Smart Television Writing
Submitted by listology47 on Fri, 10/19/2001 - 05:18
Tags:
- Frasier
- West Wing
- Hill Street Blues
- Picket Fences
- This Hour Has 22 Minutes
- Royal Canadian Air Farce
- Dinosaurs
Ooo, the now-defunct Homicide: Life on the Streets fits the bill here, IMO (especially the first two seasons). Wonderful show.
sorry to say I did not have the channel that my cable provider played that show on... so I will take your word on that one.
But... But... How can that be?! It was on NBC! :-) Maybe someday they'll re-release it on DVD and you can check it out (unlikely, since it kinda struggled for ratings during its five or so seasons (although if they did I'd inflict it on all my friends)). Anyway, I'd have to give it strong consideration for "best TV series ever", but I can certainly understand not including something you haven't seen on your list (I do it all the time).
How 'bout Northern Exposure or The Simpsons, though?
Northern Exposure was really catchy cool in the beginning but it started to fade relatively soon in its history.
Ummm the Simpsons...I never invested any viewing time in that show but they do have a huge following.
I guess I never came across Homicide in the listings ....thought that was an HBO showing...maybe I got it confused with Oz or something.
Oz was created by one of the producers of Homicide, so that may be the source of some of the confusion. It was also the title of an early David Mamet film, so that may have added to the problem.
I do second Jim, however; Homicide was terrific and fairly easily the best show on television during its run. The show dipped in its last season, but when it was good, it was great. Number two on my list of favorite shows, in fact, found elsewhere on this site.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
If you are to include Hill Street Blues and Homicide, and I agree with the inclusion of both, then you should also include NYPD Blue (I thought David Caruso was irreplaceable, but Jimmy Smits was even better).
West Wing and Homicide are my all-time favourites. There is nothing on British TV to match them.
I don't know if you'll run into Region-encoding or PAL/NTSC issues (assuming your "British TV" comment means you're living in the UK), but the first two seasons of Homicide were just released on DVD!
Thanks for the tip. Yes I am in the UK, in Milton Keynes - 60 miles north of London - half way to Birmingham. Region encoding is often a problem over here, but I have DVD player with a 'switch' which enables me to watch all regions (although I have only tried USA and UK regions).
I might just buy this - I hesitate because they are currently showing (and rotating) Homicide repeats on satelllite TV over here, so it is already reasonably accessible.
Some of the smartest writing on TV is comedy of course. Balckadder (Rowan Atkinson) and Yes, Prime Minister are two of my favourites, very clever scripts.
Thanks again.
Sometimes I feel like the only person on the planet that doesn't get Rowan Atkinson. Heck, maybe I *am* the only person!
Quite frankly you are NOT alone. He is a bit like a tame Benny Hill which I don't really get either.
British humor as a whole makes me laugh until I pee.
If you're list does not contain "The Simpsons", then it is completely invalid by default. That show, smirk if you will because it's animated, is far, far better to any show you have referenced on your list.
My list does not contain the Simpsons because although I have seen enough episodes to know that it is a wonderful post-modern cycle of pop culture consuming pop culture faster than it can be produced, I really don't like the show. I gather that makes me unCanadian because as like many successful projects offered up from American television networks...the driving force of the program is a Canadian.
Plus my lists are my lists and certainly not the definitive list for the entire population.
I don't know how I missed this comment when it first appeared ago or I would have defended you on the "invalid by default" remark (not that you need my defense!).
Anyway, I had no idea the driving force of The Simpsons was Canadian! Are you talking about Matt Groening?
without a doubt...Matt's success was honored with a big party in Winnipeg (where is father currently lives) this past weekend...actually it was a big celebration about the landmark of something like 300 episodes. It was to be a big party!
No Seinfeld?