# The Best All-Time TV Show -- UPDATE **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 20, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727 "2013-08-20T17:57:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [August 27, 2013, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/21 "2013-08-27T00:57:32Z")
_Blackadder_ is the best TV series of all time. I would also include _Community_ and _Pushing Daisies_ in there, neither of which are on the list. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/22 "2013-08-27T01:06:29Z")
I was going to vote for _The Wire_ and then I thought about season five and decided to vote for the show that IMHO was consistently excellent and told a familiar story in a new way – _Band of Brothers_. _Deadwood_ doesn’t hold up for me – too operatic and pleased with itself. _The Sopranos_ liked to hit me over the head – “Did you catch that? I wanted to make sure you caught that.” An example is when Carmela is doing a fund-raiser at her house, and Artie and Charmaine are catering. Early in the episode we see Carm chastising the maid for fingerprints on a glass front cabinet, and she does that “come here” thing with her hand. Later we see her do the same thing with Charmaine, and this time there’s a lingering close-up on her hand. The writers didn’t trust the audience. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/23 "2013-08-27T01:22:55Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > My _favorite_ on _that_ list? As opposed to the one(s) I think were _best_, regardless of whether or not it (they) are on the list? > > Has to be _ **ST: TOS** _, though it’d be tied with _ **Combat!** _ and _ **The Avengers** _. > > Which of those are _best_ is a whole 'nother ball of wax. > [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Other - specifically, the original (late 1960s) version of _The Prisoner_. > [@Koshki](#): > > Other: _I Love Lucy_. Anything still that funny after 50 years deserves to be on the list. > > The first season of _Dexter_ was astounding, but subsequent seasons aren’t as good. > [@GuanoLad](#): > > _Blackadder_ is the best TV series of all time. > > I would also include _Community_ and _Pushing Daisies_ in there, neither of which are on the list. Although the history of the list in this poll has extended over several years and through several attempts to be as thorough as possible, I can readily accept that it is far from optimum. I welcome the effort by someone else to do a follow-up that accounts for the listing of shows that ought to be considered for “best all-time show.” Further discussion here might help to decide how to proceed. But I won’t try to do that task myself. I do appreciate the input and the voting in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/24 "2013-08-27T01:25:20Z")
I barely glanced at the list. I just scrolled down until I found _Deadwood_. No contest. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/25 "2013-08-27T01:34:18Z")
I don’t know if it’s entirely fair to compare what was effectively a mini-series with an ongoing series. But with Band of Brothers on the list, that will get my vote every time. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/26 "2013-08-27T01:52:49Z")
Here’s an update: ```auto View Poll Results: What is the Best TV Show of All Time? This poll will close on 11-18-2013 at 12:06 PM The Simpsons 10 10.99% The Wire 8 8.79% M*A*S*H 7 7.69% The Sopranos 7 7.69% Breaking Bad 7 7.69% 39 Doctor Who 6 6.59% Star Trek: TOS 5 5.49% Buffy 4 4.40% Dick Van Dyke Show 4 4.40% Seinfeld 3 3.30% 22 Firefly 3 3.30% Band of Brothers 3 3.30% The Twilight Zone 2 2.20% All In The Family 2 2.20% The West Wing 2 2.20% 12 Northern Exposure 2 2.20% Deadwood 2 2.20% Mad Men 2 2.20% The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 1 1.10% Cheers 1 1.10% 8 Fawlty Towers 1 1.10% Futurama 1 1.10% Lost 1 1.10% Freaks & Geeks 1 1.10% Twin Peaks 1 1.10% 5 I Claudius 1 1.10% My Name Is Earl 1 1.10% 2 OTHER -- Post and explain 3 3.30% 3 Voters: 91 ``` ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/27 "2013-08-27T02:05:09Z")
I went with _The Wire_ over _The Sopranos_, but concede that _Breaking Bad_ could overtake both if it finishes strongly enough. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/28 "2013-08-27T02:21:39Z")
I voted for _West Wing_ because that’s the show where I was most concerned about missing an episode and it made me think (_L.A. Law_ was even better at the “make me think” angle, but it’s not on the list.). Had I been voting on the show where I’ve re-watched episodes the most, it would have been _Whose Line Is It Anyway?_. Had I just gone for gut “I really liked this,” it would have been _Firefly_. Tough call. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/29 "2013-08-27T02:25:38Z")
It’s ER for me. The Simpsons is so, so good, but in terms of how much I think about a show, and how much it effects me, and how much I go back to it, it’s ER. I quote The Simpsons constantly, but for real impact…ER ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/30 "2013-08-27T02:43:57Z")
How could Babylon 5 be left out? So I voted for “Other” ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/31 "2013-08-27T02:54:31Z")
Tempted to pick **Mad Men** , but it isn’t finished yet. Poll me again when it’s over, as **Breaking Bad** will also be complete. **Lost** had me enthralled for years, but the payoff wasn’t there. I went with **The Sopranos** , but took a hard look at **The Daily Show** before submitting my vote. Where the hell is **South Park** in this poll? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/32 "2013-08-27T03:17:00Z")
We’ve broken 100! ```auto View Poll Results: What is the Best TV Show of All Time? This poll will close on 11-18-2013 at 12:06 PM The Simpsons 11 11.00% The Wire 11 11.00% The Sopranos 8 8.00% M*A*S*H 7 7.00% Breaking Bad 7 7.00% 44 Doctor Who 6 6.00% Star Trek: TOS 5 5.00% Buffy 4 4.00% Dick Van Dyke Show 4 4.00% Band of Brothers 4 4.00% 23 Seinfeld 3 3.00% Firefly 3 3.00% The West Wing 3 3.00% The Twilight Zone 2 2.00% All In The Family 2 2.00% 13 Northern Exposure 2 2.00% Deadwood 2 2.00% Mad Men 2 2.00% The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 1 1.00% Cheers 1 1.00% 8 Fawlty Towers 1 1.00% Futurama 1 1.00% Lost 1 1.00% Freaks & Geeks 1 1.00% Twin Peaks 1 1.00% 5 ER 1 1.00% I Claudius 1 1.00% My Name Is Earl 1 1.00% 3 OTHER -- Post and explain 4 4.00% 4 Voters: 100 ``` ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/33 "2013-08-27T03:20:21Z")
I voted for TNG, although I would put DS9 above it. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/34 "2013-08-27T13:12:28Z")
If it’s a slow TV night, and there’s a Seinfeld rerun on, I watch it without hesitation. No need to check the info to see which episode. There are several episodes I’ve watched over a dozen times, and I still get a laugh out of them. Many other deserving TV shows on this list. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/35 "2013-08-27T13:16:57Z")
I was conflicted on the vote. The OP read FAVORITE which would have been Six Feet Under but the title said BEST so I voted The Wire. Might be a weird distinction to some, but that’s how it sits in my mind. > [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > I barely glanced at the list. I just scrolled down until I found _Deadwood_. No contest. I believe you meant to say “I just scrolled down until I found cocksuckin’ _Deadwood._ No motherfuckin’ contest.” At least that’s how I remember that show. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/36 "2013-08-27T13:36:22Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > I was conflicted on the vote. The OP read FAVORITE which would have been Six Feet Under but the title said BEST so I voted The Wire. Might be a weird distinction to some, but that’s how it sits in my mind. > > I believe you meant to say “I just scrolled down until I found cocksuckin’ _Deadwood._ No motherfuckin’ contest.” > > At least that’s how I remember that show. I was going to add “cocksucka!” at the end of my sentence but decided to keep it clean. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/37 "2013-08-27T20:42:01Z")
Well, 30 of the 51 shows have at least been spoken for: ```auto View Poll Results: What is the Best TV Show of All Time? This poll will close on 11-18-2013 at 12:06 PM The Wire 14 11.86% The Simpsons 12 10.17% The Sopranos 10 8.47% Breaking Bad 10 8.47% M*A*S*H 8 6.78% 54 Doctor Who 7 5.93% Seinfeld 5 4.24% Buffy 5 4.24% Star Trek: TOS 5 4.24% Firefly 4 3.39% 26 The West Wing 4 3.39% Dick Van Dyke Show 4 3.39% Band of Brothers 4 3.39% The Twilight Zone 2 1.69% All In The Family 2 1.69% 16 Northern Exposure 2 1.69% Deadwood 2 1.69% Mad Men 2 1.69% The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 1 0.85% Monty Python's Flying Circus 1 0.85% 8 Cheers 1 0.85% Fawlty Towers 1 0.85% Futurama 1 0.85% Star Trek: TNG 1 0.85% Lost 1 0.85% 5 Freaks & Geeks 1 0.85% Twin Peaks 1 0.85% ER 1 0.85% I Claudius 1 0.85% My Name Is Earl 1 0.85% 5 OTHER -- Post and explain 4 3.39% 4 Voters: 118 ``` ---
**Author:** ![Sassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassy)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/38 "2013-08-27T20:51:08Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > How could Babylon 5 be left out? So I voted for “Other” +1 ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/39 "2013-08-27T21:38:36Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > If you’ll refer to [The Best All-Time TV Show [vote for up to 10]](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=562451), which was active a couple of years ago, you’ll see the basis of the 51 shows in this poll. Both that poll and this one make the egregious error of omitting The Andy Griffith Show. I don’t know that I would say it is the best of all time, but it belongs in the conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727/40 "2013-08-28T00:56:48Z")
I’m a cult fanatic follower of “The Prisoner,” so that’s my vote. There aren’t many of us, but we are fiercely enthusiastic about it. Just call me…Number Fifty-Four. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-all-time-tv-show-update/666727.md?page=3)