I formed what some would call a list. A list? Yes, a list... of four.
Four?
Hmm. Yeah, that was a problem, because today is Friday, and that means four just won't cut it!
The first four just instantly popped into my head, but the fifth eluded me. There were shows I thought of... but I don't know if they ranked high enough to be included in a list of five.
Finally, I figured I could solve the problem by expanding the list to ten. If I could come up with ten shows that I would consider favorites, then I could weed out the favorites of that list and come up with the five I needed.
It worked.
Before we get to this list, though, please remember a few things I considered when drafting this.
First, these are my favorites. In no way should that be misconstrued as being the "best" TV shows ever. I know there are better shows out there, but these are the ones that I like best.
Second, the choice of the shows is based on my overall enjoyment of them throughout their run. All shows can have a lackluster season. That doesn't put them out of the running unless those lackluster seasons overwhelm the good.
Third, I didn't toss in shows that ran for a single season or less. A show can be brilliant for a season and just stink in the overall. If the show wasn't around long enough to get a good sampling, I eliminated it.
Fourth, absence makes the heart grow fonder. I realize that there are some shows that were on my list of ten that may have qualified to be in the top five, but they are are still being run on a constant basis. As a result, I don't have that "I wish this was still on" feeling about them that I do other shows that are not being run currently. That definitely affected the ranking of these, in at least two cases.
Now that you have been prepared, on with the show!
My Five Favorite TV Shows
Show the First - Quantum Leap
Without a doubt, this is my favorite show of all time. Following Dr. Samuel Beckett as he traveled through time, putting things right that once went wrong, was the television highlight of my high school years. I followed this show through various schedule changes, participated in the letter writing campaign to save it, and have even considered attending the Quantum Leap Convention (in L.A. in 2009!). I even get excited about every rumor of a revival of this show, and I've watched the entire first season of Journeyman on NBC because it reminds me of Quantum Leap. I miss this show a lot.
Show the Second - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
I'm a huge Star Trek fan, and I will argue with anyone that this is the best of the Treks. The storylines of this show are epic, and connected throughout the run. The caliber of acting on this series is fantastic, and Avery Brooks, in particular, is amazing as Captain Benjamin Sisko. This show ran for seven seasons, but could have gone longer. It went out on a high note, which I'm thankful for, but I still wish it had stuck around for a couple of more seasons.
Show the Third - Mystery Science Theater 3000
I remember the first time I ever saw this show. It was at a friend's house. The show was on Comedy Central, a channel that our cable system didn't have, but his did. The very next day, I harrassed my father until he called our cable company to request that it be added. It only took about a year before they finally did. Just in time for the annual Turkey Day Marathon. I even remember the song used in the commercials promoting it:
We gather together
To watch cheesy movies
On Comedy Central
On Thanksgiving Day
At Mystery Science
(deep breath)
Theatre 3000,
Its 30 straight hours
And its called Turkey Day!
It is one thing to remember a theme song (which I also know, each of the versions!), but the song from a commercial? Now, that's impact.
The show was great. A guy and his robots, making fun of horrible films inflicted on them by a mad scientist and his henchman. If that doesn't scream "Must See TV," I don't know what does.
Show the Fourth - Wild West Tech
Hey, here's something you probably don't know about me - I love the Old West. I love Westerns, I've read most of the books written by Louis L'Amour, and if there is a documentary on the Old West, I'm likely to watch it.
And, that is what I love about this show. It is like a really fascinating documentary, broken up into bite sized pieces. Each episode focuses on a topic, like gamblers or gunslingers, and then proceeds to tell about the technology used, enrobed in the most interesting tales from the time. I could watch these shows for hours and never get bored.
Show the Fifth - Law & Order
I've watched this show since it premiered 18 years ago. I like procedural dramas, and this has to be my favorite of all of them.
The show is divided into the two aspects of a case - the investigation and the prosecution. It is like two half hour shows that interact. I think it helps the show to not drag as most hour long procedurals seem to do.
With the focus on a single case, from beginning to end, you get the whole story, and can really get in depth. And, I like that the focus is on the work and not the characters. Sure, over the years, we've learned about the cops and the attorneys on the show, but almost always in an offhand sort of way.
And, since it has been on 18 years, I have to figure I'm not the only one out there that likes it.
Oh, and as a bonus, here is a list of the other five, without order or comment:
Star Trek
Angel
Voltron: Defender of the Universe
The Dick Van Dyke Show
M*A*S*H
Type at you later.
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