**Pie and Bovril's Top 100 TV Shows of All Time**

[edinburgharab]

1. The Wire

2. Succession

3. The Sopranos 

4. Peep Show

5. Better Call Saul / Breaking Bad

6. Game of Thrones 

7. The Office

8. The Bear

9. White Lotus

10. The Thick of It

Edited December 6, 2023 by edinburgharab

[Flybhoy]

Boys From The Blackstuff

Father Ted

Line of Duty

Phoenix Nights

This is England 

Auf Weidersen Pet

I'm Alan Partridge 

The New Statesman 

Looking After Jojo

Life on Mars

[oneteaminglasgow]

1. Bojack Horseman - takes half a season to get going, but it’s genuinely sensational from there. One of very few pieces of art which I honestly think has helped me understand myself better. 

2. Better Call Saul - I thought it was better than breaking bad overall. Just loved it. 

3. Blackbird - Great. A couple of excellent acting performances imo. 

4. Peep Show - a classic which I rewatch every wee while. Has some of my favourite characters and lines from anything ever. 

5. Band of Brothers - obviously it’s just excellent television.

6. Archer - probably the only person picking this, but I really like it and I enjoy the various completely different directions they take it in. I’m aware that, objectively, it’s nowhere near the best show ever but it’s a comfort watch for me. 

7. Stranger Things - I came to this late on, but love it. I do think that in the most recent season they lost the run of themselves a bit in terms of the runtime of some episodes, but it’s had some great moments. 

8. The Simpsons - would be higher had it stopped after the early stuff. The years and years of absolute pish has to be taken into consideration, but I don’t think you can get away from those early years being some of the best episodes of anything ever put out. 

9. Bad sisters - probably a recency bias pick, but I did really enjoy it and looking forward to the next season. 

10. Sunderland till I die - the first season especially is great, watching that Martin Bain p***k become an absolute shadow of a man. Second season has its moments as well. 

[TheScarf]

2 hours ago, oneteaminglasgow said:

1. Bojack Horseman - takes half a season to get going, but it’s genuinely sensational from there. One of very few pieces of art which I honestly think has helped me understand myself better. 

2. Better Call Saul - I thought it was better than breaking bad overall. Just loved it. 

3. Blackbird - Great. A couple of excellent acting performances imo. 

4. Peep Show - a classic which I rewatch every wee while. Has some of my favourite characters and lines from anything ever. 

5. Band of Brothers - obviously it’s just excellent television.

6. Archer - probably the only person picking this, but I really like it and I enjoy the various completely different directions they take it in. I’m aware that, objectively, it’s nowhere near the best show ever but it’s a comfort watch for me. 

7. Stranger Things - I came to this late on, but love it. I do think that in the most recent season they lost the run of themselves a bit in terms of the runtime of some episodes, but it’s had some great moments. 

8. The Simpsons - would be higher had it stopped after the early stuff. The years and years of absolute pish has to be taken into consideration, but I don’t think you can get away from those early years being some of the best episodes of anything ever put out. 

9. Bad sisters - probably a recency bias pick, but I did really enjoy it and looking forward to the next season. 

10. Sunderland till I die - the first season especially is great, watching that Martin Bain p***k become an absolute shadow of a man. Second season has its moments as well. 

Archer is on my list.  I think it's superb.

[oneteaminglasgow]

29 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Archer is on my list.  I think it's superb.

A man of impeccable taste. 

[scottsdad]

On 02/12/2023 at 13:56, Salvo Montalbano said:

6. Star Trek: The Next Generation  

Interesting - but why this one over the others?

It isn't even in my top 3 ST shows.

[Salvo Montalbano]

35 minutes ago, scottsdad said:

Interesting - but why this one over the others?

It isn't even in my top 3 ST shows.

It was my gateway drug, I suppose.

Spoiler

The very best of TNG is amongst the very best Star Trek - Measure of a Man, Best of Both Worlds, Family, Inner Light, Yesterday's Enterprise, Darmock, Chain of Command, All Good Things, etc - and they have some of my favorite characters. I quite like DS9 buy didn't/couldn't get into it as much; Voyager is a great concept spoiled by terrible writing and zero character development; Enterprise was very hit and miss; Discovery was OK; Lower Decks is fine for what it is; I've not seen Strange New Worlds and the Original Series has maybe 6 or 7 really good episodes but a lot of it is too campy/samey/nonsensical that I don't like that as much. Like the Original Series films though, and Balance of Terror, Corbomite Maneuver etc are good solid hours of TV.

 

[scottsdad]

4 minutes ago, Salvo Montalbano said:

It was my gateway drug, I suppose.

  Hide contents

The very best of TNG is amongst the very best Star Trek - Measure of a Man, Best of Both Worlds, Family, Inner Light, Yesterday's Enterprise, Darmock, Chain of Command, All Good Things, etc - and they have some of my favorite characters. I quite like DS9 buy didn't/couldn't get into it as much; Voyager is a great concept spoiled by terrible writing and zero character development; Enterprise was very hit and miss; Discovery was OK; Lower Decks is fine for what it is; I've not seen Strange New Worlds and the Original Series has maybe 6 or 7 really good episodes but a lot of it is too campy/samey/nonsensical that I don't like that as much. Like the Original Series films though, and Balance of Terror, Corbomite Maneuver etc are good solid hours of TV.

 

Can't disagree with much of that. 

Spoiler

Episode for episode my favourite has to be DS9. Past Tense, Duet, Whispers and The Sound of Her Voice are all excellent but the absolute peaks (for me of all Star Trek) were The Visitor, Far Beyond the Stars and In The Pale Moonlight. The vast cast of complex recurring characters also made the show. It did comedy, music, drama - everything.

The Original Series is up there for me too as it has some of the very best episodes in its first couple of series. 

My other "top 3" is Strange New Worlds. It's a return to traditional Trek but done with a lot of fun, heart and good characters. 

At the lower end, Voyager is unwatchably bad, as is Discovery. Lower decks is fun but forgettable. Enterprise has 2 awful seasons followed by 2 great ones. 

 

 

[Salvo Montalbano]

6 minutes ago, scottsdad said:

Can't disagree with much of that. 

  Hide contents

Episode for episode my favourite has to be DS9. Past Tense, Duet, Whispers and The Sound of Her Voice are all excellent but the absolute peaks (for me of all Star Trek) were The Visitor, Far Beyond the Stars and In The Pale Moonlight. The vast cast of complex recurring characters also made the show. It did comedy, music, drama - everything.

The Original Series is up there for me too as it has some of the very best episodes in its first couple of series. 

My other "top 3" is Strange New Worlds. It's a return to traditional Trek but done with a lot of fun, heart and good characters. 

At the lower end, Voyager is unwatchably bad, as is Discovery. Lower decks is fun but forgettable. Enterprise has 2 awful seasons followed by 2 great ones. 

 

 

Broadly agree although we're going to fall out...

Spoiler

I don't particularly care for The Visitor. I know it's often rated as the best episode of the series, if not the whole franchise, but for me I didn't care so much about it and it didn't get me "in the feels" as say The Inner Light which is similar-ish.

 

[Jives Miguel]

On 03/12/2023 at 21:22, RuMoore said:

Apologies if I'm meant to hold off on this patter until the grand unveiling but can we please calm down with the Breaking Bad rankings here. 

As a collective we all have a responsibility in the world that is forum archiving, we can't let people think we're collectively that guy. 

On the plus side, I don't see a single vote for Peaky Blinders yet I think.

 

I genuinely reckon I could estimate everyone's IQ in this thread to within 10, based on their lists. Some absolutely shocking stuff listed here.

Edited December 6, 2023 by Jives Miguel

[Jives Miguel]

1. The Sopranos
2. I'm Alan Partridge
3. Mad Men
4. Succession
5. Twin Peaks
6. Game of Thrones
7. Black Mirror
8. Breaking Bad
9. The Boys
10. The Simpsons


 

Spoiler

73 IQ

 

 

[RuMoore]

5 hours ago, Jives Miguel said:

On the plus side, I don't see a single vote for Peaky Blinders yet I think.

 

I genuinely reckon I could estimate everyone's IQ in this thread to within 10, based on their lists. Some absolutely shocking stuff listed here.

I've tried watching that like 3 times now and never made it more than 3 episodes in. 

Your last line reminded me of the infamous Rick and Morty post

"To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand Rick and Morty. The humor is extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of theoretical physics most of the jokes will go over a typical viewer's head. There's also Rick's nihilistic outlook, which is deftly woven into his characterisation - his personal philosophy draws heavily from Narodnaya Volya literature, for instance. The fans understand this stuff; they have the intellectual capacity to truly appreciate the depths of these jokes, to realize that they're not just funny- they say something deep about LIFE. As a consequence people who dislike Rick and Morty truly ARE idiots- of course they wouldn't appreciate, for instance, the humour in Rick's existencial catchphrase "Wubba Lubba Dub Dub," which itself is a cryptic reference to Turgenev's Russian epic Fathers and Sons. I'm smirking right now just imagining one of those addlepated simpletons scratching their heads in confusion as Dan Harmon's genius unfolds itself on their television screens. What fools... how I pity them. And yes by the way, I DO have a Rick and Morty tattoo. And no, you cannot see it. It's for the ladies' eyes only- And even they have to demonstrate that they're within 5 IQ points of my own (preferably lower) beforehand."

[Miguel Sanchez]

I regret to inform The Forum that I agree with Stormzy - Breaking Bad is, in fact, terrible.

Edited December 6, 2023 by Miguel Sanchez

[Wee-Bey]

I used to work with a guy who was a massive fan of Rick and Morty. Has the pickle tattoo as well. He never mentioned the deep Russian literature references. 

[Bully Wee Villa]

I like Rick and Morty, but I'm fucked if I can be arsed to read that font choice.

Also, Breaking Bad is magnificent.

[scottsdad]

18 hours ago, Jives Miguel said:

I genuinely reckon I could estimate everyone's IQ in this thread to within 10, based on their lists. Some absolutely shocking stuff listed here.

 

18 hours ago, Jives Miguel said:

2. I'm Alan Partridge



 

  Reveal hidden contents

73 IQ

 

[Jives Miguel]

8 minutes ago, scottsdad said:

 

 

That's a self report.

[LIVIFOREVER]

22 hours ago, Jives Miguel said:

On the plus side, I don't see a single vote for Peaky Blinders yet I think.

 

I genuinely reckon I could estimate everyone's IQ in this thread to within 10, based on their lists. Some absolutely shocking stuff listed here.

You haven't looked hard enough.

[Salvo Montalbano]

3 hours ago, scottsdad said:

 

Glad I'm not the only one. I really don't get Alan Partridge at all. Is it meant to be slapstick? Ironic? Satire? Whatever it is, it's shite. Mind you, I also don't get Always Sunny so between those two programmes and not finding #Barclays banter funny, it's probably a surprise I've not been permabanned (yet...)

[Frankie S]

1-Twin Peaks 

I prefer The Return to seasons 1&2, and season 2 oscillates from briliant (the Lynch directed episodes) to terrible, but, taken as a whole, it’s the greatest TV show of all time IMO.

2-Frasier (1993-2004)

The classic 11 seasons - the current ‘reboot’ is awful.

3-Monty Python’s Flying Circus 

4-The Twilight Zone 

5-The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin

6-True Detective (season 1)

7-Better Call Saul

8-Fawlty Towers

9-The West Wing

10-Cheers

Near misses: Brass Eye, The Day Today, Breaking Bad, The Thick of It, Succession, Jam, The Outer Limits, The Larry Sanders Show, Black Mirror

 

 

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by Frankie S