101 Best Written TV Series

[Tommy Bunz]

via the Writer's Guild:

1. The Sopranos
2. Seinfeld
3. The Twilight Zone
4. All in the Family
5. MASH
6. The Mary Tyler Moore Show
7. Mad Men
8. Cheers
9. The Wire
10. The West Wing
11. The Simpsons
12. I Love Lucy
13. Breaking Bad
14. The Dick Van Dyke Show
15. Hill Street Blues
16. Arrested Development
17. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
18. Six Feet Under
19. Taxi
20. The Larry Sanders Show

Full list here:
http://wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=4925

Discuss.
Personally I think Breaking Bad should be right at the top.

[drizzle]

this may be a reactionary answer, but tv has come along so far in the last 15 years or so that dropping random sixties sitcoms into the mix just to pay homage to classics seems a bit ludicrous

like how the fuck do you rank mary tyler moore above the wire

[Tommy Bunz]

Yeah, I haven't watched enough of the classics to be able to judge properly.
South Park is waaaay too low as well, but they've probably pissed off so much of hollywood by now its not surprising.

[360]

I agree, Drizz. It's like comparing a homonid to a homosapien. I think the fact that TV has come so far is homage enough.

[tehgiftofgab]

south park, the wire and breaking bad should be top 3

south park is underrated as FUUCK for how consistent and well written that show is in my opinion

[drizzle]

TBH, as much as I love BB I think it's fine where it is at 13. I don't agree that I Love Lucy specifically is better written, but having 10-12 shows above it doesn't seem too far off base. There is some great writing in BB, no question, the way they managed to transform a ludicrously pulpy premise into something with real dramatic and emotional pay off is very impressive. But the writers also get sloppy sometimes, rely on very contrived plot devices to keep things moving. Those slips can be easily excused and overlooked in the overall judgement of the show because the entertainment level is always high and the actors do a great job with their roles, but judging strictly on writing it's not a top 3-5 show imo. Wire, Sopranos, Deadwood, Twin Peaks (s1 at least), the classic seasons of the Simpsons, Seinfeld, UK Office etc... I feel like all these are better written if not necessarily better shows in the grand scheme of things.

[Employee]

"Homicide: Life On The Street" and "The Shield" are ranked waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too fucking low.

And fuck "M.A.S.H.", someone needs to say it.

[The Ivy League Nigga]

Agree with Drizz

Should have been top 50 dramas, top 50 comedies on two separate lists.

Old sitcoms with their 4 story-lines wrapped up neatly in 25 minutes have almost nothing in common with a 55 hour movie like Breaking Bad. And, I mean, The Daily Show? Uh...

[Employee]

"The Sopranos" in the number one spot has to be Alternative Comedy to writers; fuckin' hated that finale when it happened until it occurred to me that the audience got whacked.

Still, for as much replay value as this show still carries, it rested on its laurels for long swaths; in addition to making filler episodes a staple of the brand.

[Employee]

And, I mean, The Daily Show? Uh...

That's one group of writers giving a handy to another group of writers.

Nothing more.

[The Ivy League Nigga]

But the writers also get sloppy sometimes, rely on very contrived plot devices to keep things moving. Those slips can be easily excused and overlooked in the overall judgement of the show because the entertainment level is always high and the actors do a great job with their roles, but judging strictly on writing it's not a top 3-5 show imo.

I've been saying this for the last couple of seasons. There have been some real head-scratching plot points that three episodes later you just kind of accept so that you can enjoy the satisfying conclusion.

[Employee]

LOL @ "The West Wing"

[drizzle]

Sopranos was just on for 2 seasons too long. They obviously ran out of the stash of original ideas by the end of s4, most of what came after felt tacked on and was never developed as meticulously as the early story lines. Buschemi's character was the new millennium version of the Great Gazoo, with all the implications in tact - when a show has to invent a brand new previously un-referenced character to keep things moving, they're hurting. With that said, the fact that the later seasons are still very good even if they don't quite measure up to the early ones, speaks volumes about the talents of the writers.

Overall I think the show deserves the top spot. There are some that are very close behind, close enough to put up a strong argument, but I'm ok with Sopranos at #1.

Judging in terms of writing is tricky. Deadwood for example was incredibly written, maybe the best TV dialogue ever, even if it wasn't always as viscerally exciting or emotionally resonant as some of the other HBO classics. Then there's the matter of constantly shifting writing staffs, and the corresponding shifts in show quality - twin peaks and simpsons are obvious examples there.

[Employee]

Show that do not belong on the list because they suck fat dicks:

"30 Rock"
"Murphy Brown"
"House"
"My So-Called Life"
"Everybody Loves Raymond"
"Northern Exposure"
"Absolutely Fabulous"
"Justified"
"Will & Grace"
"Friends"
"The Good Wife"

[tehgiftofgab]

30 rock has some classic shit yo

[Employee]

Overall I think the show deserves the top spot. There are some that are very close behind, close enough to put up a strong argument, but I'm ok with Sopranos at #1.

It's a pretentious pick to me, but writers are pretentious so it makes sense.

"The Wire" and "Deadwood" are two HBO shows that are better written and don't waste time.

[Employee]

30 rock has some classic shit yo

That's probably true if you're counting people born after 1997.

[tehgiftofgab]

91* but not TOO far off, i'd say i'm one of the younger cats here heh

[The Ivy League Nigga]

Treme is absolutely one of the best written shows HBO has ever produced.

It just doesn't adhere to this generation's obsessive need for plot, plot, plot, surprise twist, what's gonna happen next, plot.

[drizzle]

The Wire and Deadwood are exactly what I had in mind when I mentions others on the heels, but I feel like I sing the HBO HOLY TRINITY song so much every time a tv show discussion comes up that naming them almost feels cliche by now. Even though they are well worthy of the honor.

FWIW, the first season of Twin Peaks is a contender for #1 as well imo. It's beyond brilliant. It just happens to last only 7 episodes (counting the pilot). And the show slides off a bit right after, even though it maintains classic status for about 7-8 episodes after that and redeems later gaffes with one of the best finales ever.

[Employee]

"Treme" never lived up to its premise/promise. David Simon is too bitter at whites/republicans/Bush. To enjoy it, in my opinion, you have to be a) pretty lefty politically, b) still hate G.W. in your heart, and c) believe that there is always someone trying to hurt or demote your station in life.

[Larry2times]

UK Office being the go to english one would be cool if Gervais hadnt sullied the memory by his personality and near everything hes done since being so turrible. Yank tv buffs need to get up on Father Ted and Porridge imho.

[Tweak Da Leak]

Hahah Sorkin.

[bbatson1]

I would move Cheers up. The first 5 seasons of Cheers are written

[Smitty]

Kinda cool to see Six Feet Under ranked that high. It was sad as fuck but incredibly well written and innovative for the time. I feel like it, along with Oz, don't get the credit they deserve in the conversation about the modern era of TV.

[Kalel]

Show that do not belong on the list because they suck fat dicks:

"Justified"

I thought everyone loved this show.

[tehgiftofgab]

if justified is kalel's fave show then... post/avy

[Roy Johnson]

I was gonna bitch about X-Files not showing up in the Top 20, but #26 doesn't seem too bad, especially since the show was hot garbage after season 4.

First 4 seasons = mindblowing shit.

Mad Men is really that good, huh? My mother in law loves it, which is kind of a bad sign, because she's also big on the show with Charlie Sheen (she's like female Jim2). It doesn't seem like something I'd enjoy based on the previews, but the hype is absurd. I'm gonna have to give it a shot one of these days.

[Tweak Da Leak]

Justified's dialogue shits on most tv shows today.

[Employee]

Mad Men is really that good, huh?

It's one of the most overrated of all the serials; the only reason it got off the ground was Matthew Weiner's clout fresh off "The Sopranos."

And Jon Hamm is not a talented actor; certainly not skilled enough to carry a show. If you think he is a good actor I encourage you to watch "The Town."