OT: Favorite TV shows

[Scud49]

Star Trek (the original show)
The X Files
Lost
MASH
Cheers
Bob Newhart
Wild,Wild, West
The Twilight Zone
Red Skelton
Lost in Space
Jackie Gleason Show
Ed Sullivan
The Virginian
The Munsters
Dallas
Dukes of Hazzard

 

[wire chief]

Star Trek (the original show)
The X Files
Lost
MASH
Cheers
Bob Newhart
Wild,Wild, West
The Twilight Zone
Red Skelton
Lost in Space
Jackie Gleason Show
Ed Sullivan
The Virginian
The Munsters
Dallas
Dukes of Hazzard

Didn't your mom ever tell you to go outside and play?

 

[geneticrex]

The Sopranos

Dark Shadows

Star Trek

 

[Blakeon18]

Clearly I am not a high-brow in this category:

The Andy Griffith Show...the early years
Howdy Doody
Gunsmoke

It's me...it's me...it's Ernest T!
Kowabonga!
Festus and his mule Ruth!

 

[Kaizen]

Three's Company
Gilligan's Island

 

[Conndog]

I always liked Green Acres, and also I liked to watch Superman- anyone see the episode with the little underground people? That was creepy! Also growing up, we loved The Wonderful World of Disney every Sunday night. And, it was always fun to watch the Little Rascals with Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, Darla, Chubby Wubby etc.

 

[wire chief]

I always liked Green Acres, and also I liked to watch Superman- anyone see the episode with the little underground people? That was creepy! Also growing up, we loved The Wonderful World of Disney every Sunday night. And, it was always fun to watch the Little Rascals with Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, Darla, Chubby Wubby etc.

They were the Mole People and led to a full length movie of that name.

 

[wire chief]

They were the Mole People and led to a full length movie of that name.

On 2nd thought the title was SUPERMAN AND THE MOLE PEOPLE.

 

[Waquoit]

That's a good job by the marketing department. The title pretty much covers the plot.

 

[DataNerd]

The constraint "every episode a must-watch" greatly restricts the list as so many great series falter in their last few seasons (which is usually why they end!). Mindful of this, here are my choices:

The West Wing
Person of Interest
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Firefly
The Addams Family

Honorable mentions:

24: Its inspiration, BBC's MI-5, was superior, but tailed off in its last few rounds

Orphan Black (still running). Great hook, season arcs, ensemble, and writing, but you must watch to marvel at the nuances Tatiana Maslany brings to the many clones she portrays.

Broadchurch: Another BBC gem with heartbreaking story, powerhouse ensemble, all written and directed to perfection by its creator. Reason enough to join Netflix.
-------
Although the series tanked after he left, West Wing remains for me Aaron Sorkin's masterpiece and the zenith of an actor's resume. His comedy convulses as his oratory soars. (I justify its inclusion because John Wells' last seasons were "must watch" to see in how many more ways he could fail epically.) Unlike the bitter "News Room", Sorkin took pains to show the nuances, trade-offs, greatness, and pettiness of politics on both sides of the aisle. We rewatch episodes frequently and discuss for hours with our kids (now grown), as most topics are as relevant today as when they were penned. WW knocked it out of the park on every level.

Firefly was so good, despite airing only 10 of its 13 episodes which excluded the 2-part premier, that it justified the making of a film (Serenity). This is Joss Weadon's masterwork that launched many careers, notably Castle's Nathan Fillion (notice the many Firefly references and props in Castle).

Love binge-watching on Netflix!

 

[Zorro]

Maverick
Rockford Files
Flip Wilson
Smothers Brothers

 

[tomcat]

Rockford Files
MASH
Bob Newhart
Lou Grant

and, from waaay back:

There's a holdup in the Bronx
Brooklyn's broken out in fights.
There's a traffic jam in Harlem
that's backed up to Jackson Heights.
There's a scout troop short a child
Kruschev's due at Idlewild.
Car 54, where are you?

 

[Amston Joe]

At the risk of dating myself:
WESTERNS
Hopalong Cassidy & Topper (I had a bedspread with them both on it)
Texas Rangers
Have Gun - Will Travel (Paladin)

COMEDIES
East Side Kids/The Bowery Boys
Harrigan & Sons (theme song was H-A-double R-I-G-A-N spells Harrigan)
Topper
F Troop

CARTOONS
Dinosaurs, w/ Earl & Baby Sinclair. The best one was when Earl couldn't wait to throw his mother-in-law into the tar pits because she hit a certain age.
Deputy Dawg
Top Cat

 

[JellyBean]

The Cosby Show
King of Queens
Sanford and Son
NCIS
Seinfeld

 

[JordyG]

Right now I'm really enjoying Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead and House of Cards. Those are my top shows, the ones I alter my schedule for, but I watch many more of various genres. For instance, I typically enjoy dramas.. but I love "Empire" as well. With me being a confused millennial, "GIRLS" is also one of my current favorites.

The Americans is also really good. Netflix just introduced a GREAT show called "Stranger Things".. I recommend this show to anybody that grew up in the 80s, you'd love it.

I was really into "Entourage" growing up... which says a lot about me since I was basically a kid (13-18) during that show's run. "The Wire" is a favorite of mine too. Another graphic show that I'm realizing I was too young for, but I used to watch it with my dad...

Just caught up to you. For me GOT and The Walking Dead are just head and shoulders above all others, although I do like Fear The Walking Dead. I'm also a big fan of Better Call Saul, The Knick, and (with guilty pleasure) The Blacklist. In 4K y'all!

 

[ochoopsfan]

The Tonight Show, Starring Johnny Carson
The Time Tunnel
All In The Family


When I was real young, Modern Farmer. It came on after the color bars was on and the National Anthem was played.

 

[SCGamecock]

Just caught up to you. For me GOT and The Walking Dead are just head and shoulders above all others, although I do like Fear The Walking Dead. I'm also a big fan of Better Call Saul, The Knick, and (with guilty pleasure) The Blacklist. In 4K y'all!

Completely forgot about The Knick... another GREAT show. "Get the rope" from season 1 is hands down one of my top 10 favorite episodes in television history.

 

[JordyG]

Completely forgot about The Knick... another GREAT show. "Get the rope" from season 1 is hands down one of my top 10 favorite episodes in television history.

I've gone through some of your posts over again. I now have to take back at least half of what I've said about millennials just today alone. And as a Dawn lover I may have to rescind the other half. By the way, I've just watched Balish and the Eunuch's dialogue about "Chaos Is A Ladder" again. Brilliant.

 

[Beemer]

How many of you are old enough to remember when the channels would sign off around 1AM with the National Anthem?

*Raises hand*

 

[JordyG]

How many of you are old enough to remember when the channels would sign off around 1AM with the National Anthem?

*Raises hand*

**Ooo! O00! Waves hand** Who also remembers those black and white cartoons in the morning with the little mice running around?

 

[SCGamecock]

I've gone through some of your posts over again. I now have to take back at least half of what I've said about millennials just today alone. And as a Dawn lover I may have to rescind the other half. By the way, I've just watched Balish and the Eunuch's dialogue about "Chaos Is A Ladder" again. Brilliant.

So brilliant. Most of my favorite scenes from GoT tend to involve Baelish, Varys or Tyrion in some manner.. the dialogue and subtle digs at one another are phenomenal. Great writing all around.

 

[JordyG]

So brilliant. Most of my favorite scenes from GoT tend to involve Baelish, Varys or Tyrion in some manner.. the dialogue and subtle digs at one another are phenomenal. Great writing all around.

As a book reader, and one who read the first book in hardback, it's been a long road. Knowing the arc of so many characters and keeping my trap shut around friends new to the show over the years was difficult. For me some of the most satisfying things was watching how they did the Purple Wedding and the battle between the The Red Viper and The Mountain. Watching the growth of Arya, the pain of Catelyn Stark, the incredible portrayal of Joffrey by Jack Gleeson, the incredible Charles Dance, the incredible Pedro Pascal, the clearly defined definitions of power (knowledge is power, power is power, power is where men believe to be) and the ruthless pursuit of this ineffable, elusive beggar. The action and fantastical elements are fun, but for me it's the drawing room dialogues such as those between Balish and Varys, Tywin and Olenna Tyrell (Tywin and anyone for that matter), and now The Imp and Daenerys that captures my attentions. As great as The Wire or Breaking Bad were, it's the long generational view of power, commonality and vengeance that GOT takes that draws me.

 

[JordyG]

So brilliant. Most of my favorite scenes from GoT tend to involve Baelish, Varys or Tyrion in some manner.. the dialogue and subtle digs at one another are phenomenal. Great writing all around.

By the way I've long known the lineage of Jon Snow. I'd actually thought for a while that maybe his father was the Mad King. Areys did briefly visit Rhaegar and Lyanna during that period. I knew however the other option was more likely.

 

[BigBird]

Monty Python
Dancing with the Stars (currently on hiatus)
Castle
Spartacus
Black Sails (or, as it is known at our house, "Spartacus with Boats")
Overhaulin' (still being aired in re-run, but series cancelled about a year ago)

 

[SCGamecock]

As a book reader, and one who read the first book in hardback, it's been a long road. Knowing the arc of so many characters and keeping my trap shut around friends new to the show over the years was difficult. For me some of the most satisfying things was watching how they did the Purple Wedding and the battle between the The Red Viper and The Mountain. Watching the growth of Arya, the pain of Catelyn Stark, the incredible portrayal of Joffrey by Jack Gleeson, the incredible Charles Dance, the incredible Pedro Pascal, the clearly defined definitions of power (knowledge is power, power is power, power is where men believe to be) and the ruthless pursuit of this ineffable, elusive beggar. The action and fantastical elements are fun, but for me it's the drawing room dialogues such as those between Balish and Varys, Tywin and Olenna Tyrell (Tywin and anyone for that matter), and now The Imp and Daenerys that captures my attentions. As great as The Wire or Breaking Bad were, it's the long generational view of power, commonality and vengeance that GOT takes that draws me.

I couldn't have said it better. I'm actually currently reading the books for the first time (book 2 as of now). The TV series fascinated me so much that I now want to know everything about Westeros, Noble Houses etc. so I decided to buy all of the books (I even bought a "History of Westoros" type book that was written by Martin himself).. and this is an investment so I bought them all hardback.