According to Entertainment Weekly, the following are the top 25 television shows of the past 25 years. Since I was at least 10 when each of these came out, I decided to review the list and share some of my reactive thoughts with you.
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#25 - Miami Vice: Loved it, Loved it, Loved it!!!! I had the chance to watch the original 2 hour premiere a couple of weeks ago on hulu (now featuring 44 episodes) and was surprised to see Jimmy Smits gunned down in the first 5 minutes. Cockett and Tubbs were cool, but for me it was all about Edward James Olmos. Somewhere there is a picture of me in a Don Johnson suit (with the sunglasses).
#24 - Star Trek The Next Generation: If you back me into a corner and threaten me with Vogonic poetry, I'll admit that I prefer Trek to Star Wars, and this is the TV show the did it for me. Last night I saw the 2 part episode where the crew finds Data's head buried under San Francisco. It's quite possible that Patrick Stewart is real reason I love 'A Christmas Carol' so Much. Sadly none of the Trek titles are available on hulu just yet.
#23 - The West Wing: I often said during the 7 years of Bartlett's Administration, that I would be willing to give up all other TV if West Wing would grow to 2 hrs per week. They never made that change ... and yes, got more sentimental in seasons 5 & 6; but this is still the 2nd best TV show ever. Ironically, Jimmy Smitz played a big part in the last 2 seasons and Edward James Olmos was a guest star in the first episode. (hulu not available)
#22 - The Real World: Never saw it, though I will confess to 5 faithful seasons of Big Brother. (hulu not available)
#21 - Roseanne: Only two good things can be said about the show .... (1) John Goodman and (2) it ended with the real Becky. Thankfully, shows like Everybody Loves Raymond came along to fill the niche. As it was, there was a gaping sincerity hole anytime Roseanne tried to be anything but rude. (hulu not available)
#20 - 90210: I never watched the show until the last 2 seasons, but what I saw was enough to make me whish that we had the CW on our DISH package to see the new series this fall. I'd love to see what Brenda, Kelly, David, and Donna and gang are doing now ..... it sounds like most of them are working in the school now. I wonder if they still cut class to go to the beach? (hulu not available)
#19 - er: I saw the other night, that this will be the last season of er. To me it all ended the night that Mark Green died on that beach in Hawaii ... though I did manage to catch Romano being dismembered then subsequently killed by a series of helicopters. Another more sympathetic end came to Kelley, when she self-diagnosed her Pulmonary Embolism and then died following the season finale stabbing she and Carter seemingly survived. (1 episode from season 14 available on hulu).
#18 - American Idol: T set an effective trap by having me watch one of David Cook's performances early on this season ... and I was hooked. I do solemnly swear to not watch next season. (hulu thankfully not available)
#17 - The Office: Definitely in my personal top 5, I have a secret dream to be Toby .... I've been rather wondering about my vicarious existence with him leaving the show. I hope he comes back over that fence and brings 'Carol' from the West Wing back into well written television. I think she would be a great management development trainer. (15 Glorious Episodes Available on Hulu)
#16 - Arrested Development: Never saw it .... this was on back when I only watched fox for the the Simpsons and occasional STNG reruns. Apparently it was unwatched by nearly everyone else as well. All 53 Episodes are available for viewing on Hulu - guess the DVD sales aren't moving as fast as they'd hoped.
#15 - The Oprah Winfrey Show: I watch Oprah in 30 second intervals when flipping through channels. Every time I think she might have an interesting guest - turns out that I'm wrong. An interesting side note - every Discovery Ranger that I've ever taught the Book of Ruth Bible merit insists on calling Naomi's other daughter-in-law Oprah rather than 'Orpha', so Mz Winfrey has definitely impacted our culture - if not my personal viewing habits. (HARPO productions has not seen fit to release The Big O' on Hulu).
#14 - The Daily Show: I'm not ashamed to admit that this is my "11:00 news". Of course, my local news affiliates lead with stories about neighborhood association disputes. I was a fan back in the Craig Kilborn days, but the current format (and Colbert Report spin off) are a welcome late night treat surpassing even the great David Letterman. (9 recent episodes and a variety of clips are available on hulu)
#13 - Freaks and Geeks: Never Seen it ... Not on Hulu .... will continue to languish in obscurity.
#12 - South Park: Very Funny Show - though often too crude to maintain the smiles. I always got a laugh at the 'South Park Elementary School' back in the KC area. I'd like to think that the little tikes wouldn't get called to the principle for wearing a mister hanky shirt .... when by some stretch of the imagination, he is their school mascot. (hulu not available)
#11 - The Wire: I'm not cool enough to have HBO, so this one is unknown to me ... though 2 previously Showtime only titles ('Breaking Bad' & 'Dexter') are finding their way to regular cable; maybe I'll be able to catch up some day. (hulu not available)
#10 - Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Having enjoyed Charmed, Forever Knight, and 90210 ... I'm not sure why this one never made it into my appointment television schedule. Maybe if I'd had a DVR, it might have stood a chance. (34 episodes available in hulu)
#9 - Friends: Far and away the best sitcom ever ... yes even better than Seinfeld and Must See TV 3rd runner up Caroline in the City. In my yet young adult life, I have been Chandler, I have been Ross ... though never Joey (who's' TV show sucked so bad, we didn't make it to episode 2). though the show was on many levels all about Ross and Rachel. For T and it will always be Chandler loves Monica.
#8 - Lost: If Bradley Whitford and West Wing is #2, then Michael Emmerson and Lost take the top spot. Only 30-something hours left to go ... and I have to say, I'm glad that it is being so well planned out and executed. There is no fear of jumping the shark ... ... except for the whole nicky and paulo fiasco that they purged nicely. BTW, if you haven't wiki'd Jeremy Bentham yet ... you should. (hulu not available .. but you can watch full episodes that haven't been released on DVD at abc.com)
#7 - The Cosby Show: If I could have lived the life of Cliff Huxtable (minus all those years on medical school) I just might have done so. I especially enjoy his sweaters .... come to think of it, that's not something I should admit in blogland .. oh well. Be sure to check out Malcom's current dramatic chops in "Fools Gold". (hulu not available ... really I checked twice!!)
#6 - Survivor: Season 14 "Fiji" picks challenge grand champion - 'nuff said. (hulu not available - but watch online at CBS.com)
#5 - Sex And the City: Another HBO drama transplanted into regular viewing. I've seen a few, but haven't caught the bug. (hulu not available - but I heard there was a movie :-) ...)
#4 - The X-Files: I managed to catch a few episodes back in my low-tolerance-for-Fox days - including the incredibly creepy one with the "mom" under the bed. ewww ewww ewww.
(hulu not available).
#3 - Seinfeld: I've already listed this as must see TV and I can't count the number of phrases it has injected into our lives: Festivus Miracles, The Bro, Contests, Wedding Envelopes, No Soup for You ... yadda yadda yadda, I was in the pool. (hulu not available .... but pick up a remote, flip 15 times and you'll be catch at least 2 episodes.)
#2 - The Sopranos: I know, I know - I need to see this. (hulu not available ... someone should get whacked for that)
#1 - The Simpsons: I'll leave the philosophical evaluation of the show to BB, but I will always reminisce about the elementary talent show where Homer asked, "ohhh...how many grades does this school have?!?!? .... and how Santa's Little Helper came to live with the family after a dog track Christmas miracle. yes, I'll remember it all - along with the Simpson's Themed Bathroom I had ... complete with transparent shower curtain.......shuddddder...... (Only 5 of the newest episodes are available on hulu.) you'll have to see BB for the rest.
7 comments:
I hope you don't mind me providing my opinions as well. This list is probably going to make you aghast at how few of these shows I never watched.
Miami Vice: Never watched it.
Star Trek TNG: Have gone through various stages of love and disinterest with this show.
The West Wing: Never watched it.
The Real World: Never watched it.
Roseanne: I've seen, like, two or three episodes.
ER: I've never been able to get through an episode.
American Idol: I like the tryouts, but that's about it. Seriously, what's with all of the filler in the show?
The Office: One of the best shows ever made.
Oprah: I am nowhere near being her target demographic.
The Daily Show: I've never watched it, and I am getting tired of people asking me whether I watch it and telling me I would enjoy it. I'll probably start watching reruns in twenty years or something.
Freaks and Geeks: Never watched it.
South Park: I am torn. I have seen the show a few times, and it can be genuinely intelligent and funny, but I am not really drawn to humor that is intended to offend.
The Wire: Never seen it. I'm actually proud to not be one of those people who is addicted to The Wire.
Buffy: Never seen it.
Friends: I only watched it because Golden was into it. It is a very funny show, though it is not the funniest sitcom ever IMO.
Lost: I resisted watching this for a while. It's entertaining and very well written, but it suffers from the problem almost all serials have... you have to watch from the very beginning.
Cosby: I used to love this show as a kid.
Survivor: In my opinion it is the second best reality show.
Sex and the City: Never seen it. I have seen the first five minutes of a couple of episodes when it came on after something I was watching on TBS. Usually within five minutes I found something else that I was actually interested in.
X-Files: I was about to say how awesome the show was, then you go and mention the "Home" episode. *shudders*
Seinfeld: Very good.
Sopranos: Never seen it.
Simpsons: I wholeheartedly agree that this should be #1!
I am a little surprised that Simpsons is #1. It has lasted forever though. I am glad to see that Seinfeld, X-files, Survivor and The Office made it.
I've seen at least one episode of almost all of these shows. Several of them are shows I have seen multiple episodes of. In my opinion the numbers could and should be easily reversed. The further down the list you go the more I liked them--typically.
I think I top Dust on the never seen list. I don't think I have patience for regularly weekly viewing but I'm loving (over here) having dvds and watching whenever I like and feel like.
On a sad note, hulu is blocked in Spain! So I can't even try to check stuff out.
No Hulu? .... No Way!!!!
Of course the Simpsons's would be number #1. If you consider how long it has been on and how they have tackled every issue imagineable, yet still has an edge. Of course, I could go on forever- and yes I do have every episode possible (even though it is on reruns daily).
I'm glad to see X-files made the top of the list. I enjoyed the new movie.
Also kudos to the Office and Star Trek TNG. No surprise that "Enterprise" didn't make it.
I haven't seen the sopranos, sex and the city, lost, the wire, and freaks and geeks, but have seen at least 1/2 of a show of the rest of the list. I would say that my favorites are similar to BB top to bottom: Star Trek TNG, X-Files, The Simpsons, Friends, and Seinfeld.
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