Greatest TV of the 21st Century?

[Tichtheid]

Bunk and McNulty has to be one of the great cop buddy duos

I liked the Wire because despite the subject matter it was genuinely funny at times, humour in dark places.

[tabascoboy]

Where 'The Wire' excelled for me was being the first crime series I have seen where the "baddies" were given equal airtime to see into their lives. Unlike most crime series where the they are just scum waiting to be nicked, we saw them as thinking human beings with real personalities and family/social issues, sure a few were just scum but it did make you think about the circumstances they had to grow up and survive in. Reading the books 'Homicide..." and "The Corner" fills that out even more. They lost the plot a bit in the last season but still quality.

[Grandpa]

Where 'The Wire' excelled for me was being the first crime series I have seen where the "baddies" were given equal airtime to see into their lives. Unlike most crime series where the they are just scum waiting to be nicked, we saw them as thinking human beings with real personalities and family/social issues, sure a few were just scum but it did make you think about the circumstances they had to grow up and survive in. Reading the books 'Homicide..." and "The Corner" fills that out even more. They lost the plot a bit in the last season but still quality.

That's why I liked The Sopranos... it was mostly all from the baddies side...

[Uncle fester]

I guess I might watch the wire then.

I’m very jealous you have that to come. Easily my No 1 with Breaking Bad second.

Quite surprised at the hate for The Office, it’s genius British humour

I work in a office all day with British wankers. No way I’m going to go home and watch some more of an evening.

It's the cringe humour that turns some people off (myself included). Couldn't watch Bo Selecta either.

[Big Nipper]

72 Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)

Should be way higher!

[Slick]

I’m very jealous you have that to come. Easily my No 1 with Breaking Bad second.

Quite surprised at the hate for The Office, it’s genius British humour

I work in a office all day with British wankers. No way I’m going to go home and watch some more of an evening.

It's the cringe humour that turns some people off (myself included). Couldn't watch Bo Selecta either.

Can’t stand Bo Selecta, don’t see any similarities in the humour personally

[Ovals]

Surprised my favourite series didn't make the list - Black Sails.

[LenCohen]

Toast of London! Just came to me.
And the first series of The Trip.

[Niegs]

What’s a show you really like but accept that it’s not on the list?

The Rookie and the first two seasons of Lethal Weapon are / were joys I tuned into without fail. But, yeah, not ground breaking or even classics.

[Gumboot]

What’s a show you really like but accept that it’s not on the list?

The Rookie and the first two seasons of Lethal Weapon are / were joys I tuned into without fail. But, yeah, not ground breaking or even classics.

Top Boy. Not a hugely original concept - sort of like a London take on the criminal side of The Wire's storyline, but I thought it was a really well made, compelling show. Would happily watch another season or two of it, but sadly not to be.

[Tichtheid]

Peaky Blinders doesn’t seem to be on the list, or maybe I’m missing it, you’d think it would be top 100

I also liked Taboo, the mix of the setting, the mysticism, the corruption and Tom Hardy eating the scenery as he always does, it was fun

[Ymx]

I guess I might watch the wire then.

I tried.. lasted a season and a half... then I found The Sopranos... and that did grip me...

I don't know what it was about The Wire... but I found it a hard watch.. my mind kept drifting.. the French equivalent.. Spiral works much better for me...

I must admit, I’m struggling with it. I keep wandering away from it. Nothing is happening. Dull cop dialogue. Not that exciting crim dialogue either. And no tense scenes, or anything really.

What am I missing? This is pretty highly regarded. I’m only on S1 E3 though.

Does it pick up? Or is this it?

[Gumboot]

I guess I might watch the wire then.

I tried.. lasted a season and a half... then I found The Sopranos... and that did grip me...

I don't know what it was about The Wire... but I found it a hard watch.. my mind kept drifting.. the French equivalent.. Spiral works much better for me...

I must admit, I’m struggling with it. I keep wandering away from it. Nothing is happening. Dull cop dialogue. Not that exciting crim dialogue either. And no tense scenes, or anything really.

What am I missing? This is pretty highly regarded. I’m only on S1 E3 though.

Does it pick up? Or is this it?

I also found it a struggle at first, but ended up absolutely loving it. Would recommend persevering with the first season before giving up on it.

[tabascoboy]

Each season of The WIre is a complete work, takes a bit of time to build the drama ( 2nd season even more so)

[Slick]

I guess I might watch the wire then.

I tried.. lasted a season and a half... then I found The Sopranos... and that did grip me...

I don't know what it was about The Wire... but I found it a hard watch.. my mind kept drifting.. the French equivalent.. Spiral works much better for me...

I must admit, I’m struggling with it. I keep wandering away from it. Nothing is happening. Dull cop dialogue. Not that exciting crim dialogue either. And no tense scenes, or anything really.

What am I missing? This is pretty highly regarded. I’m only on S1 E3 though.

Does it pick up? Or is this it?

It’s been a while since I watched it but I seem to remember telling everyone to persevere through the first 3 episodes then it takes off

[Biffer]

I've watched 24 of those.

No Great British Bake Off? No Mortimer and Whitehouse Gone Fishing?

[Ymx]

Clarksons the farm.

Does it classify as fiction?

Joking. Although I did really like it.

[Biffer]

Clarksons the farm.

Does it classify as fiction?

Joking. Although I did really like it.

It's not just fiction, Planet Earth is in there.

[LenCohen]

I guess I might watch the wire then.

I tried.. lasted a season and a half... then I found The Sopranos... and that did grip me...

I don't know what it was about The Wire... but I found it a hard watch.. my mind kept drifting.. the French equivalent.. Spiral works much better for me...

I must admit, I’m struggling with it. I keep wandering away from it. Nothing is happening. Dull cop dialogue. Not that exciting crim dialogue either. And no tense scenes, or anything really.

What am I missing? This is pretty highly regarded. I’m only on S1 E3 though.

Does it pick up? Or is this it?

It is massively overrated. It's good, but a couple of memorable characters (eg Omar) and a few standout scenes do a lot of the heavy lifting. And the final season is a joke.
Never sure why it is ranked anywhere near The Sopranos or Mad Men

[boere wors]

Can anybody explain me what the appeal is of mad men?! Havent watched it and didnt think the story would appeal to me. Pretty surprised to see it rated so highly.

[Gumboot]

Can anybody explain me what the appeal is of mad men?! Havent watched it and didnt think the story would appeal to me. Pretty surprised to see it rated so highly.

I gave it a go but it didn't appeal to me, either.

[LenCohen]

Great characters, incredible production, beautifully crafted and funny dialogue

[Thor Sedan]

Can anybody explain me what the appeal is of mad men?! Havent watched it and didnt think the story would appeal to me. Pretty surprised to see it rated so highly.

First couple of seasons are pretty good. But seems to drag on and taper off pretty quickly. We lost interest around the beginning or season 4 I think.

[ASMO]

Mad Men managed to hold my interest, cant think why....

[Thor Sedan]

Also no love for The Pacific?

Didn't enjoy it the first time round as I thought it was going to be Band of Brothers x2 - and it wasn't.

But on my second time through - outstanding. As a look into the strength of the human spirit in the worst of conditions. What an absolute triumph.

[Uncle fester]

I guess I might watch the wire then.

I tried.. lasted a season and a half... then I found The Sopranos... and that did grip me...

I don't know what it was about The Wire... but I found it a hard watch.. my mind kept drifting.. the French equivalent.. Spiral works much better for me...

I must admit, I’m struggling with it. I keep wandering away from it. Nothing is happening. Dull cop dialogue. Not that exciting crim dialogue either. And no tense scenes, or anything really.

What am I missing? This is pretty highly regarded. I’m only on S1 E3 though.

Does it pick up? Or is this it?

When I started watching with the missus, she complained for the first few episodes and wanted to watch something else but around the mid-point, she started watching it ahead of me and I had to catch up myself.
It's 13 episodes. Give it time.

[Ymx]

Just wondering, I’d there a clever place where you can flag up shows you loved (and perhaps really didn’t like) and it recommends others based on similarity with other likeminded individuals.

[Niegs]

While I've never seen Steven Universe, and understand it's a very positive and 'woke' kids show, I'd have thought Adventure Time would have been selected above it.

[Paddington Bear]

Also no love for The Pacific?

Didn't enjoy it the first time round as I thought it was going to be Band of Brothers x2 - and it wasn't.

But on my second time through - outstanding. As a look into the strength of the human spirit in the worst of conditions. What an absolute triumph.

Can watch anything WW2 related normally but really didn't enjoy it. Remember getting to the final episode where it did the 'what happened to the characters' and realising I couldn't name half of them having watched every episode. Just a bit meh.

[Grandpa]

Also no love for The Pacific?

Didn't enjoy it the first time round as I thought it was going to be Band of Brothers x2 - and it wasn't.

But on my second time through - outstanding. As a look into the strength of the human spirit in the worst of conditions. What an absolute triumph.

Can watch anything WW2 related normally but really didn't enjoy it. Remember getting to the final episode where it did the 'what happened to the characters' and realising I couldn't name half of them having watched every episode. Just a bit meh.

I've watched The Pacific three times now. Band of Brothers probably half a dozen times... I enjoy them more each time I watch them as it takes me that long to understand all the different characters,...

[Grandpa]

Just wondering, I’d there a clever place where you can flag up shows you loved (and perhaps really didn’t like) and it recommends others based on similarity with other likeminded individuals.

Netflix seems to understand what I like watching.. and I keep watching what it recommends...

[tabascoboy]

I've watched 24 of those.

No Great British Bake Off? No Mortimer and Whitehouse Gone Fishing?

That I have to admit is a really absorbing series even though I have no interest in fishing.

[tabascoboy]

Can anybody explain me what the appeal is of mad men?! Havent watched it and didnt think the story would appeal to me. Pretty surprised to see it rated so highly.

First couple of seasons are pretty good. But seems to drag on and taper off pretty quickly. We lost interest around the beginning or season 4 I think.

Can't knock the glossy production values but watched all the series waiting for something to happen - and it never really did. Doesn't help that I find Elizabeth Moss as an actor as interesting to watch as a bowl of oats and her character's development is really key to enjoyment of it I guess.

[Niegs]

Also no love for The Pacific?

Didn't enjoy it the first time round as I thought it was going to be Band of Brothers x2 - and it wasn't.

But on my second time through - outstanding. As a look into the strength of the human spirit in the worst of conditions. What an absolute triumph.

Can watch anything WW2 related normally but really didn't enjoy it. Remember getting to the final episode where it did the 'what happened to the characters' and realising I couldn't name half of them having watched every episode. Just a bit meh.

For this new one they're doing (8th Air Force, is it?), I hope they include more of the light hearted moments of BoB. The Pacific does a great job of focusing on the horrors and the struggles, but it doesn't dedicate as much time, I think, to having those moments where you see the different personalities of the side characters.

Capt Haldane's death should have been much more impactful than just a sad moment.

[Paddington Bear]

Also no love for The Pacific?

Didn't enjoy it the first time round as I thought it was going to be Band of Brothers x2 - and it wasn't.

But on my second time through - outstanding. As a look into the strength of the human spirit in the worst of conditions. What an absolute triumph.

Can watch anything WW2 related normally but really didn't enjoy it. Remember getting to the final episode where it did the 'what happened to the characters' and realising I couldn't name half of them having watched every episode. Just a bit meh.

For this new one they're doing (8th Air Force, is it?), I hope they include more of the light hearted moments of BoB. The Pacific does a great job of focusing on the horrors and the struggles, but it doesn't dedicate as much time, I think, to having those moments where you see the different personalities of the side characters.

Capt Haldane's death should have been much more impactful than just a sad moment.

I should be careful how I write this so take it in good faith...

Particularly given that Air Force postings to units in England allowed for significant amounts of light relief. Don't know so much about the Americans but Bomber Command men would get home, have eggs and bacon and then head to the pub. Doesn't detract from the horrific casualties obviously.

[Slick]

This Life from the 90's was a bit of a classic. I was a student at time and everyone would come round to our place and have a wee smoko before each episode. Happy days.

[ScarfaceClaw]

Can anybody explain me what the appeal is of mad men?! Havent watched it and didnt think the story would appeal to me. Pretty surprised to see it rated so highly.

First couple of seasons are pretty good. But seems to drag on and taper off pretty quickly. We lost interest around the beginning or season 4 I think.

I don’t get the Mad Men thing either. I watched the first season (had complete boxset on dvd) and then could not even summon the energy to sell it on. Gave them away to the first person I could find who wanted it. It’s deathly dull and I didn’t enjoy any part of it.

The Wire is good (I’m halfway through season 4) but the best ever? Better than Breaking Bad? The Sopranos or even Better Call Saul. Big call.

[Thor Sedan]

Also no love for The Pacific?

Didn't enjoy it the first time round as I thought it was going to be Band of Brothers x2 - and it wasn't.

But on my second time through - outstanding. As a look into the strength of the human spirit in the worst of conditions. What an absolute triumph.

Can watch anything WW2 related normally but really didn't enjoy it. Remember getting to the final episode where it did the 'what happened to the characters' and realising I couldn't name half of them having watched every episode. Just a bit meh.

For this new one they're doing (8th Air Force, is it?), I hope they include more of the light hearted moments of BoB. The Pacific does a great job of focusing on the horrors and the struggles, but it doesn't dedicate as much time, I think, to having those moments where you see the different personalities of the side characters.

Capt Haldane's death should have been much more impactful than just a sad moment.

After watching a few times now - I genuinely think they wanted to show the men as just meat to be put through the grinder. Faceless sacks of meat that were hoovered up by the enemy, the sickness and the weather.

Thought they captured Basilone's story well. The relationship that Sledge and Snafu cultivated was the backbone of the series I think. The Leckie story wasn't as interesting and seemed to be more about philosophising the act of war.

Certainly grime watching though.

[Dismal Pillock]

Never heard of mad men.

Thought "no way is this my thing. An office soapie set in 60's ad world? Like fuck I'm watching that shit"








Ended up watching every minute of every goddamn episode

It is HIGHLY addictive and meticulously well done.

[Dismal Pillock]

Afterlife deserves to be on there, top 10 as does Derek