Top 25 Favorite TV Shows

[NSpan]

Show #25
NSpan

The Twilight Zone (1959 - 1964, CBS)




Once you've seen my entire list, this entry will stick out like a sore thumb. Most of my choices are relatively new--and they're almost all comedy. Typically, I don't "do" TV drama. This show, however, just HAS to be acknowledged. Incredibly ahead of its time--and more a collection of short films than an actual "series"--The Twilight Zone is essential viewing for anybody who wants to understand modern pop-culture references. American comedy in the 80s, 90s and 00s DEPENDED on its viewers having a set foundation of referential material. The Twilight Zone was, arguably, the most referred to. The series itself was brilliant. Some truly great writing. Lesser episodes were appropriately dismissed when put together by lesser writers and directors. But when this show decided to shine, it was really something else. To think: this show started in the 1950s... but it has directly influenced every show since. Sure, a good portion of the episodes boil down to shallow allegory about the threat of nuclear war, heavy-handed morality tales about acceptance, or the perceived threat of an alien invasion. It was certainly an interesting time to be making such a show. Just the concept of looming nuclear war being a day-to-day fear is baffling to our generation (whether or not it is still substantiated). Morality tales from such a time in American history are still interesting today, and the sci-fi-oriented "alien" episodes always had some commentary about then-modern society. If you consider yourself a student of popular culture--to any degree. You MUST start here. Otherwise, you might as well be discovering classic rock without ever listening to the Beatles.


Note: I won't do an "honorable mention" here.... but--okay, okay--yes, I will. The Dick Van Dyke Show warrants some kind of mention here on this countdown. The humor was just so ahead of its time. If only we had done a Top #26 countdown...

[numbersix]

Winnie the Pooh: loved it as a young child, never revisited it

Scrubs: Oh dear, Surfer, will this be the list that we won't match? Scrubs was never really good, even in its early days. The jokes became predictable, and every single episode was ruined by the saccharine voice-over ending that tried to put a dramatic slant on inane ideas. Dr. Cox was occasionally funny but within a handful of episodes became a total parody of himself (usually that takes about 3 seasons, but his characterisation was so shallow). And I can't stand Zach Braff (but that's mostly due to Garden State )

Northern Exposure: Never sat down to watch it, though it's geneally highly regarded.

The Man Show: Never heard of it.

The Avengers: Almost as bad as the movie. It went too far down that psychadelic route, and unlike something like The Prisoner, it became episodic, rambling, often bafflingly nonsensical, and ultimately was style over substance.

Sons of Anarchy: WAtched one or two episodes, but found nothing to keep me watching. Can't say I gave it a proper chance, though.

Twilight Zone: Amazing stuff, though I've seen more of the updated, remake series than this. I should buy the old series on DVD

[Chienfantome]

To complete : I've never watched Sons of Anarchy, nor The Twilight Zone.

[W]

They had a couple of Twilight Zone remakes in the 80's/90's, and though some are decent, none are on the level of any of the original episodes. Every one of them was well written and the great ones really freak you out and get you thinking. There are so many great episodes and they don't have to be watched in any specific order. Nightmare at 20,000 Feet is one of the better ones, my favorite is The Obsolete Man.

Most of the episodes were allegories to things important to the 50's/60's like Eye of the Beholder and the parallels to Civil Rights at the time, Mr. Denton on Doomsday and nuclear war, The Monster's are Due on Maple Street (which my class performed for our fourth grade play) and most of the alien episodes with Communism either the threat of or the singling out of with the red scare.

And the cultural references you mention are spot on. Both Madagascar films have them ("It's a cookbook!" from To Serve Man and Mort on the side of the plane from "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"), there's the Will Ferrell/Pam Anderson skit based on "Eye of the Beholder." Sci-fi owes a great deal to the series, for instance V is pretty much a straight rip off of "To Serve Man" with reptiles inserted for giant headed guys. Chucky/Living Doll, Final Destination's set-up IS "Twenty-Two", and it goes on and on...

If you want the most pop culture for your buck, check out these five episodes: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, To Serve Man, Mr. Denton on Doomsday, Eye of the Beholder, and Time Enough at Last. I believe they're all on YouTube and I know they're all on Netflix if you have that. You probably won't stop at five, though...

[Buscemi]

There's also the Simpsons parodies of To Serve Man and Little Girl Lost.

[W]

And Poultergeist seems to take a lot from Little Girl Lost. And Cube and Five Characters in Search of an Exit. And, well, a lot of stuff.

[englishozzy]

No: 25

The Crystal Maze (1990-1995)

Premise: Each episode pitted a group of four people to travel through 'zones' to try and collect crystals by competing in various games to test physically and mentally. Each crystal collected allocated them five seconds in a crystal dome at the end of the game which would blow out gold tokens which the team would collect to accumulate a prize.

One of the few game shows i could watch over and over again, i remember watching this on a friday night as a kid and the whole family would never miss a show. Some ingenius games by the producers always kept the episosed interesting and different from any other.

[numbersix]

Nice pick, Ozzy, as it almost made my Top 25. What was great about it was its ability to take you into another world through the elaborate set. Great fun.

[englishozzy]

Winnie the Pooh - Surprised to see this up here and i applaud you for being brave enough to post it for us. My brother was more into Winnie growing up than i ever was so it was always on the TV so probably have seen a fair few episodes including the one you posted.

Countdown - This show was always on when we sat down and had dinner when we were kids, always freaking blew my mind how good some of the contestants were let alone Carol Vorderman. Wasn't quite the same without the late Richard Whiteley but still an enjoyable show.

Scrubs - My partner absolutely loves this show and she is one of these people that watch TV Shows over and over again. (In fact i might see if i can get her to compile her own list). Although i can find it funny in places there is no consistancy to it. Probably agree with a lot of people on here in that it was better toward the premise of the show.

Northern Exposure - Have heard of it but have never been compelled to watch.

The Man Show - Have watched snippets of it on the Comedy Channel over here and the humour doesn't do anything for me, not sure if it's something to do with not understanding most of the American references or not though.

The Avengers - Have watched a fair few episodes of this and quite enjoyed it, i wouldnt actively seek the program out though.

Sons of Anarchy - I have a friend at the moment trying to get me to watch this show, might have to check out a couple of episodes, any you recommend??

The Twilight Zone - Haven't seen or heard of this one.

[englishozzy]

Nice pick, Ozzy, as it almost made my Top 25. What was great about it was its ability to take you into another world through the elaborate set. Great fun.

What did you think of the original french series, Fort Boyard??

[numbersix]

Never saw it. Never watched foreign-language game shows, except maybe the crazy-ass Takeshi's Castle

[Buscemi]

The gag dub of Takeshi's Castle is hilarious. Takeshi becomes a washed-up actor named Vic Romano.

[Chienfantome]

I've never heard of that Crystal Maze game show, in France we don't show foreign game shows so obviously all the ones you'll list, I won't know about probably.
But you're right, it does remind of Fort Boyard, which is a classic game show taking place on a Fort on the sea in the Atlantic Ocean near the French coast. That game exists since I was a kid, and takes you into those kinds of competitions. Many countries use the Fort to shoot there their own Fort Boyard shows.

[Geezer]

Another brilliant clip!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16j-JsJU ... re=related

[W]

Sons of Anarchy - I have a friend at the moment trying to get me to watch this show, might have to check out a couple of episodes, any you recommend??

The Twilight Zone - Haven't seen or heard of this one.

SoA is a linear show, so it's best to watch it from season 1 episode 1 on. And seriously, never HEARD of Twilight Zone? Wow... Check out the clips that were posted if you've got 20 minutes sometime.