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General Discussion => The Speakeasy: OOG/Off-topic Discussion => Topic started by: Valdezi on 20 Oct 2010, 00:45
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I love pop culture, it is true. I love music, television shows (on DVD) and film.
With my friends and family, I often discuss these things via email and make lists. Famous former lists of mine include: Best Movie Every Year You Have Lived (1982 - The Wrath of Khan), Best Album Every Year You Have Lived (I'm just glad I hadn't been born yet in 1966 - The decision would have killed me) and Top Ten Albums of the Noughties (Sufjan Stevens - Illinois - makes No. 1).
I thought, why not share this process with people I sorta know fakely and occasionally respect?
So here is my next famous list:
ALL TIME, TOP 5 TV SHOWS
Now if you’d asked me this ten years ago, I’d have said the greatest TV shows ever are MASH, Buffy and Quantum Leap, but so much has happened since then.
For the criteria, I tried to ensure:
1) Not all shows can be from HBO.
2) Not all shows can be from the Noughties (GOLDEN AGE OF TV)
3) Try to embrace a mix of genres (ie. Drama, Comedy, Sci Fi)
So here they are:
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5) Star Trek – Often called TOS by people who want to differentiate between this and other shit Star Trek, this show makes my top 5 and pips Battlestar Galactica (the new one) for the Sci-Fi spot.
Now this show is rather plotless, it’s a week-by-week business, which is fairly standard for the period. And the special effects are hokey, to say the least. And the aliens are often stupid.
But this show wins, because it has the greatest characters ever. The interplay between Kirk, Spock and McCoy, which is the basis of the whole show and every Star Trek movie that counts, is so transixing, that we forget that the show itself isn’t really that good. There’s a reason these characters became phenomenons.
The other Star Trek shows will have apologists, and that’s cool. But for me, the characters in Next Gen or whatever could never hold a character to these and never will. I can’t care about Data like Spock, and if Data sacrificed himself tragically for his crew, I would probably care so little I would almost pass out (This is probably a bad example – Data being a robot and all.
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1) The West Wing
2) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
3) Ghost in the Shell Standalone Complex, either season
4) Cowboy Bebop
5) Possibly Doctor Who
In no particular order.
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4) Deadwood – Once, the western owned TV screens. This show came on in a time that this was no longer true. However, Deadwood is awesome. Aside from a brief lull in the middle of the second season that I didn’t really dig, the whole show kept me rapt.
The characters again are awesome – Al Swearengen is the obvious, showy character and his relationship with temperamental sheriff Bullock the centrepiece of the show, but the creators draw such a broad palette of the American frontier, without any apologism.
The third season is frankly amazing, and I don’t want to spoil it, but many hated the ending. I will say no more.
3) Buffy/Angel – Still makes it, even if I haven’t watched it in years. The second season of Buffy is still one of the best seasons of Television I’ve ever seen and this was one of the first shows I ever saw to take a more epic story structure that was built over the course of one or several seasons, rather than it being monster of the week.
Yes, the sixth and seventh seasons blowed, but by then Angel (The terrible fourth season aside) was awesome.
For me, the first show of the GOLDEN AGE.
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2) Arrested Development – The funniest, most misunderstood show, ever.
That is all
1) The Wire – The TV show as a novel, as an epic deconstruction of everything that is wrong with a city, from the streets to the ports, to the politics, to the schools, to the media.
With a broad, far reaching plot and some of the most memorable characters ever: Yes, there was the showy Omar, but also the understated and awesome Lester Freamon, my favourite character. If you haven’t seen The Wire, do. That’s all I can say. It is the greatest TV show ever made.
So please, as Ashar has done, post your own lists, or tell me why I'm right, or why you're wrong. ;)
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Oh, yeah, just remembered:
Honourable mentions:
Rome, Battlestar Galactica, Freaks and Geeks, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, among others.
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5) NCIS
4) Law and Order: Particularly SVU
3) Buffy/Angel
2) Star Trek: Particularly Voyager
1) Dr. Who/Torchwood
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1) Scifi: Deep Space Nine. It is, IMO, the best Trek.
2)Dramedy: Buffy/Angel. I'd list them separately, but it wouldn't be fair to the rest of TV.
3)Animated: Avatar the Last Airbender. Seriously, it is the best kids show I've ever seen, with excellent animation, strong writing and characterization and loving fidelity to martial arts forms to rival the best wuxia.
4)More Sci-fi: Babylon Five. You've seen my first nomination, this one should come as no surprise.
5) More Dramedy?: Dead Like Me. It pleases me, plus it's theme song is teh neat.
Close Contenders: Deadwood, Gargoyles, Firefly and Kings (both too short to tell), Arrested Development.
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OK, I don't think I'm gonna win any friends with my list - maybe some enemies - but here goes:
1. Magnum PI: Magnum freakin' Pee Eye!!! Yes, in-game, the toon "ThomasMagnum PI" is one of my alts.
2. Dexter, seasons 1 and 2 only: That show had me gasping and cringing more than anything else I've ever watched.
3. Walker: Texas Ranger. I'm sorry. I'm so very, very sorry. But the episode with the psychic kid kills me every time (I'm listing his under comedy).
4. Monkey: It's just pure awesome. For those of you that don't know what it is, I strongly advise you spend an hour or two on youtube ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_(TV_series) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_(TV_series)) )
5. The Simpsons: I know it's trite, and gauche, and has well and truly jumped the shark, but it still has the perfect quote for any occasion. I just can't go past it.
Oh, and since Mammal started this, here's a special bonus one for the Australians:
Frontline: hilarious stuff... it really is. The toff, elitist, wanker in me loves it.
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1) Veronica Mars
2) Cowboy Bebop
3) Firefly
4) Six Feet Under
5) Frisky Dingo
Honorable Mentions: Lost, Boardwalk Empire (early, but it's SO GOOD), The Tudors (for over-sexualized luls)
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1. Lost, before it went all confusing after season 4. After spending almost all of the first season trying to enter the hatch, this happens (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_5ZQW0BCFU). M. Night Shyamalan, be jealous.
2. The Office
3. Futurama
4. Boardwalk Empire (best new show ftw)
5. Arrested Development
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I don't watch much TV these days, but when I do it's usually something on Discovery or The Learning Channel. However, when I was a kid there were shows that I did not miss. They were:
1. The Dukes of Hazzard
2. The A-Team
3. The Incredible Hulk
4. Star Trek: TOS (The original run was before my time, but it showed on Friday nights in syndication when I was in junior high.)
5. Thundarr The Barbarian
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1. Spartacus
2. Rome
3. Star Trek (the original series)
4. Monkey
5. Shameless
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Im my humble opinion
1.) Arrested Development -- if you dont agree, you havent watched it yet
2.) The Wire
3.) Battlestar Galatica (new series)
4.) Law and Order: it keeps going and going and going....and who doesnt love that sound (du duh!)
5.) The Simpsons (first decade or so)
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Does Firefly count? :P
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Oh, fuck, forgot about Firefly and Wonderfalls. Blast.
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Firefly, Fringe, Stargate, How I Met Your Mother, Supernatural.
They change with time and seasons, sometimes I love stuff like Weeds, Mad Men, Castle, House, True Blood, V. But sometimes its something else.
Avatar was probably the best anime/animation series that I have come across because it actually had a start and an ending, and the whole series was about that story. Not your basic anime bullshittery where after the first 8-12 episodes it goes completely mindnumbingly crazy.
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@ Esna, yes Firefly counts.
@ lallara zhuul. Watch anime from Japan, not the stuff that blows up on American shores, its all chopped up. If you are okay with subs, you can usually find lots of fan-subs online. If you like Avatar, you'll probably find something similar. Sorry, Anime fan rant over.
And off the top of my head:
Firefly, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Battlestar Galactica (new one), Dr. Who (old, 8th doctor for the win), Macross: Frontier
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My top 5:
1) Yes, Minister (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_Minister)
2) Blackadder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackadder)
3) Peep Show (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peep_Show_(TV_series))
4) Mock the Week (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mock_the_week) (Tied with QI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QI))
5) Would I Lie to You? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Would_I_Lie_To_You%3F_(TV_series))
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Someone mentioned Frisky Dingo. It is most awesome too.
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Someone mentioned Frisky Dingo. It is most awesome too.
B-B-BOOSH! How they fit so many gags into ten minutes of television, I'll never have the pleasure of knowing.
And I forgot to add Avatar and Last Exile to my list of almost-there's. While I'm not a huge fan of Japanese animation, or work inspired by it, there are a few examples which amaze me.
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So much awesomeness that I forgot. Especially: The Mighty Boosh, Yes Minister (good call scagga, one of my most quoted TV shows ever) and Firefly.
I actually work some Yes Minister stuff into my rp from time to time, because I love the show so much.
And, yes, Frontline is amazing satire, as is The Hollowmen.
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Forgot The Fast Show, Spaced, Red Dwarf, Earth 2 and Azumanga Daioh.
@Saikoyu: I do watch Japanese anime (is there such thing as non-japanese anime, because if it would not be japanese would it be anime? anyhoos.) It's quite common among those shows that after 8-12 episodes the original storyline disappears and is replaced some obscure pseudo psychological wankery or turns into fight scenes that last for three episodes.
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I don't think this is an easy set to come up with, because I can love a series today, but when I next watch it ten years from now I'll think it's crap, having aged gracelessly and been topped by other series.
Series which I liked, but wouldn't like to re-watch:
1) Twin Peaks. I loved this when it came out. Among the first series which totally hooked me in.
2) Star Trek: TNG. I liked it, but only because it was the only sci-fi out there at the time. I think it's shit now.
3) Babylon 5. Loved it, with its sprawling plot arc, but wouldn't waste my time with it now.
4) OZ.
5) X-Files. I put this grudgingly here, because I hate it now, but I watched it then and I was pretty riveted back in the day. It started a trend which brought a lot of shows dealing with supernatural premises to tv screens, so it played a positive part in tv history.
Other winning series:
1) BSG. The new show. Probably the best show ever.
2) Aeon Flux. I couldn't heap enough praise on this thing.
3) Star Trek: TOS. If you get past the camp, you can see that this series already pretty much did everything all sci-fi has ever done afterwards.
4) Deadwood.
5) Miami Vice.
Some other and more recent honorable mentions:
Carnivale, Sopranos, Jericho, Rome (first season only), Generation Kill, True Blood, Entourage, Top Gear.
On a contrary note, I find Stargate in its various incarnations offensively terrible (except the movie).
Right now, I'm not actively watching any series, but I should probably catch up on True Blood and the new Boardwalk Empire certainly has my interest.
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should probably catch up on True Blood
Just finished watching it all last night. Good series but have you checked out Vampire Diaries? Much better imo.
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@Saikoyu: I do watch Japanese anime (is there such thing as non-japanese anime, because if it would not be japanese would it be anime? anyhoos.) It's quite common among those shows that after 8-12 episodes the original storyline disappears and is replaced some obscure pseudo psychological wankery or turns into fight scenes that last for three episodes.
Well, you could argue that Avatar is non-Japanese anime, but I'm veering off topic. And what I meant is watch the stuff that doesn't get to America, but I was assuming you're in America, and don't already watch that stuff. So, probably my definition of pseudo psychological wankery is different from yours.
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1) The Office (US)
2) Doctor Who (including some of the classic stories*)
3) Arrested Development
4) Firefly
5) Cowboy Bebop
All five shows were/are immensely enjoyable to me through their entire runs and I can happily sit down and watch any episode from any point and still be thoroughly entertained. #3 and #4 died too soon.
*which should keep my list within the rules
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should probably catch up on True Blood
Just finished watching it all last night. Good series but have you checked out Vampire Diaries? Much better imo.
You have got to be kidding me, but no - I haven't checked it out.
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should probably catch up on True Blood
Just finished watching it all last night. Good series but have you checked out Vampire Diaries? Much better imo.
You have got to be kidding me, but no - I haven't checked it out.
Vampire Diaries?
Watched two episodes.
The fact that close to thirty year olds were pretending to be high schoolers and were actually having the hots to the teenagers, was fucking creepy. It was like the dirty old man pedo paradise the whole series.
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imph, difficult one...
1. farscape
2. battlestar galactica
3. cowboy bebop
4. six feet under
uh...
5. the sopranos/the closer/house/buffy/veronica mars/american gothic
;.;
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1. TNG
2. BSG
3. Are you being served?
4. Heros, but only season one.
5. Stargate Universe
Other awesome shows:
- Bones
- House
- Life
- Castle
- Cowboy Beebop
- Voltron
- Thundercats
- Human Target, because it's so horrible it's good.
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- Human Target, because it's so horrible it's good.
This comment just reminded me: lately, I've been really enjoying Burn Notice.
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The majority of you don't expand from your simplistic sci-fi shows. Try watching a drama, or a police procedural, or even a comedy. Futurama is some of the wittiest humor that combines low brow and high brow with science tie ins that physics Ph.D's and blue collar workers would get. Also, the Office = Best.
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The Sci-Fi comedy futurama is good for a chuckle, but doesn't belong in my top five or even in my honorable mention list. The Simpsons (sans the last five years), Kind of the Hill, and even Family guy would rate higher. Also, I'll watch the occasional episode of the office but I can’t seem to really get into it like everyone else. If you are looking for real humor I’d suggest Are You Being Served or 'Allo 'Allo! British humor is the best humor.
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The majority of you don't expand from your simplistic sci-fi shows. Try watching a drama, or a police procedural, or even a comedy. Futurama is some of the wittiest humor that combines low brow and high brow with science tie ins that physics Ph.D's and blue collar workers would get. Also, the Office = Best.
Futurama is solid. I've watched a lot more tv than what made it into my top five list. Like, chill, man :)
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British humor is the best humor.
/signed
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do documentaries count?
we don't really watch a lot of tv
assuming they do, and other things, then in no particular order
Ken Burns Civil War
Days of our Lives
Almost anything with David Attenborough in it
Almost anything with Michael Palin in it
Police Squad
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TOP GEAR!
Mix of comedy and serious business car stuff.
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Y'alls don't watch NEARLY enough Sorkin.
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For me at the moment
1. Supernatural
2. Twin Peaks
3. American Gothic
4. The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.
5. Gundam 00
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In terms of the excitement I felt when first watching them:
The Sopranos
The Morecambe and Wise Show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP8TUe993uo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP8TUe993uo)
V (the original 1980s miniseries)
Star Trek (both TOS and TNG)
Doctor Who (Tom Baker era)
As you can probably guess, I got more excited about TV when I was a kid ;)
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TOP GEAR!
Mix of comedy and serious business car stuff.
Vlad, you get insta +100 cool points for being the first one to actually mention the single most awesome program on television to date.
And yes, it pips anything else ever created because the sheer amount of win produced just gets better each season, and for christs sake the show has been going for nearly 30-40 years!
Also, recently I would say as well.
- Lie to Me
- Doctor Who
- The Gruen Transfer (Aus only, poor sods)
- Good News Weel (Again Aus only, poor sods :P)
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TOP GEAR!
Mix of comedy and serious business car stuff.
Vlad, you get insta +100 cool points for being the first one to actually mention the single most awesome program on television to date.
And yes, it pips anything else ever created because the sheer amount of win produced just gets better each season, and for christs sake the show has been going for nearly 30-40 years!
Also, recently I would say as well.
- Lie to Me
- Doctor Who
- The Gruen Transfer (Aus only, poor sods)
- Good News Weel (Again Aus only, poor sods :P)
Yeah & BBC finally got off their asses and are the showing the uncut episodes in the US (run time is 1 hr 20 mins to give them 20 minutes of commercials)
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I'd like to give a special shout out to The Pretender. Had nearly forgotten about it until recently started skimming through my series folders and decided to watch it over again when I saw it.
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I'd like to give a special shout out to The Pretender. Had nearly forgotten about it until recently started skimming through my series folders and decided to watch it over again when I saw it.
DK: "Are you a capsuleer?"
Jarod: "I am today."
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I'd like to give a special shout out to The Pretender. Had nearly forgotten about it until recently started skimming through my series folders and decided to watch it over again when I saw it.
DK: "Are you a capsuleer?"
Jarod: "I am today."
:lol: :lol: :lol: 8)
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There's only one thing left to do (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWq56gcbOi8) with Star Trek TNG.
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The West Wing
Babylon 5
Rome
Firefly
Yes, Minister
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There's only one thing left to do (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWq56gcbOi8) with Star Trek TNG.
(http://media.fukung.net/images/29778/b35854d2f12c48e80d47487bc82ff1c2.gif)