![]() ![]() ![]() “Advertising executive” might not sound incredibly exciting for an ongoing TV show, but Don Draper (Jon Hamm) proved to be a fascinating protagonist - a self-made man in every sense of the term, as his entire identity was a fabrication that helped prove just how good he was at selling people on the right image. Matthew Weiner’s nuanced, immersive look at a 1960s advertising executive put AMC on the map as a major player in the scripted TV world, thanks to its smart, introspective scripts and wonderful array of characters. The Simpsons will have to come to an end eventually, but when it finally does it will be remembered as one of the most important (and funniest) shows ever made. Homer and Bart Simpson are among the most recognizable pop culture figures of the last two decades, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a contemporary comedy that wasn’t influenced by The Simpsons in some way. Even with criticism that current episodes aren’t quite as incisive as they were in the early days, the fact that it’s still on the air is a testament to the lasting impact the show has had on pop culture and on modern humor as a whole. With over 20 years under its belt, The Simpsons is the longest running American sitcom in history. The Simpsons has never shied away from covering real-life situations, and its initial seasons were a brilliant, subversive take on the typical dysfunctional family that quickly made the show a hit. Beyond putting Fox on the map as a network, The Simpsons injected sharp writing and insightful social commentary into primetime, proving that animated shows could be for adults too. Sitcoms were never quite the same after The Simpsons. The original show was not a fluke, and indeed three more sequel series would follow… and now we’re on the verge of getting yet another in Star Trek: Discovery. And finally, the adventures of the Enterprise-D stood as a testament to the enduring appeal and adaptability of the Star Trek concept. TNG was also a trendsetter in the strange galaxy known as first-run syndication for dramatic series, helping to prove that television did not have to be constrained to the big three networks, long before cable dramas and streaming Emmy winners were the norm. Not only did star Patrick Stewart elevate the series, and the genre, with his Shakespearean-trained approach, but Next Gen’s continued mining of the vast Star Trek universe for thought-provoking, exciting, and often relevant to the here and now stories mirrored and sometimes outmatched The Original Series. And while many fans eyed Captain Picard and his crew warily at first - and rightfully so considering the series’ first couple of shaky years - this new take on the voyage of the starship Enterprise eventually earned its own place among great sci-fi television. Star Trek was already legendary and iconic by the time the first spin-off series, The Next Generation, arrived in 1987. Is it beautiful? Well-written and acted? Does it feel like must-see TV? Finally, of course, our most important consideration was pure excellence.Questions the panel considered about each show include: How influential was it? How well has it aged? Did the show have ongoing cultural significance?. ![]() These are the top 100 TV shows of all time. And our course it’s nearly impossible to overstate the importance and influence of greats like I Love Lucy and The Andy Griffith Show.īut which are the best of the best? Which have shows were so far ahead of their time and so immaculately made that they stand apart, demanding recognition? IGN’s TV addicts put out heads together to find out. ‘90s shows like The West Wing or The X-Files feel just as entertaining and relevant today as they did when they debuted. There may be more great television on the air now than ever before, but the truth is that television has always been a fantastic way to tell thoughtful, slow-burn character stories, or to slowly unfurl a tightly-wound mystery. Even “genre” TV has been elevated to new heights thanks to gorgeous and vivid shows like Lost and Game of Thrones. Sharp and subversive comedies like Arrested Development and Parks and Recreation are fantastic to binge watch. Dramas like Breaking Bad and The Wire have kept us on the edge of our seats. We’ve been enjoying a Golden Age of Television for well over a decade now, and it’s been absolutely epic. ![]()
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