TV (The Book): Two Experts Pick the Greatest American Shows of All Time

How does one choose the greatest American TV dramas and comedies of all time? Critics and authors Sepinwall (HitFix.com; The Revolution Was Televised) and Seitz (RogerEbert.com; Mad Men Carousel) attempt to do so in this compendium of their top 100 shows in history. They base their selection on a program's innovation, influence, consistency, acting, and storytelling, as well as the peak period of its run. Drawing from 60 years of programming, the authors conclude that The Simpsons, The Sopranos, The Wire, Cheers, and Breaking Bad are the best five shows. The subsequent list reflects their longtime knowledge of the TV industry and draws on the work they did together covering television for the Newark, NJ-based newspaper The Star-Ledger. They explain why each of the choices deserves to be included in this list, which they call "the Pantheon." All genres of dramas are considered, from police procedurals to sf to family-centered shows. Likewise, different types of comedies ranging from live-action sitcoms to sketch comedies to animated series are taken into account. Interspersed throughout the book are quirky "best of" lists, such as TV's greatest hairstyles, cars, spies, character names, teachers, and mustaches.