The Top 300 Greatest TV Shows of All Time: FBG Consensus: 50 Lists received. 69: Firefly (39 Viewers)

[Eephus]

73 - Sherlock​

Drama
Score: 392
Average Rank: 27.4

A modern update finds the famous sleuth and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London.

List Breakdown

The Gator 8
AAABatteries 10
Tick 20
Chaos34 28
Runkle 28
Eephus 31
Psychopav 34
Sullie 34
Hastur 54

I did a rewatch of the complete series last month after submitting my ballot and probably ranked it too low. Benedict Cumberbatch's flamboyant portrayal of Holmes grabs the attention at first but I thought Martin Freeman's Watson made it work as the heart and soul of the show.

I loved the first couple of seasons; but the longer it went on, the less I liked it. They just went for ludicrous speed, and it became entirely uncoupled from reality.

The ghost subplot in S4 didn't always work but I liked how the show took the risk.

 

[Gally]

bit also top 10

If that is what it means everyone that submitted lists would have 10 pickles

 

[Yo Mama]

bit also top 10

If that is what it means everyone that submitted lists would have 10 pickles

Yeah but some people blew their pickles way too early (like in the 300+ range).

 

[Gally]

bit also top 10

If that is what it means everyone that submitted lists would have 10 pickles

Yeah but some people blew their pickles way too early (like in the 300+ range).

But they were still pickled

ETA: I think I still have 7 pickles remaining

 

[guru_007]

Sherlock was very well done, but not great. I agree that Martin Freeman tremendous in that show. Marginal top 100 for me.
Pinky Blinders I enjoyed very much. But, I can definitely see people not liking it. Heavily accented characters required subtitles for me at least. And some of the story lines worked great, others I found a bit dull. And while Tommy gets all the rave reviews (Alfie too), for me, Arthur was a great character.

Never seen Mr. Robot but always looked interesting to me. Will probably check it out this year sometime.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Also forgot to add that Howard is a total creep, especially in the earlier seasons

To be fair not every tv character can be as wholesome as Cliff Huxtable.

 

[steelerfan1]

bit also top 10

If that is what it means everyone that submitted lists would have 10 pickles

Yeah but some people blew their pickles way too early (like in the 300+ range).

But they were still pickled

ETA: I think I still have 7 pickles remaining

7 left here as well, but i'm wondering if a couple didn't even make the 300...

 

[Yo Mama]

71 - Mr. Robot​

Drama
Score: 406
Average Rank: 37.2

Elliot, a brilliant but unstable cyber-security engineer and vigilante hacker, becomes a key figure in a complex game of global chaos when he and his shadowy allies try to take down the corrupt corporation his company is paid to protect.

List Breakdown

Scoresman 4
Runkle 13
kupcho1 25
The Gator 28
shuke 33
Rand al Thor 34
Brutal Penquin 42
Sullie 44
landrys hat 46
Yo Mama 52
John Madden's Lunchbox 60
Binky 65

My wife and I watched this one as it aired, so no spoilers were out there. I still remember how awesome the big “reveal” was when it happened. Rami Malek was so incredible in this show.

 

[krista4]

Never watched Mr. Robot but you guys are talking my language. Adding to the list.

Adding it to mine as well. I think both Mr. Robot and Peaky Blinders suffered from "that's a dumb title" effect for me, so I'd never thought to check them out and see what they're about. Peaky Blinders has an amazing cast. I've actually never seen a single episode of anything listed today, though they all look very good.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

I really liked Mr Robot Season 1. I think I lost interest somewhere in Season 3

 

[Hastur]

Also forgot to add that Howard is a total creep, especially in the earlier seasons

There are some great creepy/sleazy characters thru tv history.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Never watched Mr. Robot but you guys are talking my language. Adding to the list.

Adding it to mine as well. I think both Mr. Robot and Peaky Blinders suffered from "that's a dumb title" effect for me, so I'd never thought to check them out and see what they're about. Peaky Blinders has an amazing cast. I've actually never seen a single episode of anything listed today, though they all look very good.

I always confused Mr Robot with Robot Chicken.

 

[Schmeabs]

Top score for Mr. Robot here. I obviously feel like this one is very under ranked. There are very, very few shows that had an emotional impact on me like this show had. The writing, acting, music, cinematography all come together in this for a near perfect experience, IMO.

It also never overstays its welcome, and has one of the best series endings ever. The ending is up there with The Americans, Six Feet Under, and other great shows. This is a show that took risks and succeeding in them in every way. It has the perfect ratio of depth to entertainment.

Highly recommended.

never heard of it

 

[krista4]

I always confused Mr Robot with Robot Chicken.

This might have been my problem, too.

 

[Instinctive]

Never watched Mr. Robot but you guys are talking my language. Adding to the list.

Adding it to mine as well. I think both Mr. Robot and Peaky Blinders suffered from "that's a dumb title" effect for me, so I'd never thought to check them out and see what they're about. Peaky Blinders has an amazing cast. I've actually never seen a single episode of anything listed today, though they all look very good.

I've had Peaky Blinders on the list forever and it keeps getting pushed aside. Maybe this is the push I need.

 

[Gally]

Peaky Blinders suffered from "that's a dumb title" effect for me, so I'd never thought to check them out and see what they're about

I think I was deterred for the same reasons especially for Mr. Robot. I might have thought it was a sequel to Small Wonder and avoided it.

 

[Bottomfeeder Sports]

bit also top 10

If that is what it means everyone that submitted lists would have 10 pickles

Not quite!

I think I count 15 names on this list (including yours) that is at best 9 in the top 300. But some of these have really low numbers that didn't make it so maybe even fewer for them.

Instead of the top 25, let's finish the honorable mentions with everyone's top ranked show that did not make the top 300. There will obviously be overlap with the previous top 5 list.

ETA: See that I should have refreshed before posting as this discussion has already happened. Oh well!

 

[Dr. Octopus]

, Arthur was a great character.

He was my favorite character.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Never watched Mr. Robot but you guys are talking my language. Adding to the list.

Adding it to mine as well. I think both Mr. Robot and Peaky Blinders suffered from "that's a dumb title" effect for me, so I'd never thought to check them out and see what they're about. Peaky Blinders has an amazing cast. I've actually never seen a single episode of anything listed today, though they all look very good.

I always confused Mr Robot with Robot Chicken.

I never heard of either.

 

[zamboni]

Never watched Mr. Robot but you guys are talking my language. Adding to the list.

Adding it to mine as well. I think both Mr. Robot and Peaky Blinders suffered from "that's a dumb title" effect for me, so I'd never thought to check them out and see what they're about. Peaky Blinders has an amazing cast. I've actually never seen a single episode of anything listed today, though they all look very good.

I always confused Mr Robot with Robot Chicken.

Wait until we get to Small Wonder.

 

[Gally]

I think I count 15 names on this list (including yours) that is at best 9 in the top 300.

From my count I had only one of my top 10 revealed thus far. The League (my #6) finished at 183. I have all the others still in play. I would be surprised if any of the 9 I have left don't make it in the remaining countdown. I could maybe see 1 not make it but that would surprise me.

 

[Bottomfeeder Sports]

I think I count 15 names on this list (including yours) that is at best 9 in the top 300.

From my count I had only one of my top 10 revealed thus far. The League (my #6) finished at 183. I have all the others still in play. I would be surprised if any of the 9 I have left don't make it in the remaining countdown. I could maybe see 1 not make it but that would surprise me.

I cut out the list to keep it from being a spoiler leaving the arrow as link back, but assuming that a recalculation didn't change this you'll have 9 in the top 300-

Spoiler: Didn't make the cut

10 Criminal Minds Gally

My #8 didn't make the list, so I could have 1 to 3 not making the top 300 as of now.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I think I count 15 names on this list (including yours) that is at best 9 in the top 300.

From my count I had only one of my top 10 revealed thus far. The League (my #6) finished at 183. I have all the others still in play. I would be surprised if any of the 9 I have left don't make it in the remaining countdown. I could maybe see 1 not make it but that would surprise me.

I've only had one of my Top 10 appear (NYPD Blue).

My #12 (Odd Couple) didn't make the Top 300.

I would be shocked if any of the rest of my Top 10 does not appear going forward.

 

[Instinctive]

I think I count 15 names on this list (including yours) that is at best 9 in the top 300.

From my count I had only one of my top 10 revealed thus far. The League (my #6) finished at 183. I have all the others still in play. I would be surprised if any of the 9 I have left don't make it in the remaining countdown. I could maybe see 1 not make it but that would surprise me.

5 of my top 10 have come up, the other 5 will really surprise me not to make it highly. At least a couple have entire threads on this board dedicated to them LOL.

 

[Tick]

75 - Dark​

Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror
Score: 389
Average Rank: 32.1

A family saga with a supernatural twist, set in a German town where the disappearance of two young children exposes the relationships among four families.

List Breakdown

The Gator 3
Tick 5
kupcho1 10
Scoresman 13
Bottomfeeder Sports 21
Yo Mama 40
Chaos34 51
Dan Lambskin 57
Nick Vermeil 58
shuke 63

I just checked my PMs and I ranked this #1. I asked about that back with Letterkenny but don’t remember a response (I could have missed it).

 

[Yo Mama]

Still have all 10 firmly in the chamber and 23 of my top 25 still to come.

 

[Tick]

I think Dark has 2 things going against it that make it less accessible

1. It's in German
2. You almost need a wiki companion guide to follow what's happening.

But if you can get over that, it's one of the best time travel stories put to TV. Great story, satisfying conclusion. If plotlines like" somebody's daughter is also their mother and at the same time their own grandmother" appeals to you, watch this.

Did Heinlein write it?

Sounds like two ingredients for an amazing show...

We obviously have very different consumption habits here. Kind of neat to see them meld.

I'm not sure what you mean here.

This show sounds interesting.

I'm currently watching The Crown. Is there some reason they didn't pay the power bill? Most of the indoor scenes are so dark, I can't tell WTF is going on. Please tell me Dark is not all that dark.

What I mean is: Im literally never watching stuff that's not in a language I speak. I can't stand subtitles. I'm not going to that level of effort, I find it more draining than entertaining. And dubs are even worse, they're distracting.

Then add the "the shows plotline is super confusing and difficult to follow" description...I have no idea why one would intentionally be psyched for that.

Obviously that stuff can be good - note how I didn't say something was better or worse for it - just look at how many people ranked it and where it landed on the list!

Which I think is kind of neat to see how that melds into a giant group list. And I wonder if that same set of very different consumption habits is gonna reveal some shows that I will want to watch but never encountered. Thus my choice of words.

This is a fantasy football board. It already filtered us down to the people who obsess over the smallest details and make models/diagrams. I’d think most here would like Dark, but if not, so be it - it’s my #1 show, not the show I thought would be #1 in the countdown.

 

[Tick]

2. You almost need a wiki companion guide to follow what's happening.

It's very high on my to-watch list, but it's this part that makes me hesitate every time I decide it's going to be next.

Needing outlines, flow charts, and a family tree to understand a show starts to sound like homework to me.

Yeah, it rocks

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

72 - Fawlty Towers​

Comedy
Score: 396
Average Rank: 14.4

Hotel owner Basil Fawlty's incompetence, short fuse, and arrogance form a combination that ensures accidents and trouble are never far away.

List Breakdown

Don Quixote 2
John Madden's Lunchbox 4
Pip's Invitation 7
Hastur 9
Runkle 22
Atomic Punk 24
Barry2 33

The writing on this show is so tight. It did descend Cleese into madness and broke up his marriage to “Polly”, but they sucked it up and wrote another series.
Its easy to pick apart if you watch it now, from the racial slurs to the poor background acting, but over looking that and its so well done.
There are lots of subtle things too, like the sign welcoming people being changing by a mischievous kid from Fawlty towers to “Flay Otters” or “Warty Towels” or best of all “Flowery Twats”

71 - Mr. Robot​

Drama
Score: 406
Average Rank: 37.2

Elliot, a brilliant but unstable cyber-security engineer and vigilante hacker, becomes a key figure in a complex game of global chaos when he and his shadowy allies try to take down the corrupt corporation his company is paid to protect.

List Breakdown

Scoresman 4
Runkle 13
kupcho1 25
The Gator 28
shuke 33
Rand al Thor 34
Brutal Penquin 42
Sullie 44
landrys hat 46
Yo Mama 52
John Madden's Lunchbox 60
Binky 65

I totally get the higher rankings here. Its a unique show with standout performances, especially Malek.
Problem was there we're several episodes that totally lost me and confused the overall arc of the show.
I had only finished watching it recently, so my opinion is still developing.
It is a highly intelligent show that really looks deep at mental illness. A good thing.
Perhaps a rewatch is in order or it moves up a lot with further thought

 

[Don Quixote]

72 - Fawlty Towers​

Comedy
Score: 396
Average Rank: 14.4

Hotel owner Basil Fawlty's incompetence, short fuse, and arrogance form a combination that ensures accidents and trouble are never far away.

List Breakdown

Don Quixote 2
John Madden's Lunchbox 4
Pip's Invitation 7
Hastur 9
Runkle 22
Atomic Punk 24
Barry2 33

I guess I’m highest ranker here. Easily the show that I’ve gone back and rewatched each episode the most. Maybe a bit easier with this one since only 12 episodes. So many great scenes:

German: Will you stop talking about the war?

Basil: Me? You started it.

German: We did not start it.

Basil: Yes, you did. You invaded Poland.

 

[Instinctive]

I think Dark has 2 things going against it that make it less accessible

1. It's in German
2. You almost need a wiki companion guide to follow what's happening.

But if you can get over that, it's one of the best time travel stories put to TV. Great story, satisfying conclusion. If plotlines like" somebody's daughter is also their mother and at the same time their own grandmother" appeals to you, watch this.

Did Heinlein write it?

Sounds like two ingredients for an amazing show...

We obviously have very different consumption habits here. Kind of neat to see them meld.

I'm not sure what you mean here.

This show sounds interesting.

I'm currently watching The Crown. Is there some reason they didn't pay the power bill? Most of the indoor scenes are so dark, I can't tell WTF is going on. Please tell me Dark is not all that dark.

What I mean is: Im literally never watching stuff that's not in a language I speak. I can't stand subtitles. I'm not going to that level of effort, I find it more draining than entertaining. And dubs are even worse, they're distracting.

Then add the "the shows plotline is super confusing and difficult to follow" description...I have no idea why one would intentionally be psyched for that.

Obviously that stuff can be good - note how I didn't say something was better or worse for it - just look at how many people ranked it and where it landed on the list!

Which I think is kind of neat to see how that melds into a giant group list. And I wonder if that same set of very different consumption habits is gonna reveal some shows that I will want to watch but never encountered. Thus my choice of words.

This is a fantasy football board. It already filtered us down to the people who obsess over the smallest details and make models/diagrams. I’d think most here would like Dark, but if not, so be it - it’s my #1 show, not the show I thought would be #1 in the countdown.

Exactly how I feel about Burn Notice

 

[Atomic Punk]

71 Mr. Robot - like others, confused thus with Robot Chicken and never watched. Will add it to the list based on the comments.

72 Fawlty Towers - only two short seasons but loved every minute of it and was pretty high on my ranking

73 Sherlock - on my list and looking forward to it

74 Peaky Blinders - ditto others with the need for subtitles making me leave after a couple of episodes

75 Dark - as others have said, I hate needing notes to watch a show. Stayed for 1.5 seasons and bailed.

76 The Big Bang Theory - mangiacake television, nothing more for me

77 In Living Color - ok skit show but I had others ranked well over it

78 30 Rock - seem to remember this as a show that tried too hard and I soured on it

79 Silicon Valley - remember watching a few and liking it, so I’ll have to give this another go.

80 NewsRadio - great cast but didn’t live in the memory as others do.

81 Mr. Inbetween - binged this and loved it … probably would make my list if I redid it.

82 Modern Family - well placed. Great show that became a parody of itself after 5-6 seasons.

83 Brooklyn Nine-Nine - wife got me on to this one I really loved it once you start to get the characters. Some stellar acting in this.

84 The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson - I was more of a Letterman guy

85 The Shield - there came a time that cop shows just became a drain and I stopped watching many of them. May have reconsider based on the comments.

86 Fleabag - enjoyed it, and the lead was fantastic … but top 70? Not for me anyway.

87 The Larry Sanders Show - watched this show a lot and loved it but it never got any consideration that it maybe should have

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Never heard of news radio.

BBT being described as middling is a first. It's got character arcs and development on par with some of the best dramas and prestige TV. There's a reason it's one of the five most profitable shows of all time

Full disclosure: I purposefully excised portions of the original post for the quotes above to address a single point. I direct those interested in reading the entire post to the up arrow next to the username.

If you haven't seen News Radio (which, btw, I encourage you to do so. I think it is fairly ranked at #80 and holds up relatively well) then you probably haven't seen WKRP in Cincinnati.
(Note to reader: this assumption could be flawed on my part. I did not search the thread for all user comments on whether or not they've seen WKRP. This assumption could be wrong (unless of course I was making it for BLOCKED_PUNT, in which case there is a 99.9% chance they have not seen the show.))

Bottomfeeder Sports posted a link to a video (see below) explaining that when the network insisted that the show be more of a "joke, joke, joke" show instead of addressing any serious topics. So, the creative team crafted the most cliched, lowest common denominator episode they possibly could. Guess what: it was wildly successful.

Do we all know the back story of the last episode of season 1?

Assumption: Instinctive is stating that the reason (see 2nd quote above) the Bing Bang Theory is one of the five most profitable shows of all time is because it is prestige TV (given "it's got character arcs and development on par with some of the best dramas and prestige TV").

Now, I've only got two degrees, and to my eternal shame, only one of them is an advanced degree, but I disagree with the inference made in quote 2 above.

I contend that the Big Bang Theory is one of the five most profitable shows of all time (coming in at #4 according to one source I found) because it catered to the lowest common denominator. It also, IMHO, emerged at a time when "geek culture" (e.g., comic books, superhero movies) was more widely accepted by the general public (i.e., the "Ogres" of the world if you will).


Hopefully everyone reading this post takes it as intended (i.e., good-natured ball busting). It's a proven fact that on-line forum posts are not the best way to convey sarcasm, satire and the like. If this has offended anyone, I apologize in advance.

Caution: some readers of this post have experienced severe side effects including, but not limited to, a loss of the sense of smell, dizziness, rectal bleeding and rickets. If you experience any of these please contact a medical professional immediately.

Gonna go with the internet cliche of "IT CAN BE TWO THINGS".

Did some episodes have lowest-common-denominator humor? Yes.
Did the series improve as it went along and keep a large audience because of the character development and storylines? Also yes.
Did both of those things contribute to it being one of the most profitable shows of all time? Yes.

 

[Schmeabs]

After doing some homework it doesn't appear that Mr Robot is available on any platform to stream. That is probably why I and others have never heard of it.

 

[Gally]

I think I count 15 names on this list (including yours) that is at best 9 in the top 300.

From my count I had only one of my top 10 revealed thus far. The League (my #6) finished at 183. I have all the others still in play. I would be surprised if any of the 9 I have left don't make it in the remaining countdown. I could maybe see 1 not make it but that would surprise me.

I cut out the list to keep it from being a spoiler leaving the arrow as link back, but assuming that a recalculation didn't change this you'll have 9 in the top 300-

Spoiler: Didn't make the cut

10 Criminal Minds Gally

My #8 didn't make the list, so I could have 1 to 3 not making the top 300 as of now.

I didn't remember that honorable mention list but that was the show I was thinking had a chance not to be at this stage of the countdown. Although I am extremely shocked it didn't make it al all (top 300).

 

[Psychopav]

Honestly kind of feels like Mr. Robot might not be rated as high on RT if the folks rating it had read this thread before watching. Admittedly I have never seen it, but after reading the last page it kind of feels like it's been spoiled a bit. Am I off base?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Mr Robot is usually the first show I recommend when people ask for input (assuming they're looking for something unfamiliar).

And I'm not much of a Rami Malek fan.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Honestly kind of feels like Mr. Robot might not be rated as high on RT if the folks rating it had read this thread before watching. Admittedly I have never seen it, but after reading the last page it kind of feels like it's been spoiled a bit. Am I off base?

You have not been spoiled.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Did not think Fawlty Towers would get the first quadruple pickle.

I forgot I put it in my top 10!

Its humor is exactly in my wheelhouse -- the absurdity of Monty Python crossed with the physical comedy of the Three Stooges and their peers. Basil's character would not fly today but I was captivated by his ridiculousness, and every episode ended with him being revealed as the fool that he was. There are only 12 episodes (the second half coming 4 years after the first half) and John Cleese and Connie Booth put so much effort into making sure each one of them was packed with laughs and great plot twists.

 

[Runkle]

Never watched Mr. Robot but you guys are talking my language. Adding to the list.

Adding it to mine as well. I think both Mr. Robot and Peaky Blinders suffered from "that's a dumb title" effect for me, so I'd never thought to check them out and see what they're about. Peaky Blinders has an amazing cast. I've actually never seen a single episode of anything listed today, though they all look very good.

K4, I've noticed your list and mine have some agreeable overlap... I'm betting you will really enjoy Mr Robot. After the first season you might get really hooked.

 

[Anarchy99]

There are lots of subtle things too, like the sign welcoming people being changing by a mischievous kid from Fawlty towers to “Flay Otters” or “Warty Towels” or best of all “Flowery Twats”

This reminds me of my college days. One of the businesses next to the school was a combination watering hole / pool hall / video rental place (people remember VHS, right?). They had a big sign out front to announce what local bands were playing, drink specials, theme nights, etc. Someone had to go and place the lettering on the sign by hand (ie, not an electronic sign). There were individual letters that could be rearranged.

The kids from the college would go muck up what the sign said all the time. The one I remember most first said . . . "Hot shots and bunches of videos" with some other stuff on the bottom of the sign. By the time the kids were finished with it, they had changed it to "Hot s-l-u-t-s and b-i-t-c-h-e-s on video."

On the same day, there was a fire at a restaurant just down the street. The local newspaper ended up putting a big picture of firemen battling the blaze on the front page. However, no one from the paper noticed the sign from the bar / pool hall in the the background, and the NC-17 version of the sign was immortalized forever.

 

[Instinctive]

The honorable mentions list makes me want to put out a good call for 3-4 seasons of Person of Interest. Great show, cool premise, love the main guy and the main nerd guy actors. Love the girl ex CIA person who joins the team.

It takes a hard drop off when it gets too scifi future AI computer war singularity blah blah but until then it's great fun.

 

[Instinctive]

After doing some homework it doesn't appear that Mr Robot is available on any platform to stream. That is probably why I and others have never heard of it.

My cousin was a writer for it for a bit and I've still never been able to figure out how to watch it.

 

[Scoresman]

75 - Dark​

Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror
Score: 389
Average Rank: 32.1

A family saga with a supernatural twist, set in a German town where the disappearance of two young children exposes the relationships among four families.

List Breakdown

The Gator 3
Tick 5
kupcho1 10
Scoresman 13
Bottomfeeder Sports 21
Yo Mama 40
Chaos34 51
Dan Lambskin 57
Nick Vermeil 58
shuke 63

I just checked my PMs and I ranked this #1. I asked about that back with Letterkenny but don’t remember a response (I could have missed it).

Yeah this is really weird. I see your PM and it confirms this but when I pasted into the spreadsheet it has Dark and Letterkenny swapped. I will fix this and it may tweak the rankings a bit.

 

[kupcho1]

it has Dark and Letterkenny swapped.

A lot of people make this mistake. They're very similar shows.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

it has Dark and Letterkenny swapped.

A lot of people make this mistake. They're very similar shows.

They both solve crimes by being super observant.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

it has Dark and Letterkenny swapped.

A lot of people make this mistake. They're very similar shows.

They both solve crimes by being super observant.

Mikkel…how are ya now?

 

[Yo Mama]

it has Dark and Letterkenny swapped.

A lot of people make this mistake. They're very similar shows.

I feel I need subtitles for both shows.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

72 - Fawlty Towers​

Comedy
Score: 396
Average Rank: 14.4

Hotel owner Basil Fawlty's incompetence, short fuse, and arrogance form a combination that ensures accidents and trouble are never far away.

List Breakdown

Don Quixote 2
John Madden's Lunchbox 4
Pip's Invitation 7
Hastur 9
Runkle 22
Atomic Punk 24
Barry2 33

I guess I’m highest ranker here. Easily the show that I’ve gone back and rewatched each episode the most. Maybe a bit easier with this one since only 12 episodes. So many great scenes:

German: Will you stop talking about the war?

Basil: Me? You started it.

German: We did not start it.

Basil: Yes, you did. You invaded Poland.

Scary thing is the character of Basil Fawlty, like a lot of the best characters, was based on a real person.

In May 1970, the Monty Python comedy group stayed at the now-demolished Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay, Devon while filming on location in Paignton. John Cleese was fascinated with the behaviour of the owner, Donald Sinclair, later describing him as "the rudest man I've ever come across in my life". Among such behaviour by Sinclair was his criticism of Terry Gilliam's "too American" table etiquetteand tossing Eric Idle's briefcase out of a window "in case it contained a bomb". Asked why anyone would want to bomb the hotel, Sinclair replied, "We've had a lot of staff problems". Michael Palin states Sinclair "seemed to view us as a colossal inconvenience". Rosemary Harrison, a waitress at the Gleneagles under Sinclair, described him as "bonkers" and lacking in hospitality, deeming him wholly unsuitable for a hotel proprietor. "It was as if he didn't want the guests to be there." Cleese and his then-wife Connie Booth stayed on at the hotel after filming, furthering their research of its owner.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

The honorable mentions list makes me want to put out a good call for 3-4 seasons of Person of Interest. Great show, cool premise, love the main guy and the main nerd guy actors. Love the girl ex CIA person who joins the team.

It takes a hard drop off when it gets too scifi future AI computer war singularity blah blah but until then it's great fun.

This should have been on my list. It was the best of the post-Lost Sci Fi shows the broadcast networks were pushing at the time. My wife and I watched it regularly through its entire run.