Title pretty much says it all, but the question gets pretty complicated, so let’s break it down into categories. I have put examples in parentheses, but these are not my actual choices, just suggestions.
What is the best:
Sitcom (I Love Lucy)
Sitcom moment (Fonzie jumps the shark)
Hour-long drama (Dynasty)
Hour-long drama moment (Dallas was all a dream)
Cop show (Hill Street Blues)
Cop show moment (Brisco’s daughter dies)
Lawyer show (Ally McBeal)
Lawyer show moment (Ally kisses Ling)
Reality show (Survivor)
Reality show moment (Joe Millionaire makes his confession)
News show, regular series (20/20)
News show moment (Andy Rooney interviews Dr. Kevorkian)
Daytime soap (Days of our lives)
Daytime soap moment (???)
Food show (The Galloping Gourmet)
Food show moment
(at this point, I’m going to stop listing moments – fill in the blanks yourselves)
Science fiction series
Children’s show, live action (Sesame Street)
Children’s show, animated (Pokemon)
Animated series, for adults (Futurama)
Variety series (Carol Burnett, SNL)
Exercise show (20 Minute Workout)
Science series
Sports show, regular series (Wide World of Sports)
Sports special (2000 Summer Olympics)
Christmas special (Frosty’s New Year)
Other holiday special
Western
Doctor show
Cable channel in general (CNN, Spike)
Made for TV movie
“We interrupt this broadcast” moment (Reagan gets shot) (This category may well contain sad but poignant answers)
Commercial
SNL skit, one-time
SNL skit, repeating (The Lady’s Man)
“Foreign” series, comedy (One Foot in the Grave)
“Foreign” series, other (Dr. Who)
Best TV show overall
Best TV moment overall
Sitcom (WKRP in Cincinnati)
Sitcom moment (OH MY GOD THEY’RE TURKEYS!!!)
Hour-long drama (Dallas)
Hour-long drama moment (The off-season ‘Who Shit JR’ thing)
Cop show (Dragnet)
Cop show moment (Friday and a college professor debate drugs (very even-handedly)
Lawyer show (LA Law)
Lawyer show moment (The lesbian date)
Reality show ( - )
Reality show moment ( - )
News show, regular series (60 Minutes)
News show moment (Geraldo and the Vault)
Daytime soap ( - )
Daytime soap moment ( - )
Food show ( - )
Food show moment
(at this point, I’m going to stop listing moments – fill in the blanks yourselves)
Science fiction series (Star Trek - Deep Space Nine
Children’s show, live action (Sesame Street)
Children’s show, animated (Magic School Bus)
Animated series, for adults (The Simpsons)
Variety series (Carol Burnett, SNL)
Exercise show ( - )
Science series (Beakman)
Sports show, regular series (Monday Night Football)
Sports special (1996 Summer Olympics - The Triple Cast)
Christmas special (Rankin/Bass Rudolf)
Other holiday special
Western (The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr)
Doctor show (St Elsewhere)
Cable channel in general (TBS - It changed the world)
Made for TV movie
“We interrupt this broadcast” moment (9/11 - The tape of the plane hitting)
Sitcom (Newhart)
Sitcom moment (Final ep of Newhart, when Bob wakes up in bed with Suzanne Pleshette. Unlikely runner-up: The “Big Spender” skit on Grounded for Life, an otherwise execrable waste of talent)
Hour-long drama (Twin Peaks)
Hour-long drama moment (Ep of Twin Peaks, when Bob (not Newhart) takes over Someone’s father)
Cop show (Law & Order)
Reality show (Fear Factor)
Reality show moment (The first “bug out” when a woman strapped into a pit absolutely goes ape shit when they pour bugs all over her)
(at this point, I’m going to stop listing moments – fill in the blanks yourselves)
Science fiction series – Star Trek TOS
Animated series, for adults (Simpsons, also arguably the best sitcom)
Variety series (There has never been a good variety series. SNL was humor all the way)
Exercise show (VERY early Showtime workout with two hot babes in skimpy swimsuits doing butt-bumping exercises)
Science series (Connections)
Sports show, regular series (There has never been a good sports show – oxymoron time)
Christmas special (A Christmas Story)
Other holiday special (Charlie Brown Halloween Special)
Made for TV movie (Gargoyles)
Best made for TV movie title (“Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?”)
Commercial
SNL skit, one-time
SNL skit, repeating (The Lady’s Man)
“Foreign” series, comedy (Monty Python’s Flying Circus)
“Foreign” series, other (The Avengers)
Best TV show overall (Simpsons)
Sitcom (Seinfeld)
Sitcom moment (The last scene of the last episode of Newhart)
Hour-long drama (Law and Order)
Hour-long drama moment (-)
Cop show (Law and Order)
Cop show moment (-)
Lawyer show (Law and Order (see a pattern developing?))
Lawyer show moment (Ally McBeal - Haley Joel Osment dies of cancer. Ling says something like “He was just a kid. Get over it.” She coldly flounces out, then when outside, bursts into tears.)
Reality show (-)
Reality show moment (Gilligan’s Island – the movie star sunbathes topless)
News show, regular series (60 Minutes)
News show moment (Andy Rooney interviews Dr. Kevorkian)
Daytime soap (-)
Daytime soap moment (-)
Food show (Good Eats)
Food show moment (Jaques Pepin says “Add the wine”, and pours about half a bottle into the pot, then says “One quarter cup.”)
Science fiction series (Star Trek TOS)
Children’s show, live action (Mr. Rogers)
Children’s show, animated (Scooby Doo)
Animated series, for adults (Simpsons)
Variety series (The Big Show)
Exercise show (-)
Science series (Mr. Wizard)
Sports show, regular series (Wide World of Sports)
Sports special (1996 Summer Olympics - Kerri Strug)
Christmas special (Tie: Charlie Brown, The Grinch)
Other holiday special (It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown)
Western (Bonanza)
Doctor show (Quincy)
Cable channel in general (Food Network)
Made for TV movie (Henry VIII (PBS))
“We interrupt this broadcast” moment (Apollo 13 blackout just before splashdown)
Commercial (Any Sockdog commercial)
SNL skit, one-time (Nativity set with electronic crying baby Jesus)
SNL skit, repeating (Landshark)
“Foreign” series, comedy (Monty Python)
“Foreign” series, other (-)
Best TV show overall (Seinfeld)
Best TV moment overall (Apollo 13)
Sitcom (Seinfeld)
Sitcom moment (the ending of the last Newhart episode)
Hour-long drama (The Sopranos)
Cop show (NYPD Blue)
Cop show moment (The death of Jimmy Smits’ character on NYPD Blue)
Reality show (The Amazing Race)
Reality show moment (Susan’s snake/rat speech at the end of the first Survivor)
News show, regular series (20/20)
Daytime soap (The Young and the Restless)
Food show (The Iron Chef)
Children’s show, live action (Sesame Street)
Children’s show, animated (The Smurfs)
Animated series, for adults (South Park)
Variety series (Does Chappelle’s Show count? If not, SNL.)
Christmas special (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer)
Other holiday special (It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown)
Western (Young Riders)
Doctor show (ER)
Cable channel in general (HBO)
“We interrupt this broadcast” moment (After the first plane hit the World Trade Center and the second plane was shown flying into the second building live. I’ll never forget that moment as long as I live.)
SNL skit, repeating (Wayne’s World)
Best TV show overall (The Sopranos)
Sitcom (Fawlty Towers)
Sitcom moment (Phone Cops “you didn’t see me… you didn’t see me” WKRP)
Hour-long drama (-)
Hour-long drama moment (-)
Cop show (Rockford Files)
Cop show moment (-)
Lawyer show (Perry Mason)
Lawyer show moment (-)
Reality show (-)
Reality show moment (-)
News show, regular series (W5)
News show moment (20/20 John Stossel asks “is wrestling fake” and gets bitchslapped by Dr. D)
Daytime soap (-)
Daytime soap moment (-)
Food show (-)
Food show moment (Julia Child vs. Mr. Rogers in Battle of the PBS stars - SCTV)
(at this point, I’m going to stop listing moments – fill in the blanks yourselves)
Science fiction series (Red Dwarf)
Children’s show, live action (Sesame Street)
Children’s show, animated (Speed Racer)
Animated series, for adults (Simpsons)
Variety series (SCTV)
Exercise show (-)
Science series (Nova)
Sports show, regular series (Hockey Night In Canada)
Sports special (World Cup of Soccer)
Christmas special (Charlie Brown)
Western (Lonesome Dove)
Doctor show (St. Elsewhere)
Cable channel in general (Documentary channel)
Made for TV movie (The Last Polka)
“We interrupt this broadcast” moment (Space Shuttle blows up - 1st time)
Commercial (Popamatic Trouble… "Have you got trouble? Wait don’t run… this kind of Trouble is lots of fun)
SNL skit, one-time (White Like Me)
SNL skit, repeating (Sprockets)
“Foreign” series, comedy (Monty Python’s Flying Circus / The Office)
“Foreign” series, other (The Prisoner)
Best TV show overall (Full House :D)
Sitcom (without a doubt, the Simpsons; Seinfeld is certainly a close second)
Sitcom moment (I have to agree with Fonzie jumps the shark simply because of the cultural impact, but Colonel Blake’s 'copter crash has got to come close)
Hour-long drama (Northern Exposure, were it not for Freaks and Geeks untimely demise, it would have had a real shot at this one)
Hour-long drama moment (based on cultural impace - JR gets shot)
Cop show (Law and Order)
Cop show moment (nothing stands out)
Lawyer show (Law and Order)
Lawyer show moment (again, nothing stands out)
Reality show (the original - the Real World)
Reality show moment (real world LA when David rips that chics towel off)
News show, regular series (Charlie Rose)
News show moment (John Stewart/Tuckler Carlson exchange(new); Walter Cronkite wiping a tear after reporting Kennedy’s death (old))
Daytime soap (seriously?)
Daytime soap moment (see above)
Children’s show, live action (Sesame Street)
Animated series, for adults (excluding the Simpsons - the Family Guy)
Variety series (SNL - there’s music, it’s a variety show)
Science series (Nova)
Sports show, regular series (College Gameday)
Christmas special (Charlie Brown Christmas Special)
Doctor show (Scrubs)
Cable channel in general (Comm. Cent.)
“We interrupt this broadcast” moment (WTC) (This category may well contain sad but poignant answers)
SNL skit, one-time (Woodrow and Britney spears … .doo doo pie)
SNL skit, repeating (Matt Foley . . . van down by the river)
Best TV show overall (hands down the Simpsons)
Best TV moment overall (janet’s boob)
Sitcom (Seinfeld)
Sitcom moment (Bubbles the Clown funeral)
Hour-long drama (West Wing)
Reality show (Survivor)
Reality show moment (the reveal at the end of Joe Schmo Season 1)
News show moment (20/20 plants a bomb
Science fiction series (Firefly)
moment (negotiations in Firefly)
Animated series, for adults (Simpsons)
Sports show, regular series (Baseball Tonight)
Christmas special (A Year Without Christmas)
moment (the Heatmiester’s song)
Doctor show (ER)
“We interrupt this broadcast” moment (Buckwheat gets shot)
Commercial (currently: “Tiny House” for Geiko)
SNL skit, repeating (Celebrity Jeopardy)
That is often cited as one of the great moments of TV, right up there with Lucy on the assembly line and the Kennedy assassination. I was wondering when someone would mention it.
Why’s it gotta be so complicated? The best TV show ever is “Mystery Science Theater 3000.”
But now I’ve got to fill out a list:
Best sitcom: Fawlty Towers
Best hour-long drama: The X-Files
Best hour-long series that’s not The X-Files: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Sci-fi series: Cowboy Bebop
Animated series: Cowboy Bebop
Animated comedy series: Futurama
[ul][li]Sitcom : Friends[/li][li]Drama : Joan of Arcadia[/li][li]Cop show : Law & Order[/li][li]Reality show : Joe Schmo[/li][li]News show : 20/20[/li][li]Food show : Good Eats[/li][li]Science fiction series : Star Trek: Deep Space Nine[/li][li]Children’s show, animated : Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles[/li][li]Animated series, for adults : Futurama[/li][li]Variety series : Saturday Night Live[/li][li]Science series : Beakman’s World[/li][li]Christmas special : It’s a Wonderful Life, Home Alone[/li]Cable channel in general : The History Channel[/ul]
Sitcom (Cheers - pre-Kirstie Alley)
Sitcom moment (NewsRadio - “Super Monkey Karate Death Car” scene where Jimmy James is reading from his book)
Hour-long drama (Twin Peaks)
Cop show (Homicide: Life on the Streets)
Lawyer show (LA Law)
Reality show (Amazing Race)
News show, regular series (60 Minutes)
Children’s show, live action (Sesame Street)
Animated series, for adults (The Simpsons)
Sports show, regular series (Monday Night Football)
Sports special (Jimmy Valvano speech at the ESPYs - although this is more of a moment)
Western (Lonesome Dove)
Cable channel in general (ESPN)
Made for TV movie (Jericho Mile)
“We interrupt this broadcast” moment (First Space Shuttle Disaster)
A lot of these are “Oh, I remember seeing that” and don’t have a lot to compare to - for instance, the Made for TV movie.