The Greatest TV Series of All Time

Sterling

El Presidente
12,972
7,874
Deadwood, as a whole is fantastic. But The Wire, also as a whole is just as fantastic along with having standout episodes, characters and performances. Deadwood never had that unless you count maybe the Hickock episode, but we all knew that was coming. Thats what edges The Wire out.
That's largely true, but season 5 of The Wire is pretty bad, and not just by the high bar the show set for itself. Like objectively bad at times.
 
  • 1Solidarity
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 users

chaos

Buzzfeed Editor
17,324
4,839
Deadwood, as a whole is fantastic. But The Wire, also as a whole is just as fantastic along with having standout episodes, characters and performances. Deadwood never had that unless you count maybe the Hickock episode, but we all knew that was coming. Thats what edges The Wire out.
Deadwood not having standout episodes, characters, and performances? I don't even understand you man.
 
  • 1Like
  • 1Solidarity
Reactions: 1 users

iannis

Musty Nester
31,351
17,656
The first two seasons of hell on wheels are also phenomenal.

Its like boardwalk though. They had a two season story, but had to make five. And its obvious they really only had that two season story and started to tack on.

Which is ok. The later seasons are still entertaining. Just not nearly of the same caliber. Front loaded series, those two.
 

McCheese

SW: Sean, CW: Crone, GW: Wizardhawk
6,891
4,254
Can't really disagree, but everything leading up to it was awesome. Especially this:


Jesus I had forgotten how amazing Al Capone was in Boardwalk Empire. Why couldn't we get a Chicago-based spin-off focusing on his rise.
 

Leon

<Silver Donator>
5,417
18,607
So many good shows, can't just pick one honestly. Over the years i guess the one that kept my interest the most and had me go out actually read the books, lurk the forums for theories and talks would be GOT.

The latest season, while i enjoyed it, does not do justice to the complexity and potential that this had in seasons 1 through 4.

Rome deserves to be up there for sure. So does breaking bad. BSG kept me coming for more, some of those cliffhangers were fucking brutal.
DS9 had me hooked as soon as the war started. That main plotline was by far the best in any show of the star trek franchise.

At the end of the day, the show i've probably rewatched the most while still keeping the same level of enjoyment is the wire.

I'm just gonna leave some of those scenes here:



 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user

chaos

Buzzfeed Editor
17,324
4,839
Rome is hard to rate, for me. There's parts of it that are just ridiculous, but it's kind of supposed to be, it's like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern but in the backdrop of the Roman civil war. None of the effects or battle, or really almost any of the fights (save THIRTEENTH! and et tu Brute) really hold up. But the sets and costume design and period details are amazing. It's also just a fucking blast to watch, at no point did I feel like I had to slog through a portion to get to the good parts.
 

Feanor

Karazhan Raider
7,766
35,304
Rome is hard to rate, for me. There's parts of it that are just ridiculous, but it's kind of supposed to be, it's like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern but in the backdrop of the Roman civil war. None of the effects or battle, or really almost any of the fights (save THIRTEENTH! and et tu Brute) really hold up. But the sets and costume design and period details are amazing. It's also just a fucking blast to watch, at no point did I feel like I had to slog through a portion to get to the good parts.
Rome is good but I would not rank it among the best. If you gotta boil it down

The Wire
Deadwood
Breaking Bad
Game of Thrones

In that order.
 
  • 1Solidarity
Reactions: 1 user

Phazael

Confirmed Beta Shitlord, Fat Bastard
<Aristocrat╭ರ_•́>
14,119
30,219
DS9 had me hooked as soon as the war started. That main plotline was by far the best in any show of the star trek franchise.

I'm just gonna leave some of those scenes here:

]

Yeah Avery Books went from boring and wooden as shit to amazeballs the moment the Dominion conflict started ramping up and they got away from the stupid Bajor crap. It also allowed the best characters to stop being support fodder and to take center stage in the show (Garrak and Wayoun). Garrak might well be one of the best sci-fi antiheroes of all time.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user

McCheese

SW: Sean, CW: Crone, GW: Wizardhawk
6,891
4,254
Breaking Bad shouldn't be in the running for greatest show of all time. I didn't watch it when it was on, but I binge watched it shortly after it concluded. Maybe it lost some of its Oomph without needing to wait between episodes and seqsons. It's good but I've never understood why people proclaim it the best ever. It had some dumb stuff that takes it out of the running. Much like the Wire, breaking bad is very good but overrated.
 

McCheese

SW: Sean, CW: Crone, GW: Wizardhawk
6,891
4,254
Sorry, but Walter not working for his rich friend and getting health insurance in like the 2nd episode was stupid as hell. And then the whole ending of the series with the retarded rednecks showing up take it out of the running. Just like The Wire's dumb ass season 5.

If you're going to proclaim a show "greatest of all time" it's gotta be 100% amazing from start to finish.
 
  • 2Like
Reactions: 1 users

Springbok

Karen
<Gold Donor>
9,032
12,625
Jesus I had forgotten how amazing Al Capone was in Boardwalk Empire. Why couldn't we get a Chicago-based spin-off focusing on his rise.


Ya, they flirted with Goat status for me for awhile but never quite sealed the deal. The Chicago stuff with Michael Shannon was right there, but unfulfilled. Great fucking show though ultimately
 

Feanor

Karazhan Raider
7,766
35,304
Breaking Bad shouldn't be in the running for greatest show of all time. I didn't watch it when it was on, but I binge watched it shortly after it concluded. Maybe it lost some of its Oomph without needing to wait between episodes and seqsons. It's good but I've never understood why people proclaim it the best ever. It had some dumb stuff that takes it out of the running. Much like the Wire, breaking bad is very good but overrated.
There's several things to evaluate. Production design & cinematography, plot & execution, direction, casting & acting, cultural impact, etc.

For me one of the most essential aspects is rewatchability. That's when you determine if a show or movie holds up past your initial impression. Sat through a couple Rome episodes a bit ago and it wasn't as good as I remembered. Felt the same way as you about Breaking Bad's finale the first night I saw it, but not after re-watching the entire show altogether. I would argue Breaking Bad benefits from binging.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user