Monday, August 08, 2005

Top 10 TV Shows Ever

The blogosphere's been bustling with Top 10 lists of favorite TV shows instigated by Jeff Jarvis' BuzzMachine blog.
Our contributions, and you're welcome to chime in with yours:

In no particular order:

Arrested Development--In two seasons, it has always delivered episodes full of loud, consistent laughs. Best watched on TiVo to catch all the jokes you missed in real time.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show -- The best ensemble comedy ever.
St. Elsewhere -- Rare is the show that can last as long as this one did, with as fair-to-middling ratings as it had. But there was a reason, with compelling, quirky characters and the best in-jokes anywhere.
Boomtown -- Brilliant show that highlighted the myopia that frequently inflicts network execs who cancel a show rather than trying to nurture an audience.
Northern Exposure -- Sure, it got dumb and borderline unwatchable toward the end, but at its height, the eccentric charm, humanity and humor of Cicely, Alaska, was a winner.
The Wonder Years -- If you were of a certain age, of a certain time, you knew this progam rang true. And even if you weren't, it was still a pleasure to watch.
The Prisoner -- Perhaps the best science fiction show ever, even if it never left the earth. Or did it?
The Bob Newhart Show -- What a tandem on Saturday nights with MTM. Lost a little steam in its final season, but only a little.
The Shield -- Bare-knuckled cop drama at its best, which hasn't stood still. Characters have come full circle to reveal new dimensions. And guest turns this year by Glenn Close and Anthony Anderson were nothing short of brilliant.
Hill Street Blues -- At its best, which was most of the time, you cared deeply about this often motley crew. Bochco recognized the brilliance of Dennis Franz, who after a guest turn as psycho cop Sal Benedetto, returned as schlumpy-but-compelling Norman Bunz, the antecdent for Andy Sipowicz.
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Are you talking favorite or best ever? If this list reflects your personal preferences, well, there's no accounting for taste, and nor is there a need to. They're your favorites. But if you're talking best ever, then there are a few shows missing from the list to whom some on your list hardly compare.

MASH? Twighlight Zone? All in the Family? Cheers? Seinfeld? Star Trek?