Greatest US Drama Television Series?



Roundabout said:
then the show tanked and went to pot.
If you don't believe me, ask yourself why it's off the air?
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I think W. Earl Brown, the actor who played Dan Doherty, begs to differ.

Dan Motherfuckin Doherty said:
It has nothing to do with pregnancies. It has nothing to do with conservative watchdogs.

It has everything to do with money.

Chris Albrecht, HBO CEO, is in danger of losing his job. The network is bleeding red ink. His production side lost a ton of money. They sunk 120-million into ROME. They are committed contractually to another season, plus they have 120 invested already.

On DEADWOOD, they did not get foreign rights. Paramount had a deal with Milch to work for them. In exchange for them releasing him to HBO, they got foreign rights to our show. So for three years, HBO has not seen that money from around the world.

While we are the second biggest show on HBO, we are the 2nd most expensive to make (half of what ROME costs, mind you). Chris has shareholders to answer to and is panicked to cut the bottom line. Never mind the fact, that in 2004 he posted a 1-Billion dollar profit (the most for ANY network. Ever.) You might've won the Super Bowl last year, but if you go 0-16 this season, you're looking for another coaching job.

We had been given word of season four. They trumpeted the announcment of the season to the press in March. Chris, obviously having not been raised the way I was where a man's word is his bond, reneged on us. He offered Milch the opportunity to wrap up the series with either a 2 hour movie or an order of six episodes. David refused, feeling that to conclude with anything short of a full season (which we'd already been given word of) would demean all the work we'd done prior. I agree.

The shitty part of this is David's Paramount deal is over this year. Starting with season four, HBO would own the show outright. All world monies would be theirs. BUT... that doesn't help Chris with the shareholders today. He is cutting off his nose to spite his face.

Write HBO. Call HBO. Email HBO. It amounts to the bottom line. If the are overun by subscibers and the threatened cancellations are enough of an issue to seriously cut into their cash flow, they might change track.

Bottom line matters. CARNIVALE only had a weekly viewership of 2-3 million. SOPRANOS, on the opposite end, has 10-12. DEADWOOD drew 5-6. ROME has a comparable draw, although their viewership dwindled as the show went on. However (this is solely my opinion having constantly encountered fans on the street, in airports, etc. who are only now getting into the show via dvd of season 1) DEADWOOD is (was) still ascending.

We've been cut off at the knees.

Read this. Memorize this. I'm afraid some Monitor from Big Brother will soon delete it and I will never work for HBO again... at least while Albrecht is at the helm.
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Ace Rimmer said:
.... Your sports are pussified versions of real men sports invented by Brits and perfected by Aussies, and seemed designed for advert breaks with your constant stopping of watches... but holy shit.. if there is one thing Americans can do awesomely...
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1. I will assume you are talking about rubgy? Yes, that is definitely a tough sport. As much as I like to watch soccer, drives me nuts seeing the pussy's take a flop and cry like bitches. The EPL is the only one worth watching IMHO

2. I do agree about the advert time...latest example from is the NCAA and their under 16, 12 8 and 4 min timeouts.

3. I do watch the BBC America from time to time. not much different than what I can get on ABC.

4. Don't watch a lot of network series, just don't have the time to get into them. Maybe when I am older.
 
moratraffic said:
Since you brought up before 2000, I have to go with 90210 or Melrose Place FTW
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I can't deny that these two shows were "the thing" to watch while I was younger, and I definitely enjoyed them during their heyday. Not sure they'd rank in the top dramas ever on television, more like top cheezy, nonsensical, silly dramas that were fun to watch perhaps? Pure SOAPS.

To the guy who said MASH.. right on!

But once you pick MASH you begin going into the comedy-drama direction. You'd have to begin including Cheers, etc and then you've gone away from the drama theme really.

If we're in the 1980s would need to include Hill Street Blues.

1990s: Murder One (anybody ever see this one? Season 1 was simply amazing), ER would have to be up there too. West Wing, etc.
 
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[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyXeClFPNfA"]YouTube - Best Ari Gold Speech Ever[/ame]

nuf said
 
Dexter is my favorite show out there def. watch it, from what you said about blood and sex and shit you should love it. Entourage is hilarious and sexy. I love breaking bad also which you mentioned. Give lost another shot! And the wire is so sick. so good. so hood.
 
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