1. The Wire
Simply the finest cop show (that was more than just a cop show) in the history of television.
2. Homicide: Life On The Streets
The second finest and most realistic cop show on TV. Some years later, its writers would create "The Wire".
3. Miami Vice
In the 80's, I didn't go out clubbing until after Sonny Crockett and Rico Tubbs shot up a bunch of drug dealers!
4. Crime Story
Set in 1960's Chicago... this period piece was a cops and robbers melodrama between Lt. Mike Torello and uber gangster, Ray Luca. It kept me in the house on Tuesday nights and later, on Friday nights.
5. Living Single
I followed this series from it's inception to the very end (I don't believe I missed an episode). I loved the idea of young professional African-Americans hanging out in an apartment.
6. Martin
This show was just flat out funny. This was another show in which I'm certain I saw every single episode that ever aired. My friends and I could quote lines from practically every episode.
7. Batman
Some of you are far too young to remember the 1960's series that starred Adam West and Burt Young as the Caped Crusaders, Batman and Robin... but, this was probably the first show that ever compelled me to watch every week and I planned my life around it. I was 8 years old but, somehow I felt a lot safer when I heard Adam West say to Commissioner Gordon on the "bat phone"... "We're on our way commissioner!" I knew that The Joker, The Riddler, The Penguin, Mr. Freeze, and The Cat Woman (she was my favorite villian for reasons I still don't understand) were in a world of trouble.
Honorable Mention:
1. The Sopranos
2. The X-Files
3. Friends
4. Sanford & Son
5. Hawaii Five-O
When somebody in the neighborhood gets arrested, I still say... "Book him, Dano!"
What can I say... I'm a TV addict!
What? No Mention of the Simpsons?
ReplyDeleteI liked the "Wire" too.
ReplyDeleteThe Wire and Homicide were two of my faves also...I thought "The Sopranos" would've been a little higher on your list though.
ReplyDeleteThat's a man's list...No mention of
ReplyDeleteKnot's Landing or Dynasty-lololol.
The Wire was my joint..You should've mentioned Oz too.
ReplyDeleteI too will miss the Wire.
ReplyDeleteAmerican Television! It has no equal.
ReplyDeleteI liked all of the shows you mentioned..especially "Martin" and "Living Single". I liked "The Wire" also
ReplyDeleteI can never be first on your blog..
ReplyDeletelololol...Great list..Some of those
shows though were before my time,of course I do remember "Homicide" and of course -"The Wire" Thought you would have named "Six Feet Under" and "Sex and the City."
The "Wire" and "The Sopranos" were my joints and I also dig "The Brotherhood " on Showtime and "Dexter"
ReplyDelete"The Cosby Show", "Different World"
ReplyDeleteand "New York Undercover" were my faves back in the day. I loved me some Malik Yoba.
Dug this list...
ReplyDeleteThere were so many good tv shows that I missed..I just couldn't think of or include them all.
ReplyDeleteI still watch Living Single and Martin...however, A Different World is my show (the main reason why I went to a black college).
ReplyDeleteLiving Single - fa sho!
ReplyDeleteKeith:
ReplyDeleteWe have The Wire in common!
I have all seasons up until Season 5 - so NO SPOILERS.
Every Season was excellent.
Season 2 was a little slow - but absolutely necessary to the ongoing plot.
my favorite is prison break...and I loved sanford and son.
ReplyDeleteLIVING SINGLE!!!!
ReplyDeleteYES "WE ARE LIVVVVVVVVINNNG SINGLLLLLLLLEEE....OOOOOOOOOHHH IN A 90'S KINDA WORLD, IM GLAD I GET MY GIRLS...." :)
Aww man...Martin and Living Single was the shiznit back in the day!!! I did enjoy the earlier seasons of Martin more than the later ones, but those were my shows...like someone else mentioned NY Undercover was one of my favorites as well.
ReplyDelete