iPlayer? What's an iPlayer? ILX's top 50 TV shows of the 90s!

I've never really been able to get into MST3K. I appreciate its existence, but I just don't think it's a style of humor that appeals to me much.

one of the founding MST3K members does "rifftrax" now which is essentially the same thing except it sometimes appears as an mp3 that you sync with the movie. i've heard "reign of fire" which is outstanding.

http://www.rifftrax.com/rifftrax/reign-fire

24 - Newsradio (NBC, 1995-99)
- 1780 points, 12 votes

http://ncjl.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/newsradio-1.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO7EFfdX8Rs

Don't ask me.

excellent cast, maybe the best of the decade

and of course i forgot to vote for it :/

It's the only thing to place I'd never even heard of. Don't know if it was aired here.

huzzah @ that!

23 - My So-Called Life (ABC, 1994-95)
- 1790 points, 13 votes

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzDlXECCndE/SSOQX0dyKuI/AAAAAAAAATc/9beNxAa39oY/s400/my+so+called+life.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_Etd_CYI_k

Cracker is my favourite gritty UK drama ever but i guess i just caught it at the right time. several gobsmacking :o scenes and situations. i rewatched pretty much all of it a couple of years back (it was on Homehoice/Tiscali TV on demand) tho and McGovern (and later Paul Abbott)'s tendency to dip over the realism line so as to thrust his points and ideas in yer face often jarred...kinda like Russell T Davies bigger uglier brother in a way.

amazing cast tho

Okay. Now we're getting down to business.

Chap, you (and anyone else unfamiliar) should do yourself a favor and look into Newsradio. I'm actually a little shocked that it didn't make it across the pond, as it's funny in kind of an acultural way. Like, it's almost a farce a lot of the time (in kind of a Frasier vein). It's surprising that something like The Simpsons (that seems so dependent upon a knowledge of American culture) can get so huge in the UK while Newsradio doesn't make a dent.

And My So-Called Life...what can I say? It was like an extention of my high school life, this alternate universe that I'd watch after my real-life drama was done for the day. Loved it. And I watched some recently and it not only holds up but reveals a level of self-aware humor that completely slipped by me when I was as wrapped up in myself and my little life as the characters on the show were. Plus, it takes the award for Most Frustrating Ending EVER.

xp! Newsradio never aired here. tried to go back and watch it since people here kept raving about it but i couldn't get into it. i know i should like it, Phil Hartman, Dave Foley and a pretty Maura Tierney tells me so, but it mostly felt dated and predictable. only watched the first season tho, maybe it picked up speed after that

Animaniacs placed pretty much solely based on nostalgia. Not that I'm hatin', I'm just sayin'. It wasn't that good a show, and that '90s WB animation (also featured on Tiny Toon Adventures) was pretty abysmal. But then so was most animation in the '90s.

P.S. I hope X-Men is top ten.

― Pooping And Crying (Deric W. Haircare), Tuesday, December 8, 2009 1:50 PM (Yesterday)

not to jump on this so long afterwards, but i can say that this is def not true for me - its a pretty classic show, lots of really weird obscure old hollywood jokes. also pinky and the brain is fucking genius. i have the first 2 seasons on dvd and it still holds up (also, i grad from high school in 91 so it isnt a kiddie thing for me).

also very happy to see knowing me, knowing you and space ghost on here, which are both fantastic.

xpost newsradio is great too, and it def picks up after the first season - at times Phil Hartmans (sadfaceemoticon) greatest work tbh

22 - Spaced (Channel 4, 1999-2001)
- 1990 points, 15 votes

http://thetwocentscorp.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/spaced.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QGv4tYyb9s

i've seen maybe 3 mins of spaced in my life. another something i need to put right.

hmm, so far my 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 9th, and 10th have placed. if my number 1 doesnt make it im going to be pissed.

btw, i didnt even see this had started until today because when scanning it as a lolmerican i just thought "iplayer? well, nothing for me in that thread"

Eh, sorry. Should've thought of that.

no people should be more open-minded! (jk)

Just curious, chap (as I don't think it's been mentioned): how many ballots did you receive in total?

Counting mine, an even 50.

Including one from a certain controversial former poster. Any guesses?

dom obv

Yep.

Hi Dom.

Dom will have voted for some very good things here, so yeah. Raises the chances of Father Ted winning and IAP finishing top-5.

belated xpost on friends, the first couple seasons of that show were really good. the writing was sharp, the ensemble was good and the characters' quirks hadn't yet devolved into the lazy shorthand gags they inevitably became later on. the ross-rachel storyline was well developed, and lisa kudrow took what could have been a one-note ditzy role and did a lot of very funny things with it. (and, to be fair, i was immediately postcollegiate when it started, so there was a definite "hey a show for us" thing when it started.)

when it started when it started

21 - Futurama (Fox, 1999-2003)
- 2010 points, 16 votes

http://thefilmwiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/futurama.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_8-_lXUlfE

hmph

no worse than including Spaced tho i guess

Things are probably going to kick off an hour or two later than usual tomorrow, gotta go and teach in the morning. See you then.

xpost - Futurama really hit the ground running, the first season is possibly the best. I voted for it.

Didn't ITV used to show Newsradio in the UK? I'm sure it used to be on in the post-midnight hours.

Starting to hope Day Today or Brass Eye will make the top 5...?

I'd be happy to see some Chris Morris stuff near the top of the poll, despite having barely scratched the surface of his work myself.

Day Today's a lock for top 5 surely, top 3 perhaps? Brass Eye, a bit lower I'd guess.

Depends how well known it is outside UK I suppose.

Not very well, I'd wager. I'm aware of its existence, but mostly because I actively seek out good British TV. I don't think any Chris Morris stuff has made it overseas, either on TV or on DVD. Although I may be mistaken.

Well, I have high hopes for my top 4 (which should be SO hard to guess) all finishing inside the top 10...in reality, Brass Eye and IAP might fall a little lower.

Father Ted will win this thing by a street. Jerry who?

It'll be a tug of war between FT and Seinfeld for the top two spot, prolly. Although I like the show fine (I do own the entire series), I don't see any reason why Seinfeld should finish top 5. The '90s were composed of better stuff.

would be very surprised if Father Ted or anything else beat The Simpsons. This would also be very stupid and wrong. So when's Ren & Stimpy btw?

oh wait damn forgot the simpsons

hmmmmmm

Samo's predos:
5. Seinfeld (but hoping Buffy instead)
4. Day Today
3. Father Ted
2. Twin Peaks
1. The Simpsons

The Simpsons should rate highly (perhaps even #1), but I can't help but wonder if its cachet was damaged by the last decade of 'meh'.

Father Ted will win this thing by a street. Jerry who?

Nah, suspect that Simpsons will probably edge it partly due to greater visibility. Top 5, Day Today, Twin Peaks, FT, Simpsons and one other which I haven't a clue. Ren and Stimpy? X-Files?

X-Files is another one that shouldn't place as highly as it probably will. Loved it back in the day, but I rewatched a large chunk of it a couple of years ago and it doesn't really hold up. It's not bad and it definitely has its moments, but it sure isn't great.

i would like to see I'm Alan Partridge in the top 5

Seeing everyone's predictions is fun. I'll buy a pint for the person who gets closest to the top 10, provided they live in or are prepared to come to London. Failing that I'll email them a picture of one.