Writer's Guild dubs 'The Sopranos' best written series ever


Recommended Posts

writer-s-guild-dubs-the-sopranos-best-written-series-ever.jpg

The Writer's Guild of America has taken a vote: "The Sopranos" is the Best Written TV Show of all time. A poll of WGA writers has produced a list of the 101 Best Written TV Shows, with HBO's mafia drama topping the list.

The list pays equal tribute to the classic series from the early days of television, while also noting the dearth of quality programming in the last decade.

Former Los Angeles Times television critic Paul Brownfield credits strong characters as the backbone of good writing, pointing out in his introduction to the list that nearly half of 101 selected series were from the last decade. Not surprising, given that "this was a period that coincided with a sharp growth in original programming on both basic and pay cable television when writers were given more latitude to explore the moral complexities of the worlds they created."

Another point of distinction is that AMC's "Mad Men" is the only show in the top 10 that is currently airing. Here is the best of the best:

1) The Sopranos

2) Seinfeld

3) The Twilight Zone

4) All in the Family

5) M*A*S*H

6) The Mary Tyler Moore Show

7) Mad Men

8) Cheers

9) The Wire

10) The West Wing

Check out the full list here. While some may decry "The Sopranos" placement at the top spot, I would say it deserves it not only for the quality writing but also because its popularity truly ushered in a new era of original cable productions after its 1999 debut.

http://www.tvrage.com/news/7023/writer-s-guild-dubs-the-sopranos-best-written-series-ever

Link to comment
Share on other sites

West Wing (Y)

One of the best shows ever created. I really wish they did someone with the white house/president again.

The Newsroom really reminded me of the West Wing, another great show.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just to make sure part of the quote :

A poll of WGA writers has produced a list of the 101 Best Written TV Shows

So this is just what other writers who are members of the WGA think.

The Sopranos was definitely not the best written show ever. The first season was really good but after that it got quite repetitive and the story and most of the characters didn't progress at all. I actually found OZ better written than Sopranos and that ranked at #101.

No one is gonna ever convince me that NYPD Blue (#34) was better written than Battlestar Galactica (#36).

I cannot comment on every single ranking because I haven't watched all the shows.

There are other rankings on that list which make me laugh.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that's quite a fair top 10. I'd say overall The Soprano's is a good contender for the top spot, even if M*A*S*H belittles everything with the quality of it's writing, but I'm a bit biased on that one.

I will kick a new born child if Lost ranks in there... Lost will be in the list somewhere, won't it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I can agree with the Sopranos. Ive found myself watching the re-runs on HBO (m-f @ 8 and 11). Really is a great show and it shows the quality of TV today with only 1 show being in the top 10 thats still on the air. Everything has become reality tv or game shows because of cheap production costs and high ratings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe 'The Wire' should've been at 1 myself, it's the only series I get a kick out of re-watching. Soprano's a definite 2 as I felt the story did dip in a few places but a really excellent series none the less. West Wing 3rd because it dipped toward the end. That's my list and I'm sticking to it :) All great shows though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.