Official RedCafe Top 50 Television Shows of All Time - The Countdown

Which countdown would you like to see next?

  • Total voters
    73

Duffy

Who needs races when you're racist?
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Messages
11,445
Location
Stockport
Finally...

...Welcome all to the countdown of The Caf's Top 50 Television Shows of all time.

Thanks to everyone who submitted their top 15 over the last 2 weeks or so. The votes have been counted and double counted and counted again and again and I am now happy to present the countdown. I will countdown 1 at a time with details of how the votes were cast. Please note that when two shows have the same score I have ordered them based on their average score (eg. A show scoring 15 with 2 votes will be ranked higher than a score or 15 with 3 votes as the average score of 7.5 is higher than 5).

If members who voted for each show in the list would like to send me a short paragraph on why they voted for it and with some additional info I will edit the posts and add it in - I think this will give us all a good chance to see what others like, why and hopefully we may all come across an show we haven't watched before but will do in the near future.

So, with that out of the way, on with the countdown...
 
50. Spaced - 1998-2000
spaced.jpg

Genre: Comedy
Score: 17
Who Voted: @Ivor Ballokov @limerickcitykid @Mrs Smoker @Zen @kps88 @MajorTom @Eriku
Number 1 Votes: 0
Why Is It Here:
Caf Members who voted for this show are asked to submit a short paragraph on why they selected it for their lists.

 
49. Firefly - 2002-2003
firefly.jpg

Genre:
Score: 17
Who Voted: @Big-Red @Red Sky At Night @SharkyMcShark @kps88
Number 1 Votes: 1
Why Is It Here:
@crappycraperson - Best of Joss whedon. I doubt he would ever top his work in this series. A scifi western with brilliant characters and solid background/mythology. Witty humour, great banter between the characters, unwillingness to follow conventional plot lines, moreover it did all genres of television - action, drama, comedy, horror, sometimes in a single episode. More than that it is hard to explain the true greatness of the work. You just have to see it to realize why it is a cult show now.

Caf Members who voted for this show are asked to submit a short paragraph on why they selected it for their lists.
 
Last edited:
48. Minder - 1979-1994
minder.jpg

Genre: Comedy/Drama
Score: 17
Who Voted: @2 Man Midfield @CircusMonkey
Number 1 Votes: 1
Why Is It Here:
Caf Members who voted for this show are asked to submit a short paragraph on why they selected it for their lists.

 
Last edited:
Duffy said:
49. Firefly - 2002-2003
firefly.jpg

Genre:
Score: 17
Who Voted: @Big-Red @Red Sky At Night @SharkyMcShark @kps88
Number 1 Votes: 1
Why Is It Here:
Caf Members who voted for this show are asked to submit a short paragraph on why they selected it for their lists.
Click to expand...


I love that show so much! 49 is a travesty of justice, I may need to abuse my powers on here to change that... ;)
 
Niall said:
I love that show so much! 49 is a travesty of justice,I may need to abuse my powers on here to change that... ;)
Click to expand...
Don't, I'd get blamed for it and go on some 16-paragraph rant about how I do this for the enjoyment and the love of The Caf! :lol:
 
Duffy said:
49. Firefly - 2002-2003
firefly.jpg

Genre:
Score: 17
Who Voted: @Big Red @Red Sky At Night @SharkyMcShark @kps88
Number 1 Votes: 1
Why Is It Here:
Caf Members who voted for this show are asked to submit a short paragraph on why they selected it for their lists.
Click to expand...



Did not vote for it but I love it so will do a summary if you don;t mind-

Best of Joss whedon. I doubt he would ever top his work in this series. A scifi western with brilliant characters and solid background/mythology. Witty humour, great banter between the characters, unwillingness to follow conventional plot lines, moreover it did all genres of television - action, drama, comedy, horror, sometimes in a single episode. More than that it is hard to explain the true greatness of the work. You just have to see it to realize why it is a cult show now,

 
43. Star Trek: The Next Generation - 1987-1994
star-trek.jpg

Genre: Sci-fi
Score: 19
Who Voted: @Mrs Smoker @Freaky Jim @duffer @pauldyson1uk @Eriku
Number 1 Votes: 0
Why Is It Here:
Caf Members who voted for this show are asked to submit a short paragraph on why they selected it for their lists.

 
42. Yes Minister (Yes Prime Minister) - 1980-1988
oth_ypmstill3.jpg

Genre: Sitcom
Score: 19
Who Voted: @Archie Leach @surf (x2) @Wibble
Number 1 Votes: 0
Why Is It Here:
Caf Members who voted for this show are asked to submit a short paragraph on why they selected it for their lists.
 
41. Babylon 5 - 1994-1998
Babylon5season1cast.jpg

Genre: Sci-fi
Score: 20
Who Voted: @pauldyson1uk @Mrs Smoker
Number 1 Votes: 2
Why Is It Here:
@pauldyson1uk - For me this is the best Sci-Fi show ever, unlike Star trek that was just a lot of stand alown EP held together by the crew, Babylone 5 is a complex story told of 5 years, with many many plot twists.
The five-year plan, which starts to bear fruit after a season and a half. Very few TV series come anywhere near Babylon 5 in terms of willingness to alter the core relationships of its characters and its Shakespearean levels of tragic mistakes, partial redemptions, and inescapable destinies. The character of Ambassador Londo Mollari embodies this in particular. Initially the most ridiculous character on the show, thanks to his bizarre hair and generic science-fiction name, Londo became the show’s soul with time, and actor Peter Jurasik got into the character quickly, devouring scenery and playing up Londo’s humor and flaws, even in the worst early episodes. Meanwhile, his rival, G’Kar, started as a cartoon villain, slowly acquiring depth before making some dramatic changes. The story led these two characters to trade places: The aggressor became the victim; the victim transcended pain; rivalry became friendship. All of this was foreshadowed, surprising, and explicable
It should be a must watch for any Sci-Fi fan.
Caf Members who voted for this show are asked to submit a short paragraph on why they selected it for their lists.
 
Last edited:
If it is top 20 video games, please extend it for 20 titles (or more) because it would be really difficult to choose only 15.
 
I've watched all of Freaks and Geeks again over the past week. Utterly brilliant stuff.
 
Caf Members who voted for this show are asked to submit a short paragraph on why they selected it for their lists.
Click to expand...
No one tells me what to do! And where should I submit my paragraph? I'm confused.
 
Duffy said:
36. Battlestar Galactica - 1978-1979 and 2004-2009
07.png

Genre: Sci-fi
Score: 26
Who Voted: @duffer @George Owen @Red Sky At Night @Revan @SharkyMcShark @simonhch @jem
Number 1 Votes: 1
Why Is It Here:
Caf Members who voted for this show are asked to submit a short paragraph on why they selected it for their lists.
Click to expand...


I gave maximum points to Battlestar Galactica simply because it is the show I had most fun watching it. I wantched it entirely in the space of 10 days - 2 weeks and during that time it was my No.1 priority. It isn't perfect and certainly it isn't the best show ever, but still, I never loved any show as much as it.

An another points is that I am a big fan of sci-fi and Battlestar is one of the best - if not the best - sci fi show. It had all the space shit things without the aliens stuff. It started brutally and it kept it's brilliance for around 4 seasons. The last season was a bit wank but still, it wasn't totally shit. My favorite character in the show was Gaius Baltar, followed closely by Kara Thrace. Favorite episode: Exodus: Part 2.
 
Last edited:
Revan said:
I gave maximum points to Battlestar Galactica simply because it is the show I had most fun watching it. I wantched it entirely in the space of 10 days - 2 weeks and during that time it was my No.1 priority. It isn't perfect and certainly it isn't the best show ever, but still, I never loved any show as much as it.

An another points is that I am a big fan of sci-fi and Battlestar is one of the best - if not the best - sci fi show. It had all the space shit things without the aliens stuff. It started brutally and it kept it's brilliance for around 4 seasons. The last season was a bit wank but still, it wasn't totally shit. My favorite character in the show was Gaius Baltar, followed closely by Kara Thrace.
Click to expand...

BSG would have been in my top 10 easily if not for the final season and especially the finale.
 
crappycraperson said:
Did not vote for it but I love it so will do a summary if you don;t mind-

Best of Joss whedon. I doubt he would ever top his work in this series. A scifi western with brilliant characters and solid background/mythology. Witty humour, great banter between the characters, unwillingness to follow conventional plot lines, moreover it did all genres of television - action, drama, comedy, horror, sometimes in a single episode. More than that it is hard to explain the true greatness of the work. You just have to see it to realize why it is a cult show now,
Click to expand...

It had heart. You can't help but love the characters. Definitely Whedon's best work. Oh so short but incredibly sweet. Perhaps best that it was that way, rather than go into slow decline like other great shows.
 
33. Prison Break - 2005-2009
018.jpg

Genre: Drama
Score: 28
Who Voted: @Dirty Schwein @JmRssll555 @JP77 @Leroy The Red
Number 1 Votes: 0
Why Is It Here:
Caf Members who voted for this show are asked to submit a short paragraph on why they selected it for their lists.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.