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The OTHER 100 best TV shows of the 21st century (acc. to CaB not the Grauniad)

Started by mothman, September 18, 2019, 06:40:20 PM

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mothman

Quote from: mothman on September 17, 2019, 10:44:34 PM
After reading that article I briefly considered starting a thread titled "The 100 best TV shows the Guardian turned their nose up at."
Quote from: phes on September 18, 2019, 01:45:08 PM
Don't want to steal your idea but I would appreciate this!

I'm struggling to find stuff to watch atm and every list I read is trash and samey and contains some really dire entries, so I'm not inclined to trust them at all. Often don't agree with posters' assessment of shows on here but very rarely if ever watch a recommendation I think is bad

We think we can do better, don't we? We may not get to 100, but by damn we can try!

So, here we go then. IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER (numbering just to keep track):

1. Farscape (2000-2004)

I could have started with Battlestar Galactica but instead, it's the true Muppets In Space. Made by the Jim Henson studio, this was an early adopter of the arc-based storylines that Babylon 5 (1993-1998, so not valid here) had pioneered in SF TV. It wasn't always great, the acting was occasionally shonky (mostly Australians), it hit plenty of duff notes, but the ambition was plain to see, and the puppet-based alien characters were as well-rounded as the human ones.

Often truly anarchic in tone and humour, with pop culture references a-plenty (lantern-jawed all-American hero John Crichton, played by Ben Browder, gets out of a tense situation by using the taking-himself-hostage gag from Blazing Saddles; the baddie threatening him, a lackey, was already being called "Smithers" by fans before the show adopted it as a nickname for him) and some truly innovatove storytelling. There were Rashomon-style episodes, animated dream sequences, truly bizarro alternate-universe plotlines, flashbacks and flash-forwards.

As already mentioned in the "Cancelled on a cliffhanger" thread, this sadly was ("TO BE CONTINUED" said the caption; "No, it won't" said the BBC2 continuity announcer; "They can't do that!" said an outraged MrsMoth, not a fan of the show but still scandalised on my behalf); however a couple of years later a two-part miniseries wrapped it up in a satisfying way.

EOLAN

2 Narcos

One of the great bi-lingual programmes. Captivating story-telling about Pablo Escobar and the Cali Cartel. Gruesome at times and not overly glorifying or vilifying characters but let the story progress largely as it happened.

Gulftastic

3. Grosse Pointe

A send up of US teen soaps, like Dawson's Creek and 90210, it only lasted one season. I loved it. Irene Molloy was especailly great. She did pretty much sod all aside from this and 'Andy Richter Controls The Universe', which is shame.Apparently, she could be a bit strange in real life.

phes

Here's the original list

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/16/100-best-tv-shows-of-the-21st-century

Two glaring omissions from reality TV for me, Clive. They'll be disappointed with that.

4. The Amazing Race.

31 seasons. An American institution hosted by the mighty(ly badly dressed) kiwi Phil Keoghan. Ten pairs race around the world being surprised at every turn by things existing outside America. It's progressive, it's lefty, its heart's in the right place. Responsible for some of the all time great triumphs of good over evil. Responsible for some of the all time best meltdowns

The tomato challenge: https://youtu.be/nryNLMjKulM

A top 1 list of greatest reality shows that doesn't contain The Amazing Race is like, wrong.

5. Alone.

A dozen contestants are dumped somewhere inhospitable with their selection of items from a regulation list and a box of camera equipment. They are individually alone, no camera crew, and they film themselves starving and going mad, attempting the be the last person to tap out.

Larry and the mice: https://youtu.be/Ofvn53IFs0k

"They don't tell you about this at survival school, they say just survive, man, just survive. But they didn't tell me about the mice"

Small Man Big Horse

6. Nathan For You - Quite possibly the best comedy show ever made is perhaps a bit difficult to describe as it's essentially a prank/stunt show except much more nuanced and smart and creative than that may lead you to believe. In it Nathan Fielder promises to help businesses but his ideas are slightly less than conventional, and as the series continues they become often insanely convoluted yet never less than very, very funny. But the real joy comes from the way he interacts with people, and the supporting cast he builds up over time (including a security guard obsessed with breasts, and the world's best Bill Gates impersonator), which all leads to an astonishing series finale which is one of the best pieces of tv yet created.

ads82

7. Enlightened

An almost forgotten prestige HBO drama, with a career best performance by Laura Dern. The first season focuses on the breakdown and spiritual rejuvenation of Dern's character and her ability find her place and confidence in within her corporate environment.
The following season is truly special and transforms the forcus on personal drama to a thrilling tale of corporate espionage. An absolute tragedy HBO never got round to doing the 3rd season but the character arc of Dern's and the storyline is well worth your time.

Dex Sawash


Enrico Palazzo

Quote from: ads82 on September 18, 2019, 09:51:15 PM
7. Enlightened

An almost forgotten prestige HBO drama, with a career best performance by Laura Dern. The first season focuses on the breakdown and spiritual rejuvenation of Dern's character and her ability find her place and confidence in within her corporate environment.
The following season is truly special and transforms the forcus on personal drama to a thrilling tale of corporate espionage. An absolute tragedy HBO never got round to doing the 3rd season but the character arc of Dern's and the storyline is well worth your time.

That's a top tenner for me. Loved it.

phes

8. Easy (Netflix)
A revolving cast of nitwits attempt to navigate various and varying relationships in this anthology drama (comedy-ish) series. But good

9. High Maintenance (Internet mini-series, then HBO)
A weed dealer (the guy) takes you into the lives of different New York residents each week as he delivers their drugs. Taken as a whole it is perhaps not one of the greatest works of the century, but there are enough beautiful, shining episodes in the run to warrant inclusion. I believe this one may not yet be concluded

jobotic


NoSleep

Quote from: jobotic on September 19, 2019, 09:15:55 AM
10. Gomorrah

11. Bojack Horseman of course (of horse). Has there been a finer cartoon? Indeed this stands up against most live drama or comedy.
12. Undone (the brand new thing by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the creator of Bojack, with Bob Odenkirk & Rosa Salazar, which deserves mention already)
13. Rick and Morty - Superb comedy, superb sci-fi.

rjd2


16. Firefly - Brilliant sci-fi-cum-western drama that was cancelled far too hastily because that's what Fox did with pretty much every show it commissioned at the turn of the century. Felt like Star Wars but without the Skywalker baggage, the exact sort of show Disney+ should be commissioning. If it had been made in 2015, rather than 2002, you suspect it would have run forever on Netflix.


EOLAN

17. The Armando Iannucci Show

Well it is a CaB list so does much else need to be said. Hugh is one of the most wonderful adorable characters ever.

oy vey

18. Chernobyl

Taut screenplay, brooding cinematography, acting and soundtrack make for a fascinating 5-parter that feels just right for what it's trying to achieve despite leaving a lot of details out. There are strange choices with the accents but if you look past that the attention to detail is remarkable, down to the cars (even the registrations), and clothing/wardrobe. The result is an immersive experience of politics taking on sub atomic physics and failing miserably while heroes on the ground narrowly subvert an even bigger global catastrophe. A few portrayed facts are questionable in accuracy but isn't that the point, as truth sometimes plays second fiddle to story?

madhair60

19. K-On!

The most life-affirming, moving television programme that has ever been made. Unwavering characterisation in a series of gently humorous slices of life, as five friends move towards their inevitable separation.

rjd2

20

Southland

the best TV crime drama since The Wire. Regina King is great and the arc of the Ben Mc Kenzie character is compelling. Lucy Liu also excellent as a tough cop with questionable morals.

Ja'moke

21. Survivor

I know it never really took off in the UK, but Survivor is an institution in the US. It's basically the benchmark of reality competition shows---a breakout hit when it launched in 2000 that quickly became a cultural phenomenon. It's a format that just works. You take 16-20 people, drop them on a desert island and force them to work together while also voting each other off every three days. It's provided some of the greatest TV moments and characters ever. And almost 20 years later and about to premiere its 39th season (!), Survivor is still delivering the goods and regularly topping the ratings on a Wednesday night.

phes

This is ace, a couple of good prospects already (not heard of k-on or Southland). I know the Guardian thing is just the opinion of a small group of journalists but it is completely unfathomable to me that stuff like killing eve, nighty night, the Americans, Utopia, Halt and Catch Fire, Detectorists (sorry) could make it into a 'greatest of' and shows like Survivor and The Amazing Race don't. It's like they came up with the top 5 or so then just consulted some other lists for 85 other drama/comedy shows.

Just imagine thinking Fleabag is the 8th greatest television show of the last 20 years. Watch some TV ya pillocks!

phes



lebowskibukowski

24 Romanzo Criminale - Italian TV series based on the film from the early 2000's, and it's fuckin' ace

jobotic

Quote from: lebowskibukowski on September 19, 2019, 03:30:15 PM
24 Romanzo Criminale - Italian TV series based on the film from the early 2000's, and it's fuckin' ace

It was ace despite the massively over the top acting, or maybe because of it.

I'd like to watch it again

Blue Jam


Bently Sheds

26. How It's Made. Television crack, once you innocently  start half watching how Mexican wicker chairs are fabricated you'll suddenly discover you're six hours into a HIM marathon on Quest and you're up to date with modern manufacturing processes on everything in the world.

Then you go and tell someone how carburettor inlet valves are made and they're like "yeah, and?"

jobotic

and if you are an amateur comedy hack like me you say "but how do they make the moulds that they use to make that thing?" "that machine that puts that in there is amazing, how do they make that?" and it goes on forever.

Small Man Big Horse

27. Review With Forrest MacNeil - In which Andy Daly's ever optimistic but far too devoted to the concept of the show tv presenter reviews real life events like "Divorce", "Hunting" and "Curing Homosexuality", with it having an increasingly negative effect on his life. It's gloriously funny, filled with pathos and is quite simply one of the best ever comedy shows ever made.

28. Review With Myles Barlow - And the same all applies with the Australian show that Forrest MacNeil was based on, the concept is of course identical and they even review some of the same things, but it's a very different series, mainly as Barlow is slightly less likeable (albeit intentionally so), but it's just as funny and also a thing of beauty.

Norton Canes


Emma Raducanu

Ben and Holly's magical Kingdom

A children's TV programme that is actually witty, inventive, funny and... Magical.