Top 25 Cult TV Shows: Another &@*# List

[Mike Teacher]

WARNING: Another stupid list for everyone to argue about. Hey at least it's not those BS ones the Music Mags make, this one looks pretty good, with a few exceptions...

In the Mail, the TV Guide Cover Story: 25 Top "Cult" Shows Ever: the years they ran are in brackets; wow there were some Short Runs...

Cult, as defined by them from the article, "series so unusual they inspire what can only be called Worship."

25. Freak and Geeks [1999-2000]
24. Absolutely Fabulous [1994-present]
23. Forever Knight [92-96]
22. H.R. Pufnstuf [69-71]
21. Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman [75-78]
20. Twin Peaks [90-91]
19. Dark Shadows [66-71]
18. Doctor Who [1963-present]
17. The Avengers [66-69]
16. My So-Called Life [94-95]
15. Quantum Leap [89-93]
14. Beauty and the Beast [87-90]
13. Babylon 5 [94-98]
12. Family Guy [1999-2002]
11. Mystery Science Theater 3000 [89-99]
10. Pee Wees Playhouse [1986-91]
9. Xena: Warrior Princess [95-2001]
8. The Twilight Zone [59-64]
7. The Prisoner [67-68]
6. The Simpsons [89-present]
5. Monty Pythons Flying Circus [69-74]
4. Farscape [1999-2003]
3. Buffy The Vampire Slayer [97-2003]
2. The X-Files [93-2002]
1. Star Trek [66-69]

blah blah blog (http://www.miketheteacher.com)

<IMG SRC="http://members.aol.com/miketeachr/newsig">

[Patches]

'We Built This City' is not THAT bad!!

sorry wrong list.

ummm...looks good to me. I guess.

<img src=http://img24.photobucket.com/albums/v72/bcqueens/pj2.jpg>

<b>I'll punch every one of those bees in the face. Fuck bees. -Dane Cook</B>

[Freakshow]

That list does look pretty good.

I think we can add The State.

I personally have an obsession with the cartoons 'The Critic,' and 'Duckman' but I don't think they were good enough to make this list, just one of mine.



<center><img src=http://img18.photobucket.com/albums/v53/monster6sixty6/guests/freak2_sig.gif>
There's a fine line between stupid and clever </center>

[Mike Teacher]

Cobain Over Ediie Van Halen? Fuck THAT

<IMG SRC="http://members.aol.com/miketeachr/newsig">

[Patches]

oh wait. I thought of a few that could have made it.

South Park
Sex and The City
Dream On
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Any of the shows on Adult Swim on the Cartoon Network.
Ren And Stimpy


<img src=http://img24.photobucket.com/albums/v72/bcqueens/pj2.jpg>

<b>I'll punch every one of those bees in the face. Fuck bees. -Dane Cook</B>

[Tall_James]

Glaring Omissions:

SCTV
The Joe Franklin Show
The Uncle Floyd Show
Fawlty Towers
The Ernie Kovacs Show



<img src=http://home.comcast.net/~jamesgpatton/tj2_sig.gif>
Avoiding household responsibilites...one post at a time
[center]The Best Blog You're Not Reading (http://cheeseeatingbird.blogspot.com)

This message was edited by Tall_James on 5-25-04 @ 3:50 PM

[Katylina]

Curb Your Enthusiasm
American Idol


<center>

<img src="http://scripts.cgispy.com/image.cgi?u=katylina">
<a href="http://www.pagerealm.com/katylina/index.html" target=_new>Katylina's Web Page</a>
<br>
<br>
<marquee>Sometimes I feel I've got to run away I've got to get away from the pain you drive into the heart of me. The love we share seems to go nowhere. And I've lost my light, for I toss and turn I can't sleep at night<marquee>

[Tall_James]

Oh... and "Get A Life" & "The Ben Stiller Show"


<img src=http://home.comcast.net/~jamesgpatton/tj2_sig.gif>
Avoiding household responsibilites...one post at a time
[center]The Best Blog You're Not Reading (http://cheeseeatingbird.blogspot.com)

This message was edited by Tall_James on 5-25-04 @ 3:50 PM

[Patches]

Thought of another:

Where the hell is "The Dana Carvey Show???!?!!!?!

<img src=http://img24.photobucket.com/albums/v72/bcqueens/pj2.jpg>

<b>I'll punch every one of those bees in the face. Fuck bees. -Dane Cook</B>

[Mike Teacher]

Well MST3000 is the one for me; I have about 90 episodes on VHS, about 90% of Seasons 1-5; with the Original, Best: Joel Hogdson. Mike was good, but when TVs Frank booked; they should have ended it. Turkey Day Marathons = my VCR was cranking. Wow Im glad i did that...

Sadly, i dont know if any channel is playing these old ones now. The Gamera and Godzilla ones alone are priceless.

Twilight Zone is a Gimme; I used to tape those Marathons too.

I loved My So-Called Life, but I'm not sure if its coz I wanted to bone Clair Danes and the other freaky chick.

Mary Hartman = Good
Fernwood Tonite = More Gooder

I've never seen an episode of numbers: 2,3,4,7,10,13, 20, or 25. I'd be interested in what other have Not seen as well.

<IMG SRC="http://members.aol.com/miketeachr/newsig">

[Freakshow]

I have not seen a single episode of:
25, 23, 22, 21, 17, 16, and 4.

But several shows I have only seen 1 episode: 7, 13, 19, 20, 24

But there is no bigger fan of 5, 6, 10, and 15 than I.


<center><img src=http://img18.photobucket.com/albums/v53/monster6sixty6/guests/freak2_sig.gif>
There's a fine line between stupid and clever </center>

[jeffdwright2001]

I've never seen an episode of 7 or 23.

I think I watch/ed too much TV.

[Freakshow]

The Mister X episode of the Simpson was a spoof of The Prisoner. The strange island, the referring to everyone as a number, the strange animals/random druggings all were in there. I only saw one episode late night on the Howard University channel, I think, but it was clear they got it dead-on.



<center><img src=http://img18.photobucket.com/albums/v53/monster6sixty6/guests/freak2_sig.gif>
There's a fine line between stupid and clever </center>

[Fallon]

TV Guide has four covers for this issue. Buffy, X-Files, The Simpsons and Star Trek. I got the gay-ass Star Trek one in the mail.

<center>
<img border=1 src="http://home.comcast.net/~rmfallon/RFnetMaggie.jpg"><br></center><font color=white>

[BoondockSaint]

What about Lancealot Link: Secrect Chimp?
http://www.citizenlunchbox.com/monkey/famous/pix/lancelink.jpg

http://img2.photobucket.com/albums/v11/squrl/sogsig2.jpg
Thanks to monsterone for the sig!

[reeshy]

I got the gay-ass Star Trek one in the mail.


I wonder why???????

[center]<IMG SRC=http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:2nq89tfFOH0J:www.freewebs.com/teejo/odd/zapmem.jpg>
Ich liebe dich, Arschloch!!!!
[center]

[SuperClerk]

Speaking of chimps, what about "BJ and the Bear"?

"Foreign wrestling matches are a lot like foreign films; no one really understands 'em, but they don't want strangers to think they're stupid, so they rave about them and turn their noses up at anyone who says otherwise."

[JustJon]

American Idol
It's not a cult show if it's one of the top rated shows on television.

Is there really that big a following for Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman? The others on that list all have pretty big followings. Dunno if AbFab is top 25, tho'.

<img src="http://www.chaoticconcepts.com/bans/rfjustjon11.gif"><BR><A href="http://www.chaoticconcepts.com">Chaotic Concepts</a>

[Mike Teacher]

The Ernie Kovacs Show


TJ, I wonder how many even know who the hell this guy Was, or how much he influenced people, like Letterman, who will straight out tell anyone that his more Absurdist Shows are pure Kovacs.

I was clueless untill i got a flea market 'best of' VHS of his old show. Amazing. He'd take an entire soundstage set and tilt it 20 degrees, I mean make an entire room, just for a 2 minute bit so that when he pours a drink it comes out at 20 degrees, or anything put on the table rolls off.

<IMG SRC="http://members.aol.com/miketeachr/newsig">

[Hottub]

Herman's Head
Odd Couple
Down the Shore
Crime Story??? The show that took place in the sixties and was placed in Chicago, then Las Vegas. Del Shannon's "Runaway" was the theme song.



Yes, It was definitly Crime Story (http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-1933/Crime_Story/)

<img src="http://siebert.home.att.net/midwaysig.jpg" border=0 align=right>
"Ahh, Beer. The cause of, and answer to all of life's problems"
Big A.S.S.#22127

This message was edited by Hottub on 5-25-04 @ 5:47 PM

[A.J.]

Sex and The City

That's a "CUNT TV Show".

I got the gay-ass Star Trek one in the mail.


I'll trade you my X-Files edition for your Trek.

<img src=http://img40.photobucket.com/albums/v124/Canofsoup15/Sigs/AJinDC-Sig.jpg>

A Skidmark/canofsoup15 production.

Red Sox Nation

[Tall_James]

TJ, I wonder how many even know who the hell this guy Was, or how much he influenced people, like Letterman, who will straight out tell anyone that his more Absurdist Shows are pure Kovacs.

Mike - I first caught this show about 15 years ago when PBS ran it in rerun. It was amazing for its time. "The Nairobe Trio" bit is a scream. You could never do that on television anymore.


<img src=http://home.comcast.net/~jamesgpatton/tj2_sig.gif>
Avoiding household responsibilites...one post at a time
[center]The Best Blog You're Not Reading (http://cheeseeatingbird.blogspot.com)

[CaptClown]

It is a pretty good list but they left off the Highlander.http://www.geocities.com/mldavis_2000/Quickening.jpg

Director of the C.Y.A. Society.
Field Marshal of the K.I.S.S. Army
Poison Clan rocks the world

[zoom2457]

MST3000


Great show!!!! Whenever I see it, I have to watch.

Those top three cult shows are perfect.

"Excuse me, excuse me I believe you have my stapler"

[Doctor Manhattan]

I don't think Simpsons or X-Files would be cult shows as they were very popular. Doesn't cult mean not popular to the masses, just to a small group of VERY loyal fans (which would be the ones who supply the "Worship" mentioned in the articles definition?

<a href="http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/show.cgi?show=73"><img src="http://members.cox.net/nicksporsche/KillBillv205.jpg" border=0></a>

[FUNKMAN]

http://www.asmallvictory.net/archives/chiller.jpg

<img src="http://img18.photobucket.com/albums/v53/monster6sixty6/guests/fm_sig.jpg">

[TheMojoPin]

Sadly, i dont know if any channel is playing these old ones now. The Gamera and Godzilla ones alone are priceless.

It is indeed sad, because MST3K is no longer shown ANYWHERE on TV, not even the 9 AM Saturday slot it had been banished to on the Sci-Fi Channel.

Best Brains does, however, now own all the broadcast rights, so in theory they can shop the entire ten year run of the series to whomever they want. Unfortunately, it's very pricey to pay out the broadcasting rights for a lot of those shitty old movies, so unless they find a network willing to shell out, you're either not going to see them on TV anytime soon, or you'll see the same episodes of the cheapest movies recycled over and over again (Comedy Central, I'm looking at YOU).

Fortunately, Best Brains seems to be diving into the DVD world, and they've just started releasing episodes they hadn't put out on video before...hopefully soon the entire series will be on disc...though those of us MISTIES who had been "circulating the tapes" for a decade now probably don't need to ctach up!

<img src="http://scripts.cgispy.com/image.cgi?u=TheMojoPin">
1979 << December boys got it BAD >> "You can tell some lies about the good times we've had, but I've kissed your mother twice...and now I'm working on your dad..."

This message was edited by TheMojoPin on 5-25-04 @ 9:28 PM

[shamus mcfitzy]

I've never seen an episode of 25, 23, 21 (no idea what that show even is), 20, 19, 18, 14, 13, 7, or 4.

I also don't think the Simpsons should be on there. It's too popular to be a cult show. Have maybe Tracy Ullman's Show then say its there because it spawned the Simpsons or something.

[Se7en]

This is actually a pretty goddamn strong list, all things considered.

23. Forever Knight [92-96]

I find it interesting that this show made the list, but the "Highlander" syndicated series did not. I enjoyed "Highlander" more.

Glad to see Babylon 5, MST3K, and Farscape (Farscape!!!) get some love.

Well MST3000 is the one for me; I have about 90 episodes on VHS, about 90% of Seasons 1-5; with the Original, Best: Joel Hogdson. Mike was good, but when TVs Frank booked; they should have ended it. Turkey Day Marathons = my VCR was cranking. Wow Im glad i did that...

It's been my opinion for years that Joel was the best - the show "jumped the shark", if we're still allowed to use that phrase, when he left, but it was still okay (not as great as it was, but still good) with Mike.

The show went completely in the dumper, IMO, once Forrester left. That killed it for me.

Twilight Zone is a Gimme; I used to tape those Marathons too.

Sci-Fi, thankfully, still airs those marathons a few times a year (when they're not giving us retarded programming like "Tremors the Series" or "Tripping the Rift").

The Mister X episode of the Simpson was a spoof of The Prisoner. The strange island, the referring to everyone as a number, the strange animals/random druggings all were in there. I only saw one episode late night on the Howard University channel, I think, but it was clear they got it dead-on.

It was a fucking BRILLIANT spoof of the Prisoner. The only problem may be that show is so damn obscure in this day and age that many people didn't get the joke.

Crime Story??? The show that took place in the sixties and was placed in Chicago, then Las Vegas. Del Shannon's "Runaway" was the theme song.

I remember that show! I was very young when it aired, but I remember liking it.

I don't think Simpsons or X-Files would be cult shows as they were very popular. Doesn't cult mean not popular to the masses, just to a small group of VERY loyal fans (which would be the ones who supply the "Worship" mentioned in the articles definition?


I would have to agree about the Simpsons. It can be a little cultish (some people are anal and know EVERY tiny little detail about the show & its episodes) but I think it's a little too mainstream.

X-Files is an interesting example of a show that started off cult and actually became mainstream.

<center><img border="0" src="http://se7enrfnet.homestead.com/files/7_sig.gif" width="300" height="100">
<br>
<br>
Don't blame me....I voted for Kodos.
I look forward to an orderly election that will eliminate the need for a violent bloodbath. </center>

This message was edited by Se7en on 5-26-04 @ 1:12 AM

[Freakshow]

Cult, as defined by them from the article, "series so unusual they inspire what can only be called Worship."

For this list, popularity didn't seem to enter in to it. So The Simpsons is very appropriate.

The only problem may be that show is so damn obscure in this day and age that many people didn't get the joke.

Like that was ever a concern for the writers.

<center><img src=http://img18.photobucket.com/albums/v53/monster6sixty6/guests/freak2_sig.gif>
There's a fine line between stupid and clever </center>

[Hoojibs]

I have to agree with SKW, some of those on the list are too mainstream to be really considered cult such as the Simpsons.

I guess you can add spin offs to some of those lists? Such as Star Trek: TNG, Deep Space Nine....etc, or Angel.

I'm surprised they didn't add Highlander or La Femme Nikita there.

<img src="http://hometown.aol.com/erzengel1/images/hj_sig.jpg">
Much thanks to M1 for the sig.

[A.J.]

It was a fucking BRILLIANT spoof of the Prisoner. The only problem may be that show is so damn obscure in this day and age that many people didn't get the joke.

There was another brief "Prisoner" reference in the Simpsons: the epsiode where Marge makes her escape from the Movementarian compound, she gets chased by "Rover" (the white orb) that traps Hans Moleman instead.

<img src=http://img40.photobucket.com/albums/v124/Canofsoup15/Sigs/AJinDC-Sig.jpg>

A Skidmark/canofsoup15 production.

Red Sox Nation

[HBox]

MST3K needs to be higher. The very definition of cult show. Not having access to Comedy Central or it predecessors for most of my life, I actually worked my way backward through the catalog. I started with the movie, went on to the Sci-Fi episodes, and am now working my way through Joel episodes. So I actually prefer the Mike episodes, I guess because that's how I started watching the series. But you put any episode in front of me, and I can watch it. IMO, Best.........show.........ever.

[JustJon]

I agree Highlander should definitely be on there, but I don't think La Femme nikita belongs in the "top 25 cult shows"

<img src="http://www.chaoticconcepts.com/bans/rfjustjon11.gif"><BR><A href="http://www.chaoticconcepts.com">Chaotic Concepts</a>

[Arienette]

i agree with captclown about highlander.. great show.

i might also put the pretender on there too. i miss that show a lot.

3. Buffy The Vampire Slayer [97-2003]i always get pissed when buffy's not number one, but it was good to see it this high up on this list. even though i'm not a trek fan, i could definitely see where it would be number one. this is probably one of the only lists i've ever seen thati agreed with (unless, of course, i wrote it myself).

<center><img src="http://somesuch.org/sigpics/aricheat.gif" height=100 width=300</img><br>to think i might not see those eyes<br>it makes it so hard not to cry<br>and as we say our long goodbyes, i nearly do</center>

[Arienette]

mr. bean?

<center><img src="http://somesuch.org/sigpics/aricheat.gif" height=100 width=300</img><br>to think i might not see those eyes<br>it makes it so hard not to cry<br>and as we say our long goodbyes, i nearly do</center>

[Hoojibs]

I agree Highlander should definitely be on there, but I don't think La Femme nikita belongs in the "top 25 cult shows"


You're right not the "Top 25". I think I might be wrong but I think it went off the air or something to that effect and fans complained and they brought it back for one more season. That would qualify for cult status in my opinion in a "Top 50" list.

<img src="http://hometown.aol.com/erzengel1/images/hj_sig.jpg">
Much thanks to M1 for the sig.

[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

What about The Kids in The Hall?

http://littlenicola.tripod.com/kithheader.jpg

<IMG SRC=http://img18.photobucket.com/albums/v53/monster6sixty6/guests/alice2_sig.jpg>

It's a cat house! A CAT HOUSE! Thanks M1!

[Freakshow]

They're from Canadia, so they don't count.



<center><img src=http://img18.photobucket.com/albums/v53/monster6sixty6/guests/freak2_sig.gif>
There's a fine line between stupid and clever </center>

[furie]

'We Built This City' is not THAT bad!!

sorry wrong list.

ummm...looks good to me. I guess.

you sir, are a genius

Now does "Star trek" include all the incarnations?


<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/furie1335/.Pictures/rfsigs/SimpPulp.jpg" height=100 width=300">

[TheMojoPin]

How the fuck can you have a list with "Family Guy" so high up, and the infinitely better "Futurama" NOWHERE to be seen!??!

AND no "Newsradio"?!? I wipe my nose with this list.

<img src="http://scripts.cgispy.com/image.cgi?u=TheMojoPin">
1979 << December boys got it BAD >> "You can tell some lies about the good times we've had, but I've kissed your mother twice...and now I'm working on your dad..."

[Patches]

the infinitely better "Futurama"


Now your hippie ways have just made you silly.

And I agree Alice, where the hell is Kids in the Hall?

<img src=http://img24.photobucket.com/albums/v72/bcqueens/pj2.jpg>

<b>I'll punch every one of those bees in the face. Fuck bees. -Dane Cook</B>

[jeffdwright2001]

Don't forget that cult favorite "Wha Haaappened"
http://us.ent4.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/warner_brothers/a_mighty_wind/fred_willard/oscars.jpg