UKFF'S TOP 50 FAVORITE TV DRAMAS

[patiirc]

More shows that didn't make the top 50!

Sharpe

Quincy

 

Another two of mine that didnt make the list, never mind

 

Sharpe- Sean Bean is the man in this isn't he? Intrigue, politics and battles and swashbuckling swagger asunder. Totally great TV and holds up well today. Sharpe's Company is fantastic as is Sharpe's Revenge, Sharpe's Rifles and Sharpe's Waterloo. Fucking Brilliant. Really cant get enough of it.

 

Quincy- Best M.E ever! He solves the murders, does the autopsies, finds time to bag the ladies and get involved with which ever social issues that he has to face that week. Episodes including Never a Child which looks at child porn, Let Me The Light Way, where he deals with a rapist/ muderer. The arena one where Botulism threatens to wreck the World Cup Final, and Welcome to Paradise Palms, about the Bubonic Plague on an Indian Reservation.

 

 

As for other shows that didn't make it

 

 

Sugar Rush

Rome

 

Sugar Rush Series 1 was excellent. Olivia Callinan and Leonora Critchlow were both outstanding as a young lady (Callinan) come to terms with her sexuality and 'Sugar' (Leonora) as her object of desire, even though is unobtainable. Series 2 was absolutely bollocks mind.

 

Rome was cracking Ray Stevenson stole this as Pullo. Kevin McKidd was good, though a bit of a soppy git as Lucius and Niobe his wife was a nause throughout. Also excellent was James Purefoy as the machivellian Marc Anthony and Polly Walker as Atia. Heck, the series even has Hadyn Gwynne in it and that can be no bad thing. Struck the right balance between political intrigue, violence and home life and struggles within Rome. Octavian was an annoying little shit through out though and Series 2 was not as good as the first either.

 

Good shows the pair, but the dip in quality in the second series for both, was enough to not consider them, though I do need to rewatch Rome at some point as series one is genuinely great.

[Devon Malcolm]

Julie Burchill wrote Sugar Rush. That's all you need to know.

[Chest Rockwell]

Well that, and pat rates it, which is the clincher.

[JNLister]

Sharpe's Enemy is the best. Just for what happens after the line "Show Sharpey what you've got."

[PowerButchi]

I voted for Quincy as well. The fact that me and Pat have the same tastes necessitates a trip to the Dignitas clinic for Ol' Handsome Butch.

[LaGoosh]

9)

 

"Each one of us was brought here for a reason."

 

 

Lost

 

Voted number 1? Yes.

 

What's it about?

 

The survivors of the crash of flight Oceanic 815 are stranded on a deserted island. With no sign of rescue they must learn how to live and survive together. But this is no ordinary island. This ABC show was a ridiculously huge smash hit from the start. I can't think of any drama that has penetrated pop culture like this in the past decade. With it's complicated mythology, strong sci-fi elements, strong characters with dark pasts and masterful cliffhangers Lost is the show that popularized the obsessive fan base in the mainstream. This mystery sci-fi action adventure drama changed the game for mainstream television.

 

What do I think?

 

This was my number 1. I almost didn't pick it because the final season is a complete abomination. However I decided I had to make it my number 1 because the first 5 seasons were so mind blowing and captured my imagination like nothing else ever has done before or since. I loved all of these characters with all my heart (except Kate obviously) and I cared what happened to them. Never before has a show had so many "WHAT THE FUCK" and "OH MY GOD YES!" reactions from me. Some of the moments would just put me in complete awe on the first viewing. And no show has ever mastered the art of the plot twist and cliff hanger as Lost. The ending of season 3 will probably never be bettered in TV history, never have I actually felt my mind melting like I did then. And let's not forget the truly epic soundtrack, I would put it on the same level as the Star Wars or Lord Of The Rings soundtracks, maybe even better.

 

What do you think?

 

"Historically, I think Lost will be unfairly done by. Box-sets and binging on Netflix won't be able to recapture those seasons where millions and millions of us, week on week, were utterly fucking gripped. The discussions, the theorising; you really had to be there. Nothing before or since has ever been so embedded into popular consciousness as Lost was while it was airing.

 

But more than anything, putting aside any complaints about what happened when we finally got to the end point, no show ever made me so apoplectic with rage at having to wait another week to find out what was going to happen, or had me rising from my seat to yell HOLY FUCK out of my mouth so loudly. The King of The Cliffhanger, and, because the

[Mike Castle]

Julie Burchill wrote Sugar Rush. That's all you need to know.

It was actually a pretty good show, the only one of my votes that didn't make it (Bill, Prison Break, Prisoner, and Doctor Who in reverse order being my others, I don't watch many dramas), so...

 

Well that, and pat rates it, which is the clincher.

Well fuck. I'd like to change my plea your honour?

[Magnum]

I voted for Quincy as well. The fact that me and Pat have the same tastes necessitates a trip to the Dignitas clinic for Ol' Handsome Butch.

 

That's nothing, I had Sharpe AND Quincy. Bit disappointed they didn't make the cut considering some of the guff that's made it in here, but I did also vote for a shitload of niche foreign stuff that I didn't expect the Neighbours-watching philistines to be aware of, so maybe less surprising on that score.

Edited August 26, 2013 by Magnum

[neil]

Yeah, that #1 pick for Spartacus was mine. The irritating thing is, Brooker was right. This is always going to be a hard show to get people into, because you have to start with the caveat of "It's the greatest show ever, but... the first three episodes are very, very silly." But in episode 4, you're left thinking "Hang on. Was it me, or was that actually quite brilliant?" and from thereon out, it's perfect television right up to the final episode.

 

I got my roommate into Spartacus, but those first couple episodes made it hard. He wasn't that impressed, but I'm telling him to stick with it, without spoiling what is about to happen. Once that episode ended he was like "we need to watch the next one now" and I knew he was hooked.

 

We're currently watching the final season now. It's not as good as the first season and the prequal season, but it's still a great show.

[Arch Stanton]

Agree with a lot of those comments about Lost. I was one of those viewers that bought into the hype before the show kicked off, watched the first episode and never looked back. By the time the fourth series rolled around I pretty much hated myself for not being able to pull myself away from it, despite thinking that the show had gone to shit by that point. I still watched religiously. Ultimately, for every criticism that could be leveled at the show (and there were so many), I cannot deny that I absolutely loved the shit out of the ride. The ending left me so pissed off though, and that's not a good thing. I didn't submit a list, but if I had I would have struggled to have placed it high on my list.

[Dai]

Surely Lost has the greatest "Time talking about it" to "Actually watching it" ratio of any TV show of all time. The thread on here for it was huge, and even during the last season there was an insane amount of discussion about it. To watch it now, ie, an episode a day average, would not be half as good as watching it at the time. I can remember easily spending hours a week reading about different theories, and Im sure Im not the only one. No show has come close to that amount of discussion.

 

 

If I did a list, Spartacus, Breaking Bad and Lost would be the Top 3. Season 3 of Spartacus is let down by too many average characters in the show (compared to the S1 and S2 cast). The less said about those pirates, the better.

[LaGoosh]

8)

 

"You can't be half a gangster, Nucky. Not anymore."

 

 

Boardwalk Empire

 

Voted number 1? Yes.

 

What's it about?

 

Steve Buscemi stars as Nucky Thompson, the boss of Atlantic City, in this Prohibition era drama from Terence Howard and Martin Scorsese. Blending a mix of fictional characters and storylines with real life historical characters such as Arnold Rothstein, Al Capone, Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky. Through the premise of crime and prohibition this drama shows a side of the 1920's that hasn't been explored before such as gender politics, racism, the effect of World War 1 and the changes starting in society. It's only 3 seasons in but it's clear this is also a show prepared to take creative risks and has no interest in holding up the status quo. Special mention for Richard Harrow, one of the best characters on TV.

 

What do you say?

 

"As the show progresses, it gets closer and closer to The Wire in terms of scope, opening out further into that glorious period design and impeccable character work. Boardwalk Empire exposes Downton Abby for the empty soap it is, and all the people who said the first season was boring as dunces. I know there's subjectivity and all, but anyone who complains that it's

[MoistVaj]

More shows that didn't make the top 50!

Supernatural

 

Didn't know my misses had voted in this

 

I didn't realise we were together.

 

The first 5 or 6 seasons of Supernatural are great. It's like the X-Files but with one less know-it-all skeptic and more humour. It's a shame it didn't make the list. I thoroughly enjoyed this show.

 

I would have voted for Supernatural had I actually voted. Seasons 1-5 are superb, and the show should have ended there as Kripke had intended. It had fairly strong ratings though and got picked up again and again, although having said that the most recent season was somewhat a return to form. Dean and Sam are both brilliant leads, I'm surprised Jensen Ackles hasn't gone on and done some shitty romcoms in all honesty.

[Guy Bifkin]

Agree with a lot of those comments about Lost. I was one of those viewers that bought into the hype before the show kicked off, watched the first episode and never looked back. By the time the fourth series rolled around I pretty much hated myself for not being able to pull myself away from it, despite thinking that the show had gone to shit by that point. I still watched religiously. Ultimately, for every criticism that could be leveled at the show (and there were so many), I cannot deny that I absolutely loved the shit out of the ride. The ending left me so pissed off though, and that's not a good thing. I didn't submit a list, but if I had I would have struggled to have placed it high on my list.

 

With my man Arch Stanton on Lost. The last season and particularly the last few episodes were so embarrassingly bad it ruined some fantastic telly that preceded it. I had so much faith that it would be a fantastic, mind blowing finish..I'm still hugely bitter at how it finally played out. If I could go onto that fucking island and turn that stupid fucking wheel in the ground and go back into time, I'd probably not bother watching it.

[PunkStep]

This show could be even higher if we do a poll in a couple of years time, it really is on the ascension. Even if they stick to the real-life stories alone it should get better and better.

 

Edit- I was talking about Boardwalk Empire

Edited August 26, 2013 by PunkStep