Easily the most successful animated TV series of all time, The Simpsons has influenced practically every major animated show that has followed its stead, most notably Family Guy. With its depiction of the average American family, Matt Groening's greatest creation won its way into our hearts with the hilarious buffoonery of patriarch Homer, alongside dutiful wife Marge, prissy daughter Lisa, trouble-maker son Bart, and of course, the mostly-mute baby, Maggie. Though the show has dipped considerably in quality over the years, it's easy to forgive considering the absolutely immaculate quality of the first decade of its run: the social satire, the characterisation, the celebrity cameos (Michael Jackson and Dustin Hoffman surely being among the best) and the focus on brilliant storytelling above gimmicks made it unrivaled by even its greatest competitors. It has succumbed to the temptation to more heavily reference pop culture and indulge in ridiculous storylines over the years, but even a less-great Simpsons episode is still totally watchable.
4. Mad Men
One of the most fantastic stylistic achievements in the history of TV is AMC's Mad Men, an ambitious study of an advertising agency from the 1960s through to the 1970s, primarily following adulterous, alcoholic, mysterious hot-shot creative director Don Draper (a magnificently handsome Jon Hamm). Though the performances, writing and direction are all first-rate, what's clearly most striking about the show is its jaw-dropping production design: the costumes, the sets, the hair styles, the vehicles and so on all perfectly reflect the period, and the attention-to-detail in this regard is simply staggering. It may be a tad too dry or slow-paced for some tastes, but the inherent watchability of the fantastic cast helps anchor what is a fascinating historical document, and sexy, glossy, intelligent entertainment at its very finest. It's just a shame we have another 12 months to wait before the final 7 episodes air (apparently in an effort to secure the show even more awards).
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
