This Salon article ranks the top five TV series of all-time as Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, The Wire, The Simpsons and Cheers. Setting aside the comedies which I didn’t watch this leaves three dramas — Breaking Bad, Sopranos, and The Wire — which happen to be my Top Three also.
So what show should I add to round out the list to a Top Four? Let’s stipulate that at least three full seasons are needed; otherwise Fargo would be an option, along with miniseries like Smiley’s People. The article places five more shows into a 2nd tier: Mad Men, Deadwood, and three more comedies. I enjoyed Mad Men, but gave up on Deadwood after several episodes. A main problem with each of these was that I didn’t find the characters to be interesting or particularly likable. (My favorites are almost always crime drama — crime sets a good background for suspense, plot, interesting dialog, and moral dilemma.)
What show would Dopers put in the #4 slot? Feel free to disagree with slots #1-#3 as well, of course.
I pick Orange is the New Black to round out my Top Four! I feel almost embarrassed by this choice: Orange often seems like slapstick, or melodrama, or lazy sitcom. But the fact that it skates around those three different forms, while rising above them, makes it great IMO. Many of the characters are very interesting; many are very likable. The show has sentimentality and romance, for which I’m a sucker. The acting seems good. The fast-moving plots are good. Yet I haven’t quite put my finger on why this peculiar show belongs in the Top Four; maybe another Doper can explain it to me.
I’ve been binge-watching TV series for the past several years. In some cases, after investing many hours I felt cheated and wanted my hours back! Some shows —Americans, Justified, West Wing, maybe Mad Men or ER — are good candidates if I wanted to make a Top Ten list.
But Orange is the New Black is my undisputed winner, the Fourth Best TV series ever!
I know it’s not the point of this thread, but I’ve just got to reject that top 5 out of principle.
I read the article, and while the author pays lip-service to being aware of and compensating for “recency bias,” he obviously is deeply committed to the idea that modern sensibilities about what make good TV are the only sensibilities worth considering. Those are all good shows (well, I haven’t seen Breaking Bad, but I trust consensus), but the fact that nothing made before 1980 and three 21st-century dramas complete the top five make this list look like a genre fan-boy echo-chamber piece more than any kind of critical analysis of a 70+ year-old media/art form.
But there are very few of the old series that measure up to present-day best like Breaking Bad, Orange, etc., IMO. From time to time I watch an old TV episode from a series that I remember enjoying long ago. It never measures up. Even highly rated series like MAS*H are totally outclassed by present-day TV.
Since I do like many old films, I’m not sure why old TV series don’t measure up … but they don’t.
I think the big difference now is the popularity of serialization. Complex plots and story lines can be explored over the course of a season or beyond. For me, it’s like having a good movie that stretches on and on. Very pleasing. Episodic or procedural shows pale in scope and seem dull and predictable in comparison.
What older dramas would you say compete well against The Sopranos or Breaking Bad?
My vote for show number four goes to Six Feet Under.
Okay, I’m 55 years old and have, obviously, been watching TV just about all my life.
Now I haven’t read the Salon article yet, so I don’t know all the shows they’ve listed (or not included).
Now I’ve watched and am a fan of The Sopranos, Breaking Bad and The Wire, they’re excellent shows. But they have the “advantage” of:
• not being on an over the air network, where restrictions are much, much, tighter
• two of them never had to worry about commercial breaks
• they had EASY seasons. Didn’t have to start every year in September and produce a LOT of episodes each year.
Often, when talking with my friends we’ll list list what we believe are the best shows of all time.Since I’ve watched many American shows *(as well as BBC programs) I have a lot to choose from, but each time I always come back to the same choice.
The Best TV series ever is… The Twilight Zone (orginal)
I never saw it when it first aired, only saw it later in life. Nothing can beat the writing, the music, the acting! And while many of the endings have a twist, the episodes are so damn good, even if you know how it ends you STILL watch it again and again.
While every thing you say incorrect, that’s ALSO what’s wrong with modern dramas.
I know many friends who wanted to give Breaking Bad a chance, but couldn’t. They’d missed the first few seasons and couldn’t just “pick it up” in the third season. It’s those complex plots and story lines that keep new viewers away.
If, during it’s run, you wanted to give Law & Order or CSI a shot, you could tune in any time, even during the season, and enjoy it.
Yeah I know, people can binge watch shows to catch up (and full disclosure, I did that with Mad Men) but not everyone has the time and it can be a pain in the ass. And really, the episodes all start to blend into one.
