Every HBO Show, Ranked | The Boneyard

Every HBO Show, Ranked

Mano

Mano

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www.vulture.com

Every HBO Show, Ranked

Taking stock of the premium network’s formidable catalogue.
www.vulture.com www.vulture.com

Good way to kill a few minutes scrolling through. I’m sure the top 10 will rankle some people.
 
Silly list. Putting Entourage near the bottom incinerates every ounce of credibility that the list could have had. Entourage was not a perfect show, but it is not one of the worst in HBO history. The Brink was also very underrated.

Furthermore, Enlightened is self-absorbed garbage and Laura Dern is a terrible actress that chews every inch of scenery that she is in.
 
That list has no credibility. I stopped when I saw where Dream On was.
 
Entourage was a decent concept about the emptiness of Hollywood/entertainment industry for a 1-2 season run that extended to seven seasons at which point it simply became a stupid show about stupid people for stupid people.

You could even suggest that extending it to seven seasons was a meta inside joke by HBO.
 
I might re-watch the Larry Sanders Show. It was great at times, but my memory is that it had a lot of throwaway episodes.

Big Love was one of the best shows in TV history while Harry Dean Stanton was on it. The show was much more layered and complex than the author of the list gives it credit for.
 
storrsroars said:
Entourage was a decent concept about the emptiness of Hollywood/entertainment industry for a 1-2 season run that extended to seven seasons at which point it simply became a stupid show about stupid people for stupid people.

You could even suggest that extending it to seven seasons was a meta inside joke by HBO.
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The 4th season (Medillin) was the show's best. The guest characters were fantastic, from the vindictive studio exec on Aquaman to a scorching mockery of Harvey Weinstein to Bob Saget playing a perverted, drug addled version of himself. The show was at it's best when Vince and the crew got out of the way of the recurring characters.
 
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Came to Entourage late, after the movie. It was fine show. Binged it in fairly short order.
 
Entourage is like candy - Swedish Fish, specifically. Some people love it, some people think that it tastes like junk filled with toxic sweeteners.

I watch and appreciate TVs and movies filled with stupid humor but I just don't think that Entourage is funny.
 
I didn’t have a problem with the list. Lots of things on there I never watched. But each of us has our own tastes.
 
I wasn't an fan of Entourage, but putting Dream On and The Newsroom at the bottom gives me reason to ignore this list. And Deadwood was great but nowhere near The Wire.
 
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Obviously their list was never going to be perfect, just thought it would he a good starting point for a conversation. I haven't seen all of these through to completion but enough to make a judgement well enough.

More or less the order I'd give them. Obviously some heavyweights are missing. Maybe I'll get around to The Wire someday.

30. (26.) Girls (2012–17)
29. (72.) Dream On (1990–96)
28. (58.) Camping (2018–present)
27. (36.) Vice Principals (2016–17)
26. (54.) Divorce (2016–present)
25. (53.) Crashing (2017–19)
24. (50.) Hello Ladies (2013–14)
23. (43.) Togetherness (2015–16)
22. (21.) The Comeback (2005; 2014)
21. (55.) True Blood (2008–14)
VVVVVV--Line of demarcation of shows I would actually suggest people to watch, not to say that those above are bad show per se (except for Girls of course), just maybe not worth the time IMO
20. (49.) Mr. Bean (1990–95)
19. (32.) Big Little Lies (2017–present)
18. (6.) Sex and the City (1998–2004)
17. (30.) Big Love (2006–11)
16. (13.) Barry (2018–present)
15. (69.) Entourage (2004–11)
14. (37.) Carnivàle (2003–5)
13. (25.) Flight of the Conchords (2007–9)
12. (9.) Veep (2012–19)
11. (7.) Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–present)
10. (23.) Westworld (2016–present)
9. (17.) Silicon Valley (2014–present)
8. (33.) Extras (2005–7)
7. (24.) True Detective (2014–present)
6. (15.) Boardwalk Empire (2010–14)
5. (8.) Game of Thrones (2011–19)
4. (14.) Six Feet Under (2001–5)
3. (5.) The Leftovers (2014–17)
2. (2.) Deadwood (2004–6; 2019)
1. (1.) The Sopranos (1999–2007)
 
Mano said:
Obviously their list was never going to be perfect, just thought it would he a good starting point for a conversation. I haven't seen all of these through to completion but enough to make a judgement well enough.

More or less the order I'd give them. Obviously some heavyweights are missing. Maybe I'll get around to The Wire someday.

30. (26.) Girls (2012–17)
29. (72.) Dream On (1990–96)
28. (58.) Camping (2018–present)
27. (36.) Vice Principals (2016–17)
26. (54.) Divorce (2016–present)
25. (53.) Crashing (2017–19)
24. (50.) Hello Ladies (2013–14)
23. (43.) Togetherness (2015–16)
22. (21.) The Comeback (2005; 2014)
21. (55.) True Blood (2008–14)
VVVVVV--Line of demarcation of shows I would actually suggest people to watch, not to say that those above are bad show per se (except for Girls of course), just maybe not worth the time IMO
20. (49.) Mr. Bean (1990–95)
19. (32.) Big Little Lies (2017–present)
18. (6.) Sex and the City (1998–2004)
17. (30.) Big Love (2006–11)
16. (13.) Barry (2018–present)
15. (69.) Entourage (2004–11)
14. (37.) Carnivàle (2003–5)
13. (25.) Flight of the Conchords (2007–9)
12. (9.) Veep (2012–19)
11. (7.) Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–present)
10. (23.) Westworld (2016–present)
9. (17.) Silicon Valley (2014–present)
8. (33.) Extras (2005–7)
7. (24.) True Detective (2014–present)
6. (15.) Boardwalk Empire (2010–14)
5. (8.) Game of Thrones (2011–19)
4. (14.) Six Feet Under (2001–5)
3. (5.) The Leftovers (2014–17)
2. (2.) Deadwood (2004–6; 2019)
1. (1.) The Sopranos (1999–2007)
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You haven’t watched The Wire? But you watched this garbage? LOL
 
whaler11 said:
You haven’t watched The Wire? But you watched this garbage? LOL
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Yea, dunno why. Never watched it during it's original airing. Just need to bite the bullet and get into it but can never seem to find the time.
 
Mano said:
Yea, dunno why. Never watched it during it's original airing. Just need to bite the bullet and get into it but can never seem to find the time.
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It’s by far and away the best show they had. You can give the Sopranos the #1 slot for the impact it had on the medium. The Wire is better.

Although I do worry that you think Silicon Valley was better than Veep. Even for about 4 seasons and SV sputtered to line.
 
whaler11 said:
It’s by far and away the best show they had. You can give the Sopranos the #1 slot for the impact it had on the medium. The Wire is better.

Although I do worry that you think Silicon Valley was better than Veep. Even for about 4 seasons and SV sputtered to line.
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Well, I put about a second's thought into it all.

Veep is great, I don't think there has been any show that packs more jokes into every single line. I'll sit there and laugh and think man, they are skewering every thing I hate about politics - both parties, societal norms and a great many political figures all at once. Then the show ends and I think about it for a second, something about it is depressing I guess. And I'm about as big a cynic as you could find! (ok, maybe not as much as you Whale, but still)
 
Would have put Boardwalk and Six Feet Under a little higher. Deadwood is great but no way is it better than The Wire. The Sopranos and The Wire are the two best shows ever, I vacillate on which is better all the time...

Never seen Veep but binge watched Silicon Valley this past year and it's hilarious, wish they never killed off Peter Gregory so early though, amazing character. Like seeing The Leftovers getting such high praise and like seeing John from Cincinnati get a shout out, it probably wasn't going anywhere but I loved it. Bored to Death could maybe be a little higher as well.

HBO is so awesome all these amazing shows then you factor in Band of Brothers and Generation Kill, so much good stuff.
 
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superjohn said:
Would have put Boardwalk and Six Feet Under a little higher. Deadwood is great but no way is it better than The Wire. The Sopranos and The Wire are the two best shows ever, I vacillate on which is better all the time...

Never seen Veep but binge watched Silicon Valley this past year and it's hilarious, wish they never killed off Peter Gregory so early though, amazing character. Like seeing The Leftovers getting such high praise and like seeing John from Cincinnati get a shout out, it probably wasn't going anywhere but I loved it. Bored to Death could maybe be a little higher as well.

HBO is so awesome all these amazing shows then you factor in Band of Brothers and Generation Kill, so much good stuff.
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The actor who played Peter Gregory died in real life unfortunately. It's a shame, I'm sure he would've been a long featured part of the show. Also a shame that he died too I guess.
 
Mano said:
Well, I put about a second's thought into it all.

Veep is great, I don't think there has been any show that packs more jokes into every single line. I'll sit there and laugh and think man, they are skewering every thing I hate about politics - both parties, societal norms and a great many political figures all at once. Then the show ends and I think about it for a second, something about it is depressing I guess. And I'm about as big a cynic as you could find! (ok, maybe not as much as you Whale, but still)
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That’s the beauty. They kill everyone.

Silicon Valley is way more depressing. Peter Theil may be the most powerful person on the planet.
 
superjohn said:
Would have put Boardwalk and Six Feet Under a little higher. Deadwood is great but no way is it better than The Wire. The Sopranos and The Wire are the two best shows ever, I vacillate on which is better all the time...

Never seen Veep but binge watched Silicon Valley this past year and it's hilarious, wish they never killed off Peter Gregory so early though, amazing character. Like seeing The Leftovers getting such high praise and like seeing John from Cincinnati get a shout out, it probably wasn't going anywhere but I loved it. Bored to Death could maybe be a little higher as well.

HBO is so awesome all these amazing shows then you factor in Band of Brothers and Generation Kill, so much good stuff.
Expand ...

Watch Veep.

Pretty sure @Fishy loves John in Cincinnati....
 
Mano said:
The actor who played Peter Gregory died in real life unfortunately. It's a shame, I'm sure he would've been a long featured part of the show. Also a shame that he died too I guess.
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Oh man, that's terrible. He was on it for such a short time but all his scenes were so memorable.
 
whaler11 said:
Watch Veep.

Pretty sure @Fishy loves John in Cincinnati....
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I didn't really know what I was watching half the time with The Leftovers but it was still intoxicating, Cincinnati Johnny had that same effect on me.
 
superjohn said:
I didn't really know what I was watching half the time with The Leftovers but it was still intoxicating, Cincinnati Johnny had that same effect on me.
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Few shows have left me thinking about them long after they're over, The Leftovers is definitely one of them.
 
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Mano said:
Few shows have left me thinking about them long after they're over, The Leftovers is definitely one of them.
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International Assassin is essentially the single best episode of television.
 
whaler11 said:
Watch Veep.

Pretty sure @Fishy loves John in Cincinnati....
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I did.

I freaking hated Treme, thought Entourage was garbage and never saw a minute of The Sopranos.
 
Westworld would be higher on my list if it didn't hurt my brain.

I can only take Larry David in small doses, but I find that older men LOVE Curb Your Enthusiasm, because Larry David acts like they wish they could act.
 
Oz was the first HBO show that showed the edginess of what shows like Sopranos and The Wire could be like. It came out a couple of years before Sopranos did and had a rotating cast that included a lot of actors that became better known later on for different roles.
 
Mano said:
Yea, dunno why. Never watched it during it's original airing. Just need to bite the bullet and get into it but can never seem to find the time.
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I put it off for the longest time, but started it 2 months ago (??) and am a bit into season 4 now. Start it tomorrow.

Granted I've done the same with the Sopranos and still haven't gotten around to it
 
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