AMC vs. HBO

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by Bunk

I'm just glad how these cable stations have elevated television into its golden era - First HBO then Showtime and AMC and now FX has really picked up. The last 10 years have been unbelievable for tv. I think the best creative talent has gravitated to cable.

Almost all the great dramas of the last decade have been cable - the strong exception might be NBC with the West Wing, or some might argue Lost (but I wouldn't put that in the same category as say The Wire, or Mad Men). Still some decent comedy on network.

Aside from the odd awesome move, TV has been significantly better than movies for the last 10+ years.

[nfotiu]

I'm voting for Showtime. Homeland, shameless, dexter, weeds, californication are all up pretty high on my favorite shows list.

[TopChed]

Originally Posted by KTrain

They're both pretty awesome right now.

HBO: Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, The Newsroom, Curb Your Enthusiasm, True Blood, 24/7
AMC: Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Walking Dead, Hell on Wheels

All time AMC can't touch HBO, but I don't think anyone would argue against that.

Band of Brothers is still, in my opinion, the best thing to ever be made for television.

I assume you're including this as points for AMC?

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by TopChed

I assume you're including this as points for AMC?

It is bad and I still watch it. I don't know why.

[3 Justin 3]

I would go as far as saying it's a four horse race (like people have mentioned).

AMC
HBO
Showtime
FX

All have 2+ fantastic shows. AMC has Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Mad Men. Showtime has Dexter, Homeland. FX has Justified, Sons of Anarchy, and the best show on television Archer. HBO is currently lagging in my opinion with only Game of Thrones catching my attention; don't really care for Boardwalk Empire.

[trackercowe]

CBS!

They have to be the number one network for a reason........ right?

Seriously, has there ever been a good show on CBS?

Fox has The Simpsons, X-Files, Fringe, Married With Children, 24, AD, and a bunch of other good shows.

NBC has Seinfeld, The Office, 30 Rock, and a bunch of other solid comedies.

ABC has Lost, Modern Family, The Practice, Boston Legal, some solid comedies, and all the TGIF stuff.

CBS gears most of its shows towards old geezers, and most of their shows fit in the "all style, no substance" category.

How the hell did it become the #1 network? It can't be all Ted Danson's doing, it just can't.

[gottabekd]

AMC's shows are on Netflix. They win for me.

[1stLand]

HBO needs another Dark Gangster show. It thought it could replace the Sopranos with Boardwalk Empire, and to an extent it has, as 2 of the soprano writers are writing for that show.

But HBO needs a modern Gangster Drama.

I cant wait for AMC's tv series based on the Goodfellas.

[Matata]

Of the shows from those networks I watch, I'd rank:

Breaking Bad
Game of thrones
Mad Men
Walking Dead
Newsroom

Another darkhorse vote for FX: Archer, Louie, Wilfred, the League and It's Always Sunny

[polak]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

CBS gears most of its shows towards old geezers, and most of their shows fit in the "all style, no substance" category.

How the hell did it become the #1 network? It can't be all Ted Danson's doing, it just can't.

That is the biggest demographic that also happens to watch the most TV. Especially on traditional formats where ratings are counted.

NBC has been home to some of the best comedies lately but do you really think a 55 year old is going to understand 30 Rock, Parks and Rec, Community or other critically praised comedies that don't get nearly the ratings they should?

CBS is all about laugh tracks and cheap jokes.

Frankly I'm surprised Modern Family gets the ratings it does considering the content.

[Erick Estrada]

Showtime should probably be in the conversation as Homeland, Dexter, Weeds and Californication, etc are all on par with the best from HBO and AMC. Personally I've tried but just don't get Mad Men as it's the most overrated TV show I've ever seen. Also while I have seen every Walking Dead episode and realize the show has become popular I still find it a little underwhelming as the writers have all the ingredients of a classic show but their result is a little half baked.

[AR_Six]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Almost all the great dramas of the last decade have been cable - the strong exception might be NBC with the West Wing, or some might argue Lost (but I wouldn't put that in the same category as say The Wire, or Mad Men). Still some decent comedy on network.

Yes - the Networks have actually taken a significant step back in their strategy to compete for attention with cable shows. The stuff they put out is superficial and really gets exposed for its lack of depth when stacked up against what AMC's putting out right now.

That said I agree with you on the West Wing which for me is simply the greatest series ever aired. But then I just like the writing. Disappointed that The Newsroom hasn't approached that standard yet.

[AR_Six]

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

The best HBO shows have a certain complexity, depth and subtlety that other networks lack, in my opinion. I think the two current shows that best show this are Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire. In the past, both The Wire and The Sopranos have had the same thing.

Carnivale, too.

HBO has traditionally also had some fantastic characters - Dinklage's Tyrion is carrying the ball right now, but in the past, you had Sopranos / Rome and obviously Al Swearengen has to be considered one of the best cable TV characters ever.

[Bertuzzied]

Whoever makes Preacher or Fables into a TV series will be my favorite station.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

CBS!

They have to be the number one network for a reason........ right?

Seriously, has there ever been a good show on CBS?

Fox has The Simpsons, X-Files, Fringe, Married With Children, 24, AD, and a bunch of other good shows.

NBC has Seinfeld, The Office, 30 Rock, and a bunch of other solid comedies.

ABC has Lost, Modern Family, The Practice, Boston Legal, some solid comedies, and all the TGIF stuff.

CBS gears most of its shows towards old geezers, and most of their shows fit in the "all style, no substance" category.

How the hell did it become the #1 network? It can't be all Ted Danson's doing, it just can't.

CBS had CSI and the Amazing Race. both are stale dated now though but were pretty good for the first 5 years.

[mac_82]

HBO hands down.

And getting HBO Canada/Movie Central is even better since you get the best of the best US shows:

Showtime
Californication
Dexter
House of Lies
Shameless
Episodes
Nurse Jackie

Starz
Spartacus

And let's not forget about a few more awesome HBO shows:

Eastbound and Down
Real Time with Bill Maher
Girls

[sevenarms]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Whoever makes Preacher or Fables into a TV series will be my favorite station.

Showtime has been rumoured to be making 100 bullets into a show/mini-series. If they do it right (which they probably will) it'll be an epic show.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Bunk

The last 10 years have been unbelievable for tv.

Pretty much why I never go to the movie theatre any more. There really hasn't been one movie in the last few years that I've enjoyed as much as something like Dexter in it's prime. They've forgotten how to write a good story.....it's all special effects, re-treads or comic book tie-ins.

A lot of series on AMC/HBO/Showtime look just as professional as a feature (minus perhaps the big special effects....which tend to overtake movies anyway), but still have amazing writing. It's no contest.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by sevenarms

Showtime has been rumoured to be making 100 bullets into a show/mini-series. If they do it right (which they probably will) it'll be an epic show.

Even though I really loved The Watchmen as a movie I wish one of the big cable networks would turn it into a 10 episode mini-series.

[KTrain]

I bet they regret not giving HBO a chance with The Watchmen. I enjoyed the movie as well but a 10 episode miniseries would have been amazing.

They'll be able to give it a shot in 5-10 years though when they put some distance between them and the movie. By that time television special effects will have caught up with movies a bit more.