When you think of the best television drama of all time, what is your immediate reaction? The Wire or Breaking Bad, right? Maybe give the slight edge to The Wire, at least until we see how Breaking Bad finishes out the series? Well, why don’t you sit there for a few minutes and think really, really hard on it.
…
Still Breaking Bad and The Wire, right? Yep. Me too.
However, those brilliant three-celled organisms over at People Magazine have teamed up with the network responsible for EIGHT seasons of According to Jim to rank the best television shows, best television comedies, and best television dramas of all time. In the television drama category, neither The Wire nor Breaking Bad even placed in the top five. So, naturally, my first thought was: Oh, well, it’s only network shows then, right? Nope. Here’s the 5 Best Dramas.
5) Mad Men
4) The West Wing
3) The Sopranos
2) The Twilight Zone
1) E.R.
I’d place Breaking Bad and The Wire ahead of all five of those, but strangely enough, the only one I really have a problem with is E.R., the hospital drama that ran for a decade and, in the process, exhausted every single plotline in the Plotlines for Dummies handbook. I’d consider The West Wing, if seasons five and six were not included, but when you’re looking at the best all-around drama, one actually needs to consider the entire series as a whole, and not just its best years (The Sopranos had some lethargic middle seasons, as well).
But what do you expect from a gossip magazine and a television news rag? The fact that they even decided to rank the Best Reality Shows of All Time nullifies their entire premise. If you’re curious:
Best Reality TV Show
5) Deadliest Catch
4) The Amazing Race
3) Survivor
2) American Idol
1) Dancing With the Stars
(Note, the number one show is also on the ABC network).
But wait, surely they’ll recognize The Wire among the Best Cop Shows, right? Along with The Shield? Nope.
Best Cop or Legal Show
5) Hill Street Blues
4) 24
3) Columbo
2) Law & Order
1) Law & Order: SVU
Woah? If you’re going to put legal dramas on there, and you’re going to include Law & Order: SVU, then where the hell is The Practice? Hell, it was an ABC show.
Well, at least they got the best comedy of all time right, right? Yay for Arrested Development! Wait, what?
Best Comedy of All Time
5. All in the Family
4. The Cosby Show
3. M*A*S*H
2. Seinfeld
1. I Love Lucy
Ugh. Old people, right? They ruin everything.
(Source: Huffpo)