[X-POSTED!] The JC's Top 100 TV Shows

All -

I figured this might be of some interest to people here, as we often talk about other influences on SW Lit in terms of TV shows/series and some of you may not delve into the JCC or Amphitheater:

So, those are the instructions. I encourage everyone to put Babylon 5 as #1 or I ban you! (Jedi Ben and Merk may be with me... )

Awesome! I have voted!

And yes, Babylon 5 might have figured somewhere very near the top of that list.

Ah, G'Kar and Londo. You killed me.

This was my list, BTW. People are posting theirs and discussing in both JCC and Amph:

1) Babylon 5

The greatest TV show ever made and, arguably, one of the most important in terms of structure, reach and concept.

2) V / V: The Last Battle (the two original mini-series)

Arguably single-handedly saved science-fiction on television when no one thought it could be done by averaging more viewers than anything else on television, other than the MASH finale.

3) The Twilight Zone

Far ahead of its time in lessons on morality, life, myth, fantasy, etc.

4) The Simpsons

Cartoons aren't just for children and daytime/afternoons any more? They can be biting satire and slapstick at the same time? Really? REALLY? REALLY?!?! Thank you, come again.

5) The Cosby Show

Ultimately, this show accomplished two key things which were thought of as impossible in television at the time: 1) portray a nearly entirely African-American cast as successful and non-zany and have it be accepted by the majority of white, middle-class, middle-country Americans and 2) portray any sort of normal, stable family life. Kudos.

6) Star Trek

A vision of the future that, while probably not realistic, is IDEALISTIC enough to make it worthwhile for us to try and get there.

7) The Prisoner

Yes, it's a precursor to Babylon 5 and Twin Peaks and showed it could be done on a small scale (a series as linear, non-miniseries, continuing plots) but ultimately too surreal and British to reach a mainstream audience. Still quite an influence (and referenced in the Simpsons FTW!).

8) Twin Peaks

Started the real trend which directly led to the creation of the shows like Northern Exposure, X-Files, Due South and allowed shows like Babylon 5 to even be considered by networks (even in syndications / PTEN). Quirky small towns, linear plotline, overarching storyline for at least a season, etc.

9) Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The beginning of the "girl power" trend with superior writing to just about everything on TV at the time and demons come to life quite literally. Sydney Bristow would not be kicking ass without Felicity's scribe learning a few things from Joss while they were at the same network...

10) Moonlighting

The greatest romantic comedy and romantic chemsitry ever to be captured on television.

Honorable Mentions:

- Veronica Mars
- Alias
- I Love Lucy
- The Texaco Star Theater
- The Price is Right
- Firefly
- Cupid
- Shogun / I, Claudius
- The Sopranos (would probably be #11 on my list)
- Gilmore Girls
- Happy Days

1) The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
- Seamlessly blending entertainment and education, the show could possibly be the harbinger to the great TV we see now. Its amazing production values and tech breakthroughs will also make this body timeless.

2) Star Trek
- Possibly the most thought-provoking science fiction ever made. Magical in its chemistry and iconic in its execution.

3) Smallville
- The ensemble cast works with possibly the best writing I've ever seen for the small screen. For five seasons, the intensity is kept as a boil, enhancing the pantheon of one of the greatest additions to modern mythology: Superman.

4) The Shield
- Michael Chiklis has molded Vick Mackey -- the most unique character ever brought to the small screen. Amazingly layered writing and driving action fuel this epic.

5) Stargate SG-1
- An amazing concept pays off through TEN seasons. Richard Dean Anderson leads an awesome cast in a show with great stand-alone episodes as well as an overall arc.

6) Battlestar Galactica (2004)
- Maybe sometimes too intense, but nonetheless effective. A purely cinematic, rich experience.

7) Firefly
- How Joss Whedon mixes extreme humor with drama so well is beyond me. Old-west expansion story with sci-fi archetypes has obviously been used, but it hasn't been mixed up like this -- brilliant.

8) Heroes
- It's like sequels to Unbreakable. Well-crafted, awe-inspiring entry to the superhero genre.

9) Star Trek: Enterprise
- The first two seasons were great, but when Manny Coto was brought in, this became incredible. Paying faithful homage to the original series by using topical elements, this is simply POWERFUL space opera. It's a shame it couldn't find a better home ... and fate.

10) Friday Night Lights
- On-point in its depiction of life in a big-time high-school football program (I played in one -- we're on USA Today's Top 25). But I can't imagine this not resonating with all people.

Honorable mention:
- Over There
- Boomtown
- Blade: The Series
- Space: Above and Beyond
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Deadwood

It's kinda disappointing to see no Doctor Who, Life On Mars, or Primeval here. Has that list gotta be North America exclusive?

Okay, since we're allowed to post - here's my list with - I hope - reasons. It's very personal and the fact that I probably watch the least TV of anyone I know means that I'm sure there are loads of other shows out there I'm missing that really oughta be in this list. But still, my biased attempt:

1. Babylon 5

Because it laid the way for so much. Even though I felt the fourth season rushed through a war that should have been more epic and the fifth was a little listless (and yes I know that there were external reasons for that), and even though the acting wasn't always incredible, what this show attempted was. Nothing had tried to do that before. And the unbelievable G'Kar and Londo relationship and the acting of the two actors portraying those characters is possibly the most complex, ugly, heartbreaking relationship I've seen on TV. We always hear stories of friendship that breaches unbreachable gaps. Here's a story about a gap that was too wide and too horrific to be breached. Because those really happen too.

2. Martian Successor Nadesico

Not including the sequel movie! Okay probably most people have never heard of this. It's a 24-episode anime series, and usually I'm not a huge anime fan. But this series blends humour and tragedy very well. It applies all of the cliches of anime with a wonderfully light touch and a surprising amount of self-consciousness. When it then starts getting all metafictiony and using the anime-show within the Nadesico-universe that all the characters are fans of, to both poke fun at the 1970s giant robot era, and also within the show to make contact and bridge cultural differences on the other side of the war (Look! We all love anime!) it's hilarious. And when it fails utterly and leads to a pointless, bloody assassination because all 1970s giant robot anime teaches you is that the good guys always win and nothing they do is evil and their enemies are always unjust, it's shockingly powerful.

3. Jim Henson's The Storyteller

Because it's perfect. I wouldn't change a thing except to make more. The Muppet Show very nearly made it up here, but I chose this instead because while it might not be as funny, it's more self-contained; more of a jewel waiting to be discovered.

4. Countdown with Keith Olbermann

I almost chose The Daily Show, but I went with Olbermann because his special comments are important, I think. Whatever one's political stance, passionate, well-reasoned, eloquent speeches are in short supply. I love the Daily Show for masking such important points with humour; I love Olbermann for taking himself so seriously. Because teh internets iz srius business, err, newscasting is serious business!

5. Heroes

It's hard to tell how high/low Heroes would end up rating on this chart because we've only had one season. And things can go horribly wrong after one season (like Angel). But it amazed me enough with that season that it's got a space here. I love it for taking its medium so seriously, for refusing to apologise for being a visual comic, and for, well, being filmed like a comic book. With the exception of Tim Burton's Batman films, I haven't seen a really good visual depiction of a comic book is a LONG time, and considering how ingrained in our pop culture both TV and comics are... Well, it's a first and it pulls it off, and that means it gets to be on my list.

6. Battlestar Galactica

The new one. It's probably my favourite show on TV right now. It would have a higher ranking because it really discusses some awesome points and has a bold approach to, well, I suppose we're back to not being shy or ashamed about what it is and just committing to the premise and the style. I do feel that in the second and third seasons the writing and tightness of the plot suffered as did some of their integrity when dealing with certain themes. So it's lost some of it's uberness. But it totally deserves to be here based on what it has achieved. I think much of my final opinion on it will depend on the endi

Here are my all time favorite shows:

The X-Files
This series was smart, funny, and interesting. It had memorable characters such as the Lone Gunmen, Skinner, and the Cigarette Smoking Man. Nevertheless, Mulder and Scully were the reason why this show was excellent. They are one of TV?s greatest duos. The gender role reversal (Mulder as an intuitive believer and Scully a scientific skeptic) was unconventional for television at the time, but was a masterstroke in characterization.

Friends
Love it or hate it, Friends was known for being consistently funny, which is something many sitcoms cannot claim. Phoebe, Chandler, Joey Monica, Ross and Rachel are characters with depth that provided laughs for a decade.

The Office (US version)
This was a show I resisted for a long time (Didn?t we learn anything from Coupling? Leave those British shows alone!), but it successfully ensnared me with its brilliance. Compelling storytelling combined with a talented ensemble cast provides numerous laughs and many memorable moments. It has Shrute Bucks and Stanley Nickels, the Dundies, and a Booze Cruise--and oh yeah, Michael Scott: America?s worst boss. It?s an excellent comedy, that?s hard to resist.

The Daily Show
This brilliant news satire has become a cultural touchstone in a country that has a not-so-reliable news media. With Faux News dominating cable news programming, Jon Stewart and his correspondents are needed to provide laughs in an increasingly absurd infotainment society. (Honorable mention to the Colbert Report).

The West Wing
During those first four seasons, Aaron Sorkin was the best writer in television. This show is intelligent, poignant, relevant, and surprisingly hilarious. It?s one of the most well made shows ever produced. Besides, Josh Lyman?s secret plan to fight inflation is one of the best things I?ve seen on T.V.

House
Dr. Gregory House has to be one of the best characters in television history. It was a bold move to make the protagonist of a primetime show so offensive, mean, and unlikable. Yet, at the end of the day, House is one of the most complicated and riveting characters on television.

The Simpsons
Back in its heyday, The Simpsons was a brilliant satire, and few cartoons or sitcoms have matched it in laughter.

Gilmore Girls
This underappreciated show has so much going for it. Characters with depth, witty repartee, solid acting, and compelling storytelling make this show worthwhile. The quirky townspeople of Stars Hallow, the Gilmore?s, and life at Chilton were like nothing else on television.

Heroes
Despite being part of the comic book genre, Heroes combines awesome characters with great storytelling. With sit-at-the-edge-of -your-seat episodic cliffhangers, it?s easy to be hooked very quickly to this show. It?s fun, it?s fast, it can?t be missed.

Malcolm in the Middle
This show helped comedies to return to the single camera and no laugh track format. The characters were hilarious and scene stealing. Malcolm?s dysfunctional family was one of the most memorable on television.

...what's with all of those (no message) messages? I don't actually recall posting either of those ones attributed to me on this thread which is a little worrying...

eta Thanks to Kyptastic for explaining, below

It's just a board error that happens from time to time. Freaked me out first time I saw it to. Just hit refresh and you should be fine (you may have to do it a couple of times).

And while I'm here, I'll post my list, sans comments.

1. South Park
2. Monty Python's Flying Circus
3. The Chaser's War on Everything
4. Top Gear
5. Simpsons
6. Seinfeld
7. Futurama
8. Scrubs
9. The Office (US)
10. Lost

Weirdly, I prefer comedic shows (and movies), but drama and tragedy filled books .

Alright then, here's mine:

1. Monty Python's Flying Circus

The obvious reasons. You can't find more sophisticated humor with that much substance anywhere.

2. Life On Mars

Mystery, humor, great cast of main characters (John Simm, Philip Glenister!) with some of the greatest lines in any media, and of course nifty whodunnit and non-textbook Police elements. Plus a great, gritty 70s style with a topnotch soundtrack. And that all in one show.

3. Doctor Who

The quality and awkwardness of the episodes may differ, but overall, it's one of the best British television. I can, unfortunately, only speak for the "modern" series from the 9th Doctor on, but the classic series can't be worse, and I really gotta watch it some day...

4. Stargate SG-1

Once again, the obvious reasons. Again, the quality of the episodes does differ, but RDA makes at least the first 8 seasons more than worth it. I have to admit, that with RDA's leave after the 8th season, my interest decreased a lot. The Ori didn't really strike me as very original, and the new cast couldn't quite replace O'Neill and Hammond. But some standalone episodes were killer nonetheless, and overall, it really earned its long running time with 10 seasons.

5. Stargate Atlantis

Something really fresh that replaced SG-1's 9th and 10th season for me. The cast is great, and the new possibilities the new galaxy offered have been used well, I think. The overall storyarc isn't that great, imho, but some episodes just make it more than worthwhile.

6. Firefly

While I still can't totally stand the western-style and music, as well as the Chinese elements, I really enjoyed the humor in the cast, especially Mal. It's a pity we probably won't see more of the Serenity's adventures.

7. Prison Break

Although filled with a bit of an cliffhanger-overkill, the first season was awesome. The overall second season really pales in comparison, but William Fichtner as the FBI manhunter with a shaded past, the Robert Knepper as the psycho murderer T-Bag you just can't wait to see kissing the dust, as well as Rockmond Dunbar as the "innocent man" dealing with family problems, made it at least a bit more interesting.

8. Primeval

We haven't seen much of it, yet, but it has great potential. It's what Torchwood hasn't managed to be, with cool characters and mature humor. Let's just bring on the second season.

9. Burn Notice

A spy series with a great cast, especially Bruce Campbell, hehehe... I really like it, mainly because of the way the story is told, with the main character giving witty comments all the time. Hope it stays that awesome.

10. Eureka

That's what I call original! It's damn hilarious and has neat characters, too. The tech-babble may be confusing sometimes, but in general, it's very entertaining, that series. I'm not sure where it's going, tho...

Honorable Mentions:

- The Kill Point
- The Unit
- Lost
- Farscape
- Ultimate Force

1. The Simpsons. This show is the culmination of 50 years of British comedy and American comedy stealing from Monty Python to The Flintstones. This is the only form of cartoon my father will watch. Like Lenny once said, "He's thinkin' what we're all sayin'" The Simpsons seems to sum up and satirize every bit of our silly trivial wonderfully annoying lives.

2. Monty Python's Flying Circus This show is without a doubt the most insane comedy of all time. Rarely does anything make sense or add up to anything. There is no trying to understand a scetch on this show. To question is to miss the point of it's insanity.

3. The Sopranos This is my favorite American television drama. I've never seen a show that appealed to so many for so many different reasons. The least educated can understand the show on the same level as any University professors. It may have been about the Mafia but no show has done better at showing the ambiguity of life in America. Even the bad guys wish their Mothers loved them more.

4 The Twilight Zone-This is my favorite show of all time. It is gorgeous to look at it's smoky black and white. Serling not only knew how to write an endless supply of amazing socially relevent sci fi stories but his dialog was crackling and smart as any you'll find.

6. Cracker- This British drama featuring Robbie Coltrane is the best cop show I ever saw and it's about a police psychologist. There are no better interrogation scenes on any show anywhere. And Coltrane's portrayal of Fitz is sexy despite his size, his gambling and drinking problem and his propensity to see and understand everyones motives but his own.

7.Star Trek TOS-I love the Original. I doubt I have to explain my reasons on this one here. Though the show or the idea of Starfleet is passe these days, I prefer the clear cut good and evil of the original show. And Bill Shatner is the only actor alive who is commended on his overacting. It's a show without many peers.

8. The Prisoner- Each script of this 17 episode series is amazing. Never do we learn who the lead character really is. Never do we learn why he quit being a spy and nothing and no amount of drugs are going to make him tell. Outstanding British series that REALLY should be made into a movie.

9 Cheers This show was to me, the last of the great situation comedies. There are fights between Sam and Diane that should win the Pulitzer. Alternately when Kirsty Ally nixed the Sam and Diane paradigm the writers succeeded for another 6 years to turn out primarily funny scripts.

10 China Beach Again this is a stunning drama about Vietnam as seen through a woman's perspective, Dana Delaney and Marge Helgenburger star in this fascinating and brilliantly moving drama that lasted only 3 seasons with little fanfare.

I forgot 5 so I'll say Twin Peaks This show had an amazing arc in the the Laura Palmer thing. An American show that wasn't meant to last 5 seasons and gave life in television to the kind of dream imagery we saw in Ally Mc Beal, Northern Exposure, and the Sopranos.

1.Buffy the Vampire Slayer
2. Lost
3. Angel
4. Heroes
5. Futurama
6. Supernatural
7. Family Guy
8. X-Files
9. South Park
10. Tales of the Gold Monkey (blast from the past but I still remember how good it was)

Upping with 10 days left!

Well okay, here's my list...

1: Arrested Development - 'You mean the guy we're meeting with, can't even grow his own hair?! COME ON!!!'

Absolutely flawless comedy that somehow didn't get the ratings it should have. Every single cast member was memorable (Well, cept maybe for Maeby) from George Micheal, the awkward teen who's in love with his cousin, to Tobias, a wannabe actor in major denial about his sexual preference. The show was casted brilliantly, the supporting cast and guest cameo's were always great (major props to Andy Ritcher and Liza Mineli) and most off all, it had me laughing out loud every single episode. Massive shame it only lasted 2 and a half seasons.

'Yeah, the guy wearing the $4,000 suit is holding the elevator for the guy who doesn't make that in four months. COME ON!!!'

2: The Office (US) - The first remake of a British television show that is not only as good as the original, it exceeds it. The first season of 6 episodes were a bit of a struggle, but at the start of the second season, it became its own show and IMHO, became far better than the original ever was.

3: Scrubs: Laugh out loud funny. Every single episode. Probably a more realistic medical show than anything else on TV too.

4: Star Trek DS9 - A more grittier and though it's kinda a strange thing to say, a more 'realer' Star Trek. The best show of the franchise. Also features the best character of the franchise too. (Garak)

5: Futurama - Another criminally underrated show by the networks. Has there been a funnier cartoon character than Bender? I don't think so.

6: Neon Genesis Evangleon - Where to start with this one? I've seen the entire series about a dozen times and I'm still not sure I entirely get all of it. But I still love it. Easily the deepest and mind kriffing anime show I've seen. And the Eva/Angel fights were beastly too.

7: Stargate SG1 - I've always had a passing interest in the show, especially since my best mate is absolutely crazy about the show. But I have to say, and this maybe a form of blasphemy for hardcore SG1 fans, I thought the show really went up a notch when RDA left the show and a newer cast was in place and I got way more into it. And I like the Ori more than previous villains!

8: The Family Guy - Hmm...I said up there "Has there been a funnier cartoon character than Bender?". Well, Peter Griffen comes in a very close 2nd. Very close.

9: Star Trek TNG - This is the show that got me into Sci Fi. Picard. Data. Worf. The Borg. Q. Absolutely love it.

10: Bersek - A friend gave me the box set of DVD's to take a look at and after a few episodes, I was hooked. Seemed to me like a more violent Final Fantasy on celluloid. And then the final 2 episodes happened that left me saying 'What the Kriff!' over and over. Somehow it turned from a fantasy type genre show into a demon/horror show with monster rape included! To say I was confused was an understatement. But it left me wanting more. (More of Guts story...not the monster rape) I'm really gunna have to get the Darkhorse comics to see what the hell happened after that.



Incidently, can somebody link me to the Top 100 books that was done on here recently? I never got to see the list.

It's probably still near the top in the Amphitheater forum, so shouldn't be too hard to find.

And Garak kicked ass for the L-rd, I agree!

Here are some of my favorites. I sent ten, but these are the ones that we're really good. In no particular order:

Heroes:

Though only one season has been aired, already it's a smash hit. They never slow down the pace, keeping you hooked. The surprises keep coming. And the battle royale in the finale was awesome. All of the characters are really well written, whether you like them or not, especially the psychologically conflicted super-strong Niki Sanders.

Alias:

While most of the last two seasons were subpar due to JJ Abrams's near-abandonment of the show, this is a cult classic. From day one, where Syd finds out the truth about SD-6, you're hooked. They keep hitting you with cliffhangers throughout the series. With such reveals as "Laura Bristow" as a KGB spy, Sydney discovering her face in Rambaldi's prophecy, Irina as the Man, Sloane eliminating the Alliance and pretending his wife is dead, Irina in league with Sloane, Sydney going missing for two years, Lauren being a double agent, Sydney finding out about her sister, Sofia as Elena, Irina returning, Vaughn being "killed," Irina torturing Syd, Sloane killing Nadia, and everything else (notice the abundance of Irina with these surprises ), they kept up the surprises. While as I stated before mostof the fourth season and the first half of the fifth season had no tying element like Rambaldi or the threat of SD-6, the final episodes of the series were much better. While the finale wasn't the most desirable outcome, it was old school Alias, no argument.

3.) Scrubs
The jokes never get old. It's simply hilarious.

4.) Friends
As someone else said, it's a classic of modern culture, and with the exception of the seventh season, the show was "consistently funny."

Regarding the Alias finale, it reaffirmed one simple truth in all of television-land: do NOT **** with Jack Bristow.

Oh god, I can't believe I forgot the Chasers! I feel very Un-Australian right about now!

Quick! Go Tell Today Tongight

No way. I'm exclusively signed with A Current Affair to tell my story.

1. South Park
2. Futurama
3. Simpsons
4. Family Guy
5. King of the Hill
6. Corner Gas
7. Lost
8. Malcolm in the Middle
9. The Daily Show
10. Scrubs

Voting ends next monday.

My top 10 are.

1) Babylon 5 - The best show ever if you forget series 5. G'Kar and Londo the best 2 TV characters ever. They made me laugh and cry. Their scenes were show stealers every time. The whole mythical stuff got me as well. I did think the end of the Shadow war was a bit of a let down.

2) Dr Who (new)- I was a bit ho-hum about the good Doctor until the new series came out. Now I can't get enough of it. The final two eps of series 3 are brilliant. The BBC went Doctor Who mad even giving fictional PM Harry Saxon his own website. The 2 musical bits were very funny and you have got to love a PM who slaughters British Chavs wholesale.

3) Nevermind the Buzzcocks - A comedy panel show about music. Very funny unless you're a Spice Girl, Elton John, Chris de Burgh, Robbie Williams or a member of Boyzone.

4) The Amazing Race.
5) Deadliest Catch.
6) Battlestar (new).
7) Stargate Atlantis. 2 words Rodney and Mckay.
8) SG-1.
9) Spaced.
10) Futurama.