The Top 300 Greatest TV Shows of All Time: FBG Consensus: 50 Lists received. 2: Seinfeld 1: Breaking Bad (13 Viewers)

[Instinctive]

There was a definite "how many times have I watched the whole thing" factor to determining my favorites.

Shows that I seek out to watch over and over again really got a bump in my rankings. There are a few that are in my top 15-ish that are probably not on anybody else's list but i have on "speed dial" to watch when I don't feel like watching something new.

I think there's a real chance my number one isn't on any other lists but I just love it. Have probably rewatched at least 15 times in my life.

 

[Gally]

I think there's a real chance my number one isn't on any other lists but I just love it. Have probably rewatched at least 15 times in my life.

My highest that is likely not on anybody else's is #6, although for this type message board it could be on a list or two. If not that one I would assume my #11 is a solo selection

 

[krista4]

For me, I guess it hinges on the nostalgia it brings up while watching. Of course shows like Gilligan's Island or Mork & Mindy are out dated through today's eyes but watching them brings me back and is still a real enjoyment because of that nostalgia. The out-dated-ness of them didn't diminish the place they held and therefore still deserved to be listed.

Basically I didn't elimnate them just because they were old shows.

I think I see why I struggled at first to get to 70 shows, based on the discussion in the last couple of pages. I didn't go for nostalgia, mostly because nostalgia isn't something I "get" very well in general. So most of the shows I loved in childhood or young adulthood aren't on the list, unless they are shows I'd still consider good. In looking at my list (which I submitted yesterday), I think only one slipped through that probably isn't something I would think is actually good.

 

[Gally]

So most of the shows I loved in childhood or young adulthood aren't on the list, unless they are shows I'd still consider good.

There are many aspects to "good". In my example, Mork & MIndy. It isn't what I would consider a "good" show based on production, acting, etc. But it is still "good" as it still cracks me up and is still exactly what it was. A perfect vehicle for Robin Williams to do him. The show isn't going to win any awards but it is still one of my favorite shows.

 

[zamboni]

For me, I guess it hinges on the nostalgia it brings up while watching. Of course shows like Gilligan's Island or Mork & Mindy are out dated through today's eyes but watching them brings me back and is still a real enjoyment because of that nostalgia. The out-dated-ness of them didn't diminish the place they held and therefore still deserved to be listed.

Basically I didn't elimnate them just because they were old shows.

I think I see why I struggled at first to get to 70 shows, based on the discussion in the last couple of pages. I didn't go for nostalgia, mostly because nostalgia isn't something I "get" very well in general. So most of the shows I loved in childhood or young adulthood aren't on the list, unless they are shows I'd still consider good. In looking at my list (which I submitted yesterday), I think only one slipped through that probably isn't something I would think is actually good.

Different approaches will definitely give good diversity here. Unfortunately, if I avoided nostalgia, I also wouldn't get anywhere close to 70 series, as I don't watch too many full series any more with sports, all the various other options, etc. Most of the full (or close to it) series I watched were many years back when there weren't as many options and you had to wait on them. But that's just me - I understand we all view this exercise differently.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

How do you want the following show written? @Scoresman

Spoiler: Show name

The Office (U.S.) written? IMDB has both UK and US listed as "The Office" so I was gonna go with "The Office (U.S.)"

That's how I listed it.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

The bolded was more the roadblock as I watched some episodes here and there of old MTV and Nickelodeon shows that I enjoyed at the time, and was surprised at how bad they were to me through 2025 eyes

For me, I guess it hinges on the nostalgia it brings up while watching. Of course shows like Gilligan's Island or Mork & Mindy are out dated through today's eyes but watching them brings me back and is still a real enjoyment because of that nostalgia. The out-dated-ness of them didn't diminish the place they held and therefore still deserved to be listed.

Basically I didn't elimnate them just because they were old shows.

Exactly my approach. In fact, a good chunk of my shows are going to be nostalgic for me, even if they weren't high quality. Seems like this is the point of this exercise.

I did grab a few nostalgia type shows, but if I thought they'd be absolutely ridiculous if I tried to watch today (i.e. Gilligan's Island, The Munsters) those shows were not included.

Some "held up" or rewatchability was factored in for me. I still have many old shows, but all of them I have rewatched and enjoyed recently.

 

[krista4]

So most of the shows I loved in childhood or young adulthood aren't on the list, unless they are shows I'd still consider good.

There are many aspects to "good".

Obviously. And we’re all defining the exercise differently, as Zamboni mentioned. I’m going with “favorites,” not even necessarily what I think is best, except at the very top where my favorites are also what I think best.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

There was a definite "how many times have I watched the whole thing" factor to determining my favorites.

Shows that I seek out to watch over and over again really got a bump in my rankings. There are a few that are in my top 15-ish that are probably not on anybody else's list but i have on "speed dial" to watch when I don't feel like watching something new.

I have only watched one series in its entirety more than once. That is the series that I ranked #1.

 

[Yo Mama]

For me, I guess it hinges on the nostalgia it brings up while watching. Of course shows like Gilligan's Island or Mork & Mindy are out dated through today's eyes but watching them brings me back and is still a real enjoyment because of that nostalgia. The out-dated-ness of them didn't diminish the place they held and therefore still deserved to be listed.

Basically I didn't elimnate them just because they were old shows.

I think I see why I struggled at first to get to 70 shows, based on the discussion in the last couple of pages. I didn't go for nostalgia, mostly because nostalgia isn't something I "get" very well in general. So most of the shows I loved in childhood or young adulthood aren't on the list, unless they are shows I'd still consider good. In looking at my list (which I submitted yesterday), I think only one slipped through that probably isn't something I would think is actually good.

It wasn’t necessarily nostalgia for me, but I tried to factor in how much I enjoyed and looked forward to a show when it originally aired. Cultural impact (as long as I liked the show) was also a factor.

 

[Scoresman]

How do you want the following show written? @Scoresman

Spoiler: Show name

The Office (U.S.) written? IMDB has both UK and US listed as "The Office" so I was gonna go with "The Office (U.S.)"

The Office (US)

 

[KarmaPolice]

So most of the shows I loved in childhood or young adulthood aren't on the list, unless they are shows I'd still consider good.

There are many aspects to "good". In my example, Mork & MIndy. It isn't what I would consider a "good" show based on production, acting, etc. But it is still "good" as it still cracks me up and is still exactly what it was. A perfect vehicle for Robin Williams to do him. The show isn't going to win any awards but it is still one of my favorite shows.

For sure, and I liked what somebody else posted about being rewatchable now as well. IMO a great comp is the talk in the 80s thread, and that is the list I struggled the most with. A nostalgia pick for me that is bad now (IMO) is stuff like Police Academy 2-4 or Screwballs or Mac & Me. A nostalgia pick that is still good is Ghostbusters and Karate Kid.

As I was watching a few things while thinking, too much of my list was in the first category. Part of that is that in general I'm not as much a TV fan as other stuff, but I was surprised how little I enjoyed or was laughing with some of the shows I tried over the past week.

Also, TBH I didn't want to have to think about which version of Scooby-Doo or TMNT I had to list, for example.

 

[Psychopav]

Hey where do you guys have Small Wonder? I'm torn between #5 and #6 on my list.

 

[Yo Mama]

Hey where do you guys have Small Wonder? I'm torn between #5 and #6 on my list.

Add a few zeroes behind the 5 and the 6.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

How do you want the following show written? @Scoresman

Spoiler: Show name

The Office (U.S.) written? IMDB has both UK and US listed as "The Office" so I was gonna go with "The Office (U.S.)"

The Office (US)

I did (U.S.) - is that ok or should I resubmit?

 

[Instinctive]

How do you want the following show written? @Scoresman

Spoiler: Show name

The Office (U.S.) written? IMDB has both UK and US listed as "The Office" so I was gonna go with "The Office (U.S.)"

The Office (US)

I did (U.S.) - is that ok or should I resubmit?

I did that too when I saw first reply

 

[Scoresman]

How do you want the following show written? @Scoresman

Spoiler: Show name

The Office (U.S.) written? IMDB has both UK and US listed as "The Office" so I was gonna go with "The Office (U.S.)"

The Office (US)

I did (U.S.) - is that ok or should I resubmit?

No need to resubmit for something like this. Only resubmit if you want to change your rankings.

 

[Scoresman]

Also, it's almost the 2 minute warning for outstanding lists. Deadline has been Feb 8, but I might as well extend it to Feb 9 since I wont be doing anything on this Superbowl sunday.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Looking mine over I might do a rerank

Nothing too major just a few shows i might move up or down

 

[Psychopav]

I'm toying with shifting a couple things around and maybe adding one show. My list is pristine though so should be easy to plug-and-play an update.

 

[Hastur]

Hey where do you guys have Small Wonder? I'm torn between #5 and #6 on my list.

I don't want to be controversial or rock the boat....but....

A married, adult male who is a robotics engineer invents a robot who looks like a 10 years old girl who he decides to dress in a quasi French maid outfit.

No way that would fly today.

 

[zamboni]

How do you want the following show written? @Scoresman

Spoiler: Show name

The Office (U.S.) written? IMDB has both UK and US listed as "The Office" so I was gonna go with "The Office (U.S.)"

The Office (US)

Please change mine as such to US. I don’t think I added US/UK.

 

[zamboni]

Hey where do you guys have Small Wonder? I'm torn between #5 and #6 on my list.

I don't want to be controversial or rock the boat....but....

A married, adult male who is a robotics engineer invents a robot who looks like a 10 years old girl who he decides to dress in a quasi French maid outfit.

No way that would fly today.

Maybe if you just focused on the hot mom/wife - worked for me back then.

 

[Scoresman]

Does anyone know where I can find some sort of export of list of TV shows and where they are streaming? I know there are sites that have this info, but I'm looking for a sort of master list that I can plop into excel.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Does anyone know where I can find some sort of export of list of TV shows and where they are streaming? I know there are sites that have this info, but I'm looking for a sort of master list that I can plop into excel.

I'm not sure exactly what you're looking for but I use this site to see where movies or shows are streaming:

https://www.justwatch.com/

 

[The Gator]

Does anyone know where I can find some sort of export of list of TV shows and where they are streaming? I know there are sites that have this info, but I'm looking for a sort of master list that I can plop into excel.

I think IMDB has what service the shows are available on.

 

[steelerfan1]

How do you want the following show written? @Scoresman

Spoiler: Show name

The Office (U.S.) written? IMDB has both UK and US listed as "The Office" so I was gonna go with "The Office (U.S.)"

The Office (US)

Please change mine as such to US. I don’t think I added US/UK.

Mine was US as well

 

[steelerfan1]

Hey where do you guys have Small Wonder? I'm torn between #5 and #6 on my list.

I don't want to be controversial or rock the boat....but....

A married, adult male who is a robotics engineer invents a robot who looks like a 10 years old girl who he decides to dress in a quasi French maid outfit.

No way that would fly today.

Maybe if you just focused on the hot mom/wife - worked for me back then.

what's silver spoons have to do with this...

 

[zamboni]

Hey where do you guys have Small Wonder? I'm torn between #5 and #6 on my list.

I don't want to be controversial or rock the boat....but....

A married, adult male who is a robotics engineer invents a robot who looks like a 10 years old girl who he decides to dress in a quasi French maid outfit.

No way that would fly today.

Maybe if you just focused on the hot mom/wife - worked for me back then.

what's silver spoons have to do with this...

We’ll get to that and many others of that ilk.

 

[Scoresman]

Does anyone know where I can find some sort of export of list of TV shows and where they are streaming? I know there are sites that have this info, but I'm looking for a sort of master list that I can plop into excel.

I'm not sure exactly what you're looking for but I use this site to see where movies or shows are streaming:

https://www.justwatch.com/

Yeah I found this but I need to be able to bring this into excel.

 

[Gally]

Hey where do you guys have Small Wonder? I'm torn between #5 and #6 on my list.

I don't want to be controversial or rock the boat....but....

A married, adult male who is a robotics engineer invents a robot who looks like a 10 years old girl who he decides to dress in a quasi French maid outfit.

No way that would fly today.

Maybe if you just focused on the hot mom/wife - worked for me back then.

what's silver spoons have to do with this...

I don't think you were talking about the mom/wife......I think you are talking about the personal assistent/girlfriend?

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Hey where do you guys have Small Wonder? I'm torn between #5 and #6 on my list.

I don't want to be controversial or rock the boat....but....

A married, adult male who is a robotics engineer invents a robot who looks like a 10 years old girl who he decides to dress in a quasi French maid outfit.

No way that would fly today.

Maybe if you just focused on the hot mom/wife - worked for me back then.

what's silver spoons have to do with this...

I don't think you were talking about the mom/wife......I think you are talking about the personal assistent/girlfriend?

So he was a married man that invented a little girl robot with the help of his girlfriend?

How was this show not HUGE?

 

[Gally]

Hey where do you guys have Small Wonder? I'm torn between #5 and #6 on my list.

I don't want to be controversial or rock the boat....but....

A married, adult male who is a robotics engineer invents a robot who looks like a 10 years old girl who he decides to dress in a quasi French maid outfit.

No way that would fly today.

Maybe if you just focused on the hot mom/wife - worked for me back then.

what's silver spoons have to do with this...

I don't think you were talking about the mom/wife......I think you are talking about the personal assistent/girlfriend?

So he was a married man that invented a little girl robot with the help of his girlfriend?

How was this show not HUGE?

You are cross polinating shows now. Small Wonder = Robot daughter.......................Silver Spoons = hot personal assistant/girlfriend of dad

 

[Scoresman]

At around 800 total shows submitted.

447 shows only on one list.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

At around 800 total shows submitted.

447 shows only on one list.

I'm no mathematician, but that seems like more than half of the shows are only on one list.

 

[Gally]

447 shows only on one list.

Who is maintaining the optimal 30-40% solo list choices?

 

[Gr00vus]

So most of the shows I loved in childhood or young adulthood aren't on the list, unless they are shows I'd still consider good.

There are many aspects to "good". In my example, Mork & MIndy. It isn't what I would consider a "good" show based on production, acting, etc. But it is still "good" as it still cracks me up and is still exactly what it was. A perfect vehicle for Robin Williams to do him. The show isn't going to win any awards but it is still one of my favorite shows.

For sure, and I liked what somebody else posted about being rewatchable now as well. IMO a great comp is the talk in the 80s thread, and that is the list I struggled the most with. A nostalgia pick for me that is bad now (IMO) is stuff like Police Academy 2-4 or Screwballs or Mac & Me. A nostalgia pick that is still good is Ghostbusters and Karate Kid.

As I was watching a few things while thinking, too much of my list was in the first category. Part of that is that in general I'm not as much a TV fan as other stuff, but I was surprised how little I enjoyed or was laughing with some of the shows I tried over the past week.

Also, TBH I didn't want to have to think about which version of Scooby-Doo or TMNT I had to list, for example.

That's part of my problem with adding more shows past what I've got. I watched things like Happy Days and Grizzly Adams when they were on, and they were entertaining at the time, but I never have the urge to watch them again, and they weren't must see even when they were current. Thus they don't feel worthy of being included in a best of list. Otherwise it just becomes a list of shows I've seen, which isn't very interesting.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

At around 800 total shows submitted.

447 shows only on one list.

Who listed 447 shows?

 

[Gally]

At around 800 total shows submitted.

447 shows only on one list.

I'm no mathematician, but that seems like more than half of the shows are only on one list.

That's crazy talk

 

[Jayrod]

I'm about to submit my list.

I'd bet my #4 and #5 are either way higher or not even on most lists.

Some heavy hitters I haven't watched so didn't include:
- Game of Thrones
- The Wire
- The Sopranos
- Lost
- Mad Men

This was fun.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

At around 800 total shows submitted.

447 shows only on one list.

How many shows with talking horses so far?

 

[Nick Vermeil]

Hey where do you guys have Small Wonder? I'm torn between #5 and #6 on my list.

I don't want to be controversial or rock the boat....but....

A married, adult male who is a robotics engineer invents a robot who looks like a 10 years old girl who he decides to dress in a quasi French maid outfit.

No way that would fly today.

Maybe if you just focused on the hot mom/wife - worked for me back then.

what's silver spoons have to do with this...

I don't think you were talking about the mom/wife......I think you are talking about the personal assistent/girlfriend?

So he was a married man that invented a little girl robot with the help of his girlfriend?

How was this show not HUGE?

You are cross polinating shows now. Small Wonder = Robot daughter.......................Silver Spoons = hot personal assistant/girlfriend of dad

Thanks for the pitch idea, Dr.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I'm about to submit my list.

I'd bet my #4 and #5 are either way higher or not even on most lists.

Some heavy hitters I haven't watched so didn't include:
- Game of Thrones
- The Wire
- The Sopranos
- Lost
- Mad Men

This was fun.

I only watched half of Lost (got too dumb for me) - but the rest of those you really should rectify. All 4 of the others are some of the best television ever produced.

 

[The Gator]

At around 800 total shows submitted.

447 shows only on one list.

Who listed 447 shows?

Shuke

 

[The Gator]

I'm about to submit my list.

I'd bet my #4 and #5 are either way higher or not even on most lists.

Some heavy hitters I haven't watched so didn't include:
- Game of Thrones
- The Wire
- The Sopranos
- Lost
- Mad Men

This was fun.

Mad Men probably the biggest omission from mine. Just never got into it

 

[Gally]

they weren't must see even when they were current.

Happy Days was huge and pretty much must see back in the day. Of course, there wasn't much choice as to what to watch but it was pretty much must see at the time.

 

[zamboni]

they weren't must see even when they were current.

Happy Days was huge and pretty much must see back in the day. Of course, there wasn't much choice as to what to watch but it was pretty much must see at the time.

Many anxiously waited 10 years for the return of Chuck.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

they weren't must see even when they were current.

Happy Days was huge and pretty much must see back in the day. Of course, there wasn't much choice as to what to watch but it was pretty much must see at the time.

I loved it so much back then that I recorded an episode on a reel to reel tape player and then listed to it again right after instead of watching Laverne & Shirley that was on right after.

The visual jokes didn't work so well on tape.

 

[Jayrod]

I'm about to submit my list.

I'd bet my #4 and #5 are either way higher or not even on most lists.

Some heavy hitters I haven't watched so didn't include:
- Game of Thrones
- The Wire
- The Sopranos
- Lost
- Mad Men

This was fun.

I only watched half of Lost (got too dumb for me) - but the rest of those you really should rectify. All 4 of the others are some of the best television ever produced.

I'm sure. They just came about and we're popular at times when I was too busy, not interested or I couldn't watch due to their platform.

Still never seen Ted Lasso either (despite wanting to) yet due to not having access on the streaming services I subscribe to.

 

[zamboni]

Still never seen Ted Lasso either (despite wanting to) yet due to not having access on the streaming services I subscribe to.

Damn - forgot that one. Oh well - not changing my list.