The Top 300 Greatest TV Shows of All Time: FBG Consensus: 50 Lists received. 90: The Mandalorian (81 Viewers)

[Scoresman]

My desire to do ranking threads continues. This time I want to include others who want to have their voices and rankings heard since this is such a wide open category. At the end of it all, it could be a good "What should I watch next" list for us.

I'll be doing this like I did the horror thread. Whoever wants to sign up can submit to me a list of your 70 ranked greatest TV shows of all time and we will countdown the overall top 100 or so.

The Rules​

1. Use this thread to indicate your interest and to sign up.
2. Create your ranked list of 70 TV shows. See list below for what is eligible and format to submit.
3. Submit to me via PM, by Feb 8.
4. I'm probably forgetting some rules right now, so check back to the OP before submitting to make sure nothing came up.

What is Eligible/Not Eligible​

I prefer the list to be a list of our personal favorite shows of all time. Don't rank something just because it is highly regarded publicly, especially if you haven't watched it.

Eligible:

1. Any series, mini-series or limited series that aired on a TV network or streaming service that you have watched.
.2 Any genre or country of origin. Reality, docuseries, dramas, sitcoms, telenovelas etc.

Not Eligible:

1. Made for TV movies or any movie that aired on TV.
2. Sporting events.

Submission Guidelines​

1. Your list should have your top ranked show at the top and least ranked at the bottom.
2. Please try to spell out the show titles as they are spelled out on IMDB. This is so that when I collate all the lists, I don't have to deal with multiple spellings that will screw up the counts like "Xfiles" "The X-files" "The X Files", etc. This was a problem during the horror countdown.

3. If a show is a remake, you can add the year somewhere, or somehow specify.

 

[Scoresman]

90 The Mandalorian
91 Planet Earth
92 Daredevil
93 Beavis and Butt-Head
94 WKRP In Cincinnati
95 Buffy the Vampire Slayer
96 Looney Toons/Bugs Bunny
97 The Mary Tyler Moore Show
98 Flight of the Conchords
99 The Daily Show
100 Psych
101 The Walking Dead
102 The Expanse
103 The Brady Bunch
104 Police Squad!
105 Three's Company
106 Mystery Science Theater 3000
107 Shogun 2024
108 NYPD Blue
109 Top Chef
110 The **** Van Dyke Show
111 Archer
t-112 Barry
t-112 How I Met Your Mother
114 Hannibal
115 ER
116 Family Ties
117 Schitt's Creek
118 Mindhunter
119 Roseanne
120 The Queen's Gambit
121 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
122 Narcos
123 The Kids in the Hall
124 The Jeffersons
125 The Office (UK)
126 Moonlighting
127 Lonesome Dove
128 SportsCenter
129 The Last Of Us
130 The Crown
131 The Last Kingdom
132 Futurama
133 Reservation Dogs
134 Northern Exposure
135 The Price is Right
136 Severance
137 The White Lotus
138 Andor
139 Halt and Catch Fire
140 Letterkenny
141 Vikings
142 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
143 The Bob Newhart Show
144 Watchmen
145 Broadchurch
146 Gilmore Girls
147 Rescue Me
148 The Newsroom
149 Hill Street Blues
150 Night Court
151 Suits
152 SCTV
153 Mr. Show with Bob and David
154 Columbo
155 The Cosby Show
156 The Andy Griffith Show
157 The White Shadow
158 The Golden Girls
159 Westworld
160 Sons of Anarchy
161 Oz
162 Roots
163 American Horror Story
164 Scooby Doo, Where are You?
165 Downton Abbey
166 Saved By The Bell
167 Homeland
168 The Lincoln Lawyer
169 Station 11
170 1883
171 Shameless
172 30 for 30
173 Squid Game
174 That 70s Show
175 60 Minutes
176 Reacher
177 Fringe
178 Batman
179 The Blacklist
180 Rectify
181 Californication
182 The Last Dance
183 The League
184 St. Elsewhere
185 The Handmaid's Tale
186 Cosmos
187 Rome
188 Star Wars: The Clone Wars
189 L.A. Law
190 Beverly Hills, 90210
191 Whose Line Is It Anyway?
192 Veronica Mars
193 Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood
194 Orange Is the New Black
195 Ken Burns: Baseball
196 Bloodline
197 Bosch
198 Quantum Leap
199 The Penguin
200 The Dukes of Hazzard

​

300-1​

Updated Daily

201 Good Eats
202 Miami Vice
203 Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations
204 Sanford and Son
205 Cobra Kai
206 The Practice
207 House of Cards
208 The Punisher
209 John Adams
210 Sports Night
211 King of the Hill
212 NOVA
213 After Life
214 From the Earth to the Moon
215 Dallas
216 Weeds
217 The Real World
t-218 The Tick
t-218 The Rockford Files
220 Bates Motel
221 Damages
222 I, Claudius
223 This Is Us
224 Law & Order SVU
225 Black Sails
t-226 Slow Horses
t-226 It
228 The Chosen
229 The Pacific
230 Ken Burns' The Vietnam War
231 Yellowstone
232 Only Murders in the Building
233 The Flintstones
234 This Week In Baseball
235 Young Sheldon
236 Burn Notice
t-237 The Night Of
t-237 The Inbetweeners
t-237 Family Feud
240 The IT Crowd
t-241 Little House on the Prairie
t-241 Ren and Stimpy
243 Bob's Burgers
244 Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey
245 Jackass
246 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
247 New Girl
248 Shrinking
249 Monk
250 Parenthood
251 Get Smart
252 Top Gear
253 Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
254 What's Happening!!
t-255 The Young Ones
t-255 MythBusters
257 Shark Tank
t-258 True Blood
t-258 Yellowjackets
t-258 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
261 Peep Show
t-262 Remote Control
t-262 Angels in America
264 Atlanta
265 Frontline
266 The Up Series
t-267 The Terminal List
t-267 Documentary Now!
t-267 Batman: The Animated Series
270 Soap
271 Tom & Jerry
272 Loudermilk
273 Sex and the City
274 The Amazing Race
275 The Mentalist
276 Boy Meets World
277 Boston Legal
278 Chopped
279 Your Honor
t-280 Party Down
t-280 Carnivale
t-282 Rick and Morty
t-282 Malcolm in the Middle
t-282 Chuck
t-285 The Great British Bake Off
t-285 What We Do in the Shadows
t-285 Late Night With Conan O'Brien
288 Babylon 5
289 Loki
290 Dopesick
291 I Think You Should Leave
292 The Challenge
293 The World at War
294 NCIS
295 Supernatural
296 Magnum, P.I.
297 Billions
298 Just Shoot Me
299 The Wonderful World of Disney
300 Mork & Mindy

​

 

[Scoresman]

Questions for the thread.

Should people be ranking series that they have only partially watched? I feel like it may be a different answer for serial shows than episodic shows.

If you are submitting, how much time do you need?

 

[El Floppo]

I mean...

 

[Don Quixote]

I’m interested.

 

[The Gator]

In

 

[Don Quixote]

Questions for the thread.

Should people be ranking series that they have only partially watched? I feel like it may be a different answer for serial shows than episodic shows.

If you are submitting, how much time do you need?

I would include partial, but leave to own personal judgment. I can think of some shows where I came of age a bit too late, but watched reruns, Nick at Nite, etc. Doubt I watched all of them, but enough to form an opinion, I think. And trying to wrack my brain if I ever watched Season 3, Episode 10 of Cheers or something are brain cells not worth being wasted.

 

[Scoresman]

Questions for the thread.

Should people be ranking series that they have only partially watched? I feel like it may be a different answer for serial shows than episodic shows.

If you are submitting, how much time do you need?

I would include partial, but leave to own personal judgment. I can think of some shows where I came of age a bit too late, but watched reruns, Nick at Nite, etc. Doubt I watched all of them, but enough to form an opinion, I think. And trying to wrack my brain if I ever watched Season 3, Episode 10 of Cheers or something are brain cells not worth being wasted.

Yeah I think we leave it to personal judgment.

For example, I just started 12 Monkeys and am halfway through Season 1. Really like it so far, but as of today I cant rank it because it's serial and I've seen so little. But by the time lists are due, I anticipate seeing enough of it to consider including.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Your list should have your top ranked movie at the top and least ranked at the bottom.

TV show

 

[NewlyRetired]

Whether you have watched the entire series or not should also depend on the type of show.

If the show was older and entirely episodic, then having watched a majority to get an excellent feel for the show should be enough.

If the show is a complete story, arc based show I feel like people should watch from beginning to end to form a proper opinion.

For example, lets pretend some one watched Game of Thrones for the first 6 seasons. They are almost certainly going to rank that higher than some one who watched it from start to finish.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I'll send a list

 

[Dr. Octopus]

It's really hard to rank 22 minute sitcoms against 44 minute dramas/action/sci-fi shows - but it should be interesting to see if one dominates the other in these lists.

 

[TheAristocrat]

 

[Scoresman]

Whether you have watched the entire series or not should also depend on the type of show.

If the show was older and entirely episodic, then having watched a majority to get an excellent feel for the show should be enough.

If the show is a complete story, arc based show I feel like people should watch from beginning to end to form a proper opinion.

For example, lets pretend some one watched Game of Thrones for the first 6 seasons. They are almost certainly going to rank that higher than some one who watched it from start to finish.

That begs the question of serial shows that are currently running. I'm inclined to allow and not worry too much about it because there's so many.

Again, personal judgement.

 

[Scoresman]

It's really hard to rank 22 minute sitcoms against 44 minute dramas/action/sci-fi shows - but it should be interesting to see if one dominates the other in these lists.

Yeah I started looking at shows and so much keeps popping up from my childhood, college years, etc.

Difficult to rank, but that makes a good thread.

 

[Atomic Punk]

Depending on when this is starting, I may be interested (leaving for a Mexican holiday in two weeks).

Just so I am clear … a one season, four part limited series can be listed up against the likes of Cheers?

 

[NewlyRetired]

Where does something like Sherlock fall? It is listed as a TV series but in effect each season is really just 3 movies with a running time of 90 minutes (no commercials) per episode.

 

[Scoresman]

Depending on when this is starting, I may be interested (leaving for a Mexican holiday in two weeks).

Just so I am clear … a one season, four part limited series can be listed up against the likes of Cheers?

Yes, that is the idea here.

I dont know how long people need to do their lists. 2 weeks?

 

[Scoresman]

Where does something like Sherlock fall? It is listed as a TV series but in effect each season is really just 3 movies with a running time of 90 minutes (no commercials) per episode.

It counts.

 

[Bottomfeeder Sports]

Depending on when this is starting, I may be interested (leaving for a Mexican holiday in two weeks).

Just so I am clear … a one season, four part limited series can be listed up against the likes of Cheers?

I think one could legitimately argue that something like Police Squad! (IMDB 8.4; RT 90) that was cancelled after only six episodes is more of a personal favorite than something like Cheers (IMDB 8; RT 87) that ran for years and years.

 

[Atomic Punk]

Depending on when this is starting, I may be interested (leaving for a Mexican holiday in two weeks).

Just so I am clear … a one season, four part limited series can be listed up against the likes of Cheers?

I think one could legitimately argue that something like Police Squad! (IMDB 8.4; RT 90) that was cancelled after only six episodes is more of a personal favorite than something like Cheers (IMDB 8; RT 87) that ran for years and years.

Absolutely agree! Hoping to get started tonight. This is going to be crazy difficult.

 

[Don Quixote]

I’m probably going to throw some game shows in my list, unless those are not allowed for some reason.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Depending on when this is starting, I may be interested (leaving for a Mexican holiday in two weeks).

Just so I am clear … a one season, four part limited series can be listed up against the likes of Cheers?

I think one could legitimately argue that something like Police Squad! (IMDB 8.4; RT 90) that was cancelled after only six episodes is more of a personal favorite than something like Cheers (IMDB 8; RT 87) that ran for years and years.

yeah, where I place Firefly is going to be really hard. It may be my favorite TV show of all time but it seems so hard to rank it against shows that ran for a long time and kept their quality high.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

I’m in. Let me know deadline for submission

 

[Dan Lambskin]

I’m probably going to throw some game shows in my list, unless those are not allowed for some reason.

Card Sharks FTW

 

[tuffnutt]

I'll send a list

 

[Gally]

what about a show like Survivor? Each season is kind of like it's own show. Do you put the entirety of the series or call out individual seasons?

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Where does something like Sherlock fall? It is listed as a TV series but in effect each season is really just 3 movies with a running time of 90 minutes (no commercials) per episode.

Same with Columbo which most consider a series but the “episodes” were actually movies of the week running 90 minutes to 2 hours in length.

 

[ChiefD]

1. The Thorn Birds

 

[Scoresman]

what about a show like Survivor? Each season is kind of like it's own show. Do you put the entirety of the series or call out individual seasons?

No seasons. That makes this way too complicated. I know there are other shows where some seasons are much better than others, and are also standalone stories, but that’s just part of what makes this a challenge.

 

[Scoresman]

I’m probably going to throw some game shows in my list, unless those are not allowed for some reason.

Yup it counts. I have one so far.

 

[New Binky the Doormat]

interested! in!

 

[McBokonon]

Sorry, I spent too much of my life having sex with women and touching grass to have watched enough shows for this.



(I'm in)

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

1- If you have 70 shows for each person and lets say 20 people submit lists (You may get a lot more), how many are you going to count down?
You could get a 1000+ TV shows. Some people have obscure tastes and some Danish police procedural may get a vote.
Its quite feasible that someones #1 ranked show doesnt make your final lat

2- How are you rating each persons votes ie 70 points for #1 and 1 point for #70?

 

[shuke]

Absolutely in.

 

[titusbramble]

Rather than a ranking list like this, one thing we did on another forum back in the day was to do a draft to create a channel that would draw the most ratings

 

[Don Quixote]

what about a show like Survivor? Each season is kind of like it's own show. Do you put the entirety of the series or call out individual seasons?

No seasons. That makes this way too complicated. I know there are other shows where some seasons are much better than others, and are also standalone stories, but that’s just part of what makes this a challenge.

Masterpiece Theatre all separate though? E.g., Downton Abbey and I, Claudius are their own thing and not all under Masterpiece Theatre?

 

[Nick Vermeil]

Going to try to get you a list.

 

[Scoresman]

1- If you have 70 shows for each person and lets say 20 people submit lists (You may get a lot more), how many are you going to count down?
You could get a 1000+ TV shows. Some people have obscure tastes and some Danish police procedural may get a vote.
Its quite feasible that someones #1 ranked show doesnt make your final lat

2- How are you rating each persons votes ie 70 points for #1 and 1 point for #70?

1. That’s why I haven’t committed to a number yet. It will be at least 100. In the horror countdown, it started out as top 100, but I realized as I was receiving lists that I had enough quality movies for a top 200 so we changed it. I will only do this if there are enough quality shows to justify it.

2. Yes.

 

[Scoresman]

what about a show like Survivor? Each season is kind of like it's own show. Do you put the entirety of the series or call out individual seasons?

No seasons. That makes this way too complicated. I know there are other shows where some seasons are much better than others, and are also standalone stories, but that’s just part of what makes this a challenge.

Masterpiece Theatre all separate though? E.g., Downton Abbey and I, Claudius are their own thing and not all under Masterpiece Theatre?

Good observation. Yes, those would be separate.

 

[Scoresman]

If I set a tentative due date for lists at Feb 1, is that enough time for people?

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

I will probably do this.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

If I set a tentative due date for lists at Feb 1, is that enough time for people?

no, give me another week, Feb 8?

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

My list is going to be so funky since there are some classic shows that I haven't binge watched yet

 

[The Gator]

Going to be blocking anyone who doesn't have Thundercats on their list.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

crap, I'm about to be blocked by Gator

 

[Yo Mama]

Probably in

 

[BlackCrowes]

 

[UncleZen]

I am likely in but will need to find some time. Some series are going to be hard for me to rank because the 1st 2 or 3 seasons were all time great but then drug on for another few years after that. (Sons of Anarchy for example.)

 

[Tick]

what about a show like Survivor? Each season is kind of like it's own show. Do you put the entirety of the series or call out individual seasons?

No seasons. That makes this way too complicated. I know there are other shows where some seasons are much better than others, and are also standalone stories, but that’s just part of what makes this a challenge.

I doubt we'll do it, but it would be nice to just roll up some series of shows into one entry, like Band of Brothers/Pacific/Masters of the Air or Planet Earth 1/2/Blue Planet, etc.