The New Classics: TV - ANother List to Make You Mad

childeroland

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From Entertainment Weekly, at http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20207076_20207387_20207339,00.html

To quote Bill O' Reilly, what think you?

1. The Simpsons, Fox, 1989-present
2 The Sopranos, HBO (1999-2007)
3 Seinfeld, NBC (1989-98)
4 The X-Files, Fox (1993-2002)
5 Sex and the City, HBO (1998-2004)
6 Survivor, CBS (2000-present)
7 The Cosby Show, NBC (1984-92)
8 Lost, ABC (2004-present)
9 Friends, NBC (1994-2004)
10 Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The WB (1997-2001); UPN (2001-03)
11 The Wire, HBO (2002-08)
12 South Park, Comedy Central (1997-present)
13 Freaks and Geeks, NBC (1999-2000)
14 The Daily Show, Comedy Central (1996-present)
15 The Oprah Winfrey Show, Syndicated (1986-present)
16 Arrested Development, Fox (2003-06)
17 The Office (U.K. version), BBC2 (2001-03)
18 American Idol, Fox (2002-present)
19 ER, NBC (1994-present)
20 Beverly Hills, 90210, Fox (1990-2000)
21 Roseanne, ABC (1988-97)
22 The Real World, MTV (1992-present)
23 The West Wing, NBC (1999-2006)
24 Star Trek: The Next Generation, Syndication (1987-94)
25 Miami Vice, NBC (1984-89)
26 Chappelle's Show, Comedy Central (2003-06)
27 Law & Order, NBC (1990-present)
28 The Larry Sanders Show, HBO (1992-98)
29 The Shield, FX (2002-present)
30 Late Show With David Letterman, CBS (1993-present)
31 The Civil War, PBS (1990)
32 Gilmore Girls, The WB (2000-06), The CW (2006-07)
33 My So-Called Life, ABC (1994-95)
34 24, Fox (2001-present)
35 CSI, CBS (2000-present)
36 thirtysomething, ABC (1987-91)
38 Beavis and Butt-head, MTV (1993-97)
39 Six Feet Under, HBO (2001-05)
40 Mr. Show, (HBO, 1995-98)
41 Frasier, NBC (1993-2004)
42 L.A. Law, NBC (1986-94)
43 Late Night With Conan O'Brien, NBC (1993-present)
44 Jeopardy!, Syndicated (1984-present)
45 Curb Your Enthusiasm, HBO (2000-present)
46 Homicide: Life on the Street, NBC (1993-99)
47 30 Rock, NBC (2006-present)
48 Ally McBeal, Fox (1997-2002)
49 Twin Peaks, ABC (1990-91)
50 Baywatch, NBC (1989-90), Syndicated (1991-2001)
51. Melrose Place, Fox (1992-99)
52. Felicity, The WB (1998-2002)
53. Will & Grace, NBC (1998-2006)
54. Moonlighting, ABC (1985-89)
55. Pee-wee's Playhouse, CBS (1986-90)
56. Desperate Housewives, ABC (2004-present)
57. The Amazing Race, CBS (2001-present)
58. The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, NBC (1992-present)
59. Battlestar Galactica, Sci Fi (2003-2008)
60. Xena: Warrior Princess, Syndicated (1995-2001)
61. The Office (U.S.), NBC (2005-present)
62. House, Fox (2004-present)
63. Mystery Science Theater 3000, Comedy Central (1989-96), Sci Fi (1997-99)
64. The Osbournes, MTV (2002-05)
65. Family Guy, Fox (1999-2002, 2005-present)
66. Grey’s Anatomy, ABC (2005-present)
67. Planet Earth, Discovery Channel (2007)
68. Jackass, MTV (2000-02)
69. The Colbert Report, Comedy Central (2005-present)
70. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS (1996-2005)
71. Friday Night Lights, NBC (2006-present)
72. NewsRadio, NBC (1995-99)
73. Oz, HBO (1997-2003)
74. Wiseguy, CBS (1987-90)
75. Project Runway, Bravo (2004-present)
76. In Living Color, Fox (1990-94)
77. The Golden Girls, NBC (1985-92)
78. I'll Fly Away, NBC (1991-93)
79. The Comeback, HBO (2005)
80. King of the Hill, Fox (1997-present)
81. Murphy Brown, CBS (1988-98)
82. The Hills, MTV (2006-present)
83. Absolutely Fabulous, BBC2 (1992), BBC1 (1994-2004)
84. Northern Exposure, CBS (1990-95)
85. The Kids in the Hall, HBO (1989-92), CBS (1992-95)
86. Prime Suspect, ITV (1991-2006)
87. Deadwood, HBO (2004-06)
88. Malcolm in the Middle, Fox (2000-06)
89. SpongeBob SquarePants, Nickelodeon (1999-present)
90. Dawson's Creek, The WB (1998-2003)
91. Mad Men, AMC (2007-present)
92. The Ben Stiller Show, Fox (1992-93)
93. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Bravo (2003-07)
94. Married...With Children, Fox (1987-97)
95. Designing Women, CBS (1986-93)
96. The Arsenio Hall Show, Syndicated (1989-94)
97. Party of Five, Fox (1994-2000)
98. MacGyver, ABC (1985-92)
99. The Bachelor, ABC (2002-present)
100. Saved by the Bell, NBC (1989-93)
 

James81

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"mad" as in "crazy" or "mad" as in "angry"?
 

childeroland

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Heck, both. Actually this list leaves me mostly indifferent (can't take seriously a 100 best shows ranking with The Hills on it, and over Deadwood at that) but it's bound to make someone crazy or angry (or at least snarky) and that's always fun.
 
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ChaosTitan

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It hurts my heart to see Battlestar Galactica and Oz so low on the list. But given some of the other shows making the cut, I'm glad they're on there at all.

Although in the same issure of EW, their Books list is an interesting read.
 

BenPanced

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Baywatch, Sex and the City, and fargin' SURVIVOR?! listed higher than Northern Exposure?!?! I don't wanna know what they were smoking.
 

MattW

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1. The Simpsons, Fox, 1989-present
In my world, it went off the air 5 seasons ago and deserves the top spot.

2 The Sopranos, HBO (1999-2007)
Barf. Too long in coming, nothing satisfying happened.

3 Seinfeld, NBC (1989-98)
Ended one season too late.

4 The X-Files, Fox (1993-2002)
Ended 3-5 seasons too late.


8 Lost, ABC (2004-present)
Will be ruined by hindsight I imagine. But I love it now and hold out hope it doesn't suffer from the "too little, too late" of long dramas like it.


11 The Wire, HBO (2002-08)
Best show I never watched.

12 South Park, Comedy Central (1997-present)
Still amusing, but predictable.

16 Arrested Development, Fox (2003-06)
Best show no one ever watched.

26 Chappelle's Show, Comedy Central (2003-06)
Should be higher. In my demographic, you did not miss a new episode, and did not laugh about it all the next week. Dave left us wanting more, which is admirable to the alternative - leaving us wishing he'd stopped sooner.


46 Homicide: Life on the Street, NBC (1993-99)
Critically acclaimed at first, then fell apart. I never could find it on the schedule when it was on. That was a common problem for canceled shows before DVR.

47 30 Rock, NBC (2006-present)
I love it. Don't care what anyone else says.

63. Mystery Science Theater 3000, Comedy Central (1989-96), Sci Fi (1997-99)
More than a TV show...a lifestyle.


73. Oz, HBO (1997-2003)

87. Deadwood, HBO (2004-06)
HBO really can put together some great shows.

I would put Rome there as well, but they pulled the trigger too early to end it.
 

Jcomp

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Can't really have a top "100" classics, so just looking at the top 20, it's not that bad. No way 90210 should be higher than Law & Order though, and I'd personally put The Wire above Lost (a little premature, no?), Cosby (funny, classic show, but those last few years were brutally unfunny) and Buffy. The X-Files should also get dropped a few slots for being pretty lousy for the last few seasons.
 

dgiharris

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I think many on this list actually killed themselves by going on way too long.

But overall, i'm actually 'o.k.' with most of the list. Of course there are a couple I would rate higher or lower ,but nothing too drastically out of place. Only thing that isn't right is probably Oprah. She should EASILY be in the top five.
 
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dgiharris

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Any list that has "Saved by the Bell" in the top 100 loses all credibility immediately.

You have to adjust for ages. As a pre-teen to teenager, that show actually was pretty decent (especially when compared to all other teenie bopper shows)
 

James81

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Baywatch, Sex and the City, and fargin' SURVIVOR?! listed higher than Northern Exposure?!?! I don't wanna know what they were smoking.

This begs the question...is this list based on actual ratings? Or just some polls of random people?
 

MattW

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This begs the question...is this list based on actual ratings? Or just some polls of random people?
Editors decide based on criteria we would agree with and cringe at at the same time. They keep a running list and adjust every year, and make huge mistakes every time.
 

ChaosTitan

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It's probably a collection of shows based not only on popularity, but also on their affect on pop culture, period. As much as it pains me to say, Baywatch was a huge pop culture phenomenon. Same as American Idol, The Simpsons, and a host of others on the list.
 

dageezer

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It's probably a collection of shows based not only on popularity, but also on their affect on pop culture, period. As much as it pains me to say, Baywatch was a huge pop culture phenomenon. Same as American Idol, The Simpsons, and a host of others on the list.

I gotta agree.... Baywatch was to the 90's what Charlie's Angels were to the 70's. I think it was the first time I really noticed that things jiggled when females started running. Idol, never watched it, don't like it but you can't argue the success. Always loved the Simpson's, that's the only reason I watched the Tracey Ullman show.

But I can't have any respect for any list that doesn't have Gilligan's Island on it.