THIRTEEN OF TV'S BEST-SCRIPTED SHOWS
Earlier this month I came upon this list, compiled by The Writers Guild of America, of TV's best-written shows. I didn't completely agree with it (I've never been able to stand Seinfeld, which ranked #2) but I found it interesting reading. After all, it's based on the scripting, not the cast or performances.
Last night, when I heard James Gandolfini of The Sopranos died, and last weekend, when I watched and thoroughly enjoyed a Friends marathon on TVLand, I remembered that those two shows made the list.
So here are 13 of my favorites from the list. In parens you'll see the Guild's ranking.
1) The Twilight Zone (#3)
2) M*A*S*H (#5)
3) The Mary Tyler Moore Show (#6)
4) Mad Men (#7)
5) The West Wing (#10)
I was once as obsessed with this as I am now with Mad Men
6) I Love Lucy (#12)
7) The Dick Van Dyke Show (#14)
8) The Daily Show (#17)
9) Friends (#24)
10) Saturday Night Live (#25)
11) Sex and the City (#39)
12) Fawlty Towers (#58)
My friend Mindy and I have been quoting this show for decades now. (My favorite: "I can spend the rest of my life having this conversation. Please try to understand before one of us dies!" Hers: "Don't. Mention. The. War.")
13) Moonlighting (#60)
I would binge watch these shows.
ReplyDeleteI have been watching Cagney & Lacey on DVD. That show has nothing but solid writing, not a bad episode there. It's always been overlooked but the writing was excellent. I have never seen Mad Men.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to know someone else dislikes Seinfeld as much as I do. Of your list I too like Friends, M*A*S*H, and Moonlighting. One not on your list that used to have excellent repartee is Sports Night, which was canceled when Sorkin decided he wanted to concentrate on West Wing and refused to let someone else take over.
ReplyDeleteGrin. Again, I like your choice of shows.
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"He's from Barcelona."
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