My Top 10 favorite TV shows

I recently posted on Twitter that The Odd Couple was in my Top 10 favorite TV shows. In response, someone replied and asked “What are the other 9?”

Which made me think for a moment. What WAS my Top 10 favorite TV shows of all time? I decoded to go through the list of various shows I watched and rewatched over the many years of my life so far to try and form a semi-definitive list. And, since Top 10 lists are an easy blog fodder, I decided to formalize my list and rationalize my decisions. So here you go:

#1 The Prisoner. A masterpiece, a work of art, and an incredibly formative piece of entertainment for yours truly. Much of my world view was informed by Patrick McGoohan’s brilliant series… a meditation on the role of society and the individual’s role in it. I even wrote a book about it.

#2 Star Trek. The original series, and (in my opinion) the best. Groundbreaking, imaginative, well-written and well acted, Star Trek turned unknowable numbers of people onto science fiction and has influenced myself and the world in countless ways.

#3. Twin Peaks. I still remember watching that premiere in 1991 and being completely blown away. This was a new way of doing television, cinematic and deep and mystifying and awesome. I have been an avid fan of the series for twenty years, and I have been fortunate enough to know and befriend some of the people who made the show happen.

#4. The Odd Couple. If you ever had a debate about the best casting ever, bringing up Jack Klugman and Tony Randall as The Odd Couple would win the argument, hands down. These two brilliant actors elevated average material and made it good, and took good material and made it great. What chemistry, and what a show.

#5. The Larry Sanders Show. The best parody of Hollywood and television ever made, and some of the wittiest series I’ve ever seen. Talent galore, in front of and behind the camera.

#6. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Of all the spy shows on TV in the 1960s, this was my favorite and (in my opinion) the best. Robert Vaughn and David McCallum worked together wonderfully, and while the show stumbled badly in the third season, it recovered well and delivered an interesting final season.

#7. The Twilight Zone. While many of the episodes come off as trite and cliched today, the show still delivers a powerful punch to yours truly. So many great writers, and so many fantastic ideas on display. Rod Serling was a reassuring father figure to me when I was growing up, and I knew that whatever happened in the shows he presented his reassuring and super-cool presence would add an exclamation note at the end.

#8. Doctor Who. I love Doctor Who in all its forms, warts and all, because it has given me so much entertainment over 30 years of my life. It’s a show I’ll watch for the rest of my days.

#9. The Simpsons. As the bald-ish father of three married to a stay-at-home mom, this show holds a special (and familiar) place in my heart. Even the worse episodes provide me at least one good laugh.

#10. (TIE) Homicide: Life on the Street and Breaking Bad. This was tough to choose, so I cheated a bit. I adore Homicide, and I was one of the most avid fans the show had when it was on the air. And yet… Breaking Bad has given me goosebumps so much over the past five years I had to put it in the top 10. If Breaking Bad sticks the landing, I can see it pushing Homicide into the Runner-ups list.

Runner-ups: The Dick Van Dyke Show, Arrested Development, Monty Python, Community, MASH, Mary Tyler Moore Show, Mad Men, Hill Street Blues, Batman

Fun facts about my Top 10:

Number of shows from the 1960s: 4
Number of shows from the 1990s: 3
Number of shows from the 1960s: 1
Number of shows from the 1970s: 1
Number of shows from the 1980s: 1
Number of shows from the 2000s: 1
Shows aired on NBC: 3
Shows on cable: 2
Shows on ABC: 2
Shows on CBS: 1
Shows on FOX: 1
Shows on BBC: 1
Syndicated shows: 1
Number of shows still on the air: 3
Number of shows featuring Jack Klugman: 2
Number of shows that featured Patrick McGoohan: 2
Number of shows that featured David Duchovny: 3
Most episodes of a top-10 show: 798 (and counting)
Least episodes of a top-10 show: 17
Show with the most consistent quality level: Breaking Bad
Show with the least consistent quality level: The Simpsons

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