not enough drama in your life you
haven’t been watching enough TV welcome
to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
TV dramas of all time
you’re strong I’m stronger for this list
we’re looking at shows that had
longevity critical acclaim and/or were
rating successes so if your favorite
drama only ran for one or two seasons
we’re very sorry so well Laurel comes
early number 10
er there’s two kinds of doctors there’s
the kind that gets rid of their feelings
and the kind of keeps them if you’re
gonna keep your feelings you’re gonna
get sick from time to time that’s just
how it works
this hospital drama was a sensation when
it premiered because unlike most 90s TV
dramas it felt like a movie with long
Steadicam shots amazing cuts and a sense
that the look was as important as the
content Jimmy wasn’t matter there’s a
trunk
I can’t imagine wall well me neither
everything’s cool all we have to do is
sitting late but ultimately content was
king it’s astonishing cast scripts that
bordered on but never crossed into soap
opera you’re married no I’m a doctor and
constant propulsive tension gave viewers
the thrill of being part of an ER team
I’ve got a right to my opinion don’t mr.
luck you’re an end-stage renal failure
but don’t worry we’re going to save your
life such as it is number 9 Law & Order
in the criminal justice system the
people are represented by two separate
yet equally important groups the police
who investigate crime and the district
attorneys who prosecute the offenders
these are their stories this drama ran
for so long it’s easy to forget how good
it was at its best sure
each episode followed a formula 1 part
police procedural one part legal drama
isn’t it possible that pneumonia killed
Suzanne Martin it’s possible that death
rays from Mars
killed her I don’t think so but that
formula actually gave its creators
freedom to delve deeper into the psyches
and souls of participants law says I
don’t have to give it to them Claire and
besides I don’t want it the changing
cast over the years kept the show fresh
with fascinating faces who could also
act up a storm it’s a crime of passion
stone pure and simple a crime of passion
is never pure and it’s certainly not
simple number eight Game of Thrones
winter is coming
fantasy dramas usually get short shrift
when it comes to respect but Game of
Thrones is so awesome and done with such
skill it demands critical attention come
out behind them and come in there often
dark in tone and filled with enough
intrigue for 10 series it’s also
flat-out epic but even with all that
going on it’s the focus on relationships
and personalities that keeps viewers
hungry for more make him happy well that
and the sex and violence I sent 2,000
men to their graves today the bards will
sing songs of their sacrifice I for the
dead won’t hear number seven the x-files
are you familiar with the so-called
x-files
you got a conspiracy theory chances are
the x-files beat you to it and that’s
part of what made this sci-fi show so
astounding with the incredible David
Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in the
lead paranoia and paranormal activity
were immensely appealing you know this
could mean the intelligent scripts that
treated the sci-fi subject matter
seriously also shouldn’t be neglected
this is an official procedure
x-files secret is that it made you
believe its tagline the truth is out
there
when Convention and science offer us no
answers might we not finally turn to the
fantastic as a plausibility number six
Mad Men this is the greatest advertising
opportunity since the invention of
serial great shows keep surprising
viewers Mad Men has plenty of plot hooks
and twists that do that plus it’s got
the whole snappy dialogue thing down I
thought we were doing this at 9:00 it’s
11:15 I’m late but you’re not good work
so far but it’s the unpredictability of
its characters from Don Draper on down
that makes it stand out these people do
the same random things for unknowable
reasons we all do it’s called human
behavior and in the hands of these
creators its enthralling
I give you money you give me ideas you
never say thank you that’s what the
money is for number five the West Wing
all right let’s do it drill no one
writes speeches like West Wing creator
Aaron Sorkin big speeches little
speeches sometimes just a paragraph your
state of Florida got 12 point six
billion dollars in federal money last
year twelve point six out of a state
budget of 50 billion I’m supposed to be
using this time for a question so here
it is can we have it back please that’s
this shows secret weapon it loves
language it loves ideas and it puts all
that in the mouths of funny
heartbreaking driven characters who are
enmeshed in awesomely inventive plot
twists intrigue and relationships kind
of makes politics look fun this is
lining
what’s next number four mash they’re
ruining this war for all of us yes
technically mash is a sitcom not a drama
but few dramas of any era tackled as
many serious issues and presented them
as compellingly as this groundbreaking
series the deathly seriousness of war
and the need for humor in the face of it
permeates this show sir I’m getting a
cold sore well Captain Ahab only had one
leg well he wasn’t in the army sir he
was a whale guy why yes sir in the
background of the hilarious antics of
Hawkeye Hot Lips and their cronies is
the knowledge that death is right around
the corner Henry Blake’s plane was shot
down there were no survivors number
three the wire teach you to give up
going ain’t your turn to give up on the
surface the wire is an exciting police
procedural underneath it’s an incisive
frightening Lee personal look at the
troubles of urban America I need you to
hit somebody
hoo-wee it clay Davis
the clay Davis perhaps what makes it
most noteworthy is that despite the
seriousness of the problems many of its
characters face there is always a
feeling of hope and optimism these
people may be let down by society but
their humanity still shines through
involved in the ball the game number two
Breaking Bad I’m thinking maybe you and
I could partner up this AMC series
follows a good man down a destructive
path into crime yet Walter White is
complex enough to retain audience
sympathy we root for him even as he’s
murdering people and building a criminal
empire
white is dark morally ambiguous and
often downright cruel yet Bryan
Cranston’s portrayal is so layered and
nuanced were drawn back to him time and
again and rewarded with spectacular
drama no you clearly don’t know who
you’re talking to so let me clue you in
I am NOT in danger Skyler I am the
danger
number one The Sopranos what line of
work are you in waste management
consultant when we listed the top ten
HBO shows we gave the nod to Game of
Thrones because that more original
series best exemplified the network’s
epic production values and limitless
imagination
tis on to woman’s only weapon but if
we’re choosing the Godfather of today’s
must watch shows in the broader sense
that honor goes to the more relatable
Sopranos any thoughts at all on why you
blacked out I don’t know stress may be
proving cable TV could produce both
quality drama and a ratings smash this
series excelled thanks to a cast of
sterling performers however it many by
depicting gangsters as family men but
that dual emphasis made it memorable
well pastry need to watch my weight need
to snag another husband you’re the only
one who realized that’s a joke did well
burn off family do you agree with our
list which TV dramas keep you glued to
your seat for more entertaining top 10s
like this one published every day be
sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com do
you really believe that you mean
anything to these people and I’m not
trying to be insulting I’m just trying
to make you see things clearly
you
haven’t been watching enough TV welcome
to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
TV dramas of all time
you’re strong I’m stronger for this list
we’re looking at shows that had
longevity critical acclaim and/or were
rating successes so if your favorite
drama only ran for one or two seasons
we’re very sorry so well Laurel comes
early number 10
er there’s two kinds of doctors there’s
the kind that gets rid of their feelings
and the kind of keeps them if you’re
gonna keep your feelings you’re gonna
get sick from time to time that’s just
how it works
this hospital drama was a sensation when
it premiered because unlike most 90s TV
dramas it felt like a movie with long
Steadicam shots amazing cuts and a sense
that the look was as important as the
content Jimmy wasn’t matter there’s a
trunk
I can’t imagine wall well me neither
everything’s cool all we have to do is
sitting late but ultimately content was
king it’s astonishing cast scripts that
bordered on but never crossed into soap
opera you’re married no I’m a doctor and
constant propulsive tension gave viewers
the thrill of being part of an ER team
I’ve got a right to my opinion don’t mr.
luck you’re an end-stage renal failure
but don’t worry we’re going to save your
life such as it is number 9 Law & Order
in the criminal justice system the
people are represented by two separate
yet equally important groups the police
who investigate crime and the district
attorneys who prosecute the offenders
these are their stories this drama ran
for so long it’s easy to forget how good
it was at its best sure
each episode followed a formula 1 part
police procedural one part legal drama
isn’t it possible that pneumonia killed
Suzanne Martin it’s possible that death
rays from Mars
killed her I don’t think so but that
formula actually gave its creators
freedom to delve deeper into the psyches
and souls of participants law says I
don’t have to give it to them Claire and
besides I don’t want it the changing
cast over the years kept the show fresh
with fascinating faces who could also
act up a storm it’s a crime of passion
stone pure and simple a crime of passion
is never pure and it’s certainly not
simple number eight Game of Thrones
winter is coming
fantasy dramas usually get short shrift
when it comes to respect but Game of
Thrones is so awesome and done with such
skill it demands critical attention come
out behind them and come in there often
dark in tone and filled with enough
intrigue for 10 series it’s also
flat-out epic but even with all that
going on it’s the focus on relationships
and personalities that keeps viewers
hungry for more make him happy well that
and the sex and violence I sent 2,000
men to their graves today the bards will
sing songs of their sacrifice I for the
dead won’t hear number seven the x-files
are you familiar with the so-called
x-files
you got a conspiracy theory chances are
the x-files beat you to it and that’s
part of what made this sci-fi show so
astounding with the incredible David
Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in the
lead paranoia and paranormal activity
were immensely appealing you know this
could mean the intelligent scripts that
treated the sci-fi subject matter
seriously also shouldn’t be neglected
this is an official procedure
x-files secret is that it made you
believe its tagline the truth is out
there
when Convention and science offer us no
answers might we not finally turn to the
fantastic as a plausibility number six
Mad Men this is the greatest advertising
opportunity since the invention of
serial great shows keep surprising
viewers Mad Men has plenty of plot hooks
and twists that do that plus it’s got
the whole snappy dialogue thing down I
thought we were doing this at 9:00 it’s
11:15 I’m late but you’re not good work
so far but it’s the unpredictability of
its characters from Don Draper on down
that makes it stand out these people do
the same random things for unknowable
reasons we all do it’s called human
behavior and in the hands of these
creators its enthralling
I give you money you give me ideas you
never say thank you that’s what the
money is for number five the West Wing
all right let’s do it drill no one
writes speeches like West Wing creator
Aaron Sorkin big speeches little
speeches sometimes just a paragraph your
state of Florida got 12 point six
billion dollars in federal money last
year twelve point six out of a state
budget of 50 billion I’m supposed to be
using this time for a question so here
it is can we have it back please that’s
this shows secret weapon it loves
language it loves ideas and it puts all
that in the mouths of funny
heartbreaking driven characters who are
enmeshed in awesomely inventive plot
twists intrigue and relationships kind
of makes politics look fun this is
lining
what’s next number four mash they’re
ruining this war for all of us yes
technically mash is a sitcom not a drama
but few dramas of any era tackled as
many serious issues and presented them
as compellingly as this groundbreaking
series the deathly seriousness of war
and the need for humor in the face of it
permeates this show sir I’m getting a
cold sore well Captain Ahab only had one
leg well he wasn’t in the army sir he
was a whale guy why yes sir in the
background of the hilarious antics of
Hawkeye Hot Lips and their cronies is
the knowledge that death is right around
the corner Henry Blake’s plane was shot
down there were no survivors number
three the wire teach you to give up
going ain’t your turn to give up on the
surface the wire is an exciting police
procedural underneath it’s an incisive
frightening Lee personal look at the
troubles of urban America I need you to
hit somebody
hoo-wee it clay Davis
the clay Davis perhaps what makes it
most noteworthy is that despite the
seriousness of the problems many of its
characters face there is always a
feeling of hope and optimism these
people may be let down by society but
their humanity still shines through
involved in the ball the game number two
Breaking Bad I’m thinking maybe you and
I could partner up this AMC series
follows a good man down a destructive
path into crime yet Walter White is
complex enough to retain audience
sympathy we root for him even as he’s
murdering people and building a criminal
empire
white is dark morally ambiguous and
often downright cruel yet Bryan
Cranston’s portrayal is so layered and
nuanced were drawn back to him time and
again and rewarded with spectacular
drama no you clearly don’t know who
you’re talking to so let me clue you in
I am NOT in danger Skyler I am the
danger
number one The Sopranos what line of
work are you in waste management
consultant when we listed the top ten
HBO shows we gave the nod to Game of
Thrones because that more original
series best exemplified the network’s
epic production values and limitless
imagination
tis on to woman’s only weapon but if
we’re choosing the Godfather of today’s
must watch shows in the broader sense
that honor goes to the more relatable
Sopranos any thoughts at all on why you
blacked out I don’t know stress may be
proving cable TV could produce both
quality drama and a ratings smash this
series excelled thanks to a cast of
sterling performers however it many by
depicting gangsters as family men but
that dual emphasis made it memorable
well pastry need to watch my weight need
to snag another husband you’re the only
one who realized that’s a joke did well
burn off family do you agree with our
list which TV dramas keep you glued to
your seat for more entertaining top 10s
like this one published every day be
sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com do
you really believe that you mean
anything to these people and I’m not
trying to be insulting I’m just trying
to make you see things clearly
you
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