My favourite TV shows
Pretty self explanatory. These are my favourite TV shows, in no particular order except maybe the first 5 which are my tops. Most of them are comedies though there are a couple exceptions.
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- CreatorRob GrantDoug NaylorStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesThe adventures of the last human alive and his friends, stranded three million years into deep space on the mining ship Red Dwarf.Red Dwarf is awesome. This is seriously my all time favourite TV series of all time and the first one I ever shelled out to get a big DVD box set of. I grew up with this show and years later I still don't get sick of it. The characters are fantastic, the writing is extremely clever - successfully merging somewhat satirical but creative sci-fi settings with its own brand of fun, off-beat humour.
- CreatorGraham ChapmanEric IdleTerry JonesStarsGraham ChapmanJohn CleeseTerry GilliamThe original surreal sketch comedy showcase for the Monty Python troupe.Do I really need to explain why Monty Python is awesome? I think EVERYONE here knows who Monty Python is. Regardless, it definitely is one of the funniest shows out there and an immortal legend.
- CreatorBonnie TurnerTerry TurnerStarsJohn LithgowJane CurtinKristen JohnstonA group of aliens is sent to Earth, disguised as a human family, to experience and report life on the third planet from the sun.This is another one I grew up with and still love to death. This is such a fun show, and easily the best American sitcom in my opinion. It had a fantastic cast of entertaining and funny characters
- CreatorJeffrey BoamCarlton CuseStarsBruce CampbellJulius CarryChristian ClemensonA bounty hunter rides the Old West, fighting bad guys, many with futuristic-type gadgets.Before I was old enough to see the "Evil Dead" movies, I knew Bruce Campbell not as Ash Williams - but Brisco County Jr. In many ways I still revere this character in higher status simply for how much I adored this show, both as a kid and an adult. This show never tires me, the stories are imaginative, the characters are all lovable and entertaining to watch, and it's a fantastic tribute and parody of classic serials and westerns. I often think back to that awful "Wild Wild West" movie and think to myself that if they were to turn Wild Wild West into a comedy - they should've done it like this instead.
Hunt down the boxed set of this show - it's simply fantastic. It ended long before its time, but it is infinitely enjoyable and I like to think that some day, we might see Brisco County Jr. ride again. - CreatorTrey ParkerMatt StoneBrian GradenStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneIsaac HayesFollows the misadventures of four irreverent grade-schoolers in the quiet, dysfunctional town of South Park, Colorado.Believe it or not, I used to HATE this show. Maybe it was that I was too young when it started, maybe it was the fact that I was still in the mindset that swearing was just annoying. Yet around the time the movie came out, I started seeing why this show was awesome. As immature, crass, and foul as it all is - it always has a point to make. Far and beyond your average American animated sitcom (Not saying they are all bad, you'll see more on this list) this show still manages to be extremely funny and bizarre. This is also my wife's favourite show.
- CreatorDaniel KnaufStarsMichael J. AndersonAdrienne BarbeauClancy BrownDuring the Great Depression, an Oklahoma farm boy and a charismatic minister learn that they are key players in a proxy war being fought between Heaven and Hell.I wanted to put this in the top 5, but sadly it misses that part of the list simply for the fact it has no ending. That's not the shows fault though; it's HBO's fault - apparently they were having money troubles and axed this in favour of affording another season of The Sopranos. I don't have a beef with that show, but it had already been on for like 10 bloody years - HBO, you should have finished this show! It was amazing!! One of the most creative and engaging dark fantasies put on the small screen.
If you haven't seen Carnivale, you should check it out. Due to the fact it was ended in Season 2, there is sadly no ending; but that also means it'll be very easy for you to catch up. - CreatorChris CarterStarsDavid DuchovnyGillian AndersonMitch PileggiTwo F.B.I. Agents, Fox Mulder the believer and Dana Scully the skeptic, investigate the strange and unexplained, while hidden forces work to impede their efforts.This is one of the few long and girthy story based shows you'll see on this list. Despite the occasionally monotonous leads, this show was great and had a large influence on my love of sci-fi and pop horror. I watched this show with my mum growing up, and it was before I was really allowed to watch R-Rated horror films - so at the time, this was a good introduction.
I know some fans are divided on this issue, but I always loved the "Monster of the week" episodes - when they'd bring on mythological figures or strange beasts, though the ever building conspiracy and atmosphere of fragile trust definitely won me over as well. - CreatorGene RoddenberryStarsPatrick StewartBrent SpinerJonathan FrakesSet almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.I'm not really a Trekkie, and I can't say I've even seen all of TNG - yet regardless, it was the one Trek series I did watch for a lengthy period of time; hence its spot on the list. It is yet another nostalgic show for me, my mum is a huge Trekkie and this one was still on the air when I started watching TV - so this is the one she indoctrinated me with. I do hope to one day see the whole series because it still holds up for me, and unlike the other Trek shows I can get much deeper into it... even if one thing it does lack from the original is George Takei. I love that man.
- CreatorJim AbrahamsDavid ZuckerJerry ZuckerStarsLeslie NielsenAlan NorthEd WilliamsSight gags, puns and non-sequiturs ensue as bumbling Sgt. Det. Lt. Frank Drebin and his colleagues at Police Squad solve various puzzling cases.American comedy is often hit and miss for me, yet for a rather ironic reason: I often find it too silly or stupid. Which is why I should HATE this show, yet I don't. I adore this show. Somehow, "Police Squad" manages to pull off insanely silly, random, and stupid and actually make it genuinely fun instead of insulting. In an offhand sort of way, it's almost so ridiculous that it's actually one of the smartest shows out there - a lot of talent has to go into making silly genuinely funny. It's a shame this style of humour has been smeared by the likes of Seltzerberg and sadly, even the creators of Police Squad, the Zucker Bros. when it comes to their newer work.
- CreatorJames L. BrooksMatt GroeningSam SimonStarsDan CastellanetaNancy CartwrightHarry ShearerThe satiric adventures of a working-class family in the misfit city of Springfield.This is another show that's just hard to ignore, in impact and quality. It barely misses the only ordered 5 on the list, as it genuinely is a charming and funny show - but I felt like putting a few more personal favourites in that section. Regardless I have loved this show since I was a kid, and while I agree that it has declined in recent years; I don't think it has declined to the point that it's stopped being funny. It still makes me smile every Sunday evening.
- CreatorChristy KaracasBen GruberStephen WarbrickStarsDavid WainTeddy CohnChristopher McCullochIn a surreal world, a large maximum security prison, which houses thousands of dangerous inmates is run by an eccentric warden and his equally odd staff.What is UP with this show?! This show is stupid. It's pointlessly crass and violent. It's ugly and poorly animated. It has no point, no morals, no reasoning. YET I *beep* LOVE IT TO DEATH.
I saw the pilot when it first aired during a special Adult Swim event where they gathered up 8 or so pilots and had people vote for which show would get air time. Immediately after the pilot aired, I voted for this damn quickly - and so did my wife.
It genuinely is a pointless show; all focused around crass violence yet it's pulled off flawlessly. The Warden is a great character and while every episode may have the same set up more or less, the "action" scenes are always pulled off in different ways and the methods of killing are always intricate in design despite their shameless lack of value or reason. There's so much bizarre passion to this show that it's hard not to like if you enjoy a spot of dark humour, and since each episode is only 15 minutes or so - it never feels too long. - CreatorMatt MaiellaroDave WillisStarsDave WillisCarey MeansDana SnyderThe misadventures of a milkshake, an order of fries, a meatball, and their retired next door neighbor in the suburbs of New Jersey.This is another show that, by all accounts, I should hate. It's another really stupid American comedy that relies on extreme randomness; yet it pulls off that weirdness in a way all its own. This, Superjail! and the next show on this list are the 3 reasons I bother to watch Adult Swim on occasion.
- CreatorSeth GreenMatthew SenreichMike FasoloStarsSeth GreenMatthew SenreichBreckin MeyerPop culture references fly thick and fast as stop-motion animation is featured in sketches lampooning everything from television movies to comic books.I remember the first time I watched Robot Chicken. My wife had a migraine and was trying to sleep. I got a prompt pummeling after driving her mad with my hysterical laughter. This is the "Adult Swim holy 3" I suppose. Thankfully, once she saw an episode - she agreed by laughing herself to death for a couple nights week. Thankfully laughter also appears to be able to bring back the dead, as evidenced by the fact the next episode brought her back.
- StarsMamoru MiyanoBrad SwaileVincent TongAn intelligent high school student goes on a secret crusade to eliminate criminals from the world after discovering a notebook capable of killing anyone whose name is written into it.One of the few Japanese animations you'll see on this list. Now, I don't have a problem with them - how can I? My wife is Japanese, I live in Japan, and I love plenty of Japanese movies and 'toons... just rarely televised ones. I usually prefer their animated movies. Death Note is one exception though. I actually saw the live action movie first, and it was in theatres shortly before the TV show hit the air in Japan so I didn't slight it for deviating from the story (Plus the actor who played L in the movie was amazing.) but it thankfully convinced me to sit through every episode of the TV show.
It's a clever, clever show and at 36 or so episodes, it didn't outstay it's welcome. There are times it can feel a bit repetitive; but L is a fantastic character and the twists; as many as there are, are at least clever and always keep you interested. - StarsMasako NozawaJôji YanamiBrice ArmstrongSon Gokû, a fighter with a monkey tail, goes on a quest with an assortment of odd characters in search of the Dragon Balls, a set of crystals that can give its bearer anything they desire.This is the only other Japanese TV cartoon you'll see here. I'll get this out of the way... I don't really care for Dragon Ball Z. So why do I love the original? The humour. The original Dragonball wasn't about giant muscles floating in the sky growling, droning in never ending monologue, then pummeling each other on occasion - it was about fun characters, adventure, and lots of fantastic humour. Akira Toriyama is a very funny guy when he wants to be, and I loved this show as a kid - and I still love it now.
- CreatorDonick CaryStarsDave B. MitchellChristopher Lee ParsonDonick CaryAn animated look at U.S. President Bush and his cohorts as elementary school kids.No one is going to agree with this. It wasn't exactly a beloved TV series, yet my wife & I personally adored it.