Rolling Stone ranks top 100 TV shows of all time

[True Dough]

I'm just going to list the top 25 here because exhaustion/laziness!

Three of the top four are actually on my list, but in a different order for me (Breaking Bad is #1, Sopranos #2 and The Wire #3).

But I disagree with MASH at #25. Too low! There are a bunch of shows ranked ahead of it that are not better, IMO. I've never even heard of #5 (Fleabag???) And Succession at #11? Don't even get me started (overrated!!).

What are your quibbles with this list?

1. ‘The Sopranos’

2. ‘The Simpsons’

3. 'Breaking Bad'

4 'The Wire'

5. 'Fleabag'

6. ‘Seinfeld’

7. ‘Mad Men’

8. ‘Cheers’

9. ‘Atlanta’

10. ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’

11. ‘Succession’

12. ‘The Twilight Zone’

13. ‘Veep’

14. ‘The Americans’

15. ‘The Larry Sanders Show’

16. ‘Twin Peaks’

17. ‘The Leftovers’

18. ‘Saturday Night Live’

19. ‘I May Destroy You’

20. ’30 Rock’

21. ‘All in the Family'

22. ‘Star Trek’

23. ‘Watchmen’

24. ‘Freaks and Geeks’

25. ‘M*A*S*H’


Full results here:

https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-lists/best-tv-shows-of-all-time-1234598313/

[callous taoboy]

1. I agree with much of the list,

but I wish they had included "Barney Miller" and "WKRP." So much great, understated humor in those two.

[intrepidity]

2. Thanks for that

Since I agree with most of the list--meaning the ones I've seen--I now have a good resource to find the ones I missed. There are a few on that list I hadn't heard of, so buried treasure.

[Mike Nelson]

3. Ha-ha!

... Rolling Stone likes to be hip, cool, edgy, dope... daddy-0. Nice to see I Love Lucy is still worthy of their Top 40... on its way out of their Hot 100, tho...

[Maine Abu El Banat]

4. M*A*S*H at 25?

And behind Freaks and Geeks. That alone disqualifies this list. But I do agree with #1.

[hlthe2b]

9. My first thought... Ridiculous inclusions ahead of M*A*S*H and some of them I like, but...

Ridiculous

Fleabag was Amazon's "star original comedy," but I stopped watching early in when they crudely killed the family dog and tossed it in the trash for pick-up. Some things are unforgivable and frankly, I hold it against the lead actors too who are now unwatchable to me.

[Coventina]

27. So glad you have warned me off that show. I might have watched it.

They are the ones who need to be dumped in the trash.

[RobinA]

35. I Watched

1 1/2 Fleabags and realized it was very crude. I don't think I even made it to the dog, but what you say doesn't surprise me a bit. I have no idea why people think that show is so great.

[underpants]

5. Succession #11? No West Wing in the top 25?

I thought there was a precipitous drop in Succession after the first season.

[True Dough]

7. My wife and I couldn't make it through three episodes of Succession

let alone the entire first season! Just too much cut-throat behavior and a cast that we didn't care about. Maybe that's exactly what the script writers intended, but it sure made it hard to care and stick with it.

[hlthe2b]

10. I would not put Succession in the top 25 and I do watch it.

Nor, in my mind should be about half (or more) on that list.

[underpants]

13. I thought they were reaching for catch phrases

The writing took an odd turn from my perspective. My wife moved on to other shows so I lost track of it.

[Tomconroy]

18. Agreed about Succession going downhill after season one

But I still watch. West Wing was a top ten. I thought Mad Men should be number one.

[Upthevibe]

23. underpants........

I completely agree with you about Succession. I don't watch it anymore

[multigraincracker]

6. 12 of the 25

I’ve never seen. Back in the 90s I went years without owning a tv.

[spooky3]

8. "Frasier" and "Married with Children"

Were great shows. Still running in syndication.

[True Dough]

11. I do enjoy Frasier

I thought I heard something about that show making a comeback?

[hlthe2b]

12. Kelsey Grammar is trying to bring it back. I think COVID slowed that process considerably.

The actor who played his father (John Mahoney) is deceased, of course, and would be greatly missed. I do hope if he brings it back that Niles (David Hyde Pierce) returns--one of the best physical comedic actors ever in an episode I still remember where he ends up setting the apartment on fire just trying to iron his shirt. He's been doing a lot of theater so I've heard that he's not anxious to return to the role.

[underpants]

14. Pierce also plays Julia Child's husband on that more recent series

Pretty good.

[Upthevibe]

24. hlthe2b.........

I absolutely agree with you about that particular episode!

That was comedy gold when Niles was trying to iron his shirt (and I've never been a regular Frasier watcher).

[True Dough]

28. A lot of these rehashes

never live up to the original. If this does get off the ground again, I hope it's not a disappointment. It was a good run!

[True Dough]

45. And it's now official...

Link to tweet

[hlthe2b]

46. Great. I know some revivals have failed, but I'm nostalgic enough to want to watch it.

Especially if the original series regulars make guest appearances.

Kelsey Grammar is one of those performers who I will enjoy watching even though I know he's a hardcore Republican. I don't know to what extent, though (and choose not to, vis-a-vis Trump support).
'

[True Dough]

47. That's right

Now that you mention it, I recall hearing once about Grammer's right-wing views, but I'd forgotten as it was years ago. At least he's not the type constantly making headlines by barking about this or that politically.

Not sure if I'll watch the Frasier reboot. Just don't catch as much TV as I used to. Maybe if it's streaming someday.

[hlthe2b]

48. If Paramount+ is making it, it will be streaming only on their app

[a kennedy]

41. We loved Frazier too.......

[doc03]

15. Never heard of at least half of them. Justified 78? Longmire not even on the list? The Simpson's

really?

[Elessar Zappa]

32. Yes to the Simpsons.

The first ten seasons is some of the most brilliant television ever produced.

[Evergreen Emerald]

16. I have not seen 14 of the first 25.

And some of them I only saw on reruns.

[Botany]

17. This list is dead to me. Nothern Exposure wasn't even in the top 100?

One of the best moments on TV ever had the actress Peg Phillips dancing on her grave.

[Tomconroy]

19. That was a great show. How many seasons though?

[Botany]

21. From wiki: five-year run .... "the best of the best television in the past 10 years".

Northern Exposure is an American Northern comedy-drama television series about the eccentric residents of a fictional small town in Alaska that ran on CBS from July 12, 1990, to July 26, 1995, with a total of 110 episodes. It received 57 award nominations during its five-year run and won 27, including the 1992 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, two additional Primetime Emmy Awards, four Creative Arts Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globes.[1] Critic John Leonard called Northern Exposure "the best of the best television in the past 10 years".

[callous taoboy]

22. I agree, completely.

[Scrivener7]

20. Fleabag in and West Wing out? No Ed Sullivan, yes Succession? Sucky list.

[Upthevibe]

25. True Dough.........

I keep meaning to watch The Sopranos because it seems to end up at the top of most of these lists.

Breaking Bad is without question my #1 (but since I haven't seen The Sopranos that may change).

Lost is in my top five but I realize it's not everyone's cup of tea.

[True Dough]

30. The Sopranos

feels a bit dated even though it's only from the 1990s, but it's sooo good. It's worth the time invested.

I'm with you on BrBa -- #1 without question! For a while, I thought it was possible that Better Call Saul might overtake it, but it finished well short. I liked it, but not near as much as Walter White and Co.

Lost? I gave it a try but as soon as I realized there was some sort of dinosaur roaming around on the island, I bailed out. Not into fantasy/sci-fi.

[SYFROYH]

26. It's good to see Atlanta in the top 10.

It's right up there with The Wire and Breaking Bad.

[True Dough]

29. Atlanta is another one that I'm unfamiliar with

But if you're comparing it to BrBa and The Wire, I will have to make some time for it someday.

[SYFROYH]

34. The writing, acting, cinematography, and directing are all excellent.

And these talents are used to open up human experiences just as Breaking Bad and The Wire did.

[Elessar Zappa]

31. I'd definitely put "The Office"

in the top 30. Probably the top ten actually.

[Paladin]

33. I'm by-and-large OK with the top 25.

Although "West Wing" is a glaring omission.

[Corgigal]

36. Better call Saul should be higher,

plus Dexter should be on, due to keeping showtime alive. To this day.

[Jade Fox]

37. No ER?

Of did I miss it on the list?

Great list to have when looking for something new.

Thanks!

[hlthe2b]

38. ER was #54

Still the very best medical show. As one who knows the cyclical changes in medication protocols, especially anesthetic protocols, the show holds up. It had excellent expert consultants--who only rarely got things a bit wrong--usually in areas that were based on very specialized knowledge so most would not catch it. I still miss Anthony Edwards. What incredible guest stars the show had over the years, too.

[Jade Fox]

39. Thanks hlthe2b!

[Jade Fox]

40. They left off St. Elsewhere....

[LudwigPastorius]

42. I don't have any huge quibbles about the selections (other than the order)

The Simpsons is only that high because it refuses to die. Seasons 3 - 10 are great, and make it worthy of inclusion, but ranking it #2 is ridiculous.

The Larry Sanders Show should be higher, as should Fawlty Towers, and the original Bob Newhart Show.

Fleabag ain't all that, and The Americans should be lower based the fact that the main characters are ultimately despicable human beings.

The Expanse deserves to be on the list, Game of Thrones should be lower, and Lost being on the list at all is debatable.

A lot of very good shows shot themselves in the foot by being unable to sustain the quality of their first seasons. The O.A. and Maria Bamford's Lady Dynamite suffered due to this, but maybe deserve consideration.

[UTUSN]

43. Will start at #18

[TexasBushwhacker]

44. Not my list - no Mr. Robot n/t