# What is THE Best Show on TV **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 2, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826 "2013-01-02T14:39:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Sanity\_Challenged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@Sanity\_Challenged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sanity_Challenged)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/61 "2013-01-03T14:34:31Z")
Clearly your list is flawed, since it does not contain modern television’s greatest masterpiece: Finding Bigfoot. Every week our intrepid heroes get dressed up in ridiculous gear and set out in search of nature’s most elusive boogeyman, by stomping around in the woods with a full camera crew, whoopin’ and hollerin’ and bangin’ on trees. _And these people have managed to turn this into a full-fledged career!_ If that isn’t the great American success story, I don’t know what is. ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/62 "2013-01-03T14:49:58Z")
> [@Sanity\_Challenged](#): > > Clearly your list is flawed, since it does not contain modern television’s greatest masterpiece: Finding Bigfoot. > > Every week our intrepid heroes get dressed up in ridiculous gear and set out in search of nature’s most elusive boogeyman, by stomping around in the woods with a full camera crew, whoopin’ and hollerin’ and bangin’ on trees. _And these people have managed to turn this into a full-fledged career!_ If that isn’t the great American success story, I don’t know what is. /threadwinner 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/63 "2013-01-03T15:03:58Z")
_Weeds_ is still on? Wow. IMHO, _The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family_ and _Raising Hope_ are the best shows on television. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/64 "2013-01-03T15:45:21Z")
marshmallow: > [@](#): > > Comparing episodic comedy cartoons to serial dramas is kinda hard. Yet the OP/thread title does not specifically say “serial drama.” ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/65 "2013-01-03T15:57:07Z")
Sherlock. StG ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/66 "2013-01-03T16:06:35Z")
I chose Breaking Bad. It’s sly, funny, dark and brilliantly acted. Second would probably be Mad Men and then Justified. Of shows not on the list, I like Luther (BBC), The Hour (BBC), Portlandia, Treme, Downton and Nurse Jackie. Of those, The Hour and Treme are at the top. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/67 "2013-01-03T16:17:54Z")
You guys have convinced me to start watching _The Wire_ on HBO Go. ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/68 "2013-01-03T16:34:25Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > You guys have convinced me to start watching _The Wire_ on HBO Go. The Wire is amazing… note that when you see the “Gangsta Chick” (Snoop) that she is a REAL gang member not an actor, even served time. Does not get more authentic than that 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/69 "2013-01-03T16:37:56Z")
Hockey (when it’s actually on) 2 1/2 Men Laura Calder - French Food at Home ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/70 "2013-01-03T17:01:02Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Me too. Exactly. Hey, I don’t even _own_ a TV! Why people pop into threads just to claim they don’t know anything about the subject being discussed is beyond me. It’s not like these are obscure shows only seekers of the arcane would know about. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/71 "2013-01-03T17:25:18Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > I’ve read that the starkest difference between _The Big Bang Theory_ and and _Community_ is how they use D&D. On _TBBT_, having the guys play D&D (or any other nerdy sort of game) is either a joke at their expense or just window dressing around regular sitcom fare. _Community_ did a D&D episode where the events in the game drove the out-of-game plot of the episode (and they did it without visual effects). That’s a pretty ballsy thing for a network show to do, and it was just one of many outside-the-box episodes they’ve done. It’s also a hell of a lot funnier than the other comedies on the air at the moment (well, _Archer_ is also very good, but in a different way). I don’t watch Community (maybe I should), but this sounds like far more interesting nerd humor than what TBBT does. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/72 "2013-01-03T17:42:33Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > I don’t watch Community (maybe I should), but this sounds like far more interesting nerd humor than what TBBT does. It is. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/73 "2013-01-03T18:45:09Z")
> [@chargerrich](#): > > The Wire is amazing… note that when you see the “Gangsta Chick” (Snoop) that she is a REAL gang member not an actor, even served time. Does not get more authentic than that 😃 Sadly, she also recently got caught with a large amount of heroin and is back in prison, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/74 "2013-01-03T23:05:47Z")
Keeping it real, I guess… ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/75 "2013-01-03T23:15:44Z")
Big Bang Theory and Doctor Who. ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/76 "2013-01-03T23:15:45Z")
The only one I have seen is “Mad Men” and I consider it the most overrated show since “Six Feet Under” and Sex In the City." Current favorites of mine: Go On, Elementary, The Mentalist, The Good Wife and as a matter of habit “30 Rock.” ---
**Author:** ![andrewbub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@andrewbub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewbub)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/77 "2013-01-04T06:16:23Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Me too. Exactly. well thanks for your contribution to the thread. how you’ve never _heard_ of any of these shows is beyond me. you must not watch any sort of television. or talk to people that watch television. ---
**Author:** ![C6541](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90db22/32.png) [@C6541](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C6541)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/78 "2013-01-04T06:25:32Z")
I voted for Breaking Bad for the list, but in general The Daily Show is really the show I consistently watch. ---
**Author:** ![catnoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@catnoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catnoe)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/79 "2013-01-04T08:37:35Z")
American Horror - Season 2 - Starting to get really interesting after Wednesday nights episode. Game of Thrones - Rented the first season - Loved it. Waiting on the next. Homeland - Like the two leads but have never watched it. Don’t have Showtime. Revolution - Wanted to like it but gave up after 3 or 4 episodes. The Walking Dead - Haven’t missed an episode, love Daryl. Mad Men - Tried to watch, my attention kept wandering. Justified - I know it’s an hour long but I’m always surprised when that hour is up. And no one makes the sentence ‘There may be some gunplay involved.’ sound as sexy as Raylan Givens. Weeds, Dexter, Boardwalk Empire - Don’t get the channels they are on and really have no interest in them. Sons of Anarchy - Husband loves it, I like it, mostly I like a few of the secondary characters. Shows not listed … Luther - Idris Elba is amazing in so many ways, the show is great too. Sherlock - I like Jonny Lee Miller but Benedict Cumbercatch is the real Sherlock Holmes of today. Doctor Who - A pleasant addiction. And I know I’m forgetting something… Brain doesn’t work as well at 3:30 in the morning like it used to. ---
**Author:** ![Mack\_the\_sex\_freak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@Mack\_the\_sex\_freak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mack_the_sex_freak)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826/80 "2013-01-06T09:22:19Z")
i dont really watch cable anymore but i have hulu and netflix ive watched weeds thats an alright show but the best ive watched other than the typical comedy animes (family guy, cleveland show etc) would be the walking dead and misfits.Misfits was not one of the choices so I wont get on that subject but walking dead is one of my favorite shows just the fact that its a successful series about zombies that plays good drama and good action sequences and displays how the characters change over the time they have survived. I really want to know how far they are willing to take this show as far as to having the main protagonist being killed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-show-on-tv/645826.md?page=5)