Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Top 10 TV Shows Blogfest!

I may be a day late and a dollar short, but here is my entry into the Top 10 TV Shows Blogfest. I would like to thank Alex for coming up with this and everyone else for participating and making it so much fun. Here are my top 10 TV shows, in no real particular order:

1) The Wire.
Brutal. Harsh. Real. The Wire is based on real life in Baltimore's city streets, one of the most dangerous places in America. It portrays the brutality of inner city poverty with courage and honesty unknown before or since. Plus one of my favorite novelists was involved in writing several of the screenplays: Richard Price.

2) The Office
It was so subtle at first, what made this show hilarious, just real people, in an office, doing work and living life. Of course yes Michael Scott is one of the most annoying and funniest characters ever created, and love him or hate him (I happen to love him), you can't deny his impact on the "sitcom". Plus Jim, Dwight and Michael are basically the perfect comedy trio. A modern day Marx Brothers.

3) Entourage.
This show is so much fun. Before you slam me I am aware of the inherent misogyny within this show, especially portrayed by Ari Gold, but that's sort of the point. An over the top, satirical look at Hollywood, that's honest and not afraid to make fun of itself. Plus it's fun as hell to watch, completely unbelievable, and as hilarious as it is exciting.

4) True Blood.
How can a show be this ridiculous and this awesome at the same time? You thought twilight made vampires cool again? Wrong. Maybe sparkly ones, maybe for kids, but True Blood goes all out with violence, drug use, sex and nudity. There is no question this show is for adults, and depraved ones at that. Still, you can't deny the entertainment value of this campy romp of sex, blood, gore and violence.

5) Glee.
I haven't had more fun watching a show with my family (my kids, not my parents) ever. There are occasional moments that fly swiftly over my daughter's head, but the music, the singing, the production value in this show know no equal. Plus the concept of bringing back rockin tunes that might have been left by the wayside otherwise is a stellar one. The message of equality cleverly woven underneath it all is also pretty darn cool.

6) The X Files.
Oh the files that were filed under X. Oh Mulder. Oh Scully. Oh Smoking man and Krycek. This was a show from a simpler time. When weird was cool and "big picture" episodes were waited for with bated breath. At least by me. The movies weren't bad, but it was the show that stole my heart. This was the first and only show I planned to watch every week once I finally was out on my own.

7) The Simpsons.
Only in America could a show poke so much fun at real issues in our society and still be so beloved. Only Matt Groening could be so cruel toward New Jersey while being from there originally. The Simpsons are timeless. The Simpsons are hilarious. The Simpsons was probably the first cartoon on national TV that wasn't really appropriate for children, and we loved it for that. The simpsons made Fox cool.

8) Avatar: The Last Airbender.
The show, not the film. This one was a recent discovery for me, but it was also honestly the very first show my own kids introduced to me that I actually ended up loving. This show has it all, martial arts, magical manipulation of the elements, romance, comedy, a quest to save the world. The characters are very lovable, and there are some moments of slapstick that get a little cheesy, but for the most part this is a kids show that adults can enjoy as well.

9) L.A. Law
I actually don't even remember this show that well, but it was the first show my parents watched that I got into at all. I was already a huge Harry Hamlin fan because of Clash of the Titans, and I remember Corbin Bernsen and Jimmy Smits' characters quite well. This show was more of a soap opera than most modern lawyer shows today, but I recall clearly that this was what first made me want to be an attorney. Well, this and the money.

10) M.A.S.H.
The original sitcom. The show that spanned generations. The show that defined many younger Americans understanding of the Korean War until they grew up and found a better understanding. Hawkeye. Trapper. Hot Lips. Klinger. Hunnicutt. Radar. Major Burns. Need I say more? The finale of this show was the most watched television event in history until the Super Bowl that was played this year.

So what do you all think? Discover any new shows during this awesome blogfest? I know I did. Please remember to visit all the other bloggers who participated as there have been a great many wonderful shows, actors and performances mentioned. You will enjoy all of these posts immensely.

I promise.

30 comments:

Renae said...

Great list! True Blood is so good! And you can't go wrong with Glee.

Candyland said...

Yeeeaaahhhh Finally someone else put Entourage!!!

Christine Fonseca said...

Simpsons, huh...Yeah, can't ahng with ya there. But MASH...Now your talking!

Emily White said...

Great list! I love the Simpsons and MASH is definitely a classic.

Unknown said...

Nice list! We love us some Avatar over here. My daughter Kylie can recite the whole beginning. Did you hear they are making a new series? I am pretty excited.

Lindsay said...

Awesome list. I love True Blood, Glee...Oh and MASH! My dad got me into watching the repeats. ;)

Bish Denham said...

Do you know I have never watched a complete Simpsons show? Just can't get my head around it. I have been enjoying Glee, though.

DEZMOND said...

I keep planning to start watching GLEE, since I did promote it so much even before it started and I love music and I think I would sing with them like mad :) but I never seem to find the time and the right partner for watching it :) I believe it should be watched with someone who shares the love for music

Hannah said...

Glee is back on tonight!!! Yay!!!! I do so love it. I laugh. I cry. I shake my fist at society. It's a good time.

Creepy Query Girl said...

omg- my dad used to make me watch MASH all the time. That and 'Cheers'. both great shows! YOU actually turned me on to GLEE- thank you very much! Can't wait to see the season premier.

Jessica Bell said...

AHHH! the ORIGINAL British Office was WAAAYYYY BETTAH!!!

Unknown said...

Some great shows! Man, I have to watch Glee.

CD

Karen Baldwin said...

I'm a Sex and the City kind of gal. Have watched every episode umpteenth times. HBO RULES with shows: True Blood, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Bored to Death. Ah, but Castle was back on last night. :)

Ted Cross said...

If I did this top 10 it would be odd, because I never get to watch tv shows, I simply buy the seasons from Amazon. Let's see (not in order):

Taxi
Mash
Frasier
Friends
Freaks and Geeks
Seinfeld
Cheers
Battlestar Galactica (the new one)
Northern Exposure
Lost

Ha! My list is (subjectively) better than yours! ;)

Nicole Zoltack said...

I love Glee! I sing along with most of the songs.

Colene Murphy said...

I agree totally on most all those! Simpsons, Glee, The Office, oh so many goodies in this list!

Old Kitty said...

I am yet to see the Wire - BBC 2 showed the whole kit and kaboodle at midnight each day for a few months. Aaaaargh! When was I supposed to get my beauty sleep!??!?!!

Anyway!! The Office US has been popping up a lot in this blogfest. I remember seeing one episode by chance - they were doing a fundraising run for rabies - very funny!! And completely different to the UK version!

Great choices!

Take care
x

ali cross said...

I *love* Glee, The Last Airbender (probably my fave to watch with my boys of all the kid shows) and MASH. Great list Matthew!

Hey, did you ever see the Last Airbender movie? We never went because we love the TV show so much and we'd heard bad things about the movie. We'll probably watch it on Netflix, but ... ???

Ellie Garratt said...

A great list! I've got a long list of unseen shows to discover and old ones to re-vist from all the fab blog posts!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

MASH and X-Files - damned straight! The Office is funny as well. And we used to watch LA Law all the time.
Thanks for participating!

VICTORIA SAAVEDRA said...

I've heard Glee is good, but my FAVORITE has to be Grey's Anatomy!

LTM said...

so are you *always* late to the blogfestivities? It's the fashionable thing, I know...

Woo! Avatar! Water... Earth... Fire... Air...

Oh, and three things. Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.

Carolyn Abiad said...

Love Avatar (because of my boys, of course). Thought the movie was lame though.

storyqueen said...

Yay X-Files!!! Man, I hated the Smoking Man!

It was the first show as a grown up that I made time each week to watch.

(And I loved the old Star Trek...and Next Generation, too.)

Shelley

Kelly Polark said...

Excellent list!
Of course I am obsessed with True Blood!
I really need to watch the Glee DVD and catch up. I know I'd love it!

Kelley said...

I love the Simpsons for the laughs and i love x-files cause of the creepiness and the thrills :)

Jemi Fraser said...

I've only ever seen 3 off your list - Glee, X-Files & MASH - all great! My list definitely leans towards the scifi end of the realm :)

vic caswell said...

the first season of glee was amazing! (i haven't had time to see the next) and the simpsons and the office are so good! i love the reasons you love them! and AVATAR! you know, sometimes i watch avatar even without the kiddos! :)

Vicki Rocho said...

My mom wouldn't let me watch the Simpsons when it first came on. And I was a junior in high school!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

If I'd remembered MASH it would have gone on my list. I've noticed a few people pick Avatar but I've not seen it.