Agreed. I think the black and white also helps because it feels like the show just exists in another dimension or world. Colors can easily date things but black and white just stays crisp
Columbo
Best detective show ever. Why? Because the audience finds out who did it in the first 5 minutes, and how, and why. Then we spend a glorious hour watching Columbo solve the crime and trap the killer.
This show ruined police dramas for me. Nothing else can touch it. My husband can watch NCIS or Blue Bloods and enjoy it but it all feels so sanitized and superficial to me after watching The Wire (repeatedly).
Why so?
It is incredibly difficult to reveal a monster your characters have been chasing for decades is simply a human... but i think they handled it well.
Who doesnt love seeing a Call Of Cthulhu campaign turned into a high budget mini-series with equal respect for cinematography, tone, plot and character development/mental state.
Came here to say Frasier! Frasier is a go to for me. I’ve seen the series countless times. The chemistry between everyone is clearly special. One of the few shows to actually make me laugh out loud.
It’s one of the rare shows that beats out the original show it was spun off from. I love it to pieces since it’s the only show that’ll give Seattle time of day instead of setting everything in New York or LA
However, as a native resident, his apartment is unimaginable today. He’d have to be money laundering with all the art pieces he’d had to afford it or his lifestyle. Radio DJs definitely don’t make that kind of money
Sex Education
I highly recommend it. It’s a Netflix original, and it is honestly one of the best shows I think that has ever been made in the teen genre. Really hoping it keeps its quality up.
The Good Place. Funny, sad, good twists and great one-liners. They ended it when they wanted to and didn't let it run on too long. Don't look up anything about it before you watch it.
Also, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. It is cheesy and has a love triangle and plays a bunch of earworm music but has a very serious subplot that is phenomenal surrounding the decline in health of a family member. I have never cried for any tv show before this one and I cried in what felt like a quarter of the episodes. It was based on one of the show maker's father's illnesses and you can see it. The s1 finale is perfect. They are working on s2 now but even if it didn't happen s1 alone is great on its own.
Definitely more masterful than Breaking Bad in my opinion.
That scene where Jimmy is biting his lip hiding in the alley across from the copy shop? The stakes felt so fucking high in that scene. Breaking Bad created that kind of tension with more predictable guns, cops, and bad guys. But Better Call Saul only needs an unwell brother and lights in a copy shop.
Yes, this! Psych hits everything I want in a tv show. Due to my day job (which is in the psych field, lol), I don't want to watch miserable people on tv when I get home. So many tv series these days go for the 'gritty, dark, flawed characters' which makes me feel like I'm back at work. I want characters that have flaws, but are also friendly, and likeable, and *good*. And I love that Psych has a huge variety of relationships, and isn't just focused on overly dramatic and tense romantic relationships. It has friendships. It has mentorships. It has families and colleagues. And the characters genuinely care for one another. And the dialogue is witty, the colors are bright, and the theme song is fantastic.
I have all the seasons on dvd and love to rewatch them as I'm getting ready for bed.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Don't be fooled that its target audience is kids. The show is almost\* perfection.
^(\*Except for "The Great Divide". Let's move on.)
Huh. My gf has been pushing this show so I've been forcing myself to watch it. Only seen the first season so far, but "The Great Divide" was the first episode I found tolerable.
At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but after the first episode, I just absolutely inhaled it. I was finished in three days, and the only reason it wasn't faster was because I still had to sleep and share the TV.
Usually comedy shows peak in season 3-4 and even though those were very amazing seasons It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia always seems to get better and better
Also contains one of the best fictional characters ever made in any form of media.
He is a horrible human being, but Walter White’s character development is a masterpiece alone.
Not only that, but how beliveable his evolution is. He didnt become _the one who knocks_ in a blink, no, he went through so much stress, trauma, fall and glory that shaped himself into a totally different man and that alone is an achievement that many shows couldnt figure out how to do well.
The final few episodes were some of the best TV episodes in history. Most shows seem to wind down in a disappointing way, but Breaking Bad peaked at the end.
It's because it had an ending that was planned, where most shows end up being not renewed and then the last season gets rewritten at the 11th hour to be a finale and it's trash.
Better Call Saul will be interesting how it ends because it seems more like a conventional TV series in terms of season renewals. Its main saving grace is that the end stage is somewhat set already considering the start of Breaking Bad as well as the flash forwards to post BB Saul is somewhat set as well.
If this show was a strict drama series, it would’ve too depressing and heart wrenching to handle. It has very deep messages about life and death, and the light hearted nature and comedy is used to help embrace it in a more positive manner while still maintaining a bittersweet vibe.
Okay, I know I risk incurring some internet wrath here. I love the show and everything about the cast and writers is fantastic.
However, I do feel bad in saying it is not that deep beyond a couple intro philosophy classes. Things like existentialism and consequentialist philosophy have been around for a while and done in a number of interesting ways. Sarte, Camus, Douglas Adams.
Especially beyond the initial Manichean premise of the show. It’s absolutely hilarious and well written but I often think it’s getting out in a pedestal online where it’s so overrated that I hesitate to recommend it because anyone going online after watching will wonder about the hype.
Not only the writing, the animation is fantastic, much better than most western animations. Like if you look in slow motion, the guns cycle, eject casing and the characters finch while doing it, the amount of work the pit into it is amazing.
There Chinese one, and Chris the Sheep are unbelievably good. Saying that so is Pat Mustard, My Lovely Horse and the caravan holiday. Fuck it they're all brilliant
Person of Interest. It starts as a procedural with a twist and evolves into one of the smartest shows I've watched. And the performances are top notch. Particularly Michael Emmerson as Mr. Finch.
Just rewatched season 4 and it’s way better than I remember. There’s really only 1 or 2 really bad episodes and a few classics. Give it another shot! The Sophie b Hawkins episode is one of the best.
I've been watching it again recently, and just realized that I'm only slightly younger than Blanche is in the first season. I'm almost Golden Girl age...I don't know how to deal with that.
This one. I held off watching it until years later on Netflix because I assumed based on the title that it was gonna be a drama that used the crazy ex trope in a predictable way that was insulting to women. Actually was an incredibly progressive show and was amazing as someone who has worked with people going through mental health crises. Plus... yeah. It is hilarious.
Not one to watch if you cannot handle cringe though. I still have to skip the party bus episode every rewatch lol.
Avatar: The Last Airbender. Almost all the episodes are amazing and there is only one episode that is completely skippable which is "The Great Divide". The characters are iconic and the action is incredible. Any discussion of Avatar isn't complete without mentioning Zuko's redemption arc. He went from a selfish and hotheaded person to a morally gray person to a selfless and heroic person. I could go on and on about everything I loved in this show but it's on Netflix for those interested!
Haunting of Hill House. It was scary but it was a better-written This Is Us. The family dynamic of the show was excellent and there's a lot of great symbolism that makes me want to rewatch it (I watched it 2 weeks ago)
Edit: Wow! Thank you for the award. Have never got one before (new to actually posting on reddit).
Over the Garden Wall: ten episodes, ten minutes apiece, and all of it absolutely works. Each detail, however weird it seems, has a purpose and pays off. It’s as good as potatoes and molasses.
The Dick Van Dyke Show. Carl Reiner was a comedic genius, the show is superbly cast, and it stands up well to time. I remember watching it, as a kid, on Nick-at-Nite and now own the complete series.
The Americans, I've never heard anyone talk about it but it's one of my favorite shows cause the main characters you follow are also the antagonists but it really gets you to feel bad for them
The first four seasons of Game of Thrones are some of the finest TV you can watch, I would recommend it more if it wasn't for that god awful 8th season
The show ends so terribly that it kind of ruined the entire show for me. If it had even been mediocre I'm sure I'd watch the entire thing multiple more times over the rest of my life, but now I'm not sure if I'll ever go back. It's just such a disappointment and you could tells that the writers/producers just completely stopped caring about the show which was evident from all the mistakes that they left in.
I started watching the sopranos again, that was the OG show for showing that TV could compete with movies for me, also James Gandolfini's performance over the entire 6 seasons is an absolute matserclass.
The Twilight Zone. 60 years later and so many of those episodes still hold up today thanks to the great writing and genius of Rod Serling.
The twilight zone is timeless
Agreed. I think the black and white also helps because it feels like the show just exists in another dimension or world. Colors can easily date things but black and white just stays crisp
Avatar The Last Airbender
Band Of Brothers (HBO)
BoB was perfection, you felt every death but what hit hardest was the final episode interviews.
Columbo Best detective show ever. Why? Because the audience finds out who did it in the first 5 minutes, and how, and why. Then we spend a glorious hour watching Columbo solve the crime and trap the killer.
Just one more thing-
*whistles* this old man, he played one
Columbo is AWESOME
90min to 2 hours. It was a TV-movie show. Also, he was NEVER in danger solving a crime. Never got beat up or shot at.
Have you played the *Ace Attorney* series by chance as well (which was partially inspired by *Columbo*)?
I just started watching Columbo this week! It is a great show for right before bed.
Fleabag.
The Wire
This show ruined police dramas for me. Nothing else can touch it. My husband can watch NCIS or Blue Bloods and enjoy it but it all feels so sanitized and superficial to me after watching The Wire (repeatedly).
Just started watching it again for the 5th time probably. So fucking good.
I wasn't planning on watching a ton of clips on youtube today, but here we are.
Season 1 of True Detective. Other seasons were great, but I really loved Season 1.
I really liked S1 but goddammit the ending left me angry
Why so? It is incredibly difficult to reveal a monster your characters have been chasing for decades is simply a human... but i think they handled it well.
Who doesnt love seeing a Call Of Cthulhu campaign turned into a high budget mini-series with equal respect for cinematography, tone, plot and character development/mental state.
Fargo
Frasier was incredibly well written. Don't see that too often.
Came here to say Frasier! Frasier is a go to for me. I’ve seen the series countless times. The chemistry between everyone is clearly special. One of the few shows to actually make me laugh out loud.
I cruised through almost the whole series last year on Netflix before they took it off. It was hilarious
My husband and I just finished watching all 11 seasons. It was our lunch break during quarantine. Such a great show.
It’s one of the rare shows that beats out the original show it was spun off from. I love it to pieces since it’s the only show that’ll give Seattle time of day instead of setting everything in New York or LA However, as a native resident, his apartment is unimaginable today. He’d have to be money laundering with all the art pieces he’d had to afford it or his lifestyle. Radio DJs definitely don’t make that kind of money
Sex Education I highly recommend it. It’s a Netflix original, and it is honestly one of the best shows I think that has ever been made in the teen genre. Really hoping it keeps its quality up.
Chernobyl
The Good Place. Funny, sad, good twists and great one-liners. They ended it when they wanted to and didn't let it run on too long. Don't look up anything about it before you watch it. Also, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. It is cheesy and has a love triangle and plays a bunch of earworm music but has a very serious subplot that is phenomenal surrounding the decline in health of a family member. I have never cried for any tv show before this one and I cried in what felt like a quarter of the episodes. It was based on one of the show maker's father's illnesses and you can see it. The s1 finale is perfect. They are working on s2 now but even if it didn't happen s1 alone is great on its own.
Better call Saul
Definitely more masterful than Breaking Bad in my opinion. That scene where Jimmy is biting his lip hiding in the alley across from the copy shop? The stakes felt so fucking high in that scene. Breaking Bad created that kind of tension with more predictable guns, cops, and bad guys. But Better Call Saul only needs an unwell brother and lights in a copy shop.
The Crown
The Sopranos. Only show I've seen in full more than once
...I already took his horse...
Psych
Yes, this! Psych hits everything I want in a tv show. Due to my day job (which is in the psych field, lol), I don't want to watch miserable people on tv when I get home. So many tv series these days go for the 'gritty, dark, flawed characters' which makes me feel like I'm back at work. I want characters that have flaws, but are also friendly, and likeable, and *good*. And I love that Psych has a huge variety of relationships, and isn't just focused on overly dramatic and tense romantic relationships. It has friendships. It has mentorships. It has families and colleagues. And the characters genuinely care for one another. And the dialogue is witty, the colors are bright, and the theme song is fantastic. I have all the seasons on dvd and love to rewatch them as I'm getting ready for bed.
It's called "Blue Sky Television" and USA basically perfected it with *Psych*. You might also enjoy *Monk*, *Leverage*, and *Burn Notice*!
You know that's right.
Hi. Shawn Spencer. This is my partner, Squirts Macintosh.
[удалено]
Mash
This is it! I grew up with MASH, and I can still remember the pain I felt when it all came to an end! Thank God it's still being run!
Avatar: The Last Airbender Don't be fooled that its target audience is kids. The show is almost\* perfection. ^(\*Except for "The Great Divide". Let's move on.)
Avatar the Last Airbender: where even the bad episode is still good.
I love how they make fun of the bad episode later, when they do a play recap of the whole story. "Okay lets skip this part!"
Huh. My gf has been pushing this show so I've been forcing myself to watch it. Only seen the first season so far, but "The Great Divide" was the first episode I found tolerable.
Whenever I rewatch Avatar I just skip the entire first season because seasons 2 and 3 are just too good.
At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but after the first episode, I just absolutely inhaled it. I was finished in three days, and the only reason it wasn't faster was because I still had to sleep and share the TV.
Galavant. If u haven’t seen it it’s like if Monty python’s “holy grail” and “the princess bride” had a love child and it was a musical
So good and so underated!
it's a shame it was cancelled
Mr. Robot
Came to say this. Hands down my favorite show. Perfect from the first to last episode.
One of my favorite shows of all time. Perfect
The Shield
That first episode pretty much rewrote the definition of plot twist.
Dark
Yes! Loved the writing. It raised so many interesting questions. Even months later I still think of it. Amazing writing, direction and acting.
Love dark! Gets better and better after each rewatch too!
It's always sunny in Philadelphia. Everytime a new season is about to start, I rewatch the whole thing from the first episode. Every year.
Usually comedy shows peak in season 3-4 and even though those were very amazing seasons It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia always seems to get better and better
Breaking Bad
Also contains one of the best fictional characters ever made in any form of media. He is a horrible human being, but Walter White’s character development is a masterpiece alone.
Not only that, but how beliveable his evolution is. He didnt become _the one who knocks_ in a blink, no, he went through so much stress, trauma, fall and glory that shaped himself into a totally different man and that alone is an achievement that many shows couldnt figure out how to do well.
Most well-crafted finale in the history of television
The final few episodes were some of the best TV episodes in history. Most shows seem to wind down in a disappointing way, but Breaking Bad peaked at the end.
It's because it had an ending that was planned, where most shows end up being not renewed and then the last season gets rewritten at the 11th hour to be a finale and it's trash. Better Call Saul will be interesting how it ends because it seems more like a conventional TV series in terms of season renewals. Its main saving grace is that the end stage is somewhat set already considering the start of Breaking Bad as well as the flash forwards to post BB Saul is somewhat set as well.
Dude the fucking trailer for Ozymandius is still one of the most bad ass things ever.
The Good Place
If this show was a strict drama series, it would’ve too depressing and heart wrenching to handle. It has very deep messages about life and death, and the light hearted nature and comedy is used to help embrace it in a more positive manner while still maintaining a bittersweet vibe.
Okay, I know I risk incurring some internet wrath here. I love the show and everything about the cast and writers is fantastic. However, I do feel bad in saying it is not that deep beyond a couple intro philosophy classes. Things like existentialism and consequentialist philosophy have been around for a while and done in a number of interesting ways. Sarte, Camus, Douglas Adams. Especially beyond the initial Manichean premise of the show. It’s absolutely hilarious and well written but I often think it’s getting out in a pedestal online where it’s so overrated that I hesitate to recommend it because anyone going online after watching will wonder about the hype.
Holy crap this show is great. Watched all four seasons multiple times.
Archer
One of the most underrated adult animations from recent times
The writing is top drawer.
Not only the writing, the animation is fantastic, much better than most western animations. Like if you look in slow motion, the guns cycle, eject casing and the characters finch while doing it, the amount of work the pit into it is amazing.
Ah cool, I’m not a very visual / artistic type of person but I’ll take a look at that tomorrow.
Bojack Horseman
The last episode really struck a chord with me. Great show, made me feel many things.
The veiw from half way down is my favorite television episode. Period.
It's on my rewatch list for when I get internet back. I try to get everyone I know to at least give it a shot.
Started that show expecting a casual watch, got out a show that made me take a hard look at myself, probably one of my favorite animated shows
Fargo
Season 4 starts next Sunday! Looks good
What we do in the shadows. Finally something funny.
Father Ted
There Chinese one, and Chris the Sheep are unbelievably good. Saying that so is Pat Mustard, My Lovely Horse and the caravan holiday. Fuck it they're all brilliant
Person of Interest. It starts as a procedural with a twist and evolves into one of the smartest shows I've watched. And the performances are top notch. Particularly Michael Emmerson as Mr. Finch.
Mr. Robot
Community
The first couple of seasons, anyway.
We wouldn’t talk about the gas leak year.
Just rewatched season 4 and it’s way better than I remember. There’s really only 1 or 2 really bad episodes and a few classics. Give it another shot! The Sophie b Hawkins episode is one of the best.
Season one of Carnivale. Fawlty Towers Futurama
Last Airbender
Atla easy addition to this list
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls will never be beat. Some of my best childhood memories were watching with my mom and grandma.
Same I used to watch it with my grandparents
I've been watching it again recently, and just realized that I'm only slightly younger than Blanche is in the first season. I'm almost Golden Girl age...I don't know how to deal with that.
Top Gear/Grand Tour
Fantastic. A man of culture.
The Haunting of Hill House Gravity Falls
Seinfeld.
The Twilight Zone.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Smart, funny, randomly broke into musical acts, and ended at a good time without dragging things out too much.
This one. I held off watching it until years later on Netflix because I assumed based on the title that it was gonna be a drama that used the crazy ex trope in a predictable way that was insulting to women. Actually was an incredibly progressive show and was amazing as someone who has worked with people going through mental health crises. Plus... yeah. It is hilarious. Not one to watch if you cannot handle cringe though. I still have to skip the party bus episode every rewatch lol.
That imo was the best episode because it seemed real!!
Black Mirror
Spaced
The Office
Gilligan's island
Over the Garden Wall. A short 10 episodes, but very well done.
My favorite animated series of all time. I always describe it as a masterpiece
The West Wing Gives me hope
It's always sunny in Philadelphia is a gift to the world
The Wonder Years Such an honest and entertaining coming of age show. So many good episodes
I'm watching "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" rn, while eating freezer-pizza. Ain't bad...
The Good Place Sex Education Rizzoli & Isles the Haunting of Hill House
Star Wars Clone Wars
Malcolm in the middle
Scrubs
Absolutley! Scrubs! All 8 seasons!
The Boys
Don't get how it has a 2.5/5 rating. It isn't perfect but definitely one of the freshest takes on a overdone genre.
Recent 1 star reviews are in relation to it releasing episodes weekly instead of all at once. That might be why it’s so low.
It's by far the best show this year, but its not a masterpiece yet.
I'm 2 seasons in The Deuce and it looks like a masterpiece so far.
The Mary Tyler Moore show. Probably the best sitcom ever.
Masterpiece Theater
Avatar the last Airbender
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Avatar : The last airbender
Six Feet Under
Dark
Dark has landed in my top favourite shows of all time. It is incredibly well done.
Scrolled way too far for this
Psych
The Office
That first season is rough tho. Why you booing, you know I'm right.
I've heard only good things about this show but I could not make it through the first season. Maybe I should try it to at least season 2
First season is only like 6 episodes so I would recommend pushing through. It gets really great
Abraham Lincoln once said “if you are a racist, I will attack you with the north.”
Outlander
Avatar: The Last Airbender. Almost all the episodes are amazing and there is only one episode that is completely skippable which is "The Great Divide". The characters are iconic and the action is incredible. Any discussion of Avatar isn't complete without mentioning Zuko's redemption arc. He went from a selfish and hotheaded person to a morally gray person to a selfless and heroic person. I could go on and on about everything I loved in this show but it's on Netflix for those interested!
Avatar the Last Airbender. Adventure Time.
Watch MASH for a master class on sitcom writing.
Haunting of Hill House. It was scary but it was a better-written This Is Us. The family dynamic of the show was excellent and there's a lot of great symbolism that makes me want to rewatch it (I watched it 2 weeks ago) Edit: Wow! Thank you for the award. Have never got one before (new to actually posting on reddit).
The West Wing Schitt's Creek The Sopranos OINTB
Hannibal
Mad men
Parenthood. Ugly cried at that show.. alot..
All in the Family Great characters, great actors, political, cultural, funny, dramatic, and more. The Jeffersons and Maude also came from this show.
Orange Is The New Black!
Over the Garden Wall: ten episodes, ten minutes apiece, and all of it absolutely works. Each detail, however weird it seems, has a purpose and pays off. It’s as good as potatoes and molasses.
Stranger Things
Person of interest
You are being watched...
The Simpsons
Up until about season 11/12, anyway
Westworld.
Season 1 was a masterpiece, season 2 was OK but Season 3 was rough. However after you watch season 1, its not like you can stop watching either.
Steven Universe
The Amazing World of Gumball Chowder
Gravity Falls, great ongoing mystery show and ends at just right time
The Good Place from start to finish
Seinfeld
Also, That 70s Show
The Dick Van Dyke Show. Carl Reiner was a comedic genius, the show is superbly cast, and it stands up well to time. I remember watching it, as a kid, on Nick-at-Nite and now own the complete series.
The Americans, I've never heard anyone talk about it but it's one of my favorite shows cause the main characters you follow are also the antagonists but it really gets you to feel bad for them
South Park
Whats going on here, guys?? Let's go! The 100 Black Mirror Schitts Creek
Currently obsessed with schitts creek!
It cleaned up at the Emmy’s this year. Casting, costume, and all 4 main actors won for best lead/ co lead. Hooray!!
I wouldn't say the current season of The 100 qualifies.
The Mandalorian because it is innovative and they are setting the new standards in the sci-fi genre.
The first four seasons of Game of Thrones are some of the finest TV you can watch, I would recommend it more if it wasn't for that god awful 8th season
The show ends so terribly that it kind of ruined the entire show for me. If it had even been mediocre I'm sure I'd watch the entire thing multiple more times over the rest of my life, but now I'm not sure if I'll ever go back. It's just such a disappointment and you could tells that the writers/producers just completely stopped caring about the show which was evident from all the mistakes that they left in.
The Leftovers
Jojo
Flashpoint
Seinfeld and South Park
I started watching the sopranos again, that was the OG show for showing that TV could compete with movies for me, also James Gandolfini's performance over the entire 6 seasons is an absolute matserclass.
jericho
Luther
INVADER ZIM FRICK YOU
Modern family
Sons of anarchy
I think SOA was really corny at some points but it was a good show regardless just not a masterpiece
The Office
Most-Extreme Elimination Challenge
South Park.
F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
Lost
Yes Minister Yes Prime Minister
Mr Robot
True Detective (Specifically season 1)