Best TV drama ever?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Also, one of the best shows ever, in terms of writing, fully-fleshed consistent characters, feminist outlook, women-centered plots, and ground-breaking themes/subjects is … don't laugh … Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But that show straddled genres - comedy, campy horror, drama, coming-of-age story. All hail Joss Whedon!

I am with you. People may laugh, but it was incredibly witty. The dialogue still makes me laugh all these years later. And while I can barely watch it, "The Body" was absolutely one of the most powerful hours ever put on TV.

I also agree on Veronica Mars. Loved that show. Another very witty show

Battlestar Galactica was pretty damn powerful, too. While the finale was controversial, the topics it dealt with in most of the rest of its run were incredible. It was in the middle of the Iraq war and it was so obvious they were getting at ideas that we as a society were dealing with at that point in history.

[Anonymous]

I, Claudius - best TV drama I have ever seen
The Jewel in the Crown - only 14 episodes, but of extremely high quality
Brideshead Revisted- also very good
I'll Fly Away - great portrayal of a lawyer in the South in the 1950s

[Anonymous]

MASH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know why True Detective isn't listed, but since the seasons will be totally stand alone I feel I can honestly say the first season is probably some of the best TV ever...

I have spoken with many fans of the Wire who agree...

True Detective was amazing but I don't think it's in the same category exactly. It's easy to be amazing for only eight episodes. What's harder is sustaining the amazing over 20ish episodes every year for years on end, as you see from a lot of the discussion here. See Lost as a prime example of something that was great in the beginning but eventually proved unsustainable over time. Others think that about Homeland and I think The Good Wife has totally lost its way. And while I mentioned ER as one of my candidates, there were definitely some stinker years/characters/storylines over its 15 seasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Sopranos, Mad Men, The West Wing

Nailed it. Thread can end now!

[Anonymous]

6 Feet Under.

[Anonymous]

Mad Men

[Anonymous]

And I do believe Rodger Sterling is the greatest character in any drama.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Sopranos, Mad Men, The West Wing

Nailed it. Thread can end now!

Have you watched the Wire? Really after watching it, these all seem a few steps below.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I, Claudius - best TV drama I have ever seen
The Jewel in the Crown - only 14 episodes, but of extremely high quality
Brideshead Revisted- also very good
I'll Fly Away - great portrayal of a lawyer in the South in the 1950s

Just how old are you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love all these other shows except have never been able to get into the Wire. I stall after a few episodes in S1. I feel like a failure- I know I should love it. I should stick it out right? When does it get good?

i was going to post exactly the same thing! people i know who love the same other shows I love (breaking Bad, Mad Men, Broadchurch) rave about it, but i fall asleep every time i watch it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Also, one of the best shows ever, in terms of writing, fully-fleshed consistent characters, feminist outlook, women-centered plots, and ground-breaking themes/subjects is … don't laugh … Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But that show straddled genres - comedy, campy horror, drama, coming-of-age story. All hail Joss Whedon!

I am with you. People may laugh, but it was incredibly witty. The dialogue still makes me laugh all these years later. And while I can barely watch it, "The Body" was absolutely one of the most powerful hours ever put on TV.

I also agree on Veronica Mars. Loved that show. Another very witty show

Battlestar Galactica was pretty damn powerful, too. While the finale was controversial, the topics it dealt with in most of the rest of its run were incredible. It was in the middle of the Iraq war and it was so obvious they were getting at ideas that we as a society were dealing with at that point in history.

I just finished up Firefly, and now I'm going through withdraw. It's a shame there were only 14 episodes (damn you Fox). Maybe I'll check out Buffy next

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Also, one of the best shows ever, in terms of writing, fully-fleshed consistent characters, feminist outlook, women-centered plots, and ground-breaking themes/subjects is … don't laugh … Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But that show straddled genres - comedy, campy horror, drama, coming-of-age story. All hail Joss Whedon!

I am with you. People may laugh, but it was incredibly witty. The dialogue still makes me laugh all these years later. And while I can barely watch it, "The Body" was absolutely one of the most powerful hours ever put on TV.

I also agree on Veronica Mars. Loved that show. Another very witty show

Battlestar Galactica was pretty damn powerful, too. While the finale was controversial, the topics it dealt with in most of the rest of its run were incredible. It was in the middle of the Iraq war and it was so obvious they were getting at ideas that we as a society were dealing with at that point in history.

I just finished up Firefly, and now I'm going through withdraw. It's a shame there were only 14 episodes (damn you Fox). Maybe I'll check out Buffy next

You should definitely check out Buffy. One thing though-- it takes a while to get really good. The first season was okay, but from the second season on it was phenomenal. But don't skip the first season-- it sets up a lot of things that continue throughout the series.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Also, one of the best shows ever, in terms of writing, fully-fleshed consistent characters, feminist outlook, women-centered plots, and ground-breaking themes/subjects is … don't laugh … Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But that show straddled genres - comedy, campy horror, drama, coming-of-age story. All hail Joss Whedon!

I am with you. People may laugh, but it was incredibly witty. The dialogue still makes me laugh all these years later. And while I can barely watch it, "The Body" was absolutely one of the most powerful hours ever put on TV.

I also agree on Veronica Mars. Loved that show. Another very witty show

Battlestar Galactica was pretty damn powerful, too. While the finale was controversial, the topics it dealt with in most of the rest of its run were incredible. It was in the middle of the Iraq war and it was so obvious they were getting at ideas that we as a society were dealing with at that point in history.

I just finished up Firefly, and now I'm going through withdraw. It's a shame there were only 14 episodes (damn you Fox). Maybe I'll check out Buffy next

Wasn't there a Firefly movie? Called Serenity, I think?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You should definitely check out Buffy. One thing though-- it takes a while to get really good. The first season was okay, but from the second season on it was phenomenal. But don't skip the first season-- it sets up a lot of things that continue throughout the series.

Yes, it got better as it went along. I love it, even if I didn't love all of the earlier seasons. But one of the great things about the show is how it built up on early plotlines/details/character relations and traits, how things were connected throughout all 7 seasons, how things that showed up early on were not forgotten but dealt with consistently later on. It's an extremely well-written show with practically no discontinuity.