What Are Your Favorite TV Shows of All Time?
If you're like me, you've got a list a mile-long of a ton of shows to binge-watch — but also if you're like me, you may be avoiding some of them if you're not really in the mood for the dark/gritty vibe that is so popular right now. So I thought it would be fun to discuss: What are your favorite TV shows of ALL TIME? What has stuck with you through the years, and what would you recommend to friends now?
Here are the all-time favorite TV shows of the Corporette staff… (Don't worry, no spoilers below!)
Psst: in the past we've discussed underrated movies we loved, Kat's favorite fashion movies, and some of our most reliable shows for a laugh.
Kat's All-Time Favorite Shows
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
I always loved Buffy — so smart and funny and joyful. Part of the point was that “Yeah, yeah, yeah, the world is ending, but so what?” Angel's spinoff was also OK, although I wouldn't recommend it quite as highly.
The X-Files
I think honestly I still remember the first few episodes, both for the sexual tension between Mulder and Scully and the weird aliens. At the time it was originally aired, it was a Friday night show — so you kind of had to be a certain person to watch it or even know about it (i.e., a dork!). I remember bonding with so many people over the fact that we watched this show.
Battlestar Galactica
This was one of the first shows I watched with my husband, so it’s kind of tied to my discovery of him — but the first season of BSG still sticks with me in terms of really smart discussions about how to build a society you want, how to choose leaders, and more. It’s a fascinating show and they did great with it as a reboot!
Mad Men
Years later I still think about the story lines and characters — particularly the misadventures of Peggy, Don, and Joan. My husband and I recently started re-watching it from the beginning.
Kate's All-Time Favorite Shows
Doctor Who
Craig Ferguson's Late Late Show bizarre song/dance about the show explains why I love it: It's about “the triumph of intellect and romance over brute force and cynicism.” Plus, it's lots of fun — and funny when not in sci-fi drama mode.
I'm disappointed in the two most recent seasons — mostly due to the writing, and — even as a feminist who thinks that TV needs to do a better job of featuring underrepresented groups in all kinds of roles — I think they should have kept The Doctor as a man (well, technically a male-presenting alien).
But I have watched certain episodes from previous seasons several times and will surely watch them again.
The Simpsons
I have purposely avoided new episodes of The Simpsons for several years — as the show's quality is universally acknowledged to have decreased significantly over the years — so I'm mainly thinking of its mid to late ’90s “golden years,” when it was smart, sharp, and hilarious.
My husband and I frequently find ourselves quoting lines from episodes; practically every time we mention an amount of money, one of us says to the other, “Money can be exchanged for goods and services,” for example.
I've seen some episodes several times, and they're still funny, especially the “Treehouse of Horror” Halloween specials.
Scrubs
I love this show's combination of silliness, hilarity, and poignant moments. And guest stars! And (day)dream sequences! And a musical episode that takes place inside the mind of a patient! My husband and I still quote lines from the show, and when one of us happens to ask, “What? Why?” about any random situation, we immediately think of this scene.
(Unfortunately, Scrubs had to replace some of the original music on streaming platforms, so I definitely recommend borrowing DVDs from the library instead. Also, just pretend the final season doesn't exist…)
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Schitt's Creek, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Key & Peele, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Hannibal
Elizabeth's All-Time Favorite Shows
The West Wing
Is there anything more appealing than a well-run government staffed by honest, competent, hard-working idealists? What a dream! Sure, Aaron Sorkin’s monologues can be a little exhausting, but sometimes I just need to see President Bartlet wax poetic about his values and using his position to help people.
Playing House
This short-lived comedy was criminally underappreciated. A woman moves in with her pregnant best friend after kicking the friend’s cheating husband to the curb. They agree to raise the baby together. Hilarity ensues.
I love it because it shows a very deep female friendship, but it’s not overly saccharine. These women just show up for each other in a way that’s both heartwarming and deeply funny.
Also, Keegan Michael Key (from Key & Peele) plays a love interest, and he’s so good that I’m not sure why he hasn’t been cast in one million romantic comedies yet.
Veep
The theme in my other selections is “good people doing their best.” Veep is about terrible people doing their worst, and my goodness, it is so, so funny. It’s the anti-West Wing. These people have no values, no ideals, and no morals, and they just keep failing upward. I usually don’t like “mean” comedy, but I’m willing to make an exception for the well-written jabs here.
{related: how to dress like Selina Meyer in Veep}
Readers, what about you? What are your all-time favorite TV shows?
Oh I like this thread.
We are suckers for a good midcentury British mystery or drama so – working our way through all the Agatha Christies, Foyle’s War, Grantchester, Father Brown. And the early seasons of Call the Midwife.
Calming entertainment – British Baking Show, Antiques Roadshow (the “vintage” ones are the best, we have gotten pretty good at guessing what has gone up or down), nature shows like Planet Earth
More concentrated thinking – Mad Men, Sherlock (the Cumberbatch one)
+1 to Call the Midwife and Great British Baking show
My other favorites are Downton Abbey and the 1980s mini-series version of Pride and Prejudice. I can watch them over and over and over.
…are we sensing a theme of my favorite shows? ;)
there’s an 80s version? Please tell me you mean the 90’s version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle!
There was definitely a 1980s BBC version. I remember watching it on PBS when I was in high school (pre-1995)! Loved it.
My apologies — I thought it was from the 80s. Colin Firth is the ONLY Mr. Darcy in my book. There was an 80s version (which I’ve seen as well), but not as good.
Colin forth as Darcy was so perfect. I have already watched BBC’s pride and prejudice many, many times. And now I feel like watching it again :)
Fun question. Mine: The West Wing, The X-Files (except for the last season or two we don’t talk about), Firefly (which I have never forgiven Fox for canceling after a season), Gilmore Girls. Scrubs and Parks & Recreation get honorable mention. At the time they aired, Game of Thrones (again, except for the last season) and True Blood were favorites, but I haven’t rewatched them like I have the others.
+1 to Firefly. Basically a perfect TV show for its short life.
I also deeply love Miss Fisher’s Mysteries and, although it had many flaws, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Absolute favourites of all time: 30 Rock, Arrested Development (seasons 1-3), and Buffy.
Shows I love, on a lesser tier: The Office, Friends, and SATC.
I watched Buffy from ages 11-18, so I literally grew up with it and it’s always going to have a special place in my heart.
I just started 30 Rock a couple of weeks ago. This is my first watch. I love it!
I like this topic!
Comedies/Relatively Light: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Party Down, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, The Great British Baking Show
Dramas/Darker: The Americans, Deadwood, Justified, The Good Wife/Good Fight, The Leftovers, Halt and Catch Fire, The Terror (1st Season, haven’t seen the 2nd), Game of Thrones (though I definitely suggest reading the books first- I think these stick with me as much or more than the show)
+1 for Halt and Catch Fire! This show is so underappreciated.
Perennial favorites: Parks & Rec, Bake Off, Star Trek Next Gen, The Good Place, The Crown.
Also, I love that description of Doctor Who. I hardly ever watch it anymore (too cheap to pay for anything besides Netflix), but that’s a great summing up of why I love the show.
Schitt’s Creek
The Good Place
Party of Five
I looove The Good Place!
Also, really loved Good Omens.
Shows I love and rewatch constantly: Buffy, Always Sunny, Dead Like Me
Shows I love but found emotionally exhausting and have not rewatched: Dexter, Six Feet Under, The Sopranos
this is too hard bc i watch a lot of shows, but: Friends, 24, Parenthood, ER
others i’ve liked: law & order, SVU, Greys Anatomy, Brothers & Sisters, SATC, Homeland, Gilmore Girls
shows i could not get into: Jane the Virgin, House of Cards, anything sci fi related
Childhood faves: Doug, Rugrats, Hey Arnold, everything Nick at Nite (Are you afraid of the Dark and Pete and Pete especially), I love Lucy, Party of Five (did anyone else watch this?!)
Teenage years: Friends, Law and Order, Dawson’s Creek, Felicity
20s: LOST, Friends (again), America’s Next Top Model, Downton Abbey, Parenthood
Now: Homeland, every British crime drama ever (Broadchurch, Happy Valley, Unforgotten), Call the Midwife, This is Us, Ozark, Peaky Blinders, Handmaid’s Tale
LOVED I Love Lucy as a kid!
Little Kid: Duck Tails (mostly the theme song)
Big Kid/Young Teen: ER (all my first crushes)
College until now (late 30’s): Grey’s Anatomy, Nip Tuck (I tell myself this was so terrible it was good), The West Wing, Project Runway, Glee, The Good Wife, Downtown Abbey, Call the Midwife, the Great British Baking Show, The Crown
Downton Abbey
IT Crowd
Broadchurch
Party Down
All-time fave: Schitt’s Creek
2nd runner-up: Parenthood
3rd runner-up: Parks and Rec
Honorable mentions: Jane the Virgin, Downton Abbey, The Bold Type, 30 Rock, The Office, maybeeee Scrubs
Silly but fun: Devious Maids, Happy Endings
Ah shoot! This is hard. Maybe Jane the Virgin before Parks and Rec haha!
I am glad to see the mention for Playing House. This is not the kind of show I typically gravitate to but I really enjoy it.
Oldie but a goodie: Thirtysomething
I think This Is Us does a great job.
Narcos is my current obsession. I don’t know if it is an all-time favorite, but my current binge. The performances are terrific and the storylines fascinating.
All-time favorites: The West Wing, Gilmore Girls, the Office, and Friends – I still routinely watch episodes.
Newer favorites: Parks and Rec, This is Us, and Shitt’s Creek.
I watched Shitt’s Creek after seeing it recommended here so much. I didn’t love the first season, but decided to stick it out and am so, so glad I did. The last two or three seasons in particular are perfection.
I had this debate with my sister recently. My top 5 favorites of all time are: Schitt’s Creek, SATC, Friday Night Lights, Downton Abbey, The Office
Veronica Mars
Gilmore Girls
Friday Night Lights
West Wing
Parenthood
Hart of Dixie
The Bold Type
Love the Bold Type! So nice how they focus on the friendship among the three and real issues in life at that age!
This is really hard. I watch A LOT of tv!
Felicity
Thirty Something
Parenthood
Quantum Leap
Grey’s Anatomy
Life in Pieces
Chicago Hope
Picket Fences
The good wife and the good fight
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Mad men
Better Things (AWESOME show if you haven’t tried it. Pamela Adlon is a genius)
Gilmore Girls
Some streaming shows:
Difficult people (hilarious)
Handmaid’s Tale
Friends from College
Homeland
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Veronica Mars
Doctor Who
Honorable mentions for Schitt’s Creek, Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Jane the Virgin, Good Place, Younger, and Gilmore Girls
The Wire is one of the best shows I’ve ever seen but I don’t rewatch it like the other shows
Friday Night Lights
Schitt’s Creek
Mrs. America
Little Fire’s Everywhere
The Good Wife
The Crown
I forgot Parks and Rec!
So many over a lifetime!
Comedy: Everybody Loves Raymond, Friends, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Sex & The City
Drama: The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, The Practice, Breaking Bad