Television programme of the decade?

[Jaiden]

I saw this poll in the Guardian yesterday and it seemed like the kind of thing people could get their teeth into, so what do you reckon?

For me the answer is definitely The Wire. Anyone who hasn't seen it yet should stop reading this and go and do so now. Really. Off you go now. It's just brilliant; like modern Shakespeare with epic, arcing tragedies, fantastically realised and developed characters and far more insight and intelligence than you can reasonably expect from your television.

I do also bloody love Doctor Who though. It's the complete opposite of The Wire in that it's pure escapism, but it's glorious escapism and at its best represents genuinely atmospheric and affecting adventure. Honourabe mentions go to Arrested Development, one of the very best comedies of modern times, and The West Wing. I still haven't gotten round to watching Battlestar Galactica about which I've heard so many good things.

(I'll make a poll of the twenty highest scoring programmes from the Guardian list as that's the limit here)

 

[BluTack]

I voted Top Gear.

Doctor Who is getting better now. I like the story arcs in Doctor Who, theres always a hidden message somewhere in each Episode.

QI is another good one too. But at the moment it's just repeats.
Yay for Alan Davis!

 

[ajsco]

Oh you Nazi!!! TG or 24?????? And you missed Generation Kill out (you know - FROM THE CREATORS OF The Wire!!!!) >:[

 

[Nicky]

L o s t

 

[Dawes]

While it's not there, I'm going to say John Adams, but I'm going to vote House as my second favorite! The writing on House is genius -- the styles of characters that they manage to develop through irrational means (seriously, how can you like House? I don't know, but you DO), and the breadcrumbing of the plot keeps someone watching week after week!

 

[dogboy]

I'm not sure we're getting Dr. Who in the U. S. anymore. It used to come on SyFy. I'll have to go look on the BBC channel for it.

My favorite of all time was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I've read reviews written by college professors who teach film at the university level, and they typically site Buffy as the best t.v. series. Like any good show, it deals with far more than what one sees on the surface. The most profound show for me was when Buffy lost her mother, and how they dealt with the death of a loved one. For me, it was very realistic, having lost both my parents. Sitting in the hospital, or where ever one hears the news, having it finally settle in, the reality of the loss, and the deep sorrow; it was all in that show.

 

[Takashi]

House.

 

[Charlie]

After hearing Charlie Brooker rave about it, I've started watching The Wire, but I'm only two episodes in at the moment.

I love Lost, Peep Show, and QI, but I guess The Office is the best.

I hear great things about Six Feet Under, but haven't seen that.

 

[Jaiden]

Oh you Nazi!!! TG or 24?????? And you missed Generation Kill out (you know - FROM THE CREATORS OF The Wire!!!!) >:[

Hey, blame those wishy-washy liberal types at the Guardian. They chose the list, not me.

While it's not there, I'm going to say John Adams

That's another one that needs to be on my list to watch. It seems to be a general rule that if it's made by HBO it's worth watching.

I'm not sure we're getting Dr. Who in the U. S. anymore. It used to come on SyFy. I'll have to go look on the BBC channel for it.

My favorite of all time was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I've read reviews written by college professors who teach film at the university level, and they typically site Buffy as the best t.v. series. Like any good show, it deals with far more than what one sees on the surface. The most profound show for me was when Buffy lost her mother, and how they dealt with the death of a loved one. For me, it was very realistic, having lost both my parents. Sitting in the hospital, or where ever one hears the news, having it finally settle in, the reality of the loss, and the deep sorrow; it was all in that show.

I think the new Doctor Who is on BBC America theses days. The show was re-launched in 2005 after a long absence and is very different from the old stuff you might remember, but I'd definitely recommend giving it a go. The production, scripting and acting have come a very long way and episodes like Blink are about as good as Saturday night telly can get.

As for Buffy, my sister and I used to watch it religiously and it is genuinely very good and a lot more impactful and intelligent that many will presume. The episode where Joyce dies is extremely powerful as you say, and there are some other really inventive and interesting episodes like Hush, which is almost entirely silent, and the musical, which is great fun.

After hearing Charlie Brooker rave about it, I've started watching The Wire, but I'm only two episodes in at the moment.

You'll love it. Charlie Brooker is never wrong.

 

[Fire2box]

That's a very hard call to make but I picked "Lost". Lost is more entertaining then most movies I ever seen and it's free, well in some regards. There are a few bad episodes such as Fire + Water from season 2, especially because there's a scene where all of Drive Shaft is wearing diapers in a big playpen for a commercial. But mainly because there's no progression in the episode, all they do is take a step backwards.

Anyways I am not shocked that a BBC program has a overwhelming lead since it's a British paper, I just wish it was Doctor Who and not Top Gear.

 

[thedlguy]

OK, I had to go for House, I like that show alot, but there are others I like alot more that are not on the list

 

[Trevor]

Six Feet Under was close for me, but The Wire wins out. I loved Buffy but it's not in their league, although it helped kicked genre television up to a whole new level. I see Deadwood is on their list but not yours and that would also be in contention for me.

 

[Maxicoon]

FireFly FTW.

 

[dlt88]

I voted for 24, but the only show I really watch religiously is NCIS...ha.

 

[Tweek]

IDK: Band of Brothers was really good. so was the Sopranos, House, The office, and a few others. I really want to watch The Wire I've heard it's really good, plus it's set in Bmore.

 

[ShippoFox]

Doctor Who! Though there are some other good ones on that list too.

 

[DHLA40]

Top Gear. I'm a gearhead, but not always a top. My wife and I switch sometimes. :biggrin:

 

[babibear]

I wish this list was bigger, MST3K, Reaper, Futurama and many others . .

 

[fuctifano]

Football matches for me.

 

[Nam Repaid]

I've never watched more than half those shows, and where's my fav., Futurama.