Top 10 List | Top Ten Lists

Some Primetime TV shows are excruciatingly disturbing in their storylines. I sometimes wonder how they manage to stay on air season after season. TV shows are supposed to censor the gruesome activity and make it as Pg-13 as possible. Here is a list of 10 primetime TV shows which are quite disturbing to watch.

1. Dexter:

I have to add this show on the list. The show forces viewers to love a serial killer who enjoys killing other serial killers. The show is a bit sadistic and has created controversy with various critics. Timothy F. Winter was quoted as saying that the show “compels viewers to emphasize with serial killers”. Somehow it is in its 6th season.

2. Nip/Tuck:

I cannot get the image of Roxy taking a knife and performing a mastectomy on herself in the waiting room. I was even shocked at Christian’s reaction to the people in the support group for breast cancer. He actually made fun of them.

3. Seinfeld:

4 individuals (main characters) are clearly disturbed in this show that ran for 8 seasons in the 1990s. They find themselves lurking for trouble over and over again. For example, one episode illustrated the main characters participating in a contest of who could survive the longest without sex. Another instance, George Constanza takes pictures of himself posing nude to attract a lady working in a camera store. In the series finale, all 4 individuals make fun of someone being robbed and are sent to prison.

4. Married with Children:

I find this show equally disturbing to Seinfeld. Running between 1987 and 1997, the show surrounded a working class family, the Bundy`s. Al Bundy was clearly a disturbed individual who made fun of fat people and flat chested women. I do not see any example this show exhibits throughout its run.

5. True Blood:

Sex and violence are two common themes on the show. The whole show is about vampires being made into honorary citizens. The scenes are so gruesome, you may lose your appetite. One episode where Bill turned Lorena’s head 180 degrees around was equal on that ground.

1990s and 2000s saw an insurgency in a number of failed sitcoms. Many of them were bad from the start and got cancelled after just a few episodes. Here are 10 worst sitcoms of the 1990s and 2000s.

1. Joey (2004):

It is irritating to see actors and fans try to revive something that died and disappeared. Joe Tribbiani was famous on the sitcom Friends. He develops his own show, Joey where he moves to LA to develop his movie career. The first season was good, but as we see in many sitcoms which run too long, characters get boring and story-lines run out. It had no chance when competing with American Idol and was cancelled in March of 2006.

2. Accidentally on Purpose (2009):

Jenna Elfman did not click with viewers as she did on Dharma and Greg. Her humor was drier and it was not as appealing to watch an older character use her charm. Having mixed reviews and scoring 49/100 on Metacritic, the show was cancelled after 18 episodes.

3. Saved by the Bell: The New Class (1993)

Producer Peter Engel was pushing this franchise just a bit overboard. I just cannot understand how the show ran for 7 seasons. The franchise was ruined after the sixth season. Screech was no longer funny and the appeal Mr. Belding once had in 1980s and 1990s was gone. I think producers should have stopped production after the wedding of Zack and Kelly. It would have been the happily ever after story we all wanted to see happen.

4. Michael Richards Show (2000):

This sitcom was about a private detective who gets things done in an eccentric way. Richards tried to play a role that was different than his Seinfeld character Kramer. He deeply made a fool of himself here and the show ran its course for a pitiful 9 episodes.

5. Baby Bob (2000):

This sitcom was about a spy baby who could talk. We are adults and unless this is a cartoon, talking babies are not really funny to watch. The first week, the sitcom rated 15th on the charts. The show was cancelled after 11 aired episodes.

The following list of people put a negative connotation to the teaching profession. Popular culture really does a good job at defining the bad but not the good.

1. Ms. Dolores Umbridge, Harry Potter

No one can really top this teacher who raised havoc on her pupils at Hogwarts. Her misbehaving students do not write lines with ink; they wrote them with their blood. She shuns those who do not agree with her and murders those who are not pure blood.

2. Ms. Edna Crabapple, The Simpsons

She is an alcoholic teacher who does not know how to separate her personal life from her job. In one episode, she and the principal kidnap Bart Simpson and hold him hostage to make a point clear to the Superintendent. Who can forget how she was caught making out in the janitor’s closet with the principal by her students? She is a shame to the teaching profession.

3. Mr. Cannon, 90210

This man really is a piece of work. He is a pedophile who prays on teenagers, especially those who are his students. He date raped Erin Silver and raped Naomi Clark, who were both his students. Turns out, he had a colourful past before moving to Beverley Hills as well. In England, he was wanted for the same charges.

4. Ms. Agatha Trunchball, Metilda

This principal is a nightmare. She antagonized her students, beat them and took them by the curls and threw them out the window. She had no connection to her students and all her students feared and hated her.

5. Ms. Elizabeth Halsey, Bad Teacher

What does this teacher not do? She curses at her students, drinks alcohol in front of them, smokes marijuana and sleeps in class. Is that a good role model teacher? Absolutely NOT!

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TV Rivals have defined Television history. We cannot wait to find out what will happen between the favorite rivals that are starring on our favorite TV shows. Here is a list of TV rivals who have entertained us beyond any words can say.

1. Katherine Chancellor vs. Jill Abbott:

For 38 years, these two characters have battled it out right in front of our television screens on the TV show the Young and the Restless. They’ve shared the same lovers, fought over wealth and were even reunited as mother/daughter once.

2. Stephanie Forrester vs. Brooke Logan:

These two leading characters never got along. Stephanie Forrester has never accepted Brooke as part of her family. Brooke Logan did sleep with Stephanie Forrester’s husband and 2 children. Stephanie Forrester is no saint as she bribed her grandson to lie about sleeping with Brooke Logan. The two rivals make Bold & the Beautiful popular 24 years later.

3. Homer Simpson vs. Ned Flanders:

Homer Simpson envies Ned Flanders. The former always believes the latter has everything better. Homer Simpson is one bully who tries to make Ned Flanders’ life miserable on the TV show, the Simpsons.

4. Jerry Seinfeld vs. Sally Weiver:

The TV show Seinfeld decided to hire Jerry’s devil’s advocate on the show. Weiver did everything possible to discredit Jerry. She even stole his material and used it as her own in her stand-up comedy.

5. Rob Mariano vs. Russell Hantz:

This is the most useless rivalry that I believe was used too much on the show Survivor. Ultimately Hantz did outwit and outplay Mariano in the game of Survivor: Villains vs. Heroes, but lost in Redemption Island. Somehow Mariano easily got his way through to the finals and won; 4th time around.

2010 saw the release of either another season of a sitcom or a whole new sitcom itself.  Here are some of the top 10 Television Series of 2010.

1. How I Met Your Mother

The 6th season of How I Met Your Mother was released in the month of September this year. This series does not stop keeping its viewing happy at all. How i met your mother is still going strong with strong number of viewers as they continue to deliver this comedy filled show.

This season sees the addition of another constant cast to the already fun group. Jennifer Morrison gets a permanent placement this season. The season 6 is full of surprises and laughs and takes this fun show to the top of the list.

2. The Big Bang Theory

Not far behind How I Met Your Mother is The Big Bang Theory, a show about 4 science geeks and a hot feminine neighbour. This famous comedy sitcom was renewed for its fourth season and it premiered on the 4th of November. The Big Bang Theorys fourth season is considered the best among all its seasons as the comedy reaches another level.

The Big Bang Theory is a fun sitcom to watch with an Indian and 3 american science geeks as friends who have a hot neighbour included in their group.

3. The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead is another new television series that was released in the year 2010. It is an American post apocalyptic horror television series that was premiered on the AMC network on October.

The first season has only 6 episodes and by that itself was voted the best new series in 2010. AMC has renewed the series for another thirteen episodes and will be aired on 2011. The Walking Dead is altogether a great horror series.

4. Nikita

Nikita is an all new American television drama that was released in the month of September. It airs on the CW Television Network. Nikita is about a spy and assassin who has gone rogue after finding out the true colours of the government agency she worked for. Nikita is on a mission to bring down Division, the corrupt government agency.

Nikita stars Maggie Q as Nikita, Shane West as Michael and Lyndsy Fonseca as Alex who is Nikitas spy within division. Nikitas episodes become better and better and so does the action and plot.

5. 90210

The famous teen drama was renewed for a third season this year. This year saw the introduction of many recurring characters in this series, which means more stories and more drama. There are many twists and turns in this season with Ryan becoming a dad, Annies mom working for Jen as an assistant, Ted turning gay, Naomis rape, etc..

90210 has won many teen choice awards this year, making this the best teen show of 2010.

The small screen has given rise to some of the most popular stars in the recent past. With their popularity, also came a high price tag. In the recent past there has been a surge in reality TV stars who have shot to fame for their antics on the small screen. Here is a list of the top 10 highest paid TV stars.

1. Oprah Winfrey

The talk show hostess who started her show in 1986, has the last season is due in 2011. The actor is also a producer and a philanthropist. She is known for her philanthropy which is not just limited to the show. She has her own magazine known as the O magazine.  She has been considered as one of ‘The Most Important People of the Century,’ by Time.com. She tops the list with earnings of approximately $ 315 million last year.

2. Judge Judy Sheindlin

The show Judge Judy is a rage with the audience. This American court show features the former family court judge Judith Sheindlin. The show started off in the year 1996 and has been extended till 2013, the seventeenth season of this show. Judge Judy is known for being blunt, truthful and outspoken judge in America.  She sits second on the list with earnings of $45 million.

3. David Letterman

The host of the ‘The Late Show of David Letterman,’ David Letterman, started his career as a weatherman. He started with his show in 1992. He has won several Emmy’s and other awards. He has had interviewed several eminent guests in his tenure. He sits third on this list with annual earnings of $28 million.

4. Ryan Seacrest

Ryan Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is also the host of E! News and American Idol. He started his career as the host of Radical Outdoor Challenge in 1993. He started hosting the American Idol with Brian Dunkleman in 2002. Since season two of American idol in 2003, he has been the lone host for the show. He is also the executive producer of several shows including, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Denise Richards: It’s Complicated and Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. He sits fourth on this list with annual earnings of almost $15 million.

5. Kim Kardashian

She shot to limelight with the show ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ along with her family. Now she also stars in another reality show called ‘Kourtney & Kim Take New York’ alongside her sister Kourtney. She also earns handsomely with her endorsements deals Skechers sneakers, Kotex tampons and skin care brands Quick Trim with her sisters. The 30 year old has earned $6 million in 2010 alone and she charges $75,000 for an appearance.

There are some good shows on the television that help children learn the alphabet or teach them about numbers. Then there are the following which will only alarm them and scar them for life.

1. Max and Ruby

This animated show revolves around two bunnies-Ruby is Max’s elder sister. It is all very innocent till one realizes that the parents are never around. Ruby looks after Max and pretends to be his mother even though she is only seven years old. Maybe some animated social services should visit the show.

2. LazyTown

The protagonist of this show is named Stephanie and she is a human being. She visits LazyTown and decides to live with her uncle. However, everybody in the town, including her uncle, is a puppet. There is one more human who encourages the puppets to start eating junk food. Humans and puppets live around each other like it is perfectly normal and give the children serious headaches.

3. Teletubbies

Even though this show is quite popular, one cannot deny the fact that it is quite bizarre and should not be watched by kids. What are these creatures meant to be? They have screens instead of stomachs and their voices are nothing if not weird.

4. Oobi

It is difficult to describe the characters in this show. Let’s just say they are played by hands which hold up eyeballs. These hands don’t speak much- they throw about single worlds when they feel like it. If this does not give children nightmares, the Teletubbies surely will.

5. VeggieTales

This show features strange looking anthropomorphic vegetables that play instruments. What’s more, they teach children all about Biblical values and morals. Why?

Let us take a close look at the top 10 record setting American TV programs that have remained strong and stayed on air the longest in the program category.

1. Meet The Press, NBC

Meet The Press is an extremely popular morning program with a talk show format that formally started airing in November of 1947. It is considered as the longest running talk show in modern broadcast history worldwide.

2. CBS Evening News, CBS

The CBS Evening News initially aired in August of 1948 with Douglas Edward as anchorman. It is now considered as the flagship program of CBS which has had uninterrupted airing for 61 years.

3. Guiding Light, CBS

This soap opera initially started with NBC and later transferred to CBS in June of 1952. It is considered as the longest running daytime soap drama. Guiding Light is currently in its final season and will be on television for 57 years.

4. Pro-Bowler Tour, ESPN, Fox, ABC and CBS

This sports event was originally telecast in 1962 and it became the single reason for the continued popularity of Pro bowling in the US especially during the 60s up until the 70s. The event has lost its popularity since then, but it has still been on air for 47 years.

5. General Hospital, ABC

General Hospital is considered as the longest running TV program that is filmed in Hollywood. This daytime soap was started in April of 1963 and has been a banner program of ABC for 46 years.