EWB's All-Time Favorite TV Show Tournament

[RPS]

EASTERN BRACKET

1) Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation

[Guest mr. potato head]

EASTERN BRACKET

1) Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation

These were all pretty easy as I at least like one of the shows and at best haven't seen much of the other. Only exception is Blackadder vs. Eastbound & Down, where I haven't seen any of either so I went with the one I almost watched once.

That said...

Why You Should Vote For The West Wing

I can't in good conscience call The West Wing the best show in the history of television anymore, having been exposed to Game of Thrones, Mad Men, The Wire et al. since I first watched The West Wing, but it remains my favourite show in the history of television.

Think of it like the TV drama version of a gateway drug. I watched it before I really appreciated the finer points of television production, but you can't deny its status as a pioneering visual masterpiece. More overtly, it's a drama, but not a drama that takes itself oh-so-seriously, offering more lighthearted moments than its contemporaries ER or NYPD Blue.

Plus, Aaron Sorkin. Yes, Studio 60 was preachy, Sports Night was clearly the work of a stage writer not fully adapted to television, and his films tend to be a little repetitive in terms of dialogue. But The West Wing was his masterpiece. And if you view it on its own merits, not considering its similarities to other Sorkin writing, it's unbeatable.

It's only in the last few years that sitcoms have stopped talking down to their audience and made it OK to have a show where "you have to be smart to get it" - see Community, Parks and Recreation, even How I Met Your Mother to an extent. Dramas have been that way for a while thanks to The Wire and The Sopranos, but The West Wing predates either of them. It was a show that made it OK to be smart. It never tried to dumb itself down or pander to get greater audiences. It was awesome.

The people who worked on The West Wing were extraordinarily qualified. Their intent was good. Their commitment was true. They were righteous, and they were patriots.

And I was their lawyer.

And if all that's not enough for you, you've still got the greatest character introduction in the history of television (3:33):

And a funnier scene for good measure:

[ndqw]

EASTERN BRACKET

1) Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation

Edited March 27, 2012 by ndqw

[Josh]

Nevermind.

[Panni]

1) Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound and Down

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation

[Berober]

EASTERN BRACKET

1) Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill - Nice easy one to start me off, I've only seen one of them

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing - Ditto.

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show - HIMYM wins by the 'Youtube factor' here, i.e. I've actively searched for clips from that more often.

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo - A lot of these are going to come down to whether or not I've actually seen them, and here, I saw the pilot and then my Netflix subscription had to be suspended for money reasons before I could watch more. Didn't hate it though.

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down - Youtube Factor

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series) - I've heard of the first one.

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series) - Thank you Sousa for making me change my mind.

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier - I've, um, heard of this one too?

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation - Coin Flip.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Berkland

[phatman]

EASTERN BRACKET

1) Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation

I found them all pretty easy to vote on this round... Some of the shows I've never seen such as Blackadder, Only Fools and Horses etc., so I can't really vote for them...

[MalaCloudy Black]

1) Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation

Some shows I've never taken the time to watch (Peep Show, West Wing), some shows I don't give a fuck about (Columbo, TNG, HIMYM) and finally some shows I watch and like (Community, The Tick). The only one that was even remotely hard for me was TWD/The Tick, and as much as I love TWD, I love The Tick more.

[C-MIL]

1) Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill - ...

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing - never seen Only Fools, but I'm not a fan of horses

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show - can't stand this show but I've at least seen it before

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo - bad bracket for Colombo, I'd have voted it over most of these other picks

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down - never seen either, I like the song though...

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series) - couldn't get into Walking Dead

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier - haven't seen enough Shield, but if I watched more I bet I'd switch this, Frasier is fun enough

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation - one intelligent jew there

[Your Mom]

I couldnt bring myself to pick my own all time favorites but I can pick from these!

EASTERN BRACKET

1) Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation

Community, The West Wing, Seinfeld and The Shield were all easy choices for me. They are classics or classics in the making. I chose Columbo mostly because of my distaste for The Office and both Josh and my dad like it so thats a bonus. HIMYM because I never saw the other show. Same with Eastbound and Down. Last but not least I chose The Walking Dead but it was rough. I love The Tick and its still hilarious but TWD is appointment television these days and funny cant beat that.

[TheEndAll]

EASTERN BRACKET

1) Community vs. 16)One Tree Hill

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill

No idea, so no vote.

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation

[Gazz]

1) Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill - easy

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing - Only Fools is a British institution.

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show - tough one

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo - not a tough one

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down - very not a tough one

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series) - What's The Tick?

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier - Never watched The Shield, but hate Frasier with a passion

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation - Hate Seinfeld and his shitty bass riffs too

My money is on the Srartown Srars to win the whole thing.

[SRN]

EASTERN BRACKET

1) Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill - One Tree Hill? Really? Isn't that a series for bubbly teenage girls?

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing - Uhm, yeah, I have not seen either one of these but I've heard of The West Wing and it sounds incredibly boring and other people are voting for Only Fools And Horses so yeah...

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show - On principle since I refuse to vote for that other show because I hate it!

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo - Honestly, the only thing I've watched from The Office is that scene where Steve Carell shouts "PLEASE GOD NO".

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down - No idea what the other show is but it is probably not better than Blackadder.

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series) - Eh, The Walking Dead.

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier - Simply for my hate for American comedy.

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation - See the above reason. God damn it, I hate Seinfeld.

As noted in the voting thread, I am not good series. As in, I probably haven't 80% of what we are going to vote on. But if FarScape doesn't win, I'm calling for a recount.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Why You Should Vote For Only Fools And Horses

Because MPH told you to vote The West Wing. No more needs to be said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IBgk05iL3Y

[DavidMarrio]

EASTERN BRACKET

1) Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill- Easy decision, Community hands down.

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing- Gotta vote for the legend that is Only Fools and Horses....that and I have never seen The West Wing.

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show If more people had actually seen an episode of Peep Show then I am pretty certain Peep Show would win. Amazing show

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo- The Office is one of my favourite TV shows so that is getting the nod.

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down- I like Eastbound & Down but its friggin Blackadder. No contest.

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier- The Shield is pretty good.....Frasier is pretty awful.

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation- My dad used to watch Seinfeld and used to watch Star Trek. When I was a kid and I was watching Seinfeld I thought it was shit, when I was a kid and I was watching Star Trek with him, I enjoyed it. Dad logic favours Star Trek.

[MGW]

1) Community vs. 16)One Tree Hill

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo

6)Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation

I'm a big fan of comedy, so for the most part it was the sitcoms that won. I started watching Community a week ago and I'm now hooked! Fools and Horses and Blackadder are two of my all time favourite shows and if they don't go through it's a travesty! Never seen some of the programmes, especially Waking Dead so The Tick got a free pass based on the fact I remember watching that on Fox Kids once.

[Hobo]

1) Community vs. 16)One Tree Hill

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation

I've never watched One Tree Hill and I don't really like Only Fools. I do like HIMYM but Peep Show wins my vote because I like the POV style very much. I can't but vote for Columbo or Blackadder or The Tick or Fraiser or TNG. I like Seinfeld but it doesn't hold a place in my heart like TNG does.

[Josh]

Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill

No idea, so no vote.

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation

Hate to be that guy, but I'm gonna be. Edit your vote so that you pick either Community or One Tree Hill. Otherwise, all of your picks are void.

Just so everyone knows why I've made this rule: as several people have mentioned, there are going to be match-ups where certain people have seen neither show. Which shows this applies to will be different from person to person. If I allow "pick and choose" voting, I can forsee a scenario where certain match-ups are barely being voted on at all.

So, keep in mind that a vote for something is a vote for progress. Literal tournament progress.

[ruderrocket]

1) Community vs. 16) One Tree Hill- (Watched a few episodes of One Tree Hill, meh, wasn't horrible, but nothing special. Community on the other hand is one of the funniest shows on TV. Easy win.)

8) Only Fools and Horses vs. 9) The West Wing (Never watched Only Fools and Horses, but The West Wing is amazing, so not ashamed to give my vote to it. Even though it was a serious show most of the time, it could be as funny as any other show on TV when it wanted to.)

5) How I Met Your Mother vs. 12) Peep Show- (Caught a couple of episodes of Peep Show on TV before, I enjoyed it, but I've gotten to much enjoyment out of HIMYM to give it my vote. HIMYM has its down moments, but I still care about what's happening to the characters.)

4) The Office (U.S.) vs. 13) Columbo- (Never watched Columbo. The Office's early seasons were amazing, and even the later ones were still enjoyable until this season. Easy win.)

6) Blackadder vs. 11) Eastbound & Down

3) The Walking Dead vs. 14) The Tick (Animated Series)- (Haven't seen The Tick. TWD has its problems, but at its best its one of the few shows on right now that give me goosebumps.)

7) The Shield vs. 10) Frasier- (Watching The Shield right now, only on season 1, but so far I'm really, really impressed. I never really followed Frasier, but have caught a decent amount of episodes. Funny, but I didn't really find it special

2) Seinfeld vs. 15) Star Trek: The Next Generation- (Seinfeld is one of the shows my entire family loves, and has been the cause of many bonding moments, which might give it a unfair advantage. Nothing against Star Trek, but easy win for Seinfeld here.)