The 20 greatest TV shows ever

First of all, this post contains some spoiler alerts, so, if you plan to binge watch any of these shows, proceed with caution.

It is hard to create a truly great television show. Not only do you need to have a great premise, but you also need to sustain it over a period of several years and possible hundreds of shows. Before I get into my actual list, I would like to explain why certain shows did not make the list.

Game of Thrones: Never watched it. I know, I have to watch it. If I did, it would probably end up on this list.

Mad Men: Never watched it.

Doctor Who: See above.

Lost: Had some great shows and great moments, but went on too long given the show's premise, and the ending was shit.

Alias: The first two seasons were great, then it went downhill quickly. Also, the show claimed to send Sydney all over the world, yet all the locations strangely looked like Southern California.

The Big Bang Theory: Decent as far as sitcoms go in terms of the characters and material for jokes, but, at the end of the day, it's still a conventional sitcom where one character sets up a joke and another character delivers the punchline, lather, rinse, repeat. Also, the show relies a little too much on lewd humor.

Star Trek (The Original Series): Yes, this started the franchise and made television history. There are even a few outstanding episodes of this show. Two other Star Trek shows are on this list. This one is not, because many episodes are poorly paced, many of the alien planet sets look like they are made out of papier-mache, and you can only take so much of Shatner's overacting. Also this show relies on too many cliches like a red-shirted no name getting vaporized in the first 15 minutes to establish a sense of peril (but never a member of the main cast), and Scotty getting the ship fixed in the nick of time. Should I even mention the entire third season?

Arrow: A very good show overall that came close to making this list. Unfortunately, its biggest weakness is the 22-episode season. There are too many filler episodes and the main storylines get a bit unfocused.

The Flash: This show is awesome, with great characters, plot lines and effects. Since it's only been on for 1 1/2 seasons, I am not quite ready to put it on this list.

Heroes: One great season followed by nonstop garbage.

The X-Files: Just not a fan. I thought many of the standalone episodes were better than the "conspiracy" episodes, particularly the disturbing "Home." I still wonder how that episode managed to air on network television.

Friends: Not bad, but not as great as many people think it is.

All the Law and Orders, CSIs and countless other procedurals about doctors, cops and criminalists: Mostly well-constructed, well-acted shows, but you forget what happened the day after you watch them, and every episode seems to run together. Also, some of these shows like Law & Order: SVU have been allowed to go on way too long. Most of these shows are good, but not great. There are exceptions to this rule... Keep reading.

I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, etc.: I am in my 40s, not my 80s.

Better Call Saul: Good so far. I need to get a better sense of the path this show intends to follow before I put it on this list.

American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson: I absolutely love this show. I remember watching hours of the trial from my college dorm room, and this is bringing back memories. The acting is brilliant, especially Patricia Clarkson as Marcia Clark, and Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran. I can't put this on my list until the 10-episode season is complete.

The West Wing: Sputtered after the first two glorious seasons. Stalled completely after Aaron Sorkin left.

Saturday Night Live: I don't understand why many TV critics put this on their list. The show had as many bad seasons as good ones, and will never top the early years with Belushi, Aykroyd, Murray and Gilda. Besides, "In Living Color" was consistently funnier when that show was in its prime.

Dexter: If only the rest of the show's run was as good as the fourth season with the Trinity Killer.

Firefly: A great show, but me and a lot of other people wanted to see more than 13 episodes.

House of Cards: Lost some steam during the third season. I have yet to see the fourth season. I would rather have Frank Underwood as a president than Drumpf.

Okay, enough of me bitching and moaning. Here is the actual list. There are no miniseries on here, so that is why "V" and "Roots" aren't here.

20. Sesame Street (1969-present): We will start off with one of my more unconventional picks. Simply put, the best educational show on TV. This show taught me about numbers and letters even before I set foot in kindergarten. I even learned some Spanish. Also, some of it is entertaining for kids as well as adults, In retrospect, I find Monsterpiece Theatre with Allistair Cookie (smoking a pipe!) hilarious. Even though Elmo's World can get a bit nerve racking, Sesame Street still manages to teach some good lessons today.

Best Episode: Episode 1839: When Will Lee, the actor who played Mr. Hooper, died, they decided, with the input of several child psychologists, to have the cast members cope with his death instead of recasting the role. Bob and the other cast gave a straightforward explanation to Big Bird about death and how he will live on in their memories. Like many children, Big Bird did not understand the permanence of death at first. They didn't sugarcoat anything and never used the term "passed away." The emotions on the set were real as some of the cast members choked up. This episode stimulated discussions about death among families throughout the country.

How do I watch it? Recent seasons and clips on Hulu (monthly fee), Countless clips on Youtube

19. The Price is Right (1975-present): Yes, there is a game show on here. Don't laugh, because this is the crown jewel of all game shows. When I was a kid, the best thing about being home sick from school was being able to watch The Price is Right. First and foremost was the legendary Bob Barker. He had a great rapport with the contestants, and also managed to be funny quite often, making cracks like the story about the woman who got swept under the big wheel and ended up in "The Young and the Restless." Drew Carey is doing a good job, but no one can fill Bob Barker's shoes. Some of the pricing games are a blast to watch, like Plinko, and Cliffhangers, which Drew Carey calls "The Game with the Yodeley Guy." I can't think of another time a game show had me on the edge of my seat. Of course, there are the prizes. I am a car guy, and no show gives away more cars then The Price Is Right. Most of them are tiny econoclunkers like the Kia Rio and Nissan Versa, but you occasionally will see some high-end vehicles. A couple of weeks ago, they gave away a $120,000 Aston Martin, and a $157,000 Audi R8 was the most expensive prize ever given away on this show. They have also tried, unsuccessfully to give away a $82,000 Tesla, and, the capper, a $285,000 Ferrari 458 Italia (See above). By the way, if the contestant had indeed won the Ferrari, she would have had to pay about $25,000 in taxes, and then she would have to insure it. That brings me to my last point, the contestants. Unlike Jeopardy, where everyone seems to be a know-it-all egghead, this show likes to use real people, and some of them are not very smart, which always makes for a good laugh. There have been countless memorable moments involving contestants, such as the lady who fainted, and the tube top incident. Since the modern version of this show has been on for more than 40 years, they are doing something right. Part of the show's longevity is because of Bob Barker's cameo in "Happy Gilmore," during which he beat the snot out of Adam Sandler's title character, giving the show a huge influx of young viewers and contestants. On the downside, many of these contestants are obnoxious frat boy douchebags who bid $420 on prizes. Get it? I think the main reason that TPIR is still around is because they keep the show fresh, adding new games as needed, never letting the show get repetitive, and allowing the contestants to be spontaneous and crazy. And cool cars, too.

Best episode: Hard to say, but I am going with Bob Barker's final show in 2007. Fittingly, the show's big winner walked off with more than $140,000 of swag, and Bob's last signoff was classy and grateful. Anyone want to take a guess what his final words were?

How do I watch it? Full episodes on CBS All Access (recent episodes free, others require monthly fee), Clips on Youtube

18. Seinfeld (1989-1998): Many of you are thinking, "Finally, a real show." This sitcom may have claimed to be a show about nothing, but it ended up coining many catch phrases that are still used today such as "sponge-worthy," "yada yada yada," and "not that there's anything wrong with that." There was no overriding theme to the show, but each show simply was about a series of events that happened during everyday life. The self-centered characters were great, particularly the neurotic George Constanza and the eccentric Kramer. Jerry Seinfeld was smart to pull the plug on the show after nine seasons, before it overstayed its welcome, leading to a finale in which the four main characters end up in jail together, keeping with the show's overall mantra, "No hugging, no learning."

Best episode: Another tough decision. I am going with "The Soup Nazi," based on a real-life restaurant that serves great soup as long as you don't antagonize the chef and get banned for a year like poor Elaine.

How do I watch it? Entire series on Hulu (monthly fee), clips on Youtube

17. Modern Family (2009-present): This sitcom revolves around the Pritchetts, including the patriarch Jay and his much younger wife, his son and his husband, and his daughter Claire's family. Like Seinfeld, this show has the Pritchetts encountering the problems of everyday life. The characters and actors make this show. Ed O'Neill's Jay Pritchett is delightfully grumpy, and Ty Burrell is great as Phil Dunphy, the perfect doofus dad, whose hobbies include tightrope walking and magic. Although this is considered a sitcom, the writing is much more contemporary, and a laugh track is thankfully not used.

Best episode: "Connection Lost," in which the entire episode is viewed on Claire's laptop screen, using FaceTime to talk to other characters. What could have been dismissed as a gimmick, and what is definitely blatant product placement turned out to be very clever and amusing.

How do I watch it? Season 7 on Hulu, (monthly fee), Series is in syndication, and reruns can be found on the USA Network and other channels.

16. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999): This is the best-kept secret in the Star Trek universe. Not many people watched this show, but it has some of the best writing out of all of the series. The series focuses on a space station situated near a stable wormhole that was a gateway to the other side of the galaxy. The first two seasons weren't bad, but weren't great either, with the usual "alien of the week" plot. Also, the series was off-putting to many people because it took place at a space station, and the crew didn't "boldly go." The series really took off with the final episode of the second season when the crew encountered the Dominion, which was, more or less, an evil version of the Federation. This started a war that lasted for the remaining five seasons of the show. This was the first time a Star Trek show extensively used serialized storytelling, as opposed to TNG, where it seemed like someone hit the "reset button" at the end of just about every episode. It also boasted movie-quality effects, including some massive space battles featuring hundreds of ships. Also, unlike the other series, there were also many interpersonal conflicts among the crew members. Another strong point was a great lineup of recurring characters, such as Vic Fontaine, a '50s Vegas crooner who exists on the holodeck. Although I thought Avery Brooks, as station commander Ben Sisko, had a tendency to over-emote at times, and I never understood the Bajoran religion stuff, this series is well worth watching for any Trek fan. If you are short on time, watch it starting with the last episode of the second season.

Best episode: "In the Pale Moonlight": Realizing that the Federation alliance is losing the long Dominion war, Sisko persuades the Romulan Empire to join the fight, and does so using the means of deception and even murder. It's a good thing Gene Roddenberry wasn't alive to see this episode, because it is the opposite of his idealistic vision of the future. Nevertheless, this is a refreshingly dark and compelling episode. As morally reprehensible as Sisko's actions were, lives were likely saved. These are often the kinds of decisions leaders need to make in wartime.

How do I watch it? Entire series on Netflix (monthly fee)

15. ER (1994-2009): This is one of the only procedurals I will include on this list. This show, about the doctors and nurses at the emergency room at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, is on here mainly because of its characters. Anthony Edwards as Dr. Mark Greene was a good emotional center to the show, and Edwards' portrayal of the character was great, especially as he battled and eventually succumbed to cancer. Eriq LaSalle was great as the surly Dr. Peter Benton, as was Paul McCrane as the egotistical Dr. Robert Romano, who was no longer at the top of his game after losing his arm in a helicopter accident. Finally, this was the show that made George Clooney famous. In addition to characters, the show's dizzying pace set a new standard for television, and the writer's weren't afraid to tackle socioeconomic issues like HIV/AIDS, gay rights, and subpar medical care in third-world countries. The show did go on too long, but had a good run overall.

Best episode: "Love's Labor Lost": This episode has Dr. Greene misdiagnosing a pregnant woman's preeclampsia, and everything that could go wrong does go wrong during this relentless, emotionally wrenching episode. Unlike other episodes of this show, it doesn't use any big set pieces or action scenes. Most of the episode takes place in the delivery room. In the end, the baby lives and the mother dies. The ending is depressing but superb as Dr. Greene tells the father (Bradley Whitford) in an emotional, dialogue-free scene. The last shot has Greene breaking down emotionally on the train as he fully realizes that a patient's life was lost, and it was his responsibility.

How do I watch it? Amazon Instant Video. (pay per episode)

14. Veronica Mars (2004-2007): This show is about a high school and eventually college student who moonlights as a private investigator along with her dad, Keith, in the fictional California town of Neptune. The writing is unbelievably good on this show, and gives a straightforward look at how awful high school can be, dealing with issues like racism and upper-class superiority. For the first two seasons, the show deals with a season-long mystery. The first season deals with the murder of Lilly Kane, who was part of one of the richest families in town and Veronica's best friend. No punches are pulled as the middle-class Veronica is frequently snubbed and harassed by Neptune's upper class, known as the 09ers after their zip code. however, Veronica, despite her small size, she doesn't take any crap from anyone. The subsequent seasons weren't quite as good, but still consistently compelling. Unlike other shows, this show wasn't on long enough. The CW pulled the plug on this show halfway through the third season to air a reality show about the Pussycat Dolls. Really. At least a movie came out a couple of years ago to give some sense of closure to the characters.

Best episode: "Leave it to Beaver": We finally find out who Lilly Kane's killer is, and the episode is a roller coaster ride as the killer sets his sights on Veronica and her father.

How do I watch it? Amazon Instant Video, Free to watch with ads or a Prime membership.

13. The Office (US) (2005-2013): This show was pretty much worthless after Steve Carell left, but there were so many laugh-out-loud moments on this show, I had to put it on this list. The comedy focuses on the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, which happens to be in the great state of Pennsylvania.  Carell stars as Michael Scott, who may be the world's worst manager. Many jokes that poked fun of his naivete had me laughing so hard I had to pause the show. Among them are several moments during "The Dundies," an awards ceremony for his employees held at the local Chili's, and when he was strapped for cash, he stood up in the middle of the room and said loudly, "I declare bankruptcy!" Then there was "Prison Mike," his incarcerated alter ego who tried to explain to his employees that work was better than prison. Yes, there were several other good characters, and we all loved seeing the romance develop between co-workers Jim and Pam, but Carell was the glue that held the show together. 

Best episode: "Niagara": Jim and Pam go to Niagara Falls to get hitched, and they make the mistake of inviting the whole gang from work. The episode is equal parts funny and touching, with Jim and Pam running off to get married on the Maid of the Mist. When they get back to the church, they find the wedding guests imitating the famous "Forever" wedding entrance dance viral video. Jim anticipated this would happen as soon as the video hit YouTube, which is why he and Pam eloped in the first place.

How do I watch it? Entire series on Netflix (monthly fee)

12. NYPD Blue (1993-2005): As audiences were shifting to shows on cable where there were no network censors to restrict content, The networks knew they had to do something drastic. Enter Steven Bochco's "NYPD Blue," which famously showed bare butts on ABC, as well as some salty language and racial slurs. Idiots like the Rev. Donald Wildmon protested and took out full-page ads in newspapers telling viewers to boycott the show. All this did was draw more attention and more viewers. What made this show great, though, was the characters. Unlike many other procedurals, this show spent just as much time focusing on the characters' personal lives as their professional lives. Dennis Franz was great as Andy Sipowicz, a veteran detective who battled alcoholism, and disliked more ethnic groups than Donald Trump. In the third season, Jimmy Smits joined the cast, and he is somehow able to make every television show he appears in even better. Child star Rick "Don't call me Ricky" Schroder was surprisingly good as well. Thanks in part to technical advisor Bill Clark, an NYPD veteran, this gritty show seemed like a good approximation of what real police work looks like it, and, surprisingly, not all of the cases ended up getting solved. Also, a gay character was an important supporting character in the series. Although he was the butt of many of Sipowicz's jokes, this was still very progressive for a major broadcast network in 1994.

Best episode: "Hearts and Souls": This is the conclusion of a five-episode arc in which Sipowicz's partner, Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits), dies after complications from a heart transplant. Smits, as well as the entire cast, are brilliant as they cope with the character's death, which is drawn out, and ends up being one of the most depressing television episodes I have ever seen.

How do I watch it? Amazon Instant Video, included with Prime membership ($100 for one year). Often airs on the Audience Network, which every Directv subscriber has on channel 500.

11. Angel (1999-2004): This spinoff of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," starring the titular vampire with a soul, managed to find its own identity, and became a great show. Angel faces off with Wolfram and Hart (get it?), the literal law firm from hell, and eventually is put in charge of it. It started out as a monster of the week type show, and often seemed like a darker version of Buffy. During the second season, the plot lines became more serialized and the show really developed its own identity. The show also introduced some great characters like Lorne, a singing demon who owned a karaoke bar. Sadly, Andy Hallett, the actor who played Lorne, died when he was only 33. This was another show that ended too soon after only five seasons, despite solid ratings and critical acclaim. The story is that Joss Whedon supposedly went to the WB network early in the fifth season (instead of May when he usually did it) asking to get re-upped for the sixth season so he could have all his ducks in a row. The WB saw this as a power play and cancelled the show, claiming that reality shows are more cost-effective. Sigh. At least the show ended with a bang as the gang faced an evil army of creatures of all sizes. The show concludes with Angel saying "Let's go to work," and the team, some of them wounded, running to attack the monsters that were running rampant throughout Los Angeles. I personally loved the somewhat open-ended conclusion, although the story was continued in a series of graphic novels.

Best episode: "Smile Time": Angel visits a TV show that is stealing the life forces of children, he accidentally triggers a spell that turns him into a puppet. Need I say more?

How do I watch it? Entire series on Netflix (monthly fee)

10. Downton Abbey (2010-2016): This show follows a British manor, its caretakers, as well as the "downstairs" staff of butlers, cooks, valets and maids. Some people have accused this show of being a soap opera, but if that is so, I have never seen a soap opera that is so well-acted, shot, and makes sure every last historical detail is spot-on from the handmade clothing to the cars of the era. The show takes place from 1912, through World War I, to 1925, when Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham, his family and staff realize that extravagant houses with large staffs are becoming more and more out of place as times change. This show has more than its share of great characters, including Carson, the conservative but caring butler, and Barrow, the conniving under-butler. However, it is Maggie Smith as Lord Grantham's mother, Violet, who steals the show week after week with her wry sense of humor and constant put-downs. Because Julian Fellowes wrote all 51 episodes, the series is very consistent in tone, and most of the character arcs seem believable. 

Best episode: "Christmas at Downton Abbey": This is the one where Lady Mary, the eldest daughter of the family, accepts the proposal of Matthew Crawley, in a moment we had all been waiting for since the beginning of the show. Sadly, the actor who plays Matthew decided to leave the show, and the only way to believably write him off the show was to kill him off.

How do I watch it? Entire series on Amazon Instant Video. Series 1-5 are free with Prime membership ($100 for one year), you have to pay per episode for season 6.

9. The Cosby Show (1984-1992): I know this is a controversial pick. I do not deny that Bill Cosby is a horrible man who should spend the rest of his life in jail for what he did. However, this recent string of events does not diminish the brilliant writing and cultural impact of this show, which, for all intents and purposes, brought the sitcom format back from the dead. The show focuses on the Huxtable family. Cliff (Cosby), a doctor, and his wife, Clair, is a lawyer, have five children. First of all, it illustrates the fact that there are black families out there that are wealthy and successful, which is something many people still did not believe in the 1980s. On that note, the show barely ever mentioned or focused on race, which, in itself is making a statement. I personally just saw the Huxtables as another family, skin color notwithstanding. Unlike other family sitcoms like the Brady Bunch, this seemed much more like a real family, probably because many of the stories came from Cosby's own family. The kids fought and argued, they made mistakes and got in trouble. I remember when Theo, the oldest (and only) son got home past curfew, and Cliff and Clair moved the couch directly in front of the door and sat on it to surprise Theo when he walked in. Cliff and Clair acted like reasonable parents, but did occasionally lose their cool (What parent hasn't?). The show took a Brady Bunch-esque turn for the worse when the kids were growing older, and the show felt it needed to force feed a dose of cutesy into the show in the form of Raven-Symone as precocious cousin Olivia. However, the overall quality of the show got it on this list. I literally grew up watching this show, and talked about many episodes with my parents.

Best episode: "Theo's Holiday": Arrogant teenage son Theo insists he would have no problem living in "the real world." He goes to spend the night at the house of his friend "Cockroach," and when he comes back, the Huxtable House is transformed into "the real world." He gets $2000 for the month which seems like a lot of money until he encounters Cliff, who plays the landlord, and Clare, who runs the Chuck Wagon restaurant out of the kitchen. He then goes into his bedroom to discover they emptied out all of his furniture, and has to buy it back from Clair, who steals the show here as a fast-talking furniture salesperson. Finally, Theo bends the rules by bringing in Cockroach as a reference - The owner of "Cockroach Oil." I doubt many families would go through this much effort to prove a point, but the writing here is still brilliant, and I still remember just about every scene of this episode more than 30 years later.

How do I watch it? Entire series on Hulu (monthly fee)

8. The Simpsons (1990-present): When this animated show was in its prime, it was, hands down, the funniest show on television. It got attention during its first season because it was edgy for the time, but people gradually began to realize the intelligence and depth of the writing, and the countless number of references and parodies of other shows, movies, etc. I have seen some recent episodes of the show. They pale in comparison to the older shows, but are still decent.

Best episode: "Marge vs. the Monorail," This was a tough call, because there are literally dozens of hilarious episodes to choose from. I am going with this hilarious send-up of the Music Man as a flim-flam man (brilliantly played by the late Phil Hartman) convinces the town of Springfield to install a monorail. Everything is perfect here, from the musical number, to the numerous parodies of Silence of the Lambs and other movies, to a guest appearance by Leonard Nimoy, to whom Mayor Quimby quips "May the force be with you." By the way, this all came from the pen of Conan O'Brien.

How do I watch it? Entire series on FXnow.com and Simpsonsworld.com apps. To watch episodes, you need to subscribe to FX through your cable company. Sadly, this doesn't work for Directv subscribers.

7. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1993): There is no Kirk, no Spock. With a new ship and new crew, everyone thought this show was going to fail. After the hit-or-miss first season, it almost did. The second season was a marked improvement, and the show hit its stride in the third season. I can name at least a dozen great episodes, and I continue to watch the reruns on BBC America to this day. Like many other shows, the characters are what make the show great. Among them are Worf, the security officer who is a Klingon raised by humans, but can't always supress his warrior instincts. Data is an android who is constantly trying to figure out and emulate human behavior. Finally, Patrick Stewart is essentially flawless as Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Unlike Kirk, Picard is level-headed, reasonable, and delegates authority. He deliberately distanced himself from the crew, which made it all the more poignant when he sat down to play poker with his officers during the last episode. Again, this is a show I literally grew up watching, and choked up a little as I watched the final episode.

Best episode: "Best of Both Worlds, Parts I & II": The Federation's most ruthless enemy, a race of cybernetic organisms called the Borg, kidnap Picard and turn him into a Borg, so they can gain a tactical advandage for an attack on the Federation and Earth. This is as good as Star Trek got on the small screen. The stakes were high, and there were even rumors that Patrick Stewart did not renew his contract, so we didn't even know if Picard was coming back. The episode ended with Riker giving the order to fire on the Borg ship while Picard was on it, and the screen then faded to black with the words "To be continued," meaning this was a season-ending cliffhanger. Even though it was a long time ago, I remember it being a very long summer.

How do I watch it? Entire series on Netflix (monthly fee)

6. Top Gear (UK) (2002-2014): I realize the show will begin a new season in May, but I considered this show in its current form to be over when Clarkson, May and Hammond left. This was one of the most watched shows not just in Britain, but on the entire planet. You know they were doing something right when my wife, who is anything but a car enthusiast, was laughing uncontrollably at certain episodes of this show. First of all, the chemistry of the three presenters, who basically sounded like middle school kids insulting and pranking each other, was like lightning in a bottle. The road tests were great, (James May going 250-plus mph in a Bugatti Veyron has to be seen) and the presenters, particularly Clarkson, were never afraid to admit that a car was a piece of junk. (see the test they did on the Chrysler Crossfire). With a nearly unlimited budget, thanks to the British government, the production values and camera work were top-notch. Then, there were some of the challenges they came up with. For example, they tried to kill a Toyota Hilux pickup truck by bashing it and wrecking it in all sorts of ways and it just kept ticking. Finally, they put it on the roof of a 12-story building that was imploded, and the truck still ran. They gave up trying to kill it at that point.

Best episode: Series 17, Episode 4: The guys decide to make train travel more exciting by using campers as train cars (they call them caravans across the pond), and using a car as a locomotive. James and Richard have an Audi pulling four train cars, including a first class car, a buffet car, and a "scum class" car in the back, while Jeremy decided to build a much faster "sports train," a Jaguar pulling a single open-air car. Of course, no Top Gear challenge would be complete without something catching on fire, and something getting destroyed.

How do I watch it? Seasons 18-22 on Netflix (monthly fee), reruns frequently air on BBC America

5. The Walking Dead (2010-present): Although the show is about a world overrun with "walkers," (this show never uses the z-word), the focus is just as much on the surviving humans. Former sheriff Rick Grimes leads a group of people through the walker-infested world, and the focus is on how the group is able to maintain their humanity in such a primal world. They have met some pretty bad people along the way, such as the Governor, the Terminus people who resorted to cannibalism, and, for those of you who have read the graphic novels, some major shit is about to go down. The show does a great job on developing characters who have had to resort to extreme measures to survive. Some have coped with this world better than others. Finally, from a technical standpoint, this show is incredible. The first episode has the iconic shot of Rick riding into Atlanta on a horse. Then there is the makeup and zombie effects by Greg Nicotero, which are second to none. Needless to say, like most genre shows, the only Emmy Awards this show was nominated for were technical awards.

Best episode: "The Grove": Two adults, two young sisters and an infant, are trying to reunite with the rest of the group, and stop to rest at a peach grove. Lizzie, one of the girls, is unaware of how deadly the walkers are, treating one of them like a pet by feeding it mice and playing tag with it. She then kills her sister, Mika, so she can become a walker. Carol, a mother who had lost her daughter and abusive husband, decides that Lizzie is too much of a danger to the infant and others, and fatally shoots her. This gut-wrenching episode stayed with me for a while, and had me debating if Carol did the right thing. Melissa McBride, who played Carol, was outstanding in this episode, especially when the camera stayed on her expression after she killed Lizzie.

How do I watch it? Entire series on Netflix (monthly fee)

4. The Sopranos (1999-2007) : Tony Soprano, the main character, is the head of the Mafia in North Jersey, he is a murderer, and he is unfaithful to his wife. Still, we all loved him. An anxiety attack in the first episode had him going to a psychiatrist, making him seem more human. Despite all the stuff that he does, he still loves his wife and kids. He had to deal with his mother and sister, who are absolute monsters. You could see how much it hurt him when he had to kill Big Pussy, one of his best friends, after finding out he was an informant. This show changed the face of television, with a shorter season, more explicit content (thanks to it being on HBO) unconventional plotting, and a slower pace than we are used to seeing on episodic television, which puts the focus on characters and story as opposed to action. Unlike the Mafia seen in the movies, Tony prefers to make deals and cooperate with the New York Mob instead of going to war with them. The late James Gandolfini, who was cast partly because he "looks like your next-door neighbor," was brilliant as Tony. Many people debate the ending of this show which builds up suspense before abruptly cutting to black. Many people were livid, and some people even called their cable company because they thought the signal went out. I thought it was genius because it left it up to the viewer to decide how the show ended.

Best episode: "Pine Barrens": Two of Tony's crew, Paulie and Chris, are assigned to kill a Russian. They throw his body in the trunk and drive him out to New Jersey's Pine Barrens. When they get his body out of the trunk to bury him, he his still alive and has cut through the duct tape. Even though they shoot him again, he still gets up and runs away. Paulie and Chris pursue him and lose the trail. They are then stranded in the woods as they can't find the car. They are finally rescued after spending a night in an abandoned van eating packets of condiments and using the vehicle's carpeting as a blanket. The ultimate fate of the Russian was never known. A very entertaining and often hilarious episode.

How do I watch it? Amazon Instant Video, Free to watch with ads or a Prime membership ($100 for one year). Also on HBO Go (must subscribe to HBO to watch)

3. Survivor (2000-present): Go ahead and curse me for putting a reality show on this list, and curse me more for ranking it so high. This is by far the gold standard for reality shows, because some so-called reality shows are staged (Pawn Stars), and some are just scripted (Jersey Shore). Although this is essentially an extreme game show with a $1 million prize, I think it is closer to reality than any other so-called reality show. People spend up to 39 days outdoors, and it definitely takes its toll. They are partially deprived of food, eaten by bugs, and cut and scraped everywhere. Several players had to leave the game due to medical issues including serious burns from passing out into a fire, digestive problems and extreme dehydration. We saw how real this show actually was a couple of weeks ago, where the players were digging for puzzle pieces for 45 minutes in 115-degree weather. Three people passed out with heatstroke, and one of them had to be evacuated by helicopter. The game itself, in which one person gets voted out every three days or so until a jury of ousted contestants decides a winner from the final three, is simple and brilliant. Some seasons are better than others, because the success of the show depends on the contestants and the chemistry (or lack thereof) between them. The show continues to be entertaining because the contestants and personalities are different every season. The show has its share of legendary players, including Boston Rob, who led a master class on how to win this game during his fourth time on the show, Russell Hantz, who would betray his own mother in order to win, but you couldn't help but root for him, and Jonny Fairplay, who is just a complete douchebag, trying to elicit sympathy from other contestants by telling them his grandmother had died (she didn't). Credit should also go to host Jeff Probst, whose frank comments during challenges and probing questions during Tribal Council (where someone is voted out) add to the fun.

Best episode: "If it Smells Like a Rat, Give it Cheese": The exhaustion of being outside and being deprived of food and comfort takes its toll physically as well as mentally. Okay, I will stop making excuses for Erik, who was young and just plain stupid. An alliance of four women convinced Erik to give up his immunity idol (which prevents its wearer from being voted off) and, unsurprisingly, voted him off. This goes down as one of the dumbest moves in Survivor history. Natalie, who Erik gave the idol to, said it best as she cast her vote: "I don't even know what to say... but thank you."

How do I watch it? CBS All Access, you have to pay a monthly fee to watch all but the most recent episodes. Seasons 1, 3, 12-28 on Amazon Instant Video. Free with Prime membership ($100 for one year)

2. Breaking Bad (2008-2013): Actions have consequences. So says Vince Gilligan, the creator of this show. Walter White, a chemistry teacher, is diagnosed with terminal cancer, and wants his wife and children to be OK financially after he dies. He turns to cooking meth. He eventually becomes a powerful and extremely rich drug lord, then loses almost all of his money. The evolution of Walter's character is written so well, and Bryan Cranston's acting sells it. (Matthew Broderick turned this part down, by the way.) Along the way, he meets some memorable and ruthless characters such as Jesse Pinkman, his partner and former student, drug distributor Gus Fring, who uses a fast-food fried chicken restaurant as a front, and Saul Goodman, a crooked lawyer who represents Walt. Saul was so well-liked, they gave him his own show. The story progresses naturally and believably, and all of the seasons seem to connect together seamlessly. The show's darkly comic tone and unconventional plotting is unique and brilliant. One entire episode focused on Walt and Jesse trying to catch a fly in the lab.

Best episode: "Ozymandias": In this intense episode, a rival biker gang takes nearly all of Walt's money, and murders Walt's cousin Hank, who also happens to be a DEA agent. He then unsuccessfully tries to convince his family to run, but takes his infant daughter with him as his wife runs after him on the street, screaming. Supposedly, his work in this episode and other episodes of this show got director Rian Johnson the gig writing and directing Star Wars Episode VIII.

How do I watch it? Entire series on Netflix (monthly fee)

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003): Buffy, a former high school cheerleader is the "chosen one," a single slayer given supernatural powers to protect the world from dark forces. The show makes clear that getting through high school and growing up is just as much of an ordeal as fighting evil. This modern twist on the horror genre came from the mind of Joss Whedon (now best known as the writer-director of the "Avengers" movies), whose idea was to turn the image of the helpless little girl cowering in the alley on its head. Everything works perfectly on this show, from the development of characters that made up Buffy's "Scooby Gang," to the often duplicated pop-culture infused dialogue, a perfect balance of horror and humor, and great fight choreography and stuntwork. Also, this show is really so much fun to watch. The show still has a rabid fan base, as was evidenced in 2011 when a new "Buffy" movie was announced that would not involve Whedon or any of the cast. The opposition and outrage from the fans and even the show's cast was so sudden and so loud that this project was cancelled within days of its announcement. Once again, this is yet another genre show that received no lead Emmy nominations, save for one well-deserved, and ironic, writing nomination for the episode "Hush," in which supernatural creatures take away everyone's ability to speak, meaning most of the episode was dialogue-free.

Best episode: "Once More, With Feeling": This was a very tough decision, because there were so many inventive, well-written and entertaining episodes to choose from, such as the aforementioned "Hush," A great series finale in which the entire town of Sunnydale collapses into the Hellmouth, "The Body," in which Buffy's mother unexpectedly dies, and "Halloween," during which everyone "becomes" the costume they are dressed in (Buffy wears a princess costume and becomes helpless). I went with a musical episode. Other shows have done musical episodes, but they were outliers from the main plot of the show, and were done just for fun. This episode was the result of a spell cast on the town that made everyone sing and dance (watch everything going on in the background as well), and there are some major revelations about the characters. Credit goes to Whedon, who wrote the songs despite having no musical training. Finally, it is also good to have some real musicians in the cast, including Anthony Stewart Head. Like so many other episodes of this show, it is entertaining, innovative and well-written.

How do I watch it? Entire series on Netflix (monthly fee)

Oscar Surprises

Sorry this is so late, but I thought it was more important to address the sorry state of the 2016 presidential race.

The Oscars were unique this year, because they were less about awards, and more about the state of racial equality in this country, following the second straight year that there wasn't a single minority in any of the 20 acting nominations. This theme was obviously prevalent throughout the entire show. I did not think it was heavy-handed, but is a genuine problem that needs to be addressed by not only the Academy, but the film industry as a whole.

Let's break down the show, which, overall, I thought was entertaining and fast-paced compared to other years, (even though I started late and fast forwarded through many of the below-the-line awards and speeches) even though it went well over time once again.

The host: Chris Rock stayed on as host despite the many calls for him to step down in protest. He either thought this hosting gig was a great opportunity to get the message across about racism in the film industry, or he would have gotten sued had he bailed. That having been said, he did a great job. I laughed out loud several times during his opening monologue, and he did a great job bringing the issues to light while being funny. The taped bits with black actors being inserted into nominated movies, and the man-on-the-street interviews in front of a Compton movie theater were relevant and funny. The Girl Scout Cookie bit was cute, but was too forced of an effort to recreate the spontaniety of Ellen DeGeneres' antics two years ago.

The winners: This is the first time in several years that I can remember this many upsets. Usually, after all of the guild awards, most experts can usually predict all of the top winners correctly. The upsets started when Sly Stallone lost supporting actor to Mark Rylance from Bridge of Spies. It was also surprising to see Ex Machina, with a modest $15 million budget, to beat megabudget blockbusters like Mad Max: Fury Road and Star Wars: The Force Awakens in the special effects category. Finally, even though there was no clear favorite in the Best Picture category, I was surprised to see "Spotlight" take the big prize, since its only other award was for original screenplay. I was kind of expecting "The Revenant" to win, but I wasn't too sure after reading a rather humorous interview with an Academy voter who despised this movie, so much so that, in one of the categories, he chose a movie he never saw just to stop "The Revenant" from winning. Speaking of "The Revenant," God no longer hates Leonardo DiCaprio, who nabbed his first Oscar with his sixth nomination. Despite his heavy-handed tree hugger message, he was grateful and confident, and didn't come off like a douchebag.

I did get a chance to watch "Spotlight," and it was a very straightforward, sometimes depressing and always compelling movie about a team of journalists who investigated abuses of children by priests in the Boston Archdiocese, and the subsequent cover-up of these abuses. The movie did a fine job of telling the story of how the piece in the Boston Globe came together, and thankfully resisted the urge to become preachy or overly sentimental. It was a pleasure to see the movie subtly underscore the importance of the media, particularly the print media. One of the most important duties of the media is to protect the general public and hold public institutions accountable for their wrongdoing. I was glad to see this movie focus on this sadly declining profession. With the 24-hour news cycle and internet news sources, the long-form journalism that this movie focuses on is quickly becoming extinct. So how does it measure up to the other nominees? Keep in mind I have only seen three of them. Although I would call "The Martian" more entertaining than "Spotlight," I think "Spotlight" is the better movie, and I will be thinking about it and talking about it for years.

The Head Honcho: Usually when the Academy chairperson comes out, it is usually to deliver some happy horse manure praising the art of filmmaking and so on. This year, however, everyone was listening to Cheryl Boone Isaacs. She said there would be some concrete changes to the makeup of Academy voters (which I will have to see to believe) and charged everyone in the industry to strive for diversity, which is a good point, because diversity begins with the writing and casting process.

Daisy Pushers: As always, I have something to say about the "In Memoriam" montage. This year's big omission was Abe Vigoda, a veteran character actor, best known as Sal Tessio from "The Godfather." By the way, he got that part through an open casting call. The Academy gave their usual bullshit explanation that they select a cross section of dead people from all aspects of the film industry, blah, blah, blah. Also missing was George Gaynes, best known as Punky Brewster's adoptive father, and in the film world, as Commandant Lassard in the Police Academy movies. Even though these two somewhat well-known actors were omitted, on the list was Alex Rocco, another actor from "The Godfather" (he played Moe Greene). Also on the list were a few publicists, agents, and a film critic. Granted, Richard Corliss was a very good movie critic, but in my opinion, he worked for the journalism industry and not the film industry, so his inclusion on this list is questionable at best. At least they finished the segment with the great Leonard Nimoy. I should also mention that Dave Grohl's gave a great, restrained performance of "Blackbird" that was consistent with the evening's overall theme.

Best song performances: Sam Smith was a bit off-key, especially in the falsetto range. I realize it was a tough song to sing, but it was a good thing Simon Cowell wasn't in the audience. Following an introduction by the vice president, Lady Gaga nailed her performance, and a chorus of abuse victims made for a very poignant moment. However, it was Smith that took the Oscar. His claim was incorrect that he was the first openly gay man to win an Academy Award, but it was nice of him to dedicate the award to the LGBT community.

Shut up: The producers didn't hesitate to cue the orchestra during several speeches with "Ride of the Valkyries." There is nothing like Wagner to get someone's ass moving. This was done way too prematurely for Best Director winner Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, who echoed the evening's message of racism, focusing on the fact that it's not just a white/black problem, but concerns all races.

Clueless: Most of the crowd didn't get the bit with Stacey Dash, especially Chrissy Teigen, and neither did I until I read that she said during an interview that we should get rid of Black History Month and the BET network. Also, the gag with the Asian children as the Price and Waterhouse accountants fell flat, and I was half-expecting Mickey Rooney to come out there and say "So solly!" The animated bits with the Minions and Buzz/Woody were just OK, but they should have been on earlier when most people's kids were still awake. Finally, the thank you crawl went by too quickly for anyone to read, wasn't seen on the display screens in the Kodak Theater, and were about as useful as screen doors on a submarine.

Best scripted moment: Louis C.K. was funny and spot-on when he was presenting the award for best documentary short, and said "This award is going home in a Honda Civic."

Best unscripted moments: First, young Jacob Tremblay's genuine excitement when the Star Wars droids went on stage (he is a huge fan), and when Chris Rock came out with a box of Girl Scout cookies to end the show, and Morgan Freeman and Michael Keaton proceeded to steal and eat the cookies. I was also told Sacha Baron Cohen's in-character appearance as Ali G was off the cuff.

Movies I am definitely going to watch:
The Big Short
Creed
The Hateful Eight

Movies I might watch if I have time:
Room
Steve Jobs

Movies I probably won't watch because they look too depressing, boring or look like artsy-fartsy Oscar bait:
Bridge of Spies
The Revenant
Carol
The Danish Girl
Brooklyn

5 suggestions for next year's host:
1. Chris Rock and Kevin Hart
2. Louis C.K. (see above)
3. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
4. Jane Lynch
5. Bruce Campbell (one can dream)

Can anyone stop Trump?

I finally got around to writing this... I wanted to start this after the results of the Nevada caucuses, and get this done before Super Tuesday, which is happening as I am finishing this up. Keep in mind I also wrote most of this before John Oliver's brilliant rant Sunday night. From the looks of things, Donald Trump is probably going to take the Republican nomination, and face Hillary in November. This is not a good thing. It's not good for our country, and it's self-destructive for the Republican Party.

Making matters worse is that the idiots in charge of New Jersey and NASCAR have pledged their support to Trump.

The Donald doesn't know squat about politics or policy, he is running a campaign based on hatred and anger, and a Trump presidency will be nothing short of a disaster.

Why is this happening? I can think of several reasons.

1. Other Republicans in the race like Jeb, Rubio and Kasich brushed off Trump's insults, waiting for him to self-destruct and go away. Many people, myself included, are surprised that didn't happen.  When other candidates finally decided to fire back at him, it was too late.

2. Many Americans are angry. Most of them are old people. Many (not all) old people complain a lot because they are retired and have nothing better to do. Old people usually vote. You probably have at least one Facebook friend or friend of a friend that puts up posts and memes that have you shaking your head. They are angry at Obama, and believe he should be impeached for any number of reasons. They are angry at all those damn foreigners taking our jobs. If they are here illegally, they are breaking the law and should be sent home! They are angry at the Muslims, because all 1.5 billion of them are terrorists, and the Qu'Ran tells them that it is okay to rape and kill non-Muslims. Trump is feeding off this anger, and people are loving his plans to deport all 11 million illegal immigrants, build a giant wall with Mexico's money and ban any more Muslims from entering our country. I am not sure whether he truly believes this, or if he is a salesman pitching a product by feeding on people's emotions. After all, he has made many huge deals with businessmen and sheiks in the Middle East.

3. People like the fact that he has no speechwriters, everything he says is off the cuff, and he has no filter. His supporters don't seem to mind that he comes of as misogynist and xenophobic. No one even blinked when he used the word "pussy" during one of his speeches, and he wasn't talking about a cat.

4. People like the fact that his campaign is self-funded (not entirely true), and, unlike Jeb and Hillary, his campaign war chest isn't filled by large corporations. (This is actually a good point).

5. The other nominees are idiots. (In some cases, another good point).

Is there any way to stop this from happening? Honestly, I don't think so. But, in order to even have a chance, the party needs to throw their chips behind one candidate and make it a two-person race. Who? Let's do this by the process of elimination:
Ben Carson is a non-factor at this point.
John Kasich is the sole Republican candidate who somewhat resembles a human being. His numbers suck so far, but he is staying in it on the off chance he can win Michigan and his home state of Ohio. This won't happen, so he needs to throw in the towel.
Ted Cruz is a pompous prick, and is almost as contemptible as Trump. The party and his fellow senators hate him because he puts his own principles above those of the Senate and the country. If he becomes president, there will be government gridlock similar to our budget impasse in Pennsylvania that is now almost a year old. He is trying to court evangelical voters, but his loss in the bible-thumping haven of South Carolina proves he doesn't have a prayer (pun intended). Unfortunately, he is too much of an arrogant ass to drop out. Hopefully he will get the message after he loses his home state of Texas. It should also be mentioned that he was born in Canada. The same "birthers" that continue to make the baseless argument about whether Obama was born here sure as hell better go after Cruz in the very unlikely event he advances in this race. The Constitution can be interpreted in different ways, but I do not believe, by definition, that Cruz is a "natural-born citizen."
Marco Rubio is the so-called "party establishment" candidate, and the GOP's best hope in this farce of a race. Rubio is a typical Republican who wants to shrink government and cut taxes for big businesses and rich people, but seems a bit more palatable than the other Republicans. Again, I don't think Rubio can upset Trump, because a lot of Cruz supporters would migrate to Trump.

For the most part, no matter how outrageous Trump's behavior is, people still support him. There seems to be a little bit of backlash after he did not disavow former KKK Grand Dragon and all-around awful human being David Duke, who pledged his support to Trump. Because Virginia has an open primary system, some Democrats are choosing to vote in the Republican election specifically to stop Trump on Super Tuesday.  (Update: It didn't work). Also, a friend of mine who is a Republican officeholder in Pennsylvania, and who I consider to be a very decent and intelligent person, pleaded on Facebook for his fellow politicians to stop Trump from wrecking the party.

So what happens from here? Some people are saying the GOP convention might be "brokered," meaning there may be some backroom deals made to prevent Trump from getting the nomination if he can't get the 1,237 delegates during the primary elections. As much as I dislike Trump, I hope this doesn't happen because, at the end of the day, the people, not the party bigwigs, should choose the nominee. Also, if this happens, Trump will likely break his pledge, and run as an independent. In this case, he will either win, or at least get enough votes to throw the election to the House of Representatives. The question will then arise whether Congress will mirror the popular vote, or choose a candidate on their own. The mere thought of this and how it will affect the country gives me nightmares.

The more likely scenario pits Trump against Hillary. Sorry, but Bernie Sanders, although he did better than many expected, is merely a speed bump on the road to Hillary's nomination.

The former first lady is obviously the more experienced and qualified candidate, and I believe she truly cares about this country and its people. However, she has a likability problem, and that may cost her votes like it did 8 years ago. I don't think the e-mail issue or Benghazi has much of an effect, but her personality will, and, as we saw with Jeb Bush, people are sick of political "dynasties."

In the end, this will come down to the campaigns and the debates. Hopefully these will further illustrate how qualified and knowledgeable Mrs. Clinton is, and how Trump is little more than a snake oil salesman.

Update: After Super Tuesday, it looks like Cruz is the GOP's best shot at stopping Trump. He took four states, and won big in his home state of Texas. Rubio was only able to eke out a win in Minnesota, and is understandably sticking around to see how he does in his home state of Florida. Some Republicans are indicating that, if needed, they will reluctantly support Cruz. Unless Cruz is able to get enough delegates in the primaries to block Trump from getting a majority (leading to a brokered convention), it still looks like it will be a Trump v. Clinton general election. (IMHO, if it ends up being Clinton v. Cruz, Ted Cruz would get steamrolled by Hillary.)