Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, and ENLIGHTENED. I LOVED that show!!!

Shocked that The Wire beat out The Sopranos in the NYT. I really did not like the Wire anywhere near as much - but agree season 4 was the best of the bunch.

I have to check out Justified!

Forgot about Homeland! that is definitely up there as well. One of my all time favorites.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wire - first two seasons, slipped after that.

I liked seasons 3 and 4 much better. Couldn't stand season 2

Me too. Season 4 is def my favorite.

Homeland. I also think that Breaking Bad and The Sopranos are up there as all-time great shows but I wouldn't say they are my personal favorites.

My favorites are Six Feet Under, Friday Night Lights (Riggins!), Lost (the first half), Orange is the New Black, Parenthood, Mad Men, Weeds, Big Love, ER and Downton Abbey.

I've never seen The Wire not Deadwood though. My husband has always said that those are the best two shows ever.

Justified - such a good show.

I also agree that Lost had one of the best pilots ever.

Law and Order SVU.

Anonymous wrote:The Shield
The Good Wife (amazing IMO)
The Americans
Rescue Me (first few seasons)
Damages (first 3 seasons)

I tried The Wire, Sopranos and breaking Bad and didn't care for them.

The Americans definitely deserves to be on this list. There is nothing else like it. Damages was excellent for its type.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lost. unique show

So bad by the middle of its run.

A free for all of weak storylines.

"Lost" as the best pilot I have ever seen by far. But by no means the best show.

Anonymous wrote:LA Law, in the early days.

So funny you never, ever hear this show mentioned.

I have to give Justified a mention with the series finale coming on Tuesday.

season 1 was very good, season 2 was great, season 3 was perhaps the best season of any show I've ever seen. The dialogue is so dark and funny with so many complex and quirky characters, it is my favorite show of all time.

The Shield
The Good Wife (amazing IMO)
The Americans
Rescue Me (first few seasons)
Damages (first 3 seasons)

I tried The Wire, Sopranos and breaking Bad and didn't care for them.

New York Magazine did this debate a few years ago. They set it up as a bracket and then voted on out each week accompanied by a long piece explaining why. The final two were The Sopranos vs. The Wire with the final winner being The Wire. It's worth a read to see their reasoning.

The Wire. It was a complete story, like a long form piece of journalism. Not surprising given David Simon's background.

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?

This is me as well. I am smack in the middle of season one, and it is just not grabbing me. I will stick it out but I am disappointed thus far.

My vote is The Sopranos, although I liked ER and The West Wing better.

It's me - finally finished Season 1 and very glad I did. It was great but didn't really hold my attention until ep 8 or 9. If I had been watching when it first came out, without the benefit of fifty people I know telling me how great it is, I don't think I would have made it past ep 2.

LA Law, in the early days.