Here are my Top TV programs of all time.
Twin Peaks (1990-2017). Co-created by David Lynch, this series focuses upon a suspicious death and the officers looking into the case. And there’s nothing more you could really say about the show. It’s all very straight forward. Simple as that. Honest…oh, but there is the Red Room, never mind.
‘Babylon 5’ (1993-1998). Before this show most television was based around the ‘story’ of the week formula. Each episode would start with the status quo, a catalyst would be introduced to start the plot, the ‘heroes’ would overcome the situation and the show would return to the status quo at the end, ready for the next installment. However, ‘Babylon 5’ introduced longform storytelling (there were a few other shows like ‘The Prisoner’ (1967), which inspired this) where the first episode is the start of the story and the last episode is the end of the story, in this case it was across 50 hours of television. The show was also innovative in it’s repurposing of historical events into sci-fi environments.
‘The Wire’ (2002-2008). ‘The Wire’ also followed the longform storytelling format as ‘Babylon5’ did. However, the events were based on the writers (and actors) experiences of the police and the criminal world of Baltimore, with the showrunners being a former journalist and police officer in the city. ‘The Wire’ being on a top 10 list of TV is like having ‘Citizen Kane’ on a list of top ten films, however it’s reputation is well deserved. As filmmaker Kevin Smith said “season three is some of the best television you’ll ever see”.
‘Seinfeld’ (1989-1998). One of the greats of the sitcom world. The ‘show about nothing’ which was about everything across 173 episodes.
‘Spaced’ (1999-2001). Written by Simon Pegg, Jessica Stevenson and directed by Edgar Wright. This show centered around Tim and Daisey pretending to be a couple to move into a house intended for a young family. However, that plot is quickly put to one side in favor of a show which introduced the world of the geek years before ‘The Big Bang Theory’ (2007-2019) did to a much more embarrassing mainstream degree…and this paved the way for the mainstream acceptance of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Later Simon Pegg would go on to write Star Trek movies and Edgar Wright would have an amazing film career.
‘Brass Eye’ (1997-2007). This controversial TV news spoof from Chris Morris came after the hilarious ‘The Day Today’ (1994). Each episode of ‘Brass Eye’ focused upon a different news topic. The show forced the viewers to look closer into how their news was being delivered to them, though ironically the press seems to have moved towards the horror that ‘Brass Eye’ presents rather than away.
‘Neverwhere’ (1996). By Neil Gaiman, writer of ‘Good Omens (2019-2022), ‘Sandman’(2022-), from an idea by Lenny Henry, this show creates a fantasy world under the pavement of London. The production could have benefited from a few more pounds in the budget, but the story creates a fully fleshed out world and creates a deeper empathy for the homeless.
‘3x3 Eyes’ (1991-1992). Animated Japanese Manga tends to be: a school age kid is exposed to a fantastical being or circumstance, they are given ‘powers’ of some description and they have to go on a journey to help resolve the situation, with a group of their school friends ready to put themselves in harm’s way to help. Not that this is a problem, it’s just a generic convention of a lot of classic animated Manga (for example ‘Guyver’ (1989-1992), ’Devilman’ (1987-1990) and ‘Legend Of The Four Kings’ (1991-1993) ). ‘3x3 Eyes’ is extremely enjoyable and one of the best of it’s genre.
Police Squad! (1982). Only lasting six episodes, the show would then be translated to the movies as the ‘Naked Gun’ series. Leslie Nielsen was never better than in this TV show (and film series). His comic timing and the support from a perfect cast has created a show which continues to build new fans through the generations.
‘Blackadder’ (1983-1989). Each series of his historical sitcom takes place in a new era. After the first series the characters were streamlined and personalities swapped around, but in general the series is remembered for Edmund Blackadder’s long-suffering role as aid to some of the most famous persons from history and his idiot sidekick, Baldrick (who always has a “cunning plan”). The show has a typical farce structure, however, with some of the best TV writing ever (from Ben Elton and New Zealand’s own Richard Curtis). The show is like an education for each of the time periods with great detail to the historical facts for which to base the humor around. The last series finds Blackadder in the trenches of the Somme during World War One. With the final episode ending on the most poignant and heartbreaking moment in television history, for which the episode always reaches the top rungs of any list of ‘the most important UK TV moments ever’.
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