#28 Dexter (2006-____) Drama, Crime Mega Mana's Ranking: 86
Dexter was a show I never planned on watching, it really didn't seem like my kind of thing. Then my roommate in college rented it and next thing I knew we were marathoning through the first two seasons. It's still an odd show for me. I don't really like the majority of the characters (and I only really like Dexter, Doakes, Deb, and Rita), but the premise is really interesting and the show is just really well made. Great plots and some really interesting themes make it a very interesting show to watch. Though the later seasons haven't been as good, in large part due to the fact that they tend to kill characters as soon as I start to really like them (I half expect Deb to die in the next season). I have not seen the most recent season, but Dexter being a single father with a newborn doesn't really appeal to me all that much.
Those first two seasons are just amazing though, and Dexter is a really interesting character.
#26 Mythbusters (2003-____) Documentary, Reality Mega Mana's Ranking: 31
This is a fun show that is carried by a cast of people who are truly enjoyable to watch interact. Adam and Jaime are great and play off of each other so well, and the other three make a good goofy group of secondary characters. I don't even have to care what myth they are busting, I will enjoy just watching the people doing it.
But the myths are often extremely fun and interesting on their own. And a frequent number of explosions, crashes, etc are always good.
-- (Maniac64 at work) [Browncoat] ~Board 570901~ All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
26.Mythbusters 27.The West Wing 28.Dexter 29. Royal Pains 30. M*A*S*H 31. X-files 32. Burn Notice 33. Angel 34. Merlin 35. Supernatural 36. Red Dwarf 37. Andromeda 38. Castle 39. NCIS 40.Yu Yu Hakusho 41.Psych 42. Sanctuary 43. Joan of Arcadia 44. Lois and Clark: TNAS 45. Fresh Prince of Bel-air 46. Home Improvement 47.PTI 48.ESPN First Take 49. MXC 50.Full metal Panic! 51.Dark Angel 52. Stargate Atlantis 53.Dollhouse 54.No Ordinary Family 55.American Gladiators 56.Hercules 57.Xena Warrior Princess 58.Reaper 59.House M.D. 60.Iron Chef America 61.X-men TAS 62.Stump the Schwab 63.Doug 64.Wheel of Fortune 65.Highlander 66.Greek 67.Win Ben Steins Money 68.Pros vs Joes 69.Alias 70.WWE Smackdown! 71.WWE Raw 72.WCW Nitro 73.The Lost World 74.The Pretender 75. Robin Hood (BBC) 76.The Amazing Race 77. Survivor 78.Warehouse 13 79.Star Trek TNG 80. Star Trek Voyager 81.Rizzoli & Isles 82.DragonBall 83.Make it or Break it 84.Transformers 85. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 86.The Mole 87.Batman TAS 88.Looney Toons 89.Mutant X 90.Dragons Den 91.The Early Edition 92.Spiderman TAS 93.Slings and Arrows 94.Legend of the Seeker 95.Friends 96.The OC 97.Painkiller Jane 98.Legends of the Hidden Temple 99.Around the Horn 100.Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego
The only changes are West Wing going up one (as noted last post) and PTI and First Take moving up a handful. Dexter may drop more later.
-- (Maniac64 at work) [Browncoat] ~Board 570901~ All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
#25 Eureka (2006-2012) Sci-fi, Comedy Mega Mana's Ranking: Not on List
We kick off the Top 15 with a fun little Sci-fi that is the best show Syfy has made in years. The science is crazy, but you are pretty much expected to not pay much attention to the technobabble, and it makes for a lot of fun plotlines. This is a show carried by its characters. Great main characters are rounded out nicely by a fun and ecclectic cast of minor character. My favorite being Chef Neelix (played by the chef from Voyager, hence my nickname. No clue the actual name). No real need for big bads on this show, and it is best when it doesn't have them. At its peak you had Carter and Stark butting heads in a completely believeble way. They were perfect antagonists for each other, with neither actually being evil.
Which brings us to the thing that really carries this show. Colin Ferguson plays the main character, Sheriff Carter, and I think he could have great on-screen chemistry with a rock. In fact, he has had chemistry with various inanimate objects on the show. Carter has great interactions with literally every character on the show, be they family, friend, co-worker, partner, romantic interest, suspect, or random stranger. He even has great chemistry with his smart house.
The show is light hearted, clever, funny, and most importantly of all it doesn't take it self seriously, at all.
Sadly it has been announced that next season will be its last, and the next episode they film will be the finale (I hate when networks give shows short notice like this).
#24 Las Vegas (2003-2008) Crime, Dramedy Mega Mana's Ranking: Not on list
This would likely be very controversial if more than 3 people were reading this topic. Las Vegas is a show many people say is flat out bad, but I love it. The cast is good, the plots are often fun. It doesn't take itself seriously (which admittendly has led to some very dumb plotlines). And there is a lot of eye candy.
Ed Deline is an awesome character. Danny and Mike are great bros. Sam is a female Barney Stinson and is just as awesome.
Really, Sam and Ed pretty much make this a top 50 show by themselves.
#23 Veronica Mars (2004-2007) Mystery, Drama Mega Mana's Ranking: 27
Kristen Bell is awesome. The entire main cast of this show is awesome. I love the characters, especially Veronica, Wallace (so nice to see a completely plutonic relationship on TV), Logan, Weevil, and Keith. Plus great minor characters like Mac and the lawyer.
The first season of Veronica Mars is one of the best seasons of anything ever. The mysteries were good and had a great slow burn to them, and the characters just kept you so interested. Second season was a let down. The main mystery wasn't as good and the final reveal left a very bad taste in my mouth and seemed pretty ridiculous. But you can't expect to measure up to that incredible first season. Third season showed a real problem for the show as the setting switched to college and those problems came along with it. The new characters couldn't stack up, and while the mysteries were good they weren't great (the 2 minor arcs thing was a good idea though).
Biggest problem for this show was something they couldn't control though. The budget was terrible and meant that they couldn't even have most of the main cast in more than half the episodes. It was ridiculous! (ignore IMDB, the actors were put in the credits even when they didn't appear) And to make things worse poor Weevil ends up having medical problems in season three which make it hard for him to appear.
The first seaon really is like the best ever and had it ended there this would be a top tier show. Even mediocre 2nd and 3rd seasons couldn't drop it out of the top 25.
-- (Maniac64 at work) [Browncoat] ~Board 570901~ All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
Sadly it has been announced that next season will be its last, and the next episode they film will be the finale (I hate when networks give shows short notice like this).
SyFy excels at this.
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"Setsuna, you have to change. To make up for me... who didn't change." ~SCP~ http://img.imgcake.com/Jeffzeropngus.png
Las Vegas is a lot of fun. It's pure popcorn, but it doesn't profess itself to be anything more than that. It's just fun.
Except Sam, who is honestly a unique, deep, and interesting character. Episodes that focus on her are always the best. And not just because Venessa Marcil is gorgeous.
-- (Maniac64 at work) [Browncoat] ~Board 570901~ All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
#22 Chuck (2007-____) Comedy, Action Mega Mana's Ranking: 21
A fun and exciting comedy that knows its characters are the most important part. Chuck is an excellant main character, Morgan is perfect as the best friend, Adam Baldwin as Casey is always hilarious and great, Jeffster and the Buy More crew are a good set of minor characters that make for some very good B plots, and The Awesome's are awesome. The last few seasons haven't been as good as the early seasons in my mind, but I still thouroughly enjoy them. I do however need to finally accept that Sarah/Chuck is the shows OTP even if she is one of my least favorite of his relationships.
#21 Pushing Daisies (2007-2009) Comedy, Fantasy Mega Mana's Ranking: Not on List
You can't have a discussion about shows cancelled to soon without bringing up Pushing Daisies. Sadly I must admit that I did not try it until after it was done and out on DVD. That was a real mistake on my part. Your basic premise is this: A guy can bring people back from the dead, but if he does so for more than a minute someone else must die. He touches a dead thing, it comes back, he touches it again and it dies again. He cannot bring a person back more than once. He uses this ability to help solve crimes along side a detective, a partner in his pie bakery shop (his main job), and his girlfriend who he brought back to life at a serious cost.
It is hard to properly describe this show. The best word I can think of is quirky, but in the best way possible. It is bright and cheerful like a Disney animated movie, while also having a kind of disturbing and often morbid sense of humor (this show has crazier deaths than Dead Like Me). Even when it is creepy it is still perky though. It's hard to explain but it works great and the result is a one of a kind show.
I love the narrator, he sets the tone perfectly. The Pie-making, crime solving, dead raising, main character is interesting and unique. His love interest is delightful and they are great together. Kristin Chenoweth is a perky Eponine style character who really adds something to every scene, and the show knows what they have and keeps finding reasons for her to sing! Finally you get the scene-stealing Chi McBride whose character is nothing short of brilliant while generally playing the show's straightman.
Everyone should watch this show. It is two seasons of pure fun and it is delightful. I am still hoping we get a movie or a mini-series or something to wrap things up.
#20 Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood (2003-2004, 2009-____) Anime, Action Mega Mana's Ranking: Not on List
So I should explain something. When I talk about Full Metal Alchemist I am including the oringal series up until it splits off form the continuity (around when Greed shows up) and then Brotherhood from then. That is pretty much how the show saw it as well since the early Brotherhood eps are just summaries of mini arcs from the original. It is also how I tell people to watch the show.
Anyway, this is a fun anime with cool action scenes, good characters, and an excellant plot. This show does more to keep me guessing and making theories than any other show I can remember. The plot is just awesome. So when you add in awesome characters like the Elrics, Roy Mustang, Maes Hughes, Scar, Hawkeye, Teacher, and a great group of villains you are going to have something truly amazing. Heck, it jumped two spots in the last few weeks alone.
I am watching it as it airs on Adult Swim and it honestly just keeps getting better. I cannot wait to find out what happens next. This show could easily keep rising up the rankings until it ends.
-- (Maniac64 at work) [Browncoat] ~Board 570901~ All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
Watch the show like that, eh? I'll bear that in mind. Kind of a weird way to do things but I'll do it. Is Brotherhood's rendition of early plot elements that bad or something?
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"Setsuna, you have to change. To make up for me... who didn't change." ~SCP~ http://img.imgcake.com/Jeffzeropngus.png
No its not that they are bad. They are still solid episodes, but they really are recaps. They take storylines that go 2-5 episodes in the original and condense them down to 1 episode so that they can get to the new stuff quicker. So the real versions of the early episodes are on the original show.
On their own the Brotherhood episodes are good. But it's better to see the whole story by watching the early eps in full. This is especially true in the Tucker episodes.
It is definitely an unusual way to do things, but it is honestly the best way. And the voice actors/animators are all the same so it will just feel like you are watching one continuous show.
-- (Maniac64 at work) [Browncoat] ~Board 570901~ All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
Chuck awesome. Pushing Daisies I honeslty forgot, but it probably wouldn't make the list because I never got into it despite a love for Chi McBride and Kristen Chenowith. I'll have to try that sometime. I like FMA well enough but the recap episodes turned me off. I'll give it a better chance in the future.
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Pyre GIR (9:26:57 PM): You lack a basic grasp of human nature that can only be learned through living IamSoCool84321 (9:28:07 PM): ur dumb
I am watching it as it airs on Adult Swim and it honestly just keeps getting better. I cannot wait to find out what happens next. This show could easily keep rising up the rankings until it ends.
You will not be disappointed. Even though I love Code Geass, I'd say FMA:B has far better ending. The characters are just so damn awesome.
I'll have to try that sometime. I like FMA well enough but the recap episodes turned me off. I'll give it a better chance in the future. The new stuff from FMA:B is leagues better than the later half of FMA. Better storyline, better mysteries and twists, better character development. And hopefully no "drawing power from the real world" ending.
-- (Maniac64 at work) [Browncoat] ~Board 570901~ All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking. 'The cat' and 'the lobster' are the only hints I think are even decent. Hell, it's only because of 'the cat' that I attempted those hints.
Pokalicious posted... Hey maniac, did you watch last night's episode??
Of which show?
If you mean FMA:B then yes I did. Was kind of disappointed that the twist didn't turn out to be something bigger, but the Mustang stuff at the end was amazing.
-- (Maniac64 at work) [Browncoat] ~Board 570901~ All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
#19. How I Met Your Mother (2005-____) Comedy Mega Mana's Ranking: 42
After 3 seasons this show was in my top 5. It has fallen a lot since those days. Season 4 was good but not on the same level, season 5 was bad, season 6 could not redeem it. This was a show about 5 awesome friends and their legendary adventures. It had good relationships, great chemistry between the cast, Barney was a scene stealer, and it had a good sense of humor. But the show just keeps becoming more ridiculous every season, and is now just a sad shadow of its former self, with only the occasional episode still being great. They have done a lot of things wrong, and I have lost all faith in the writers ability to plan things out. Even their little references to past episodes which I used to love now just seem like they are trying to remind the audience that this show used to be great.
Still, those early seasons were just insane amounts of fun.
#18 Rurouni Kenshin Anime, Action Mega Mana's Ranking: Not on List
Another great anime on the list. This was one that I first watched on Cartoon Network years back, right along with YYH. I enjoyed it then, and when I rewatched it a couple years ago I found I enjoyed it even more now. The characters are interesting, deep, and they deal with a lot of tough issues. The debate over morals that goes on throughout this show is just superb.
Kenshin is a truly great and interesting character. And with Sano and a bunch of very well done villains, the show has no issue keeping you interested. Add in great sword fights and good storylines and you have anime worthy of being considered one of the all time greats.
I loved reading the manga just for the info from the author about how much of this show actually has a basis in real Japanese history.
#17 White Collar (2009-____) Dramedy, Crime Mega Mana's Ranking: Not on List
Antoher Crime show where the crimes are really there just to give the characters something to do. I seldom care about who or what Peter and Neal are trying to stop, I just love watching them do it. This show really is carried by an amazing cast of characters. Neal Caffrey makes for an excellant and interesting protagonist who is not the norm and whose character journey has been a joy to watch. Peter is more of what you expect the good guy on a crime show to be, but he is one of my favorite crime fighters in anything. He and Neal are just great together. Add in Saved by the Bell alum Tiffani Thiessen as Peter's loving wife and you get one of the most interesting couples in TV. Even the other random detectives are good. But the true scene stealer is Mozzie. A criminal, conspiracy nut, and Neal's friend and mentor.
Great writing and some very good plot and character arcs just put this show over the top as one of the best new shows in the last decade.
-- (Maniac64 at work) [Browncoat] ~Board 570901~ All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
Rurouni Kenshin more like Kenshin, Sano, Saito and Shishio make you feel like an awesome expert swordsman for half an hour while ensuring you're thoroughly entertained
I suppose I can see why it was shortened
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"Setsuna, you have to change. To make up for me... who didn't change." ~SCP~ http://img.imgcake.com/Jeffzeropngus.png
Maniac fun fact: Sano is one of two anime characters I have created in a wrestling game.
#16 Battlebots (2000-2002) Game-show Mega Mana's Ranking: 34
It's robots battling in an arena full of hazards. What's not to love? Plus it's a tournament, which I love. The different weight classes and wide variety of robots always kept things interesting and exciting. I loved when the guy who made the raptor bots decided to have two of his bot and fight in a higher weight class. I especially loved how each year people would make changes to counter stuff from the prior year. Strategy in the fights was always great.
I watched this with my dad every week and we would each bet on and cheer for different bots. It made things that much better.
I also watched some Robot Wars but the American version was too gimmicky and even with the British version I still didn't like it as much, in large part due to things like the ref bot and house bot interference.
This show should come back, I have no idea why it doesn't or how it managed to fail in the first place. Or at the very least they need to release DVDs of this season. I would buy them.
#15 Sports Night (1998-2000) Dramedy, Sports Mega Mana's Ranking: Not on List (you should watch it Mega)
"It's a Show About a Show About Sports, That Isn't About Sports At All." I love that motto.
Aaron Sorkin's first great TV show. This is about what goes on behind the scenes of a Sports Center type show. If you like sports than that by itself should get you to love this, but even people who have no interest in sports can still enjoy it. That's because this show has a full cast of great and fun characters with good interaction, storylines, writing, and character development. Easily on the same level as West Wing, if not better.
Two main things hurt this show. The actor playing one of the best characters in the show (Isaac, the boss) had a stroke and had to leave the show for awhile. The show handled perfectly though by actually giving his character a stroke, allowing the actor to return and any struggles to fit the character. Secondly it was cancelled after two great seasons, which is a real tragedy. My guess is too many people ignored it because it had Sports in the name, and too many Sports people ignored it because it really wasn't about sports.
Colbert is hilarious. His segments are great, especially his multiple part ones. The character itself is amazing. Every episode makes me laugh. The Word is one of the greatest things ever. I really just don't have a lot to say about this show except that is amazing and probably the best spin-off ever.
-- (Maniac64 at work) [Browncoat] ~Board 570901~ All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
Sports Night is a show I've probably watched half the episodes of, but it was at a time where I didn't really pay attention to what was going on. I don't remember anything that happened on the show, but still, after all these years, I recognize most of its actors as from Sports Night (instead of Six Feet Under, Desperate Housewives, The West Wing, The Good Wife, etc.).
#13 Daily Show (1996-____) Comedy, News Mega Mana's Ranking: 11
I'm sure everyone is shocked that this is the next show.
Anyway, here's how Daily Show compares to Colbert for me. I like John most than Stephen. John's opening section is my favorite part of the whole fake news hour. His goofy voices, amazing comedic timing, great delivery, all just works perfectly. Here's what makes this so close for me; will take Colbert over any correspondant (including when Stephen was on there) with the possible exception of John Oliver. John Oliver is amazing. I am not such a big fan of the current news team. Outside of Oliver all my favorites of the recent crew have been guys who only show up on occasion like Black, Hodgman, and Wilmore. The old correspondants were just better, which is probably why they have moved on. Aasif and the rest of the replacements just haven't been able to stack up.
Still, its a great and truly funny show and Jon Stewart can carry it above Stephen all by himself.
#12 Doctor Who (2005-____) Sci-fi, British Mega Mana's Ranking: Not on list
Yes, I'm only including the New Who. Cause I haven't seen much of the old stuff and I haven't loved most of what I have seen.
Anyway, Doctor Who is a great, unique, and very interesting sci-fi show that centers around one of TVs greatest characters: The Doctor. The Doctor is awesome and is the main reason this show is so high. Whether we are talking 9, 10, or 11 I love them all (seriously, I did a favorite character thing a couple years back and 9 and 10 were both in the Top 4). That is also one of the unique things for this character. He goes through these big changes, which really do change the character, but he is still the same person at the core. It's a very cool idea and the three guys in New Who have all done a tremedous job of putting their own spin on this tremendous character.
Combine that with some good companions (though not Amy, I really don't like Amy that much) and occasionally even some good plots and you are in for a great piece of Sci-fi TV.
The bad side is that the cast is too small for my liking, and it often becomes to cheesy and campy for me. Plus some of the timey-wimey (using technical Dr. Who terminology here) stuff annoys me. Then again, given my dislike of time travel plots the fact that I like Dr. Who at all is a real testament to how well it handles things.
#11 Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007) Sci-fi Mega Mana's Ranking: Not on list (yet? I certainly hope so.)
One of the longest running sci-fi shows of all time, and for good reason. Led by a stellar cast of main characters with great chemistry, and backed up by some excellant minor characters and a few great villains, this is just a great show to watch.
It went through a lot of changes over the years, some good (Vala, Daniel's hair) some bad (Jonas, Teal'c having hair). Some seasons were great while some real were a let down, and of course it had some classic bad sci-fi episodes (which are outnumbered by the really good episodes), but over 10 seasons that is to be expected. Overall this was a truly high quality show with a fun sense of humor, good action scenes, solid scripts, and grand adventures. Plus one of my favorite episodes of anything in its take on Groundhog Day "Windows of Opportunity', such a hilarious episode.
You want to talk about a show that doesn't take itself to seriously, just watch the episodes where it spoofs itself. I love the Wormhole Xtreme stuff and especially the shout out to the pilot retcon involving "three shots disintegrate".
I also have to say that Jack O'Neill is another truly great character, and the heart of this amazing show.
-- (Maniac64 at work) [Browncoat] ~Board 570901~ All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
The new additions to go with the rest of the list in post 202.
11.Stargate SG-1 12.Doctor Who 13.Daily Show 14.Colbert Report 15.Sports Night 16.Battlebots 17.White Collar 18.Rurouni Kenshin 19.How I Met Your Mother 20.FMA:B 21.Pushing Daisies 22.Chuck 23.Veronica Mars 24.Las Vegas 25.Eureka
-- (Maniac64 at work) [Browncoat] ~Board 570901~ All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
SG-1 won't be showing up on Mana's list considering I listed a bunch of characters from it and he had no idea who they were.
Hey, I liked Jonas. But Teal'c's hair was dreadful. And hell yes, Vala. And hell yes, "Window of Opportunity".
I actually posted fairly frequently on GateWorld (the leading Stargate site) from 2004 until early this year. I'd have long periods of dormancy but that's just how I roll everywhere. Eventually the depression and schisms across the Stargate fandom really wore me out. Atlantis caused a schism, Universe caused a huge schism and then the realization that Universe wouldn't even receive a proper finale and also there'd be no more SG-1 telefilms and no promised Atlantis telefilm (effectively leaving Atlantis hanging too, albeit a bit more respectfully) really slayed me.
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"Setsuna, you have to change. To make up for me... who didn't change." ~SCP~ http://img.imgcake.com/Jeffzeropngus.png
SG-1 itself remains a powerhouse of a show though. It's absolutely criminal that such a long-running franchise be reduced to the state it's in now but such is life. I'm confident it will one day rise again.
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"Setsuna, you have to change. To make up for me... who didn't change." ~SCP~ http://img.imgcake.com/Jeffzeropngus.png
On a mostly unrelated note, have you seen A Dog's Breakfast Jeff? It's by Rodney Mckay (the actor obv) and has a bunch of Stargate people in it. It's a legitimately funny movie and should be watched by all Stargate fans.
-- (Maniac64 at work) [Browncoat] ~Board 570901~ All the proteins, vitamins, and carbs of your grandma's best turkey dinner, plus 15% alcohol.
Daniel is my favorite character in the entire franchise so obviously me complimenting Jonas is... a big thing. But yeah, I like him. Back in 2002? Not so much.
WHAT! We were promised three movies, we have gotten two. I want my third movie!
It simply isn't going to happen, I'm afraid. Read up on the issues on GateWorld (or wherever) when you have a chance sometime. The whole project imploded mainly once Universe started underperforming.
Retrospectively cancelling Atlantis was probably the biggest mistake TPTB made in the history of the franchise but Brad Wright made no whispers of his desire to do a third show.
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"Setsuna, you have to change. To make up for me... who didn't change." ~SCP~ http://img.imgcake.com/Jeffzeropngus.png
Also, MGM's financial troubles. The new buyers clearly have little interest in Stargate even though it's their second biggest franchise after an admittedly huge leap down from James Bond.
From: muddersmilk | #239 On a mostly unrelated note, have you seen A Dog's Breakfast Jeff? It's by Rodney Mckay (the actor obv) and has a bunch of Stargate people in it. It's a legitimately funny movie and should be watched by all Stargate fans.
Yes! David Hewlett directed a great romp.
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"Setsuna, you have to change. To make up for me... who didn't change." ~SCP~ http://img.imgcake.com/Jeffzeropngus.png
#5. Whose Line Is It Anyway? (U.S.) (1998-2004) ABC, Comedy Choice Scene:
First, a special mention to the original U.K. run. I should include it as a part of this ranking, but I've seen little of it and none in a very long while. For this, I am just talking about the Drew Carey hosted WLiiA, not the Clive Anderson.
- Whose Line Is It Anyway is funny. It's probably got one of the best laugh to minute ratios on television. Even if you've seen an episode ten times, it's still hilarious and may make you laugh even more. I know I do. This was my must-see-TV for the Thursday night comedy. Ryan, Colin, Wayne, and Drew with Laura Hall on the piano kept my sides hurting for hours after the bloc was over. It's an incredibly funny show.
Whose Line started out in the U.K. as a radio show and then quickly a Clive Anderson-hosted programme that lasted ten excellent series. Both Colin and Ryan made regular appearances, where Ryan was actually the most featured performer. Wow! It really has been awhile. It was a funny show with some really good games, but I don't remember anything except how black the set was with weird red tubing everywhere, so on to the U.S. series!
Four players, no points, no script, final destination. Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Wayne Brady, Greg Proops, Chip Esten, Brad Sherwood, and a bevy others participate in quick and casual improvisation games to make us, and each other, laugh hysterically. There's Props, Infomercial, Dating Game, Film Director, Mission Improbable, Hoedowns, Irish Drinking Songs, Moving People, Party Quirks, Green Screen, News, and so many others. Though you can't tell what's going on because of how loud Ryan's shoes and Colin's shirts are.
There are too many clips out there to post. Whose Line clips are like TVTropes; once you get started, you can never leave. ABC Family still does reruns of the show nearly every night and Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza is a lot of fun but loses some of the charm with the setting and dress. I don't know. There's something about all the blue and purple and colorful shirts that beats the Vegas black and gold. And Drew Carey as a regular player is more awkward. The reward after the commercial was even funnier because Drew was usually rather terrible, even though he was having fun and we were having fun. When he's joining in regular skits throughout, it's just... strange.
#10: Top Gear (UK) (2002-____) Comedy, Talk Show, British Mega Mana's Ranking: Not on list Opening:
I am not car guy. I am definitely not a gear head (or as the Top Gear guys would say a petrol head). This show is still amazing and hilarious. Much like Mythbusters this show benefits more from the people on it than what they are doing. I would watch Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond sew quilts, and it would be hilarious and amazing.
Jeremy Clarkson is the "lead" of the show. He is big, loud, brash, boastful, arrogant, condescending, snarky, and probably insane. He makes up the weirdest metaphors you will ever hear, and half the time you aren't even sure if he was saying something is good or bad. Let's put it this way, he once described a car he was driving as "actively trying to kill me". That was high praise. Jeremy mocks everyone, especially his co-hosts and is a sore loser. He often plays the bad guy on the show, but no matter what he is doing he is hilarious.
Richard Hammond is a short and more practical guy most of the time. Except for when he is acting like an American (the shows words not mine). He likes muscle cars, power, and vehicles he can steer around a track without hurting himself. He and Jeremy butt heads constantly with him usually on the losing side. He also seems like a genuinely good guy and not only is he funny but he can also take a joke better than the others.
And finally, in season 2 a third man was added to the show. James May, or Captain Slow as he is often referred to, is a techie. He can repair cars and loves all the little details that most of us pay no attention to. He could go on for hours about how an engine runs, and is often considered the most boring of the crew. However, he still has a great sense of humor and plays off the other two perfectly. He graciously accepts his position as the butt of all jokes and has some skill when he decides to get them back.
Together these three will have you laughing no matter what you think about cars. Their antics are great, they play jokes on each other, and they will constantly try to one up each other.
The show itself is a mix of car reviews, track tests, celebrity races, car news, and challenges. Challenges are the highlights. The producers are vicious when setting them up, and there are a couple of times where it seems like they are actually trying to kill the guys. Sometimes the guys will even come up with their own crazy challenges. This show is brilliant, even if you are like me and find the actual car talk boring.
If you want to find a great jumping on point watch one of the specials where they go someplace and do an all episode challenge. America 1 or 2, Vietnam, Sahara, Antarctica, all of them are great. Then you can watch some normal episodes after. One warning, the early seasons are more serious and car focused (though still funny and often crazy) while the later seasons have a bigger focus on the guys doing stupid stuff.
Here is an example of them being idiots: Here is one of the specials (part 1): This show is on Netflix, go watch it.
Oh and finally, the American version is an abomination and I will say no more about it.
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"Hope is allowed to be stupid, unwise, and naive." ~Sir Chris