# What are the ten GREATEST television shows of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 22, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867 "2009-07-22T16:10:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![bramma23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@bramma23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bramma23)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/61 "2009-07-26T03:34:32Z")
I’m limiting myself to fictional shows as opposed to interview shows or shows dependent upon the news. The Wire The West Wing Angel The Wonder Years Seinfeld Lost X-Files Freaks and Geeks House MI-5 (Seriously slept on.) ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/62 "2009-07-26T03:53:59Z")
Sad that no one has mentioned **The Larry Sanders Show** yet; they have \*got \*to get those DVDs sorted out. Aside from that, the only two shows that I would feel obligated to mention are **The Simpsons** and **The Wire**. After those three, there are maybe 40 or 50 shows that rotate in and out of my Greatest 10 list. ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/63 "2009-07-26T04:10:09Z")
The West Wing Simpsons The Wire Weeds Futurama Cheers Seinfeld Roseanne NOVA The Daily Show ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/64 "2009-07-26T07:04:16Z")
Star Trek Saturday Night Live Meet the Press The Tonight Show CBS Evening News Hill Street Blues Doctor Who The Real World (Why? Because it was the first “reality” show) Sesame Street NOVA/Frontline ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/65 "2009-07-26T15:32:58Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > As we all know, 95% of everything sucks. With television it’s probably closer to 98.6%. But there’s some greatness in its history. _Restricting yourself to shows that lasted at least two complete seasons_–that is, they must have been renewed after the second season, but it doesn’t matter what happeend after that time.? Otherwise known as the Bryan Fuller rule? (Not just Pushing Daisies, but Dead Like Me, and Wonderfalls) Not ten, but more votes for -Buffy -Lost \* -Six Feet Under -The Wire -Burn Notice \* -Dexter \* - I’m a little reluctant to list these shows, since they’re still in progress, and have a shot at screwing it all up. And I have great hopes for two shows that are disqualified by only entering their second season: -Fringe -Dollhouse ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/66 "2009-07-26T20:22:57Z")
> [@bramma23](#): > > I’m limiting myself to fictional shows as opposed to interview shows or shows dependent upon the news. This is what I intended everybody to do, but I neglected so so specify in the OP. Clearly I am a fool of a Took. 😉 [QUOTE=SuperNelson] - I’m a little reluctant to list these shows, since they’re still in progress, and have a shot at screwing it all up. [/QUOTE] That’s cool. I mean, I was pretending that the third season of Star Trek and at least half of the Simpsons were a lot better than everybody knows they are. ---
**Author:** ![Proudest\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/proudest_monkey/32/13257_2.png) [@Proudest\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proudest_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/67 "2009-07-26T22:40:16Z")
In random order except for #1: The Wire I Love Lucy Hill Street Blues Dick Van Dyke Show St. Elsewhere Seinfeld The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson Mary Tyler Moore Show Saturday Night Live The Amazing Race ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/68 "2009-07-27T00:58:55Z")
Can I knock the Beverly Hillbillies off my list & put the UK version of Whose Line is it Anyway on. Just been watching a couple of episodes on You tube & laughed till I cried. ---
**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 27, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/69 "2009-07-27T01:46:00Z")
I can’t list 10. Joss Whedon’s only made 4! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/70 "2009-07-28T01:58:13Z")
The Wire Arrested Development Twin Peaks The Bob Newhart Show (the first one) The Mary Tyler Moore Show Shameless MASH Rome American Experience The Duchess of Duke Street NOVA ---
**Author:** ![Chum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@Chum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chum)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/71 "2009-07-28T16:44:23Z")
I don’t know if these are the ten GREATEST, but they’re definitely my favorites: 1. Curb Your Enthusiasm 2. Felicity 3. Seinfeld 4. So You Think You Can Dance 5. The Office (US version) 6. Sex and the City 7. Alias 8. Strangers with Candy 9. America’s Test Kitchen 10. The Daily Show ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/72 "2009-07-28T19:44:38Z")
[ol] [li]Twin Peaks[/li][li]I, Claudius[/li][li]Lonesome Dove[/li][li]Connections[/li][li]Fernwood Tonight[/li][li]Monty Python[/li][li]Fawlty Towers[/li][li]Blackadder[/li][li]60 Minutes[/li][li]Lost[/li][/ol] and MASH I Love Lucy All in the Family West Wing 30 Rock ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/73 "2009-07-28T21:23:47Z")
Nearly all of my Top Ten have appeared in one person’s post or another’s, but I cannot fully support any list that doesn’t contain _Cowboy Bebop_. ---
**Author:** ![C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C.Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/74 "2009-07-30T01:45:16Z")
The Simpsons Saturday Night Live Law & Order NewsRadio Bonanza The Twilight Zone (the original) The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson The Jack Benny Program The Ed Sullivan Show Hill Street Blues ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/75 "2009-07-30T03:28:28Z")
Dream On (HBO) Married With Children Roseanne Northern Exposure ER NYPD Blue Mad Men Days and Nights of Molly Dodd Carnivale (HBO) Upstairs Downstairs Honorable mention: WKRP in Cincinnati, MASH, Lexx, Andromeda, Lost, The Red Green Show 😛 There. Give me complete box sets of all these shows and I’ll have enough good stuff to watch until I die. Not a supermodel, fat person, survivor, great racer, yakking housewife, or Tori Spelling among the above, please note. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/76 "2009-07-30T03:29:31Z")
> [@Pazu](#): > > Nearly all of my Top Ten have appeared in one person’s post or another’s, but I cannot fully support any list that doesn’t contain _Cowboy Bebop_. Actually had this but then remembered it was only one season. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/77 "2009-07-30T03:36:41Z")
Don’t know about “Greatest” but I’ve enjoyed: The Sopranos The Simpsons Seinfeld The Wire Northern Exposure Buffy Cheers NYPD Blue Frasier (While I’m sure they’re great, and I remember watching them as a kid, I’m a little too young for stuff like All In The Family, MASH, Mary Tyler Moore, Johnny Carson etc. to have been “favorites” of mine (never mind older shows like The Honeymooners or I Love Lucy) so I don’t think I can honestly put them in perspective.) ---
**Author:** ![vdgg81](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@vdgg81](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vdgg81)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/78 "2009-07-30T05:26:53Z")
1 - The Wire 2 - Rome 3 - MASH 4 - Doctor Who (which is both one of the greatest and the worst shows ever, depending on which serial you watch) 5 - The West Wing 6 - Babylon 5 7 - Farscape 8- Dexter 9 - The Sopranos 10 - Battlestar Galactica 10 - One of the Star Treks (TOS or TNG) (This list should really be comprised only of the first 5 shows. Babylon 5 had great writing but poor production values it didn’t always know how to work around and variable acting. Farscape I loved but also had a huge share of problems. The rest I really enjoyed but didn’t really find great. I really, really wish this thread’s rules would allow me to put I, Claudius in there.) ---
**Author:** ![Scruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Scruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruff)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/79 "2009-07-30T07:20:15Z")
Define “greatest”. 😛 My personal favorites would have to include Cinemax’s weekend lineup, but if we go with shows that I view (heh) as _most influential_: - Tonight Show (the definitive talk show) - The Lucy Show (sitcom) - Star Trek ([del]religious[/del] SF ) - Twilight Zone (anthology SF with good writing) - Simpsons (weekly animation) - Babylon 5 (epic serial) - Real World (start of the reality TV madness) - As The World Turns/General Hospital (soap - tie) - Newhart (if only for the ending of the “Inn in Vermont” series) ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867/80 "2009-07-30T17:20:54Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Actually had this but then remembered it was only one season. I thought 26 episodes meant 2 TV seasons in Japan. “Jupiter Jazz” parts 1 and 2 (eps 12 and 13) sure had the feeling of a season closer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-greatest-television-shows-of-all-time/503867.md?page=5)