Greatest Television Drama Series Ever

[MylesKnight]

I haven't seen the show in years, but noticed it available on HBO on Demand... Oz!

Damn, I forgot how good this show was. Between this, The Wire and The Sopranos... Amazing stuff.

[Suicane75]

NYPD Blue sort of fizzled out during the Schroeder/Zach years but up until Jimmy Smitts died it was such an awesome show. Shame that Franz really hasn't done much since it went off the air because he's a really amazing actor. Hell, even the Schroeder seasons are good unless you're watching them in retrospect with knowledge of how bad they screwed up his demise.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Radii

I'm going to go with Oz, it was great from start to finish, no horrible down times like the Sopranos, and watching the occasional re-run now 7-8 years later I still love the show, its the only drama where I go back and watch old episodes and enjoy re-watching.

2007 me was so naive. I watch too much TV and enjoy this kind of stuff too much, so here's my list as of now:

1) The Wire
2) Breaking Bad
3) The Sopranos
4) Mad Men
5) The Shield
6) Oz

IMO there is a small gap between 1/2 and 3/4 (the sopranos at its best was as good as anything, but just did too many episodes that completely whiffed), and then a pretty big gap after Mad Men. The Shield and Oz are "tier 2" with the top 4 belonging together in Tier 1. ER is probably a tier 2 show also, and assuming they don't fuck up horribly, Justified and Game of Thrones likely end up there for me as well when they're done.

These are only including shows i've seen.

[Butter]

I'm like early into Season 3 on The Wire. I fought to get through Season 2, but even so I find it hard to believe it's going to reach Breaking Bad territory unless Seasons 4 and 5 are the best thing evar.

[DaddyTorgo]

I need to see The Wire, and Breaking Bad. They're both on my to-do list.

[kidwithhelmet]

Boardwalk Empire is currently the best series on TV.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by kidwithhelmet

Boardwalk Empire is currently the best series on TV.

I haven't seen this, its high on my list to catch up on for sure.

[MylesKnight]

Btw... No one noticed the 6+ Year Bump on this one?

[Lathum]

The first 4 seasons of Dexter area favorite. Went way downhill after that.

[Peregrine]

I like Boardwalk Empire and some other shows but for me it is still going to have to be The Wire.

[hoopsguy]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

I'm like early into Season 3 on The Wire. I fought to get through Season 2, but even so I find it hard to believe it's going to reach Breaking Bad territory unless Seasons 4 and 5 are the best thing evar.

I consider S4 of The Wire to be the best season of television evar ... so, there is that.

But if you don't already at least have it in your "team photo" for best shows, I'm guessing it won't be displacing Breaking Bad for your list.

[mtolson]

Lots to choose from and depend on how old school you wanna get

1) ER
2) The West Wing
3) 24
4) The Wire
5) Star Trek TNG

Honorable Mentions
Dallas, Star Trek DS9, Hill Street Blues

[Bobble]

The Simpsons ... but you really have to watch all 25 seasons to "get" it.

[Groundhog]

Haven't seen The Wire but I keep meaning to try it. I think it would take a lot for a show to beat out Breaking Bad on my list.

[Subby]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

I'm like early into Season 3 on The Wire. I fought to get through Season 2, but even so I find it hard to believe it's going to reach Breaking Bad territory unless Seasons 4 and 5 are the best thing evar.

I envy you. You are about to be treated to the three best seasons of the best show ever.

[MylesKnight]

[PackerFanatic]

Originally Posted by Lathum

The first 4 seasons of Dexter area favorite. Went way downhill after that.

They could have ended it after the John Lithgow season and it could have been seen as one of the best shows. They dragged it out waaaaay too long after that and you could tell they had no idea how to end it.

Breaking Bad, on the other hand, is easily one of the best ever.

[Izulde]

....I so don't remember starting this thread.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Subby

I envy you. You are about to be treated to the three best seasons of the best show ever.

Well, the 2 best.

Spoiler

Season 5 seemed like way too much of a David Simon vendetta vs. the Baltimore Sun and other reporters

Originally Posted by PackerFanatic

They could have ended it after the John Lithgow season and it could have been seen as one of the best shows. They dragged it out waaaaay too long after that and you could tell they had no idea how to end it.

spoilers for both this and Homeland

Spoiler

There is the persistent story that Showtime wouldn't let them kill Dexter, or Brody in Homeland. That was really the way the show should have ended.

[Marc Vaughan]

Sherlock (but probably mainly because I'm waiting impatiently for it to return)
House of Cards (original UK version)
Dr Who (arguably more sci-fi than drama, but counts in my eyes)
Brass Eye (UK spoof satire news show - very dark humour in it at times, bit like 'The Onion', also rather 'edgy' topics in places be warned)

[Edward64]

In no particular order

1) West Wing
2) Battlestar Galattica (new)
3) Walking Dead

[MylesKnight]

Checking out The Wire from the beginning for the first time in a while.. Lovely!

[Marmel]

I just finished watching Breaking Bad a couple weeks ago, and I am currently at Season 1, episode 6 of The Wire.

Breaking Bad is easily the #1 show of all time on my list and it is not even close.

I started watching the Wire due to all the praise it gets on this board and I have to say....I don't see it yet. It is good, but not particularly noteworthy yet, although like I said it is only 6 episodes so far. Contrasting this to Br Bad, which I watched from start to finish in about a 5 week marathon, that show was great from episode 1 and by episode 6 (or precisely because of episode 6) I was hooked in good.

[Ronnie Dobbs3]

Breaking Bad is a perfectly executed pulp novel. The Wire is actually about SOMETHING, not just a story.

Very different shows both excellent.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs3

Breaking Bad is a perfectly executed pulp novel. The Wire is actually about SOMETHING, not just a story.

Very different shows both excellent.

I agree with all of this. I loved both shows, but they are very different.

[Subby]

You can binge watch Breaking Bad, but I don't think you can do that with The Wire. I can't really explain why.

[Logan]

I feel like I can never respond to these types of posts without sounding like a obnoxious prick. RD3 said it as best as possible and in such few words, and Subby hit it too.

There's a reason David Chase went on that rant a year or so ago against the concept of binge-watching. It absolutely changes the viewing experience. And The Wire is a show where you need to spend some time just thinking about it (obnoxious me on display here) instead of just hitting "next" repeatedly on your device of choice.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Subby

You can binge watch Breaking Bad, but I don't think you can do that with The Wire. I can't really explain why.

You can't really binge watch The Wire. Well, I guess you can, but it's not as pleasurable an experience and it's too draining. Also, you tend to miss a lot of the nuances if you watch too many episodes too quickly. The show is best when you have time to digest everything that happened, think it over and then move on to the next episode.

When my wife and I were watching it (we started after the show was over), the most we could "binge watch" was about 3 episodes an evening. Even then, we felt like we were doing the show, and ourselves, a disservice by doing so.

[ColtCrazy]

This is a thread I could have sworn I made a comment about earlier.

My list would be:

1. Sherlock - just a well-written, superb show.
2. Law & Order - The original series
3. M.A.S.H. - I know it's a comedy, but I always viewed it as a comedy-drama
4. Dr. Who - classic & new
5. The Blacklist
6. Downton Abbey
7. Criminal Minds
8. Castle
9. Batman the Animated Series (Cartoon-drama!)
10. Dexter
Honorable Mention: ER

I'm just now watching Dexter so it may climb. I need to give Breaking Bad another shot. Couldn't get into it the first time. Haven't seen The Wire. Apparently I need to. Bought Game of Thrones and need to watch it as well.

[Toddzilla]

That is the shittiest top 10 list I have ever seen in my entire existence

[panerd]

Originally Posted by Marmel

I just finished watching Breaking Bad a couple weeks ago, and I am currently at Season 1, episode 6 of The Wire.

Breaking Bad is easily the #1 show of all time on my list and it is not even close.

I started watching the Wire due to all the praise it gets on this board and I have to say....I don't see it yet. It is good, but not particularly noteworthy yet, although like I said it is only 6 episodes so far. Contrasting this to Br Bad, which I watched from start to finish in about a 5 week marathon, that show was great from episode 1 and by episode 6 (or precisely because of episode 6) I was hooked in good.

I'm not sure season 1 is the pinnacle of this show. Seasons 3 and 4 are probably the best and season 2 is outstanding but completely different than 1,2,4,& 5. I feel like if you think its good you will be hooked by the end of season 1. It is people who say they don't get it or don't like it that I would advise to not bother.

[Marmel]

Originally Posted by panerd

I'm not sure season 1 is the pinnacle of this show. Seasons 3 and 4 are probably the best and season 2 is outstanding but completely different than 1,2,4,& 5. I feel like if you think its good you will be hooked by the end of season 1. It is people who say they don't get it or don't like it that I would advise to not bother.

Just based on the universal praise, I'll give it a few seasons at a minimum I'm sure. Its not like I don't like it...I do...I was just expecting a lot more right off the bat.

I do tend to binge watch shows and usually never watch a show until it has concluded on TV. Perhaps, I take it slower with the Wire and mix in Mad Men, which I have been looking forward to checking out. I watched the first episode and it has me intrigued at least.

[kcchief19]

You want to get a glimpse of the greatness of The West Wing, check out some of the Twitter mentions (especially @sorkinese) during the Golden Globes last night. Amazing the amount of talent on that show.

[sterlingice]

The problem is that its a tale of 2 series between the Sorkin seasons 1-4 and the non-Sorkin 5-8

SI

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

That is the shittiest top 10 list I have ever seen in my entire existence

That is the beauty of TV, different strokes for different folks. Of course there are always condescending pricks out there willing to be critical of what others like...

[NobodyHere]

WWE Raw

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by Subby

You can binge watch Breaking Bad, but I don't think you can do that with The Wire. I can't really explain why.

I feel the exact opposite. When I watched the Wire, I binged on the first few seasons, and then binged on each season as it came out on DVD (didn't have HBO back then). I loved it, and I continue to binge watch the full series a few times a year.

I had to take a break from Breaking Bad every once in awhile. The plot devises got a bit too repetitive for me as I binged on it (I can't elaborate on that more without giving spoilers.) In fact, looking back on The Shield, had I binged watched that, I think the same would have happened there.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

The problem is that its a tale of 2 series between the Sorkin seasons 1-4 and the non-Sorkin 5-8

SI

I think 1-4 are definitely the pinnacle, but the only real problem is 5. 6-7 are pretty solid IMO.

If you find season 8, please let me know. I would love to watch it!

[rowech]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

The problem is that its a tale of 2 series between the Sorkin seasons 1-4 and the non-Sorkin 5-8

SI

I watched this series starting in the summer and finished it over Christmas. People are WAY too harsh on seasons 6 and 7. If that was a regular show without the previous seasons, people would have loved the show. Season 5 is a train wreck -- the rest of the show is phenomenal.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

I think 1-4 are definitely the pinnacle, but the only real problem is 5. 6-7 are pretty solid IMO.

If you find season 8, please let me know. I would love to watch it!

Hah! Whoops- not sure why I had 8 instead of 7 but you get the idea.

It's been a couple of years since I've seen it but I remember I felt relief when I got to the 7th season and just kindof plowing through to the finish. It seemed like the election was a good lighter gimmick to finish off on but it also felt a little like another show.

SI

[ColtCrazy]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

That is the shittiest top 10 list I have ever seen in my entire existence

Then we should be thankful we aren't friends that watch TV together.

[ColtCrazy]

Originally Posted by Lathum

That is the beauty of TV, different strokes for different folks. Of course there are always condescending pricks out there willing to be critical of what others like...