Is MSCL the greatest television series of all time?

[oldguy]

Presumably, if you're here at this site, you have some interest
in the show, "My So-Called Life" (MSCL). I'm not the biggest
TV-watcher in the world, but I'm willing to cast my vote now that
MSCL is the greatest TV series ever. I wonder how many agree.
I mean, I'm sure there will be arguments like, "How could a show
cancelled after one season be the greatest series of all time?"
But let's face it --- MSCL was flat out the best --- superior across
genres, eras, etc.

What is the competition? ----- "ER" ? .... "Seinfeld" ? ...
"The X-Files" ? --- These are great shows too, but can they
really compare to MSCL? Throwing aside foolish pandering
to popularity & ratings --- and all that --- wouldn't you vote for
MSCL as the greatest show ever?

MSCL flat out floored me when I first watched an
episode in Fall '94. There is nothing comparable -----
nothing on that same level of excellence. There is
simply no other example of a television program that
reaches this high a level of pure art, pure perfection.

What do you guys think ????????????????????

[saake]

mcsl the gratest show ever.. Yes i think so. i havent had tapes of mcsl until some days ago.. When mcsl was on tv here in sweden i was totaly absorb by it. And as the yers past i rememberd the show qite clerly and i must say that a tv show that makes that inpakt on a person (me) must be the best ever.

"In my humbel opinion"

Åke

ps Anny spelling or grammatical error is a produkt of my dyslexia and a languge barier..

[ataris]

MSCL is flat out the best television show ever.

[emmie]

what do I think? yes, MSCL is the best television show ever. why do I think this way? my post about the greatest quality pretty much sums it up. and then plus everything oldguy said. I couldn't have said it better myself, so why try?


emmie

[Alee]

I have to say, I do think it's the greatest show of all time. And also, anyone here...if you're looking for other good shows, or anything to compete with the greatest show of all time...it will always be thought of in comparison to MSCL...and therefore how could anything compare? Simply because it is not MSCL. We love this, every aspect of the stories and characters, and that's what we think of. Something new just seems so foreign...as I remember someone saying on the board, we have MSCL on a pedastal.

[gromit]

Yes, MSCL is the greatest show. And of course it was cancelled too soon, just
link every other show that I really enjoyed. I loved Twin Peaks and, more
recently, Cupid (another one season show cancelled by the evil execs at ABC),
but I must say, comparing all three, MSCL is still the best. Yes, the show
is on a pedestal, and with so few episodes, each seems perfectly crafted, and
there's no ugly end-of-series-tapering-off-of-quality that lots of long-running
series get (anyone remember Moonlighting? Or currently The X-Files?).

Though we may wish for more episodes, perhaps MSCL is better for it in all its
short-lived glory.

-sh

[Jack]

Cupid was made by some of the same people who made MSCL. I've not seen it, but
as good as I've heard it was, it doesn't surprise me.

[mia]

Cupid was a great show. It had real possibilities - and then it was yanked. I guess those of us who expect more out of TV than formula dramas or dumbed down comedies are just out of luck.

[emmie]

to be honest, I've never even heard of Cupid. and I think not many people had heard of MSCL before it was on MTV. many the execs at ABC just have bad advertising skills.

[majesty]

I think MSCL is certainly one of the best and most enduring TV dramas. (I judge sitcoms differently.)

I absolutely love it and I know I always will. I have three favorite TV dramas: MSCL, Freaks and Geeks (another show which also ended prematurely after one season ) and Veronica Mars. I don't know how many fans cross over as fans of all three shows, but I'm aware of many people who are fans of at least two. I think of MSCL as the first of its kind which later spawned Freaks and Geeks and Veronica Mars. They are all different, but they share similarities, like strong female protagonists and original and honest portrayals of adolescence.

[Natasha (candygirl)]

I love all three shows, so there are at least two of us out there!

[Jody Barsch*]

I'm another one. Freaks & Geeks and Veronica Mars are big favorites of mine (although, it did take me a season and a half to originally get on board with V Mars).
However, as many things I love about MSCL, how many times I've seen the episodes, how many times I bought the episodes even, and the time I've spent on this site, I can't give my "greatest" vote to My So-Called Life. My MSCL fandom may be in a multiple-year ebb right now, but I'd definitely have to add West Wing and absolutely DEADWOOD to my running of 'Greatest Television Series of All Time'. "Life of Brian" is a damn good episode though.

[majesty]

Woohoo! I'm glad there are more fans of my "Big 3."

[4alifetime]

I'd say this a tough question, because it's hard to compare different genres. And of course it's very personal. So on a personal note I will say that I think MSCL was the best show ever put on television and more specifically the only show to ever accurately portray teen life. It was perfect for its time and yet ahead of its time. I, probably like many girls out there, felt I was Angela Chase! I had a Jordan, a couple of Rayanne's, a Sharon, a Brian, etc. I watch the show and think "Oh my god, I had that same thought once!" There was just so much to relate too it was insane. I'm 28 years old with 2 kids and I still watch this show. Probably always will!

[Cami A.]

Yes. MSCL = Greatest Show Of All Time.
Followed far behind by October Road as 2nd.
And even further behind by Brothers and Sisters.
Other shows I do enjoy are Grey's Anatomy, Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives, Samantha Who, Life On Mars, Big Love...