The Great 2020 All Time Television Draft: The Simpsons is judged the greatest show of all time (2 Viewers)

[AcerFC]

No offense to any of the previous sports guys drafted, but there is only one sports personality that has a chance to dethrone Cosell  and I have them 1a and 1b in this category. Yo Mama selects:

7.16 - John Madden, Sports Personality

He did it all at a hall of fame level - player, coach, and broadcaster. He elevated football coverage for decades in an accessible way, bringing complex schemes to a colorful level that connected to the average guy or gal on their couch at home. No matter how good or bad the game, his broadcast games were appointment viewing. From bringing people into the trenches with a well-timed Bam, Pow, or Thwap, to masterful use of the telestrater to highlight the sweat on an offensive lineman’s behind or the steam coming off the head of a player on a frigid day, Madden was often copied but never equaled. He brought us the Madden bus, the all-Madden team, The Madden Curse, and the eight legged turkey. 
 

Some highlights:

- 16 time Emmy winner

- Appeared in movies, commercials (no spotlighting), and music videos by U2 and Paul Simon

- Hosted SNL and was a character on the Simpsons

- Was the face and voice of the Madden NFL video game juggernaught, which spawned leagues and tournaments now featured regularly on TV

- Broadcast games on all 4 major networks

Madden truly brought personality to sports and is one of the (if not THE) greatest. 
 

great pick. Hadn't even thought about him

 

[jwb]

love this pick, Franz was awesome in this role, I wish he did something after this ended, but alas this has been it...

From what I understand, he very happily rode off into the sunset. 

 

[jwb]

I THINK I have a good start, but am fully aware that a couple might be iffy depending on judges:

Breaking Bad - Top 3

Band of Brothers - Deep category. Top 8 certainly. 

Tyrion - Solid top 3

Six Feet Under finale - Iffy. Will depend on judge. Probably a reach in terms of value.

Don Draper - Top 5. Another deep category. Recency bias may help him.

The Real World  - Top 10. Much deeper category than most think.

    I think at least 4 should be in the running for a top spot.    

 

[Yo Mama]

Ok, no idea how this will be judged based on its incredible peak and lasting legacy versus its short lifespan. But I need to take one of my all time favorites here. Yo Mama selects:

8.01 - Freaks and Geeks - Teen

I’ve actually seems this show listed super high (like number 11 on Rolling Stone) on numerous publications all time tv show lists. Multiple grassroots efforts were made to restart the show, but all the talent involved quickly moved on to other ventures.
 

An all star cast led by Seth Rogen, James Franco, and Jason Segel (among many others), and led by Judd Apatow. 
 

A classic

 

[Yo Mama]

@Doug B is back up with @KarmaPolice lurking in the shadows to make up his picks. 

 

[tuffnutt]

Ok, no idea how this will be judged based on its incredible peak and lasting legacy versus its short lifespan. But I need to take one of my all time favorites here. Yo Mama selects:

8.01 - Freaks and Geeks - Teen

I’ve actually seems this show listed super high (like number 11 on Rolling Stone) on numerous publications all time tv show lists. Multiple grassroots efforts were made to restart the show, but all the talent involved quickly moved on to other ventures.
 

An all star cast led by Seth Rogen, James Franco, and Jason Segel (among many others), and led by Judd Apatow. 
 

A classic

NO NO NO!! That was my next pick . Great Pick Yo Mama one of my all time favs

 

[jwb]

No offense to any of the previous sports guys drafted, but there is only one sports personality that has a chance to dethrone Cosell  and I have them 1a and 1b in this category. Yo Mama selects:

7.16 - John Madden, Sports Personality

I love this pick, but I give Howard the nod for being basically "the voice of sports" for ABC, and not just football. 

But yes, Madden is a serious star.

 

[Yo Mama]

I love this pick, but I give Howard the nod for being basically "the voice of sports" for ABC, and not just football. 

But yes, Madden is a serious star.

Yeah Cosell is definitely the top, but nobody comes as close as Madden (to me). 

 

[Doug B]

I love this pick, but I give Howard the nod for being basically "the voice of sports" for ABC, and not just football. 

But yes, Madden is a serious star.

Don't want to spotlight ... but ABC had a ridiculous sports roster during Cosell & McKay's heyday. Guys like Madden carried the torch for the next generation.

 

[Yo Mama]

YMTV

Yo Mama’s 20 inch TV console was so fat, it was bigger than the main couch and took 6 people to move it a few inches

1950-1970

Leading Woman Comedy - Lucy Ricardo

Supporting Man - Barney Fife

1971-1990

1991-2020

Supporting Man - George Costanza

Misc

Science Fiction - Star Trek (original series)

Children's - Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood

Miniseries - Roots

Sports Personality - John Madden

Teen - Freaks and Geeks

 

[Doug B]

Might as well knock out a tough category with an American icon:

8.03: Bonanza, Western

Quick memory about the show: Some of the science mavens on this board know about the physicist Albert Michelson, who won a Nobel Prize early last century for experimentally confirming the speed of light.

Anyway, one episode of Bonanza featured a teenage Albert Michelson as a character going by "Mike". Young Mike takes all kinds of guff all episode long before getting redeemed in the end. A closing voiceover informed viewers of Michelson's eventual Nobel Prize.

I used to think that was so out of left field -- "C'mon, that guy wouldn't have grown up in the Old West!" I thought the whole idea of Michelson was shoe-horned in to create a Very Special Episode. But nope -- Michelson really did live in Virginia City, Nevada as a youth.

@rickroll

 

[Zow]

great pick. Hadn't even thought about him

I had, and I think he's a very good choice for the category, but I consider the category to be suuuuper deep. 

 

[Doug B]

YMTV

Yo Mama’s 20 inch TV console was so fat, it was bigger than the main couch and took 6 people to move it a few inches

Anybody remember those black-&-white consoles with the "garage door" so that you could cover the screen while not watching. That's what we had in our house until I was seven. Still have fuzzy memories of watching cartoons on that thing.

And yeah ... the weight of those things! They should have a Strongest Man competition called "The Old TV Console Slide (Across Shag Carpet)".

 

[Zow]

I'm waiting on Tolstoy, right?

 

[Doug B]

I'm waiting on Tolstoy, right?

He knows he's up

 

[Zow]

He knows he's up

All good - I wasn't sure where we were at. 

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Ok, no idea how this will be judged based on its incredible peak and lasting legacy versus its short lifespan. But I need to take one of my all time favorites here. Yo Mama selects:

8.01 - Freaks and Geeks - Teen

I’ve actually seems this show listed super high (like number 11 on Rolling Stone) on numerous publications all time tv show lists. Multiple grassroots efforts were made to restart the show, but all the talent involved quickly moved on to other ventures.
 

An all star cast led by Seth Rogen, James Franco, and Jason Segel (among many others), and led by Judd Apatow. 
 

A classic

I really wish there was more than one season of this show. So good. I'm still love Linda Cardellini which started with her as Lindsey Weir.

 

[Gally]

I really wish there was more than one season of this show. So good. I'm still love Linda Cardellini which started with her as Lindsey Weir.

This is why we gave the nod to the Wonder Years for the teen category.  Hopefully the judge thinks the same.   

 

[Zegras11]

If not taken, I'll also judge:

1971-1990. Leading man comedy
1971-1990. Leading Woman comedy
Commercial
Talk Show Host
Teen Show
Game Show

 

[Gally]

If not taken, I'll also judge:

1971-1990. Leading man comedy
1971-1990. Leading Woman comedy
Commercial
Talk Show Host
Teen Show
Game Show

How do you feel about Slumdog Millionaire?

 

[rickroll]

8.04 Tolstoy Selects Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Leading Woman in a Comedy, 1991-Present

 

[timschochet]

You guys are totally right on medical show, legal show, etc. I totally screwed up on western. I’m sorry. 

 

[KarmaPolice]

Fair assessment.  Real World i tried due to being one of the trailblazers, but agree better has come out since.  

But you are probably right, and should prepare for another below average finish.  

 

[Zegras11]

How do you feel about Slumdog Millionaire?

Sorry, missed the joke here. Somehow feel Krista is involved though.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I really wish there was more than one season of this show. So good. I'm still love Linda Cardellini which started with her as Lindsey Weir.

Her in the live action Scooby Doo movies

 

[Gally]

Sorry, missed the joke here. Somehow feel Krista is involved though.

Slumdog Millionaire ranked as the #5 Teen movie of all time in the Movie draft while movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Breakfast Club, Ferris,  etc were ranked worse for the category.  It prompted quite the discussion on whether it was even a "Teen Movie" and what does that really entail. 

 

[Zow]

1971 - 1990 greatest supporting male character - Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli

He was such a great supporting/secondary character that by season three he was added to main cast and received second billing. 

 

[Zegras11]

Slumdog Millionaire ranked as the #5 Teen movie of all time in the Movie draft movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Breakfast Club, Ferris,  etc were ranked worse for the category.  It prompted quite the discussion on whether it was even a "Teen Movie" and what does that really entail. 

LOL.  I've seen it once.  I don't recall it being a teen movie.

 

[AcerFC]

@Mrs. Rannous oTC

@jwb on deck

@Pitchfork In the hole

 

[Yo Mama]

1971 - 1990 greatest supporting male character - Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli

He was such a great supporting/secondary character that by season three he was added to main cast and received second billing. 

Ok, now the draft has literally jumped the shark!

I had him as more of a lead than supporting. 

 

[AcerFC]

Ok, now the draft has literally jumped the shark!

I had him as more of a lead than supporting. 

Ayyyyyy

 

[Zow]

Ok, now the draft has literally jumped the shark!

I had him as more of a lead than supporting. 

I get that. I did research it and the overwhelming sentiment seemed to be he was a secondary character that, due to his awesomeness, rose to main character status. To me, that is a testament to how good he was as a supporting character. 

And, respectfully, if Barney Fife (who received top billing and is referenced as a main character for the first five seasons) qualifies as supporting and Firefly qualifies as a "western," I think the Fonz as a supporting character is plenty fair. 

 

[AAABatteries]

How do you feel about Slumdog Millionaire?

You people are going to be like Chazz Palminteri at the end of The Usual Suspects when in ten years I reveal that rockaction is one of my aliases.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Ok, now the draft has literally jumped the shark!

I had him as more of a lead than supporting. 

Me as well, and this is really tripping me up.  

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Round 8.06  -  Connections  -  Documentary

James Burke rocked.  Just oodles of nerdy fun.

@jwb is OTC.

 

[Zow]

Me as well, and this is really tripping me up.  

Well, I'm happy to have the pick clarified. Again, after Barney Fife and Firefly, I made this adjustment myself. I'm all for defining the categories better and re-picking. 

 

[Yo Mama]

I get that. I did research it and the overwhelming sentiment seemed to be he was a secondary character that, due to his awesomeness, rose to main character status. To me, that is a testament to how good he was as a supporting character. 

And, respectfully, if Barney Fife (who received top billing and is referenced as a main character for the first five seasons) qualifies as supporting and Firefly qualifies as a "western," I think the Fonz as a supporting character is plenty fair. 

I’m not saying he shouldn’t qualify as supporting, I just see him as more of a lead. 
 

As far as Fife goes, if we go by Emmy categorization (which I know doesn’t mean much), all of Knott’s nominations and wins were in the supporting category. All of Winkler’s nominations were for lead. 

 

[Zow]

I’m not saying he shouldn’t qualify as supporting, I just see him as more of a lead. 
 

As far as Fife goes, if we go by Emmy categorization (which I know doesn’t mean much), all of Knott’s nominations and wins were in the supporting category. All of Winkler’s nominations were for lead. 

Hmmm do we want to set that as the metric? I'm totally okay with that...

 

[AAABatteries]

Slumdog Millionaire ranked as the #5 Teen movie of all time in the Movie draft while movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Breakfast Club, Ferris,  etc were ranked worse for the category.  It prompted quite the discussion on whether it was even a "Teen Movie" and what does that really entail. 

The ironic thing about all of this is hags and I got too cute and got super lucky.  In hindsight, we would have probably done better leaving it where it was (Based on Book) and taken a different Teen movie - but mainly because my Based on Book pick sucked out loud.

 

[Zow]

Let me get a consensus here please. If the majority thinks a character like the Fonz should be a lead I'm totally cool with it, will switch him there, and will be happy to use my choice as the example/baseline going forward. 

I, frankly, don't see a huge difference here between the Fonz and Barney Fife and Jesse Pinkman but am a fan of precedence. 

 

[AAABatteries]

Let me get a consensus here please. If the majority thinks a character like the Fonz should be a lead I'm totally cool with it, will switch him there, and will be happy to use my choice as the example/baseline going forward. 

I, frankly, don't see a huge difference here between the Fonz and Barney Fife and Jesse Pinkman but am a fan of precendence. 

Fonz is less of a lead than the other two, IMO.  I think supporting is right.

 

[Yo Mama]

Let me get a consensus here please. If the majority thinks a character like the Fonz should be a lead I'm totally cool with it, will switch him there, and will be happy to use my choice as the example/baseline going forward. 

I, frankly, don't see a huge difference here between the Fonz and Barney Fife and Jesse Pinkman but am a fan of precendence. 

It doesn’t matter to me at all (until you sullied my sweet Barney Fife). It’ll ultimately come down to the judge and how they see it. 

 

[Zow]

It doesn’t matter to me at all (until you sullied my sweet Barney Fife). It’ll ultimately come down to the judge and how they see it. 

I didn't sully your Fife pick. I think it's comparable to my Fonz pick.  

 

[Yo Mama]

Fonz is less of a lead than the other two, IMO.  I think supporting is right.

Crazy talk

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I get that. I did research it and the overwhelming sentiment seemed to be he was a secondary character that, due to his awesomeness, rose to main character status. To me, that is a testament to how good he was as a supporting character. 

And, respectfully, if Barney Fife (who received top billing and is referenced as a main character for the first five seasons) qualifies as supporting and Firefly qualifies as a "western," I think the Fonz as a supporting character is plenty fair. 

Wasn't Andy Griffith/Andy Taylor the main character?

 

[Pitchfork]

Let me get a consensus here please. If the majority thinks a character like the Fonz should be a lead I'm totally cool with it, will switch him there, and will be happy to use my choice as the example/baseline going forward. 

I, frankly, don't see a huge difference here between the Fonz and Barney Fife and Jesse Pinkman but am a fan of precedence. 

Winkler was nominated for 3 Emmy's as lead actor fwiw

 

[mphtrilogy]

The Fonz was the lead after S1...

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Fonz is less of a lead than the other two, IMO.  I think supporting is right.

Early on in the series, Fonz was a minor/supporting character but at some point he became the main character (and lets not forget Rich Cunningham even left the show) - with the said if I was judging I think it should slide.

 

[Zow]

Wasn't Andy Griffith/Andy Taylor the main character?

He was. Was the Fonz the lead character of Happy Days?

... I've never actually seen an episode.  

 

[Zow]

Let's do this - for now I'll slot him as supporting but reserve the right to move him to lead for that same time period.