The Simpsons tops TV’s "New Classics"
- Published by David Knox
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The Simpsons has topped a list of television’s “New Classics” -a list of ground-breaking shows made in the last 25 years.
The list compiled by Entertainment Weekly is certainly a “who’s who” of (mostly US) television, and it’s hard to argue against the contenders in the Top Ten.
To see the rest of the Top 100 shows read on….
11 The Wire, HBO (2002-08)
12 South Park, Comedy Central (1997-present)
13 Freaks and Geeks, NBC (1999-2000)
14 The Daily Show, Comedy Central (1996-present)
15 The Oprah Winfrey Show, Syndicated (1986-present)
16 Arrested Development, Fox (2003-06)
17 The Office (U.K. version), BBC2 (2001-03)
18 American Idol, Fox (2002-present)
19 ER, NBC (1994-present)
20 Beverly Hills, 90210, Fox (1990-2000)
21 Roseanne, ABC (1988-97)
22 The Real World, MTV (1992-present)
23 The West Wing, NBC (1999-2006)
24 Star Trek: The Next Generation, Syndication (1987-94)
25 Miami Vice, NBC (1984-89)
26 Chappelle’s Show, Comedy Central (2003-06)
27 Law & Order, NBC (1990-present)
28 The Larry Sanders Show, HBO (1992-98)
29 The Shield, FX (2002-present)
30 Late Show With David Letterman, CBS (1993-present)
31 The Civil War, PBS (1990)
32 Gilmore Girls, The WB (2000-06), The CW (2006-07)
33 My So-Called Life, ABC (1994-95)
34 24, Fox (2001-present)
35 CSI, CBS (2000-present)
36 thirtysomething, ABC (1987-91)
38 Beavis and Butt-head, MTV (1993-97)
39 Six Feet Under, HBO (2001-05)
40 Mr. Show, (HBO, 1995-98)
41 Frasier, NBC (1993-2004)
42 L.A. Law, NBC (1986-94)
43 Late Night With Conan O’Brien, NBC (1993-present)
44 Jeopardy!, Syndicated (1984-present)
45 Curb Your Enthusiasm, HBO (2000-present)
46 Homicide: Life on the Street, NBC (1993-99)
47 30 Rock, NBC (2006-present)
48 Ally McBeal, Fox (1997-2002)
49 Twin Peaks, ABC (1990-91)
50 Baywatch, NBC (1989-90), Syndicated (1991-2001)
51. Melrose Place, Fox (1992-99)
52. Felicity, The WB (1998-2002)
53. Will & Grace, NBC (1998-2006)
54. Moonlighting, ABC (1985-89)
55. Pee-wee’s Playhouse, CBS (1986-90)
56. Desperate Housewives, ABC (2004-present)
57. The Amazing Race, CBS (2001-present)
58. The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, NBC (1992-present)
59. Battlestar Galactica, Sci Fi (2003-2008)
60. Xena: Warrior Princess, Syndicated (1995-2001)
61. The Office (U.S.), NBC (2005-present)
62. House, Fox (2004-present)
63. Mystery Science Theater 3000, Comedy Central (1989-96), Sci Fi (1997-99)
64. The Osbournes, MTV (2002-05)
65. Family Guy, Fox (1999-2002, 2005-present)
66. Grey’s Anatomy, ABC (2005-present)
67. Planet Earth, Discovery Channel (2007)
68. Jackass, MTV (2000-02)
69. The Colbert Report, Comedy Central (2005-present)
70. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS (1996-2005)
71. Friday Night Lights, NBC (2006-present)
72. NewsRadio, NBC (1995-99)
73. Oz, HBO (1997-2003)
74. Wiseguy, CBS (1987-90)
75. Project Runway, Bravo (2004-present)
76. In Living Color, Fox (1990-94)
77. The Golden Girls, NBC (1985-92)
78. I’ll Fly Away, NBC (1991-93)
79. The Comeback, HBO (2005)
80. King of the Hill, Fox (1997-present)
81. Murphy Brown, CBS (1988-98)
82. The Hills, MTV (2006-present)
83. Absolutely Fabulous, BBC2 (1992), BBC1 (1994-2004)
84. Northern Exposure, CBS (1990-95)
85. The Kids in the Hall, HBO (1989-92), CBS (1992-95)
86. Prime Suspect, ITV (1991-2006)
87. Deadwood, HBO (2004-06)
88. Malcolm in the Middle, Fox (2000-06)
89. SpongeBob SquarePants, Nickelodeon (1999-present)
90. Dawson’s Creek, The WB (1998-2003)
91. Mad Men, AMC (2007-present)
92. The Ben Stiller Show, Fox (1992-93)
93. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Bravo (2003-07)
94. Married…With Children, Fox (1987-97)
95. Designing Women, CBS (1986-93)
96. The Arsenio Hall Show, Syndicated (1989-94)
97. Party of Five, Fox (1994-2000)
98. MacGyver, ABC (1985-92)
99. The Bachelor, ABC (2002-present)
100. Saved by the Bell, NBC (1989-93)
So come on people, what did they overlook?
Source: EW.com
14 Responses
Yeah – agreed that scrubs probably should be there. Hard to see how Alias doesn’t make the cut when it was the benchmark/trendsetter for the cinematic TV series.
um…where on earth is “Cheers”? That was the highest rating comedy in the US for years before Seinfeld came along. Surely it should be on there.
Great to see both Arrested Development and Mr Show so high on the list though!
Good to see Mr Show get a into the top 40.
I don’t think it has ever made it to Aust pay TV or even gotten a local DVD release, but it’s a very underrated HBO gem.
methinks I need to update my DVD collection with a few that I’ve missed… although, I’m wondering what happened to “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose” ??
I think the Top ten is pretty apt, although The Cosby show, with those gaudy 80s fashions, it’s hard to see as a classic. They missed Queer As Folk, either UK or US and This Life. Oh, and Full House, …was Golden Girls in there?
dexter
Pretty good top ten I’d say (might knock X-Files and BTVS down a few spots…) but what the heck is Saved By The Bell doing sneaking in there at 100???
Sad to see that Six Feet Under didn’t place a little higher, particularly when Freaks and Geeks, which only ran one season, was right up there.
It’s a US magazine so of course it’s going to be US shows.
Glad to see Gilmore Girls in there, just inside the top 3rd 😛
To name a few of my missing
Stargate SG-1
Futurama
Angel
Prison Break
and Heroes is only 2 seasons old but belongs in that list I reacon.
and Doctor Who (new) should be on the list even though its from the UK.
Seinfeld should be first IMO….and what about Spin City??
I’m sure more will come to me as the day progresses.
And that’s not even considering any Aussie shows…maybe David could organise a poll of the top 20-50 shows that have influenced Australian television in the past 25 years??? (If a list like this does not already exist!)
It would be well-rounded mix of Australian, British and US shows.
Some interesting choices and totally US-centric. In a perfect world, Red Dwarf, Dr Who, Father Ted and Black Books would have to be there. Sopranos beats Seinfeld???
My initial reaction is that I thought Scrubs might have got a look in and perhaps Ren and Stimpy instead of Spongebob Squarepants.
Degrassi Junior High needs to be on that list.
The morality tales, the canadian accents, the “adult content warning” Michael Tunn gave me every afternoon before it came on, the late 80’s fashion.
Ah – memories.