Best tv of all time

[fable]

We've had the worst; now, for the best!

The Honeymooners. Nevermind the idiotic marketing ploys to make you think this is good so somebody can sell video tapes of the series--it simply *was* excellent, and was recognized for its quality at the time. The three principals were first rate, with the plots simple enough to give them plenty of opportunities to demonstrate their skills. It was all done live, too; and it did encompass a level of life in NYC, at the time, with rather greater reality than anything else that would show up for at least 30 years.

Burns and Allen. Deft and zany wit, with bizarre touches of fantasy--like George's television, which let him tune in to whatever his wife and friends were plotting; or the monologues that he (and Gracie) would occasionally deliver to the audience, fully in character.

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. I'm still astonished this show ever succeeded on American television at the time, given its cynical, unfaltering humor, aimed at so many sacred institutions. Wonderfully bizarre cast of characters, impecable acting (even from Bob Denver), marvelous timing.

[Osiris]

For comedy, my vote would go to Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Best cop show - Hill Street Blues - currently being re-run for the umpteenth time in the small hours of the morning here.

[C Elegans]

Monty Python's flying circus: Brilliant satirical, intellectual, absurd and just hillarious classical British comedy series. IMO far better than the much more conventional and more shallow movies they later did. The Michael Ellis episode is pure genious.

I, Claudius: Classical BBC TV series about the Roman era, casting actors like Brian Blessed (Augustinus), Derek Jacobi (Claudius), Joh Hurt (Caligula, my favorite as a kid ), Patric Stewart (Sejanus).

David Attenborough's and Jacques Costeau's series about nature - these two men together educated a whole generation in Europe about wildlife on land and in the sea to a whole generation.

[Tybaltus]

I have to give a call out to:

The Simpsons: A classic show and has set standards for not only comedy cartoons, but also comedy in itself. Three of the most recognizable characters in history come from this series like Marge, Bart, and Homer. Every show has an almost guaranteed laugh.

Another one that people might not know much about is the classic game show called "The Match Game". It was a good gameshow in between the years of 1972-1984. They tried to copy it again in 1990 and 1999 but those were mediocre shows.
The basic idea for the show was you had a situation with a comical blank at the end of the scenario and the contestants tried to fill in the blanks the same way the panal of 6 stars filled it out. I laugh during every show. Its a classic.

[Xandax]

Monthy Python rules all imo.
I love the sarcasitc and often (less then ) subtle form of humour, one that I like to pratices myself (less slap-stick though).

Simpson is also among my favorite television.

The american series Spin City was/is something I watch when ever I can get away with it -although I like Michael J. Fox' character a lot more then Charlie Shees character.

M*A*S*H is also a series I love, simply marvelous imo and the last episode is one of the best "last episodes" I've ever seen in a series.

A small, but humour filled, view of my favorite television allthough I don't watch much of it anymore.
Mostly news and the mentioned series.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

A purely Australian one, this, but Seachange was a delightfully quirky Aussie comedy.

[fable]

Rocky and Bullwinkle: wonderfully off-the-wall satire and dry wit, at a time when American tv humor meant (shudder) Ozzie and Harriett or (double shudder) The Brady Bunch. Jokes poked at everything from island utopias to aliens, to Big Brother, to Russian agents, to Erich von Stroheim, to reality. From what I understand, Ward and Scott, the producers of the series, were constantly barraged by network executives urging them to tune down the intellectual content of R&B, but they were roundly ignored.

Fractured Flickers: Another Ward & Scott production, but much less known. It involved the editing of much old, stock silent film footage, frequently with bizarre new storylines. The addition of Hans Conreid as host only added to the ridiculous atmosphere, as well as his occasional guest. (Annette Funicello takes a deep breath. Conreid smiles politely, and say, "My, you're growing, aren't you?")

[HighLordDave]

The best shows ever on TV:

Cheers
Simply the funniest sitcom of all time; and, yes, as a series it was better than Seinfeld.

Family Ties
This is the greatest half-hour family show of all time, although The Cosby Show and Growing Pains were good, too.

The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau
This show was an introduction to science for thousands of people worldwide, was fascinating and never resorted to being heavy-handed with its message of conservation.

Politically Incorrect
I'm going to qualify this by saying that P.I. was far better on Comedy Central than it was on ABC. I think Maher sold out, went corporate and as a result, his show jumped the shark. While on Comedy Central, the show was witty and sharp because Maher has the balls to say things no one else will. By taking the money that ABC offered him, Maher's monologue got longer, the topics less touchy and the humour watered-down.

M*A*S*H
The only thing I didn't like about this show was that it got saddled by the 70s laugh track.

[Mr Sleep]

American Gothic.

Cheesy in places but all round really compelling viewing, i rate it up there as one of the greatest shows in history. They also had an exceptionally good bad guy

There are several others, i can't recall at the moment though...

[Weasel]

I will say....All in the Family



The reason it would not be a hit today.

[Georgi]

24. Really into that at the moment, one of the best US exports in some time...

The West Wing - although it has gone a bit OTT on patriotism recently, it usually has a sharp and witty script.

On the comedy side... Monty Python, of course, and The Simpsons... I would add Red Dwarf, one of the best British comedy series of more recent years. Oh, and Blackadder.

[Tybaltus]

I dont know about anyone else here, but I, personally, like the show called Battlebots. Not the anouncers or the segments-I just like destruction and 2 robots in an arena destroying eachother. I dont know why I like seeing destruction so much-I watch football, I record car wrecks from NASCAR (though I watch NASCAR for more than just the wrecks), I like robotic combat. In general, I like to see damage and/or destruction-that is aslong as no one gets seriously hurt.

[Morlock]

My favorite is without a doubt the Simpsons. I don't understand why more people don't think this, as it is a hillarious show, and brillient in it's simplicity.

Otherwise, I like The West Wing, although I agree with Georgi that it's too patriotic. I really like Richard Schiff's part, as it is a change from all his previous roles as losers.

Whose line is it anyway. Although the Simpsons crack me up so consistently, WLIIA gaives me the greatest laughs a couple of times an episode.

There are a few shows that wee good at the start, but didn't really get better after the original idea, as most shows should.
I'd put The Sopranos, The Practice, and, at the rate it's going also The West Wing in this category.

I haven't been watching very much TV lately, so I'm not up to date on what's on.

For all those who didn't know, The Emmy nominations were released.

[Tybaltus]

@Morlock-Do you like the British Whose line is it anyway? or the american version better?

I dont know why, but the american version of whose line is it anyway got me to laugh every time, but the original British version hardly ever got me to laugh.

[fable]

The Muppets. Consistently one of the funniest shows of all time. What a shame that Jim Henson died, and the team has been reduced to doing Denny's commercials.