West Ham Online

"Just finished The Killing liked it a lot but not really the last season as much. Breaking Bad, Homeland done Was going to do Luther or The Wire next - can you tell me which one is best of the two?"

Ozark is brilliant also and so is Better Call Saul. I think Top Boy is probably one of the best UK shows and is incredibly gritty and realistic. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and can't wait for the final season to be aired later this year. As mentioned by someone else Boardwalk Empire is also a contender for best of the rest after the list I put up earlier.

"LeroysBoots 10:11 Fri Mar 31 I gave up with The Wire after 3 episodes cos I didn't have a fucking scooby what was being said, Mrs V loved it , she's watching Top Boy now and I'm even struggling with understanding that too, fam..."

"Nurse Ratched 12:05 Fri Mar 31 You're absolutely right about The Shield. NYPD Blue ends very well, but it's the conclusion of a long-running episodic show rather than a clearly-defined story. Ozark is not in the same class as The Shield or NYPD Blue, but has a close to perfect ending. I don't get the love for The Wire at all. A couple of decent characters who come and go as and when the actors can be bothered and a story that fizzles out around the end of Season 2. Many disagree with me on that and that's all good."

Agree New Jersey Blue Lines is very good

Percy Dalton 12:01 Fri Mar 31 100%

Dont know if its been mentioned but there’s another Italian crime series called Bad Guy on Prime in the UK. Its pretty entertaining and a bit mad but at least it has light and shade.

"*Nagel, not Namely My Samsung phone updated recently and the predictive text appears to have re-set to Korean. I've had to teach my keyboard to swear all over again."

"Namely Spot on. I would add that The Shield also has the most perfect ending of any long-running drama ever filmed. Regarding the washed-out camera work, for me that was highly evocative of a hellish environment. It's how I have always thought LA must be like - just a soulless place of concrete, tarmac and the monoclimate of harsh sun beating down, boiling the tempers of the unfortunate inhabitants."

I would add Fargo to the list especially the first two series.

For Scandi noir try Modus with the gorgeous Melinda Kinnaman (Half sister of Joel) . I love seeing my 2nd home city of Stockholm. I do't like hearing Danish as it's like Swedish with a bad cold. Not pleasant.

"Yea I loved Sopranos but in the later seasons in particular it really did become a lot about family, I wouldn't go through it all again. The Wire was good, but again wouldn't watch it again, bit dated as said. Loved Prison break, some great characters in that."

"I was another latecomer to the Sopranos, only finished it last month. I would label it very good. Worth watchig but again, not up there with the greats for me."

"I think when you start watching The Sopranos you need to see it as just a family drama until the mafia shit really kicks in. Also like to add in Slow Horses, GoT & Snowfall."

"I will persevere with it Will also give The Sopranos a go, never seen it ! When it came out I was going through a bad divorce and TV was last thing on my mind, ever since just not got around to it"

"LeroysBoots I'm afraid I was the same with the Sopranos, which everyone who watches finds excellent. I'm not saying it was bad but after a couple of episodes I just couldn't get into it, and like you with The Wire I found it dated. I watched all of The Wire when it first came out and thought it was sliced bread!"

Probably my favourite series is the 70s TV version of Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy Now thats dated but in a great way

"Boots. I only caught up with the wire a ciuple of years ago and like you, the hype got me curious. Unlike you tho i found it superb, not up there with the 'greats' but definitely 9/10 imho."

I need someone to convince me why The Wire is so good I've tried several times to watch it based on the hype but I just cannot get past the first episode I just hated it ! Need subtitles and it's so dated

I need someone to convince me why The Wire is so good I've tried several times to watch it based on the hype but I just cannot get past the first episode I just hated it ! Need subtitles and it's so dated

"All those mentioned are top notch, I’d also add in Bosch and a few Scandi…..The Killing, The Bridge, Wallander (The Swedish vers) and Follow the Money."

"In terms of story plotting The Shield beats most other series hands down. You have loads of different story arcs going on at once, some short, some lasting the whole series, and with the long ones, rather than meandering along like most TV series, the pace actually speeds up season by season until the final conclusion. Series like The Wire and the Sopranos had great writing in terms of character and dialogue but most of the story arcs just end abruptly, in the Sopranos usually by a sudden death completely unrelated to the plot. The only things I don't like about The Shield are the shaky camera work and washed out visuals, although kind of makes sense as it's sunny LA. Also, it bugs me that one of the 4 guys in the strike team is in it all the way through but barely does anything."

The Shield *stares down Jim and Manuel*

"Jim - Yep, I'd pretty much agree with that, but I would also have Prison Break, thought it was immense. Banshee and Boardwalk also top notch."

Gomorrah Succession Band of Brothers The Wire Sopranos Breaking Bad Narcos Hard to choose between the first 5 but I'd say that is a pretty comprehensive list of the pinnacle of television. Each one absolutely top notch. Narcos and Breaking Bad are the smallest of margins below the other 5 in my opinion. TV just doesn't get better than the first 5 on the list.

"Agree 1billy, except as always we’d all have a slightly differing top 3 and I’d swap Succession for Spiral….. Leroy’s, it was all round perfect tv…..from start to finish…."