# ...and the best TV show in the history of the universe is: **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583 "2011-07-02T00:28:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/41 "2011-07-02T06:49:57Z")
[Electra Woman & Dyna Girl](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqB36FsglEE)! ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/42 "2011-07-02T07:27:33Z")
So no _ **Blackadder** _, huh? I henceforth declare this whole list invalid. Everybody go home. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/43 "2011-07-02T07:44:18Z")
…Fringe? ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/44 "2011-07-02T09:37:04Z")
I gave my vote to The Wire since The Shield wasn’t on there (“Other” is for losers). ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/45 "2011-07-02T10:21:07Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > I just finished season 2 of The Wire ten minutes ago and I’m voting for it. This is creepy. I think you are me. I just finished Season 2 before posting the poll. It was during the final episode of Season 2 that I said to myself, “Fuckin’ A” (or words to that effect). mmm ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/46 "2011-07-02T10:30:37Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > I had to vote “other” because Babylon 5 was not in the list. I agree with this statement wholeheartedly. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/47 "2011-07-02T13:03:23Z")
All those choices and you left out _The Brady Bunch_? Just kidding. I voted Seinfeld. Sue me ---
**Author:** ![mambocrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@mambocrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mambocrow)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/48 "2011-07-02T13:15:23Z")
Other - Playhouse 90 [Playhouse 90 (TV Series 1956–1961) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048893/) (aired in the 1950s on CBS). My all time favorite show was “The Secret Life of Machines”, but I couldn’t call it the best show ever. ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/49 "2011-07-02T14:04:50Z")
Sanford and Son. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/50 "2011-07-02T14:08:18Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > This is creepy. I think you are me. I just finished Season 2 before posting the poll. It was during the final episode of Season 2 that I said to myself, “Fuckin’ A” (or words to that effect). > mmm It was the one before that that got me. Felt like a Greek tragedy. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/51 "2011-07-02T14:10:03Z")
Other: _The Shield_ gave us 7 seasons of consistently high quality writing and acting. By word-of-mouth alone, _The Wire_ is better, but I haven’t seen _The Wire_. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/52 "2011-07-02T14:22:47Z")
Hmmmm, that list looks strangely familiar. 😃 _The Wire_ for me. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/53 "2011-07-02T16:07:00Z")
Well, I voted for _All in the Family_, because it changed the template of what issues television could address on the air. It was groundbreaking, and it’s still uproarious today. What’s with the (2005) behind _Doctor Who_ with no separate entry for the original _Doctor Who_? Those first twenty-five freakin’ years don’t count? It was a damn fine show back in the day. Putting that (2005) and saying we’re voting for the best show in history is a slap in the face to all us long time Whoites! Shame on you! As for shows that didn’t make the cut, I would vote honorable mention to _Roots_, _Barney Miller_, _The Beverly Hillbillies_, _Gunsmoke_, _Bonanza_, _The Untouchables_, _The Carol Burnett Show_, _Your Show of Shows_, _Ernie Kovacs_, _The Phil Silvers Show_ and probably others that I will regret not mentioning. Your poll is biased towards programs from the last two decades. I mean, 29 out of 63 are from post-1990. That’s nearly a third. If you want to consider this “the best in history,” you must consider television goes all the way back to the 1940’s. Even earlier if you count that Three Stooges short _A-Plumbing We Will Go_, where the Stooges fix it so that water comes pouring out of a rich lady’s new television set. That’s the Stooges other “Niagara Falls” bit. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/54 "2011-07-02T16:15:03Z")
(We really enjoyed Lexx! I mean, we looked forward to it every week a whole lot more than any ordinary show, it got more outrageous all the time .) NYPD Blue? ER? Northern Exposure? Dream On? House? Days and Nights of Molly Dodd? Lost? Star Trek? I’ll take those in re-runs forever, please. Add Married With Children, Roseanne, and maybe Dirty Jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/55 "2011-07-02T16:18:03Z")
The Simpsons. But any list of great shows that doesn’t include The Golden Girls is a list that I can’t get behind. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/56 "2011-07-02T16:50:54Z")
Johnny Carson. There is no question. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/57 "2011-07-02T17:01:50Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > What’s with the (2005) behind _Doctor Who_ with no separate entry for the original _Doctor Who_? Those first twenty-five freakin’ years don’t count? It was a damn fine show back in the day. Putting that (2005) and saying we’re voting for the best show in history is a slap in the face to all us long time Whoites! Shame on you! > > As for shows that didn’t make the cut, I would vote honorable mention to _Roots_, _Barney Miller_, _The Beverly Hillbillies_, _Gunsmoke_, _Bonanza_, _The Untouchables_, _The Carol Burnett Show_, _Your Show of Shows_, _Ernie Kovacs_, _The Phil Silvers Show_ and probably others that I will regret not mentioning. > > Your poll is biased towards programs from the last two decades. I mean, 29 out of 63 are from post-1990. That’s nearly a third. If you want to consider this “the best in history,” you must consider television goes all the way back to the 1940’s. Even earlier if you count that Three Stooges short _A-Plumbing We Will Go_, where the Stooges fix it so that water comes pouring out of a rich lady’s new television set. That’s the Stooges other “Niagara Falls” bit. Dr. Who - I am not at all familiar with the show, in fact, I’ve seen it mentioned only 'round these parts. I thought I was including what was considered its major contender. Sorry 'bout that. The Stooges? Really? Barney Miller - one of my favorite shows, and the one I most regret missing for the poll. > [@salinqmind](#): > > (We really enjoyed Lexx! I mean, we looked forward to it every week a whole lot more than any ordinary show, it got more outrageous all the time .) > > NYPD Blue? > ER? > Northern Exposure? > Dream On? > House? > Days and Nights of Molly Dodd? > Lost? > Star Trek? > > I’ll take those in re-runs forever, please. Add Married With Children, Roseanne, and maybe Dirty Jobs. erm, 25% of those you questioned are actually in the poll. You did look at the poll, right? ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/58 "2011-07-02T17:38:22Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > The Stooges? Really? No, not really, because the Stooges primarily were in movie shorts, and these are television shows we’re talking about. Although if it weren’t for television, the Three Stooges would be far less known. And just for the record, I think the Stooges merit an honored place in the pantheon of comedy. So there. I just mentioned them to illustrate that the concept of television goes back a long ways. ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/59 "2011-07-02T18:51:35Z")
I think shows that have a short run are at a slight advantage, because they didn’t have the chance to run out of ideas or simply become weak. If this poll was 12 years ago I think the Simpsons would have easily gotten my vote. But you can’t completely ignore 12 seasons of mediocrity because there were also 12 seasons of awesomeness. I feel similarly about the Sopranos and the Shield. If both those shows had ended after the second season I would have thought they were 2 of the best shows ever. But both shows had subsequent seasons that were of considerably lower quality than their first 2 seasons, which lowers them a lot in my personal rankings. Would someone mind explaining why The Wire is so great? I watched several episodes thinking it would be the type of show I liked and it completely failed to hold my interest. I don’t recall anything particularly bad about it, other than that some of the characters and plot lines were a tiny bit cliche, but I certainly don’t recall anything good about it either. ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583/60 "2011-07-02T19:04:24Z")
Oh I forgot to mention, no love for Futurama? That’s probably my second favorite show. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-best-tv-show-in-the-history-of-the-universe-is/587583.md?page=4)