GR's Greatest TV Shows 2008

Goat wrote:Right, first of all, I'd like to apologise (again) for the delay in getting the results posted but better late than never - eh DML? How's The Cube?


On with the show. For two weeks a lot of you have been voting for their greatest TV shows and here are the top 50.





=50. The West Wing
1999-2006

This political serial drama, set in the White House and following the life of President Bartlet and his office, received high praise from the critics and viewers alike. In total the show won three Golden Globes and 26 Emmy Awards - the joint most won by any television series drama. But obviously not liked to the same extent by the GR Forumites.

Points Recieved: 14
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 4




=50. Life on Mars
2006-2007

This Bafta and Emmy-winning British show ran for two series and followed the story of Sam Tyler, who wakes up in 1973 after being run over in the present day. It was a refreshing programme for the BBC and basked in 70s cop-show nostalgia. The show also introduced the character of Gene Hunt, the un-PC DCI from the 70s. This character later went on to star in the, just as good, follow up Ashes to Ashes.

Points Received: 14
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 40



=48. Farscape
1999-2003

An Australian sci-fi series featuring a current day astronaut that travels through a worm-hole to a distant part of the Universe. Oh and it starred muppets from The Jim Henson Company. The show was abruptly cancelled after its fourth series, leaving it on a cliffhanger. However in 2004 a mini-series was shown which wrapped things up.

Points Received: 15
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 45



=48 ER
1994-Present

Originally slated to be a Spielberg directed movie, but later dropped in favour of Jurassic Park, it was later picked up and developed into a television show. Premiered in 1994, ER is the longest-running American primetime medical drama of all time. While all of the original cast have since left, the show remains popular; it's the most Emmy-nominated show in history. Sadly, for the fans, the 15th series will be the last. But it's had a good run.

Points Received: 15
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 29



=46. Spooks
2002-Present

This Bafta winning series produced for BBC One follows the work of a group of MI5 intelligence officers. A spin-off series, entitled Spooks: Code 9, has been announced and will be shown later in the year.

Points Received: 16
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: N/A



=46. Peep Show
2003-Present

Peep Show is an award-winning British sitcom starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. The programme follows the lives of two men, Mark and Jeremy, who share a flat in London. Currently four series have been broadcast (all on Channel 4) and in March 2007 Series 5 was commissioned, and will be shown in May 2008.

Points Received: 16
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: N/A



44. Malcolm in the Middle
2000-2006

This brilliant award-winning American sitcom was based on the life of a child genius and his chaotic family. The show set itself apart from other sitcoms in a number of ways; Malcolm would often break the fourth wall and talk directly to the viewers and that it didn't use a laugh track or live studio audience. Annoyingly due to high costs of music clearances only the first series was released on DVD.

Points Received: 17
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: N/A



43. Babylon 5
1993-1998

Described as an epic science fiction series, Babylon 5 was created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynsk. He had planned specific storyline arcs and as such was one of the most structured sci-fi shows to date. The series itself centered on the Babylon 5 space station a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict in the late 2250s and early 2260s. The show proved popular and spawned six TV movies, a spin-off show and a number of novels and comics.

Points Received: 18
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 32



42. Star Trek: The Next Generation
1987-1994

Sadly, for him, Petercrisp's bribe didn't arrive in time for me to make this number one. Sorry, Pete. Set in the 24th century, about 80 years after the original Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation features a new crew and a new starship Enterprise. It was the first of several series that kept new Star Trek episodes airing until 2005. And also formed the basis of the seventh through tenth Star Trek films. It also introduced the infamous Picard facepalm.

Points Received: 19
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 37



41. Oz
1997-2003

Oz was the first one-hour drama series to be produced by HBO and aired for six seasons. The show is a Prison set drama, the prison in question being the fictional Oswald State Correctional Facility (or Oz as it's nicknamed). Many of the plot arcs were set in an experimental unit of the prison, known as Emerald City, in which the unit manager attempts to emphasise rehabilitation and learning responsibility during incarceration. Emerald City is a controlled environment where there are a limited number of members of each racial and social group.

Points Received: 20
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: N/A



=40. The Apprentice
2005-Present

Modelled on the American series of the same name, The Apprentice is often referred to as the best reality television series to air on British TV. The concept is simple; a group of aspiring young businessmen and women compete for the chance to win a £100,000-a-year job as "apprentice" to British business man Sir Alan Sugar. The fourth series began in March 2008 and the fifth series has already been commissioned.

Points Received: 21
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: N/A



=40. Friends
1994-2004

The show that often divides opinions. There seems to be an equal amount of haters to those that love it. But there's no denying that it's one of the most successful sitcoms to date. The programme itself was set around the lives of six friends living in New York the show was enjoyed by people from other 100 different countries and continues to attract good ratings for its episodes in syndication.

Points Received: 21
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 7



38. House
2004-Present

An American medical drama television series starring Britain's very own Hugh Laurie. Currently, in the US, the show is the most watched scripted program on FOX. The title character, Gregory House is a maverick medical genius, who heads a team of young diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey. Episodes follow the team in their attempts to diagnose and treat the patient's illness.

Points Received: 23
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: N/A



=37. The Shield
2002-Present

This American police-drama is known for its controversial portrayal of corrupt police officers in the fictional Farmington district of Los Angeles. The show features a group of detectives known as The Strike Team who will stop at nothing to bring justice to the streets. While the 6th season was to be the last it was later renewed for its 7th, and final, season.

Points Received: 24
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 22



=37. Angel
1999-2004

The Buffy spin-off that took vampire-with-a-soul Angel, to the streets of LA to "help the helpless" and battle assorted demons. The show had a darker atmosphere than its parent series, but still had a sense of humour to keep it enjoyable. Sadly the show was cut short and cancelled after the fifth series, leaving the fate of the characters on a cliffhanger. Since then the story has been continued in comic book form. But that's just not good enough.

Points Received: 24
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 21



=35. Weeds
2005-Present

A dark comedy about a widowed housewife (played by chalkitdown's pin-up Mary-Louise Parker) from a California suburb who becomes a marijuana dealer to make ends meet. It began with a 10-episode series in 2005 and was the highest rated series for Showtime that year. The fourth season, consisting of 13 episodes, will begin later this year.

Points Received: 25
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: N/A



=35. My Name Is Earl
2005-Present

An American sitcom based around the life of crook turned nice guy, Earl Hickey. Played by Jason Lee, Earl learns about karma while watching TV after being hit by a car. After learning about this concept he wishes to turn his life around by compiling a list of all the bad things he has done in life, and working through it one-by-one by doing good deeds to atone for them.

Points Received: 25
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: N/A



=35. Curb Your Enthusiasm
2000-Present

Since its 2000 series debut, Curb has enjoyed wide critical acclaim and a steadily growing, dedicated audience that has helped it emerge from early cult status. The show revolves around Seinfeld co-creator Larry David playing an exaggerated version of himself. Set in Santa Monica and loosely based on David's life as a semi-retired multi-millionaire, most episodes deal with Larry's lack of social skills and the problems he gets into as a result.

Points Received: 25
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 38



=35. Blackadder
1983-1989

Blackadder is a group of four series of an acclaimed BBC One historical sitcom. Each set in a different time frame but all starring Rowan Atkinson as a character named Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robinson as each respective Blackadder's sidekicks. The first series was written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, while subsequent episodes were written by Curtis and Ben Elton. As well as the four seasons there have been several seperate specials, as well as talk of a fifth searis or film.

Points Received: 25
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 20



31. Doctor Who
2005-Present

Relaunching the Doctor in the 21st Century saw a change to the old format with each series consisting of thirteen 45-minute, self-contained episodes linked with a loose story arc that resolves in the series finale. The revival started with Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor, but he left after just one series. He was then replaced by David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor who has proved popular with viewers.

Points Received:26
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 16



30. Six Feet Under
2001-2005

The series centres on a family-run Funeral Home and, upon the death of his father, Nate Fisher reluctantly becomes a partner in this business with his brother. The programme explores the lives of the Fisher family and, suitably, a major theme running throughout the series focuses on human mortality and the lives of those who deal with it on a daily basis.

Points Received: 27
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 27



29. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
1997-2003

Created from the disastrous 1992 movie, Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired for seven seasons and became a huge cult hit among fans. The story revolved around Buffy Summers, a Slayer who was responsible for fighting a host of vampires and other demons. However it was the cast of supporting characters and the relationships between them that propelled this series into the hit it became. While the series finished after the seventh season the story continued in the form of comic books.

Points Received: 28
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 2



28. Deadwood
2004-2006

An American western–drama television series created by David Milch. The series is set in the 1870s in Deadwood, South Dakota, before and after its annexation to the Dakota Territory. The series charts Deadwood's growth from camp to town, incorporating themes ranging from the formation of communities to western capitalism. It has received wide critical acclaim and won eight emmies and one golden globe. The show is also very sweary, so not for the young 'uns. There were plans for two made for TV movies to wrap things up but these have yet to come to fruition.


Points Received: 32
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 31



=27. Supernatural
2005-Present

Supernatural is an American cult TV paranormal series which follows two brothers as they travel the country investigating and solving paranormal activities many of which are based on folklore or classic supernatural creatures such as ghosts and vampires. It has been announced that the fourth season has been picked up.


Points Received: 33
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: N/A



=27. Stargate SG-1
1997-2007

Part of the Stargate franchise, it begins one year after the events of the 1994 science fiction film Stargate. Stargate SG-1 chronicles the exploits of SG-1, the "flagship team" of at least 25 teams who explore the galaxy and defend Earth against alien threats such as the Goa'uld, Replicators and later the Ori.

Points Received: 33
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: N/A



=27. Seinfeld
1990-1998

Seinfeld is an Emmy Award-winning American situation comedy, and a favourite for our very own Alkaline (you happy now? It beat Friends). The series was created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, with the former starring as a fictionalised version of himself. Set predominantly in an apartment block on New York City's Upper West Side, the show features a host of Jerry's friends and acquaintances, which include George Costanza, Elaine Benes and Cosmo Kramer. In 2002, TV Guide named Seinfeld as the greatest American television programme of all time, as you can see by this countdown, though, they were wrong.

Points Received: 33
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 11



=27. Band of Brothers
2001

An acclaimed 10-part World War II miniseries based on the book of the same title written by historian Stephen Ambrose. It was co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks and seen by many as a Saving Private Ryan spin-off. It told the story of the US Army 101st Airborne Division's Easy Company from boot camp to victory. A new 10-part miniseries from the creators of Band of Brothers, called The Pacific, is in development and currently due out in 2009.

Points Received: 33
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 41



=23. Top Gear
2002-Present

Relaunched in 2002, Top Gear is a television series about motor vehicles, mainly cars which has developed a quirky, humorous style and expanded to more than just a car review programme. The show is presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and features an anonymous test driver known only as The Stig. Although generally enjoyed by many - the programme is estimated to have 350 million viewers worldwide and 8 million viewers each week in the UK - it often receives a lot of criticism and complaints. Much to the amusement of the presenters.

Points Received: 34
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: N/A



=23. The Office
2001-2003

Created, written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough-based fictitious Wernham-Hogg Paper Company. The programme takes the form of a fictional documentary with the presence of the camera often acknowledged. Two six-episode series were made, along with a further two 45-minute Christmas specials. It was hugely popular in the UK and US alike; it was the first British comedy to win a Golden Globe. The popularity of it in the US saw the launch of an American version - which has already had twice as many seasons as the original, UK, version.


Points Received: 34
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 23



21. Father Ted
1995-1998

Three Irish Catholic priests, a housekeeper and a remote island. The recipe for a brilliant comedy. The show follows the exploits of these three priests who preside over a parish on Craggy Island and while it only lasted for three series, before Dermot Morgan tragically died, it's still a classic to this day.

Points Received: 35
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 36



20. Red Dwarf
1988-1999

Red Dwarf is primarily a character-driven comedy, with off-the-wall science fiction elements used as complementary plot devices. The main setting of the series is the mining spaceship Red Dwarf, a radiation leak kills everyone except from Dave Lister. He is accompanied by a hologram of his old bunkmate, a humanoid creature who evolved from a cat and, from series 2 onwards, a robot. The series follows them as they encounter such phenomena as time distortions, faster than light travel, mutant diseases and strange lifeforms that developed in the intervening millions of years.

Points Received: 36
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 26



19. Scrubs
2001-Present

This comedy show focuses on the professional and personal lives of several characters working at Sacred Heart hospital. It features slapstick, fast-paced dialogue, and surreal sequences which are presented as daydreams. The show is structured around multiple storylines linked via voiceovers by protagonist and narrator J.D., who also summarises the story's moral or theme at the end of most episodes.

Points Received: 37
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 19



18. The X-Files
1992-2003

This show follows FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully who are tasked with investigating the "X-Files"; unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena. As the show progressed, both agents were caught up in a larger conflict, known as the "mytharc". A number of stand-alone episodes which didn't effect the main storyline made up the majority of the series. A feature film was released mid-way through the nine seasons, and a sequel to that is on the way this year.

Points Received: 38
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 9



17. Fawlty Towers
1975-1979

While there may only be a total of 12 episodes, Fawlty Towers is, to many, the pinnacle of British comedy programmes. The show is set in the chaotic hotel, Fawlty Towers, in Torquay and episodes revolve around Basil's efforts to succeed and his frustration at mistakes, both his own and those of others, which prevent him from doing so.

Points Received: 39
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 28



=16. Spaced
1999-2001

This sitcom largely concerns the colourful and surreal adventures of Tim and Daisy as they navigate through life, decide on what they want to do with their lives, come to terms with affairs of the heart, and try to figure out new ways of killing time in largely unproductive ways. It is noted for its rapid-fire editing, frequent dropping of pop-culture references, and occasional displays of surrealism.


Points Received: 42
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 10



=16. Firefly
2002

"So good that it was cancelled after half a series" is what some may say. But despite the cancellation Firefly remains a huge cult hit with a massive fanbase. The Joss Whedon created Sci-Fi series, modeled after traditional Western movies, is set in the year 2517 and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a Firefly-class spaceship. As a result of the high DVD sales and impressive fan campaigns Whedon and Universal Pictures produced a film based on the series, titled Serenity.

Points Received: 42
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 14



14. WWE Raw
1993-Present

Wrestling. Bit gay. 'nuff said. All joking aside for a minute WWE Raw is generally seen as WWE's flagship program over its sister programs, SmackDown! and ECW, due to its longer history and the way it is promoted. Beginning as WWF Monday Night Raw, this show differed from the previous Wrestling shows in that it filmed to a live audience and broadcasted live. On December 10, 2007 Raw celebrated its 15th anniversary in a three-hour spectacular on the USA Network, and it's looking like there's many years still ahead for this show.


Points Received: 44
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: N/A



13. Dexter
2006-Present

Set and produced in Miami, the series centres on Dexter Morgan, a serial killer who works for the Miami Metro Police Department as a blood pattern analyst. It's darkly amusing and Michael C. Hall plays the title's anti-hero brilliantly.

Points Received: 54
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 30



12. The Wire
2002-2008

Each season of The Wire focuses on a different facet of the city of Baltimore. They include the drug trade, the port, and the school system. Despite never seeing great commercial success or winning any major television awards, The Wire has frequently been cited by critics as one of the greatest television series of all time. The show is recognized for its realistic portrayal of urban life, artistic ambitions, and uncommonly deep exploration of sociological themes.... apparently. I'm one of those that haven't seen it. Sounds good though.

Points Received: 57
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 8



11. Battlestar Galactica
2003-Present

This re-imagining of the 1970s sci-fi show marked an entirely new direction for the franchise. The new series emphasises character drama in an edgy survivalist setting and has many of the characteristics of military science fiction, shedding the light-hearted action/adventure style of the original show. As such it has gained a large following and often described as being better than anything in the Star Trek canon.

Points Received: 58
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 13



10. Prison Break
2005-Present

It may be quite unrealistic, but Prison Break has offered some of the most tense TV moments in recent years. The series started with a story revolving around a man who was sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit and his brother's elaborate plan to help him escape his death sentence, and it got quite a bit more unrealistic as time went on. But it was still gripping viewing. Unfortunetely the third series was cut short due to the writers strike, but a fourth series has been confirmed by FOX. So plenty more guilty pleasure viewing to come.

Points Received: 59
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 49



9. Arrested Development
2003-2006

Arrested Development is a character-driven American television comedy series about a formerly wealthy, habitually dysfunctional family. The show is presented in a mockumentary format, complete with narration, archival photos, and historical footage. The plot revolves around the members of the Bluth family and how they are drawn together through crisis. It also features its fair share of wildly silly tangents.

Points Received: 62
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 18



8. Heroes
2006-Present

Heroes tells the stories of ordinary individuals who discover that they have superhuman abilities. It also explores how they adapt to the changes these abilities bring, and their roles in preventing catastrophes and saving humanity. Each episode makes use of some great special effects and the series emulates the style and storytelling of American comic books, using short, multi-episode story arcs that build upon a larger, more encompassing arc.

Points Received: 65
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 15



7. Futurama
1999-Present

Matt Groening's other animated sitcom. The series starts with the character Fry freezing himself and being revived one thousand years in the future. The series follows the adventures of Fry and the bumbling crew of the Planet Express. The humour is witty and non-sensical in equal measures. The show was originally cancelled after the fourth season but since then has been picked up - with the first DVD Movie, Bender's Big Score, being released earlier this year (last year in the US). So there's still a future for Futurama.

Points Received: 67
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 25



6. Family Guy
1999-Present

Family Guy is an American animated television series about a dysfunctional family, but isn't The Simpsons. The family in question are the Griffins. The show uses frequent "cutaway gags" which add nothing to the main story. However the show has received quite a bit of criticism from other animated comedies such as The Simpsons and South Park. Despite this Family Guy remains popular and it was thanks to the fans that the show was uncancelled on two seperate occasions.

Points Received: 73
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 12



5. 24
2001-Present

24 is an Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning American action drama television series presented in real time, with each season depicting a 24-hour period in the life of Jack Bauer, who works with the U.S. government as it fights threats on American ground. The series is packed with action, high adrenaline levels and a monumental amount of twists and turns. There may have been a few duff seasons, but even when it's 'bad' it's still very enjoyable television.

Points Received: 74
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 6



4. The Sopranos
1999-2007

Set and produced in New Jersey, The Sopranos revolves around mafioso Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organisation he heads. A hugely popular show that has received commercial and critical success; The Sopranos is the most financially successful cable series in the history of television and has won a horde of awards. But handled horribly by Channel 4 who shown it in stupid time slots.

Points Received: 78
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 3



3. The Simpsons
1989-Present

Possibly the most well known animated show in the world? The popularity of The Simpsons is insane, winning countless awards and topping many polls and countdowns. But not this one. In recent years the quality of the show has drastically declined and has a number of bad episodes that are near enough unwatchable. But when it was at it's best it was brilliant. And those classic episodes still hold their own today.


Points Received: 105
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 1



2. South Park
1997-Present

South Park is a double Emmy Award-winning, animated American television comedy series, created and written by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for Comedy Central. After 10 years the show is still going strong and offending people all over the world. Due to the nature of the programme and it's often provocative stories and gags it has faced numerous controversies. Despite, or maybe because, of this the show has remained popular and is one of the funniest around.

Points Received: 113
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 17



1. Lost
2004-Present

And so here we are. The number one spot. And it goes to the relatively new boy. For those that don't know (where have you been?), Lost follows the lives of plane crash survivors on a mysterious tropical island. But it's so much more than just that. With a bundle of twists, easter-eggs, references and mythologies. The show offers the viewer a certain level of interaction. They can choose to simply watch and enjoy the show as they would any other programme, or to investigate it further and come up with their own theories. This level of immersion has resulted in a huge fan following. While earlier seasons were criticised for the slow pace the most recent series has reacted to this, and future seasons look to continue the new faster pace.

Points Received: 156
Place on Empire's Greatest TV Shows: 5



Comparisons with Empire's List

Highest GR Favourite not on Empire's List: WWE, placed 15th.
Highest Show on Empire's List not on GR List: Twin Peaks, placed 24th.
Biggest Difference in Positions: The West Wing - Place 50 for GR, 4 for Empire.
Shows with the same position on both lists: The Office (23) and Scrubs (19)
There is no Sex and the City on our list, because we are not gooseberry fool.

(Empire's list can be found Here)

And there we have it then. Once again, sorry for the delay, took me a lot longer to put together than I had though.

I'd like to thank all those that voted, you all know who you are, so cheers. Also would like to thank Wikipedia who helped me with the write ups on many of the shows mentioned.

Fin.