# "Perfect" television shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [April 22, 2025, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366 "2025-04-22T15:42:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2025, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/221 "2025-04-27T21:41:50Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Another one is _Dead Like Me_ because they did everything they tried to do (except changing the dad from exploring homosexuality to just having an affair). One of my fav shows ever. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2025, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/222 "2025-04-27T22:29:34Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > I think Veronica Mars is worth a mention, especially the original 3 season run. Damn it! I was reading this whole thread waiting to post this one. Loved the original series. Hated the TV movie they made later. Well, maybe not _hated_, but it was disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2025, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/223 "2025-04-27T23:35:11Z")
I’d agree with that. Because the entire season hangs together at the end, you don’t realize that even the episodes that seem weak had important elements. What hurts the show for me is the relationship with Logan in the later seasons. There’s no way Veronica, with her background and experience, could justify a relationship with the guy from season one, period. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/224 "2025-04-28T03:43:14Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I will nominate _ **Coupling** _, which had a fourth season that seemed kind of pasted on, but it held up well, IMO. I want to agree, but no Jeff = no perfect. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/225 "2025-04-28T06:20:03Z")
p.s. “That show” watched by 8-year-olds is “Gilligan’s Island”, not “The Cosby Show” if anyone was confused. “Madam Secretary” never had a bad episode either. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/226 "2025-04-28T14:20:42Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > > > I’ll nominate Blackadder. > > Even the first season, when Blackadder is basically playing the Baldrick role? I was going to write the same thing, but had watched it recently with my son. It holds up, I would say. The budget was low so the scenery is falling down every time they shut a door, and the camera work is typical VHS early 80’s fare, but he hams it up as only Rowan can and the writing is still good. Decades later I look at the first season as a sort of long form version of [The Actor’s Art](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmQKihNpsHk) ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/227 "2025-04-28T17:15:01Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I was going to write the same thing, but had watched it recently with my son. It holds up, I would say. The budget was low so the scenery is falling down every time they shut a door, and the camera work is typical VHS early 80’s fare, but he hams it up as only Rowan can and the writing is still good. I personally think Season 3 is the weakest, and loved Season 1. ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/228 "2025-04-28T19:13:30Z")
The only _ **perfect** _ show I can think of is Fleabag: every episode is tight, not an aside or glance at the camera wasted. Of course, British TV has an advantage here of not overstaying its welcome… The Office (UK) is probably pretty close to perfect and I can’t say the same about the US version, even if it’s still mostly very good. I might also suggest My So-Called Life, but it only had one brief season so I don’t know if that’s fair 🙂 and also it was perfect for me, at that specific time in my life, so I might be biased. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/229 "2025-04-28T19:27:09Z")
_ **The Wonder Years** _? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/230 "2025-04-28T19:52:17Z")
> [@saucywench](#): > > Wonder Years The only show I ever watched AND recorded on VHS. I was so sure that’d be the only way to ever rewatch it, and someday show it to my kids… like there’d never be more modern tech than tape-recording a show. The concept of “streaming”, of a show available without an antenna, whenever you wanted to watch it, would’ve been a utopian fantasy (and maybe I should appreciate it more… it is great). ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/231 "2025-04-28T19:57:38Z")
You are absolutely right. I could imagine us all one day having those flying jetpacks like at Disneyland, but live-streaming shows you like…never would have thought of that. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/232 "2025-04-28T20:06:11Z")
And if I want to, I could watch Wonder Years on the phone in my back pocket! ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/233 "2025-04-28T20:09:12Z")
Technology is amazing, but where are those jetpacks…and the flying cars like George Jetson had. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/234 "2025-04-28T21:22:27Z")
> [@saucywench](#): > > _ **The Wonder Years** _? Very, very good, but the final episode had to rush through tying up all the plotlines during a 4th of July parade. However, if you read [the Wikipedia account of the show’s cancellation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wonder_Years#Cancellation), it’s possible extending it another season would have been a trainwreck, so maybe it was all for the best. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/235 "2025-04-28T22:36:26Z")
> [@amaguri](#): > > I might also suggest My So-Called Life Great Soundtrack! ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/236 "2025-04-29T14:57:22Z")
the soundtrack is a big part of why i think it’s a perfect show, no doubt! ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/237 "2025-04-29T17:04:23Z")
How do you see into your back pocket? ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/238 "2025-04-29T17:56:31Z")
My favorite show is Monk, which has been mentioned already. But, I wouldn’t call it perfect. There are a few episodes that are just okay. One that may not fit what is intended… Whose Line Is It Anyway is a perfect show for me. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/239 "2025-04-29T19:40:47Z")
> [@digs](#): > > The concept of “streaming”, of a show available without an antenna, whenever you wanted to watch it, would’ve been a utopian fantasy (and maybe I should appreciate it more… it is great). We never thought of the concept of “streaming,” exactly, but my friends and I, back in the 1970s, used to say, “Don’t you wish you could press a button that would let you watch any episode of any show you wanted?” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366/240 "2025-04-29T20:55:54Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > **The Good Place** and **Barney Miller** were the first two that came to my mind. So I match you on your example. > > For **Barney Miller** , it now feels like I’m watching a period piece. Amazing how well done it is. I concur on both- especially on Barney Miller. true, in the first couple of Episodes the show was supposed to center more on Barney’s home life, but they dropped that quickly. > [@What\_Exit](#): > > ABC loved Barney Miller, one of the cheapest successful shows ever to air. For decades, police officers said it was the most accurate tv police show. Yep. > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > _Pushing Daisies_ made me think of another show from around the same time that I _would_ consider for the “perfect” list except, being strangled in the cradle, it doesn’t have a satisfying finale: _Wonderfalls_. Yes- both great but poor endings. In fact Wonderfalls didnt really have an ending at all. A show that is still on, so no great ending would be Brokenwood. > [@TRC4941](#): > > All Creatures Great & Small Here i disagree. The show was more a soap opera on the housekeepers love life than Animal stories. The books were mostly silent on Mrs Hall’s love life. [Reddit - The heart of the internet](https://www.reddit.com/r/PeriodDramas/comments/1fzeaa6/how_true_is_all_creatures_great_and_small_to_the/#:~:text=The%20main%20characters%20are%20all,the%20books%2C%20but%20still%20hilarious). _The main characters are all the same with the exception of Mrs. Hall, who is a very minor character in the books and definitely never has a romance with Siegfried. It’s implied that Siegfried is a “confirmed bachelor,” if you know what I mean. Tristan is much more of a rake in the books, but still hilarious._ > [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > Nothing is perfect, but I think ‘The Prisoner’ comes close? Cecil Adams explains in one of his columns why that show was confusing and uneven. > [@dorvann](#): > > The original 20 season run of _Law & Order_ was perfect in IMHO. Oh No. Jack McCoy is too much of an asshole in many episodes. > [@Loach](#): > > _Fawlty Towers_ is the perfect sitcom but that might be cheating as well. T I love Cleese, but I found topo many episodes made me cringe. > [@dolphinboy](#): > > I would nominate HBO’s Deadwood as my “perfect” TV show. Great but bad ending even with the Movie. > [@terentii](#): > > I feel the same way about _ **Rome** _. Rome kinda dwindled off, so it didnt have a bad ending. But nor a good one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-television-shows/1017366.md?page=13)