Best All Time Epic/Drama TV Series

[LACowboysFan1]

Miami Vice.

Mainly because the good guys didn't always win...

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I loved that show—the garment industry with Jerry Lewis; the record company with Tim Curry; Kevin Spacey as Mel Profitt; or how about The Mud People, with real life politician Ted Thompson?

Me too.

It was an outlier when it came to police dramas during that time period. Most people dramas were about the crime, shoot'em ups, car chases and character development was further down the list.

Not this show.

 

[gtb1943]

Stunned that "Wiseguy" did not make any list here...

It's generally accepted the first season was the best–But the others are "good TV".

But that first season, especially the "Sonny Steelgrave" arc is as good a season of TV as there ever has been–Extraordinarily good at a time where there wasn't nearly the emphasis on high quality crime shows.

Always wondered what forced the big change from season 1; probably network suits. They always screw up.

 

[ESisback]

Me too.

It was an outlier when it came to police dramas during that time period. Most people dramas were about the crime, shoot'em ups, car chases and character development was further down the list.

Not this show.

I also liked NYPD Blue and The Rockford Files.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Always wondered what forced the big change from season 1; probably network suits. They always screw up.

I think with a lot of shows, there's no expectation for anything beyond season 1, so a lot of effort is put into that first season.

Plus quite often the creator of the series has spent a long time conceiving the show–sometimes years. So much of that thought becomes season 1... And once the show is renewed for season 2, the timeline has shrunk greatly as far as being able to conceive of new ideas.

Also back then a season was 22 episodes. "The Soprano's" were well into season 2 when they had episode 22 and "Breaking Bad" was into its 3rd season!

"Wiseguy" cranked out 75 episodes in 4 years. "Breaking Bad" only had 62 episodes and spread them out over 5 years. "The Soprano's" had 86 episodes spread over 8 years!

It's one reason why British TV shows seem to be of much higher quality–far fewer episodes per season.

 

[gtb1943]

I think with a lot of shows, there's no expectation for anything beyond season 1, so a lot of effort is put into that first season.

Plus quite often the creator of the series has spent a long time conceiving the show–sometimes years. So much of that thought becomes season 1... And once the show is renewed for season 2, the timeline has shrunk greatly as far as being able to conceive of new ideas.

Also back then a season was 22 episodes. "The Soprano's" were well into season 2 when they had episode 22 and "Breaking Bad" was into its 3rd season!

"Wiseguy" cranked out 75 episodes in 4 years. "Breaking Bad" only had 62 episodes and spread them out over 5 years. "The Soprano's" had 86 episodes spread over 8 years!

It's one reason why British TV shows seem to be of much higher quality–far fewer episodes per season.

I can see that with some shows; but others? All they had to do was keep on the same track, instead like Wiseguy they went off it. When you change direction, that is a decision. Whoever made that decision for Wiseguy, producer or the suits, screwed up.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I can see that with some shows; but others? All they had to do was keep on the same track, instead like Wiseguy they went off it. When you change direction, that is a decision. Whoever made that decision for Wiseguy, producer or the suits, screwed up.

Keeping in mind Wahl injured his achilles during the filming of the 2nd season, which definitely contributed to a change in direction.

 

[gtb1943]

Keeping in mind Wahl injured his achilles during the filming of the 2nd season, which definitely contributed to a change in direction.

True but Wahl injured it after the direction had already changed.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

True but Wahl injured it after the direction had already changed.

Oh-Kay.

 

[Reality]

I think with a lot of shows, there's no expectation for anything beyond season 1, so a lot of effort is put into that first season.

This is something that I have always thought as well.

Since so many TV show ideas get passed over by the networks, the creators seem to create interesting storylines for the first season in an effort to convince the decision makers to order the full first season.

However, in many cases they do not seem to even think about future seasons until they find out it has been renewed, which is why so many times the second season of shows tend to be not as good as the first season before picking back up in season 3.

 

[gtb1943]

This is something that I have always thought as well.

Since so many TV show ideas get passed over by the networks, the creators seem to create interesting storylines for the first season in an effort to convince the decision makers to order the full first season.

However, in many cases they do not seem to even think about future seasons until they find out it has been renewed, which is why so many times the second season of shows tend to be not as good as the first season before picking back up in season 3.

I think the Babylon 5 creator had planned out 5 seasons ahead of time but that is extremely rare.

 

[Reality]

I think the Babylon 5 creator had planned out 5 seasons ahead of time but that is extremely rare.

There are shows where the writers had a multiyear plan or in some cases the entire series planned out in detail.

It was probably more common back in the pre-2000s because back then streaming was not mainstream like today, so there were fewer shows ordered by networks which tended to result in shows that networks felt had a good chance to go multiple seasons.

That is especially true because future syndication capabilities of TV shows they owned the rights to was a huge revenue stream for them.

These days, with streaming services everywhere and an almost unlimited consumption base, a lot of networks have incentives to introduce a lot of new shows regularly to keep their subscribers paying every month.

As a result, the networks have shifted away from thinking about multiple seasons and potential syndication earnings and toward injecting new shows into the streaming pool regularly while hoping to hit on "viral" hits occasionally to get their anchor shows.

 

[CouchCoach]

There are shows where the writers had a multiyear plan or in some cases the entire series planned out in detail.

It was probably more common back in the pre-2000s because back then streaming was not mainstream like today, so there were fewer shows ordered by networks which tended to result in shows that networks felt had a good chance to go multiple seasons.

That is especially true because future syndication capabilities of TV shows they owned the rights to was a huge revenue stream for them.

These days, with streaming services everywhere and an almost unlimited consumption base, a lot of networks have incentives to introduce a lot of new shows regularly to keep their subscribers paying every month.

As a result, the networks have shifted away from thinking about multiple seasons and potential syndication earnings and toward injecting new shows into the streaming pool regularly while hoping to hit on "viral" hits occasionally to get their anchor shows.

Don’t you think we’ve seen the end of syndication for reruns because of the constant development of new product?

 

[Reality]

Don’t you think we’ve seen the end of syndication for reruns because of the constant development of new product?

I think syndication will simply evolve for streaming services.

The next logical revenue progression for streaming services will be to generate revenue by licensing out packages of their own shows to competing networks because after enough time has passed, their own subscribers will have already seen them on their network and the draw for new subscribers will typically be with new shows rather than older ones.

I think Disney will do this soon given their decrease in subscriber numbers as they license out a lot of their in-house movies and shows to Netflix, Peacock, etc.

The main difference with syndication in streaming though is that unlike the old pre-streaming days where it was important to reach episode counts like 50, 100, etc. episodes, the focus will be more on quantity of shows rather than quantity of episodes.

 

[jsb357]

In my opinion there has to be a separation between series that were broadcast on
over the air TV than what was published on streaming services.

The rules are very different in regards to acceptable content.

I'm an old fogy so TV series like Roots and Rich Man, Poor Man where my introduction
into TV series, both excellent by the way.

For services, I prefer short series that don't have to eat up much of my limited TV time.

Band of Brothers, The Pacific, Generation Kill, all good short series.

I've seen a few long series as well, GOT, Banshee, True Blood, Deadwood, Breaking Bad.

In a long series it's tough to keep the story from fading my interest at some point.

Some might scoff but in my opinion, Season 1 of True Detective contains
the best eight episodes ever aired on television.

Like the albums Led Zeppelin I, Back in Black, The Dark Side of the Moon, and
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and Moving Pictures,
from start to end not a single weak spot or moment of diminished interest.

 

[quickccc]

In my opinion there has to be a separation between series that were broadcast on
over the air TV than what was published on streaming services.

The rules are very different in regards to acceptable content.

I'm an old fogy so TV series like Roots and Rich Man, Poor Man where my introduction
into TV series, both excellent by the way.

For services, I prefer short series that don't have to eat up much of my limited TV time.

Band of Brothers, The Pacific, Generation Kill, all good short series.

I've seen a few long series as well, GOT, Banshee, True Blood, Deadwood, Breaking Bad.

In a long series it's tough to keep the story from fading my interest at some point.

Some might scoff but in my opinion, Season 1 of True Detective contains
the best eight episodes ever aired on television.

Like the albums Led Zeppelin I, Back in Black, The Dark Side of the Moon, and
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and Moving Pictures,
from start to end not a single weak spot or moment of diminished interest.

I remember my family gathering around the living room TV to watch Rich Man Poor Man .. I was too young to really know what was going on, but i knew my
may family love/hated " Falcon Eddie " an intriguing villain that was so ruthless and yet so difficult to catch .

I was told about Band of Brothers, ..started watching but I never finished it .

 

[jsb357]

I was told about Band of Brothers, ..started watching but I never finished it .

I do like it a lot and watch it at least once per year.

I can however see that's it's not for everyone.

I still have distant family in Europe and WWII shapes their decision making to this day.

Also one of my maternal uncles landed on D Day was eventually captured
by the Germans but later escaped. He thinks the reasons he was not killed
immediately was that he spoke German fluently.

 

[gtb1943]

I remember my family gathering around the living room TV to watch Rich Man Poor Man .. I was too young to really know what was going on, but i knew my
may family love/hated " Falcon Eddie " an intriguing villain that was so ruthless and yet so difficult to catch .

I was told about Band of Brothers, ..started watching but I never finished it .

I remember my family gathering around the living room TV to watch Rich Man Poor Man .. I was too young to really know what was going on, but i knew my
may family love/hated " Falcon Eddie " an intriguing villain that was so ruthless and yet so difficult to catch .

I was told about Band of Brothers, ..started watching but I never finished it .

Band of Brothers is great but like all mini series its not for everyone.

Rich Man Poor Man does not get the cred it deserves because Roots came out the next year

Mid 70's to late 80's was the greatest time for them
The networks were basically in competition to one up the other
RICH MAN POOR MAN
ROOTS
SHOGUN
Winds of War & War and Remembrance (most expensive miniseries of all time when adjusted for inflation)
LONESOME DOVE

 

[ESisback]

Band of Brothers is great but like all mini series its not for everyone.

Rich Man Poor Man does not get the cred it deserves because Roots came out the next year

Mid 70's to late 80's was the greatest time for them
The networks were basically in competition to one up the other
RICH MAN POOR MAN
ROOTS
SHOGUN
Winds of War & War and Remembrance (most expensive miniseries of all time when adjusted for inflation)
LONESOME DOVE

North & South
The Thornbirds

 

[gtb1943]

North & South
The Thornbirds

Loved North and South books one and two; three was a downer

Thornbirds never interested me but it got huge ratings