The Writers Guild of America released its list of the 101 best-written TV series of all time today, and the list is guaranteed to generate some discussion.
I mean, it’s a cool idea and all, and everybody likes lists. But is anybody qualified to say “The Sopranos” is better than “Seinfeld?” I mean, how can you even compare those two?
(Cue funky “Seinfeld” music as Tony Soprano and family sit down in a diner in the final scene of the series.)
I think I’d rank “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” a hellmouth of a lot higher on my list. I can guarantee you that “Sex and the City” and “thirtysomething” don’t belong higher on the list than “Buffy” or “The Rockford Files” or “Freaks and Geeks.”
What do you think of the list?
1. THE SOPRANOS
2. SEINFELD
3. THE TWILIGHT ZONE
4. ALL IN THE FAMILY
5. M*A*S*H
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
21. 30 ROCK
22. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
23. FRASIER
24. FRIENDS
25. SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
26. THE X-FILES
27. LOST
28. ER
29. THE COSBY SHOW
30. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
31. THE HONEYMOONERS*
32. DEADWOOD
33. STAR TREK
34. MODERN FAMILY
35. TWIN PEAKS
36. NYPD BLUE
37. THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW
38. BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (2005)
39. SEX AND THE CITY
40. GAME OF THRONES
41. THE BOB NEWHART SHOW – TIE
YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS* – TIE
43. DOWNTON ABBEY* – TIE
LAW & ORDER – TIE
THIRTYSOMETHING – TIE
46. HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET – TIE
ST. ELSEWHERE – TIE
48. HOMELAND
49. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
50. THE COLBERT REPORT – TIE
THE GOOD WIFE – TIE
THE OFFICE (UK)* – TIE
53. NORTHERN EXPOSURE
54. THE WONDER YEARS
55. L.A. LAW
56. SESAME STREET
57. COLUMBO
58. FAWLTY TOWERS* – TIE
THE ROCKFORD FILES – TIE
60. FREAKS AND GEEKS – TIE
MOONLIGHTING – TIE
62. ROOTS
63. EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND – TIE
SOUTH PARK* – TIE
65. PLAYHOUSE 90
66. DEXTER – TIE
THE OFFICE (U.S.) – TIE
68. MY SO-CALLED LIFE
69. THE GOLDEN GIRLS
70. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW
71. 24 – TIE
ROSEANNE – TIE
THE SHIELD – TIE
74. HOUSE – TIE
MURPHY BROWN – TIE
76. BARNEY MILLER – TIE
I, CLAUDIUS* – TIE
78. THE ODD COUPLE
79. ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS – TIE
MONTY PYTHON’S FLYING CIRCUS* – TIE
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION – TIE
UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS* – TIE
83. GET SMART
84. THE DEFENDERS – TIE
GUNSMOKE – TIE
86. JUSTIFIED – TIE
SGT. BILKO (THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW) – TIE
88. BAND OF BROTHERS
89. ROWAN & MARTIN’S LAUGH-IN
90. THE PRISONER*
91. ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS (U.K.)* – TIE
THE MUPPET SHOW – TIE
93. BOARDWALK EMPIRE
94. WILL & GRACE
95. FAMILY TIES
96. LONESOME DOVE – TIE
SOAP – TIE
98. THE FUGITIVE – TIE
LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN – TIE
LOUIE – TIE
101. OZ
keithroysdon 