6 of The Greatest TV Shows In History According to Hollywood Insiders
It’s safe to say that most of us have a certain degree of familiarity with our favorite TV shows. Similarly, some of us are aware of our friends’ and family members’ favorite television shows. However, have you ever wondered which television show is better than the other?
THR polled over 2,800 Hollywood professionals and asked them to name their favorite television series of all time. Surprisingly, their responses vary to some degree, and you can bet they mentioned some of the most popular television shows. We compiled their responses and created this short list of the best television shows of all time.
The Sopranos
HBO had been producing a number of original series for many years before The Sopranos debuted in 1999. Everyone knows, however, that The Sopranos is entirely responsible for HBO becoming a top-tier cable network. James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, and the rest of the stellar ensemble delivered outstanding performances in The Sopranos.
There’s no denying that this television series was instrumental in ushering in a new era of serialized television. Surprisingly, The Sopranos‘ finale was just as good as the entire series, and it is still one of the most iconic television episodes in history. It’s entirely up to you whether it’s a good or bad ending.
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is a television show that has been dubbed “The Show About Nothing.” Despite its moniker, Seinfeld is a TV show that means different things to different people. One of the best aspects of this series is its exceptionally amusing observation of people’s strange habits and behaviors.
There’s no doubt that Seinfeld, to its credit, is one of the most iconic television shows in history. Something as simple as a ruffled shirt or a soup kitchen cook became pop culture icons. Of course, the central foursome, which included Jerry Seinfeld, was a winning formula that lasted the entire run of the show. It even ended before it reached its peak, which we don’t think is a bad thing.
Game of Thrones
As previously stated, The Sopranos aided HBO in becoming a top-tier contender in the television drama race. However, HBO’s Game of Thrones has transformed this cable network into a television ratings monster. Game of Thrones is a television drama based on George R.R. Martin’s massively successful novel series of the same name.
With its massive cast of characters, Game of Thrones easily captivates millions of viewers. Of course, it also has the perfect balance of nail-biting conflicts and violence, as well as regal politics and fantasy. There is also a large degree of character deaths, making it one of the most memorable television shows of all time.
The X-Files
The X-Files, to its credit, ran for nine seasons and managed to incorporate every aspect that made it such a successful television show. The X-Files is easily remembered as a television show with an engaging and overarching storyline in which its main characters were involved.
The show also had the ideal blend of procedural elements and its iconic monster-of-the-week approach. It was undeniably successful in carrying out the story’s “will they/won’t they” pattern for Mulder and Scully. Aside from these two iconic characters, it had a slew of memorable side characters who added a lot of fun and mystery.
Breaking Bad
Counting the successful things Vince Gilligan did in Breaking Bad can be a difficult task. The show transformed actor Bryan Cranston from a beloved sitcom star to a dramatic anti-hero, and it’s undeniably one of the most significant transitions in television history.
Breaking Bad is a television series that was able to maintain its dark humor while also laying out one nail-biting and dark turn of events after another. There is no doubt that this television series will continue to be the premiere series on television for many decades to come.
Friends
Who would have guessed that a comedy sitcom about six New York City friends would become the greatest show in television history in the 1990s? Friends unquestionably deserves all of the credit for making NBC one of the most popular broadcast networks during the 1990s. It also allowed the show’s cast to skyrocket to stardom.
Friends is an iconic sitcom that everyone who has watched it remembers for its perfect blend of silliness and seriousness. It also had an exquisite cast of characters, with almost everyone finding someone to relate to. Friends is without a doubt Hollywood’s favorite television series of all time for a reason.