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The best HBO series ever was Deadwood, and it arguably is the best television series ever. For those who did watch all three seasons they watched a show that progressively got better and more interesting with each passing episode. Regrettably, production costs derailed the series and ended it after three seasons.
The set was completely realistic, the acting was superb, but what truly excelled was the script. I've never heard better writing on any television series.
Funny thing about production costs, how much does Game of Thrones cost? Likely way more than Deadwood.
Deadwood just didn't have the buzz or rabid following, which is growing, that Game of Thrones does. Carnivale would be in the same category as Deadwood. It also was a quality production which had a relatively small following and high costs. It lasted two seasons. And it had Adrienne Barbeau.
Wire is #1 for me, especially seasons 1-4. It's an odd show in that when things are "slow" the dialogue is fast and each sentence spoken has great meaning. Stringer Bell can say something seemingly innocuous, with most people not realizing that he just ordered a hit on someone.
It doesn't work if you have ADHD. You really have to pay attention. Otherwise, you'll miss so much that the story won't make sense.
I don't think you can compare a show that hasn't finished its run. Some shows can have a great few seasons, then fall on their face in the finale (or final season). It takes looking at the entire body, from premiere to finale, to judge a series.
IOW, I can't rate GoT until the final episode, in June 2017.
I would put The Wire slightly ahead of The Sopranos. Both were excellent shows, but The Wire was just superb. The characters, the stories, the settings... just amazing.
I loved The Sopranos, but I think it declined badly after the first two seasons. And HBO damaged it with the long gaps between some of the seasons. I'm completely hooked on GoT, but IMHO Rome was the best series HBO has ever made, and they were complete idiots to cancel it so quickly. But GoT is catching up....
I was just about to post that! I loved Rome. I wish they had continued the series because I read their plan was to take it all the way to Palestine, which is why they had the Jewish family on it. I think that would have been fascinating. I'd love for HBO to bring the series back and go there. Maybe after the success of Game of Thrones, they'll be more willing to bankroll it.
If we're limiting this to HBO shows, I'm going to give the edge to The Sopranos. (Yes, I'm one who thought the ending of that show was perfect!)
I really enjoy GoT; I do not read the books, but my husband does, and he does explain things to me in the story that I might miss or don't fully understand. The show is very confusing at times, and you must pay close attention and/or watch it more than once to pick up every detail. The cinematography is amazing.
Another HBO show that I loved is Six Feet Under. Absolutely brilliant, and doesn't get the recognition is deserves.
The Wire is a masterpiece of writing whereas Game of Thrones ... is not. It's fun to watch and very good for the genre, but dialogue is very uninspired.
Still have to go with The Wire...maybe not quite as "entertaining" as the others, but the writing is still the best of any TV show ever made (including BB).
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