FTA-TV Rank your long running TV drama

[bunsen burner]

Keep watching, gets much much better

If you watch the first 2 episodes of season 1 and don't like it, you'll never like it.

I thought the first 2 seasons were really good. The opening scene in season 3 was "wtf is this arty rubbish". Then during season 3 it was all same old, but getting more unbelievable. Didn't bother with season 4 (not even sure there is one).

 

[bunsen burner]

It's funny how everyone who doesn't list The Wire as one of their favourite dramas goes on to say that "i haven't seen it (but I will)". We know you haven't seen it, otherwise you wouldn't be listing shit like NCIS.

I've only ever met one person who doesn't highly rate The Wire (I think it's because he's a racist and just doesn't want to watch black people on TV in any way shape or form).

CSI, NCIS, Bones, etc. Got to wonder about that. I suspect the people who watch that formulated crap just aren't aware of the large amount of vastly superior shows mentioned in this thread.

I can forgive someone for watch these shows (well, not Bones) for say 2 seasons, but if by then they haven't twigged that they are watching the same formula week in, week out and aren't bored shitless, I have to worry.

It's also funny how you never meet these people. I can go to a party and the topic will turn to TV shows and movies and what good shit people have been watching and no f*cker goes "awwww man, did you see season 16 of CSI. Best one yet!"

I also notice I never meet people who like Creed or put those "Baby on Board" or "My Family" stickers on their cars.

Could these all be the same people? Who are they? Where do they live?

 

[Alesana]

Favourite shows that have had at least 3 seasons (i.e long running):
1. Breaking Bad
Boston Legal
Dexter
Lost
The Office
Seinfeld
Sons of Anarchy
The Inbetweeners

Second tier:
Parks and Recreation
Entourage
Nip/Tuck
Prison Break

Others I've seen:
Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, 30 Rock, Eureka, Heroes, House, Las Vegas, Lie To Me, Mad Men, Supernatural, True Blood.

Haven't seen:
The Wire, The Sopranos, 6 Feet Under, Friday Night Lights, Deadwood, Oz, The Shield, The West Wing.

 

[Lockyer24]

Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire, Mad Men and Game of Thrones are the current active shows which are MUST watch, they crap over everything else out there from quite a far height. I won't bother trying to rank them until they wrap up, as we haven't reached the end of the journey yet and that can make all the difference.

The production, cinematography, acting are all on a much higher level than the likes of Sons of Anarchy/Lost etc, it has to be said.

Of the dramas to have completed, Six Feet Under comfortably sits near the top of the perch if not top (I love the dream sequence type vibe which accmpanies such a freaky topic - death), The Wire is a masterpiece if you're looking for a truly realistic and gritty cops/bad guys series and you are doing yourself a favour if you sit down and go through Deadwood, Carnivale (very underrated) and The Sopranos.

I'm giving stuff like Homeland/The Killing a go but they are yet to reach lofty heights.

Sons of Anarchy I'm working through without much love for, Nip Tuck is in the queue as is a few others.

I haven't mentioned several of my very favourite shows The Office UK/Dexter/Entourage/Scrubs etc as they aren't really drama and more popcorn TV but they all have somewhat serious storylines in parts and I think they are must watch for other reasons!

It's the Golden Age of television for sure, don't know why people even bother going to the Cinemas (more than twice a year)!

 

[moto748]

Oz
Homicide: Life On The Street
The Wire
The Killing I (Danish version)
The Sopranos
Six Feet Under
The Shield
Spiral (Engrenages)
Sons of Anarchy
The West Wing

Not seen: Breaking Bad, Community, Games of Thrones Boardwalk Empire

Seen, but not really my bag (although obviously good): Mad Men

 

[Pepziteric]

The Shield - Absolutely loved it and have watched from start to finish 3 times
Dexter - Season 4...woah
Game of Thrones
Lost - went a bit stoopid
Breaking bad
Sopranos
Seinfeld - Best comedy ever
Scrubs - When i watch it now it seems really gay...

 

[flight23]

The wire
The sopranos
Breaking Bad
Friday night lights
Six feet under
The west wing
The Shield
Oz
X-files
Mad Men
Lost (god they stuffed that one up)
Fringe



shows that have fantastic 1 season
firefly
phoenix
Game of thrones
Boss
Homeland
Battlestar Galactica (only seen the first season, so far)

 

[sblack]

1. Six Feet Under
2. Oz
3. The Sopranos
4. The West Wing
5. The Wire (Only watching it for the first time atm. Midway through Season 4)
6. Breaking Bad
7. Dexter

 

[Uncle_Leo]

If you watch the first 2 episodes of season 1 and don't like it, you'll never like it.

I thought the first 2 seasons were really good. The opening scene in season 3 was "wtf is this arty rubbish". Then during season 3 it was all same old, but getting more unbelievable. Didn't bother with season 4 (not even sure there is one).

I felt that season 1 moved along really slowly but it has got better with each season, I'm about to finish season 3 and start on season 4, season 5 coming out this year is the last season, which will hopefully wrap everything up nicely.

 

[raskolnikov]

1. Six Feet Under
2. Big Love
3. Desperate Houswives
4. The Sullivans
5. Criminal Minds

 

[nicky]

I forgot about 'Big Love' - that is definitely one of my favourites.

 

[rocker_oz33]

l'll add nip/tuck and dexter to my good list.

 

[Edd1e]

1- The Wire (2002-2008) HBO 5 seasons
2- The Shield (2002-2008) FX 7 seasons
3- Breaking Bad (200 AMC 4+ seasons
4- Rome (2005-2007) HBO 2 seasons
5- Six Feet Under (2001-2005) HBO 5 seasons
6- The Sopranos (1999-2007) HBO 6 seasons
7- Oz (1997-2003) HBO 6 seasons
8- Dexter (2006-) Showtime 6+ sesaons
9- Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) The WB 7 seasons
10- Deadwood (2004-2006) HBO 3 seasons
11- Sons Of Anarchy (200 FX 4+ seasons
12- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999) CBS 7 seasons
13- The West Wing (1996-06) NBC 7 seasons**
14- Third Watch (1999-2005) NBC 6 seasons
15- Lost (2004-2010) ABC 6 seasons
16- Supernatural (2005-) CW 7+ seasons
17- Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009) Sci Fi 4 seasons
18- Angel (1999-04) The WB 5 seasons
19- House MD (2004-) Fox 8+ seasons

** Yet to finish

1 season wonders/New

Game of Thrones (2010-) HBO 1 season+
Firefly (2002-03) Fox 1 season
Freaks and Geeks (1999-00) NBC 1 season

Yet to watch:

Twin Peaks
Mad Men

 

[bunsen burner]

I don't get the love everyone has for The Shield? It's okay but it's very formulated and one dimensional. The same thing happens on every episode. Put it against the Wire and The Shield is closer to Criminal Minds than it is The Wire.

Interesting I noticed 2 dudes from The Shield show up in Sons of Anarchy.

Anyone: Is Twin Peaks to dated to watch these days?

 

[nicky]

Anyone: Is Twin Peaks to dated to watch these days?

Definitely not! For reasons I'm still sorting out with iinet , i am limited to an old HD which has Twin Peaks on it, so am watching it again.

It's really good.

 

[bunsen burner]

Once next month come around I'll download Six Feet Under and maybe Twin Peaks. Prolly download some pr0n with the change.

I've noticed no one has mentioned True Blood? I've never seen it but people have raved about it. Is this some sort of chick show?

 

[Lemma]

+1 for The Wire. It is ridiculously good

 

[jod23]

Two shows that have hardly been mentioned are True Blood and Entourage. Two of my absolute favourite shows. True Blood season 4 was a bit disappointing so hopefully they come back in season 5 and make it more about Vampires than all the other shit that went on in Season 4.

Ive never seen The Wire even though I know everybody raves about it. Ill have to put it on my shows to watch. Havent seen Boardwalk Empire yet either but I hear it is not great. Anyways...

The Sopranos - television drama seriously doesnt get any better than this. Ever.

24 - Who doesnt want to be Jack Bauer. Seriously.

Entourage - just love this show. More dramedy than flat out drama but I love it. Ari Gold is one of the greatest characters ever created.

Lost - it was a bit all over the shop at the end but that show was EVERYTHING at a time.

Sons Of Anarchy - just freaking love it. The end of Season 3 was AWESOME. Makes you want to be a bikie.

True Blood - Vampires, sex and violence. Yes please.

The West Wing - absolute classic. Lowe and Sheen all day long.

Buffy and Angel - again, dramedys but freaking loved those shows growing up.

Dexter - just a brilliant premise of a serial killer who only kills other serial killers. Terrific show, im downloading season 6 now so cant wait to get my Dexter on.

A couple of new shows which im loving at the minute is The Walking Dead. I LOVE zombies, and the first season, or 6 episodes were immense. Ive downloaded half of season 2 but havent watched it yet, gonna wait until the whole of season 2 is out before I watch it all in one go. Another new show is Spartacus, I love the way it is shot, at first it looks amateur and weird, takes a bit of getting used to it. But then the style of the show really hits home. I think the show will struggle in its second season, with the unfortunate passing of the main star. He will be very difficult to replace.

The other show which I literally just finished watching season 1 is Game of Thrones. If you havent seen this yet. DO IT IMMEDIATELY! The production values on that show are hollywood blockbuster movie type production. The acting is all great, with the highlights being Sean Bean and Peter Dinklage and the story and world of GOT is instantly immersive. Seriously, if the second season is as good as the first and no doubt with everything that is set to happen. Well.... immense. SEE IT if you havent yet.

 

[Warsaw]

1. The Wire
2. The Sopranos
3. Breaking Bad
4. Deadwood
5. The Shield
6. Mad Men
7. Friday Night Lights
8. Six Feet Under
9. Lost (s1-s5)

Still waiting to get my hands on Oz, The West Wing, Battlestar Galactica and get around to finishing SOA.

 

[flight23]

1. The Wire
2. The Sopranos
3. Breaking Bad
4. Deadwood
5. The Shield
6. Mad Men
7. Friday Night Lights
8. Six Feet Under
9. Lost (s1-s5)

Still waiting to get my hands on Oz, The West Wing, Battlestar Galactica and get around to finishing SOA.

pretty similar list to me, those ones you haven't seen you will really like i think

oz - can get really trippy, poetic and almost like its a play, but its still great

west wing - its just gun writing and strong acting

battlestar galactica - just finished season 1, its solid as

SOA - i dropped off at the start of this season, but everyone says it got really really good, its got a lot of the shield about it imo

 

[LukeHodge15]

TIER 1 - EPIC !!!!!!!!!!

1. Game of Thrones
2. The Wire
3. The Sopranos
4. Breaking Bad

TIER 2 - BRILLIANT SHOWS

5. Dexter
6. Deadwood
7. Sons of Anarchy
8. Boardwalk Empire
9. Homeland
10. True Blood
11. Six Feet Under








Havent Seen - But next on my list

BAND OF BROTHERS
DOWNTON ABBEY
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
MAD MEN
THE GOOD WIFE
THE SHIELD
SPARTACUS
WEST WING

 

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

Downloaded it. Watched the whole first series. It was okay but it has a formula:

1. Main Cop star does bent stuff to line his own pocket
2. Main Cop star does bent stuff to catch criminal
3. Main Cop star's boss tries (once again) to catch him
4. It looks like he's going to get busted and then right at the end of the show he get's out of it and catches the bad guy

First season is probably the 'worst' of the series. The Shield basically gets better and better as it progresses. Season five and seven are right up there with any top tier drama IMO.

And there's not enough love for Twin Peaks on here. The intro was enough for me to give it a chance.

 

[JimDocker]

Just recently purchased the whole set of The Sopranos, The Wire and 6 Feet Under. Had not seen any of them before but decided to do it properly and watch all the way through based on friend's reviews.

Started watching The Sopranos and 3 episodes in, really enjoying it. Quality performance from James Gandolfini. Really well written and some great lines.

My personal favourites in no particular order

Cracker
Twin Peaks
The Sweeney
Deadwood
Hill St Blues
Taxi
Dexter - although this latest series is pretty average
True Blood - it was hit and miss but still very entertaining
Dr Who

Some of the best tv shows ever have only been one or two series long.

I would rate these following shows as good as most tv ever made

Boys from the Blackstuff
GBH
The Singing Detective
This Life
The Street
Pheonix
Janus
Brides of Christ
The Lakes

 

[deledio7]

1. Oz
2. The Wire
3. The Killing (Danish Version)
4. Deadwood
5. Breaking Bad

 

[bunsen burner]

Anyone seen East West 101? I've seen all 3 series. Not bad. Not in the league as most shows mentioned here but still a not bad show.