CP knows TV better than WGA
 

I am perfectly content for this to get moved to Media Center, or go nowhere whatsoever, but heck it's the offseason.

WGA has ranked all time TV writing.

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?for...13708054611639

They lump together variety shows, comedies, fake news, dramas, and mini-series.

I have some germinal, but pretty vociferous, beefs with this ranking, and would welcome gauging CP interest in working towards a forum consensus on re-ordering and replacing shows.

Ideally, there would be controls for how well participants defend their sumissions, how well they are acquainted with the material they opine on, and how much community support they gather. There might be a way to measure 'likes' and 'dislikes' of submissions and give sub-arguments a 'rep' that affects how much traction/weight they are given.

Ideally, over time we would gather data to create our own top 101. With a lot of healthy discussion, reminiscence, education, and debate along the way.

Partially out of coding/social media niavete, and more in at least the initial wish to not weigh in too quickly with my own beefs, I'd cede control of the discussion and tabulation to interested parties. Though I'd be amenible to assisting in any record keeping, rudimentary organization of the endeavor that would arise.

Disqus.

People here mostly just watch CBS sitcoms and Fox News.

CMON MAN, TWO AND A HALF MEN IS STILL FUNNY!!!

I am probably making West Wing higher and not making MASH so prominent.

I few cursory observations to seed discussion.

Why Homeland and ESPECIALLY 24 so much higher than Justified? Love Homeland, but love Justified just as much and they are in similar places in their arcs and their newness on the scene.

Too many sitcoms above the UK Office, 30 Rock and Friends in particular.

Deadwood far too low. Star Trek OS way too high.

How much is GoT based on delivered material and how much on known plotlines to come.

Similarly did Lonesome Dove get downgraded by sequels [canonical to McMurtry notwithstanding] or even non-produced McMurtry additional writing.

Contemporary-centric? America-centric?

Is it even fair to compared limited run to long-running [in some cases, six hours to decades].

Should a show be judged by it's highs/lows or overall quality.

:-|

I love Mad Men but should it really be that high when we don't know how it is going to finish yet? Its a great show, but better writing than The Wire and Cheers?

Friends is horrible, and Saturday Night Live should be on a list of shows with the worst writing. I'll give 'em credit for 1 clever sketch per episode (which is a stretch some weeks), maybe 2 in election season. That's maybe 5-10 minutes of a 90-min show. Not a good batting average.

Bob Newhart Show and Fawlty Towers should be much higher. And the Newhart should have made the list.

And no My Name is Earl? WTF?

Chiefs fans love my name is earl because we can all relate to white trash racists.

Or because it is really well written.

Or because we posted it in the wrong thread the first time around...

Didn't we already cover this ground with Rain Man's polls a few months ago?

No way Friends should be ranked that high (#24)...BSG was a much more well written show, and it only ranked 38th.

Barney Miller should be much higher. A great cast of characters and excellent writing.

Some that jumped out at me on the down side are that MASH hasn't aged well, and with its premise it should. I don't think Mary Tyler Moore and I Love Lucy have aged particularly well, either, though they're still worthy of the list.

The biggest snub I see is Barney Miller at 76. Should be much higher. And I agree that My Name is Earl might deserve a spot on the list. Soap is always too low on these lists, too.