# Is there any TV SHOW that we ALL would agree is good (if not great)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [January 13, 2026, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628 "2026-01-13T02:53:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**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:** [January 14, 2026, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/81 "2026-01-14T14:13:19Z")
I’m not familiar with that show. mmm ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/82 "2026-01-14T14:25:15Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > They analyze and enhance the footage of the runner’s feet. Was he out of bounds? Let’s use advance tech to create this 3-D reconstruction that we can rotate and view from all angles. Look, you can see the blade of grass move! Conclusive proof! Isn’t that already the way they use VAR to call offside in soccer? ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/83 "2026-01-14T15:07:22Z")
All the answers so far seem to be examples of shows the poster liked (and perhaps thought had a wide appeal)? I think the strict response to the ‘ALL agree’ OP simply has to be: No. For example, I hate the Simpsons artwork… some people like it, I guess… ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/84 "2026-01-20T23:26:51Z")
[POLL: What TV show(s) would you say you dislike (thumbs-down)?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polls-only-no-discussion/953642/6514) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/85 "2026-01-21T00:13:23Z")
Many series that were good and/or great have already been listed above. But for the greatest of all time, regardless of genre, I nominate Jakob Bronowski’s _ **The Ascent of Man** _, which held me spellbound and got me hooked on BBC/PBS programming in the '70s. Almost all of the British shows I’ve seen over the years qualify as “good, if not great,” whether they were dramas, comedies, or documentaries. For the more mundane, I lean more toward shows I grew up with in the 1960s, e.g., _ **McHale’s Navy** _; _ **Combat!** _; _ **The Wild, Wild West** _; _ **The Time Tunnel** _; the B&W episodes of _ **Bewitched** _; the first three seasons of _ **Mission: Impossible** _; the first three seasons of _ **That Girl** _; and, yes, the first half-season of _ **Batman** _. I don’t think any of these were even mentioned above. This is kind of strange, considering the ages toward which this site is skewed. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/86 "2026-01-21T01:06:06Z")
25 votes in, and we have 15 who haven’t made anyone’s shit list, yet, which is a better showing than the film and song polls IIRC. AGAIN, only choose a specific show if you _actively_ dislike it; there is no distinction otherwise between liking/neutrality/unfamiliarity here. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/87 "2026-01-21T15:25:55Z")
51 voters now, and it appears there _might_ be some TV shows that induce no ire even in some small fraction of the viewership-half are from PBS note. Some still have no votes despite some commenters in this thread (and the other) indicating they would have voted thumbs-down on them. People keep commenting in these threads (and the poll discussion one) that they haven’t seen some (enough) to qualify for a possible NAY vote on them-which is fine, and expected. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/88 "2026-01-21T15:46:19Z")
In this house, every episode of _The I.T. Crowd_ is beloved. Now that I’m talking about it, I think we’ll have to go back and rewatch it again. There aren’t too many episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/89 "2026-01-21T18:43:24Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > 51 voters now, and it appears there _might_ be some TV shows that induce no ire even in some small fraction of the viewership-half are from PBS note. I’ll point out that _Married, with Children_ isn’t on the poll. I would have voted twice for that one. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/90 "2026-01-21T19:52:39Z")
I eliminated the ones which got at least ~2 nay comments here, which also included Roseanne. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/91 "2026-01-22T03:23:28Z")
**Moone Boy** ---
**Author:** ![cieskokid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cieskokid/32/5374_2.png) [@cieskokid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cieskokid)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/92 "2026-01-22T05:46:03Z")
I’ll 3rd on _Barney Miller_, 1of the greatest sitcoms & ensemble cast - Barney & Wojo, Nick Yamano & Harris, Chano, then Dietrich & Inspector Lugar, Levitt. Every episode was a short theatrical comedy w/some drama thrown in here & there, almost always all taking place in the 12th Precinct squadroom. Classic with some of the best writing, character development and funny af dialogue. What’s NOT to like?! 🤓 ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/93 "2026-01-22T23:52:19Z")
Now, the only non-PBS show that remains pristine is the first Bob Newhart show. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/94 "2026-01-23T00:30:49Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > Moone Boy **Detectorists** ---
**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:** [January 23, 2026, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/95 "2026-01-23T00:50:55Z")
**Corner Gas** ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/96 "2026-01-23T23:54:07Z")
_ **Heartbeat** _, all 18 seasons of it. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2026, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/97 "2026-01-24T00:43:57Z")
I would second Heartbeat, though few Americans would have seen it. I never saw Firefly, South Park, or Frasier so I can’t agree to them. My all time fave is Twin Peaks but no way is that universal. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2026, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/98 "2026-01-24T02:17:16Z")
_ **Doc Martin** _, every episode of which I’ve watched umpteen times. I’ve not seen the American knockoff _ **Best Medicine** _ yet, and I don’t really plan to. Is it any good? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2026, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/99 "2026-01-24T02:18:30Z")
Concur! 👍 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2026, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628/100 "2026-01-24T02:23:04Z")
The first three seasons of _ **Ballykissangel** _, before two of the three main leads quit. They really should have ended it then, instead of trying to stretch it out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-tv-show-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026628.md?page=6)