Every year when the Emmy nominations are announced they bring to mind not only the worthy shows of this year but those of the past. As a TV critic, one has to view the good, the bad, and the ugly. But occasionally you stumble on something great. And when that happens, you realize the power of that little illuminated box to thrill and inspire.
So, I’ve come up with my 10 favorite TV shows of all time. They are all personal choices and are based on this criterion: Was it a show that I couldn’t WAIT for the next episode? Scores of television programs of the past proved exemplary, and winnowing them down to 10 is an agonizing task. At the end of the list I’d love to hear your choices. So, in no particular order, here are my 10 favorites:
NBC’s “Hill Street Blues.” This was a cop show like no other before it. With the jiggly hand-held-camera, nervous jump cuts, the show rumbled with a sense of immediacy and veracity. And creators Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll devised officers so unique and even endearing that you quickly knew them by name and personality. A phalanx of extraordinary writers, including David Milch, Mark Frost and Jeffrey Lewis, contributed to the 146 episodes, which made you feel like you were on a perpetual ride-along.
