'95 With A Vengeance

Well it's 1995... again(?). That's right, I'm revisiting the revisit, rollin' with the homies, to infinity and beyond, etc. etc. Five years ago I explored Hollywood's bleak apocalyptic premonitions of what the future would be and how that outlook dominated 1995; no kidding, more than a dozen mainstream movies predicted disease, war, crime, totalitarianism, artificial intelligence, and the resurrection of a murderous cult leader. 25 years later - as in 2020 - it all seemed painfully pertinent. And now we find ourselves in the Fifth Anniversary of that tumultuously pivotal year and suddenly the concept of chronology appears less relative and more urgent; I began 2025 in the throes of Covid-19 as The United States approaches the threshold of an overproduced reboot. Time is a flat circle. 

Last time I took a look at '95 I proclaimed that there weren't enough good movies that year to compile a list. I didn't actually research that thoroughly, that's just a general reflection of that year that I always carry with me; the truth is that 1995, for me, was mired in shortcomings and disappointments, and some of that was rooted in the movies. There were a lotta good films, great films even, but for some reason the extra serving of clunky schlock persistently stands out to me. For the otherwise edgy 1990s it felt like there was a lotta safe, overblown camp that seemed more in line with the worst shades of the 1980s; adding to my aforementioned list of Science Fiction Films, stuff like Congo, Species, Bad Boys, and Showgirls really provide a general sense of '95 Cinema. But more than anything, the movie that mostly threw off my equilibrium was Batman Forever. 

At 12 years old, a more cynical and less intelligent person would suggest that I was simply too old for Batman, that I'd outgrown it, but what actually happened was that the franchise had regressed, severely; Joel Schumacher's goofy Action Comedy was a grave disappointment in my Tim Burton brain, and it's quite possible that this early bruise is when I began to lose touch with the "Blockbuster". I've seen it since, old as I am now, and it comes with a strong fragrance of nostalgia for sure, but after 30 years of many more movies in my mind, many more Batmen on the roster, and much more personal wisdom, it still remains laughably inept in my eyes. Though I still maintain the opinion that Jim did as much for The Riddler as Jack did for The Joker - and appropriately so, Jim Carrey seemed to be the most powerful person in the universe at that exact moment, but in hindsight I find him to be the only reason to ever revisit this particular movie. 

There was a lotta Jonathan Taylor Thomas in the air too. And suddenly Antonio Banderas was in like a million things. Jane Austen had replaced John Grisham as bankable source material. NBC dominated the dial with Friends, ER, Seinfeld, Caroline in the City, and Frasier. Meanwhile most of my TV time went to Absolutely Fabulous, Mystery Science Theater, and Flying Circus reruns on Comedy Central. Top 40 radio was aggressively soulful, with all the biggest hits coming from All-4-One, Vanessa Williams, Simply Red, and, of course, Seal. Even bands like Soul Asylum and Smashing Pumpkins got noticeably softer for a second. I've professed in the past that I find the 1990s to be my least favorite decade of pop music, and it all sorta circles around the scummy drain of this midpoint of the decade. But like I said the last time I roamed these dark halls, I was a depressed, overweight 12-year-old and my only friend was a dog that I had to put to sleep that April; this wasn't the year for me to go out chasing waterfalls, and I feel like a stronger lineup at the box office would've been therapeutic. But by the end of the year I had a new dog. I'd discovered The Beatles and Quentin Tarantino. If I were to be sentenced into an awkward, lonesome puberty then I was going to fashion it into a tolerable (or maybe even enjoyable) experience. A band from the 1960s and a movie from 1994 ended up defining my best experiences of 1995, because in all honesty that's the reward for being alive during any specific period of time: I'm not fully defined by whatever the headlines or Nielsen Ratings or weekend grosses of some calendar year turn out to be - if anything I use popular culture to better orient my own memories to determine when and where and how I was. There are entire social media accounts built exclusively on the attitude of "only 90s kids know" and then show a picture of a Power Ranger; we can read about what the public was into, but to have lived it, breathed it, smelled it, is an open invitation - an assignment - for all living witnesses to tell us what it was like. 

Having said that, I probably spent most of it watching TV.

So yeah, there were actually a lotta good movies in 1995 - and truth be told I probably saw many of them on Home Video in 1996, which is another good excuse as to why this year felt so dry. But quality aside, there was one heckuva quantity - as in, I personally saw a lot of what they were putting out, at least in the mainstream, so at the end of the day, I have some pretty positive things to say about a shit ton of movies -- like, enough to celebrate the 30th Anniversary properly with a complete Top 30. It almost feels unfair to my many omissions from stronger years, but diving this deep into a cursed year may just be a cathartic experience for me. And for you hopefully it'll stir some nostalgia that's less polluted than my own. Too much television watchin' got me chasin' dreams. 

- Paul

1. Se7en

Or Seven as it was called then. I (probably like a lotta viewers) was surprised by its skillfulness; Cop and Killer Movies felt pretty dry and derivative by this time and so to be gifted something with such patience and panache (and savagery) felt particularly exciting. But now we know it was no fluke - it spawned a million imitators (and a title sequence that's still the standard 30 years later) but clearly this film (and its filmmakers) remains in a class on its own. I was already in full Kevin Spacey mode when I first saw it, so his appearance at the start of the final act was a bigger surprise to me then anything they'd written into the movie. 

2. Casino

I went into it in the headspace of "Diet Goodfellas". After a couple viewings it was easy to shake that mistake and digest it as the violent Rock Opera that it is. I still find this era to be Scorsese's peak as a visual artist, and so this epic of cards and dice and slot machines and neon lights and blueberry muffins and beatings proved to be fertile ground for gorgeous photography, transcendent editing, and a tremendous soundtrack.

3. Toy Story

This wasn't much of a surprise; it was the first Disney (or Disney adjacent) feature that I didn't see by accident - though my expectations of a pioneering, candy-colored kids' adventure ended up being surpassed by its pace, originality, and humor. I've loved the entire series but this one still remains my favorite.

4. Heat

A shortage of the glitzy energy found in other Michael Mann movies always prevented this from climbing too high for me, but the mood that prevails in even the more stagnant moments is constantly working on levels we're not even aware of. But clearly my standards are still high - currently the Crime genre (or any kinda movie) doesn't approach this caliber anymore (not even from Mann). 

5. Die Hard With A Vengeance

It was different for a Die Hard movie, it was different for an Action movie; apart from its traditional "realtime" structure, its nonstop pace in a sunny daytime city is an elaborate and expensive standard set by Speed the year before. And by that standard it outdoes the first two installments (in some ways, let's not get crazy).

6. Tommy Boy

This was a casual Saturday matinee for me but I incidentally witnessed a certified classic (as was the 1990s). Though one of the more troubling subcategories that gained momentum this decade was the SNL adaptation - so it usually felt fresh when cast members could pull off a picture that wasn't chained to some 7-minute live sketch; following the John Hughes footprints this movie pulls it off wonderfully. 

7. Forget Paris

My RomCom experience is mostly confined to a narrow period of time - mostly 80s and 90s - but like any genre from any era there are some that rise above the rest. Labeling aside this is a tremendous Comedy with a great cast and a unique narrative structure that makes it more compelling than it needs to be. 

8. Tales From the Hood

90s Horror still keepin' it weird with this entry that probably belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of that very specific brand -- certainly Top 4 Anthology Horror Movies. Around this age I found that "scary movies" always ended up being sillier or duller than I had been led to believe; this movie was advertised as being a bit of a lark, and ended up being darker and better crafted than most other movies that year - obviously, it made the Top 10. 

9. The Usual Suspects

For a lotta folks this movie is: a surprise ending, and not much else. Not for me, I taped it off of Pay-Per-View and watched it every day for months. Throughout the 90s there were a ton of these pulpy Crime Thrillers, and for as many as I consumed this one ranks pretty high. Also makes a good case as to why the roles of Editor and Music Composer should be filled by the same person.

10. 12 Monkeys

Of all the dystopian downers from this year (or actually any year) this one towers above them as the saddest, the scariest, the best-made, and the most original. When Gilliam actually took something seriously, that's when the absurdity played best. At the credit roll I'm still left with the same dazed feeling I had when I left the theater the first time. 

11. Crimson Tide

The last great Tony Scott flick - where the style and the substance reached crazy heights without hitting the ceiling; a supposed rewrite by Quentin, kaleidoscopic cinematography by Dariusz Wolski, and two of the greatest actors of all time (leading an equally dynamic supporting cast) make this my favorite in the submarine subgenre. 

12. Home For the Holidays

Speaking of stellar ensemble casts... More nuanced and less structured than the advertising had us believe (though the final act limps along) it's a casual character study that's never too heavy but never obnoxiously lite - which is an accurate depiction of the Holiday Season. 

13. Apollo 13

I went into it with The Right Stuff as the standard (which is probably unfair - to any movie) but at the end of the day (or three decades) it's too fun and bubbly and exciting to place it in any kinda low regard. (Though this is one of the first times I truly felt a disgust for computer animation.) 

14. Nixon

Biopics gonna Biopic - but an Oliver Stone Biopic has the potential to be batshit crazy, and it is (just like its subject matter) but its brilliance is in how well it balances its paranoid schizophrenia with the button-down formalities (again, like the subject matter).

15. Under Siege 2: Dark Territory

I'm what you would call a Steven Seagal connoisseur (at least from his Warner Bros. days) and so while many of his vehicles may appear indiscernible to a less refined palette, I can assure those philistines that this is an absolutely worthy sequel in tone and structure and is nearly on par with the original. 

16. Castle Freak

Director Stuart Gordon was mostly knows for Horror Comedy -- that is very much not the vibe of this Full Moon Feature that pretty much plays it straight. So when it inevitably veers into terror and gore it's no laughing matter. One of the few movies that makes my skin crawl a bit. 

17. Lord of Illusions

For the entirety of its troubled production schedule, Fangoria was there reporting and I followed that story for over a year. Honestly that's what I remember most about it and what I think about when I watch it now. On its own it's gothic Clive Barker goodness, but it also very much has that personal edge for me. 

18. Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight

Billy Zane has attracted most of the attention this movie has earned over the years but I wanna use this space to call attention to the crazy ensemble cast of character actors who're clearly having equally as much fun with the material. 

19. Clueless

How did someone go about making such an accurate Period Piece about the current period? Usually hindsight is the most advantageous tool in recreating an era on film but it was as if Amy Heckerling & co. merely held up a mirror. 

20. Braveheart

14th Century Euro history as a Popcorn Movie; it feels reminiscent of the 1950s in that sense, but you update it for the 90s with some action violence and suddenly we have a new standard for the "Epic".

21. Casper

Like The Flintstones, a $50 million budget that has the aesthetics of a grade school diorama. Unlike The Flintstones, genuine laughs and heart and characters we care about. (Sorry, Flintstones.) 

22. Get Shorty

The new John Travolta Crime Comedy was a big deal to me and just about everyone else at that moment. Unfortunately it was no Pulp but it did have its own mood, as well as scintillating performances from Gene Hackman and Dennis Farina. 

23. Four Rooms

With the space I'm given here I'll say: the first sequence (or "room") is one of the worst movies I've ever seen, the second room is passable slapstick with a few laughs, and while the fourth room is still Quentin's best work as a director to me, the third room is the best thing that Robert Rodriguez has ever done. So, it's uneven to say the least. 

24. Waterworld

I knew going in that there was controversy surrounding its production, but I found the finished product to be captivating. My generation didn't receive a ton of nautical adventures but this one certainly worked for me - particularly Dennis Hopper's usual mix of comedy and menace. 

25. The Crossing Guard

For its black & white simplicity, Melodrama is tricky business. The movie smothers us in a world of grief and guilt and never lets us up for air (not even at the end) but there is a definite joy in watching the most talented actors in the world convey that misery. 

26. The Mangler

It gets the edge over Dolores Claiborne as my favorite King adaptation of that year because of its archaic storyline and shameless depravity; an evil laundry machine that eats people up is gonna be one of the more exciting things in any year in film. 

27. Desperado

In an era of violent gunplay this didn't completely stand out to me - I responded to the humor and the clever set pieces but it got lost in the shuffle a bit. In retrospect it's so obviously Robert Rodriguez and his distinctive style (which has all but dissolved these days). 

28. Tank Girl

I initially found it obnoxious, probably because (as I said) I wanted my comic book stuff to be Burtonesque -- it turns out that I just wanted Batman stuff to be more serious. Nowadays I'd be overjoyed if Comic Book Movies were presented as being this ridiculous. 

29. Assassins

Sly and his particular brand of Action may've been on the downslope a bit, but thankfully we have the man of the hour, El Mariachi himself, to add some tension as a colorful bad guy. That & Julianne Moore as an Action Star is always unironically entertaining to me. 

30. Cruel Jaws

a.k.a Jaws 5 (though I wouldn't go spreadin' that around) this Italian Monster Movie is a Frankenstein unto itself, pulling together pieces of other movies and music scores to create one nearly-cohesive collage of terror in the water. I'd say it's two whole letter grades better than Jaws 3-D. 

10 (actually 12) Unrecognized Universal Monsters

You remember all those cute jokes about how Mia Wallace and the Xenomorph are technically Disney Princesses? Well this ain't that. These aren't some approximations based on studio mergers or gender - this list checks off the only two boxes it needs: Are they monsters, and Do they appear in movies produced (or in most cases distributed) by Universal Pictures? Incidentally there are dozens of post-1970 characters that fit this criteria that deserve to haunt and maim amongst the ranks of Dracula, Frankenstein, et al. but here's my list of major contributors that deserve to throw their own monster parties where they all get together and hang out and eat Doritos and drink Pepsi. Or at the very least have their own commemorative postage stamps. 

- Paul

Bruce

Jaws

The easiest and most obvious choice on the list: spawned a franchise and dozens of knockoffs, based on literature, plenty of merchandise including an actual vinyl Halloween costume from Collegeville. Also effectively scary; no one stopped swimming for fear of the Creature from the Black Lagoon grabbing their ankles. 

Gunther

The Funhouse

So closely related to Frankenstein's Monster that he actually wears a Frankenstein mask - and that's when he deserves our sympathy. But then the mask comes off, revealing something more original and horrifying and dangerous. 

Conal Cochran

Halloween III: Season of the Witch

Mad Scientist, Evil Warlock, Corporate CEO, who knows. What I do know is that his bemusing demise (spoiler, sorry) was just confusing enough to allow him to come back in franchise form. 

The Bishop of Battle

Nightmares

Talk about franchising! This ghost-in-the-machine subgenre stuff was barely utilized in the home console video game market, but if it were it shoulda started here. Universal Monsters 2.0.

Darkness

Legend

This movie should've been rated X for how fucking scary Tim Curry looks - actually one of the few movie monsters to appear in my literal nightmares. I'd say that's pretty strong eligibility. 

The Klopeks

The 'Burbs

When you think about it we know absolutely nothing about this murderous family next door, and that makes me think they could've branched out away from this Abbott-and-Costello-type setup.

Max Cady

Cape Fear

Mitchum or DeNiro, take your pick; the fact that the role was reprised indicates his lasting effect and timeless scares. (If Freddy could get away with a franchise so could Max.)

Dr. Evan Rendell

Dr. Giggles

The Slasher that killed The Slasher genre. Too bad - crazy doctors are such a staple of the Universal Monster lore. And we never got to have the inevitable argument of "Dr. Giggles Part 3 isn't as good as Part 4, but it's still better than the first." 

T Rex

Jurassic Park

Strange to include 2 Spielberg and 0 Carpenter (and I have my reasons) but beyond my argument that this is a legit Horror Movie, I'd argue that she's the most memorable monster of the 1990s, regardless of studio affiliation. 

The Collector

Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight

Billy Zane is underrated (yes I'm using the word) and despite his competence in any role this one feels the most tailor-made to his showy madness. The ending implies The Collector could be anyone but Billy owns this like Karloff owns The Creature. 

TRADING CARDS :: 1993! (duh)

By 1993, trading cards (along with posters, magazines, and other ephemera) had almost entirely taken the place of traditional toys as a focal point of pleasure in my life. I'd done the baseball card thing for several years but by this time it was all about the Non-Sport; every popular movie and TV show had become a numbered collectible to the point that it just became mandatory: see the movie, collect the cards. It wasn't even considered a particularly nerdy thing to do - they were just another toy that probably got replaced by video games; a throwaway reminder of the moment, doomed to be bent and smothered at the bottom of your underwear drawer. Me, I preserved them - like a prehistoric mosquito if you will (or to a lesser extent, a Demolition Man), waiting till the day I could put them on the internet for you and say, "Here. Here's what it was like." 

- Paul

THE SIMPSONS (#1) "Homer J. Simpson" -- SkyBox

The show would've been it its fourth or fifth season around this time, but like all the other merchandise the cards captured the crudity of the earliest seasons - in the look and in the humor. Even then I'd already felt sorta defensive of its true quality: No really, Bart is a lot funnier than just relying on words like "hell" and "cow" and "shorts." Not dissimilar to Homer, the schlubby dad with low intelligence who bowls and eats donuts. Hilarious. 

TALES FROM THE CRYPT (#12) "Heads Will Rock 'N Roll Dude" -- CARDZ

The kinda interesting/kinda disappointing theme of this set is that it was focused entirely on the Crypt Keeper -- disregarding the predictable approach of featuring publicity stills from the show. At the same time having the Keeper in various states of silly dress does make for a more enjoyable collecting approach, even if it was monotonous. 

THE REN & STIMPY SHOW (#46) "Log!" -- Topps

It's hard to tell from this scan but this set was all printed as spectra prism cards that gave them a reflective shine which sorta fit in with the gaudy flamboyance of the show. Just the fact that they existed as trading cards felt like a further homage to the midcentury Americana that they continuously satirized. 

BENCH WARMERS (1 of 4) "Deirdre Imershein" -- Bench Warmer, Inc.

There was no shortage of explicit nudie cards in the early 90s, but waayy more abundant were the more modest model/bikini/pinup sets, and the leader in that subgenre was probably Bench Warmer - a woman in skimpy clothes doing athletic things. Even for non nudes I found them pretty exciting, but my even geekier side found it just as exciting to have this NOT FOR SALE promo card that I got god-knows-where. That's what makes it naughty. 

JURASSIC PARK (#29) "Gerry Harding" -- Topps

Who didn't love Gerry despite his lack of confidence regarding toxic berries? Gerry Harding was played by the film's producer, Gerald Molen, and his wobbly acting skills always made it seem as though he was an actual Jurassic Park employee who they allowed to be in the movie and even have a few lines, just to create a sense of authenticity. I hope he made it out alive. 

It Came From FANGORIA ep. 5

MY FAVORITE EPISODES part two

 I'm having another one of my... episodes!

   Watching shows in this house means we're eating dinner. And that also means we're winding down and creating a mood for our evening. This is always way more fun during holiday seasons. Mealtimes become an event, dwarfing the feature/sex combo that follows. We'll turn a cold shoulder to our standard sandwich or pasta night and fill our bodies with delicious oil dripping delivery. We'll message each other all day to try to pair the right meal with the right show, hopefully nailing that perfect episode. A longstanding tradition that we will pass on to our son.

   If I had to choose a Horror genre, after giving it an unreasonable amount of thought, I would I have to say it would be 'Anthology.' Horror is best when presented like little nightmares. After all, it's the tiniest cuts that are the most painful. And so I thank the universe for giving me The Horror Series. The bad dreams can weave in and out and change a hundred times, depending on the writers' imagination. A neverending compilation. These are this year's Top 5 meal-enhancing, nostalgia-inducing, monsters in my closet. Viewer discretion is advised.

- Babes 

 

 

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

"The Tale of the Dollmaker" (season 3)

  The night that I decided that I was much too old and sophisticated for this show, this episode aired, and I was sucked back in. I'd always been afraid of porcelain dolls, but this introduced the idea of an otherworldly dimension, where you actually become the creepy toy. I find the concept way scarier than the show's low-budget execution, but I always get right in the October spirit every year when we revisit.

 

The Twilight Zone

"Eye of the Beholder" (season 2)

  Though it may be hard to believe, I have not watched very much of The Twilight Zone. The series, which many believe paved the way and heavily influenced modern Horror Cinema, has eluded me for years. Though there were times throughout my life where I have caught some episodes during holiday related marathons, and due to extreme popularity, every time I would catch this one. 

  To say that I have a low self-image is a dramatic understatement. There were portions of my teen years especially that were very unkind. I would agonize in front of a mirror and long for a more socially accepted physique. What I always loved most about this particular installment was how body positive it was. The grotesque looked down upon great beauty with disgust, leaving the viewer not only creeped-out by their horrific reveal, but also to maybe think about the choices they make. Maybe they won't pick on little Dick or Jane tomorrow.

Beetlejuice

"Spooky Boo-tique" (season 2)

  Beetlejuice was a way of life for about three years. I watched the movie day-in and -out and wouldn't miss an episode of the equally-adorable tie-in cartoon. I had one small action figure toy, that I coveted above all other things. I would buckle tiny Michael Keaton into the seat next to me in the car for safe measure. And the Ghost With the Most was my imaginary friend. You could often catch me in quiet corners singing "Day-O" to him. 

  Growing up I wanted to be a million different things, all influenced by a million things that I loved. And added to the jar was to own and operate my very own Spooky Boutique. A goth store, or store of mysticism. I would sells gemstones, good quality black clothes, stinky herbs, and spider jewelry. I came close during my Hot Topic management years, but working for a huge corporation, where we don't choose what we sell, is very different. I do have to say, that every morning, when lifting that gate to open, I would hear Lydia's jingle for her store commercial. 

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

"Band Candy" (season 3)

  I unabashedly love Buffy and I make no apologies for it. It is my favorite soap opera. The first season laid the groundwork for Horror Drama fans alike, and with that established audience, we could start to character arc and strip personality layers. This would go on to be the show's greatest strength. 

  Bookish nerdy men with glasses are hot. I will probably think about getting in your pants. But if you add to that a repressed demon worshiper with a punk rock edge, and you hold my genitals in your hands. Any Halloween episode of any show is exciting, but watching a belligerent chain-smoking Giles trying to nail Buffy's Mom, and I'm wet. 

Tales From the Crypt

"Four-sided Triangle" (season 2)

   I like most Tales from the Crypt. In fact, I picked an entirely different segment for an earlier episodic entry. This year I am being more selective. I am making my choices based on how things make me feel. And this short film, with some of the best Horror acting out there, makes me feel genuinely unnerved. There's no monster, no evil doer, no bump in the night. A writer took a somewhat plausible and disturbing home-life scenario, and gave it a gory and heroic ending we were all hoping for, but weren't expecting.

STATIC SHOTS

Remembering TV

I collect stuff. Amongst that stuff, I collect magazines. Amongst those magazines, I collect TV Guide. And like all the things I collect, I'm rarely a completist - especially when it comes to "The Guide."

A cool cover is worth noting, but my real criteria has to do with the content of an issue. Like any periodical, the articles are written with an excited urgency as they had an immediate - though fleeting - relevance. And that's fun.
Also, it has to be from a period when I actually watched TV, which, the older my old ass gets, the more narrow that spike gets on my timeline. But more than anything, I'm only interested in issues that are published for my specific geographical region, because the real meat of this mag are the listings.

This is a magical journey of the mind I wasn't even aware existed until I casually flipped through the coarse gray pages of some issue I picked up at some point at some flea market - probably for the cover. And what I discovered was a bizarre sensation I've yet to extract from, well... anything else on the planet, really.
Finding out what time a specific program aired on a certain date is easy research to do, but tangible, detailed documentation published the very week of the history it records turns it into a "Rosebud"-esque relic of your own past. As a TV kid, I can pick certain days, times, and stations and determine with a high level of certainty that I watched whatever it was. To put it plainly: it's like a third-party journal compiled by an unseen enterprise that observed and dictated exactly what I was doing on a random Tuesday at 5pm - all without my knowledge or consent. And now, decades later, here it is: memories I thought I had of activities I thought I experienced - validated in a 200-page itinerary.

"...For as memories are older, they're like wine rarer, till you find a real old memory, one of infancy, not an established often tasted one but a BRAND NEW ONE!, it would taste better than Napoleon brandy..." 

- Jack Kerouac, Visions of Cody

What this does is transcends something as simple as "what aired on TV a long time ago" and instead adds detail to the otherwise broad color of my own memory. Probably added to that is also a profound lust for history - especially subjective history; events that relate to me. And to a 6-year-old, there isn't much more history to speak of than the TV schedule.

And while there may be a combination of me not articulating this very well, mixed with the simple fact that many may not share my feelings on this cerebral mindfuck I've stumbled upon, there's at least some pedestrian nostalgia we can all reflect on.

All mindfuckery aside, any given issue is packed with antiquated nonsense and splashy promises of high-quality entertainment that are neat - and sometimes absurd - to read.
So, because this is our Year of Anniversaries, let's flip through one from (almost) 30 years ago:
June 10, 1989 - Volume 37, Number 23

Right off the bat, Fred & Danica front & center let's us know it's unmistakably '89. I once asserted that 1989 belongs to Fred Savage (and I'm sure I will again throughout this year) and this cover story provides some interesting backstory to the kid we knew as Kevin Arnold (...or Corey Woods, or Brain Stevenson). But that's a gimme.
What are some other notable notes from this numerical end to the 1980s?

• An interview with Jay Leno about collecting cars (and being Jay Leno).
• How Charlene Tilton keeps her trim figure.
• An analysis of the impact Marshall McLuhan had on the culture.
• Letters from irate viewers complaining about the crudeness of Roseanne Barr's new sitcom.

Not a lot here worth building a shrine to.
The advertisements also aren't very awe-inspiring: 80% of them are cigarette ads (and they're not even cool ones). The rest are Ford, Tang, some kinda fruit/gelatin Del Monte concoction, and the mandatory book club enticement. The only fun one is the full-page mini-poster for Ghostbusters II, which opened at the end of the week.

Dig a bit deeper and you start to find the gold nuggets that make this & most other issues worth scrutinizing.
There'll always be fun stuff like the Top Ten Video Rentals - courtesy of the very official-sounding 'Video Cassette Report'...

Or, how about this incredibly prophetic 'Cheers 'n' Jeers' column...

To save you the hassle of zooming, it reads:

"CHEERS... To The Simpsons, the cartoon clan on Fox's The Tracey Ullman Show. Oddball syndicated cartoonist Matt ("Life in Hell") Groening has created a very striking, turbulent sitcom family in his animated vignettes that air between Ullman's skits. The war amongst the Simpsons will be expanding, as Fox is planning on spinning off Groening's cartoon into a series of its own. That's a top-drawer idea."

Indeed.

But while they seemed ominously aware of the looming pop culture mainstay that was months away from devouring us all, little fanfare was given to the fact that this was the week Tales From the Crypt premiered on HBO - day of publication, actually - and its only mentions are in a couple b&w blurbs.
Guessin' their foresight was selective at best.

And while I'd love to go over & disect the entire schedule for the week & talk about which episodes of what shows were on which channel on what day at which time, you may not love it as much.

Still, though, do you realize you could've watched License to Drive a total of 7 times between Saturday and Thursday on Cinemax and Showtime?! What a time to be alive.

For the past 10 or 15 years, I've marveled with cold blood at what's become of Saturday morning programming - all of it, not just kids' stuff. It was once a jungle gym of game shows, franchise cartoons, young adult sitcoms, puppet shows, edited-for-TV action and horror movies, and The Three Stooges.
Versus today: Infomercials for non-stick pans and bodybuilding, credit score seminars, golf, college basketball, NCIS reruns, and station after station of severely local news. So, at the very least, I've complied a list of interesting programming that aired on the morning of Saturday, June 10, 1989, from 7am to 11am:

7:00AM
Sesame Street
Mighty Mouse
Wonder Woman
Marvel Action Universe
Gumby
Adventures of the Little Koala 

7:30AM
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
Smurfs' Adventures
Noozles

8:00AM
Flintstone Kids
Reading Rainbow
Popeye
Kids' Court

8:30AM
Superman
Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears
Archies
Wuzzles
Heathcliff

9:00AM
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies
Smurfs
Munsters Today
Chip 'n' Dale's Rescue Rangers
Mr. Wizard's World

9:30AM
Slimer! and The Real Ghostbusters
Degrassi Junior High
Sneak Previews
Donald Duck Presents

10:00AM
Pee-Wee's Playhouse
Chipmunks
Flipper
Finders Keepers

10:30AM
Garfield and Friends
ALF
Small Wonder
Pup Named Scooby Doo
Abbott and Costello
Gentle Ben
You Can't Do That On Television

Do not mistake this observation (though I can't imagine who would) as a comparison between the quality of shows from my youth and the quality of shows of today's youth; this is strictly an indictment of quantity. I'm sure places like Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network still offer a lineup of noisy brouhaha on any given morning, and regardless if it's a matter of monopolization or segregation, they don't reflect the sensation or the expanse of the event that it was.

The best (and obvious) explanation for this is streaming services - which weren't around much ten years ago, so it's hard to determine exactly when the disease was contracted.

This isn't a cynical analysis of the downward spiral of Television - this, please, cannot be that. But I will say that whatever children's cable programming is popular today will be best remembered as the 'finish line' for TV. It seems as though my generation was on the tail-end of a childhood institution that lasted over half a century. (Longer if you include radio.)

And when there are no more Saturday mornings, no more cartoons, no more toy stores, no more McDonald's, no more high fructose corn syrup, Mattel and Hasbro will become religions, Fred Flintstone and Tony the Tiger will become saints, Coca-Cola will be the blood of Ronald, and TV Guide will be holy scripture.

Lord, hear our prayer.

- Paul

Everybody's Wonderin' : Where The Leftovers Stands in The Greatest TV Shows Of All Time. Also, My Favorite TV Shows Of All Time

Nothing goes away anymore. Everything's adapted, readapted, sequelized, remade, rebooted, reheated. There are no more one-hit-wonders. Everything is kept alive with dance and song contests, Twitter, and Us Weekly. We're no longer given the chance to miss anything. So, when something we love is taken from us as quickly as it arrived, it's traumatizing.
It's probably safe to say that the old showbiz gospel of "leaving them wanting more" is exactly that: old.
On June 4th of 2017, The Leftovers ended its 3 season, 28 episode run. That's how web banners and newspaper blurbs eulogize what is now nothing more than a programming gap.
For those of us who experienced it, it leaves a lot more than a free Sunday night. I will miss it. I'll miss having new episodes to look forward to. But, because of what it was about, how it played out, and how it ended, the journey will continue. This is something a lot of contemporary fiction tries to achieve, and in my opinion, fails. But not with this one. Rarely do marks get hit this precisely. The show lasted 3 seasons, not because of cancellation due to lack of interest or funding, but because the story exists in an almost uninhabited world that floats between cinema and television. If it had run any longer, it would run the risk of any number of follies that befell even the best TV shows -- most notably, wearing out its welcome.
I won't get too much into what the show was about, nor try to dissect all its meanings; we've never done that kinda stuff here. What is worth pointing out are the show's qualities that I personally responded to. Sure, it dealt with universal themes that spoke to everyone on a subjective level, but I can really only talk about my own experience: what I look for, what I hope for, what surprises me.
Whenever I've had to describe the show, I said it's a darker and dirtier Lost. Or, Lost was A Hard Day's Night and Leftovers was The White Album; a disconnected group of intense and hilarious ideas -- organized chaos. It had a sense of humor that endlessly surprised me, and some of the most brutal violence that I may never want to look at again. I enjoy satire and dark humor, but what The Leftovers deals in is pace changes, which takes more ingenuity and backbone than the former. And it does it well.
Laughs and chills aside, the show was about about some heavy-duty shit: loss, metaphysics, the afterlife, faith, apocalypse, purpose, and the frailty and dangerous ignorance of the human condition. And yes, this has all been explored in one place before. And no, not on Twin Peaks and not on The X-Files.

It can no longer be ignored that, while Lost belongs to J. J. Abrams and The Leftovers belongs to Tom Perrotta, Damon Lindelof is The Man behind the curtain in these and other weird crevices (Star Trek, Prometheus, World War Z). It's funny, but, his movie & comic book stuff aside, the work he's done has filled me with more joy and wonder about life and the universe than Mark Twain, Einstein and David Lynch put together. This is notable, because this is television we're talking about. And I don't really like TV (more on that in a second).
I won't unravel the show's clues and symbols - one, because that's usually a bunch of pretentious hearsay, but mostly, I truly enjoy the mysteries. Over the course of the series, there were so many wrong turns and false leads that I honestly can't remember them all. That's when Twin Peaks worked best (and sucked when it didn't). And Lost too, obviously. And this angered and frustrated people. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but this show was actually about those very people: consumed by questions with no expectation of answers - just signposts that lead back to you. Perhaps that's why viewers were generally more receptive and engrossed than they were with past shows. Either that, or maybe just the concept, as sci-fi as it is, was a little more easy to grasp; anyone who's ever been through any kinda shit in their life and wondered "What did that all mean?" could relate. Lost presented the idea that we all may be important. The Leftovers let us know that we're not. But more notable than that, in the end, both shows were about love and family. It's notable, because something that sappy takes a lotta balls, and to do it convincingly, it takes a lotta skill.

If all of this seems vague, that's good. While I'm not incredibly anxious to give a lot away, at the same time, I'd like to keep it fresh for myself. I'd love some distance from it before I look at it again. Like I said, every episode of every season made big promises - like wrapped gifts. And in the end, most of them stayed wrapped. While it was largely based on a book, every development, every revelation, every foreshadow seemed intentional, and I knew most promises would go unfulfilled. The continual complaint that swirled around Lost viewers was, "They're just making it up as they go along." My response to that always was, and is, "That is, by definition, fiction."

This is a supposed "Golden Age" of television right now, although that seems relative. The Leftovers, True Detective, and Better Call Saul were all better than most movies to come out of the past five years. At the same time, sitcoms, gameshows, network dramas and even the news are all dead. Reality TV was never hip, and cartoons are generationally subjective. For as long as it's been around, television has been as important as pop music, Playboy & popcorn. Radio, part 2. We can't know its lasting impact this soon, but I can say that, thus far, even more than film, it's been nothing more than recorded theatre; a showcase of writing and performance. With some of these new shows, it's been drifting into more complex areas and actually tackling more abstract stuff & sometimes even managing to be visually stunning. I assume these advances are due to things like the size of TV screens, video on demand, and the internet.
I don't know if it's better, but it's certainly different. It's progress, which, believe it or not, I welcome and appreciate (and a label I would not assign to movies or music right now). And it certainly makes for some crazy list-making. It may be the least abstract art form, but it has many different avenues. How do you compare Mayberry R.F.D. to The Sopranos? They hardly seem like the same animal, never mind the same medium.
There may or may not be spoilers ahead. I'm not sure - I'm making it up as I go along.

- Paul

(Disclaimer: Looney Tunes and The Three Stooges were technically shorts, not TV shows.)

50. Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule (2010-present)
Spinoffs can be one-note. But when they work, it's because it's the best note plucked out of the original symphony.
The world (and it is its own demented - yet familiar - world) of Dr. Steve Brule goes so far beyond standard comedy, it ventures into a surrealism that borders on sweaty nightmare.

49. DuckTales (1987-1990)
Apart from some of the Pixar movies, this is the only cool thing Disney has ever done.
The original character of Scrooge (and a lot of Dickensian stuff) has interested me since I was little.
That and a lifelong lust for cartoon gold and treasure.

48. Friends (1994-2004)
You gotta give credit where credit is due. It actually started strong and never really jumped the shark.
Unlike shows of this ilk being made today, it never got dark, and through writing and performance, the characters were actually likable. I do miss that.

47. The Critic (1994-1995)
Despite its very accomplished producers, writers, and voice talents, it's not nearly as good as you-know-what. But it is good. Top 50 good. If for nothing else, marvel at the comic chops of genre actor Charles Napier as the voice of Ted Turner-esque Duke Phillips.

46. Eastbound and Down (2009-2013)
Inferno. The Odyssey. The road to redemption is polluted with temptation and hellfire. Smarts and bravery could help. But really, you just need some self-absorbing arrogance and blind optimism.
It's funny in American politics, but it's actually rad when it's Kenny Motherfuckin' Powers.

45. Perfect Strangers (1986-1993)
A dangerous mixture of slapstick and pathos.
Sure, anyone can enjoy some corn syrup in an ironic way, but if your soul is pure, it's an intense free fall into an abyss of innocence and joy.
And that ain't irony.

44. Degrassi Junior High (1987-1989)
An idealistic and sometimes honest time capsule of a very specific time (the 1980s) and place (school).
Sure, that's the basic setup of a lot of fiction, but there can be only one class president.
It was an after school special that kept on specialin'.

43. The Adventures of Pete & Pete (1991-1996)
Perhaps a more accurate and realistic depiction of the journey of youth is the most surrealistic one.
Though sharper and deeper than the programming before and after, it certainly helped to set the tone for the world of Nickelodeon.

42. Inside the Actors Studio (1994-present)
Say what you may - depending on the guest, it was great fun for any movie lover. And whether he was kissing ass or making fun of himself, I've always liked James Lipton.
Plus, it had the second best Angelo Badalamenti TV theme.

41. Cheers (1982-1993)
Sexual tension, big punchlines, catchphrases, steady regulars and one-off guest stars. It was the last of its kind, which means it inspired nothing, but incorporated everything.
Never again would TV be as sweet and simple as a place where everybody knows your name.

40. Absolutely Fabulous (1992-1996, 2001-2004, 2011-2012)

Women behaving badly long, long before the likes of Amy Schumer and Melissa McCarthy.
You might be inclined to look deeper, but it may be nothing more than a high fashion, dry British Cheech & Chong. And that's just gorgeous, sweetie darling.

39. Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995)
The strangest cartoon adaptation I've seen.
Inspired just as much by the movies as the comics (it used the Danny Elfman theme), it's actually more complex, serious, and deliberately paced than the films.
It works, and that's why Batman rocks: straight up cops & robbers, gangsters & vigilantes, freak vs. freaks.

38. Twin Peaks (1990, 1991, present)
The greatest moments ever put on television. Unfortunately, that's all they were: moments. I think we said it once here before: the idea of Twin Peaks was smarter and spookier than the television show Twin Peaks.
At the time I'm writing this, I've not seen the newest season, but from what I'm hearing (mostly from you guys) is that it seems to fall into line with my original original expectations.

37. M*A*S*H (1972-1983)
Here's an instance where the TV show is better than the movie.
The lineup changed as often as a sports team, but that never hurt it. In fact, it made for fun debate: Blake or Potter, Trapper or BJ, Frank or Winchester.
And then, just as the show started to get waaaay smug, it unleashed the finale of finales.

36. Baywatch (1989-1990, 1991-2001)
If you've never seen it, it's everything you thought it was, but a lot more. Hour-long melodramas featuring murderers, thieves, terrorists and sharks, padded out with bizarre music videos, all in bikinis and short shorts. Effective? Yes. Timeless? Goodness, no. It's something to behold.

35. Jackass (2000-2002)
It's easy to see how much money & talent is wasted on TV programming when you realize all you wanna see are skaters breaking their shit. The invention of television came to a head into its purest form with this singular show. Performance art (which is what this box is for). Reality shows were supposed to go this way, not into dating contests.

34. Tales From the Crypt (1989-1996)
Back then, no one knew what the limitations of HBO were, or how depraved our favorite Hollywood stars were. The Crypt showed us, and even still, nothing's topped it as the dirtiest and goriest program ever shown on... the TV scream!

33. Coach (1989-1997)
Very, very few shows ever dared to borrow elements from All in the Family and air long enough to tell about it.
It had a funny supporting cast, but the show's only real strength was playing on the old (but still potent) formula of the conservative ogre as a laughable, misguided oaf; still making fun of Father Knows Best as "Father Don't Know Shit."

32. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987-1996)
Yeah, the original. Though I don't think there's a ton of support for any later versions from anyone over the age of 11.
So now, what then?
What can I say about the show that everyone pretty much agrees was the hottest pizza this side of Saturday morning? After all the comics and movies and toys, this is how they'll be remembered. It was funny enough and weird enough that as an adult I can still watch it and be completely immersed.

31. The Wonder Years (1988-1993)
It made me nostalgic for a time & place I've never been to. Of all the books I've read and movies I've seen, that's a trick that's damn-near impossible to pull off.
That's why it was so great - I was able to connect with it on as many levels as my father could.

30. Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1978-1979, 1984-present)
Not just to have a gameshow on the list, but if it is the only one, it might as well be the best.
Perfectly paced with no frills - forever the antidote to dreck like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

29. Mad About You (1992-1999)
A slightly more mature version of Friends - mostly because it deals with the minutia of marriage instead of single life (and it does it accurately).
If you came to love this couple the way many of us did, do yourself a favor & skip the last two seasons.

28. Better Call Saul (2015-present)
Who woulda thought? The supporting comic relief in one of the most intense TV shows ever made would spin off into something that was actually deeper than, more subtle than, but just as engrossing as its predecessor (and most other shows).
Great performances.

27. Punky Brewster (1984-1988)
With its candy-colored title card over a shot of brown, 1980s Chicago mixed with its AM disco theme song, the entire tone of the show (and maybe an entire orthodoxy unto itself) was established: pop 'n lock rainbow optimism in the face of foster homes, social workers and a distrust of familial stability.
Heavy stuff for a kid's show, but there's that Dickens quality again. I joke that each episode feels like a Christmas special.

26. Miami Vice (1984-1989)
Style over substance doesn't always work - especially on TV (CSI, 24). So when it does, it'd better be one badass style. And none do badass style like Michael Mann.
Like Twin Peaks, it never really lived up to its fullest potential in my eyes. But also like Twin Peaks, the mood lives on and contemporizes itself into great things (like, in the case of both shows, feature films).

25. Get Smart (1965-1970)
Sight gags and one-liners poke fun at the once and future self-serious spy genre - courtesy of creators Mel Brooks and Buck Henry.
It's a brand of satire that's all but gone now, at a time when it could really thrive (I think we're getting laughably dark with all these superheroes).

24. Beakman's World (1992-1998)
Nothing against Bill Nye as a man or scientist, but his show was shit.
Beakman had a frenetic excitement that was engaging without being obnoxious, and funny in a lot of adult and profound ways. And the stuff they taught, I still remember.

23. Roseanne (1988-1997)
After years of Growing Pains and Family Ties, they finally made a show that made me think, "hey, this is more like my family." Of course, that was always shamelessly their intention, and sometimes tried too hard.
But still, for those first few years it was my favorite show as it aired. And if not for those last two seasons, it would be higher on the list.

22. Columbo (1968-1978, 1989-1998, 2002-2003)
Lotta cop shows around that time, full of car chases and shoot-outs... I guess that never really went out of fashion. But there hasn't been much quite like this, and never another character like Lieutenant Columbo.
The endless parade of guest villains (Patrick McGoohan, John Cassavetes, Donald Pleasence, Patrick McGoohan, Patrick McGoohan) were always ready for confrontation, while Columbo remained laid back, affable, and intentionally aloof. I could always relate.

21. MXC (2003-2007)
I'm a simple man in many ways.
Regardless of that, any idea this transparent could've been dumb - or dumber: footage of Japanese gameshow Takeshi's Castle - already funny on its own - dubbed with English-language faux sports commentary full of stilted banter and bad puns, all boiling down to the fact that a lot can be said about sharp comedy writing.
That & people falling down.

20. Boy Meets World (1993-2000)
Speaking of great comedy writing.
I never saw an episode till I was about 30, but that didn't stop me from learning a thing or two from Mr. Feeny or falling in love with Topanga.
I suppose that's a testament to the show's ability to reach all ages and generations.

19. Frasier (1993-2004)
It may not've been the most innovative or poignant show ever put out, but I like it. I like it more than Cheers. And the idea of making fun of pretentious fops will always be appealing to me.
Like a lot of shows on this list, a few seasons too many.

18. Saved By The Bell (1989-1993)
Has anyone really ever been able to put their finger on the secret ingredient of this soda? It was meta. It was hyperrealism. Beautiful people with superficial, distant problems.
It was fantasy, & we all pretended it was reality. Any piece of art that can fool us like that is magic.

17. Are You Afraid Of The Dark? (1990-1996, 1999-2000)
Rod Serling-type chills aimed at little kids, with just the right amount of spooky and funny.
Such a good idea.
A few imitations around that time, but nothing really like it since then. In fact, after two decades, the only thing that followed that same recipe is Stranger Things.

16. Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (2007-2010)
A psychedelic collage of color, sound and movement. An existential head trip into subconscious terrors. Barf and poop jokes. It's everything and nothing.
Fill in the blank: it's ________ on acid, on steroids, on Robitussin, on toast.
Thanks, Cinco!

15. Unwrapped (2001-2011)
Combining a food program with a how-it's-made program is my kinda program. That, combined with Marc Summers's sunny disposition made the whole show feel like a warm brownie.
Nothing deeper than that.

14. True Detective (2014-2015)
Season one is one of the greatest pieces of fiction ever produced. Season two couldn't live up to that & tried too hard to do so. But I like it enough.
I like the new age concept of anthology series, and varying quality just acts as an added differentiating factor from season to season. Except, it's more effective if there were more seasons to differentiate.
Rumors of a third still pop up. I'm rooting for it in a big way.

13. The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991-1995)
A huge step (and maybe the last) in what cartoons and children's programming in general is capable of.
Somehow, SpongeBob became the popular one, which couldn't have existed without this mad splat of sex and gore that also managed to be sweet and charming. And funny as all hell.

12. Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995-1998)
Most people had a book or album that got them through high school. My book or album was Mr. Show. It was my own private cult, because no one else was hip to it. The benefit of that was that I could peel off lines like they were my own & no one was the wiser.
It's a shame it never caught on, though I'm glad its stars and creators have consistently been around, in one capacity or another, ever since.

11. Married... With Children (1987-1997)
Kinda mean-spirited and one-dimensional, but definitely not lowbrow.
It was live action Looney Tunes, and the first half of the series featured comedy writing worthy of Norman Lear.
It's funny that some people - men mostly - mistook it as gospel rather than satire; it gave it a bad name, but that doesn't intrude on this list.
Jumped the shark with the introduction of "NO MA'AM."

10. The Leftovers (2014-2017)
What more can I say?
Who knows if it'll move up or down over time. I will say, unlike nearly all these other shows, it never had & never will have the chance at a bad season. That will forever be one of its strengths; I may change, but it won't.

9. Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-2011, present)
Speaking of darker and dirtier versions of older shows...
You never know - someday, it may top Seinfeld for me: it's somehow simultaneously broader & more specific, meaner & more forgiving, realistic & more absurd, funnier & more serious.
But even without another show to compare it to, it's still pretty, pretty, pretty good.

8. Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
The only show I truly "binge watched" from beginning to end. And how could you not? Put simply, once it starts, it doesn't stop, until it does.
With all its amazing characters and locations and plot twists, its most amazing feat to me was that it was the only piece of pulp fiction I've ever seen that didn't glamorize the crime life. As cool as Walter Heisenberg White was, it was stressful enough watching it. Couldn't imagine wanting to live it.

7. Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969-1974)
Sketch comedy: originated, personified, still unmatched.
Each episode was like a compilation album of unrelated songs that still somehow managed to bleed into each other. Even when sketches ran too long, it was still absurd and unpredictable.
It was, itself, The Ministry of All Things Silly.

6. The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966)
Of all the idealistic nuclear family sitcoms that were born (& died) of the 20th century, this is number one on that list.
To be very specific, there are things that are funny for their time, and there are timelessly funny things. Dick Van Dyke is the latter.

5. All in the Family (1971-1979)
There's idealistic, then there's realistic - kinda.
They were stereotypes in a show about stereotypes. As frustrating as it was hilarious.
And speaking of timeless: every big issue they dealt with is, tragically and completely, 100% relevant today. That's why it's worth watching, and rewatching, right now: everything is best combatted by laughing about it, and at it.

4. Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-1999, present)
The entire concept was a thing of beauty, and it was in the hands of talented experts. And for the most part, it still is.
It's tough to describe it to someone who's never seen or heard of it (I've tried, and it's hilariously exhausting). Even when I discovered it, when MTV inexplicably aired an episode back in '93, it took me some time to figure out what the hell I was looking at.
Once you get it, you're either into it or not. I'm still hooked - new episodes and all.

3. Seinfeld (1989-1998)
I recently rewatched the entire series, from beginning to end. Twice.
I always knew it was uneven in quality. Watching it chronologically magnifies that fact, and at the same time, unifies it as one complete comedic, nihilistic journey. Each season recruited (and fired) its writing staff, which created less of an evolution, and more of a counterclockwise swirl; it began nowhere and ended nowhere, and was, at its core, about nothing.

2. Lost (2004-2010)
The only thing better than a show about nothing is a show about everything.
Like Seinfeld, it never ran out of steam (though seasons 1, 3, and 5 were weakest) and disappointed viewers with its finale. And in the case of both shows, and what people didn't make an effort to try to understand, is that when you're dealing with issues that are bigger than us, or too small to notice, that there is no end.
Personally, I've never been so quick to renounce an entire journey because I wasn't satisfied with the end (in fiction or in life).
All monsters, time travel, faith and science aside, if nothing more, this show introduced me to some of the most impressive acting talents I've ever seen -- specifically Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn.

1. The Simpsons (1989-present)
There is no moment in my life that can't be reflected by a line or a scene or an entire episode.
And speaking of radically uneven quality: it's been around long enough that, statistically, it doesn't matter. When it was good (seasons 3-15) it was really, really good. Van Johnson-good! They can make new episodes till the end of time, but it can't hurt that legacy.
Satire only works when it's subtle (which is why I don't like a handful of those other animated shows) and when it was hot, it nailed it. But it was also sight gags, slapstick, one liners, political humor, religious humor, highbrow, lowbrow, and anything else you can think of.
But most importantly, during that period (and before it) it really stayed sweet and innocent. That's maybe its greatest accomplishment: satire without cynicism. I'm hard-pressed to think of any other fiction in any other medium that has dared to even try that. It's the best.
But you know the pattern: just stay away from those later seasons.