Topic: List of the Very Best TV Shows

[superdave]

Wow Batman the Animated Series is getting a lot of love.  I assume that The Simpsons hasn't been mentioned because it would just be redundant?

I'll add

The X-files

Spaced

Community
In three seasons this show already has as many classic episodes as shows that ran 3 times longer.

[ting-bu-dong]

Community
In three seasons this show already has as many classic episodes as shows that ran 3 times longer.

Community is amazing. Doing an episode about a pillow fight in the format of a deadpan war documentary featuring pillow power armor is inspired.

(click to show/hide)

[Plastique]

I assume that The Simpsons hasn't been mentioned because it would just be redundant?

It's funny, even though I really dig The Simpsons, it's something I can happily only watch when it's on. I don't feel compelled to track down all the ones I haven't seen.

[341gerbig]

Community
In three seasons this show already has as many classic episodes as shows that ran 3 times longer.

Community is amazing. Doing an episode about a pillow fight in the format of a deadpan war documentary featuring pillow power armor is inspired.

(click to show/hide)

I wonder what makes it work so well?

They literally change the tone of the show every episode, but it ALWAYS works..

WTF?

[ting-bu-dong]

I wonder what makes it work so well?

They literally change the tone of the show every episode, but it ALWAYS works..

WTF?

They put a lot of work and intelligence into it and play their premises completely straight. It wouldn't work if they didn't take themselves seriously and kept winking at the camera. I mean, they did a zombie apocalypse episode that not only was in canon but spawned a major plot point (Shirley's pregnancy) that has had repercussions for everything that came after.

[341gerbig]

I wonder what makes it work so well?

They literally change the tone of the show every episode, but it ALWAYS works..

WTF?

They put a lot of work and intelligence into it and play their premises completely straight. It wouldn't work if they didn't take themselves seriously and kept winking at the camera. I mean, they did a zombie apocalypse episode that not only was in canon but spawned a major plot point (Shirley's pregnancy) that has had repercussions for everything that came after.

Very intelligent show, but I hear its not going to make it to the fames "six seasons and a movie"

[PANTS!]

I am just hoping they make it to regionals.

OK Here are some of mine:

Arrested Development - Best sitcom of this millennium, and possibly of all time.
Community - Brilliant writing and sublimely funny
Wonderfalls
Freaks and Geeks
Faulty Towers
Firefly
Archer
The Wire
Louie
The Middleman
The Tick (Cartoon - live action was good not not a best)
Pee-wee's Playhouse
The Muppet Show

[jt512]

Deadwood
The Wire
Luck
Get Smart
The Sopranos
Upstairs, Downstairs
Battlestar Galactica
The Simpsons
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek
South Park
Band of Brothers
Generation Kill
Hill Street Blues
Firefly
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Saturday Night Live
Taxi
Cheers
The Shield
All in the Family
The Dick Van Dyke Show
M*A*S*H
Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in
Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies
Rocky and His Friends/Bullwinkle
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Twilight Zone
The Three Stooges (episodes with Curly)

[MikeHz]

Can't forget Seinfeld. When I catch a rerun if the show, I still find it funny. I think that the genius of the show is that the creators and writers of the show gave the best lines to the supporting characters of George, Kramer and Elaine.

Really, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is much the same show. In fact, they even did a new "Seinfeld" ending a couple seasons ago.

[Rai]

Buffy
It had its ups and downs, alongside amazing writing, great storylines, great acting and general ballsyness. It is up there with the very best.


Veronica Mars
Apart from the lacking third season, this was really brilliant.


Waking the Dead
The best procedural crime show ever made. It is complex, intelligent and British.

[azinyk]

Can't forget Seinfeld. When I catch a rerun if the show, I still find it funny. I think that the genius of the show is that the creators and writers of the show gave the best lines to the supporting characters of George, Kramer and Elaine.

They do that on a bunch of other shows, where the supporting characters can be as zany as the writers want, but the main character needs to be sane enough to hold the plot together, and be sympathetic to the audience.  I don't know what that phenomena's called on TV Tropes, so I just call it "The Seinfeld".

[superdave]

I think the show slowly tried to make the point that even though Jerry seemed like the normal one, they were all pathologically narcissistic.  They basically hammered you over the head with this message in the series finale, as they all go to jail for breaking a good samaritan law and then being forced to review their years of cruelty in court.

[Citizen Skeptic]

I've tried to watch deadwood based on how often it comes up but it just didn't grab me.

[Ansalem]

I'm just going to add shows that haven't been mentioned.

Cowboy Beebop
Avatar: The Last Airbender

Huh, I guess all my other favorites have been mentioned. I'm definitely going to second The Tick (animated), though.

[ting-bu-dong]

I'm definitely going to second The Tick (animated), though.

I wouldn't count it among the best, but the Tick live action series is better than it has any right being.