UKFF'S TOP 50 FAVORITE TV DRAMAS

[Onyx2]

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.

 

I understand, but the character stories that play out prior to that are not worth missing out on. Locke's arc in particular.

[Thunderplex]

I have never seen an episode of Boardwalk Empire that has not had me hanging on every precious minute. If I'd had voted it would have been my number 1. Faultless acting, script and story.

[Little Johnny]

"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.

Well, it's not really 'unfair', is it? If anything, Lost had a unique advantage in that there were legions of fans who'd spent so many hours ruminating on the significance of Ben wearing odd socks in the desert and didn't have it in them to concede that the payoff inevitably couldn't be all they had hoped.

[King Pitcos]

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.

That's how I feel as well. Lost was shit. It kept you watching mostly dull characters/relationships by piling on mysteries and having you hanging on for a payoff. And man, what a payoff.

[HarmonicGenerator]

I loved Lost, I think a re-watch will be in order soon as the g/f hasn't seen much of it past season 1, but I might suggest we stop after season 5. Or just fast-forward all the flash sideways bits. Mind, I really liked the ending of season 6 at the time - how much of this was down to having got up at 5 in the morning to watch it, I don't know, but at that moment, I was happy with it!

 

I don't think Boardwalk made my list but I do really enjoy it and am looking forward to it coming back in September. I did find the first season really slow going, and considered not bothering with season 2 - but I did, and once season 2 kicked into gear it became painfully clear that season 1 was necessary slow going in order to familiarise you with all the characters and the wider world of the show, so that when it DID start to all kick off, you had that background to make it mean that much more. That's how I took it, anyway.

 

Margaret is rubbish, though.

[PunkStep]

Margaret is fucking awful. I made a point of mentioning that in my write-up LaGoosh used.

[Astro Hollywood]

Boardwalk was my #9 pick, but by the time it ends, I think it'll be regarded as one of the best ever. Every season opens it out further and further, and they're not afraid to go in some really bold, unexpected directions, subverting shit the live-long day like Game of Thrones does.

 

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Remember how we wondered where the fuck they could even go at the end of S2 after Jimmy died? And Owen in the crate, which is one of the most horrifically sudden, shocking deaths I can think of.

 

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And vague Breaking Bad spoilers --

 

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Everyone talks up Breaking Bad's brilliant shift of protagonist to antagonist, but S3 Nucky is an absolute piece of shit when you think back to that first season. You can't be half a gangster.

 

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[LaGoosh]

7)

 

"God rest the souls of that poor family...and pussy's half price for the next 15 minutes."

 

 

Deadwood

 

Voted number 1? Yes.

 

What's it about?

 

HBO does the western! This profanity, sex and violence filled show based on the real life tale of the lawless gold mining town of Deadwood ran for critically acclaimed seasons. Boasting an epic lead performance from Ian McShane as Al Swearengen and a cast packed with brilliant character actors and some of the best dialogue ever written. This show is about how civilizations are formed in the midst of chaos.

 

What do you say?

 

"A fantastic drama with a great cast of characters that just continued to improve with each season until it was unfortunately cancelled. Al Swearengen in particular should go down as one of the greatest characters in TV history."

 

"Evil Lovejoy giving us soliloquies from a Dakota border balcony ... Fantastic. It has everything in it, I'm a sucker for Westerns as it is, I love the history of it all too, and the incorporation of what actually happened dramatised was great. Dan Dority vs Joe Turner may very well be the finest fight scene on film after the corridor scene from Old boy"

 

"Old West Shakespeare in the mud, with one of the great protagonists in Al. Brutal beauty."

 

"narrowly missed the top spot. Fantastic script and so well acted by all. Some episodes dragged but once it got going totally gripping. It's a dying shame that its never been particularly mainstream but the language stops it from being shown at peak time. But where Deadwood ended Justified began."

 

"For me the best show of the last decade. Ian McShane is immense in a cast so full of talent. Clearly defined characters you actually care about and a strong script (in all definitions) keep me longing to this day for it's return."

 

"Magnificent reimagining of the notorious American mining camp Deadwood

[Maverick]

I just finished Deadwood Season 2 yesterday and it really is a marvelous show with McShane giving a masterful performance as Al. As said the ensemble cast is a really strong one and I particularly enjoy the unlikely relationships that develop between the characters as the show go on such as Doc-Jane, Charlie-Joanie and Trixie-Mrs. Garratt. Brad Dourif is really great in this aswell and deserves credit for his role as a sort of moral conscience of the camp, I particularly like how he's the only one who can stand up to the likes of Al without fear of much reprieve as they all desperately need his services as a Doctor. Was suprised how understated Olyphant is in this, I don't know why I just didn't expect him to be the straight man going in. Is it just me or does Powers Boothe's character feel somewhat out of place or unnecessary? I like him as an actor but he was totally over shadowed by McShane for me and I didn't really feel such a similar character was needed though I did like the idea of having a rival saloon and enjoyed his girlfriend hooker and sick friend/later priest he brought with him.

[Pier Six Brawler]

e from Deadwood. It's a crying shame they never finished it properly, otherwise I might have rated it the best drama of all time.

 

Is "Rome" going to be on this top 50? I assumed it would be, but it's looking like it's been left out now.

[Bellenda Carlisle]

More shows that didn't make the top 50!

Rome

[KingOfMetal]

I'm just hoping that Game Of Thrones isn't #1

[Pier Six Brawler]

I reckon either Sopranos or the Wire will get the top spot.

[Loki]

Is it just me or does Powers Boothe's character feel somewhat out of place or unnecessary?

 

I think he's great because he's a miserable coward and bully, and a good counterpoint to the strength of Al. The number of times he gets beaten up or shot is great. He's the guy who thinks he's tough, but is really only tough when duffing up women.

 

I think I put Deadwood at number 1. Sure, we could have had more series, but I don't think it ends as badly as others - they have their long-awaited incorporation into the state, the camp has become a town. But what you do get is 3 series of the best writing of any series, period. It's also one of those shows that then spreads its tentacles out through other series - so one of the joys of Sons Of Anarchy is spotting all the Deadwood alumni when they appear (e.g Calamity Jane as the lawyer); similarly with Justified.

 

Rome was great, but it's been superseded by Spartacus which did a lot of the same stuff but better.

[Chest Rockwell]

"narrowly missed the top spot. Fantastic script and so well acted by all. Some episodes dragged but once it got going totally gripping. It's a dying shame that its never been particularly mainstream but the language stops it from being shown at peak time. But where Deadwood ended Justified began."

 

 

 

I've not seen Justified but literally everyone else goes to pains to say this comparison is not applicable beyond them both being Westerns. Especially people defending Justified.