I blame you!

[The Comrade]

[Spider]

No, Galt is right, BSG really was one of the high water marks, not just for scifi, but for TV. The show was truly excellent.

[Spider]

[exploited]

I'm guessing that each and every one of you is heavily invested in science fiction.

Because that is the only way to construe BSG as one of the best shows in TV history. Although I suppose we should really be more clear: it is one of the best if the list is, say, a Top 25.

Obviously you're entitled to your opinion. But I'm just saying that it takes a true sci-fi fan to make that statement. Also, to be clear, are we talking about new or old?

[The Comrade]

no it doesn't. the entire series achieved critical acclaim and has been praised pretty much across the board by everyone. it was an amazingly well done television series.

[exploited]

I could very well be wrong. I watched it well after it was over. Last year. So this could be a case of me not recognizing how good it is because everyone else has since borrowed from it. From my 2013 eyes it was a good show that didn't especially stand out as being THAT good. Shows off the top of my head that I liked more:

The Wire
The Sopranos
Breaking Bad
West Wing
The World at War
Boardwalk Empire
Band of Brothers
Mad Men
Louie
TPB (har har)

Best sci-fi show? For sure. Top 10 drama? Maybe.

[The Comrade]

[Spider]

My personal list goes:

Breaking Bad
The Wire
BSG
Deadwood
Six Feet Under

I'm excluding miniseries and docs.

BSG was so amazing because it was able to charge directly into complex ideas in a way that more "realistic" mainstream dramas simply can't. The writers could dive directly into ethics, ontology, metaphysics, etc, in a really deep, holistic way-as built directly into the narrative and broken into character roles. BSG didn't even blink as it went into free will vs predestination, bioethics and transhumanism. It was simply the best show ever done on Big Ideas. Science fiction can create settings, characters, and circumstances that allow the writers to explore the fuzzier philosophical things that a crime drama can only really allude to. BSG wrote the political events of the day into their episodes. They didn't shy away from exploring concepts like torture, rape, and murder as they relate to these synthetic people, nor did they shy away from exploring the definition of personhood itself. The writers didn't puss out. The just went for it.

The best thing BSG did was religion. The humans all were all polytheists, believing in what seemed to be progenitors or Greek and Roman pantheons, while their enslaved creations spontaneously develop monotheism, despite understanding their position as creations and the human position as creator. Half the characters on the show are fueled by strong religious beliefs, and the contrast between them and how it all tied together with the revelations at the end...totally blew minds.

Plus, BSG, more than any other show, effectively captured the interplay between political and military factors, and they created a military organization that was totally believable. They basically put an aircraft carrier into space, and crewed with characters that could just as easily by portrayals of US Navy personnel. And this in itself is a big deal, as 90% of television, being written by someone without the first clue, gets all of it completely wrong.

Its not a perfect show, and its 3rd on my list for a lot of reasons, but its one of the greats. Easy top 5.

/rant.

[exploited]

Don't get me wrong, I liked the show, but I would never think of it as one of the best.

[Philly]

Don't get me wrong; I love Breaking Bad, but it's gotta be the most overrated show of all time. Can't believe anyone who has seen the Wire would put BB at #1. The Sopranos is also easily better and Mad Men edges it out as well. If Boardwalks final season continues to impress that will probably take a spot above BB as well.

Also the west wing, while endearing at first, sucks and all things considered Veep is actually a better portrayal.