I have now seen the first 5 episodes of Deadwood. If I were on an Emmy nominating committee, I would put them first at everything. Casting. Directing.
Script. Cinematography. Soundtrack. Lead actor. Supporting actor (multiple nominations).
What else can I nominate this for?
I thought this was going to be about The Wire, but Deadwood’s close enough.
More awards? Costumes, set design, make-up, special effects (especially the guy Trixie shot in the first episode), best blow job monologues, best use of a head in a box.
The first season is particularly awesome. If you have trouble deciphering any of the dialogue, transcripts are here. After the first few episodes, screen shots are included.
Milch also put together a gorgeous Deadwood book, but it has spoilers for the second and third seasons.
Never seen Deadwood.
Gonna have to nominate Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Then, of course, Futurama, as well as every Law and Order ever made.
I’m not a real big watcher of TV, though. We don’t actually have broadcast television of any sort in this house. I find that generally even the greatest shows are not worth sitting through commercials for.
Upon preview: Sorry, misread the intent of the OP. Deadwood does sound interesting to me, just from what I’ve read about it on this board.
Greatest season finale episode ever for the first season’s finale. You’re in for a treat.
Rome.
best ever? i’d nominate for top three, in order : arrested development, futurama, the office (british version)
if you are talking long running (at least appx. a decade) only, i’d nominate law & order {the original series, no spin-offs} the simpsons & seinfeld.
The Dick Van Dyke Show, of the early 60s, was brilliantly scripted, amazing cast, & had real art in its sets & directing.
Its humor was witty & sophisticated (how often can you say that about a TV series?), and Rob & Laura Petrie showed a real passion for each other, breaking the sterile mold of TV marriage (even if the censors did require twin beds).
It was a truly great show, & I believe that they decided to end the show after 5 seasons, rather than let it go stale. That would make them the first TV show to do that.
Deadwood is IMHO the best TV series I’ve ever seen.
The original *Twilight Zone *or Star Trek: TNG.
I tore through the entire first season of Deadwood on DVD, a couple months back. I loved every single moment of it, and desperately need to see Seasons 2 and 3 now.
I would rank it among my top ten shows of all time, based on the strength of that first season. Buffy, Angel, Arrested Development, Deadwood, The Office (U.S.), Firefly, The Shield, Venture Bros., The Office (U.K.), and Scrubs.
I’m going to nominate Stargate: SG1.
Deadwood then Six Feet Under for me. The latter was edgy, dark, funny and brilliantly acted. People who don’t like it say it’s because the characters were unlikeable; like I said, brilliant acting.
The Simpsons
The Sopranos
Deadwood
Seinfeld
The Andy Griffith Show
The Larry Sanders Show
I love Deadwood, but you are right on the money here. There is no question that the original Dick Van Dyke show was the greatest TV series of all time. What’s amazing is that it is still just as funny today as it was in the 60s, not dated at all. They beat Seinfeld by 30 years with great self-referential humor, and probably still hold the record for the longest laugh by the studio audience (the episode where… Rob thinks he got the wrong baby from the hospital and discovers that the other couple is black). 158 episodes and I’m hard-pressed to come up with a clunker.
[ol]
[li]The Singing Detective[/li][li]Buffy the Vampire Slayer[/li][li]Prime Suspect[/li][li]NYPD Blue[/li][li]The X-Files[/li][/ol]
Another vote for Dick Van Dyke. It’s in a league of its own, and then follow the also-rans.
Why do I get the feeling I’m wasting my breath by mentioning Alf?
(My vote is for Taxi and for Cheers)
Arrested Development
Battlestar Galactica (current version)
Deadwood
Cheers
Simpsons
Firefly
Futurama
MAS*H
The Sopranos - brutal and funny; top notch writing
Honorable mentions:
Cheers
The Office U.K.
I Love Lucy
Northern Exposure
One of the most brilliant things about Deadwood is the way all the major charecters is a completely independent agent, with thier own agendas, loyalties, predjudices, priorities and intelligence level, and each of those things consistiently shapes how a charecter will act/react/interpret a given situation. Charecter is never undermined to make the plot come out right. I can’t think of another show that did this so well.