Greatest TV series

[IndyColtsFan]

At the risk of sidetracking - just when did MASH jump the shark? When Trapper/Henry Blake/Frank Burns/ or even Radar left? When Hot Lips let her hair down and became Margaret? When BJ grew a mustache? When it became the "Alan Alda thinks war is bad" show?

That's a good question. I definitely think losing Trapper, Blake, and Burns within the span of a couple of seasons accelerated the decline. I think that of the trio above, Burns was the most essential. Winchester was OK, but Burns and Hot Lips and their over-the-top, gung-ho take on everything was what made the show funny. Blake was definitely better than Potter, but the show would've been fine with Potter in his place. BJ sucked, but Trapper was the second banana (the reason Wayne Rogers left) so I think that even with BJ, it would've been OK.

And yes, when the show became preachy it definitely sucked. It was fine in the earlier seasons when you'd have an occasional episode that was anti-war, but it got to the point that every week, the point was being made multiple times. It got away from comedy (WTF happened to Klinger?!?!) and became overly serious.

I still think MASH is one of the greatest shows in history. Some of these lists really concern me. Chuck? Seriously guys? You think Chuck ranks with all-time classics like MASH, All in the Family, I Love Lucy, etc? Chuck isn't even near the top of shows TODAY, let alone in the "greatest" category.

 

[Sinsear]

Wanted Dead or Alive ( starred steve mcqueen)

 

[chalmers]

I've started warming up to How I Met Your Mother...pretty funny show. Not on any greatest list or anything, but a good show to watch with the woman.

 

[Homerboy]

At the risk of sidetracking - just when did MASH jump the shark? When Trapper/Henry Blake/Frank Burns/ or even Radar left? When Hot Lips let her hair down and became Margaret? When BJ grew a mustache? When it became the "Alan Alda thinks war is bad" show?

I covered this earlier (kinda).
I dont think it "jumped the shark" exactly, but really started to blow once it lost the core 3 of Blake, Burns and Trapper.

Let us all not forget Spearchucker too (one of the best nicknames in TV history).

Edit: wait was he just in the movie though? Yeah I think so.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I covered this earlier (kinda).
I dont think it "jumped the shark" exactly, but really started to blow once it lost the core 3 of Blake, Burns and Trapper.

Let us all not forget Spearchucker too (one of the best nicknames in TV history).

Edit: wait was he just in the movie though? Yeah I think so.

No, Spearchucker was in the series as well:

http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0009471/

Like most of the cast, a different actor played him in the movie, although the actor who played Spearchucker in the series did have a part in the MASH movie. He (Timothy Brown) also played in the NFL in the 60s and there was this interesting trivia:

Tim Brown's last NFL game was Super Bowl III when the New York Jets beat the Baltimore Colts 16-7. His team-mate was Johnny Unitas who also was in the movie MASH.

 

[Homerboy]

No, Spearchucker was in the series as well:

http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0009471/

Like most of the cast, a different actor played him in the movie, although the actor who played Spearchucker in the series did have a part in the MASH movie. He (Timothy Brown) also played in the NFL in the 60s and there was this interesting trivia:

Tim Brown's last NFL game was Super Bowl III when the New York Jets beat the Baltimore Colts 16-7. His team-mate was Johnny Unitas who also was in the movie MASH.

Cool. I thought he was. Wasn't sure though and had to head to a meeting before I could IMDB it.

Still... best nickname in TV history.

 

[LookBehindYou]

Roots?

Ok, so i just lost it at work i think everyone is realizing that i'm not doing anything right now...

 

[Homerboy]

Ok, so i just lost it at work i think everyone is realizing that i'm not doing anything right now...

AND it was your 1st post!
I feel honored!!!

 

[HopJokey]

Full House
Step by Step
Perfect Strangers

 

[chalmers]

Full House...god those cheesy endings made me cringe.

I still watched it religiously as a kid.

 

[Loop2kil]

Favorite Drama:
Breaking Bad wasn't mentioned nearly enough...very disappointed in everyone.

Favorite Comedy:
The Carol Burnett Show

 

[alkemyst]

Greatest American Hero /thread

 

[Loop2kil]

Greatest American Hero /thread

I mentioned this one in another one of these threads and was told I had just won the internet....I had also included BJ and the Bear in my list which may have given me the edge I needed to win the internetz.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078564/

 

[Cogman]

Favorite Drama:
Breaking Bad wasn't mentioned nearly enough...very disappointed in everyone.

Favorite Comedy:
The Carol Burnett Show

Carol Burnett? Yuck. I watched a couple episodes of that, and maybe I just got a bad set of episodes, it was terrible.

 

[Loop2kil]

Carol Burnett? Yuck. I watched a couple episodes of that, and maybe I just got a bad set of episodes, it was terrible.

I understand...to each their own but the episodes with Tim Conway just crack me up.

Just like I couldn't make it more than 1 episode with any of your top 3

 

[Perknose]

List 'em here.

For me the top three have to be

Quantum Leap
Stargate SG-1
and Star Trek-TNG

Other greats include
The Pretender
Lois and Clark - The Adventures of Superman
Highlander
Malcom in the middle
Monk
House
Psych (Ok, I know people don't like these three, but I do)
Chuck
The old batman and robin (I don't know the series name, but the one with the *POW* and *BANG* whenever there was fighting instead of actual fighting)
etc.

List your favorites (or berate my TV tastes).

Haven't gone farther in this thread than your OP, but, WOW, what a crappy list!

I wouldn't put a single one of your choices on my Greatest list.

 

[Perknose]

Great to see some love for Homicide:Life on the Street in this thread. It's one of the more overlooked yet seminal classics of all time, imho.

To it, I'd add:

The Wire
Deadwood
Breaking Bad
Mad Men
Six Feet Under
Seinfeld
The Sopranos
Hill Street Blues
Early Simpsons

In pretty much that order, too. If counting mini-series then add Band of Brothers and The Singing Detective to that list.

There are plenty of other series that were/are really good and come close, but this is the HOF we're tawking 'bout here.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Full House
Step by Step
Perfect Strangers

Ok, stop horsing around. What's your REAL list?

 

[BladeVenom]

Babylon 5
Farscape
Monty Python
Red Dwarf
Doctor Who
Rome
Deadwood
Mythbusters

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Twilight Zone.

 

[alkemyst]

I mentioned this one in another one of these threads and was told I had just won the internet....I had also included BJ and the Bear in my list which may have given me the edge I needed to win the internetz.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078564/

lolz BJ and the Bear, I had forgotten that one.

 

[bfdd]

Futurama

 

[alien42]

Northern Exposure
Twin Peaks

 

[Perknose]

Northern Exposure
Twin Peaks

Lol, are there porn stars with either name yet? :biggrin:

 

[zerocool84]

Bosom Buddies



/thread