I know Thursdays are usually reserved for book-related posts; I do have a review today, but I’m not doing Weekly Geeks this week, so we’re going to talk TV instead. My blog, my rules!
And on a TV-related side note: I had an e-mail from a friend last night saying she was tempted to check online after the East Coast broadcast ended, because if David Cook didn’t win American Idol, she wasn’t sure she wanted to watch the finale. I hope she enjoyed the show – I know we did! My husband was quick to remind me that he had picked David C. from the beginning.
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Via The DEBlog, it’s the TV’s Top 50 Meme.
British media site Empire Magazine has revealed its list of the “50 Greatest TV Shows” ever. Below is the list and here are the rules.
1. Bold the shows of which you’ve watched every episode
2. Italicize the shows of which you’ve seen at least one episode
2a. Star * the shows you consider “the best”
3. Post your answers
I find the tricky thing about this is that there are quite a few shows on this list of which I’ve seen many, though not every, episode, but have missed a few here and there; I can’t honestly bold those titles, but I’ve watched far more than “at least one episode.” I have marked those shows with a #.
50.Quantum Leap
49. Prison Break
48. Veronica Mars
47. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #
46. Sex & the City #
45. Farscape
44. Cracker
43. Star Trek #
42. Only Fools and Horses
41. Band of Brothers
40. Life on Mars
39. Monty Python’s Flying Circus
38. Curb Your Enthusiasm
37. Star Trek: The Next Generation* #
36. Father Ted # (This should be a “seen every episode,” but it’s not yet. We have all of these on DVD, or did; we loaned them to my mother-in-law before we’d watched them all, and she can’t find them now)
35. Alias* # (saw every episode of the first 2-1/2 seasons)
34. Frasier*
33. CSI: Las Vegas
32. Babylon 5
31. Deadwood
30. Dexter
29. ER
28. Fawlty Towers
27. Six Feet Under
26. Red Dwarf
25. Futurama
24. Twin Peaks (it was only two seasons, so there aren’t that many!)
23. The Office UK (No. But once I get through the Season 1 and 2 DVDs, I’ll be able to say I’ve seen every episode of the US version.)
22. The Shield
21. Angel
20. Blackadder
19. Scrubs* (Ah, the glory of TV on DVD!)
18. Arrested Development (We have Season 1 on DVD, but haven’t gotten to it yet)
17. South Park
16. Doctor Who (I saw a few episodes of the Tom Baker version back in the early ’80’s)
15. Heroes
14. Firefly
13. Battlestar Galactica (I assume this is the new one. I actually did watch the original back in 1978 or whenever it was)
12. Family Guy (much to my regret…)
11. Seinfeld*
10. Spaced
09. The X-Files
08. The Wire
07. Friends #
06. 24
05. Lost* (but it doesn’t help – I’m STILL confused!)
04. The West Wing* # (except for the last 1-1/2 seasons)
03. The Sopranos*
02. Buffy the Vampire Slayer*
01. The Simpsons* # (I have seen a LOT of episodes over 18 seasons, especially since I have about half of them on DVD, but I’ve probably missed a few somewhere)
As I often do when it comes to pop-culture-related memes, I invited Tall Paul to play along with this one, and our lists don’t totally match up. Here’s his:
50.Quantum Leap
49. Prison Break
48. Veronica Mars
47. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
46. Sex & the City
45. Farscape
44. Cracker
43. Star Trek*
42. Only Fools and Horses
41. Band of Brothers
40. Life on Mars
39. Monty Python’s Flying Circus*
38. Curb Your Enthusiasm
37. Star Trek: The Next Generation*
36. Father Ted
35. Alias
34. Frasier
33. CSI: Las Vegas
32. Babylon 5
31. Deadwood
30. Dexter
29. ER
28. Fawlty Towers*
27. Six Feet Under
26. Red Dwarf
25. Futurama
24. Twin Peaks
23. The Office UK
22. The Shield
21. Angel
20. Blackadder
19. Scrubs
18. Arrested Development
17. South Park
16. Doctor Who
15. Heroes
14. Firefly
13. Battlestar Galactica
12. Family Guy
11. Seinfeld*
10. Spaced
09. The X-Files
08. The Wire
07. Friends
06. 24
05. Lost
04. The West Wing
03. The Sopranos
02. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
01. The Simpsons*
As noted, this list originates in the UK, so some of the shows included may not be familiar – and quite a few all-American classics, particularly comedies, are left out. After you’ve marked the list, add your own “5 Greatest TV Shows That Were Left Out of the 50 Greatest TV Shows.” Here are mine:
I Love Lucy
The Dick Van Dyke Show
M*A*S*H
The Cosby Show
Once and Again
Tall Paul’s additions to the list (numbered, but in no particular order):
1. Mystery Science Theater 3000
2. WKRP in Cincinnati
3. Mr. Bean
4. Get Smart
5. The Bob Newhart Show
Where do your all-time favorite shows rank on the list? Which ones are missing? Do you agree or disagree with the selections? Comment here, and if you post this yourself, come on back to let me know so I can check it out!
Instead of books you are going to poison our minds with TV? Awesome. I think I may end up posting this on my own. Too much to point out here. I haven heard of some of the UK shows like Father Ted. I really don’t think Prison Break should be on there, unless we are talking season one.
Your husband knows about Cinematic Titanic, right? It’s from Joel and the other MST3K guys. They have one movie out so far.
No Cheers? But Frasier is included. Also no Law & Order? The original, at least, please, and no Homicide: Life on the Street? I think I’m going to have be a conscientious objector on this one. 😉
What was interesting about this list is that there were so many shows I had never heard of.
Also interesting—that I had heard of so many of the shows! Also, watched.
But, “Once and Again”? That was a show?
Oh, wait. It may be British. Sounds British, now that I look at it again.
So, me and Gilda Radner say: “Never mind!”
Mike – I think Father Ted may have been shown on BBC America, but it’s definitely on DVD. I think it’s easier to appreciate if you’re familiar with Catholicism, but it’s very funny. It’s interesting, though, that it made this list while more familiar (in the USA) Britcoms like Absolutely Fabulous and Are You Being Served? didn’t.
JustAReadingFool – You know, I actually think Frasier was better than Cheers. ~ducks~ In any case, I can see why it might be more appealing to a British audience.
But I have to agree with you about Homicide and the original Law & Order, though.
Working Girl – Once and Again was a family drama about divorce and remarriage that aired during the time my first marriage was collapsing, and I wish it had lasted longer; it gave me hope that I might have my own “second act.”
I’m so glad someone besides me makes that particular Gilda Radner reference!
YAY FOR LUCY!
🙂
….carry on..
Krista – Sixty years later, and still funny…the definition of classic :-).
Hey,Florinda – I finally posted my own response to this meme: http://www.socalmom.net/travelblog/2008/06/monday-meme-50.html
I loved Once and Again too, but I also loved another show that debuted at the same time that was called Now and Again (which the old Trio network used to feature on its Brilliant but Canceled series).
Yes. I do watch too much TV.
Go check out Donna’s response to this meme at SoCal Mom!
Donna – I watched Now and Again a few times; as I recall, it had a pretty interesting premise. But I’m not sure it was a good idea audience-wise to bring on two very different shows with such similar titles at the same time. I still miss Once and Again, though.