Your top 10 TV series past and present.

[Hibrandenburg]

Would be interested to see what others consider to be their favourite top 10 TV series that they considered to be must see viewing. I know there's a best TV thread but I thought it might be useful to see lists as it will enable us to identify people who have similar tastes and maybe find something on their lists that we've not seen.

10.Deadwood
9. The Singing Detective
8. Prime Suspect
7. House of Cards (UK)
6. Ozarks
5. Cracker (UK)
4. Better Call Saul
3. Breaking Bad
2. The Wire
1. Boys From the Blackstuff

[Pretty Boy]

10. The Prisoner
9. The X Files
8. Better Call Saul
7. Twin Peaks
6. The Sopranos
5. Black Mirror
4. The West Wing
3. The Shield
2. The Wire
1. Breaking Bad

Hardly startlingly original but those are what immediately sprung to mind. I've left comedies out as that's a whole other conversation.

[MagicSwirlingShip]

In no real order apart from the top 3...

10. Entourage
9. The Chapelle Show
8. Guilt
7. Snowfall
6. Phoenix Nights
5. Only Fools and Horses
4. Top Boy
3. True Detective
2. The Wire
1. The Sopranos

[wpj]

1 Sopranos
2 Wire
3 BB
4 Saul (interchangeable with BB)
5 Peaky Blinders
7 Mad Men
8 Broadwalk Empire
9 Deadwood
10 Auf Wiedersehen Pet

All fairly predictable but good telly is good telly.

[The Modfather]

The least original list, and In no particular order

1) Breaking Bad
2) Better Call Saul
3) The Wire
4) The Shield
5) The Sopranos
6) The Simpsons (seasons 1-10)
7) The Office (UK)
8) OFAH
9) Stranger Things
10) The West Wing

[Speedy]

Band of Brothers
Breaking Bad
The Wire
24
Spooks
Game of Thrones
Better Call Saul
House
Suits
Dexter

Sopranos & Homicide Life on the Street both good but dated by the time I watched them.

Also a fan of CSI New York. Not the best but I find those things very watchable.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

No particular order

Lost
Boardwalk Empire
Band of Brothers
The Shield
Homicide - Life on the streets
Ray Donovan
American Horror Story
Vikings
Fortitude
How to get away with murder

Could easily post another 10 on any given day.

Special shout to Murder One which must've been one of the first shows aired on SKY.

[Northernhibee]

In no particular order,

Final Space
The Office UK
Life On Mars
Peep Show (up to season five)
Simpsons (up to season nine)
Garth Merenghi's Dark Place
The Wire
Black Mirror
The Inbetweeners
Planet Earth

[MrRobot]

Mr Robot
Breaking Bad
Better Call Saul
Lost
Cosmos
Stranger Things
Sons of Anarchy
Power
Dexter
You

Honourable mention for dream team back in the day.

[Hibrandenburg]

Some great calls there. I'm beginning to doubt my own choices. :faf:

[Mon Dieu4]

Band of Brothers
The Wire
Game of Thrones
The World at War
Planet Earth 1&2
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (don't judge me)
Soccer AM (peak lovejoy years)
Eastbound and Down
South Park
Boardwalk Empire

[lord bunberry]

1 Leftovers
2 Star Trek the next generation
3 Falling skies
4 Under the Dome
5 Peaky blinders
6 Stranger Things
7 Breaking Bad
8 Lost
9 Black Mirror
10 Orphan Black

Not necessarily in that order. I’d probably have 10 different if you asked again next week.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

1 Leftovers
2 Star Trek the next generation
3 Falling skies
4 Under the Dome
5 Peaky blinders
6 Stranger Things
7 Breaking Bad
8 Lost
9 Black Mirror
10 Orphan Black

Not necessarily in that order. I’d probably have 10 different if you asked again next week.

I'm just finishing the final season of Under the Dome on Amazon Prime after an extremely long delay, I'm not sure it deserves to be on anyone's list. 😏

[Peevemor]

In no order.

Boys from the Blackstuff
Auf Wiedersehen Pet
Our Friends in the North
Endeavour (I'm surprised I'm the first to mention it).
Prime Suspect
Band of Brothers
House
House of Cards (the 1990 British original & the sequels)
The Bridge (Danish)
Cracker

Honorable mentions for Person of Interest, Blacklist & Minder.

[Mibbes Aye]

1 Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister
2 The Thick Of It
3 The Larry Sanders Show
4 Father Ted
5 The Sopranos
6 Band of Brothers
7 True Detective
8 The West Wing
9 Stranger Things
10 Gomorrah

Edit -I want to drop something for Hill Street Blues but not sure what, probably True Detective.

Second edit -Aargh! Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy needs to be in -Gomorrah or Stranger Things could be at risk!

[Mibbes Aye]

Band of Brothers
The Wire
Game of Thrones
The World at War
Planet Earth 1&2
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (don't judge me)
Soccer AM (peak lovejoy years)
Eastbound and Down
South Park
Boardwalk Empire

I was very close to including Buffy in my list, I loved it :greengrin

[Tyler Durden]

Probably forgot some but...

Veronica Mars
Game of Thrones
Better Call Saul
Watchmen (bit of recency biase but it was tremendous)
Lost

Top 5 being
5. Breaking Bad
4. Band of Bros
3. Mad Men
2. Sopranos
1. The Wire

[Tyler Durden]

Could do comedies separately, in no order

10. Peep Show
9. The Trip
8. Thick of It
7. Seinfeld
6. Frasier
5. Curb Your Enthusiasm
4. Master of None
3. I’m Alan Partridge
2. Phoenix Nights
1. The Office

[Mibbes Aye]

Could do comedies separately, in no order

10. Peep Show
9. The Trip
8. Thick of It
7. Seinfeld
6. Frasier
5. Curb Your Enthusiasm
4. Master of None
3. I’m Alan Partridge
2. Phoenix Nights
1. The Office

The Thick Of It wasn’t comedy, it was documentary :greengrin

[McD]

ER
the newsroom
supernatural
blue bloods
house

[patch1875]

The West Wing
Boardwalk Empire
Banshee
Miami Vice
Band of Brothers
Chernobyl
Fargo
Six Feet Under
This Life
Ozark
Homeland

[JeMeSouviens]

Royle Family
Early Doors
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy/Smiley's People
The IT Crowd
Blackadder
Big Bang Theory
Starsky & Hutch
Auf Wiedersehn Pet
Cheers!
Line of Duty (series 1&2)

[JeMeSouviens]

1 Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister
2 The Thick Of It
3 The Larry Sanders Show
4 Father Ted
5 The Sopranos
6 Band of Brothers
7 True Detective
8 The West Wing
9 Stranger Things
10 Gomorrah

Edit -I want to drop something for Hill Street Blues but not sure what, probably True Detective.

Second edit -Aargh! Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy needs to be in -Gomorrah or Stranger Things could be at risk!

Yes Minister! Should’ve had that.

[The Modfather]

The least original list, and In no particular order

1) Breaking Bad
2) Better Call Saul
3) The Wire
4) The Shield
5) The Sopranos
6) The Simpsons (seasons 1-10)
7) The Office (UK)
8) OFAH
9) Stranger Things
10) The West Wing

Should probably have had Fresh Prince Of Bel Air on my list. Loved that bank in the day. Succession another I really enjoyed.

[Mibbes Aye]

Yes Minister! Should’ve had that.

I remember a series on BBC 2 where people had to argue for their favourite comedy shows. It was the usual suspects - Hancock’s Half Hour, Monty Python, Only Fools And Horses, Peep Show maybe?

Anyway, Armando Ianucci argued for YM/YPM very eloquently. He talked about how basically it and Larry Sanders influenced how he wrote The Thick Of It.

I go go back to it frequently, and the books - they have ridiculously funny footnotes that never made it onto TV - and pretty much every scene remains relevant.

I wasn’t a fan of the remake - they had toured with it for a long time and it had gone down well. I like David Haig as an actor but he wasn’t quite right in his role, whereas the actor who played Sir Humphrey might have been better, he actually physicallly resembled Paul Eddington to a degree.

[Tyler Durden]

1 Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister
2 The Thick Of It
3 The Larry Sanders Show
4 Father Ted
5 The Sopranos
6 Band of Brothers
7 True Detective
8 The West Wing
9 Stranger Things
10 Gomorrah

Edit -I want to drop something for Hill Street Blues but not sure what, probably True Detective.

Second edit -Aargh! Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy needs to be in -Gomorrah or Stranger Things could be at risk!

Forgot about Larry Sanders - really want to rewatch, haven’t seen it since it first aired on BBC2. The Judd Apatow documentary on Garry Shandling is really great if you’ve not seen that

[Tyler Durden]

Should probably have had Fresh Prince Of Bel Air on my list. Loved that bank in the day. Succession another I really enjoyed.

Succession is definitely my favourite new show in the last 3-4 years. Might have a bit of a wait on our hands now for season 3

[Killiehibbie]

Ray Donovan
Peaky Blinders
Boys From The Blackstuff
The Sopranos
Breaking Bad
The Wire
Spitting Image
Band Of Brothers
Boardwalk Empire
The Sweeney

[hfc rd]

In no order

Game Of Thrones
Top Boy
The Boys
Stranger Things
The Inbetweeners
Black Mirror
Line Of Duty
Fawlty Towers
The Mandalorian
Sex Education

[lord bunberry]

I'm just finishing the final season of Under the Dome on Amazon Prime after an extremely long delay, I'm not sure it deserves to be on anyone's list. 😏
I quite enjoyed it. It was probably the first box set I watched so I may be seeing it through rose tinted glasses.:greengrin

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

I quite enjoyed it. It was probably the first box set I watched so I may be seeing it through rose tinted glasses.:greengrin

1 ep left to watch thankfully! 🤨

[lord bunberry]

1 ep left to watch thankfully! 🤨
Cmon admit it, you’re loving it. :greengrin

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Cmon admit it, you’re loving it. :greengrin

I'm loving Julia's hair, struggling apart from that!

Well maybe Christine has a couple of things going for her! 🤔

[lord bunberry]

I'm loving Julia's hair, struggling apart from that!

Well maybe Christine has a couple of things going for her! 🤔
Is it her eyes and inquisitive personality?

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Is it her eyes and inquisitive personality?

Nah, they stand out a bit more than that!

[lord bunberry]

Nah, they stand out a bit more than that!
23191
what a performance.

[Alfiembra]

In no particular order

Desperate Housewives
Game of Thrones
Every version of Star Trek except DS9
Do No Harm, only 1 season but loved it.
Cheers
The Good Doctor
Homeland
ER
Dallas
Kojack, who loves ya baby?

would also give a special mention to Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere.

[Mibbes Aye]

Forgot about Larry Sanders - really want to rewatch, haven’t seen it since it first aired on BBC2. The Judd Apatow documentary on Garry Shandling is really great if you’ve not seen that

I'vw not seen it but will look out for it :aok:

[Tomsk]

I, Claudius
The World at War
Life on Earth
Tinker Tailor
Fawlty Towers
The Boys from the Blackstuff
The Office (UK)
Band of Brothers
Deadwood
The Wire

[Hiber-nation]

Dallas


Brilliant choice! A lot of folk wouldn't admit it of course. I'm still pondering mine as it's tricky selecting from so many genres but Dallas would be in there.

[Mibbes Aye]

Brilliant choice! A lot of folk wouldn't admit it of course. I'm still pondering mine as it's tricky selecting from so many genres but Dallas would be in there.

I think it is tricky. I am surprised no one has mentioned Doctor Who, as for some of us it will have been something we had throughout childhood and then returned in adulthood. I guess it is such an institution that it doesn't feel like a series as such, more so something that is just there. Nevertheless I can think of several episodes that count for best TV I have seen, albeit they are written in a manner that is child-friendlyish.

[The_Exile]

1. Firefly
2. Red Dwarf
3. The Big Bang Theory
4. Breaking Bad
5. The Walking Dead
6. Only Fools and Horses
7. Goodnight Sweetheart
8. Stargate Universe
9. Star Trek: Voyager
10. X files

[Hibrandenburg]

I think it is tricky. I am surprised no one has mentioned Doctor Who, as for some of us it will have been something we had throughout childhood and then returned in adulthood. I guess it is such an institution that it doesn't feel like a series as such, more so something that is just there. Nevertheless I can think of several episodes that count for best TV I have seen, albeit they are written in a manner that is child-friendlyish.

I had Dr Who on my list for that very reason, I also had Grange Hill and the Tomorrow People but decided against them because they're not really "Zeitgemäß".

[Mibbes Aye]

I had Dr Who on my list for that very reason, I also had Grange Hill and the Tomorrow People but decided against them because they're not really "Zeitgemäß".

Is that like 'zeitgeist'? I take your point about what might not feel so relevant now. When I think about series that stick in the mind from younger years then "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" and the original "Battlestar Galactica" resonate.

[Hibee87]

I've never got round to watching band of brothers, read about it being great many times and the amount of folk putting it in their too 10 made me start tonight. 3 episodes in and in hooked!

[Mon Dieu4]

I've never got round to watching band of brothers, read about it being great many times and the amount of folk putting it in their too 10 made me start tonight. 3 episodes in and in hooked!

Where the **** have you been, it's my favourite TV show of all time, I watch it on an annual basis

[Hibrandenburg]

Is that like 'zeitgeist'? I take your point about what might not feel so relevant now. When I think about series that stick in the mind from younger years then "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" and the original "Battlestar Galactica" resonate.

"Zeitgemäß" translates as contemporary in the dictionary but that doesn't feel right. It's more like "right for it's time" if you get what I mean.

Loved Buck Rogers. Pre viewing duties included a trip to the chippy in the Calders for sausage suppers and a mixture of Globe red and dark Cola, a tradition carried on from the days of "The six million dollar man" and "Monty Python's Flying Circus" before that. Happy days. "Happy Days", there's another one.

[Mibbes Aye]

"Zeitgemäß" translates as contemporary in the dictionary but that doesn't feel right. It's more like "right for it's time" if you get what I mean.

Loved Buck Rogers. Pre viewing duties included a trip to the chippy in the Calders for sausage suppers and a mixture of Globe red and dark Cola, a tradition carried on from the days of "The six million dollar man" and "Monty Python's Flying Circus" before that. Happy days. "Happy Days", there's another one.

When you say the Calders do you mean the scheme? I grew up there until about nine :greengrin

Thanks for the explanation of the word, German seems to take a whole different approach to Latin and Slavic based languages and has some very descriptive and literative terms.

Buck Rogers was great and Wilma Deering was maybe my first crush :greengrin

[Mibbes Aye]

I've never got round to watching band of brothers, read about it being great many times and the amount of folk putting it in their too 10 made me start tonight. 3 episodes in and in hooked!

You have got some great episodes still to go. Damian Lewis is a very good actor. For me, his best moment was hosting Have I Got News For You. Ian Hislop and Paul Merton were ribbing him for being Etonian and a posh actor-luvvie and challenged him to convey a look or phrase or whatever. He took a second and then did it in a way that you knew only a really good actor could.

Enjoy the rest of the series.

[Craig_HFC]

No particular order.

Breaking Bad
Better Call Saul
The Sopranos
The Wire
The West Wing
The Thick of It
The Simpsons (up to series 10)
Line of Duty
Game of Thrones
The Office (UK)

[Mr Grieves]

**** knows if I can list 10, never mind in any particular order -
Succession
The shield
I'm alan partridge
Deadwood
The league of gentleman
Breaking bad
Billions
Ozark

[Since90+2]

Not sure about a top 10 but The Sopranos is undoubtedly numbrr 1 for me.

Top Boy , Line of Duty and Ozark also tremendous.

Never got the hype with Breaking Bad and never seen The Wire.

[Hibee87]

Where the **** have you been, it's my favourite TV show of all time, I watch it on an annual basis

I know mate, sure I've seen you say about it before.
A couple of times I went to start to it but never got past 'ross' as the CO before losing interest (I'll admit I had a few drinks and was late when id tried to watch before). Eventually powered through the first episode and that was that. Think I still have 3 or 4 to fonwhixh will be finished tonight. It's very good.

[Hibee87]

You have got some great episodes still to go. Damian Lewis is a very good actor. For me, his best moment was hosting Have I Got News For You. Ian Hislop and Paul Merton were ribbing him for being Etonian and a posh actor-luvvie and challenged him to convey a look or phrase or whatever. He took a second and then did it in a way that you knew only a really good actor could.

Enjoy the rest of the series.

Agreed. Damian Lewis is fantastic in it, I'm not a huge war movie fan (at least from the mericans point if view) but this really is different class.

[Hibrandenburg]

When you say the Calders do you mean the scheme? I grew up there until about nine :greengrin


Buck Rogers was great and Wilma Deering was maybe my first crush :greengrin

Aye, Calder View directly opposite the bus terminus. Only spent Friday to Sunday and school holidays there and the rest of the time I was a Schemey fae Wallyford. The joys of divorced parents :greengrin

Wilma Deering, 2nd only to Catherine Bach as Daisy in the Dukes of Hazzard :drool:

[Killiehibbie]

Not sure about a top 10 but The Sopranos is undoubtedly numbrr 1 for me.

Top Boy , Line of Duty and Ozark also tremendous.

Never got the hype with Breaking Bad and never seen The Wire.
Give The Wire a go, it's spot on.

[blackpoolhibs]

Loved Minder in its day, probably my number 1 tv programme of all time. :top marksCant pick 10 favorites as it would change tomorrow. :greengrin

[DH1875]

Kojak
Quincy.
Columbo.
CSI.
Band of brothers.
Only fools and horses.
Battleship Galatica.
Masterchef Australia, UK one is crap.

[Stick]

Give The Wire a go, it's spot on.

I would suggest you watch it with subtitles on, the accents can be difficult to catch. Fantastic series though.

[Wilson]

I would suggest you watch it with subtitles on, the accents can be difficult to catch. Fantastic series though.

I watched it without subtitles okay....

[Wilson]

Not sure about a top 10 but The Sopranos is undoubtedly numbrr 1 for me.

Top Boy , Line of Duty and Ozark also tremendous.

Never got the hype with Breaking Bad and never seen The Wire.

Breaking bad is one of my top shows. I've tried to watch Sopranos a couple of times but just can't get into it...

[Wilson]

No order:

Twin Peaks
Breaking Bad
The Shield
Sons of Anarchy
Frasier
Only Fools and Horses
Curb Your Enthusiasm
The Saint
Prisoner Cell Block H
The Simpsons (nothing recent)

[Pretty Boy]

No order:

Twin Peaks
Breaking Bad
The Shield
Sons of Anarchy
Frasier
Only Fools and Horses
Curb Your Enthusiasm
The Saint
Prisoner Cell Block H
The Simpsons (nothing recent)

Good to see another shout for Twin Peaks. I love that show.

[Wilson]

Good to see another shout for Twin Peaks. I love that show.

A series I only got into after it was recommended a few years ago on this very site :thumbsup:

[SteveHFC]

Game of Thrones
Breaking Bad
Band of Brothers
Better Call Saul
The Simpsons (First 10 seasons)
The Inbetweeners
Sons of Anarchy
Narcos
Peaky Blinders
This is England 86.88,90

[SteveHFC]

I know mate, sure I've seen you say about it before.
A couple of times I went to start to it but never got past 'ross' as the CO before losing interest (I'll admit I had a few drinks and was late when id tried to watch before). Eventually powered through the first episode and that was that. Think I still have 3 or 4 to fonwhixh will be finished tonight. It's very good.

Some well known famous actors throughout as you've probably noticed.

[Mibbes Aye]

1 Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister
2 The Thick Of It
3 The Larry Sanders Show
4 Father Ted
5 The Sopranos
6 Band of Brothers
7 True Detective
8 The West Wing
9 Stranger Things
10 Gomorrah

Edit -I want to drop something for Hill Street Blues but not sure what, probably True Detective.

Second edit -Aargh! Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy needs to be in -Gomorrah or Stranger Things could be at risk!

I forgot aboiut Masterchef Australia! Well done DH1875. That's Gomorrah and Stranger Things relegated barring a legal appeal and/or reconstruction.

[DH1875]

Kojak
Quincy.
Columbo.
CSI.
Band of brothers.
Only fools and horses.
Battleship Galatica.
Masterchef Australia, UK one is crap.

Add Narcos and Game of Thrones to the list.

[Speedy]

I watched it without subtitles okay....

Me too. My advice is persevere with it. Was half way through the 2nd series not really getting it then it just clicked and I couldn't turn it off.

It's fantastic on a 2nd watch as well.

It's a bit weird to start with because there isn't really a main character to attach to.

[Hibee87]

Me too. My advice is persevere with it. Was half way through the 2nd series not really getting it then it just clicked and I couldn't turn it off.

It's fantastic on a 2nd watch as well.

It's a bit weird to start with because there isn't really a main character to attach to.

The wire is great, ive never even considered watching it with subtitles. I've re watched it a few times and i wonder how the younger generation would take to it when you think what they do with the technology of the time compared to now. From their perspective, has it aged well?
The sopranos I've seen multiple times but must admit, if you try and binge it, by the last couple of season it does kinda feel a bit samey like the last few series doesn't bring much new material, but I guess when you've seen it a few times most shows may feel like that. I still love ending as much of a debate as that can bring, I appreciate it as being up their with the best.

It's hard to out a list as I often forget how good things are u til I re watch (sometimes the opposite, I think a show is great then re watch and change my opinion).

GOT was great, I was hooked and loved it. But I'd never re watch it based on how disappointed I was with the last few series (minus a few episodes)
Sons of anarchy I enjoyed, but when I think abxk and if re watch I don't think I would think it was as good.
Same with Dexter.
Breaking bad I could watch over and over.
Better call Saul is up their (I still got last 5 or so episodes of this season to go, I'll save that for a binge next week or so)
Not sure if you can class as a series but I do still enjoy the original Man Vs Food episodes, and a lot of the Ramsey kitchen nightmare. I call them easy viewings I can stick on during the day. Pawn stars and Charlie sheen 2 and a half men also fall into that.

Almost done with Band of brothers and I'm sure this will be added to my list of shows.

[frazeHFC]

Band of Brothers
The Wire
The Sopranos
24
Line of Duty
Dexter
Lost
Gavin and Stacey
Spooks
Underbelly

A mixture of superb tv and a few shows I can watch over and over without getting bored. Still never bothered with Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad among other of the usual contenders for these lists. Definitely will at some point.

[matty_f]

Good thread!

No particular order:

The Office
Breaking Bad
Better Call Saul
Game of Thrones
The Sopranos
The Leftovers
The IT Crowd
Bang Bang It's Reeves and Mortimer
Shooting Stars
Boardwalk Empire

[Peevemor]

Good thread!

No particular order:

The Office
Breaking Bad
Better Call Saul
Game of Thrones
The Sopranos
The Leftovers
The IT Crowd
Bang Bang It's Reeves and Mortimer
Shooting Stars
Boardwalk Empire

No particlar criteria either.

Series, sitcoms, sketch shows, game shows ...

[matty_f]

No particlar criteria either.

Series, sitcoms, sketch shows, game shows ...

A little bit of something for everyone, mate. 😄

[Greentinted]

Would go for:
Sopranos
Breaking Bad
The Bill
Our Friends in the North
Looking After Jojo
Spitting Image
Coronation Street
Minder
Line of Duty
The Sweeney

Being fair, there’s lots of quality TV I’ve yet to see and I dare say the likes of The Wire, Sons of Anarchy, etc would make my list when I get round to seeing them. The above list were the first 10 that popped into my head as progs that I wouldn’t miss.

[heretoday]

They should show the Robinson Crusoe series that aired in the sixties. It was a French production I think. Used to be on when we got home from school.

Lovely music and the sound of waves crashing on the beach - inevitably!

The production used a lot of flashbacks to Crusoe's life.

[SideBurns]

I, Claudius
The World at War
Life on Earth
Tinker Tailor
Fawlty Towers
The Boys from the Blackstuff
The Office (UK)
Band of Brothers
Deadwood
The Wire

Tinker Tailor was the 70s series which starred Alec Guinness I take it? Think there was an adaptation of another of Le Carre's 'Smiley' novels made in the 70s, too? Would love to see them as I enjoyed all the novels - wonder if they're available to watch anywhere.