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)