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Home / Entertainment

Rolling Stone names the greatest 100 TV shows of all time. But are they right?

Karl Puschmann
By Karl Puschmann
Freelance entertainment writer·NZ Herald·
24 Sep, 2016 02:25 AM2 mins to read

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A scene from the tv series The Sopranos

A scene from the tv series The Sopranos

There's no excuse to claim you're stuck for something to watch this weekend.

That's because Rolling Stone magazine has just released a mammoth 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time listicle.

While hardcore couch potatoes will have plenty to rant and rave about, the list offers the rest of us a solid checklist of terrific shows to check out, rewatch or catch up on.

To compile the list Rolling Stone polled television writers, producers, actors and showrunners. There were no restrictions, TV shows from any era and genre were eligible. The results were then tallied and published.

While there will certainly be quibbles with the order or placing of certain fan favourites (see below...), the overall list is indeed comprehensive and offers a fantastic time capsule of television history.

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You've got reality shows sitting next to black and white westerns, silly comedies nudging up against serious dramas and sci-fi rubbing shoulders with chat shows.

Quick thoughts:

The Good: Curb Your Enthusiasm cracked the Top 20. Pretty, pretty good.
The Bad: Battlestar Galactica beaten by Lost? What a right old load of codswallop.
The Ugly: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia didn't make the cut? Your list is invalid.
The Surprising: The crazed animated lunacy of The Ren & Stimpy Show charts at a respectable 74.
Spoilers: Sorry Nu Zilind, Shortland Street failed to make it on. Can we demand a recount?

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The Top 10

10: The Daily Show (1996-present)
9: All in the Family (1971-1979)
8: Saturday Night Live (1975-present)
7: The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
6: The Simpsons (1989-present)
5: Seinfeld (1989-1998)
4: Mad Men (2007-2015)
3: Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
2: The Wire (2002-2008)
1: The Sopranos' (1999-2007)

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