Why don't you ...
Another mememe; this time it's from Empire and it's the 50 best TV Shows ever made. Shamelessly stolen from just about everyone and their dog!
1. Bold the shows you watch/used to watch.
2. Italic the shows you've seen at least one episode of.
3. Post your answers.
50. Quantum Leap
49. Prison Break
48. Veronica Mars
47. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
46. Sex & The City
45. Farscape
44. Cracker
43. Star Trek
42. Only Fools and Horses
41. Band of Brothers
40. Life on Mars
39. Monty Python's Flying Circus
38. Curb Your Enthusiasm
37. Star Trek: The Next Generation
36. Father Ted
35. Alias
34. Frasier
33. CSI: Las Vegas
32. Babylon 5
31. Deadwood
30. Dexter
29. ER
28. Fawlty Towers
27. Six Feet Under
26. Red Dwarf
25. Futurama
24. Twin Peaks
23. The Office
22. The Shield
21. Angel
20. Blackadder
19. Scrubs
18. Arrested Development
17. South Park
16. Doctor Who
15. Heroes
14. Firefly
13. Battlestar Galactica - new series or classic?!
12. Family Guy
11. Seinfeld
10. Spaced
09. The X-Files
08. The Wire
07. Friends
06. 24
05. Lost
04. The West Wing
03. The Sopranos
02. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
01. The Simpsons.
Not convinced by the top 10 to be honest. Some of the choices look rather self- consciously “cool” and things you think you should think are good rather than things you think that actually are. Whilst others suggest that people have been watching with rose coloured glasses - remembering those really good first couple of seasons whilst ignoring the really duff bit in the middle and the relief when they finally called it a day. Yes, X-Files, I do mean you! Ninth best programme ever?! Seriously?! Someone is so having a laugh.
The other things that struck me while I was thinking about the list on the way home from work, is that lots of the programmes are ones that Mr T watched. (Mr T is probably a typical Empire magazine reader - a thirty something year old bloke) I caught the odd episode or two. There are no programmes on that I'd sit down and watch by myself. There's not a cravat, ruffled shirt or corset and bonnet on the list. No P&P, N&S or Bleak House.
As well as too much US TV, there are very few UK shows that I'd describe as appointment TV - Shameless, State of Play, The Royle Family, Edge of Darkness, Spooks etc.
And there is no mention of Bagpuss. Five minutes of pocket perfection, each and every episode.