Ten Favorite TV Series

Gordon B · October-9th-2003, 08:08 PM

We probably did this on the old board, but it's always fun so go ahead.

I'll pick four dramas, four comedies, and two British mini-series.

Hour shows.

1. The Prisoner
2. The Wire
3. The Sopranos
4. Homicide: Life on the Streets

1/2 Hour shows
1. Honeymooners
2. Seinfeld
3. Larry Sanders
4. Bob Newhart

British mini-series category
1. I, Claudius
2. Trilogy: House of Cards/To Play the King/ The Final Cut (The last was inferior to the first two).

Squaredancecalling Steve · October-9th-2003, 08:37 PM

The Prisoner
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
Cheers
Star Trek
Peter Gunn
Have Gun, Will Travel
MASH
Sgt. Bilko
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
tie between Perry Mason/ Rockford Files/ Fernwood Tonight

October-9th-2003, 08:45 PM

Just three for me:

M*A*S*H
Seinfeld
Northern Exposure

with a wink and nod to:

Mystery Science Theatre 3000

Captain Hate · October-9th-2003, 08:46 PM

Hill Street Blues
Lonesome Dove (the original mini-series; not any of the lame follow ups)
Homicide: Life on the Streets
Duet
Route 66
77 Sunset Strip
Law & Order
That 70's Show
Cheers
Second City TV

Tanager · October-9th-2003, 08:52 PM

Surely someone else will vote for Home Improvement.

My ten, in no particular order:

Homicide: Life on the Street
Home Improvement
M*A*S*H
Law & Order (but I think SVU sucks, bigtime)
Cheers
Hill Street Blues
Baa Baa Black Sheep/Black Sheep Squadron
Wild Kingdom
Miami Vice
Astitva, ek Prem Kahaani

Captain Hate · October-9th-2003, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tanager
Surely someone else will vote for Home Improvement

Mrs. Hate would vote for Home Improvement; I'd have watched it too but I decided I was spending too much time with her, I mean watching TV.

SinginSumo · October-9th-2003, 09:08 PM

Can't wait to read Pete C.'s favorites (not to mention all of my favorite posters) on this thread.

Cem · October-9th-2003, 09:11 PM

Fortunately/unfortunately, I've been cable-free for a long time.
Past faves:
Law & Order (the original and don't mind the one with the smartass detective)
Seinfeld
SCTV
Larry Sanders
Homicide: Life on the Street
Sopranos
Sesame Street (when there's a good looking female pesence)
Fraggle Rock
Biography

btw, has anyone purchased the Homicide seasons 1&2 on dvd. if so, what's the verdict?

Tanager · October-9th-2003, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cem
btw, has anyone purchased the Homicide seasons 1&2 on dvd. if so, what's the verdict?

I have most of the first five seasons on tape - the early ones are, IMHO, the best episodes, especially the first four seasons. I could see myself purchasing seasons 1&2 just to have them on DVD, even if there are no extras/etc.

Cem · October-9th-2003, 09:19 PM

Thanks Tanager.

oooh, I forgot BARNEY MILLER!!! Loved that bass into!

...and Fawlty Towers.

patricia · October-9th-2003, 09:35 PM

My list is:

Law And Order

Law And Order Criminal Intent

I'm glad to see Jamie Sheridan and Courtney Vance in supporting roles. If you can, catch Vance in the very excellent film called "The Affair" about an American G.I. in WW11. Billie sings "Strange Fruit" as the credits run and there is a great jazz soundtrack and excellent period details in both the plot and the sets.

The three-part 1972 mini-series of Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca" which starred Jeremy Brett [he later was Sherlock Holmes, until his death recently.]

C.S.I. Miami. David Caruso facinates me. What can I say?

A&E's Biography Today's was Robert Mitchum

Di Vinci's Inquest A Canadian series, shot in Vancouver, using real locations, featuring the very excellent Nicholas Campbell.

This Hour Has 22 Minutes Another Canadian series. It's a brilliant series of political and social satires.

The Passionate Eye- A series of documentaries which range from first-person reports on the various conflicts, world-wide, to biographies of people like the brilliant war photographer, James Nachtwey.

Looney Toons on the "Toon" network. The music is the best part. Many jazz musicians did the soundtracks for these 'toons and they are worth watching for that and my buddies, "Bugs" and "Foghorn Leghorn" and the rest of the gang.

Scrubs

C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation

Monte Smith · October-9th-2003, 09:36 PM

The Office
League of Gentlemen
That 70s Show
MST3K
Spongebob
Law and Order
Smallville
X Files
Prime Minister's Question Time
C-Span Book TV

john williams · October-9th-2003, 09:47 PM

I CLAVDIVS
Black Books
David Attenborough - pretty much any of his wildlife shows. There are no better.
Ripping Yarns
Blackadder
The Young Ones
Bottom
Red Dwarf
Fawlty Towers (seen it too many times though)
Seinfeld
Spooks

I am a sucker for British gothic murder mysteries, especially with the following detectives. (A very guilty pleasure)

Inspector Dalgliesh
Inspector Morse
Cordelia Grey
Jack Frost
Dalziel and Pascoe
Rebus
Taggart

john williams · October-9th-2003, 09:53 PM

I have almost given up un TV as its about 90% combination of "reality" shows and DIY boring as all fuck home improvement.

I had cable once but got over it. To get the decent chanels here you have to pay top dollar or else you just get swill.

I pretty much watch only feature films, but my DVD collection is getting out of hand.

Kudos to the SBS movie show and Critical Mass, excellent local review shows. The only time these days where I drop everything to watch.

Rob C · October-9th-2003, 10:06 PM

My two all-time favorite shows are Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the late, lamented Freaks and Geeks.

RBS · October-9th-2003, 10:07 PM

The Sopranos
Sex and the City
South Park
The Man Show
The Odd Couple
The X-Files
I Love Lucy
The Honeymooners

Al in NYC · October-9th-2003, 11:35 PM

Green Acres!!

HLJ · October-9th-2003, 11:56 PM

1.Dallas(Yeah,Yeah I know)but I was a JR man I had to tune in each week to see how he screwed sombody.

2.The Cosby show-Most positive protrayal of a Black family ever on TV

3.I Spy- May favorite Cosby character 'Scotty Robinson' first time I saw an image of a strong Blackman on the tube

4.A Man Call Hawk- Spinoff of Spencer for Hire with Avery Brooks character Hawk.The coolest Brother ever on The Box.

6. Julia-Beautiful and Intelligent Black Women, Handsome , Strong and smart Brothers no "Amos and Andy" stereotypes here.Diane Carrol was and still is to Fine.

7.SoulTrain- The Talent , The SoulTrain Line and those Fine,Phat Honeys

8.Showtime at The Apollo.Top notch acts each week.And you think Simon on American Idol is tough shit he is like a Fairy Godmother compared to The Apollo audience during amateur night.

9.Dark Shadows-I use to run home from school to dig this.Branabus Collins was a scarey mother.

10. Survivor (Yeah Yeah I know) but if I didn't watch this it would only be Sports and CNN

Peace and all that.

Pete C · October-10th-2003, 12:03 AM

What, no Twilight Zone?

October-10th-2003, 12:41 AM

Quote:

MST3K - Monte the evil republican

Must be a conservative thang

Quote:

2.The Cosby show-Most positive protrayal of a Black family ever on TV

Yes, truly a wonderful show.

Jazzooo · October-10th-2003, 01:54 AM

Quite few from recent years:

Sopranos
Curb Your Enthusiasm
The Wire
6 Feet Under
The Larry Sanders Show
Sex and the City--sometimes

Da Ali G Show

The West Wing
Survivor
Alias --second season
Dennis Miller--these shows don't age well, though
Sports Night
David Sanborn's Night Music--was that what his variety show was called?

Saturday Night Live--always inconsistent but pretty great over the long haul--influential too

"First Couple of Seasons Only" Winners:
Chicago Hope
NYPD Blue
LA Law
Frazier
Friends

Nostalgia Category:
I Spy
Smothers Brothers
Man From U.N.C.L.E.
The Prisoner
Ed Sullivan
Twilight Zone
Outer Limits
Lost In Space
The Avengers, but only with Mrs. Peel

Cem · October-10th-2003, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jazzooo
The Avengers, but only with Mrs. Peel

why would that be...?

Squaredancecalling Steve · October-10th-2003, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pete C
What, no Twilight Zone?

I had that on my list, then decided that since it was like an anthology, rather than a series with regular characters, I shouldn't include it. I didn't include "I Claudius" (which I also loved, Gordon) because it was a book adaptation. And I interpreted 'series' to exclude variety shows like SNL or The Smothers Brothers, although I allowed in Fernwood Tonight, which was a comedy series about a variety show.

What was the early dramatic showcase program that debuted "Requiem for A Heavyweight"? Kraft? Hallmark?

Oddest early show might have been Winky Dink And Me, a kids show that involved drawing on your television screen to solve puzzles and win contests. (They sold some kind of transparent plastic sheet to put over the screen, but nobody I knew used it.)

Ron Thorne · October-10th-2003, 02:56 AM

In no particular order, and among my favorite ten:

Our Miss Brooks
The Ed Sullivan Show
Leave It To Beaver
Twilight Zone
Happy Days
The Jack Benny Show
Omnibus
Modern Masters
Dragnet
Laugh-In

Douglas · October-10th-2003, 05:09 AM

Married with Children
Rab C Nesbitt/Naked Video

Heimat
Twin Peaks
Northern Exposure
Yes Minister
Drop the Dead Donkey
Red Dwarf
Blackadder
Thirtysomething

Jazzooo, I’ve seen a couple of episodes of Alias and something pretty major must be lost in the dubbing into French. I’m stunned that this show made it into a top of anything list. Was the second series so much better than the others?

I did see one episode when they "went" to Paris - you know the routine: PARIS is flashed up on screen, followed by a library picture of some local landmark, and then cut to the action. The sight of a French policeman wearing a heavy opera cape in bright (Californian?) sunshine was too much.

Gordon B · October-10th-2003, 07:18 AM

Douglas, "Thirtysomething" almost made my cut.
HL, I was a huge "Dallas" fan until the season that Bobby dreamed up. Then I quit. Every once in awhile I'll see a commerical and say "That woman played Merilee Stone on Dallas."
LA Law was very good in its early years but jumped the shark several years before the end. Arnie and Roxanne having sex and falling through the ceiling was the low point.
I liked Cosby, too.

Some shows not mentioned that would be my honorable mentions;

Mission Impossible. I wish it would come out on DVD. Great show for the Cold War.
The Untouchables.
Get Smart. Don Adams had great comedic timing.
Buffalo Bill. Dudley Coleman was great. Anybody else watch this low rated show?

Knike · October-10th-2003, 07:24 AM

Seinfeld
Simpsons
Scrubs
Seinfeld
Flying Circus
Fawlty Towers
Seinfeld
South Park
King of the hill
Seinfeld

steve(thelil) · October-10th-2003, 07:56 AM

Smothers Comedy Brothers Hour
Get A Life
David Letterman
Square Pegs
Seinfeld
Ed Sullivan Show
Friends
Crank Yankers
Antiques Roadshow
Howard Stern's Old Channel 9 Showe

John B · October-10th-2003, 08:31 AM

We are currently TV free, but past favorites include:

The Young Ones
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Fawlty Towers
Mystery Science Theater 3000
The Prisoner

Brian Olewnick · October-10th-2003, 08:59 AM

Comedies (roughly chronologicial)

The Odd Couple
Fernwood Tonight
Monty Python
Fawlty Towers
Police Squad
Mystery Science Theatre
Larry Sanders/Garry Shandling
The Simpsons
Beavis & Butthead
Curb Your Enthusiasm