MY Favorite Television Shows of All-Time

Hi folks. In my time I've watched a lot of television, as anyone who knows me will attest. And, there have been good shows and bad shows and shows that were so mediocre that no one remembers them. But, there are always a few shows that seem to stand out above the rest or, that seem to make a lasting impression.

So, here is a listing of my favorite shows. Notice I said, MY favorite. Not the best, because after all, when you're dealing with a medium that spanned fifty years (I like to think that modern TV really began in that year), is it really possible to choose a BEST? Also, since I was born in the 70s, and I wasn't really allowed to watch growing up, most of these shows are from the 90s, and the others I discovered via cable.

Benson (1979-1986)

Brooklyn Bridge (1991-1993)
The story of a young Jewish boy growing up in 1950s Brooklyn. Starring Danny Gerard, Matthew Louis Siegal, and Marion Ross

The Equalizer (1985-1989)

Hill Street Blues (1981-1987)

Homicide (1993- )

I'll Fly Away (1991-1993)

Law and Order (1990- )

NewsRadio (1995- )

Remember WENN (1994- )
Set just prior to World War II, this comedy series on AMC details the life of a small, independent Pittsburgh radio station. Follow the above link to the column about this great series.

ROC (1991-1994)

The Simpsons (1989- )

I think this is my favorite situation comedy of all time. It came on the air in 1991, around the time I was finishing up my baseball phase. As it happened, I had become a huge Brooklyn Dodger fan (yes, I know that as with most things of which I became a fan, I was several decades too late, but here was a show where "Dem Bums" played a huge part of the show. Also, it was set in New York City. And not just any New York City, but New York City of the 1950s, a time when Lindy's still reigned (yes, I know that's Manhattan) and men still wore hats. And, they were Jewish. Now that was cool. After all, asided from the Goldbergs, how many shows were there that actually showcased Jewish characters. And, I'm not just talking about actors.

Now, you may be shouting, "hey what about Seinfeld? You can't say he's not Jewish." And it's true. He's Jewish, and his character is Jewish. When was the last time you heard him talking about the difficulties of fasting on Yom Kippur. Although, now that I think about it, wouldn't that be a great riff? The difficulties of finding tickets for synagogue during the High Holy Days ... particularly during the High Holy Days. But, back to Brooklyn Bridge.

"Brooklyn Bridge" was executive produced by Gary David Goldberg, the man who brought us "Family Ties," and it was his creative baby. And you could tell. Everything was done with such care. The acting was top notch, and the cast was filled with veterans of both the stage and screen. Even the boys playing the children were old timers in show business terms. Danny Gerard (Alan, 14, the older son) had just finished a run in Neil Simon's "Lost in Yonkers" and Matthew Louis Siegal (Nathaniel, 9, the younger son) had been in commercials since he was around 3. And of course there was Marion Ross as the grandmother Sophie Berger. She managed to make me forget Mrs. Cunningham. I think it was the accent. As soon as she spoke, for some reason, I kept picturing my great aunt Rosey. Of course the only thing they had in common was they each emigrated to America just before WWII.

There was a feeling of genuine warmth engendered on this program. It was felt in the home, around the table, where the family actually talked to each other, instead of at each other. There was a feeling of respect, even from the children. And, while the kids were precocious, they weren't overly so. There was never a feeling that the adults existed just to be made to look bad. Even the teachers were seen as positive influences, rather than mere ogres.

From the first episode, viewers knew that this was a special show about a special group of people in a special time in America. The first episode is when nice Jewish boy Alan met nice Catholic girl Katie Monahan (Jenny Lewis), a relationship that Sophie came to accept, although never seemed to warm to. That is also the episode where Nathanial learned his grandfather Jules Berger (Louis Zorich) played against Gil Hodges in Russia. Being nine years old, he believed everything his grandfather said, and when he went to a local bank opening where Hodges was making an appearance, he was not disappointed. When little Nathaniel asked Hodges if he remembered playing against his grandfather, Hodges played along. It was at the end of this scene that the sweetest exchange in any television show I've ever seen occurred.

(Nathaniel received his autograph and turned away to show it to a friend)
Berger: Do you know what a mensch is Mr. Hodges?
Hodges: No sir, I don't.
Berger: You sir, are a mensch.

Now for the non-Yiddish speaking people out there (like me, except for a few choice words), technically the word mensch means a man. But, it goes slightly further than that. It really means a really good person, in the best sense of the word. And, it also happens to be my favorite word in any language.

This episode really set the tone for the rest of the season. It was sweet, but not sickeningly so. There were some very funny lines found throughout, particularly in the interplay between the children and Sid Elgart, the proprieter of the corner candy store.

Week after week, viewers followed the travails of Alan and Nathaniel Silver through their daily life. We were there to witness the heartbreak when Jackie Robinson was traded to the dreaded Giants. We saw the first signs of teenage rebellion in Alan when he joined a Doo Wop group. We met Katie's family, and finally saw Sophie meet her match in Katie's father, Capt. Monahan (James Naughton, in an amazing characterization).

In my opinion, the show seemed to hit its peak in later episodes which dealt with darker themes, including the Holocaust. One episode introduced Joel Grey as Sophie's cousin, who just arrived in America and who she hadn't seen since they were children. He lost his son and wife to the Nazis. Up until this time, the horror of the Holocaust was kept from Alan because the parents thought he was too young to handle the truth. Remember, this was taking place just about a decade after the war ended, so he would have been about 4 when the whole story came out. Alan had heard the whispers and was determined to learn the truth from his cousin. Sophie, on the other hand wanted her cousin to forget the horrors, and still wanted to shield her grandson, so she refused to let them talk about it. Grey convinced her that he truth must be told so Alan would truly appreciate all that he has. The acting and writing on that episode was truly heartbreaking.

As it stood, "Brooklyn Bridge" only lasted two years, and was cancelled woefully before its time. I saw an interview with the cast and producers of the show, in which Goldberg said that in later seasons he would have opened the show to include more of Katie's family (which he did to some extent in season 2), but unfortunately, he never got the chance. Before the show started, there was a fear that middle America would never get Jewish New York in the 1950s. But, the magic was that the show did get past those barriers. We were watching a likeable family made up of likeable people survive life with love, laughter and sometimes tears. What could be more universal than that? If you are a fan of "Brooklyn Bridge" why not join the Brooklyn Bridge mailing list?

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