The Greatest TV Show EVER

[Atlas14]

I don't see what the big hype about Arrested Development is. I've seen about 13-20 episodes of it and none of them were overly interesting nor funny. The characters were pretty much all odd, but added very little to the humor that was trying to be presented.

 

[Smidlee]

Doctor Who is one of my all time favorites also.

 

[Sidhe]

Hey sidhe, father ted should be on that list.

Its the only british show i saw besides monty python and it is absolutely hilarious!

You're right, but I didn't have the time to go into all of them

And I quote from the best episode ever: the one were Father Ted is a racist:-

Woman: Good on you father, I hear your a racialist now?

Father Ted:Ah now no.

Woman: I hate the Greeks, bastards: they invented gayness!

 

[Esckey]

Depends on how you rate it.

SNL and Monty Python really set the stage for many comedy shows, 1970s SNL and Python are still funny today, while many(Seinfeld, Friends, Fraiser and so forth) are stale only a couple of years after their deaths
Daily Show and Colbet Report are making waves in media, already being talked about on CNN and other high profile shows due to their impact on the youth and young adults.
Sesame Street, Muppet Show Mr. Dressup shaped young minds and prepared many children for school, friendship, morals and ethics.
Simpsons, Seinfeld and Star Trek and even Cheers probably make up 75% of all pop culture refences. Its amazing on how much of impact pop culture has on our lives.

And to a lesser extent for me Kids in the Hall and the Wayne and Shuster show


I have no clue about MASH.......it was just a great show.

 

[Atlas14]

I am surprised nobody has mentioned Andy Richter or Greg the Bunny...

 

[History_Buff]

I don't see what the big hype about Arrested Development is. I've seen about 13-20 episodes of it and none of them were overly interesting nor funny. The characters were pretty much all odd, but added very little to the humor that was trying to be presented.

The characters are all that show ever was. Any other humor was mostly a secondary addition, though Howard's puns are usually pretty good. Did you, or have you watched it from the very beginning?

 

[Neomega]

I don't see what the big hype about Arrested Development is. I've seen about 13-20 episodes of it and none of them were overly interesting nor funny. The characters were pretty much all odd, but added very little to the humor that was trying to be presented.

why would you watch 15 episodes of a mediocre show?

 

[Atlas14]

The characters are all that show ever was. Any other humor was mostly a secondary addition, though Howard's puns are usually pretty good. Did you, or have you watched it from the very beginning?

Yeah I watched it from the first episode and onward, I just never thought it was overly interesting or funny. You're right, Howard's puns were actually decent now that I think about it. But overall, it was mediocre.

 

[Atlas14]

why would you watch 15 episodes of a mediocre show?

It came on before the other shows I usually liked to watch, and in order to keep my dad from changing the channel permanently for the night to PBS, I watched Arrested Development with him (he likes the show a lot) to remind him I am down here and that my good shows come on next.

 

[Syterion]

I don't see what the big hype about Arrested Development is. I've seen about 13-20 episodes of it and none of them were overly interesting nor funny. The characters were pretty much all odd, but added very little to the humor that was trying to be presented.

You can't be serious. The brilliant writing, staging, layers upon layers of jokes, and classic lines and characters. The plot didn't fail either, everything in that show was used to its utmost. You only have to see the pilot's interaction between Maebe and George-Michael to know that this is an amazing show, and from there it just builds on itself.

 

[De Lorimier]

Arrested Development was mildly funny, but the overhype by the fanboys is really annoying. It's all a matter of taste, but it wasn't that great.

 

[amadeus]

I Love Lucy is probably the greatest TV show of all time, as it has changed television in a countless number of ways; while The Simpsons and Seinfeld are both outstanding programs, neither of them have really revolutionized television as we know it.

For example, I Love Lucy was the first hit TV program to make use of more than one camera and was also the first program to make use of 35mm movie film as opposed to the inferior picture quality of 16mm kinescope.

The show, in part due to Lucille Ball's pregnancy, was filmed in Hollywood -- rather rare at the time, since the kinescope recordings used to produce TV shows at the time were in poor quality and it was simply easier for the networks to film in New York, since their TV film processing labs were there, as well as the largest media markets.

(The kinescope filming method is actually like putting a camcorder in front of your TV set, as a camera was mounted in front of a CRT and then filmed. This process would then be repeated for the other time zones, resulting in even more inferior quality pictures displayed in the smaller media markets.)

 

[Lambert Simnel]

You're right, but I didn't have the time to go into all of them

And I quote from the best episode ever: the one were Father Ted is a racist:-

Woman: Good on you father, I hear your a racialist now?

Father Ted:Ah now no.

Woman: I hate the Greeks, bastards: they invented gayness!

Ah, yes, Father Ted. Great writing, there. And some wonderful moments. Not sure I could pick one episode as the best ever though - I loved the one in a caravan ("Small. Far Away. Small. Far away."), the Eurovision one as well as the racial one.

 

[Perfection]

I think the Tonight Show deserves a mention, it's been a television staple longer then any other show I can think of.

 

[The Tollan]

Doctor Who surpasses other shows.

 

[adog]

Seinfeld and Northern Exposure.

 

[.Shane.]

Arrested Development was mildly funny, but the overhype by the fanboys is really annoying. It's all a matter of taste, but it wasn't that great.

Definitely one of my favorites of all time. Along w/ "Freaks and Geeks" and Seinfeld.

More serious shows... Hill Street Blues and Deadwood.

 

[Sidhe]

Ah, yes, Father Ted. Great writing, there. And some wonderful moments. Not sure I could pick one episode as the best ever though - I loved the one i"Small. Far Away. Small. Far away."), the Eurovision one as well an a caravan (s the racial one.

You're right actually, there were just so many great moments.

Do you get it now Doogle? The sheep is small and its close(referring to a plastic sheep) But those sheep are far away "Small. Far Away. Small. Far away."

Warning you wont get any of this unless you've seen Father Ted:-

Spoiler :

Father Fitzpatrick: And this is the last known photo of Herr Hitler; he's signing a few death warrants there.
Ted: Funny how you get more right-wing as you get older!

Jack: DON'T TELL ME I'M STILL ON THAT fudging' ISLAND!!!

Bishop Brennan: You will address me by my proper title, you little bollocks!

Ted: Hello, is that the Yin dynasty? Family, sorry, the Yin family.

Dougal: Sorry Ted. I was concentrating too hard on looking holy.

Ted: They've taken the roads in.

Bishop Brennan: He DID kick me up the arse!

Father Fitzpatrick: You left the cyanide capsules next to the Valium, you old fool. That's just asking for trouble!

Jack: (judging a Wet T-shirt competition) More Water!

Jack: ARSEBISCUITS! (WAV)

Jack: A PAIR OF fudging' WOMEN'S KNICKERS! (WAV)

Dougal: God, Ted. D'you remember that feller who was so good at fashion they had to shoot him?

Father Clippit says a good long mass. Four hours he does. Since his stroke.

No. We're up in space doing important work for NASA.

Eoin McLove: You leave me alone. I could have you killed.

Jack: THAT WOULD BE AN ECUMENICAL MATTER! (WAV)

Dougal: I'm no good at judging the size of crowds Ted, but I'd say there's about seventeen million of them out there (WAV)

Dougal: It's like a great big tide of jam. But jam made out of... old women.

Mrs Doyle: Are you looking forward to your lunch tomorrow, Father?
Ted: Hmmm? I suppose so.
Mrs Doyle: You do like pheasant, don't you Father?
Ted: Pheasant? I love pheasant.
Mrs Doyle: Well there's a little clue. The thing you'll be eating likes pheasant as well.

I'm hungry. Where's the jam?

Dougal: The ants are back Ted!

You'd better get going, because milk gets sour. Unless it's UHT milk, but there's no demand for that. Because it's horsehockye.

Eoin McLove: Go away! I don't want to catch menopause!

Ted: (to Richard Wilson) I don't beleeeeeeeeeve it!

Ted: Once again Dougal, you've made me look like a complete fool in front of real people. Thanks very much.
Dougal: To be honest Ted, I forgot you had the money. I was just going to tell you... your fly's open.

Ted: Dougal, how did you get into the church in the first place? Was it, like, 'collect 12 crisp packets and become a priest?'

Ted: The Chinese. A great bunch of lads!

Jack: I'm sooooo, sooooo, soooo sorry!
Ted: Now that's sarcasm.

Dougal: Hello there Len.
Bishop Brennan: Don't call me Len, you prick. Refer to me as 'Bishop Brennan'!
Dougal: Ah right you are there Len.

Dougal: God, I've heard about those cults Ted. People dressing up in black and saying Our Lord's going to come back and save us all.
Ted: No, Dougal, that's us. That's Catholicism.
Dougal: Oh right.

Dougal: Watch this, Ted. (rubs letters off blackboard) You see? You can rub off the letters.
Ted: But, Dougal, you can do that with any blackboard.
Dougal: What?

Ted: JUST PLAY THE F***ING NOTE!!!

Pat Mustard: I'm a very careful man, Father.
Ted: Except when it comes to taking precautions in the bedroom!
Pat: You're not advocating the use of artificial contraception now, are you?
Ted: Well, ye......well, no...well, naturally.....well, not really....well, of course you'd............JUST FECK OFF!

Ted: Dougal, don't you think that if we put this baby's moustache, this baby's head hair and this baby's sideboards together we'd get....Pat Mustard?
Dougal: D'you think the babies could be copying his style?
Ted: No, Dougal, I think Pat Mustard's been delivering more than just dairy products, if you see what I mean.
Dougal: Yes.......well........er...y..well.......yes.
Ted: Do you?
Dougal: No.

Dougal: Those women were in the nip! (WAV)

Jack: I love my brick! (WAV)

Mrs Doyle: Pat was just wondering if he could put his massive tool in my box.

Ted: Dougal, have you been drinking?
Dougal: Yes Ted. I've been drinking like a mad eejit. (stage wink at Father Stack) I mean, no. I haven't. (WAV)

Dougal: As if magic, I can create a big crowd of invisible ducks.

Dougal: How come all the rocks are different sizes?

Ted: Sheep, like all wool-bearing animals, instinctively travel north, where it's colder, and they won't be so stuffy.

Dougal: Can I stay up tonight to watch the scary film?
Ted: Ah, no no no. The last time you stayed up to watch a scary film you ended up having to sleep in my bed. I wouldn't mind, but it wasn't even a scary film.
Dougal: Come on, Ted. A Volkswagen with a mind of its own. If that isn't scary, I don't know what is.

Mary: (to John) You've a face like a pair o' tits!
John: At least that's one pair between us!

Mrs Doyle: I'm so excited. Taking on three bishops all at once. I can't wait.

Dougal: How did the sergeant catch Father Jack at all?
Ted: Well, Dougal. He's an elderly priest driving a Flymo at 2 miles per hour around the island. How hard could it be?

Ted: What was it [Jack] used to say about the needy? He had a term for them.
Dougal: A shower of bastards.

Ted: Maybe he's agoraphobic.
Dougal: Jack? Scared of fighting? I don't think so, Ted!

Dougal: Ted, will you look at this table. It's so dirty I could write me name in it.
Ted: (peering at table) There's a G in 'Dougal'.
Dougal: Where?

Dougal: A one-word film. There can't be too many of those. Salem's Lot?

Ted: I'm not a fascist. I'm a priest. Fascists dress up in black and tell people what to do. Whereas priests...
...More drink!

Ted: So there he is. Risen from the dead. Like that feller.... E.T.

Polly Clarke: My husband. Now there was a man who really was afraid of Virginia Woolf.
Ted: Why? Was she... following him or something?

Dougal: Aah! Brilliant. A load of people in a stable! It's the one thing I didn't expect.

Ted: So... let me get this straight. You were up on an old man, riding him around and whipping him. For an hour.
Dougal: Yes.
Ted: You realise that image will stay with me for the rest of my life?

Dougal: Put your clothes back on, Carol, I can't concentrate.

Fr. Stack: While you were out, I got the keys to your car. And drove it into a big wall. And if you don't like it, tough. I've had my fun, and that's all that matters.

Dougal: What's going on?
Priest: I think Ted has a plan
Dougal: No. I mean in general.

And now on BBC1: Jurassic Park. The Director's Cut. With extra dinosaurs.

How did that gobhorsehockye get on the television?

FLOOR! COR-TAINS! GOBhorsehockyE!

Ted: Dougal, do we have any incense?
Dougal: (uncertainly) There was.. a spider in the bath the other night....

You're sittin' there, watching those young boys in shorts. With a big smile on your face. Ye daerty fecker. (WAV)

Wait a second. You're Elvis as well!

It's nice to have a nun around. Gives the place a bit of glamour.

So then. You're a nun?

Of course... they all have lovely bottoms!

Are those my feet?

Father Brendan: God Ben I'm such an eejit - I've put the shorts - on me head !

Dougal: (trying to pray) Hail Mary who art in heaven.......
Ted: Hallowed.
Dougal: Oh yeah. Hallowed Be....
Ted: Thy Name...
Dougal: Papa Don't Preach........
Ted: Dougal, you know you can praise the lord with sleep.
Dougal: Really Ted? You can praise him in lots of ways, like that time you said that I could praise him just by leaving the room.
Ted: Yes, that was a good one !

Jack: I'm a happy camper!

Ted: Two hundred pounds? I'm not trying to buy cocaine!

John O'Leary: What can we do for you Father?
Dougal: I was looking for a pair of handcuffs actually.
John: A pair of handcuffs? What do you need them for?
Dougal: Oh nothing much, they're for me and Ted.
Mary: You and Father Ted?
Dougal: Yeah, we're just trying something out.
John: Well emm, actually, funnily enough we do have a pair. Sergeant Thornton left them here when he retired.
Dougal: Retired from what?
John: From the police.
Dougal: The police? Was Sergeant Thornton a policeman?
John: Emm, he was yes. Why do you think he wore the uniform?
Dougal: Oh I thought he was just having a laugh.
John: Anyway here's the handcuffs.
Dougal: Great, bye now.

Jack: Where are the other two?

Dougal: C'mere Ted, Ted, Teddy, Ted. God, I love being a priest. We're all going to heaven lads, wheeeyyyyyy! (WAV)

Ted: So you took Father Jack out for a walk... and you lost him. Again.
Dougal: Well, Ted, like I said the last time: it won't happen again. Sure now, what's the worst that could happen to him anyway?
Ted: Well Dougal, he could have an accident and be killed.
Dougal: ...Oh right, yes.

"Attention please, a child has been lost in the tunnel of goats."

"I won't be happy until the last rabbit round here is the one inside your head, working the controls!"

Ted: Dougal, you can't sit around here watching television all day - chewing gum for the eyes!
Dougal: Oh no thanks Ted, I've got these crisps, here.

Mrs Doyle: Won't you have some cake, Father? It's got cocaine in it. Oh no, hang on, it's not cocaine, is it. What do I mean now? - the little things... Raisins!

Mrs Doyle: Oh she writes such filth, Father. It's always "Feck this" and "Feck that" - and sometimes she even uses the "F" word!

Mrs Doyle: Now come on Father, what would you say to a nice cup of tea?
Jack: FECK OFF CUP!!!!!!

Mrs Doyle: (whilst Ted is trying to eat a sausage) Oh it's a filthy, dirty business, sex. Can you imagine, Father. Your husband standing over you with his lad in his hand, wanting you to degrade yourself. I want you to get a good clear picture.

Jack: (after sobering up) YOU! YOU! YOU! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?
Ted: That's a spoon, Father

Ted: I think we'd all like to make a little sacrifice.
Jack: SACRIFICE? ARSE!

Dougal: Oh Wow! It's like a big rabbit rock festival!

Dougal: Do you believe in God, then Ted?

Dougal: I'll have them Mrs Doyle. I love egg. In fact sometimes I think I'm going to turn into a big giant egg.
Ted: I think that process has already begun.

Ted: His note from the bishop said they never really found a suitable place for him... he's not a very nice man, is he?
Dougal: God, Ted. I've never met anyone like him anywhere... who would he be like - Hitler or one of those mad fellas.
Ted: Oh, worse than Hitler. You wouldn't find Hitler playing jungle music at 3 o'clock in the morning.

Ted: The holy stone... It must be even holier than we thought. Perhaps it's something to do with that fellow who came over from England last year. He touched it - and he grew a beard!
Dougal: Wow. Weird. That'd be nearly enough to upgrade it to a Class 1.
Ted: Ooh, Class 1'd be very rare. That'd be bringing people back to life... time travel... cloning dinosaurs... Very rare.

Dougal: Well, who cares anyway? They come in, they strip down the wallpaper, they fumigate the place and they're gone. What's so bad about that?
Ted: Dougal, they're bishops!
(pause)
Dougal: ...Oh right, yes.

Ted: I think it might work, Dougal. I know it'll work. It will work.
Dougal: It won't work, will it Ted?
Ted: ...It won't, no.

Ted: What am I doing on the fudgingg wheel!!!

Jack: Feck! Nuns! Reverse! Reverse! (WAV)

Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These (pointing to plastic cows on table) are very small; those (pointing out of the window) are far away...

Father Stack: I want to listen to some music.
Ted: Oh, that's fine, you go ahead there.
Father Stack: I wasn't asking for permission.

Ted: Dougal, you can't go around wearing an earring.
Dougal: But Father Damo has one!
Ted: Oh I see, so did Father Damo give you the idea?
(Dougal nods)
Ted: Honestly, Dougal, what next? Will he be giving you crack cocaine or something?
Dougal: Crack cocaine! Now come on, Ted.
(Dougal looks very shifty)

Ted: Honestly, Dougal, could you not knock the old rollerblading on the head for a couple of weeks?
Dougal: You're right Ted. I used to be happy enough with me old bike - I used to get a big buzz out of just going down to the shops on it, you know? But after a while... it just wasn't enough. I started going for bigger and bigger thrills... But I could give it up! Any time I wanted!
Ted: You tried to give it up yesterday and you couldn't.
Dougal: (falling to his knees and weeping into Ted's crotch) You're right, Ted, I admit I've got a problem...

Old priest: I really shouldn't be here.

Ted: You know the phrase 'to take care of something'? Well, I realise now that you meant that in a sort of Al Pacino way. Whereas I was thinking more along the lines of Julie Andrews.

Dougal: God I've never seen a clock at 5 a.m. before!

Mrs Doyle: Oh - by the way, Bishop Brennan, your car's parked outside.
Bishop Brennan: I know. I parked it there myself.
Mrs Doyle: Well, if you're looking for the windscreen wipers they're in the kitchen.
The bishop looks puzzled and worried.
Mrs Doyle: I thought they needed a little wash. The only trouble is... I broke the side window as I was snapping them off.
Bishop Brennan: Leave my car alone and don't touch it again!
Mrs Doyle: Right you are Bishop. Oh! Just one thing - is your car petrol or diesel?
Bishop Brennan: Leave it alone Mrs Doyle!
Mrs Doyle: (laughing) Oh no, Your Grace, this is just curiosity. Is it petrol or...?
Bishop Brennan: It's diesel, it's diesel!
Mrs Doyle: Oh right. So it'd do a terrible amount of damage if I was to put petrol in it?
Bishop Brennan: Yes. It would completely ruin the car's engine.
Mrs Doyle: Oooh! Well! (hysterical laughter) I certainly won't be doing that then! (turns to leave with a look of horror and guilt on her face)

My Lovely Horse
Ted and Dougal's entry in the Euro Song Contest (series 2 show 4).

"My Lovely Horse
Running through the.. field
Where are you going
With your fetlocks blowing
In the... wind

I want to shower you with sugar lumps
And ride you over...fences
I want to polish your hooves every single day
And bring you to the horse... dentist

My lovely horse
You're a pony no... more
Running around
With a man on your back
Like a train in the night
Like a train in the... (hang on I can get this)... night!

This is unsurprisingly easy to play on the guitar, as Ted's guitar technique is not formidable. It's a G chord, except on 'field', 'wind', 'fences', 'dentist' and the final 'night', where it's a C (sort of). For the full effect, take much longer to change between chords than is actually necessary (unless you're a really horsehockye guitarist).

 

[bob bobato]

Good plots are gone, humour is weak and it started to be too absurd[the simpsons].

Maybe the show used to be better 10 years ago, but its still very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very,very, Good.

It just lost 10 verys,max.

 

[Syterion]

Arrested Development was mildly funny, but the overhype by the fanboys is really annoying. It's all a matter of taste, but it wasn't that great.

This is true, it's a matter of taste. People with good taste love the show, people without do not.