JERRY HENDRICKS
Repercussions of a collector
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Top TV Shows | |
| Far too many to limit to 10 shows, so I went with 10 categories. | ||
Animation |
Rocky & Bullwinkle / The Simpsons ABC, NBC 1959 - 1974 / FOX 1989 - present |
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| Sure, I watched all the Saturday morning cartoons, but Rocky was different. As an adult, I got the jokes that once went over my head and gained a further appreciation of it's wit. | ||
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| Although it seems to have run it's course, The Simpsons carried on the subversive tradition, poking fun of an even broader range of society. | ||
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BritCom |
Monty Python's Flying Circus/ Fawlty Towers BBC, PBS 1969 - 1974 / 1975 - 1979 |
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| Subversive seemed to be the common thread, and no one broke as many molds as Monty Python. | ||
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| John Cleese continued the tradition with a short lived series, but every episode was outstanding. | ||
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Drama |
Masterpiece Theatre PBS 1971 - present |
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| Nobody has done it better for so long. Currently, oddly splintered between mystery, classic and contemporary, but still top notch. So many favorites over the years, but standouts include I,Claudius, Upstairs, Downstairs, Poldark, Anna Karenina, Foyle's War, Jeeves & Wooster and The Duchess of Duke Street. | ||
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Friends |
Seinfeld / Friends NBC 1989 - 1998 / NBC 1994 - 2004 |
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| For a show about nothing, it seemed to say a lot about life, relationships and friendship. | ||
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| Although somewhat shallow, the characters were so appealing, they became our friends for 10 years. | ||
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Medical |
St. Elsewhere / E.R. NBC 1982 - 1988 / NBC 1994 -2009 |
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| This was no Dr. Kildare. Large revolving cast and interesting guests. An irreverent "dramedy," with a great string of subtle pop music references. | ||
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| A worthy, but more serious, successor using a similar large revolving cast formula. | ||
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Topical |
The West Wing / The Wire NBC 1999 - 2006 / HBO 2002 -2008 |
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| Extremely well written, another large cast of interesting characters, multiple plot lines and conversations, and some enlightened politics thrown in for good measure. If only we could have a real President Bartlet. | ||
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| Tried to watch this when it originally aired and found it too difficult to follow. Rediscovered it in syndication at about Season 4, became hooked, and had to go back and watch it again from the beginning. An unknown world to me, but it's gritty portrayal of some sad, some hopeful lives was riveting. | ||
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School |
The Wonder Years / Freaks and Geeks ABC 1988 - 1993 / NBC 1999 - 2000 |
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| Ah, the sweet and innocent '60s. Not exactly how I remembered it, but a joy to watch the rites of passage. | ||
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| Oh, how the times have changed. The innocent geeks remain, but this generation seemed faced with a much harsher reality. Too bad this show didn't get a chance to develop further. | ||
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War |
M*A*S*H / Winds of War |
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| War shouldn't be funny, but unlike Hogan's Here os, MASH had an underlying serious, jaded message as well. | ||
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| Along with the sequel War and Remembrance, among my favorite books as well. I wouldn't have chosen Robert Mitchum to be Pug Henry, and few of the other lead actors were weak, but the sweep of the story translated well to the small screen. | ||
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Workplace |
Cheers / The Office |
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| Where everybody knows your name. Quirky characters, safe in the cocoon of their bar. | ||
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| One of the few shows that actually improved on the original British version. May not be the same without Michael Scott, but time will tell. | ||
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| Honorable Mention | Arrested Development would have made it if it lasted
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longer. The Sopranos. Slings and Arrows, a hidden gem discovered after the fact. American Dreams, under appreciated and ended too soon. Current shows that are candidates, but will have to stand the test of time include Parenthood and Modern Family, which might be the funniest show ever.