The Best Dramatic series ever!

[cspotrun]

well, i'll start things off with "The Twilight Zone", it's amazing what that show could fit into one half hour! exceptional writing from Rod Serling and acting from what would be a launching pad for young actors like Robert Redford, Telly Savalas,Dennis Hopper, William Shatner and many others. and in B&W! Zone is "Classic TV" at its finest.

 

[bpatrick]

Rod Serling was tremendously creative. I might throw
in "Star Trek" in just about all its versions. But my pick
is "Hill Street Blues." Not only did we get the most realistic
depiction of cops outside of "Cops" (they didn't always solve
every case and were sometimes wounded in the line of fire,
as Hill and Renko were in the pilot), but the show broke new
ground by showing cops in their private lives (e.g., the relationship
between Frank Furillo and Joyce Davenport). Great theme song, too!

 

[BRNout]

You know, when I saw the title of this thread, Rod Serling's Twilight Zone was immediately what came to mind. Glad to see that I am not alone in that! What a range of characters, stories and a masterful use of music and black and white imagery! Every time I watch one of those TZ marathons on Sci Fi, it never ceases to amaze me what a high-quality show that was. Were there some episodes that were clunkers? You bet. But, all in all, The Twilight Zone was - for me - the best dramatic show ever made.

 

[Corky Marlowe]

TZ and Hill Street are some worthy contenders...The difference between those shows and other swell written and acted dramas may have been the fact that you couldn't always count on a neatly wrapped ending. In that vein, I'd include "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" too.

 

[landtuna]

Since the topic is "Classic TV" I'll go way back to The Defenders.

 

[LKellerIII]

Since the topic is "Classic TV" I'll go way back to The Defenders.

The Defenders, Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents - all worthy contenders. Hill Street Blues, too. Though I have to say - I was surprised how dated Hill Street seemed when I saw it in reruns in the early 00s - maybe 8 years ago. Very static, and without the constant cutting and fast-pacing we've become so used to...whether we're actually in the "MTV generation or a bit older.

The episode I saw featured David Caruso as the leader of an Irish -American youth gang, complete with big green hat and shamrock logos...ridiculous.

Shows in that era seemed to require comic relief that was discordant with the rest of the show. Especially ridiculous were James B. Sikking as the head of a SWAT-like unit called the "EATers" (I don't recall what E.A.T. stood for), and Barbara Bosson (Steven Bochco's real-life wife) playing Faye Furillo.

 

[anotherguyTN]

I normally prefer comedy, but The Twilight Zone is definitely my favorite.

 

[cspotrun]

do you think "Hill Street Blues" can top "The Untouchables" from Desilu studio's? it was also in B&W, like Twilight Zone it would never have worked in color. i haven't seen re-runs of The Untouchables since the 60's.

 

[biggguy]

do you think "Hill Street Blues" can top "The Untouchables" from Desilu studio's? it was also in B&W, like Twilight Zone it would never have worked in color. i haven't seen re-runs of The Untouchables since the 60's.

I have seen the "Untouchables" many times since the 60s...and I really think that is wasn't as great as we remember, and it got worse as it ran.....especially after whatever Italian-American group it was that started all that dramatic nonsense about the show showing Italian-Americans in less than a favorable light started...and it really hit the skids...

Robert Stack did his share though.....his acting portrayed the "gamut of human emotions from A to B"- and wasn't Stack of Italian heritage anyways?

Don't get me wrong- I am a huge "Untouchable" fan, and always will be. Great show for its time...it just really do all that well in the "test of time"...and, for my money, it would have been "the pits" in color...

 

[LKellerIII]

do you think "Hill Street Blues" can top "The Untouchables" from Desilu studio's? it was also in B&W, like Twilight Zone it would never have worked in color. i haven't seen re-runs of The Untouchables since the 60's.

I have seen the "Untouchables" many times since the 60s...and I really think that is wasn't as great as we remember, and it got worse as it ran.....especially after whatever Italian-American group it was that started all that dramatic nonsense about the show showing Italian-Americans in less than a favorable light started...and it really hit the skids...

Robert Stack did his share though.....his acting portrayed the "gamut of human emotions from A to B"- and wasn't Stack of Italian heritage anyways?

Don't get me wrong- I am a huge "Untouchable" fan, and always will be. Great show for its time...it just really do all that well in the "test of time"...and, for my money, it would have been "the pits" in color...

Yeah - the Untouchables was one of those shows I liked as a young kid, but was a major disappointment when I saw it again as a young adult - it was repeated on a local Bay Area station in the mid 70s, and I had a roommate who watched it religiously every night.

It was cheaply produced with a lot of stock shots...I remember seeing the same 20s era truck blow up about a half dozen times in different episodes. The villains were always cliche cardboard cut-outs.

Walter Winchell's intros were great, though. While Stack's portrayl was wooden, it worked for the Ness character. Did you ever see Dan Aykroyd do his impression of Stack/Ness on the original SNL? Hysterical...

 

[cspotrun]

do you think "Hill Street Blues" can top "The Untouchables" from Desilu studio's? it was also in B&W, like Twilight Zone it would never have worked in color. i haven't seen re-runs of The Untouchables since the 60's.

I have seen the "Untouchables" many times since the 60s...and I really think that is wasn't as great as we remember, and it got worse as it ran.....especially after whatever Italian-American group it was that started all that dramatic nonsense about the show showing Italian-Americans in less than a favorable light started...and it really hit the skids...

Robert Stack did his share though.....his acting portrayed the "gamut of human emotions from A to B"- and wasn't Stack of Italian heritage anyways?

Don't get me wrong- I am a huge "Untouchable" fan, and always will be. Great show for its time...it just really do all that well in the "test of time"...and, for my money, it would have been "the pits" in color...

Yeah - the Untouchables was one of those shows I liked as a young kid, but was a major disappointment when I saw it again as a young adult - it was repeated on a local Bay Area station in the mid 70s, and I had a roommate who watched it religiously every night.

It was cheaply produced with a lot of stock shots...I remember seeing the same 20s era truck blow up about a half dozen times in different episodes. The villains were always cliche cardboard cut-outs.

Walter Winchell's intros were great, though. While Stack's portrayl was wooden, it worked for the Ness character. Did you ever see Dan Aykroyd do his impression of Stack/Ness on the original SNL? Hysterical...

like i say i haven't seen it for a long time and i may or may not say the same thing if and when i see it again. by the way the theme music for the show was excellent, and yes Walter Winchell made the show.