But on the other hand, count me in as a nonwatcher of Breaking Bad and Sopranos. Even though I live in Sopranos land. I’ve eaten many many times in the place they filmed the last scene.
1 Like
That’s it.
Derry Girls is a UK show that was only ranked ~3000/18000 in popularity on Netflix globally. I doubt there is a broad enough audience to get a large number of votes from persons participating in the best 100 TV shows of 21st century voting. I’ve never seen the show as well, but I’ve read good things about it.
I’d make similar comments about shows like Dark. Dark is an exceptionally high quality show, but being international (German) limits the number of votes, in spite of having an English language version on Netflix. Dark did not make the list.
There are a few exceptions to this generalization. Squid Game is a Korean show that reached #1 in all 93 Netflix countries during its premier week. It’s among the most viewed Netflix shows of all time and did make the list (#72). I loved Season 1 of Squid Game, as much as nearly any other show on the list. Unfortunately I found the other seasons disappointing, particularly the recent S3. Because of the decline in later seasons and lack of “quality” type measures, I think #72 is not unreasonable.
Derry Girls is hilarious, but yeah, subtitles a must.
Has no one mentioned Shrinking? As much as I love Ted Lasso, I think I love Shrinking even more. Such brilliant writing – and what an amazing cast.
3 Likes
Expanding on my earlier comment, a similar list of Best 100 TV Shows of The 21st Century with a more international perspective is at The 100 greatest TV series of the 21st Century . This list was ranked by 206 “TV experts” in 46 countries. It incudes Dark (#58), but not Derry Girls. Some of the differences include:
Higher Ranked on BBC / International List
- The Americans (#8)
- Bojack Horseman (#11)
- Fargo (#35)
- Community (#44)
- Orange Is The New Black (#65)
- American Crime Story (#77)
Lower Ranked on BBC / International List
- Curb Your Enthusiasm (#21)
- Veep (#24)
- Friday Night Lights (#28)
- Battlestar Gallactica (#70)
- Modern Family (Not in top 100)
- The Great British Baking Show (Not in top 100)
1 Like
Sacrilege!! Poor old Auntie.
Not really more international. It’s still very Anglo-centric; there’s only a handful of non-English-language shows
2 Likes
I loved Orange is the New Black!
1 Like
I meant that 86% of persons voting on the list were from non-USA countries. A breakdown as well as how they voted is at The greatest TV series of the 21st Century: Who voted . I agree that the vast majority are voting for the same type of shows, regardless of their country. There are a few exceptions. For example, all the reps from Turkey had notably different lists from the overall breakdown. An example is below:
Umur Tas – TV journalist - FilmLoverss (Turkey)
1. The Comeback (2005-2014)
2. Olive Kitteridge (2014)
3. Enlightened (2011-2013)
4. The Leftovers (2014-2017)
5. The Good Wife (2009-2016)
6. Veneno (2020)
7. Mad Men (2007-2015)
8. Looking (2014-2015)
9. Episodes (2011-2017)
10. 7 Numara (2000-2003)
I don’t know if Death, Inc is on the list nor do I know what it is - but my wife told me it is maybe the funniest show she’s seen - that it’s Schitt’s Creek funny…another one I had no interest in.
As I suspected, this list wouldn’t have a lot of what we watch. (Only 11 that we have watched every episode.) My husband is extremely squeamish and neither of us like the anti-hero shows. We also find a lot of modern comedy not funny. I think some British shows should be here like The Detectorists or Broadchurch. Money Heist (Casa de Papel) is great. I think for sci-fi it’s criminal to ignore Firefly and For All Mankind. Babylon Berlin was fabulous though my husband nixed watching the final season on the grounds that it was going to be way too depressing!
3. Mad Men - watched a few episodes disliked.
6. Game of Thrones - watched despite violence. Very well done and I am probably one of the few who actually was amused by the ending.
12. Arrested Development - hated watched about half the first season
17. The Americans - one of the best shows I’ve seen
20. The Crown - really enjoyed
26. Black Mirror - thought the episodes we watched – probably half the first season were excellent, but too creepy
32. Andor – excellent
34. Schitt’s Creek – hated, but didn’t watch many episodes
36. The Pitt – my husband nixed this one – too realistic
37. Battlestar Gallactica – great except for the last season when it went totally off the rails.
39. Watchmen – liked the movie, but DH thought it was going to be too depressing after watching the first episode
44. Bojack Horseman – my youngest loves this, but somehow we never remember to try it, not big fans of animation
51. The Good Place – fun
52. Downton Abbey – my cup of tea
53. Stranger Things – the kids were so engaging we got past the horror aspect.
81. The Queen’s Gambit – my kids played scholastic chess tournaments when they were younger so really enjoyed this
86. Shogun – enjoyed this read the book and watched the Richard Chamberlain version too
94. The Diplomat – my dad and DH’s dad were diplomats so of course we had to watch this extremely unrealistic but fun show
3 Likes
Most people I know did not like Schitts creek after a few episodes, I stopped for months and tried again, it’s definitely one of most loved series. I was glad my husband didn’t watch it with me so I had an excuse to watch it again. Loved the character development!
4 Likes
Kim’s Convenience is good too. I also enjoyed The Detectorists and Fisk. But my top personal top 100 shows would be majority sitcoms. Starting with MASH if going back to the previous century.
1 Like
I forgot about Fisk, good one.
2 Likes
All these posts go to show there is a lot of different taste in what our eyes and mind like to watch and we are lucky to have a lot of choices. Perhaps those polled - people in the industry - see shows differently than the average Joe/Joan.
There was an opportunity for “you” the reader is the articles to vote on your top 10. I think that poll closed a day or two ago. The results of that pool will be out Friday I think.
I have also learned who on this thread I could watch tv with and who I would not. 
5 Likes
We did not like Schitt’s Creek after watching an episode or two. My sister talked me into trying it again (even if I had to just skip season 1). My husband declined, so it became on of my exercise shows.
FYI - AI Overview: Season 1 of Schitt’s Creek features much harsher, more self-absorbed characters and broader comedy, whereas Season 2 shifts toward greater emotional depth, empathy, and character growth.
2 Likes
Agreed that it takes awhile to get into Schitt’s Creek. I found it stupid at the beginning, and the characters are tedious – but if you can power through to season two and beyond, it’s so, so worth it.
(I’m told the same is true for Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series, lol – read the first book and hated it. Might skip a couple and try to start again with book four. Incidentally, I also read the first Dungeon Crawler Carl, and even though I’m told it gets much more profound, I just don’t think I can stick around for more.)
1 Like
I’m a DCC fan and have recommended the series to others, including on the book thread of this forum. Among persons who have read the first 7 books, book 5 (The Butcher’s Masquerade) is probably most likely to be a favorite within the series, and books 2 and 3 are often considered weaker, but still enjoyable. While some people think the series gets better after book 2-3, I think it would be ridiculous to read 3 books you don’t like because you heard the series peaks later on. That’s reading ~1400 pages or listening to ~30 hours of audio in the hope that you’ll like the series later on. I think it’s far more likely that if you aren’t a fan first book, you won’t be a fan of the others. DCC is a unique series that’s not for everyone. Some like it, and some don’t.
I’d make a similar type of comment about TV or books in general. There are many great TV/books where you don’t need to “power through” what may be 10+ hours before it may (or may not) become enjoyable for you, so why not watch/read those instead?
My guess is persons that prefer later seasons of Schitt’s Creek’s often find the characters less likable in S1 and more likable in later seasons, with the character growth including less selfish and entitled behavior, combined with some warm and heartfelt moments accompanying that character growth. However, I’d also expect that persons who like or don’t like this type of fish-out-of-water with eccentric characters are going to have similar feelings about that style in both seasons, such that if you liked/disliked S1, you’ll probably also like/dislike the next season.
I don’t mind less likable characters (I mentioned liking Always Sunny earlier in the thread), so I found S2 to be much the same as S1… same type of comedy and same feelings about that type of comedy. IMDB reviews suggest similar. S1 had a median episode rating of 7.5 vs a median episode rating of 7.7 for S2. I stopped watching the series midway through the 2nd season. While I enjoyed the show overall, there are other shows I preferred including other comedies, so I watched those other shows instead.
1 Like
I loved “Schitts Creek”from the get go.
My biggest disappointment was not seeing “Marvelous Mrs Maisel”on the list - that’s an all time favorite.
A pleasant surprise was “ Curb Your Enthusiasm “ in the top 10. I never watched until last year and love it- yes I know it’s cringy, people tend to either love it or hate it.
8 Likes
I enjoyed the Dresden File early books BUT it did seem like he invented a new monster for each book. Eventually you got to appreciate it really is a fairly well thought out world. Then I got tired of them and I need the Cliff Notes summary to figure out who is who! Too bad the TV show they made was so bad.
1 Like
There are no other shows just like Derry Girls. I can understand 95% of it fine w/o subtitles, but I watch and read a lot of Irish, Scottish, and British shows and books. It is a 100% perfect show to me.
Loved Schitt’s Creek, too, although I don’t think it’s as perfect as Derry Girls. Very very good, though.
I enjoyed Kim’s Convenience although it dragged a little in later seasons. Good show, though.
For fans of Derry Girls & Bad Sisters try How To Get To Heaven From Belfast. It’s almost like a mashup between the two.
4 Likes