London Times List of 50 Best Recent American TV Shows: 1. "The Wire"

By Daniel Bettridge

"We used to be good at television didn?t we? Hands up those who remember the Pythons, Potter and Bleasedale. Sadly, those halcyon days are long gone. Instead, this is a golden age for small screen entertainment from across the pond, with magic US geese laying series after series of brilliant television.

The quality of entertainment arriving over the Atlantic is so good viewers are taking television seriously again. Every wave of imports slowly washes away the endless slurry of reality nonsense from our screens, and the idiot box takes us into a world of intelligent, complex drama.

And we can?t get enough. Digital schedules groan under the weight of new American programming, while shows such as The Wire, Mad Men and The Sopranos have found a dedicated following online and via DVD sales.

With so many quality imports competing for attention, we've picked our 50 best US television shows of recent years to feed your episodic addiction.

50. Reaper

A fine example of slacker comedy with a hint of Ghostbusters and a little bit of Kevin Smith thrown in for good measure."

 

"Reaper" is a case of a great show being on the completely WRONG network. The direction that the CW is headed in with all these teeny-bopper high school shows...Reaper just doesn't fit into that demographic at all.

It's too bad cause i think it's easily the funniest thing on tv currently.

 

It's certainly in the wrong time slot.

49. The Office

"They took our show, changed it, and now they?re selling it back to us. To be honest, it?s a different beast entirely, but laugh out loud funny."

 

It's interesting that they are admitting that the American version is good, given their ownership of the even better original. But they're right; it is entirely different and not nearly as great as the Brit original, but it is very, very funny.

 

First off I'm a little surprised to hear the Brits claiming that America is producing something that is lifting them out of a the cultural pit that is their television currently. It's true that America has some amazingly brilliant and quality TV shows now. I'm just surprised to hear the UK admit it

Ok, really The Office belongs on any list of top recent American shows. But it's still a big thing for Brits to put it in there. It really is a very different show, which is nice because then I don't really have to compare them and I can love them both. Because when they were inviting comparison (American first season), they failed miserably. So glad they went their own way.

-sj loves kevin spacey

 

I've always liked the American Office (well, ignoring that first "season"), and really come to love it in rewatching 2-4 on DVD and 5 as it's aired this year.

My question is where they're going to come up with 48 recent American shows better than this??

 

I think this show should definitely be higher. But give them a break, they have reason not to like it IMHO, I don't think there are 48 shows better than this. I mean, if you assumed an even split, say then there are 25 comedies... no, there aren't 23 recent American comedies better than this. It's not the absolutely tip top best, but it's pretty damn close. Some seasons it definitely has been the best.

-sj loves kevin spacey

 

Well, needless to say after looking over this list, I rather agree with their number one show.

 

48. The Mentalist

"I suspect Derren Brown is the second coming of Christ - if he turns water into wine at the next Channel 4 Christmas party I?m off to join his flock.

But surely he should be using his Jedi mind tricks for more than bewildering the masses. With great power comes great responsibility. Shouldn't Brown be campaigning for world peace, smoothing proceedings at the G20 or supporting Madge's latest adoption attempt? He could even help the police, exactly the premise behind this surprisingly decent hit US crime show."

 

Gee, I wonder what it is.

 

They have a different version over there.
[image=http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/1710/mentalst.jpg]
"No way, you big spastic, you're a mentalist!"

 

The Mentalist is the first really great new television show I've seen in years. This is one for the ages.

 

The Mentalist is one of those shows I hope to "get to watching" this summer.

 

47. Desperate Housewives

"I?d personally rather smother my face in road kill than watch this dross. But having surpassed its 100th episode I begrudgingly admit Desperate Housewives makes the grade? just."

 

46. Californication

"The show?s title says it all really as it?s set in the Sunshine State and David Duchovny shags pretty much anything that moves in an attempt to shake off Mulder's shackles. Beyond the filth (the show was received with outrage by some), it?s funny stuff with a superb performance from Mr X-Files himself."

 

Duchovney's great as always and there's plenty of gratuitous nudity. What more do you want?

 

45. Family Guy

"The jokes are as tired as your granny after a particularly gruelling round of Bingo; but Seth MacFarlane?s pop-culture fuelled, low-brow animation has gained a cult following in UK, where DVD sales alone resurrected it from the network graveyard."

 

I'm a huge Family Guy fan, and The Mentalist is pretty good, although I'm a couple of episodes behind.

 

"I'm afraid you're in a no-fly zone."

 

There it is.

 

******* no.

**** this list/

 

44. How I Met Your Mother

"A personal favourite, the show doesn?t break any boundaries but sees Neil Patrick Harris, better known as Doogie Howser MD, on fine form."

 

"Family Guy" is okay for maybe a couple episodes until you realize it's the same dumb joke over and over - provided there's actually a joke and not just a reference.

"How I Met Your Mother" has actual characters going for it. It works best when you've seen it all the way through. It's probably the most self-referential show on TV since Arrested Development.

 

I agree re "Family Guy"...there's one good joke in a barge-load of dross.

 

43. Jericho

"Commissioned in the post-Lost euphoria for all things serialised and kooky, this apocalyptic drama about a small Kansas town cut off from society after witnessing a series of nuclear explosions was a fan favourite. A viewer led campaign convinced execs to commission a second season."