers on the Babylon 5 space station: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262. With its prominent use of planned story arcs, the series was often described as a "novel for television".


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon_5


I must admit that at first the reason this series drew me in was because they were using Amiga's and NewTek's Video Toaster. But within a few episodes I was hooked on the storyline and the different culture wars between Light and Darkness.

Also the Music and scoring

The original pilot film had music composed by Stewart Copeland of The Police. When the show was picked up as a weekly series, Copeland was unavailable, so Christopher Franke of Tangerine Dream was hired.


Overall this series rocked.

[Stevenmarc]

239. Davey and Goliath

A nostalgic reminder that Christian programing can actually contain a Christ like message.

[Sancho]

240. It has to be Star Trek...the late 60's in the US changed the world...

I remember Star Trek, moon landing, being A1 in the Vietnam draft, and many, many events, but society was changing: women, minorities, LBJ and the Great Society. Star Trek had everything hidden in a science fiction cowboy show: the first interracial kiss, free health care for all, omnipotent and evil beings! Through it all, the Enterprise did not use power to conquer: remember the Prime Directive? And the "needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few". On and on the show reflected a great change in our civilization. Who could ever forget "The Trouble with Tribbles"? V-ger?

Well, there are reasons for almost any episode being one's favorite and a true voice of a progressive and evolving world.

Maybe you had to be there, maybe not. At the time and in hindsight, it was a masterpiece show.

[JackRiddler]

243. But the Prime Directive was only ever, ever cited if they were about to break it.

After initial reluctance, the Enterprise always discovered the necessity of intervention in the affairs of less advanced civilizations to set them on the right path: the one to Federation membership - just a few centuries down the line.

Wasn't the true running theme of the show that American imperialism is better than the Klingon Soviet kind? (Never mind the cunning, inscrutable Romulan Chinese!) The idea that the Federation is progressive and open-minded is also what the CIA wanted to convey to wavering European leftists in the "cultural cold war."

In the end all the different races of aliens are working together on a vastly powerful expeditionary warship, bringing order to an uncharted, dangerous universe.

[Sancho]

337. I think you're correct about Star Trek being thinly disguised politics...

Not all the episodes had themes I agreed with, but imperialism was a moral conflict and American intervention in "less developed" countries was and is one of the most important issues. At the time in the 60's, my family really built a bomb shelter out of concrete block in the back yard! In 1966-1969, about the time of Star Trek, it was hard to get away from the horrible Russians. I remember all the TV and newspapers having a Fox-like reaction to anything Soviet; they were all bad people no matter what and they were coming to kill us tomorrow. With Kennedy's assignation, the Cuban crisis, the space race, Pueblo capture, etc., it was amazing to me that Star Trek even brought up the idea. It would have been really tough to go completely away from America vs. the communists in the 60's, but your point is well-taken that the Federation was not all that good an organization when they rationalized some policies.

I burned a draft card and protested against the Vietnam war, and my father (Major in the Army) wouldn't speak to me for a couple of years. For me, Star Trek had too many battles, fist fights, and wars for many of us peaceniks, but if you also thought about the shows of communes (Eden), acceptance of other "races", and Vulcan (logical socialism?), it was pretty addictive. At least the weapons had a stun setting. I know folks in SC, where I grew up, who would not watch a show with black and eastern actors! Just think, Star Trek had women as officers on the Enterprise!

The show wasn't perfect, but even as a hippy-teenager in HS and college, my friends and I really loved the hidden messages and digs at the establishment that Star Trek represented every week. We debated the Prime Directive in school, and the interracial kiss caused a big firestorm at the time. There was a hidden theme about capitalism being bad with crooks being unethical (several episodes included some immoral business person who was out of control). That was really, really anti-American at the time of economic growth and the US literally controlling world economies in a way that we don't today. There was an awareness of natural resources, weird universal care for the handicapped (Captain Pike), recreational drugs, the possibility of endless war (remember the computer war and walking voluntarily into the death chamber), and sexy costumes. All in all, the show was amazingly creative and took on more issues than almost any TV series for decades.

[JackRiddler]

374. Thanks for a great little essay about the original Star Trek...

I was just three or four when it was cancelled but watched it religiously with my brother in its daily syndication on New York's Ch. 11 until I'd seen all episodes several times, like most of my friends. You're right about its enormous influence in introducing many at the time unconventional or difficult ideas to your generation and mine. You're right about its treatment of race relations - the black woman on the warship was fourth in command and basically a secretary, but hey it was a kind of cultural breakthrough for TV! (Just like gay rights today are being advanced through the curious demand to have equal opportunity to go to war.) But in treating these issues it usually remained within the judgments of the era's establishment ethos. Remember, the hippies who thought paradise was inside Klingon territory were received peacefully aboard the Enterprise, refused to engage in dialogue (chanting "Herbert Herbert Herbert" at Kirk's authority figure, which was a kick) and used deception and violence to commandeer the ship - only to discover that their paradise was a hell. You can see a subtext where they were cool and driven by joy and pleasure, rather than authority and discipline, but in the end they were clearly victims of a maniacal cult leader. The natives of Eden lived a perfect, non-violent life but the Enterprise had to blast their god (a computer) to hell.

No doubt about the significance of Spock and Vulcans, though!

[rantormusing]

241. very tough

I'm torn between the office (British version), or the Prisoner.

[Think82]

242. THE SOPRANOS (no contest!)

Combines social satire, family drama, and melodrama flawlessly. Acting, writing, is of the level of the greatest plays and films, and by looking at mob culture, the series really gives us a way to look at America at the end of the republic, when many of our institutions (Wall Street, Health Care Cos) are basically operating as the mob did. The characters are terrific, and the plotting also fantastic and unpredictable. The music, too, is perfectly selected like in Kubrick and Scorsese movies (DavidChase was a musician in his younger days).

In fact, in the PILOT episode, Tony hatches a scheme to rip off a health insurance company by setting up faulty claims with an insurance exec who owes him gambling debts. (hello waste, fraud, & abuse). The second season's first episode begins with Chris opening up a fraudulent stock brokering business that inflates certain stocks that shouldn't be, so the mob can buy low and sell high.

Norman Mailer called the Sopranos the closest thing today to the great American novel...

Get the DVDs, you won't leave your house months.

[TicketyBoo]

247. Some favorites

I can't imagine having to defend any of these. If you watched, you know. If you didn't, well you missed out!

I Love Lucy

Maverick

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Danny Kaye Show

The Dean Martin Show

The Carol Burnett Show

60 Minutes

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

The Wild Wild West

The Rockford Files

Hart to Hart

Moonlighting

Boston Legal

My Name Is Earl

Pushing Daisies

Desperate Housewives

[Lochloosa]

248. Laugh-In

First show to make fun of hippies. By hippies.

[swilton]

249. Maverick

Before there was the Rockford Files, there was Maverick - exemplary satire, made James Garner a star

I think that Rawhide was pretty good as well - no one can forget how Clint Eastwood got his start. Both of these dramas/westerns had above average scripts, and illustrate why the 50's-60's were considered the golden age of television.

[tonysam]

276. +1

[L0oniX]

251. Playhouse 90 ... Rod Serling ...what more do I need to say

[dysfunctional press]

253. i really liked the pbs show "connections", except for the last episode...

which was a little over-wrought. but the rest of the episodes were really fascinating.

who remembers it?

[gmoney]

256. yeah, it was always very cool. But I hardly ever caught it.

That was pre-DVR and it never seemed to be on locally at the same time from week to week. Wonder if my library has it?

[dysfunctional press]

330. amazon has it on dvd- but it'd knock you back $130 for the first season...

there were 3 seasons total- but the first one was the best, imho.

[verdalaven]

255. The Marshall

It lasted all of 25 episodes, starred Jeff Fahey as a Federal Marshall hunting fugitives. His character was smart, funny, human and, strange for tvland, entirely dedicated to his wife and children. I loved that stupid show, and was very ticked off when it was canceled.

[blondeatlast]

260. The original Dick Van Dyke Show. Topical without hitting us over the head,

Adult humor but the kids could appreciate too. Exceptional writing and cast.

And "The Wrong Baby." Best. Double Take. EVER.

[WI_DEM]

415. I'll go along with that.

[blues90]

261. Great , the best TV series is the most talked about topic . NT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[itsrobert]

263. And it doesn't even qualify for this discussion zone.

I guess certain posters get special treatment around here.

UNREC AND ALERTED!!!

Please click UNREC and ALERT. We can't live in Anarchy.

[blues90]

271. It qualifies as garbage . complete garbage .nt

[itsrobert]

359. Exactly; this should be in the lounge

or Entertainment; not "General (Political/current events) Discussion"

Another plea to unrec and alert the MODS (who have been influence by a whiner).

[XemaSab]

400. I'm sure you live in your cave and only drink spring water

and only eat a vegetarian diet and you only walk or ride your bike down to yoga at the local ashram.

I think 99% of TV sucks, but some of it is art and is worth discussing as such.

[itsrobert]

416. Yes, in the proper forum

this violates the intent of the rules in this forum. thanks

[bedazzled]

264. i like red dwarf - because it's really funny

and i have the hots for chris barrie

i also like the muppets, the twilight zone and
i love lucy, too.

also the blackadder series with rowan atkinson.
especially the second series with elizabeth I.

[TwilightGardener]

266. Favorite sitcoms, in no order: King of Queens, The Office, Seinfeld, Roseanne, and Malcolm in the

Middle. King of Queens because of the realistic nature of the marriage, and Carrie Heffernan's hilariously evil bitchiness as the series progressed thru the years. The Office--no other comedy makes me laugh as much, every character is so well-written and played. Seinfeld--almost every episode had something memorable in it, much of which became part of our culture--"Spongeworthy", the Soup Nazi, etc. Roseanne--best working-class family comedy ever, even better than All In The Family, IMO. Malcolm--the kids are so over-the-top mean to each other, you can't help but laugh. Great writing and characters, too. Edit to add: I mean the American version of The Office. I like the British version too, but I can't understand what the fuck they're saying half the time.

[demodonkey]

270. Star Trek.

Think of it every time I flip open a cell phone!

;-)

[area51]

272. Dark Shadows.

You think you have problems? The Collins family has witches, warlocks, zombies, vampires, werewolves, etc. after them. It's just good escapist fun.

[whathehell]

277. China Beach

A truly great dramatic series with first class writing and performances. It was a labor of love, with unexpected nuance, intelligence and more depth of feeling than I have ever seen on the small screen.

I credit it with giving me a greater understanding of the emotional costs of war.

t lasted three years and earned many emmy awards.

I could say much more if I was not so terribly tired at the moment.

[conscious evolution]

278. The commercials

Its the whole reason TV exists today-To get you to watch a sales pitch for someones product or idea.
Everything on tv can be summed up in four words: consume create conform compete.

[Zoeisright]

279. Mad Men

The only show where one hour feels like 10 minutes, and at the end, when the screen goes black you usually gasp.

LOVE it.

[harvey007]

282. Roseanne

Great actors, great writing, great comedy.

Blue collar family, reflected real life situations.

Strong female lead.

Loved the whole family.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roseanne_(TV_series)

[lisa58]

283. favorite line from Roseanne:

...Please excuse the mess, but we live here.

[GreenPartyVoter]

284. I borrowed that from there. Use it all the time when people come over.

[Warpy]

294. That's mine, too!

I use it frequently.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

285. Too bad she went completely fucking nuts and ruined the show.

[laughingliberal]

289. And by "completely fucking nuts," I know you meant

she decided to go public with her diagnosis of DID and the problems from which it arose?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

293. Is that what she's calling it?

Makes my point though.

[imdjh]

302. DID?

[woo me with science]

311. Oh geez.

Not this recovered memory crap again. :wow:

[laughingliberal]

342. I'm simply overwhelmed by the compassion

Small wonder we can't get mental health parity when this is the attitude even on a Democratic forum.

[woo me with science]

343. Oh, I have tremendous compassion

for everyone harmed by recovered memory garbage:

The lives destroyed through voodoo malpractice.

The innocents accused and imprisoned.

The pervasive infection of our society with sensationalist pop psychology garbage that has no basis in science.

My compassion is far greater than you know.

[laughingliberal]

346. Dissociative disorders are, sometimes, real. Now they are lumped in with the cases which were not

Makes it difficult to get help for people on that spectrum.

[woo me with science]

349. DID is the very same recovered memory crap it always was.

The changes in terminology over the past decade, and all the faux scientific appeals to the broader category of dissociative conditions, don't change that. Most people think that the Geraldo-Rivera-style recovered memory claims died with the debunking of satanic ritual abuse in the 90's. They don't realize to what extent these outrageous "therapies" persist in the very same form, just cloaked now in more impressive psychobabble about "dissociative amnesia."

Belief in DID as a trauma-based condition declines precipitously with increasing education level of the therapist. There is a reason so many trauma therapists hide what they actually do and what they actually believe and teach to clients, because the public would be outraged if they knew.

I fight for mental health parity every day. I also fight for evidence-based psychiatry, so as to protect the public from charlatans who deal in recovered memories.

[laughingliberal]

357. I was treated by a PhD and head of Psychiatry at a reputable hospital

So, I guess, these 2 forgot to suspend their belief as their education levels increased. I really don't know much except my own case and I am not prepared to argue about it. What I know is that prior to the diagnosis of a dissociative condition, I had spent years in various types of therapy with ever changing working diagnoses and nothing helped. After being treated as a dissociative disorder I was able to become functional again. Can't speak for anyone else.

[Raine]

297. She messed it up when she had them win

the lottery, completely destroyed the whole premise of the show. :-(

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

299. That was when it went completely FUBAR.

It was going down hill sometime before that though.

[Blasphemer]

306. Yeah... it lost focus around season 6 or so... nt

[imdjh]

300. She explains all that in the last episode.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

315. Oh yeah yeah.

It was all part of her "novel" she was writing after Dan died a few years early.

What a stupid cop out.

Even St. Elsewhere's ending beats that shit.

[imdjh]

316. Aw come on, you cried when Dan died. And it was funny that Mark was actually married to Darlene.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

317. She just killed him off for melodrama.

Tacked on crap.

[woo me with science]

312. Yep. The early shows were good.

The decline of the show corresponded pretty closely with her psychological collapse in recovered memory therapy.

[laughingliberal]

286. Was one of my favorites!

Favorite line from her standup routine: "My husband says, 'Roseanne, can you get me some Cheetos?' Like he couldn't reach under the couch cushions himself."

[truedelphi]

287. i remember an episode that ended with some guy politifcing through the neighborhood

He wanted a Big Box Store like Walmart built in the area, and he was "Pledging" that if elected he'd see that it opened. And that it would result in X amount of jobs, and X amount of tax revenue.

So Roseanne takes off after him ,going around re-explaining his position. "What about all the jobs that will be lost when the Big Box store is the only place people shop on account of prices being cheaper."

She rattled of a bunch of other talking points. It was cool having a show that dealt with real issues. Whether it was the kids doing the nasty and getting caught, or the adults finding pot in the room, and admonishing "De-e-h-j" that he shouldn't smoke but then they get so snookered on his stash that they couldn't even pronounce his name.

[laughingliberal]

292. I remember that episode and think of it whenever the tax breaks for business issue comes up nt

[choie]

301. Pedantry time from a huge Roseanne fan.

Actually, the bit had nothing to do with Big Box / Walmart. Though the gist of what your recollection is definitely correct, which is the important thing!

The politician was their State Representative who was going around door-to-door gladhanding prior to the election. Roseanne told him he should save time and see everyone at once ... down at the unemployment office.

So the Rep. said, "I hear you," with faux sincerity, and explained his plan to encourage big companies to come to Lanford by offering tax incentives.

Roseanne said, "so who's gonna pay the taxes they don't pay?"

Rep.: "well, you, but you'll all be employed thanks to the influx of new companies, so you'll get steady wages."

Roseanne: "Union wages?"

Rep: "Uh, no, because the reason these companies are looking for new homes is because of the unions."

As you can imagine, Roseanne basically let him have it for that. She followed him and continued her harangue on his trip throughout the neighborhood.

And later in the episode, the rep shows up again, this time at Dan's struggling motorcycle repair shop. He starts in with his spiel when Roseanne comes out from the back. The rep runs off, not wanting to deal with her again, but Roseanne follows him.

A great episode from a great show. I don't know of a more honest (yet hilarious) depiction of family dynamics and working class life on TV.

[TheDebbieDee]

309. I've never seen that episode of Roseanne, and I thought I'd

seen all of them.

[TheDebbieDee]

310. I've never seen that episode of Roseanne, and I thought I'd

seen all of them.

[fishwax]

288. They always had good Halloween episodes too

:)

It is a great show, though. :toast:

BTW, whereabouts in Wyoming are you from, harvey007? (I grew up in Northern Wyoming ...)

[blue_onyx]

296. The Halloween episodes are airing tonight

on TV Land starting at 10pm.

[BrklynLiberal]

290. I have to agree...

The relationships were all so "real"...with her husband, the kids and her sister and Mom..etc

[KamaAina]

291. Hell yeah!

Extremely gay-friendly (the Martin Mull and Sandra Bernhard :loveya: characters), too!

[virginia mountainman]

295. When she hit the lotto..

The show jumped the shark... It was great until then...

[blue_onyx]

298. The quality went down so much

The last episode was the worst. I think the point was to show that money doesn't make everything ok but it was done so poorly. The stories made no sense. Like the one show where a prince falls in love with Jackie....so stupid. They should have ended the show after season 8.

[Fumesucker]

303. My favorite line from Roseanne..

"We're so far beyond broke that the light from broke won't reach us for ten billion years"..

:rofl:

I can relate to that..

[Blasphemer]

304. My favorite family sitcom of all time

It went downhill after a while (don't they all) but Roseanne & Co. gave us some of the best TV of all time. John Goodman should have won a few Emmys for his performance as Dan Connor.

[aikoaiko]

305. A good show with moments of genius.

[TwilightGardener]

307. Loved "Roseanne"--one of my favorite moments was when little D.J. was

in a spelling bee. Roseanne and Dan were in the auditorium watching anxiously to see if he'd win, and then he got the word "foreclosure"--and they smiled at each other smugly and high-fived.

[Le Taz Hot]

308. I loved that show.

So many classic lines that I use irl. Also, the only sitcom before or since that actually showed a house that was not 100% pristine all the damned time. I mean, really, how many people's houses (especially with kids) are perfectly clean, every room, every second of the day?

And goddess know I can relate to her big mouth.

Roseanne is going to be up there with "I Love Lucy" in playing in perpetuity.

[Deja Q]

313. 5th season and progressively worse onward, it became a self-parody...

Season 7's Xmas episode was called "White Trash Christmas" and a later episode or two has Roseanne mocking her family as being white trash.

The first four years rocked. Season 5 is a mixed bag. Seasons 6 onward were variable, with season 8 being the first constantly burnt-out year.

Must we discuss season 9? :D

[JanusAscending]

314. Me too!!

I watch re runs every night when I go to bed. I don't think I've missed an episode except...I don't ever remember her giving birth to "Jerry"!!?? One episode shows that they were expecting a girl...then there was the episode where they are all making a video before he's born. Next thing you know ...there he is!! Has anyone else seen what happened in between? There were many unforgetable moments I love! Remember Jackie..high on pot in the bathtub..asking "have I shrunk? Am I in the sink"??? LOL Another when Jackie was VERY pregnant, again in the bathroom with Rosie asking how "this is going to come out of this"?? and "I'm carrying a 9 1/2 month old child in here"!!! On edit...the saddest episode, on any sitcom I've ever enjoyed, was her final show, when we find out she'd lost Dan to his heart attack at Darlene and David's wedding.

[Harry Monroe]

323. I'd have to go with "The Sopranos"!!

Some of the best acting and writing on television. Best episode, "Pine Barrens" Season 4 when Paulie Walnuts and Christopher Moltasanti go to pick up Silvio's collection from a Russian. Paulie gets into it with the guy and knocks him out cold, thinking he's dead. Chris and Paulie take him out to the Pine Barren to get rid of the body, but the Russian escapes and Chris and Paulie get lost in the woods, spending the night out in the cold. Of course, the antagonism between Chris and Paulie are magnified when they are forced to depend on each other to survive the night. Hilarity ensues. A lot of the Sopranos was like that, humorous without intentionally being that way!!

[Greyhound]

326. Babylon 5 because it is unique in television.

Straczynski did an original novel in Television.

[Arkana]

329. The West Wing.

Everything about it--the actors, the writing, the settings, everything--was perfect.

It was a glimpse into the inner workings of the White House that I don't think we'll ever see again.

And it's also fairly obvious that Matthew Santos is more or less a Hispanic Barack Obama...seeing as how Aaron Sorkin and many of Obama's advisors are friends.

[Blasphemer]

331. My So-Called Life

It's hard to pin it down to just one as I have many favorites but My So-Called Life is the one that was most defining for me. First, the casting was brilliant. The actors didn't so much become their characters, they WERE their characters. There was something very organic about their portrayals. I BELIEVED in the little mini-universe they occupied because they were fully committed to that world and their interwoven lives. Artistically, the writing was pitch perfect. The nuances of the dialogue, the differences in teen-teen, teen-adult and adult-adult conversations was very true to life. It was emotionally evocative and complex while also dealing with the most basic of human stories - love, sex, betrayal, friendship, fear, loss. It is also absolutely timeless. I'm watching it now, 15 years later and far removed from my own teenage years and yet it still resonates. "Other People's Mothers" is one of the best episodes of television - ever. Few shows really capture the complexities of Mother-Daughter relationships and MSCL did that beautifully. Those 19 episodes are truly something special in American Television.

[truedelphi]

364. I confess to be being a "So-called Life Addict." Great performances and writing. n/t

[Ichingcarpenter]

333. Carl Sagen's COSMOS

then Jeremy Brett's portrayal in the 10 year running series as Sherlock Holmes

[conspirator]

335. I vote for detective Columbo nt

[conspirator]

336. Either that or Trailer Park Boys nt

[Are_grits_groceries]

338. Moonlighting

Hysterical! Loved Ms.DiPesto too.

My favorite episodes were:
The one where the demented leprechaun shows up.

Their version of "Taming of the Shrew"

Whatever episode had the car chase with the hearse in the lead, and the one with Whoopi Goldberg.

I never like it as much after Dave and Maddie got together.

[MinM]

341. "The F.B.I." starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.

Approved by J. Edgar Hoover

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_F.B.I._(TV_series)

:sarcasm:

Another 'good' piece of propaganda back then was Jack Webb's "Dragnet". Unfortunately it looks like that POS show "V" will continue that tradition.:tv:

[MinM]

345. "Homeland Security USA" was another winner from ABC...

:hide: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :hide:

TV show Homeland Security USA is nothing more than propaganda | guardian.co.uk

[demwing]

347. Rowan and Martin's Laugh In

It was the first show I remember that didn't seem like it was made for old white guys.

Lilly Tomlin
Flip Wilson
Goldie Hawn
Tiny Tim
Nixon's "Sock it to me?"
and a bazillion other reasons

[harvey007]

387. Remember when Tiny Tim married Miss Vickie on TV?

:think:

"At age 17, "Miss Vicki"-as she'll always be remembered-became a bona fide curiosity when she tiptoed into the national spotlight and tied the knot with a stringy-haired, high-pitched warbler named Tiny Tim on "The Tonight Show." Their tacky TV nuptials on Dec. 17, 1969, earned Johnny Carson his highest Nielsen ratings to that time."

[ThomWV]

348. Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

The scene in which Mary's husband dies is possibly the funniest 3 minutes in television ever broadcast.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

367. I LOVED Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and yes, that scene with Tom

dying was hysterical, but I can't see it as the best ever. It's right up there in my top 10 though! :)

[Iwillnevergiveup]

399. Yes, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman was not to be missed

Along with "The Wonder Years." Remember?

[pipi_k]

350. Gilligan's Island...

showed how people can survive...even thrive...by working together.

No sexual harassment by the three single men against the two single women.

They always came up with imaginative solutions to problems.

Despite living on the island for years, they never lost hope of being rescued.

Everyone had equal housing, from Mr and Mrs Thurston Howell III down to the Skipper and Gilligan. Everyone had the same food. Same clean drinking water...same clean air.

Plus the theme song was fun to sing along to, and I still remember all the words today.

:7

[Tommy_Carcetti]

351. The Wire

Just incredibly realistic characters and dialogue, like nothing else you ever saw on television. Never black and white--the cops on the show weren't all saints, and the "bad guys" were actually human. And the acting was amazing, comprised of mostly unknowns.

But I guess you can guess that from my avatar.

[kwassa]

391. I can never say enough about how good this series was.

Even if you were a sleazeball mayor.

[Hubert Flottz]

355. Beverly Hillbillies

Because I like educational TV.

[niyad]

356. "The Avengers" with Diana Rigg and Patrick Macnee

great writing, acting, and just pure class.

the first time on television that I recall seeing women as strong, intelligent, independent, and completely able to take care of themselves. Emma Peel was a GREAT role model.

second choice is "Waiting for God" a britcom that gave us Diana Trent (played by Stephanie Cole) as a "do not go gently into that good night" senior, with intelligence, the sharpest tongue around, and absolutely NO tolerance for stupidity, arrogance and ignorance. want to be just like her when I grow up.

[Shagbark Hickory]

360. _.-*-.__.-*-.__.-*-._ The A-TEAM _.-*-.__.-*-.__.-*-._

Because it taught me right from wrong.

[saltpoint]

365. On networktelevision, I'd go with ST. ELSEWHERE.

Strong cast, lively script, a marked improvement on the older doctor shows, and the best theme song ever penned.

[jotsy]

366. Star Trek, I mean all of them, collectively.

From the beginning they took an approach that spoke to the responsibility of ALWAYS questioning the ethics. Part and parcel IMO to the promise of any chance of an enlightened future. which from there, they provided compellingly and diversely.

Interesting question; tyvm!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

368. MASH, hands down IMHO is the Best series ever. It was a brilliant

dramady and it had a moral compass.

In my top ten - after MASH, no particular order
MASH
Northern Exposure
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,
LA Law
All In The Family
Mad Men
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Twin Peaks
The Simpsons
the 1st 2 seasons of Saturday Night Live

and in the 11th place in my top 20, Dark Shadows. :)

[TicketyBoo]

371. Does anyone remember Now and Again?

My whole family really liked that show.

http://www.tv.com/now-and-again/show/1227/episode.html?season=All&tag=ep_guide;paginator;All

We could never remember the name of it. We called it "The Dead Insurance Guy Show."

We watched it every week, and they ended it on a cliffhanger. I still think about those characters. Wish the writers would put out a novel about what happened to them, ha-ha.

[TicketyBoo]

372. Oh, and the old Burns and Allen shows.

Caught them in syndication on cable in the late 80s. Just laugh-out-loud funny.

You just wish you could be a happy as Gracie was all the time. Cluelessness (like ignorance) is bliss (sometimes).

[tonysam]

379. Ditto for Jack Benny

Only a comic genius could wring laughter out of total silence. He was the master.

[JackRiddler]

375. Artistically I have to put in a word for the storytelling style of "Mad Men"

I have trouble recalling a drama series that was as willing to allow scenes to develop slowly, without constant editing intervention. The drama is very much in the pauses, in sometimes ponderous exchanges, in scenes going much longer than they would on any other show and the willingness to pursue tangents.

[jasi2006]

377. Mad Men...and the Cosby Show.

Because i said so!

[Geek_Girl]

378. Battle Star Galatica (the new one) on SyFy

I believe it's the best Science Fiction series ever and rivals any science fiction motion picture. It's amazing writing, and top notch acting.

Quality TV at it's best!!!

[bigwillq]

380. Roseanne

The series was spot on in its portrayal of blue, collar, lower-middle class Americans..and not all their problems were solved at the end of the episode. It was groundbreaking television, especially with a loud mouth, opinionated woman as the lead.

[Thothmes]

381. My choices

"Nova", educational and entertaining
"As Time Goes By". Brit sitcom, Dench and Palmer make it enjoyable.
"Keeping Up Apperances". Another Brit sitcom. Onslow is to be admired and my cultural hero.
"The Universe" and "How the Earth Was Made" Love anything dealing with the sturucture of the physical world.

[nightgaunt]

383. I have many of different types and decades but I will choose one that had it all.

"Picket Fences" (1994-1998?) set in the fictional city of Rome, Wisconsin tackled home life, medical drama, police drama, court room drama and high weirdness all in one! They even tried a crossover with "X-Files" and made mention of what happened in the episode "Red Museum" (1996) which is incredible in itself. Loved Ray Watson as Judge Bone and the series had many interesting plot lines that were different every week from controversial surgery to American Indian's plight to the mayor dying by spontaneously combusted to onset dementia (Alzheimer's)! I have many other series I liked and still like but this is the one that covered so many more genres than any other I have ever seen.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

384. The A-Team

I pity the fool that thinks this choice need's any jibber-jabber for legitimization.

[brettdale]

390. M*A*S*H

Sums up why war is bad.

[VOX]

392. "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson; it gave a kind of communal sense to each day,,,

Yes, it was lightweight and silly at times, but Carson was king of the late-night chat shows, the best ever to work in that format. He could take the day's events and transform that information into something hilarious yet sensible. It was a 24-hour reality check.

Other favorites:
"The Prisoner"
"Fawlty Towers"
"Cheers"
"Deadwood"

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

394. Picket Fences

Mainly the first two seasons, and early parts of the third......

Funny, great writing, fantastic characters (Douglas Waumbaugh is an all time top 10 supporting characters in TV history) some good mysteries, nice cross between a police drama and a medical one. Oh, and Lauren Holly was hot!

I thought the show went downhill when Jill (Kathy Baker) became the focus of the show which was around the latter part of season 3, and then when David E. Kelley got bored and essentially drifted off to do Ally McBeal.

I'd say Rockford Files was my runner-up. Well written, at times over written, but again some great characters (Angel Martin, another all time top ten character) and James Garner was fantastic.

[morgan2]

401. Get a Life

anything starring Chris Elliot is pure comic genius.

[JonLP24]

402. The Wire

Much has already been 'defended' so I'll add that they don't manipulate emotions with score unlike every movie and TV show out there. What you feel is based on what is happening as well as powerful camera shots. You don't feel sad because the music is sad.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

403. COSMOS.

Because Sagan explains everything really well.

The episode where Kepler is a young boy, throwing water out the window, and despairs of ever finding out how the planets orbit, after discarding perfect solids, is a real religious experience.

Connections was great. The guy pulled together lots of different things from weird angles. That's what made it good.

The Ascent of Man, Jacob bronowski.

Fiction & historical drama on PBS: Shoulder to Shoulder, about the women's suffrage movement in Britain, the Pankhursts. Force feeding, starving in jail, torture, marches in the streets.

Notorious Woman: George Sand (Aurore Dupin) and Frederic Chopin (George Chakiris). Interesting story of the Romantic era in music. Then her daughter Solange argues with her about emotions and free love & how irresponsible her generation has been (the hippies of the 19th century).

Upstairs, Downstairs: Examination of Edwardian social classes. Servants and masters.

I Claudius: John Hurt as Caligula, Derek Jacobi as Claudius, the total decadence of Rome.

Lillie: Lily Langtry's affairs with Prince Louis of Battenberg (Prince Philip's uncle) and other movers and shakers.

Network fiction: Twilight Zone, Night Gallery(later Rod Serling), and Alfred Hitchcock.

Talk shows: The Dick Cavett Show, Tomorrow with Tom Snyder.

Game shows: Let's Make a Deal, The Dating Game

Variety Shows: Hee Haw, because I wanted to see Roy Clark play. The best episode was Roy Clark and Gatemouth Brown dueling.

Comedies: The PJs, on FOX, claymation produced by Ron Howard and Eddie Murphy. Funnier than the Simpsons, and I love the Simpsons, but showed real black people in the projects, NOT the super squeaky clean Cosbys.

Nobody else seems to remember the PJs and Thurgood Orenthal Stubbs. Took me a while to figure out the three names. First - very good role model; 2nd- very bad role model; 3rd - lead singer in the Four Tops.

"Whitney Houston, we have a problem" "Holy Moses Malone!" :rofl:

[TheWraith]

405. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

22 episodes of some of the most constantly top-flight writing, acting, and production you'll ever see, wrapping funny dialog and situations around genuine characters and real yet interesting plotting.

Second choice would probably be Battlestar Galactica, the new version.

[enigmatic]

406. "I Am Not A Number, I Am A Free Man!"

[Quantess]

407. Strangers With Candy

Starring the 46 year old teen runaway, Jerri Blank (Amy Sedaris) who returns to High School after 32 years. Teachers Chuck Noblet (Stephen Colbert) and Geoffrey Jellineck (Paul Dinello) and Principal Blackman (Greg Hollimon).

The show on Comedy Central, not the movie. The movie wasn't nearly as funny as the show.

[change_notfinetuning]

408. I'm surprised that Little House on the Prairie and Cosby haven't even been

mentioned. As for me, it's a tie:

All in the Family
M*A*S*H
The Simpsons

[PretzelWarrior]

410. M*A*S*H

hands down. great actors...funny stuff...and very topical re: Vietnam as they discussed Korean War.

[JackRiddler]

411. Who here has not seen The Wire? Season 2 was best. It's addictive...

It's also by far the greatest TV series ever, which not coincidentally treats real issues with a broad perspective on the city of Baltimore. The drug war, urban decline, the neoliberal attack on the working class, racism, education, the media... it's all in there, in a very long form that develops dozens of characters and subplots through some 60 episodes in all. Great writing. A document of the Bush years.

[27inCali]

412. X Files

It was smart, interesting, imaginative and most importantly, taught that we should be skeptical about our secret government.

[SidDithers]

413. Bob Newhart, versions 1 and 2...

Bob waking up with Suzanne Pleshette, at the end of the run of the second show, was the best series finale ever put on television.

Sid

[GodlessBiker]

414. The Honeymooners.

Nothing fancy. Minimal sets. Just great acting, perfect timing, and hilarious setups.