Seems like no-one has mentioned over the last 500+ posts I scanned:
Best drama:
The Monocled Mutineer.
This late '80s show was - and still is - revolutionary. It told a story from WW1. Even 70 years after the fact, the English govt tried to have it banned.
Why? Because it showed how the Poms treated their own soldiers. It showed how farking terrible WW1 was.
It showed how one man with tremendous charisma tried to escape from that and help others out. It showed how the Poms tracked him down and killed him.
There are plenty since then that show ultra violence, plenty of blood and gore but none are realistic in their portrayal of death. That is another reason why this show still lingers on, thirty years after seeing it. Yet another is its selection of music from those times - it still haunts my memory.
But despite his fantastic performance, the main actor only had bit parts after that, suggesting the establishment still has deep influence
Best Comedy:
Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
How can no-one mention this? It revolutionised comedy and has even added to the language.
The first season is slowish, there’s not much doubt about that. However I’d get to the end of that first season though. It’s not like a regular series where there is a beginning, middle and end to an episode. It’s more like a good book where most of the pay off is in the last two episodes (chapters).
Yep, definitely give it another go C_H. Your list is an excellent example of my tastes in TV of the past 5-10 years so trust me, get through season 1 and into season 2 and get back to us on how you’re feeling about The Wire.
Also, good to see another fan of Always Sunny. The most underrated comedy on TV now and for the past 12 seasons. How it hasn’t won any sort of award whilst other much MUCH lessor comedies continue to clean up (particularly in leading male actor) boggles my mind.