source ^ This is a great book, it was just released this past Tuesday.



1-10: The Inner Circle

The Simpsons (Fox, 1989 - present)

The Sopranos (HBO, 1999-2007)

The Wire (HBO, 2002-2008)

Cheers (NBC, 1982-1993)

Breaking Bad (AMC, 2008-2013)

Mad Men (AMC, 2007-2015)

Seinfeld (NBC, 1989-1998)

I Love Lucy (CBS, 1951-1957)

Deadwood (HBO, 2004-2006)

All in the Family (CBS, 1971-1979)

11-50: No-Doubt-About-It-Classics

M*A*S*H (CBS, 1972-1983)

Hill Street Blues (1981-1987)

The Shield (FX, 2002-2008)
The Twilight Zone (CBS, 1959-1964)

Arrested Development (Fox, 2003-2006)
The Larry Sanders Show (HBO, 1992-1998)
The Honeymooners (CBS, 1955-1956)
Louie (FX, 2010-2015)
The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS, 1970-1977)
The X-Files (Fox, 1993-2002)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO, 2000-2011)

SpongeBob SquarePants (Nickelodeon, 1999-present)
The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show (ABC, 1959-1961; NBC, 1961-1964)
Twin Peaks (ABC, 1990-1991)
Lost (ABC, 2004-2010)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (WB, 1997-2001; UPN, 2001-2003)
Freaks and Geeks (NBC, 1999-2000)
My So-Called Life (ABC, 1994-1995)
Oz (HBO, 1997-2003)

The Dick Van Dyke Show (CBS, 1961-1966)
Friday Night Lights (NBC, 2006-2008; DirecTV/NBC, 2008-2011)
NYPD Blue (ABC, 1993-2005)
Frasier (NBC, 1993-2004)

Homicide: Life on the Street (NBC, 1993-1999)

Battlestar Galactica (SciFi, 2003-2009)
In Treatment (HBO, 2008-2010)
South Park (Comedy Central, 1997-present)
The West Wing (NBC, 1999-2006)
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (Syndication, 1976-1977)
It's Garry Shandling's Show (Showtime, 1986-1990)
The Jack Benny Program (CBS & NBC, 1950-1965)
Soap (ABC, 1977-1981)
The Andy Griffith Show (CBS, 1960-1968)
The Cosby Show (NBC, 1984-1992)
Moonlighting (ABC, 1985-1989)
Taxi (ABC, 1978-1982; NBC 1982-1983)
East Side/West Side (CBS, 1963-1964)
Hannibal (NBC, 2013-2015)
ER (NBC, 1994-2009)
Parks and Recreation (NBC, 2009-2015)
Roseanne (ABC, 1988-1997)
30 Rock (NBC, 2006-2013)

The Bob Newhart Show (CBS, 1972-1978)

Malcolm in the Middle (Fox, 200-2006)

51-75: Groundbreakers and Workhorsers

Miami Vice (NBC, 1984-1990)
The Office (NBC, 2005-2013)
St. Elsewhere (NBC, 1982-1988)
Community (NBC, 2009-2014)
The Golden Girls (NBC, 1985-1992)
Friends (NBC, 1994-2004)
Police Squad! (ABC, 1982)

24 (Fox, 2001-2010)
The Defenders (CBS, 1961-1965)
Gunsmoke (CBS, 1955-1975)
Sex and the City (HBO, 1998-2004)
Star Trek (NBC, 1966-1969)
Firefly (Fox, 2002-2003)
Law & Order (NBC, 1990-2010)
Maude (CBS, 1972-1978)
The Rockford Files (NBC, 1974-1980)
China Beach (ABC, 1988-1991)
Enlightened (HBO, 2011-2013)
Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS, 1996-2005)
The Wonder Years (ABC, 1988-1993)
Barney Miller (ABC, 1974-1982)

Frank's Place (CBS, 1987-1988)
Justified (FX, 2010-2015)

Outlier Classics

thirtysomething (ABC, 1987-1991)
Columbo (NBC, 1971-1978; ABC, 1989-2003)
Futurama (FOX, 1999-2003; Comedy Central, 2008-2013)
The Outer Limits (ABC, 1963-1965)
Northern Exposure (CBS, 1990-1995)

Batman (ABC, 1966-1968)

King of the Hill (Fox, 1997-2010)
Veronica Mars (UPN, 2004-2006; CW, 2006-2007)
Cagney & Lacey (CBS, 1981-1988)
EZ Streets (CBS, 1996-1997)
Wiseguy (CBS, 1987-1990)
Gilmore Girls (WB/CW, 2000-2007)
Six Feet Under (HBO, 2001-2005)
Sports Night (ABC, 1998-2000)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Syndicated, 1993-1999)
Batman: The Animated Series (Fox, 1992-1995)
Boardwalk Empire (HBO, 2010-2014)
NewsRadio (NBC, 1995-1999)
Picket Fences (CBS, 1992-1996)
Scrubs (NBC, 2001-2008; ABC, 2009-2010)
WKRP in Cincinnati (CBS, 1978-1982)
How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 2005-2014)
Terriers (FX, 2010)

Works in Progress

Adventure Time (Cartoon Network, 2010-present)
American Crime (ABC, 2015-present)
The Americans (FX, 2013-present)
Better Call Saul (AMC, 2015-present)
Black-ish (ABC, 2014-present)
Bojack Horseman (Netflix, 2014-present)
Broad City (Comedy Central, 2014-present)
Fargo (FX, 2014-present)
Game of Thrones (HBO, 2011-present)
Girls (HBO, 2012-present)
Jessica Jones (Netflix, 2015-present)
The Leftovers (HBO, 2014-present)
Mr. Robot (USA, 2015-present)
Orange Is the New Black (Netlflix, 2013-present)
Rectify (Sundance, 2013-present)

Review (Comedy Central, 2014-present)
Scandal (ABC, 2012-present)
Transparent (Amazon, 2014-present)

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix, 2015-present)
UnReal (Lifetime, 2015-present)
Veep (HBO, 2012-present)

ETC...

American Crime story (FX, 2016-present)
Archer (FX, 2010-present)
Bob's Burgers (Fox, 2011-present)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox, 2013-present)
The Carmichael Show (NBC, 2015-present)
Casual (Hulu, 2015-present)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (CW, 2015-present)
Empire (Fox, 2014-present)
Fresh Off the Boat (ABC, 2015-present)

Halt and Catch Fire (AMC, 2014-present)
Silicon Valley (HBO, 2014-present)
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX,FXX, 2005-present)
iZombie (CW, 2015-present)
Jane the Virgin (CW, 2014-present)
Master of None (Netflix, 2015-presnet)

The Mindy Project (Fox, 201202015; Huku, 2015-present)
New Girl (Fox, 2011-present)
Ricky and Morty (Adult Swim, 2013-present)
You're the Worst (FX/FXX, 2014-present)

A Certain Regard: Shows we love for one strange reason or another

American Family (PBS, 2002-2004)
American Horror Story (FX, 2011-present)
Beavis and Butt-Head (MTV, 1993-1997, 2011)
Daria (MTV, 1997-2002)

The Bernie Mac Show (Fox, 2001-2006)
The Bold Ones: The Senator (NBC, 1970-1971)
A Charlie Brown Christmas and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! (CBS, 1965 and 1966)
Chuck: season 2 (NBC, 2008-2009)

The Comeback (HBO, 2005 and 2014)
Cop Rock (ABC, 1990)

Crime Story season 1 (NBC, 1986-1987)

Dallas (CBS, 1978-1991; TNT, 2012-2014)
Dexter season 4 (Showtime, 2009)
Dragnet (NBC, 1951-1959, 1967-1970)

Flight of the Conchords (HBO, 2007-2009)

The Fugitive (ABC, 1963-1967)

Gilligan's Island (CBS, 1964-1967)
Good Times (CBS, 1974-1979)
The Good Wife (CBS, 2009-2016)
Grey's Anatomy (ABC, 2005-present)
Homeland season 1 (Showtime, 2011)
I'll Fly Away (NBC, 1991-1993)
Julia (NBC, 1968-1971)

K Street (HBO, 2003)

Unscripted (HBO, 2005)
Kolchak: The Night Stalker (ABC, 1974-1975)
The Knick (Cinemax, 2014-2016)
Lace (ABC, 1984)

Little House on the Prairie (NBC, 1978-1982)
Luck (HBO, 2011-2012)
Maverick (ABC, 1957-1965)
Mission: Impossible (NBC, 1966-1973)

Murphy Brown (CBS, 1988-1998)

The Odd Couple (ABC, 1970-1975)
Phineas and Ferb (Disney, 2007-2015)

Quantum Leap (NBC, 1989-1993)
Recess (ABC and UPN, 1997-2001)

The Rifleman (CBS, 1958-1963)

Robbery Homicide Division (CBS, 2002-2003)

Rubicon (AMC, 2010)

Samurai Jack (Cartoon Network, 2001-2004)
Star Wars: Clone Wars (Cartoon Network, 2003-2005)

Sons of Anarchy season 2 (FX, 2009)

Star Trek: The Next Generation (Syndicated, 1987-1994)
Tremé (HBO, 2010-2013)

Trilogy of Terror (ABC, 1975)

True Detective season 1 (HBO, 2014)

The Westerner (NBC, 1960)

There's also a section about miniseries and tv movies, and everything in this post is written about in this book. No more details from me.

Ctrl-F tells me that the word "Married" is not to be found on this page. Therefore, this list is bogus.

I love Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt., well the 1st season anyway, 2nd season, likeable.




*walks away mumbling unpleasantries about ST:TNG being at the bottom*

[Edited 9/8/16 15:32pm]

well that covers just about everything

Carol Burnett's Show and Mama's Family tain't on there.

morningsong said:

Carol Burnett's Show and Mama's Family tain't on there.

But Fresh off the Boat and Ricky and Morty is

kpowers said:

morningsong said:

Carol Burnett's Show and Mama's Family tain't on there.

But Fresh off the Boat and Ricky and Morty is

Well, those shows are great and Mama's Family is campy low-brow trash.

Hudson said:

kpowers said:

But Fresh off the Boat and Ricky and Morty is

Well, those shows are great and Mama's Family is campy low-brow trash.

Well that is a stretch but they are to new to be on this list. 20 years from now more than likely they wouldn't make the list.

Just started watching MASH again for the first time in many, many years... I love it just as much now as I did when it originally aired.

Hudson said:

kpowers said:

But Fresh off the Boat and Ricky and Morty is

Well, those shows are great and Mama's Family is campy low-brow trash.

But Carol Burnett? Seriously?

No Sanford and Son?

morningsong said:

Hudson said:

Well, those shows are great and Mama's Family is campy low-brow trash.

But Carol Burnett? Seriously?

Did any sketch/variety shows make the list?

sexton said:

morningsong said:

sexton said:

Did any sketch/variety shows make the list?

the jack benny program made the list, what's that?

Friends should be higher ... love it or loathe it that show was the nineties and was huge globally.

And no mention at all for Big Bang Theory??? That's just wrong...

DaveT said:

Friends should be higher ... love it or loathe it that show was the nineties and was huge globally.

And no mention at all for Big Bang Theory??? That's just wrong...

The list was calculated by consistency and great writing, two things TBBT doesn't really have.

Where the hell is Family Guy. My list of favs, don't ask which network as we don't get American networks in New Zealand, just buy the episodes for syndication or some shit. No roder just shows I really like here

.

Good to great - Hail America! (Will go out of my way to watch)

1. Family Guy

2. South Park

3. American Dad

4. Big Bang Theory

5. Cosby Show

6. Married with Children

7. The new normal

8. Fresh Prince of Bel Air

9. Bobs Burgers

10. Who do you think you are

11. The Nanny

.

Okay/ decent shows (Will watch if its on)

1. Mike and Molly

2. Modern Family

3. Roseanne

4. Family Matters ( first 3 seasons only, before it got Urkelled to death)

5. Step by Step

6. CSI (Original)

7. Bones

8. Brickleberry

.

Take it or leave it (Sometimes I will watch a chunk, but an adbreak or slow story steers me away)

1. American Pickers

2. Pawn Stars

3. Hardcore Pawn

4. Parolees and Pitbulls

5. My cat from hell

6. Cleveland Show

7. American Idol (Audition/Hollywood episodes only)

.

Dreadful crap (Most of this shit I have never watched, but will accidentially switch onto when channel surfing)

1. Kardashians (Anything at all Kardashin/Jenner related)

2. Reality shit like Survivor, ultimate race, biggest loser

3. American Idol/Xfactor/The voice type stuff

4. Any thing Tyler Perry related

5. Legends of Chamberlain Heights.

6. Any shows about finding aliens, bigfoot or featuring homophobic and racist rednecks.

7. Cooking and home do up shows.

8. Religious money shows like Creflo dollar/Benny Hinn/Joyce Meyer.

9. Any Judge/Court shows

10. Playboy mansion or any other porno related shows like Holly

11. Any thing on E or MTV channel other than some music videos

12. All shithop and jangly pop/boyband/disney/idol/douche bag frat rock videos).

13. Fox network, we actually get it on our cable tv.

.

In New Zealand we get a mix of American, British, Australian and local programming, British is by far the best with a long shot. NZ is next best and Aussie stuff the worst. America in the middle, some is excellent, the rest is the most brainless crap ever made. But in general I find American programmes cater for duller audiences with a shorter attention span.

.

For example - Who do you think you are - British episodes are 55 minutes long without ads and never reiterate stuff and go back centuries, the American ones while still good are only 40 minutes long with ads and often repeat stuff several times and never go back before the revolutionary war for whites and slaves for the Blacks. Also heavy advertising for ancestry .com not in the UK in which a variety of sources and companies are used, an Australian version is like the British too.

Antiques Road show - British 55 minutes long, sober normal acting presenters and well dressed people - true antiques mostly before 1900 - American 40 minutes long, people informal dressed like a beach party or hip hop/rusted root concert - most stuff junky collectables from the 1900 - 1970 era and they have a treasure chest run across the screen that pops up the value.

.

So there you are.

purplethunder3121 said:

morningsong said:

sexton said: the jack benny program made the list, what's that?

I never saw this Jack Benny program, I've seen episodes of the Jack Benny show which was a variety show but I don't know if the program and show are the same thing. I don't know if this is like the George Burns' show. Yes, I use to watch that regularly on syndication. Still will. I liked George Burns and Gracie Allen, they were funny and he never spanked, yelled or disciplined her, so I feel no conflict watching it today.

Hudson said:

DaveT said:

Friends should be higher ... love it or loathe it that show was the nineties and was huge globally.

And no mention at all for Big Bang Theory??? That's just wrong...

The list was calculated by consistency and great writing, two things TBBT doesn't really have.

So why is Freash off the Boat is mentioned?

Would like to add Space 1999/Buck Rogers/Battlestar Galactica (1978)/True Blood/ Newhart

Adorecream said:

.

In New Zealand we get a mix of American, British, Australian and local programming, British is by far the best with a long shot. NZ is next best and Aussie stuff the worst. America in the middle, some is excellent, the rest is the most brainless crap ever made. But in general I find American programmes cater for duller audiences with a shorter attention span.

.

For example - Who do you think you are - British episodes are 55 minutes long without ads and never reiterate stuff and go back centuries, the American ones while still good are only 40 minutes long with ads and often repeat stuff several times and never go back before the revolutionary war for whites and slaves for the Blacks. Also heavy advertising for ancestry .com not in the UK in which a variety of sources and companies are used, an Australian version is like the British too.

Antiques Road show - British 55 minutes long, sober normal acting presenters and well dressed people - true antiques mostly before 1900 - American 40 minutes long, people informal dressed like a beach party or hip hop/rusted root concert - most stuff junky collectables from the 1900 - 1970 era and they have a treasure chest run across the screen that pops up the value.

.

So there you are.

American shows are getting shorter because of advertisements (MONEY). Plus they also have to pay actors high pay checks so that factors in. Look at the Big Bang Theory, those actors all got big pay increases. Most 30 minutes shows run like 20-22 minutes now (probably ran 25 minutes back in the 70's/80's minutes long). Some of the Big Bang Theory episodes are now 18-19 minutes long now. If you watch American TV shows from the 1960's-1980's they ran about 50 minutes. It's best to watch those classic shows on DVD because when they play them on TV they cut out alot of scenes.

[Edited 9/9/16 15:04pm]

kpowers said:

Would like to add Space 1999/Buck Rogers/Battlestar Galactica (1978)/True Blood/ Newhart

Newhart!! I like both his shows.

What's so great about this shit SpongeBob SquarePants and where is it Desperate Housewives, House Of Cards and Hey Arnold?

morningsong said:

kpowers said:

Would like to add Space 1999/Buck Rogers/Battlestar Galactica (1978)/True Blood/ Newhart

Newhart!! I like both his shows.

Best series Finale EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

214 said:

What's so great about this shit SpongeBob SquarePants and where is it Desperate Housewives, House Of Cards and Hey Arnold?

Exactly, never understood why people like it (adults that is). I love my cartoons but sorry way over rated.

kpowers said:

Adorecream said:

.

In New Zealand we get a mix of American, British, Australian and local programming, British is by far the best with a long shot. NZ is next best and Aussie stuff the worst. America in the middle, some is excellent, the rest is the most brainless crap ever made. But in general I find American programmes cater for duller audiences with a shorter attention span.

.

For example - Who do you think you are - British episodes are 55 minutes long without ads and never reiterate stuff and go back centuries, the American ones while still good are only 40 minutes long with ads and often repeat stuff several times and never go back before the revolutionary war for whites and slaves for the Blacks. Also heavy advertising for ancestry .com not in the UK in which a variety of sources and companies are used, an Australian version is like the British too.

Antiques Road show - British 55 minutes long, sober normal acting presenters and well dressed people - true antiques mostly before 1900 - American 40 minutes long, people informal dressed like a beach party or hip hop/rusted root concert - most stuff junky collectables from the 1900 - 1970 era and they have a treasure chest run across the screen that pops up the value.

.

So there you are.

American shows are getting shorter because of advertisements (MONEY). Plus they also have to pay actors high pay checks so that factors in. Look at the Big Bang Theory, those actors all got big pay increases. Most 30 minutes shows run like 20-22 minutes now (probably ran 25 minutes back in the 70's/80's minutes long). Some of the Big Bang Theory episodes are now 18-19 minutes long now. If you watch American TV shows from the 1960's-1980's they ran about 50 minutes. It's best to watch those classic shows on DVD because when they play them on TV they cut out alot of scenes.

[Edited 9/9/16 15:04pm]

It is the same here, a lot of ads, British shows that run 55 minutes, have cuts in them, if there is only a 60 min timeslot and/or they are programmed to run 75 minutes with 20 minutes ads.

.

Ads are big business here too, with an average ad break lasting 4½ minutes every 12 minutes, usually these breaks will have a promo trailer at beginning and end and 9 - 12 ads all either 15 or 30 seconds. Several companies monopolise the ads here, mainly a ghetto appliance store called Harvey Norman, with "Shout style advertising", budget graphics and stupid cheap pictures, their stuf is all overpriced, but they have a ghetto layaway system that charges huge interest and fees and ghetto people always go there rather than a better store where you can a better deal with cash.. Also we have the Warehouse, which is our version of Walmart selling most cheap clothes, toys, appliances, homeware, stationery and books and 99% of it is made in Chinese sweatshops and falls apart quickly. Also there is copious advertising for McDonalds, KFC, Burger King and Carls Junior and also Coke and other sugary and junk foods (Only kids TV is free from it).

.

Outside of Primetime, we get the 0800 infomercial ads, for budget ghetto insurance (Cigna) and things like butt blasters, stoneware frypans and usual home shopping junk sold at exorbitant prices with extreme postage and handling charges that are the true cost. The cable channels often advertise programmes and rugby games, one series of channels advertise the same programme trailers every ad break for 6 weeks inertia advertising (BBC overseas which includes UKTV and Knowledge, otherwise known as the Top Gear and keep Michael Mosely in work channel) before it was a show called Dickensian and now its the Royal Navy. History Channel now is the same, and all the shows are either about Hiltler, bigfoot or aliens and rarely an intelligent show.

.

New American shows like Mike and Molly, 2 broke girls and the Bigbang theory now have 3 ad breaks per half hour and these are 4 minutes long each. One episode of BBT I taped at 17 minutes long with an extra 2 minutes taken out for opening and closing songs - so 15 minutes or 50% of the actual time slot was programme. Usually here, a half hour show has 2 ad breaks of 4.5 minutes each and a hour show has 4 ad breaks of 4.5 minutes or 5 minutes each. I think there are too many ads and the worst part is that there is almost no variety.

Adorecream said:

kpowers said:

American shows are getting shorter because of advertisements (MONEY). Plus they also have to pay actors high pay checks so that factors in. Look at the Big Bang Theory, those actors all got big pay increases. Most 30 minutes shows run like 20-22 minutes now (probably ran 25 minutes back in the 70's/80's minutes long). Some of the Big Bang Theory episodes are now 18-19 minutes long now. If you watch American TV shows from the 1960's-1980's they ran about 50 minutes. It's best to watch those classic shows on DVD because when they play them on TV they cut out alot of scenes.

[Edited 9/9/16 15:04pm]

It is the same here, a lot of ads, British shows that run 55 minutes, have cuts in them, if there is only a 60 min timeslot and/or they are programmed to run 75 minutes with 20 minutes ads.

.

Ads are big business here too, with an average ad break lasting 4½ minutes every 12 minutes, usually these breaks will have a promo trailer at beginning and end and 9 - 12 ads all either 15 or 30 seconds. Several companies monopolise the ads here, mainly a ghetto appliance store called Harvey Norman, with "Shout style advertising", budget graphics and stupid cheap pictures, their stuf is all overpriced, but they have a ghetto layaway system that charges huge interest and fees and ghetto people always go there rather than a better store where you can a better deal with cash.. Also we have the Warehouse, which is our version of Walmart selling most cheap clothes, toys, appliances, homeware, stationery and books and 99% of it is made in Chinese sweatshops and falls apart quickly. Also there is copious advertising for McDonalds, KFC, Burger King and Carls Junior and also Coke and other sugary and junk foods (Only kids TV is free from it).

.

Outside of Primetime, we get the 0800 infomercial ads, for budget ghetto insurance (Cigna) and things like butt blasters, stoneware frypans and usual home shopping junk sold at exorbitant prices with extreme postage and handling charges that are the true cost. The cable channels often advertise programmes and rugby games, one series of channels advertise the same programme trailers every ad break for 6 weeks inertia advertising (BBC overseas which includes UKTV and Knowledge, otherwise known as the Top Gear and keep Michael Mosely in work channel) before it was a show called Dickensian and now its the Royal Navy. History Channel now is the same, and all the shows are either about Hiltler, bigfoot or aliens and rarely an intelligent show.

.

New American shows like Mike and Molly, 2 broke girls and the Bigbang theory now have 3 ad breaks per half hour and these are 4 minutes long each. One episode of BBT I taped at 17 minutes long with an extra 2 minutes taken out for opening and closing songs - so 15 minutes or 50% of the actual time slot was programme. Usually here, a half hour show has 2 ad breaks of 4.5 minutes each and a hour show has 4 ad breaks of 4.5 minutes or 5 minutes each. I think there are too many ads and the worst part is that there is almost no variety.

Let's not forget that alot of TV shows don't have TV intros anymore (The CW is the worse with almost no TV intros, and the shows still run about 38min-40minutes long) even if they do have an intro it's 50 seconds or less. American shows from the 60's-80's had cool TV intro's lasting about a minute and a half.

kpowers said:

214 said:

What's so great about this shit SpongeBob SquarePants and where is it Desperate Housewives, House Of Cards and Hey Arnold?

Exactly, never understood why people like it (adults that is). I love my cartoons but sorry way over rated.

House of Cards may get Emmy nominations but most critics think it's awful.

Is Dr Quinn Medicine Woman (1993-1998) on there? That was a great show, you could play the drinking game to it.....take a sip whenever Dr Quinn has to perform brain surgery on the townfolk or when the guy who ran the saloon says "we don't like........"

[Edited 9/9/16 18:32pm]

[Edited 9/10/16 2:33am]