Party Time at the Half-Shirts!
The Half-Shirts had their annual Memorial Day blowout yesterday, and it sounded like a drunken, cackling good-time. In fact, Toney and I were still awake at 1 AM, staring at the ceiling fan above our bed, and bitching about the noise.
“I’m going to call the police,” a frustrated Toney said at one point.
“Are you kidding? They’ll know who it was,” I warned.
“They can kiss my ass,” she answered.
But, of course, she was only blowing off steam. I think we repeat the same conversation every year — the Half-Shirts have their holiday traditions, and we have ours.
We also wonder why they throw their big shindig on Monday night, instead of Sunday. “Don’t they have to work tomorrow?” is usually muttered five or six times, and this year was no different.
Earlier in the evening there’d been a large group over there, including what sounded like menagerie of old ladies. Drunk old ladies. And every few minutes one of them would let loose a piercing cackle that threatened to shut-down my central nervous system. Fully excruciating.
We also heard a lot of over-modulated Scranton accents, and the taking of the Lord’s name in vain: “Chriiiiiist!” and that sort of thing. Heh. But at least we didn’t have to listen to booze-fueled political “analysis,” like last year. At least there was that.
Whatever. It’s only one night per year. Let ‘em have their fun, I say. Toney, on the other hand… not quite so understanding. Screw with her sleep and she’s ready to start ripping out throats: all tolerance for shenanigans is suspended between the hours of 11 PM and 5 AM.
And so it goes.
Here’s a run-down of the beers I sampled for the first time this weekend, and my quickie review of each:
Brooklyn Pennant Ale ’55: yes
Hook and Ladder Golden Ale: unremarkable
Blue Moon Honey Moon: no
Sierra Nevada Summerfest: not quite great, but close
Toney and I also had two pints each of Victory Hop Devil at the local yuppie bar. That one wasn’t new to us, though. I like the stuff, but it’s a little over the top. It’s loaded with both hops and alcohol, which sounds good on paper… But I always get a second one, and wish I’d switched over to something a little less insane. Know what I mean?
At the yuppie bar we also enjoyed some perogies, seated inside a tent-type deal on their lawn. Weird, huh? I’d never really had perogies before (I think I might’ve tasted one at Knoebels), I’d only made fun of them. But I’m tellin’ ya… the shit was excellent. They smell like feet, but taste like heaven.
Here’s a pic I snapped with my cell phone. We got six of them, for something like eight bucks. Incredibly over-priced, but delicious.
Mmmm… perogies.
The rolling box o’ beds is no more. A woman came and looked at it twice, and the second time gave us a hundred dollar bill as a deposit.
And on Thursday she returned with a tow-vehicle, her teenage daughter, and more hundreds.
We transferred the title, and all that crapola, and I was praying there wouldn’t be a problem hitching the thing up. I was never an expert at any of it, and had visions of all sorts of embarrassing hitching-up issues.
But I had it ready to go within thirty seconds; I was creating the illusion of being a professional. I’d always dreamed of pretending to be a professional! Now I’d just have to hook-up the lights, and the deal would be done.
Yeah, and that’s where it all came crashing down. That camper hadn’t been used in two years, and the lights wouldn’t work properly. In fact, they wouldn’t work at all. Grrr…
Figuring there was just a build-up of corrosion, or whatever, on the plug itself, I started cleaning it with steel wool. I got it all polished and nice-looking, and tried it again. This time the brake lights wouldn’t work, but the blinkers would. WTS?
We monkeyed around with the thing for two hours, making phone calls and trying everything we knew to try. The woman had less than ten miles to drive, and her boyfriend told her repeatedly to just get it home. But she wouldn’t do it.
Eventually we ran out of options, and the girl was rolling her eyes and making expressions of disgust that only a 14 year old girl can make. I offered to buy a new plug, and the woman took me up on it. Advance Auto Parts actually had one in stock. No way in hell I’m trying to install it, though. I made that clear, up-front.
Finally she sighed, and said she’d chance it. And they took off with their “new” camper, a tad unhappy. “Better hang on to that money,” I told Toney. “I have a feeling we haven’t heard the last of those two.”
But that was five days ago, and so far nothing… I’m thinking the chapter is closed at this point. The camper is theirs now, not ours. I believe the gray area only lasts for a couple of days, right? And we’re well beyond it.
I wish we had a few more boxes o’ beds to sell, though. We’re still receiving calls on it. Twenty-five people must’ve asked us about it already. In fact, somebody called while I typed the previous paragraph. The whole world wants a rolling box o’ beds!
I’m watching King of the Hill, through Netflix, and was telling Toney about the episode where Hank is constipated, and hasn’t crapped in days. I’d seen it before, but laughed just as hard the second time.
But she doesn’t share my enthusiasm for the show. In fact, she’s fairly hostile toward it. I don’t really understand it…
“It’s one of the best shows in TV history,” I insist.
“Ha!” she answers.
And that leads to the Question of the Day… If you were limited to just one, what would you say is THE best TV show ever? ONE of the best is too ambiguous, it has to be THE best.
There are plenty of contenders, I believe: The Sopranos, Homicide, The Wire, LOST, etc. But when it gets right down to it, there are only two that I can consider THE best, fully capitalized.
For most of my life I’ve said The Andy Griffith Show is the greatest of them all, and nothing will ever come along to challenge it. Then Seinfeld came along and challenged it…
But I’m still going with Andy. I’ve been watching that show for forty years, and laugh every time. It’s completely timeless, and brilliant. The writing is amazing, and so is the acting. Almost all of the black & white episodes are classics, and a few should be shown in an endless loop at the Smithsonian.
What do you think? What’s THE best TV show of all time? Use the comments link to set me straight.
And I’ll be back tomorrow, with more of this stuff.
See ya then!
Filed under: Daily
Dragnet. There is no other….
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Joe Friday was calm cool and collected, so completely over the top. Grinding moralistic tales into the minds of the great unwashed, all the while never so much as missing a puff on his chesterfields…
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The best show ever has to be The Simpsons. Their new stuff isn’t that great, but the older ones are a laugh-a-second. Also, top five?
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top 5!
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Dammit. You are right. It’s the Andy Griffith Show. We still watch at least one episode every weekday evening.
Second is Green Acres but there’s just not the “body of work” to propel it to the top. God what a douche I am.
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I’ve been schoolin’ the Angels on old school crime fightin’ with Joe and Bill…
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Luck seven. Simpsons.
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Dammit! I meant “lucky”.
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Numba nine…
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Best TV Show? It has to be either ‘Saved by the Bell’ or ‘Perfect Strangers’
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Has everyone forgotten “All in the Family”? Hands down the best.
BTW Jeff, how long have you lived in NEPA and that was your first pierogi? At the yuppie bar even. Hit a cuppla Polish church pitnicks. You’ll like them even better.
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Gotta go with The Simpsons. The first 10 years (TEN YEARS !!!) were pure gold, the 2nd ten years (TEN MORE YEARS) have been decent … but it’s still hanging in there dammit and very few other shows can say that. In the same vain – Gunsmoke has gotta be up there as well – but The Simpsons makes me laugh every time.
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Joe T., they smell like feet. I generally don’t jump on foods that smell like feet.
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Okay, this one is tough. I’m with Joe and Spiffy with “All In the Family” and the first 10 years of the Simpsons, but I would be amiss if I didn’t mention “Arrested Development”. Nothing short of brilliant, that.
Oh, and the Three Stooges, of course! Nyak Nyak!
Happy Tuesday, Surfers!
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I’m torn between Baa Baa Blacksheep and Little House on the Prairie.
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Victory Hop Wallop is where is at, Hop Devil is for the ladies compared with that. Don’t drink more than 3 at a time though.
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Andy has got my vote, it is timeless solid gold.
Honorable mention has to go to All in the Family though.
For the modern major laughs I have to go with SouthPark
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Best King of the Hill Quotes:
Quotes from “The Witches of East Arlen”
Written by Sivert Glarum & Michael Jamin
Directed by Matt Engstrom
BOBBY: Hey, what are those?
MAN: Those are tarot cards. People use them to tell the future.
BOBBY: They’re like baseball cards for Hobbits!
HANK: Dammit, Dale, I told you to stop painting your house number on my curb.
DALE: Sorry, Hank, but I gotta lay low for a while. You have no idea how far the jackals at the Franklin Mint will go to collect a debt.
WARD RACKLEY: This, Bobby, is nutmeg. And we use this spice for…
BOBBY: Oh, I remember… give me a second… invincibility.
WARD RACKLEY: Resplendent! The spices sit easily upon you.
SPICE STORE GUY: Oh, you boys are making a cake?
WARD RACKLEY: A cake?
BOBBY: Yeah — a cake of tremendous power!
WARD RACKLEY: Score one for the acolyte!
(Hank notices the price sticker on Bobby’s “Magick” book)
HANK: Forty-five dollars!? The family Bible cost less than that, and it was written by Jesus!
WARD RACKLEY: Our kind have always been persecuted by those who understand not. From the Salem witch trials of the 1600s to the locker-room beatings and swirlies of today. ‘Tis all one.
PEGGY: Hank, I may be a mother, but I am still a woman, and I know a girl repellent when I see it. I want grandchildren! Will you fix this?
HANK: You’re Ward Rackley?
WARD RACKLEY: It’s one of my many monikers, yes. I am also known as Manolgar of the North Woods, and in certain circles, Austin Aussman Straklabartar.
HANK: How old are you? 30? 40?
WARD RACKLEY: Not even close. I am 5000.
HANK: Don’t you have any friends your own age? Someone to drink with? Maybe a girlfriend?
WARD RACKLEY: And waste my seed on a common harlot? Not likely. When the time is right, a maiden will be delivered up to me. Probably from the East.
HANK: Some of this isn’t your fault. I mean, a man can only take so many wedgies before he goes to pieces.
HANK: This is a carburetor. Take it apart. Put it back together. Repeat until you’re normal.
BOBBY: But Dad, the dark arts are nothing to be afraid of.
HANK: I’m not afraid of that garbage. I’m afraid of you getting your ass kicked every day for the rest of your life because you found a new way to act like a nerd.
BOBBY: Ward said you wouldn’t understand.
HANK: Bobby, you don’t need a crystal ball to see Ward’s future. He’s going to live with his mother until she dies, and maybe for a few weeks after.
WARD RACKLEY: You are the chosen one, Bobby. From here on and for all time, you will be known as “Robert the Dog-Quaffer.”
JOHN REDCORN: Have you checked out John Redcorn’s New Age Healing Center? You really should. On Friday nights, John Redcorn and his band, Big Mountain Fudge Cake, will be playing. I’m John Redcorn.
BOBBY: You can’t tell anyone this. Promise me.
JOHN REDCORN: Bobby, I give you my oath as a New Age healer.
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http://media.knuttz.net/funny/090525/knuttz_ueba_33.jpg
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MASH
but also
Seinfeld
LOST
The Office
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I gotta go with The Simpsons. They’ve delivered 20 years of good television and left an indelible mark on our culture along the way. Sure they’ve had some “off” seasons, but their worst surpasses the best of most other shows.
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Freaks and Geeks — best show ever!
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Gotta agree with The Simpsons. It’s a thrice-nightly event in my household. Uh-huh, I said ‘thrice’. What of it?
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“The Rockford Files”. Not only is it the best show of all time, it has the greatest theme song.
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Perogies that smell like feet? Must have been packaged in an old shoe. I grew up on perogies and have never had that experience – maybe they had Feta in them or some weird cheese. Which brings me to a question I’ve been curious about. .. I’m newer to this blog and I have never heard of this ‘perogie belt’ – I love perogies and am intrigued – maybe worthy of my next vacation. Where is it? I’ve heard of the Bible belt and Tornado alley but never this Glorious land.
Also, if someone could clarify what ‘corning’ a house means. Do you throw a raw cob at a house. Doesn’t sound a messy prank – more of an offering of food though the thud might scare the victims. Or do you take the effort to cook the kernels and mash them up and then throw it? Lastly is there any clear advantage to throwing corn over egging or pumpkin guts?
Simpsons – #1 makes me lmao no matter how many times I’ve seen the episode. I didn’t care for King of the Hill until Bobby asked Mr. Gribble who his hero was (based on a report he had to do for school). His answer was ‘You are if you get me a pack of smokes’. – Hilarious!
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All in the Fambly. Best show ever.
We like to have pierogies about twice a month, even though they aren’t native to this area of the country (I don’t think). My wife sautees them in butter and diced onions. The outside edges get brown and crispy……and, oh God. Someone just woke up “little Jason.”
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Hands down, Family Guy. We all know I am bitch. Nothing is sacred or safe from ridicule. i love it!
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I completely agree with FREEK AND GEEKS. I love watching it with my 14yo daughter. Great bonding. King of the Hill is also a great contender. And why has no one mentioned RENO 911 yet. Officer Dangle and Trudy are my heroes.
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King of the Hill rules. Salty with a sweet chewy center.
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btw, Garrett, those King of the Hill quotes were terrific. Thanks for that laugh.
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Homicide: Life on the Streets. Best show evar, hands down.
The Wire is a close second
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It’s a toss up between The Carol Burnett Show and Family Guy.
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Every series I ever loved eventually let me down: Cheers, Friends, MASH, All in the Family, even Family Guy.
One that probably didn’t (at least I don’t think so):
The Flintstones!
And KMA if you don’t like my taste in TV.
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Best of the ’50s: Leave it to Beaver
Best of the ’60s: The Beverly Hillbillies
Best of the ’70s: All in the Family
Best of the ’80s: Seinfeld
Best of the ’90s: Freaks and Geeks
Best of the ’00s: Curb Your Enthusiasm
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Seinfeld
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If I had to choose only one TV show, it would be the Simpson’s. Always entertaining, and always gives me a chuckle. Great variety of characters, and a lot of characters.
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Battlestar Gallactica and Breaking Bad.
Breaking Bad is a little disgusting in season1 episode 3-4, but it gets soooo gooood after that. As for the second season, it is simply Incredible…
As for BSG (Battlestar Gallactica), it is freakin’ amazing. My girlfriend isn’t into sci-fi but got right into it. Worth watching in HD because of the spaceship battles. It is the first show I see that actually has spaceship battles in 0 G.
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I gotta go with Andy..only the black and whites for me. Damn coloreds screwed up everything. Plus no Barney in the coloreds. I loves me some Ernest T. Bass. And the Darlin’s
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Swami, you’re off on Seinfeld a little bit. They pretty much started and ruled the 90′s. As far as 80′s go, you’re probably thinking of “Growing Pains.”
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@Leanne- In order to corn a house you must take raw feed corn, shuck off the kernels, and throw them uncooked at the house. It makes a hell of a racket!
Superior to eggs and tp in that it is much easier to clean up for the homeowner and loud as hell. Guaranteed to wake up everyone in the house. Aw, good times!
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Perogies & polka go hand in hand with Polish Weddings! maybe the yuppie bar is trying to change it;s image! Have to agree with Mrs.Wally Family guy gets away with Murder gotta love it! However hands down best T.V. show that you can watch again & again and laugh every time: “One of these days Alice!! Bang! Zoom! to the moon”
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Andy Griffith. The ones in black and white.
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Rusty, you mocking me?
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Cagney & Lacey
and
Quantum Leap
Am I showing my age? I loved those shows.
Also Doctor Who, the older ones. Amazing and endless franchise.
Thanks for reminding me of the great theme song from the Rockford Files!
Now I’ll go away and leave rooom for you younger ones!
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Jeff, I love perogies, but that one you had looks all slimy and disgusting. It looks like it smells like feet and what is that crap they squirted on the plate next to it?
If you liked that fancy-pants perogie, I bet you’ll LOVE the non-gussied up ones!
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I don’t think you can call Seinfeld the best show of the 80′s. Not when it made it’s debut in 19 fucking 90! Ya fuckin’ clownshoe!
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And yes, Brooke, what is that shit on that fucking perogie? KETCHUP ONLY! Unless they’re cooked in butter and onion and then KETCHUP ONLY!
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Shane, you mocking me?
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If I could only watch one show for the rest of my life, it would be Doctor Who.
If I could add another one, it would be classic Twilight Zone.
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Are you threatening me?
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No Jason, not at all! I hadn’t seen your post! Now I want the ones they sell at the Windsor Inn! Got DAMN!
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Andy with Barney in black and white
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@Trisha – Thank you I am now all the wiser.
I hadn’t looked at the perogie picture. That slimy thing could be a fried onion an important part of perogie presentation (if so…mmmmmm) . If not – ewwww.
I know we’re only supposed to mention one show but also a classic is Arrested Development – to bad it was so short lived.
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American TV, best show ever:
Tie:
The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998)
The Jack Paar (Tonight) Show (1957-1962)
Canadian TV, best show ever:
Tie:
Slings & Arrows (2003-2006)
Trailer Park Boys (2001-2008)
I’d hate to have to decide which, among the four shows, was “best”. They all belong to the ages.
jtb
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Gonna have to go with the Wire for what is traditionally considered a TV Show.
If we include Mini-Series I’ll have to go with Band of Brothers or Generation Kill (from the creator of The Wire)
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Simpsons. TPB is also good.
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I’m going with I Love Lucy- I still laugh at episodes I’ve seen a million times- Runners up however are: The Bob Newhart Show, All in in Family. Andy Griffith (Black & White Only), WKRP, Rockford Files, Leave it to Beaver…
This is a dumb question- Name one??? Jeff- I think you need to break it down int ocategories!
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in to… See now I’m all worked up!
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Gonna go with MASH here.
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Leave it to Beaver was great. “Walt you were a little hard on the beaver last night” Yes June I was…
The Best ever was The Late show with Johnny Carson. No one will ever top him. EVER…
Oh and Bonanza was good also
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SPOONMAN! I salute you and curse you as well for stealing my thunder. Yes, “The Rockford Files” was and is still the best show ever made. Jeff, you can watch it instantly on Netflix. Good stuff!
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Shane…”fuckin clownshoe = FUCKING FUNNY!!!!!
Deadwood….Cowboys, cussing, drinking, whores and poker. I do try my best to keep the tradition going.
Everyone should know that if your intent is to still be barking at the moon in the early am., you need to invite the neighbors.
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Tough one. Different criteria, different shows go to the top. But among the contenders would be;
The Prisoner, Adam-12, Dr Who, Family Guy and, All in the Family.
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Shane, I was just kidding (pulling a Son of Sam).
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#1 Andy (black and white WITHOUT Helen Cramp – the other one was hot)
#2 Carol Burnett (“went with the wind” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nt0yi4wbro – look around the 3 minute mark for the best skit ever)
#3 WKRP
#4 King of the Hill
#5 Sanford and Son
#6 Arrested Development
#7 MASH
#8 Fambly Guy
#9 Battlestar Gallactica
#10 Scrubs (season 1 – 6)
#11 The Office
#12 My name is Earl
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Maybe move #8 after #12, what was I thinking?
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I don’t know about best ever, but Frasier was/is highly under-rated in my opinion.
The Office was brilliant for most of its run and probably would’ve gotten my vote but I think it has sort of dropped off lately.
All that being said, I’ll have to go with the old B&W Andy Griffith Shows. They’ve stood the test of time and never fail to repeatedly deliver the laughs.
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THE best tv show… Arrested Development.
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‘Seinfeld’…easily.
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1) Maude
2) Rhoda
3) Phyllis
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The Simpsons
Honorable Mentions: Seinfeld, WKRP in Cincinnati, Magnum P.I., My So Called Life/Freaks and Geeks (toss up), Pushing Daisies
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If you’d asked me a year ago, I’d have said Deadwood, hands down. That show liberated me and I am now able to use every swear word in the book with reckless abandon.
However, I’ve been watching Mad Men repeats lately and have discovered that they are far more brilliant than I realized the first time around.
Rampant drinking, smoking, and loose morals appear to be my favorite recurrent themes. Timeless. Classic.
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M*A*S*H. Hands down.
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i don’t know about the best but here are some greats:
Hill Street Blues
I Dream of Jeannie
Seinfeld
and the gold standards of Comedy:
All In the Family &
the Jeffersons
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I agree Jeff – to the classifications of shows. We have just been thinking about comedy entertainment.
Anything on Discovery has me hooked!!!
Not sure that I could work on Deadliest Catch but love to dream that I could. Also if there is a storm involved – I am hooked!!!!
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I can’t beleive I am the only Honeymooners fan out there! O.K. non comedy has to be the Prisoner!
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Andy Griffith for me as well, but only the black and whites AFTER the first year. The characters weren’t quite jelled as yet, especially Andy himself, who was too much of a grinning country clown. The show was much better when he was more mature, and sorta grouchy with Barney.
After that, Seinfeld and Curb – thanks Larry David!
And I have to put a vote in for Arrested Development, which is impossibly brilliant, from the first show to the last.
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I have issues, but my fav. show ever is Roseanne. I know, I know…but I can’t help it. Reruns that I run across occasionally just crack me up.
Must remind me of my childhood..
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Wife: what do you want for dinner tonight?
Me: Peirogies.
Wife: Really? And that’s all?
Me: I dunno. What goes with them?
Wife: I dunno.
Me: Just make a shit load then. I’ve gotta craving.
Wife: Cool, I’m on it.
I’m very open to food suggestion. That’s why I can’t watch the Food Network very often. We’re having loads of delicious peirogies tonight, thanks to Jeff Kay. Cheers!
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The food smells like feet thing is weird. I think Romano Cheese smells like feet. I guess I think it smells like my feet. I’m not a foot sniffer so my barometer as far as food to foot smells is very limited. I do know that Poop-Doggie-Dog’s feet smell like pop-corn (and that is not uncommon). I think certain plants, some ferns and sage, smell like cat piss.
Bev’s browning ground beef and onions right now. Smells like…taco night!!! Yum!!
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Too bad “Frasier” was so underrated. Here is the Emmy count. It also won many Golden Globes and plenty of other awards. I think it was horribly overrated.
“The series won 37 prime-time Emmys during its 11-year run, breaking the record long held by The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Grammer and Pierce each won four, including one each for the final season. The series holds the record for the most consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series, winning five from 1994 to 1998.”
Emmy Awards:
Comedy Series (1994-98)
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Kelsey Grammer (1994, 1995, 1998, 2004)
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: David Hyde Pierce (1995, 1998, 1999, 2004)
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Jean Smart (2000, 2001)
Laura Linney (2004)
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Derek Jacobi (2001)
Anthony LaPaglia (2002)
Directing in a Comedy Series
James Burrows (1994)
David Lee (1995, 1997)
Writing in a Comedy Series
David Angell, Peter Casey, David Lee (1994)
Chuck Ranberg, Anne Flett-Giordano (1995)
Joe Keenan, Christopher Lloyd, Rob Greenberg, Jack Burditt, Chuck Ranberg, Anne Flett-Giordano, Linda Morris, Vic Rauseo (1996)
Jay Kogen (1999)
Editing: Ron Volk (1994, 1996, 1998, 1999 with Scott Maisano, 2000-04)
Sound Mixing (1996, 2002, 2004)
Art Direction (2004)
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3. The original Star Trek. Everything after is just vanilla blah-blah-blah special effects SF.
2. Seinfeld. Or is is Sienfeld. i before e, except after c? Almost number one.
1. Monty Python’s Flying Circus. I can’t believe it has not been mentioned. Those guys were pure genius.
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I always loved the Munsters, Beverly Hillbillies, and Andy Griffith. I’m pushing 50 though. Jeff don’t you have Mrs T’s pierogies in your freezer section at your local grocery? They are pretty tasty for a frozen product. IParma Ohio is the kingdom of pierogies. Bill Clinton always had to go there when he was in Cleveland!
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All this Andy Griffith talk made me think of a video:
NSFW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmFp0I8AZqw
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I know this might come as a shocker but I’m a Star Trek fan.
Plus Carol Burnette ranks way up there for bests!
Loved Mash and Monty Python too.
And who doesn’t like Dr.Who?
I have to agree with the Andy Griffith show, All in the Family and Seinfeld. I also like Family Guy and The Office.
Those are the ones that stand out the most, but I have to admit…I always loved The Mary Tyler Moore show and Newhart too…Larry, Darrel and Darrel always cracked me up.
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Too hard to name one best show ever. Some contenders:
Comedy:
–Andy Griffith Show (B&W only, although in some of the earliest ones Griffith plays the role like too much of a dopey grinnin’ hick)
–The Office (USA)
–Green Acres
–Scrubs
–Frasier (For about the first four seasons)
–All in the Family (Although some episodes haven’t dated well)
–Mary Tyler Moore
–Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (underrated, and featuring Bob Denver in a very different role)
Dramas:
–The Twilight Zone
–ER (don’t judge me; the first five seasons were fairly compelling)
–LOST
–CHiPs (Sentimental childhood favorite)
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I like “Mad Men” too. For all of those who have been lost like I have, they moved the time slot to infomercial world in Central Time Zone. If you look around you can find it.
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Dating myself, but Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom was a “Can’t Miss” back in the day (non-comedy category)
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Yep Steve Marlin Perkins sitting in a boat while Jim rassels a Gator or big snake is some fine veiwing.
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I think for sheer entertainment value, I have to go with the ORIGINAL and longest running reality tv show of all time……….COPS. I mean you can’t script humor you see in that show, -ex: Cop chases suspect several blocks, finally catches and cuffs them and when reaching into said suspects pants pulls out a large bag of crack and big wad of cash and the guy seriously looks into the cops face and exclaims: “These ain’t my pants, I borrowed these pants……….right.”
And you know that when the cops show up and one or more people aren’t wearing shirts, funny sh*t is soon to follow…., and they will never run out of original material as long as there are trailer parks and booze…..
As for funniest shows now, I think Family Guy and South Park need to be commended for being able to make a show in such a short amount of time that they can be now be ‘topical’ (relevant to current events if yer’ wonderin’), as they can get away with saying stuff that nobody else can, because they are cartoons……..and we can’t punish them, right??? Giggety-Giggety.
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@ Jason
Bacon! Bacon goes with perogies!
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@ T aka Mrs. Wally…thank you for the “corning” defination for Leanne. Every Halloween you could expect it in our neighborhood…but still scared the bejesus out of you! Good times!
I have to go with a few…can’t do it in one, Jeff…
M*A*S*H (but only the episodes with Trapper and Henry)
Family Guy (Pee-Ur-Pants-laughter)
The Carol Burnett Show
Seinfeld (in particular “The Contest”)
Andy Griffith (black and whites only….especially loved Ernest T. Bass who was only in a few episodes.)
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@ T aka Mrs Wally….hey thanks for the explanation to Leanne about “corning”… Always a Halloween tradition in my neighborhood while a tweenager! Fun for all!!
Sorry Jeff, gotta go wit more than one!
M*A*S*H……with Trapper and Henry
Family Guy…. pee ur pants laughter every episode
Carol Burnett…..classic
Andy Griffith….black and whites only especially with
Ernest T. Bass who was only featured in a few
episodes.
Seinfeld…..in particular “The Contest”
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……..f’n computer…..
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It would be hard to pick THE favorite. like picking a fav child. I loves my tv babies
Arrested Development – Andy Griffith – Seinfield – The Office
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – this is probably too new to count as favorite all time, but it is damn funny and makes me spew every time
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Thanks for mentioning a Brit show Taiwan On, ’cause my vote is for Are You Being Served.
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I can watch Family Guy for well over 24 hours consistently and still laugh my ass off. LOST is the best show on television however non-stop of that and my brain woudl probably explode
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South Park is the greatest television show of all time. Simpsons is a distant distant second
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NYPD Blue – there is no equal!
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SCTV (Second City Television) was THE show to watch when I was in school. John Candy, Rick Moranis, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara and Martin Short all got their start there.
Beavis and Butthead was a landmark show, before the others. The rest of my top picks would be:
MASH
Sopranos
Six Feet Under
The Paper Chase (long forgotten)
Seinfeld
The Office
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I’ll try to update at 2:30 am, but my job is crushing my luggage, so I can’t make any promises. In the meantime, I posted something new and ridiculous at Mockable. Please check it out, as well as Metten’s excellent offering from yesterday.
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Miami Vice.
Every episode was like a movie.
Cinematography was excellent.
Technology permitting,
it would have been great to have
that show in HD on HBO.
Could have been even MORE intense.
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You’ll have to come back down to Atlanta and revisit Taco Mac–more kinds of beer than anyone in the right mind could want to taste (and some you DON”T want to taste ever)
Yeah, Andy pretty much is the best. I just love Barney so much.
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Best Show Ever: Arrested Development.
That is the only show that I will (once or twice a year) carve out an entire weekend of sobriety to sit and watch from beginning to end.
Has anyone heard about the movie that is supposedly in the works?!
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Oh, listen to that Jeff guy, no time for us anymore, spending all his energy over at that Mockable place…
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benny hill,lost in space,batman ah childhood
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I watched my first episode of Arrested Development on hulu. Fan-fricken-tastic. I’d never even heard of it before.
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Adam,
I’ve heard that they have a “yes” from the entire cast and it may start filming as early as the end of this year.
WHOO-RAY!
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I always liked Barney Miller. The characters who wondered into the show were a hoot. Funny stuff.
Someone said “Cagney and Lacy”? I say ‘Gag me and rape me”. Terrible show.
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I believe the longest running continous show is the ‘Pennsylvania lottery’; great theme song and always exciting.
- 666
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Mike Judge’s new show ‘The Goode Family” starts in about 40 mins. Looks like it should be great.
@Jason – Glad you checked out Arrested Development. Wait till you see the Cornballer.
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111?
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@Leanne, I have taken the liberty of creating a google map of the pierogie belt – at least, my idea of the minimum extents. Corrections are welcome. Oh, the URL: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=116917003831769773557.00046ad882b803ede31f4&ll=41.483891,-77.783203&spn=5.217628,10.92041&z=7
@Bill in PA, you are right on with Miami Vice; fantastic show! Beautifully photographed, and don’t forget the music.
I’m proud to say I was paid to watch it, along with everything else that was on NBC in the early-to-mid-1980s. That was actually a pretty good selection of shows: Cheers, Saint Elsewhere, Hill St. Blues, early Letterman. Offset, of course, by the A-Team, Manimal and other gems. I’m not sure which category Knight Rider belongs in, or We Got It Maid either.
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Good Times…I love J.J.!!!
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@ chill +1
I forgot to mention the great music and the tons of cameos.
Who wasn’t on that show in the day?
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I agree with Alex. I think Jeff has lost his focus.
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@chill – Mapping it out is beyond the call of duty on your part. I have been in the area but not on a perogie/beer mission. Next time I will plan it out accordingly.
Also for funny shows if you fly to Canada maybe you watch ‘Just for Laughs – Gags’ sick but Hilarious!!!!!
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Sorry – meant to add it is usually on Air Canada et al airline videos.
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Also will be looking for a 1/2 shirt party!!!!
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Leanne, I’m holding a no-shirt party if you’re interested? No pants – optional.
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@Bill – Ur an idiot…
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@ Bill – will there be perogies?
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I lean more toward classic episodes than the shows overall. Examples:
Seinfeld: The Contest – had me in tears several times
Frasier: the one where the new (gay) boss thought Frasier was gay. Slowly built comedic tension at its best.
Andy Griffith: Nip it in the Bud, Andy, Nip it in the Bud!!! Need I say more?
Scrubs: My Musical – very clever, and good songs to boot
The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horrors IV – Ned Flanders as the Devil and the starting lineup of the 1975 Flyers serving on the jury in Hell – I fell off my chair laughing.
Leave it to Beaver: the one whereThe Beav gets stuck in that teacup/billboard thing.
The Larry Sanders Show: the one where Larry never gets his chance to pee during the show (“next break watch out, ’cause my dick’s gonna be out and I’m gonna be spraying”)
But, if I had to pick a desert island show, it would probably be Seinfeld.
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http://www.martbingo.com/ Isn’t this your idea?
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@chill: Er, I lived in the Philadelphia area for 24 years and never had a perogie. Not until I moved to western PA (and yeah, the cheese ones can smell like feet to the uninitiated). So either I was deprived as a child or the lower right hand corner of that map graphic has to schooch up a bit.
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The only reason I ever watch any of the color episodes of Andy Griffith is to marvel at just how bad they are. And the stupidest one in my opinion is the one where Aunt Bee insists on learning to fly a plane. Not in a million years. She would have gone nose down in old man Kelsey’s swamp. Almost as lame as the one where Opie gets together a little rock group and says “groovy”. Whew.
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Golden Girls.
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Oh, holy crow, I love me some TV. How to choose? Categories really would help. Ok, I’m going to say, and I am pretty sure that I can commit to this, The Burns and Allen Show. Love it!
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Batman….x-specially when Catwoman is there. No , no preference , all Catwomen were Fine
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@Gretchen, thank you – this is exactly the kind of information I’m looking for. I’ve never lived in Philadelphia, so I didn’t know that. I *have*lived in upstate NY, western Mass. and NYC, so I know the pierogie status of those places. Likewise through friends who are from northeastern Ohio.
The map has been duly amended.
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