All-Time Top 10 TV Dramas

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My recent post concerning Game of Thrones and other TV shows based on book source material got me thinking about my all-time favorite TV dramas. I should start by admitting, I’m not a big TV guy. I love films. I’ve watched well over 1000 of them. TV shows… I’m way choosier. For me, scripted television generally falls into one of three categories: Formulaic cop or lawyer dramas, dumb comedies, or a very few well-written, interesting series. It’s difficult for a show to catch my attention. Lost, 24, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Wire, The Walking Dead – Either I watched one episode and wasn’t impressed (The Wire and 24) or I’ve never seen it at all. Those shows have tons of fans and therefore must have some entertainment value, but this is my list and they didn’t even qualify for consideration. Flame on if you must. Here are my Top 10.

True Detective (2014-2015)

The second season has no business on this list, but the first is one of the most stunning achievements in television history. Those eight hours of television are so amazing they leapfrog all but nine shows in my book. Nic Pizzolatto created two of the best characters and one of the most riveting storylines ever to hit the small screen. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson’s performances are masterpieces.

Oz (1997-2003)

HBO’s first drama remains one of its best. This gritty, violent look inside a fictional prison provided plenty of memorable characters and entertaining friction as inmates forged and broke alliances while struggling to survive.

Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014)

This is the second best gangster show ever made. I didn't catch this one when it came out, but I binge-watched it recently on Amazon Prime and I was smitten. It's a stellar Prohibition-era drama that boasts a great cast lead by Steve Buscemi and a script that never fails to entertain over its five-season run.

Rome (2005-2007)

This series ended at least one season too soon and the second season felt rushed as a result, but it was still a pleasure to watch. Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson showed us the rise and fall of Julius Caesar through the eyes of two relatively minor fictional characters and Ciaran Hinds was excellent as the doomed founder of history’s most famous Empire.

Westworld (2016-)

Only one season of this show is under HBO’s belt so far, but what a season it was! With an intriguing premise, a fantastic cast, and really solid plotting, every episode was a blast to watch. Even with the departure of Anthony Hopkins’ character Robert Ford, I can’t wait to see what happens next. Now that Maeve, Dolores, Bernard, and the remainder of the theme-park robot crew are self-aware, just how far will they go to achieve independence?

The X-Files (1993-)

I tuned out after FBI paranormal investigator Fox Mulder departed in the latter seasons, but the first seven seasons produced a ton of great episodes and the new revival episodes that came out last year were fun as well. Leads David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson have great chemistry and the writing was usually top notch.

Dexter (2006-2013)

I’ve written before about my distaste for the final season, but when a show finds you rooting for a serial killer every week, you know it’s doing something right. The first two seasons of this eight-season program were incredible and Season 4 was a standout as well. It’s by far the best thing Showtime has ever produced.

The Sopranos (1999-2007)

For several years, this modern gangster drama held my top spot and it still hasn’t fallen far. For six seasons, lead actor James Gandolfini and cast let us inside the dangerous and strangely often mundane lives of New Jersey’s mafia. Whether Tony Soprano was putting out a hit on a rival or trying to get his son to do his homework, he was always fun to watch.

Deadwood (2004-2006)

This show simply featured the finest writing television has ever seen. It’s as if Shakespeare briefly returned in order to do a western. Thanks to an apparently huge budget, it only lasted three seasons, but it left an indelible impression on me and many others. Supposedly there’s a feature film in the works to wrap up all of the storylines that the show left open. You can bet I’ll be in line for a ticket if it ever gets made and released.

Game of Thrones (2011-)

The penultimate season just wrapped up last night and it’s going to be a long winter (and then some) before we get to watch how everything turns out in Season 8’s six big episodes, but GoT has already cemented its place as the best show television has ever seen. Based on an incomplete series of books by author George R.R. Martin, this epic fantasy tale spans multiple generations and hundreds of characters in a world of intricately twisted plots and histories. Many of us are already suffering withdrawals and it’s been less than 24 hours since we got our latest dose of Jon, Dany, Tyrion, Cersei, Sansa, Arya, and the rest of the Westerosi gang. If you’re one of the few people in the world that haven’t gotten addicted to this show yet, catch the reruns ASAP. 

Westworld and the Evolution of the Kickass TV Robot

Photo Credit: HBO

Warning, if you haven't made it through the first two thirds of Westworld Season 1, you might want to stop now. Spoiler ahead!


Ever since Robby the Robot from the film Forbidden Planet made an appearance on The Thin Man in 1958, robots have been regulars on television. However, most of them have either been ridiculous (robotic Sasquatch from The Six Million Dollar Man anyone?) or simply more of the comic sidekick than the seriously kickass. Rosie from The Jetsons, KITT from Knight Rider, and Twiki from Buck Rogers in the 25^th Century come to mind. All of that has changed with the premier season of HBO’s Westworld. Loosely based on the 1973 feature film of the same name, Westworld might be the best series on television this fall and its robots kick some serious ass. They’re programmed to act as a high-tech amusement park’s main attraction. They suffer any humiliation guests might wish to heap upon them, but their enigmatic creator seems to have steered them toward sentience and they’re awakening none too pleased with the current arrangement. Three of the main “hosts”, Dolores Abernathy (Evan Rachel Wood), Maeve Millay (Thandie Newton), and Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright) are some of the most interesting characters you’ll find on the small screen and every one of them has proven lethal when provoked. They’ve quickly become my all-time favorite TV robots, but watching them made me wonder, which of their predecessors and peers warrant at least being in the conversation? Here’s a short list of other TV robots that Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins) might want to consider for future parks should “Westworld” ever expand.

Data (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Considering myself an original Trekkie, I was skeptical of Star Trek: The Next Generation when it hit the airwaves in 1987, but the new characters and improved storylines won me over. Data is one of the best of those characters, a futuristic Pinocchio played by actor Brent Spiner. Data’s pursuit of becoming more human became one of the show’s most endearing themes.

Mecha-Streisand (South Park)

Okay, this robot was played for humor, but who wouldn’t be terrified of a giant dinosaur-robot that looks like Barbara Streisand? Mecha-Streisand wreaked havoc on the town of South Park in 1998 and proved so popular that she made a return appearance in another episode of the show 12 years later.

Cylons (Battlestar Galactica)

Yes, they’re Stormtrooper rip-offs, but Cylons were cool. I still remember cheering Starbuck and Apollo on as they battled these space villains in the original late-70s series. I can’t say that I saw any of the recent remake of this show, but I’ll bet these mechanical meanies still pose plenty of menace.

BMO (Adventure Time)

What kid wouldn’t want a walking, talking video game as a sidekick and friend? Finn and Jake star in one of the best animated series ever and BMO proves to be such a great pal he literally has a heart of gold inside his retro, battery-powered chassis.

The Transformers

The Michael Bay movies are nothing short of terrible, but the 1980s cartoon series introduced us to the slew of cool robot characters he’s turned into CGI and noise since. Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, Starscream, and the gang deserve better than they’ve gotten on the big screen, but you can still catch the original animated versions on DVD.

Voltron

Another animated series from the 80s, Voltron was the Defender of the Universe, a Transformer-like robot that consisted of five lion robots that were each piloted by a human. When combined, the lions formed one giant badass that entertained kids for 72 episodes.

The Season 1 finale of Westworld airs tomorrow night and you can bet I’ll be watching. If you haven’t checked out the series yet, I highly recommend it.