Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

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undeadmonkey
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Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by undeadmonkey »

I hope everyone had a fantastic Independence Day and without any more unnecessary formality, let's begin



Show #25




undeadmonkey

The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1988 - 1991, ABC)


watch from the 2:00 to the 2:30 minute mark, unless you want to watch it all

to be honest, it's bit embarrassing starting off with a pick like this, after all "im a dude and a mostly grown dude at that" ;). (but it's not like i held back during the music or movie countdown and i'm not about to start now) This is my one and only true nostalgic pick, there are a one or two more shows from my childhood on my list, but those i still watch every once in a while. I haven't seen this show in at least 15 years. I was born in 1988 and as far back as i can remember i remember watching Pooh and the 100 acre gang getting into trouble. Of course, i sometimes watched tv with my parents and whatever they watched, but this was the my show that I watched. and i definitely have fond memories of it.




numbersix

Countdown (1982-present, Channel 4 UK)


The only game show to make my Top 25, this is also one of the easiest to play at home. The premise is simple but infinitely playable. It’s split into 2 types of game. First, contestants are given 8 letters and must construct the longest word they can find. Second, they are given 6 numbers, and are given a high number they must reach by either adding/multiplying/etc the 6 numbers in some way. Simple but brilliant. The show also maintained a jovial tone by guest judges who would check the words using dictionaries, and in between words offer anecdotes often related to words. I liked how the judging side was visible and transparent. Also, the tradition of having beautiful but dim female sidekicks was subverted by the inclusion of Carol Vorderman, who was the judge of the complex math puzzles.

The longevity of the show has already been proven, as it’s still going after 28 years, and indeed was the first show on UK TV’s “alternative” commercial channel, C4. Its original presenter, Richard Whiteley, was the first face of the channel but sadly passed away in 2005, and the show never remained the same.




silverersurfer

Scrubs (2001), NBC.



I know, I know, Scrubs has been going seriously downhill since series 5, but those first few seasons are comedy gold for me. The series follows a group of interns as they grow from fumbling, inadequate newbies to a group of, well, fumbling, indadequate experienced doctors and nurses. There are touches of the surreal in JD's internal monologues which narrate the show, and moments of laugh out loud comedy from their actions and the always entertaining and sarcastically evil John McGinley as their mentor, not to mention a rather psychotic janitor. But to counter all this comedy and balance it out so that it has some substance to back it up, it has some thoughtful and provocative storylines which deal with death and friendship which really ground the series.

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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by Leestu »

Show #25




leestu

Northern Exposure (1990-1995)



A quirky fish out of water type drama about a New York doctor forced against his wishes to commence his career in a small Alaskan town. It has unique subtle humour and a sort of quiet sensitivity to its drama. Fascinating, likeable, eccentric characters abound such as Ed, a Native American whose passion is movies and movie making (featured in the scene posted), and Chris, the radio disc jockey who always has something thoughtful to say.
Last edited by Leestu on July 5th, 2011, 1:46 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by Geezer »

Geezer's Number 25

The Man Show

Comedy Central 1999-2003 (I don't count the season without Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla)

One of the funniest shows of all time. A show that really epitomized what its like to be a man. Filled with awesome sketched including "the wheel of destiny" in which contestants spun a giant wheel and got either awesome prizes, or horrible punishments, "the man show boy" in which an 11 year old did wacky highjinx like trying to get someone to buy him beer, and of course Juggie Girls jumping on trampolines! Adam Carolla and Jimmy Kimmel were just awesome together. Here's a sketch of Jimmy as basketball legend, Karl Malone:

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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by Buscemi »

Doing mine in alphabetical order.

The Avengers (1961-1969, ITV/ABC)

One of the best adventure shows ever made and an obvious inspiration for many other adventure shows. Patrick Macnee and either Honor Blackman or Diana Rigg (the Linda Thorson episodes are rather weak) make a great pairing and have excellent chemistry together. The show's atmosphere was always made interesting and combined with the star power and writing, always made you realize that you were getting ready to watch a great hour of television. Too bad the film version from 1998 completely sucked.

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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by silversurfer19 »

Some surprising inclusions in the first round so far. Wasn't expecting some of those to come up. Winnie The Pooh is a show I watched when I was younger, it may have been an older series I think as it was a series i watched when I was pretty young, and for that reason i think nostaliga is the only yearning I have for it. It was never a true favourite for me, I much preferred other cartoons growing up. However, it is an iconic character so also underastandable why it would remain close to your heart. I seem to remember a particular episode (again this may be an older series) in which Tigger shows off his bouncing but ends up stuck in a tree as he is afraid of heights. That episode exemplified it's educating nature (don't show off as it'll land you in trouble), which had to be applauded.

Countdown though? Wow... I could have understood The Crystal Maze a little more, but I think I was always turned off that program a little as it was absolutely NOT simple! The maths part in particular was impossible! However, it was entertaining nevertheless, as well as insightful, and it was a shame when Whitely passed away. Vorderman annoyed the hell out of me though, especially so when she became a celebrity - it really went to her head. Gone was the maths whizz, in came the suntanned, hairstyled know it all. Yes, I still am haunted...

I have seen a few episodes of The Avengers, and I think I enjoyed them, it's been a long time though. The movie was a complete miss though.

The other two shows I'm not familiar with, Northern Exposure almost sounds like the premise to Hot Fuzz, while The Man Show sounds like a number of shows which were out in the late 90s in the UK. Doesn't really appeal to me (though I can confirm I am a man...).

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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by Geezer »

You sure about that, Surfer? The wife may have taken that away from you!
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man. - The Dude

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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by silversurfer19 »

[Checks] Yes, affirmative.




Now where is my bag...

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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by undeadmonkey »

never heard of Countdown, but that clip was pretty intense. maybe it was the soundtrack, it also got a little complicated for me. I could see it being fun though

I've always wanted to watch Scrubs, but haven't yet. So far, from everyone that i know who has seen it, ended up loving it.

never heard of Northern Exposure, or Avengers. i'm not completely convinced to check them out, but i did like the clip for Northern Exposure

Have seen a few episodes of The Man Show, but it's not something that i followed. However, it is difficult to forget about the girls jumping on trampolines. it's so simple yet... profound.

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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by Buscemi »

I always found The Man Show a terrible, terrible show that lasted way too long. Jimmy Kimmel is an unfunny, sexist prick and he condones the use of blackface? I think I found a way to hate him even more.
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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by W »

The Man Show - "Ziggy Zaggy! Ziggy Zaggy! Oy, oy, oy!" and "Girls on trampolines!" in every episode. What's to hate.

Scrubs is great. The entire series is on Netflix, though the last season is not very good and, I think, an attempt to extend the show after the main cast left. I really liked all the middle seasons the best, though the first season is awesome too. So many great bits, like Dr. Jan Itor, all of Ted's Band, anything that comes out of Dr. Cox's mouth, and of course "Eeeeeeeaaaaaagggggggllllllleeeeeeee!!!!!!" Oh, and the aptly named Rowdy.

The only thing I know about Countdown is the episode of the IT Crowd where Moss becomes grand champion. I'm trying to figure out how many game shows to put on my list as I type.

I've heard of all the rest, but never seen them.
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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by W »

I'm not completely done, but here's my #25.

Sons of Anarchy (2008-present, FX)

It gets the bottom spot because it's great, but I haven't seen enough of where it's going to place it any higher (finished season 2). I have a feeling when I see more of it it'll be higher on the list. It's a really good drama about the internal and external struggles of a biker gang focusing on the leader (Ron Perlman), leader-in-waiting who happens to be his step son (Charlie Hunnam), and their wife/mother (Katey Sagal). All three of them give fantastic performances in their roles (Sagal won a Golden Globe and Hunnam you wouldn't know was English). The rest of the gang are some pretty good characters like "Bobby Elvis" who's a badass biker but also likes to dress up as Elvis and entertain kids and adults alike, Half-Sack the pledge that got one ball blown off in Iraq, and Opie who struggles between the club and his family.

It seems like they keep their stuff off of youtube, so no video.
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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by Leestu »

I have never seen any Winnie The Pooh, probably because I would have been 19 when it started - a tad too old for it's target demograohic I guess - and by the time I had my own young kids it was all Wiggles and Teletubbies, however as a kid I did read a bit of it and I still have a soft spot for the always depressed and pessimistic Eyeore.

Never heard of Countdown and it seems alright (especially as I am going through a word game phase atm with words with friends) but does it have enough variety to keep going back for more? or would I only watch it every now and again if someone else had it on?

Scrubs is great, well apart from the last two seasons, and so rewatchable. I own the DVDs of most of the seasons and they are some of my most rewatched DVDs.

I have seen a few episodes of The Man Show and it's a bit hit or miss. I got a bit bored of it pretty quickly. Have you seen Ed the Sock? It's so wrong but fun. Goes where The Man Show probably wants to but isn't allowed. OK if there is nothing else at all to watch but I wouldn't choose to watch it.

I have always intended to watch some Avengers but never got around to it, and you can add me to the movie was shit group.

Sons of Anarchy is on my must check it out one day list.

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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by silversurfer19 »

I was gutted we missed the start of Sons of Anarchy, it looks like a really good show, I love Ron Pearlman and Katy Sagal, and it's gotten so much critical praise, we'll have to check it out when it's replayed again.

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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by Chienfantome »

Winnie the Pooh, I don't know if this was the version I watched as a kid, but this seems highly probable, and I loved it, although it was so long ago, so I don't know how it would feel today (I found the film so boring...)

Countdown, well it looks A LOT like the longest running game show on french TV which is "Des chiffres et des lettres" and has been airing here since the early 70's. I had the board game when I was a kid.

Scrubs is a very fun series, I understand what you say about the first seasons Surfer. I have abandoned the series after the first 2 or 3 seasons, and even then I watched it only occasionally, but it's always been a series which had a tone that suited my taste.

Northern Exposure and The Man Show, I haven't seen them.

And The Avengers, I've seen a few episodes on TV years ago, but I've never been hooked.
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Re: Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

Post by Buscemi »

And it's probably been known on here but I hate Scrubs. From the episodes that I'm seen all of the jokes either a. have no punchline, b. have a really bad punchline or c. are the basic "interns are idiots" jokes that we've seen in every other workcom.

For me, Bill Lawrence hasn't had it since Michael J. Fox left Spin City (I never understood why they continued that show after it had such a heartfelt and touching ending when Fox had to leave, the Charlie Sheen episodes flat-out sucked and I felt were disrespectful to Fox).
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