ML: The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

david&maddie4ever · 02-15-2004, 06:10 PM

Hey, everybody.

I got this book last year called "The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time," and Moonlighting, of course, was in there.

The shows weren't listed in any order, so I don't know where it placed, but I thought I'd post the article that was in there. Here you go...

"You knew it the minute you saw him-the cocksure swagger, the barroom eyes, the quarterback smile. Bruce Willis was a Star, even if he was only the lead of ABC's crime-time detective dramedy Moonlighting. As too-hip-for-the-room private dick David Addison, Willis was like David Lee Roth with a badge; he sang, he limboed, he solved crimes, and, as time went on, he watched his hairline recede. The razor-sharp repartee that Willis shared with luminous costar Cybill Shepherd, as fleeced ex-cover girl Maddie Hayes, and the show's gleeful irreverence helped make it a Thin Man for the opulent '80s.

Created by ex-Remington Steele writer Glenn Gordon Caron, Moonlighting virtually redefined screwball comedies for the postfeminist era. For almost five seasons, Maddie screamed at David. David howled back. Maddie threw something. David ducked. And maybe they did a little investigating. But as long as David and Maddie worked together, yet didn't get together, America didn't care if they ever got to the bottom of a case. So what if there were occasional launches into lunatic fancy-like the Elizabethan "Taming of the Shrew" episode, the '40s-style film noir pastiche, the frequent into-the-camera asides. It was all fine and dandy, as long as the mile-a-minute dialogue kept coming, and the potent emotions that coursed between the Blue Moon detectives stayed under the surface where they belonged. Unfortunately, David and Maddie did get together, late in Moonlighting's run, and the show lost its fizz. But while it was good, it was great. And hey, that Al Jarreau theme song rocked. - Marc Bernardin"

Yay!

~Lauren

dlemond · 02-15-2004, 06:23 PM

That was a pretty good summation of Moonlighting.
Can't understand why it's not on dvd.

Hey, did WKRP make the list?

david&maddie4ever · 02-15-2004, 06:28 PM

No, it didn't, but the list doesn't mean much, because they said the greatest TV show of all time was The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

BTW: I said they weren't numbered, but they actually did give a Top 20...Moonlighting wasn't in it, though.

Such crap.

~Lauren

bry · 02-15-2004, 08:31 PM

mary tyler moore was a great show. but far the the greatest. maybe top 30?
my favourites are:
M*A*S*H
sanford and son
moonlighting
soap

far as primetime or sydication goes. but i gotta throw Days of Our Lives and Dark Shadows in there somewhere.

david&maddie4ever · 02-15-2004, 08:39 PM

Hey, Bobby.

M*A*S*H, Sanford and Son, and Moonlighting were in there, but Soap wasn't. I was kinda disappointed...that was a really funny show.

IheartMoonlighting · 02-17-2004, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by david&maddie4ever
No, it didn't, but the list doesn't mean much, because they said the greatest TV show of all time was The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

BTW: I said they weren't numbered, but they actually did give a Top 20...Moonlighting wasn't in it, though. Such crap.

~Lauren

Hi, could you please post the top 20 shows. Thanks

dandelion wine · 02-18-2004, 12:37 AM

They did sum it up quite well. Nice to see that it made it in there.

EricIdlefan · 02-18-2004, 12:38 AM

I love Cheers, Hill Street Blues, M*A*S*H, All In The Family, Dick Van Dyke Show, The Fugitive!!

david&maddie4ever · 02-18-2004, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by IheartMoonlighting
Hi, could you please post the top 20 shows. Thanks

Sure, no problem.

20. Sesame Street
19. Dallas
18. Roseanne
17. 60 Minutes
16. Gunsmoke
15. The Twilight Zone
14. The Ed Sullivan Show
13. Star Trek
12. M*A*S*H
11. The Honeymooners
10. The Simpsons
9. The Tonight Show
8. Hill Street Blues
7. The Larry Sanders Show
6. I Love Lucy
5. The X-Files
4. Cheers
3. All in the Family
2. Seinfeld
1. The Mary Tyler Moore Show

02-15-2004, 06:10 PM	#1
david&maddie4ever ...the hard way... Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 01, 2003 Location: ...staring at my calendar, counting the days until the release of Moonlighting on DVD... Posts: 3,580	ML: The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time Hey, everybody. I got this book last year called "The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time," and Moonlighting, of course, was in there. The shows weren't listed in any order, so I don't know where it placed, but I thought I'd post the article that was in there. Here you go... "You knew it the minute you saw him-the cocksure swagger, the barroom eyes, the quarterback smile. Bruce Willis was a Star, even if he was only the lead of ABC's crime-time detective dramedy Moonlighting. As too-hip-for-the-room private dick David Addison, Willis was like David Lee Roth with a badge; he sang, he limboed, he solved crimes, and, as time went on, he watched his hairline recede. The razor-sharp repartee that Willis shared with luminous costar Cybill Shepherd, as fleeced ex-cover girl Maddie Hayes, and the show's gleeful irreverence helped make it a Thin Man for the opulent '80s. Created by ex-Remington Steele writer Glenn Gordon Caron, Moonlighting virtually redefined screwball comedies for the postfeminist era. For almost five seasons, Maddie screamed at David. David howled back. Maddie threw something. David ducked. And maybe they did a little investigating. But as long as David and Maddie worked together, yet didn't get together, America didn't care if they ever got to the bottom of a case. So what if there were occasional launches into lunatic fancy-like the Elizabethan "Taming of the Shrew" episode, the '40s-style film noir pastiche, the frequent into-the-camera asides. It was all fine and dandy, as long as the mile-a-minute dialogue kept coming, and the potent emotions that coursed between the Blue Moon detectives stayed under the surface where they belonged. Unfortunately, David and Maddie did get together, late in Moonlighting's run, and the show lost its fizz. But while it was good, it was great. And hey, that Al Jarreau theme song rocked. - Marc Bernardin" Yay! ~Lauren
	__________________ living and loving and learning ...the hard way...

02-15-2004, 08:31 PM	#4
bry Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 21, 2003 Location: n.c. Posts: 819	mary tyler moore was a great show. but far the the greatest. maybe top 30? my favourites are: MAS*H sanford and son moonlighting soap far as primetime or sydication goes. but i gotta throw Days of Our Lives and Dark Shadows in there somewhere.
	__________________ that's Y-A-T-E-S.

02-18-2004, 12:38 AM	#8
EricIdlefan June Bug & School's Out Forum Addict Join Date: Oct 12, 2003 Location: East TN Posts: 68,236	I love Cheers, Hill Street Blues, MAS*H, All In The Family, Dick Van Dyke Show, The Fugitive!!
	__________________ June Bug & Summer is Here 2026!

02-15-2004, 06:23 PM	#2
dlemond Hey, I know you. Moderator Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 03, 2001 Location: New Jersey Posts: 6,751	That was a pretty good summation of Moonlighting. Can't understand why it's not on dvd. Hey, did WKRP make the list?

02-15-2004, 06:28 PM	#3
david&maddie4ever ...the hard way... Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 01, 2003 Location: ...staring at my calendar, counting the days until the release of Moonlighting on DVD... Posts: 3,580	No, it didn't, but the list doesn't mean much, because they said the greatest TV show of all time was The Mary Tyler Moore Show. BTW: I said they weren't numbered, but they actually did give a Top 20...Moonlighting wasn't in it, though. Such crap. ~Lauren

02-15-2004, 08:39 PM	#5
david&maddie4ever ...the hard way... Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 01, 2003 Location: ...staring at my calendar, counting the days until the release of Moonlighting on DVD... Posts: 3,580	Hey, Bobby. MAS*H, Sanford and Son, and Moonlighting were in there, but Soap wasn't. I was kinda disappointed...that was a really funny show.

02-18-2004, 12:37 AM	#7
dandelion wine ~ Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 20, 2003 Location: Behind the Couch Posts: 34,967	They did sum it up quite well. Nice to see that it made it in there.