Top 10 TV Shows

Boy Meets World

Corey, Shawn, Topanga, Eric and crew ruled the tube from 1993-2000 in one of our most memorable TV Shows, combining comedy with life lessons, all through the omniscient Mr. Feeney. The show was never a critical hit or a fan favorite, but it resonates today because of its sincerity. The show will always be remembered for the friendship between Corey and Shawn, but Will Friedle stole every scene he was in – especially in the later seasons. The show ended its run with a proper finale, as the students all said goodbye to Mr. Feeney as they moved on to bigger and better things.

The Incredible Hulk

It was one part action, one part drama, but all heart. Bill Bixby’s portrayal of Dr. David Banner and Lou Ferrigno’s Hulk combined to tell compelling stories and bring to life a beloved Marvel Comics hero. Not to be outdone, Jack Colvin was just as perfect as the ever-sleazy tabloid reporter, Jack McGee. The show ran from 1977-1982, until it was pulled for a myriad of reasons. There were three subsequent made-for-TV movies, and more were planned, but sadly, Bixby passed away before another could be filmed.

The Golden Girls

Picture this: A mother. A daughter. An airhead. A loose woman. No, it’s not Saturday at your local strip club, it’s The Golden Girls. The show was about the bonds of friendship, something we can all learn from – and it was always great to watch with a grandmother. This fabulous foursome ruled for seven seasons for NBC, and each of the TV Shows four stars – Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty, Bea Arthur, and Betty White all earned Emmy wins for their work on the show.

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Will Smith began his career as one half of DJ Jazzy Jeff  & The Fresh Prince and parlayed that into the superstardom he enjoys today. But without the mega-hit TV Show, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Smith would be just another musician who couldn’t cross over. The jokes were incredibly written, and the premise of the show worked well as American television changed (mostly thanks to Bill Cosby). Add in an incredible ensemble cast that included James Avery’s “Uncle Phil,” Joseph Marcell’s “Geoffrey” and Alfonso Ribeiro’s “Carlton,” and the recipe for success was mixed just right. The show ran for six seasons, launching Smith’s career in the process – and not just because he was funny – the most memorable scene for many from the series is from the episode that Will’s father leaves him again.

Family Matters

It’s a rare condition, this day and age, to find any shows that can recreate the magic that Family Matters possessed. The show worked for so many different reasons, showing that Friday could be a great night for family television again. As a permanent fixture on ABC’s TGIF lineup, Family Matters was the kind of show with a real feel for the times, and a deep message in its episodes – all while giving us one of television’s most beloved characters – Steve Urkel. Jaleel White’s nerd next door was supposed to be a one time thing, but it transformed into something greater, eventually turning the show itself into the unofficial “Urkel Show” – with real love bursting out of every seam.

Tie: South Park/Family Guy

Whether you prefer Cartman or Stewie is irrelevant. What matters is that both of these shows are crude, cruel and crazy – which make them even more popular with audiences. They don’t pull punches on social commentary, neither show tries to be overly cute with their humor, and both shows make us laugh out loud pretty much all the time.

OZ

That’s the name on the street for the Oswald Maximum Security Penitentiary. It’s also #4 on the countdown. HBO’s first one-hour drama production began in 1997 and ran six successful seasons. The cast was incredible. Tom Fontana’s writing was crisp, haunting, and real. The series loosely followed prisoner Tobias Beecher (Lee Tergesen) for those six seasons, culminating with his final showdown with Arian leader Vern Schillinger (J.K. Simmons). The show was violent and unforgiving, a testament to its content. But through prisoner Augustus Hill’s (Harold Perrineau) narrations, we see things much differently. (And Chris Meloni, of Law & Order: SVU fame, is captivating as inmate Chris Keller – just saying).

The Sopranos

When Tony Soprano walked into Dr. Melfi’s office in the premiere episode of The Sopranos, few of us could have predicted the heights to which James Gandalfini would take the character and the show. Brilliantly portraying the clinically depressed Mafioso, Gandolfini brought something unexplainable and untouchable to the screen. Throw in the brilliant cast (Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Dominic Chianese), the killer one-liners and all the drama of both Soprano families, and you have arguably one of the greatest shows ever – even if David Chase faded us all to black.

LOST

Before the show had even hit the air, the buzz was incredible for it. By the time the show left the airwaves in 2010, it had lived up to all the hype. The show was a mix of great stories, great characters…and lots of confusion. For six seasons, we followed the journey of Oceanic 815 as the survivors adapted to the wild and surreal surroundings of The Island. From Jack Shephard’s leadership to Sawyer’s sarcastic quips, the show provided us with characters of all types to enjoy. LOST blended spirituality and theology seamlessly, questioning everything along the way – all while supplying its audience with laughter, tears, adventure and of course, Hurley. A lot of fans hated how the show ended, but I have to disagree – there was something peaceful and serene in the finale that made the ride worth it, brother!

Twin Peaks

No other show I have ever watched has been written more brilliantly – plain and simple. David Lynch took a quirky show and made it a mega-hit, albeit a short-lived masterpiece. Though it lasted only two seasons, Twin Peaks produced the best television ever. Kyle MacLachlan’s FBI Agent Dale Cooper will forever be one of the best written characters in television history. The show gave us drama, it gave us mystery, but most of all, it gave us some weird and creepy moments. Killer Bob will always haunt the dreams of those who know the show – and ABC will always be remembered for flushing this gem down the toilet way before it had hit its prime. Owls, giants, Little Man from Another Place; Leland, Ben, Audrey…the list is endless.

Quite frankly, here will never be anything like it ever again.