Monday, March 22

HBO - Hooray!! Bravo!! Ovations!!

Okay, it's getting totally ridiculous. The incredible quality of HBO programming is just staggering. Over the years, HBO has aired some of my all-time favourite programs. I'm guessing that there would be maybe 6 HBO programs listed in my Top 10 TV programs (this is stated without attempting to come up with a list).



Just this year alone there is The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and debuting last night, the fantastically promising new western Deadwood, plus the upcoming Six Feet Under. Others just off the top of my head: The Larry Sanders Show and Mr. Show. Wow.



I came late to The Sopranos. I avoided it for about the first year and a half. Eventually, though, I succumbed to the hype, and checked it out. I've been totally hooked ever since. Last night's episode "Where's Johnny" was perhaps the best yet. I only wish my wife would fall under its spell like I did. But she is blinded by her dislike of gangster/mafia movies/shows.



Curb Your Enthusiasm, a fantastic comedy, is at a curious point in its development. This year it kind of reached a point of creation (much like Seinfeld the year when they decided to make all the small storylines in each episode relate to each other. We had to agree to go along with that absurdity.) where it turned towards more outlandish and unrealistic plot devices. Still as funny as all get out, but it's a question-mark as to whether we will go along with this, if it continues next year.



Deadwood debuted (that looks weird, debuted? Is that even right?) last night, and all I can say is "And I thought Lonesome Dove was a great western". Unbelievably good first episode. Can it possibly maintain that level of quality? I can't believe it's a television program.



Okay, I talked myself into it. Here, at this moment, are my Top Ten Television Programs (of all time)



1. Six Feet Under

2. The Office

3. The Sopranos

4. Law & Order

5. Seinfeld

6. Curb Your Enthusiasm

7. The Larry Sanders Show

8. Mr. Show

9. SCTV

10. All Those Shows That I'm Forgetting That Would Obviously Rate Above, Say, SCTV.



I am struck by the number of comedies. I don't include TV movies and/or miniseries. Only weekly television programs, comedy or drama.



7 comments:

frankie said...

The only two shows on your list that I've even seen are Law & order and Seinfeld, and I would agree with you on those two, so I'm guessing we have the same taste and therefore would assume that the others are all good too. Although I remember seeing Larry Sanders once upon a time and thought it was unfunny. But that might have been just a bad day.

Cyn said...

I share with you (in no particular order)
Six Feet Under
Curb
Larry Saunders
I'll add my own faves(in no particular order)
The Simpsons
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Codco
Newhart
The Muppets
Absolutely Fabulous
Taxi

Rob MacD said...

The Simpsons (definitely) and The Daily Show (maybe) could supplant a couple from my list.

Calico Cat said...

Mine in no particular order:
The Sopranos.
All in the Family.
Oz
The Simpsons
Law and Order
NYPD Blue
The Larry Sanders Show

Nils Ling said...

I was down in the states and caught the debut of Deadwood - incredibly good show. I was hooked from the first minute, and I'm not much of a guy for "oaters".
Cannot let a list like this go by without some mention of "Fawlty Towers". Its impact may have been diluted over the years by the constant replaying of those 13 episodes, but it still makes me laugh.
My list, for what it's worth - although I'm not breaking much new ground:
1. The Sopranos
2. The Simpsons
3. Fawlty Towers
4. Six Feet Under
5. The Larry Sanders Show
6. The Office
7. The Newsroom (the first season)
8. The West Wing
9. Saturday Night Live (despite some spotty years)
10. The Daily Show
I note that almost all these are programs from the last few years - I wonder if that's a function of television getting better or my memory not holding up? Because I do remember being totally enthralled and addicted to Hill Street Blues, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, All in the Family, and L.A. Law.

ermanno said...

the sopranos is the best show on television

ermanno said...

the top 4 best shows on telivesion are in order from 1-4
1)the sopranos
2)full house
3)the simpsons
4)happy days