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1001 TV Shows You Must Watch Before You Die
This is the ultimate book for the Netflix and boxset generation, featuring all the greatest drama series ever broadcast as well as the weirdest game shows, controversial reality TV experiments and breathtaking nature documentaries.
It is a must for anyone who wants to know why India's Ramayan is legendary, why Roots was groundbreaking, or what the ending of Lost was all about. Written by an international team of critics, authors, academics, producers and journalists, this book reviews TV series from more than 20 countries, highlights classic episodes to watch and also provides cast summaries and production details.
It is a must for anyone who wants to know why India's Ramayan is legendary, why Roots was groundbreaking, or what the ending of Lost was all about. Written by an international team of critics, authors, academics, producers and journalists, this book reviews TV series from more than 20 countries, highlights classic episodes to watch and also provides cast summaries and production details.
960 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2015
About the author
Paul Condon
6 books2 followersPaul Condon was a UK convention organizer, a BBC producer and the editor of the book 1001 TV Shows You Must See Before You Die, an authority on UK and US television. He curated online content for BBC television shows, including Doctor Who. He was also a popular DJ at the Gallifrey One convention in Los Angeles.
After his death on Friday 10 May 2019 at 48, Chris Chibnall named the Judoon Captain in series 12 episode Fugitive of the Judoon Pol-Kon-Don as a tribute to him.
After his death on Friday 10 May 2019 at 48, Chris Chibnall named the Judoon Captain in series 12 episode Fugitive of the Judoon Pol-Kon-Don as a tribute to him.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 22, 2023
I really enjoyed this trip down memory lane, and TBW - To Be Watched list I created with this book detailing the best of TV from 1948 and the Ed Sullivan Show to 2015 and Better Call Saul. Listing the main cast, original channel and awards won. I honestly can't think of 1 classic show was missed. A part of me wish the editor would have graded the shows whether by audience figures or top TV lists, but meh, not that big a deal. Easy 8 out of 12. My favourite TV show... no doubt.
Also up there... what you gonna do?
Just so much greatness out there.
Enough already, my second favourite hobby is TV programming and this book - all 940+ pages was a joy to read, and only took me four months. A surefire 9 out of 12, Four Star Read.
2018 read
Also up there... what you gonna do?
Just so much greatness out there.
Enough already, my second favourite hobby is TV programming and this book - all 940+ pages was a joy to read, and only took me four months. A surefire 9 out of 12, Four Star Read.
2018 read
June 1, 2022
Here, for keen viewers, is a treat indeed. Over 900 lavishly illustrated pages are crammed with details of programmes that made a particular impression. No star ratings are given but pithy summaries, reactions and anecdotes. Coverage begins in the pre-60's, then considers each decade in turn, ultimately becoming impressively up to date (the "Top Gear" fracas mentioned in passing).
Many may intend a brief browse, only to find hours have passed without their realizing. Especially fascinating are reminders of shows that blazed a trail. Find here when sitcoms discovered there was no need for a studio audience, when police series veered towards cops who were flawed, how certain famous film stars pioneered a move towards the small screen. See how "Pride and Prejudice" set new standards for costume drama, how "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" inspired the fangs and gore ever since, which Nordic Noir led to an influx of foreign series, many viewers surprised to find subtitles no barrier.
Welcome too is praise for shows axed far too early - many, like "Firefly", to become acclaimed thanks to DVD.
Readers indeed are likely to prepare a "Must Buy" box set list, mindful of impact so greatly increased when episodes are viewed in quick succession. (A word of caution. Bide your time. In due course prices plummet. When they do, pounce.)
Salute here an anthology not only most impressive in itself, but the gateway to much fine future viewing.
Many may intend a brief browse, only to find hours have passed without their realizing. Especially fascinating are reminders of shows that blazed a trail. Find here when sitcoms discovered there was no need for a studio audience, when police series veered towards cops who were flawed, how certain famous film stars pioneered a move towards the small screen. See how "Pride and Prejudice" set new standards for costume drama, how "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" inspired the fangs and gore ever since, which Nordic Noir led to an influx of foreign series, many viewers surprised to find subtitles no barrier.
Welcome too is praise for shows axed far too early - many, like "Firefly", to become acclaimed thanks to DVD.
Readers indeed are likely to prepare a "Must Buy" box set list, mindful of impact so greatly increased when episodes are viewed in quick succession. (A word of caution. Bide your time. In due course prices plummet. When they do, pounce.)
Salute here an anthology not only most impressive in itself, but the gateway to much fine future viewing.
June 11, 2016
It is called 1001 TV Shows You Must Watch Before You Die. It is a thick book, with color pictures and 1001 short essays of television programs that are, according to the blurb, “The most groundbreaking and important must-see shows from the 1950s to today’s golden age of television. This latest addition to the best-selling and highly acclaimed 1001 series showcases the best programs produced for television from its inception to the bumper crop of great shows being produced in today’s era of original cable programming and digital streaming…”
One thousand and one “groundbreaking” shows – and the authors include Lost in Space, Mr. Ed, and The Persuaders! But they don’t include Combat!
RealIy?
I would say that someone at 1001 has a warped understanding of the word “groundbreaking.
A show featuring a cowardly saboteur, a pre-teen boy, and an emotional robot is breaking new ground? A series about a talking horse who causes his owner all sorts of inane problems is breaking new ground? And a fluffy adventure program about a British playboy (Roger Moore) and an American playboy in 1970s leisure suits getting into fights and car chases is breaking new ground?
Get real.
When I think “groundbreaking,” I think of Combat! The most successful war drama on television, it ran for five years and 152 epi-sodes, showcasing a gritty realism that was mostly unheard of in tele-vision at the time (The Gallant Men, a more traditional “heroism during war” series appeared in the same year Combat! began, disappeared after one year.)
The program was the brainchild of Robert Pirosh, who had writ-ten the gritty Steve McQueen vehicle, Hell Is for Heroes (which also featured the atonal music of Leonard Rosenman, who would later score 151 episodes onfCombat!). After the rather jokey pilot was completed, Combat! was reshaped by director Robert Altman and writer/director Burt Kennedy, who between them directed about half of the first season’s 32 episodes.
Combat! focuses on a squad of infantrymen, fighting their way across occupied France in 1944. They are led by Lt. Gil Hanley (Rick Jason) and Sgt. Chip Saunders (Vic Morrow), two tough dedicated soldiers who know that war is hell and that the only way to survive it is one day at a time.
As Patrick McGilligan observes in Robert Altman: Jumping Off a Cliff: “Scenes were deliberately cobwebbed, obscured by smoke or fog, sunlight-bedazzled, illumined by candles, veiled in moonlight, glimpsed in heavy weather. As often as not, the camera was handheld. This gritty, naturalistic camerawork announces the show as different and important from the outset.”
Morrow as the tough-but-sensitive Saunders was the breakout star of the series (he had never had a role better suited to his skills); and he knew how to use the strengths of television, saying more with a look or a gesture than many actors could say with a whole speech. In fact, Morrow and Jason, with the approval of Altman and other directors, would often cut a lot of their dialogue as unnecessary.
The cast is a repertory company of great characters, including the strong, silent Cajun nick-named Caje (Pierre Jalbert), the malcon-tent “Wild Man” Kirby (Jack Hogan), the farm boy Little John (Dick Peabody), and the sturdy, dependable medic, “Doc” (Conlan Carter).
The interplay among the actors is realistic, the situations in which they find themselves compelling, often with well-known guest stars. “Masquerade” features James Coburn as a clever Nazi spy, posing as the fast-talking but dangerous Cpl. Klinger. “Bridge at Chalons” showcases Lee Marvin as a bitter munitions expert; “What Are the Bugles Blowin’ For?” with Ronald Howard (son of Leslie) is a superb two-parter that delves into the different psyches of American and British soldiers as it examines the meaning of courage; and “S.I.W.,” features John Cassavetes as a soldier who may or may not be a coward in a story about the nature of truth.
The series often does a lot with a simple premise. Watching some episodes, you may sometimes wonder, “How are they going to stretch this out to 52 minutes?” One of my favorites in that category is “The Duel,” in which Saunders has to delay a tank that is coming round the bend in the road – Saunders versus a tank? Sounds unlike-ly. But it works.
The series was also groundbreaking for its sometimes sympa-thetic portrayals of Germans, who are not always painted in the broad strokes of many war movies (and who also spoke to each other in German, not the German-accented English common in a lot of World War II films and TV series). A classic example is in the first episode broadcast, “Forgotten Front,” directed by Altman, which not only presents a very human German soldier but also raises moral questions about the treatment of prisoners, rare on TV of the era.
Combat! made a point of making powerful statements about war, the military, heroism, and the frustrations of soldiering. “Hills Are for Heroes,” a two-parter directed by Morrow, and “Cat and Mouse,” written and directed by Altman, both tell stories of soldiers sacrificing their lives for a military objective – only to have that objective change by story’s end, making the deaths of the “heroes” pointless.
Above all else, Combat! is more worthwhile viewing than many of the “must see” shows in 1001 TV Shows You Must Watcb because it is about people in extraordinary circumstances, under great pressure, who are tempted to but never forget their basic humanity. It is a mes-sage that is timeless and enduring, and helps make Combat! the No.1 show you must watch before you die.
One thousand and one “groundbreaking” shows – and the authors include Lost in Space, Mr. Ed, and The Persuaders! But they don’t include Combat!
RealIy?
I would say that someone at 1001 has a warped understanding of the word “groundbreaking.
A show featuring a cowardly saboteur, a pre-teen boy, and an emotional robot is breaking new ground? A series about a talking horse who causes his owner all sorts of inane problems is breaking new ground? And a fluffy adventure program about a British playboy (Roger Moore) and an American playboy in 1970s leisure suits getting into fights and car chases is breaking new ground?
Get real.
When I think “groundbreaking,” I think of Combat! The most successful war drama on television, it ran for five years and 152 epi-sodes, showcasing a gritty realism that was mostly unheard of in tele-vision at the time (The Gallant Men, a more traditional “heroism during war” series appeared in the same year Combat! began, disappeared after one year.)
The program was the brainchild of Robert Pirosh, who had writ-ten the gritty Steve McQueen vehicle, Hell Is for Heroes (which also featured the atonal music of Leonard Rosenman, who would later score 151 episodes onfCombat!). After the rather jokey pilot was completed, Combat! was reshaped by director Robert Altman and writer/director Burt Kennedy, who between them directed about half of the first season’s 32 episodes.
Combat! focuses on a squad of infantrymen, fighting their way across occupied France in 1944. They are led by Lt. Gil Hanley (Rick Jason) and Sgt. Chip Saunders (Vic Morrow), two tough dedicated soldiers who know that war is hell and that the only way to survive it is one day at a time.
As Patrick McGilligan observes in Robert Altman: Jumping Off a Cliff: “Scenes were deliberately cobwebbed, obscured by smoke or fog, sunlight-bedazzled, illumined by candles, veiled in moonlight, glimpsed in heavy weather. As often as not, the camera was handheld. This gritty, naturalistic camerawork announces the show as different and important from the outset.”
Morrow as the tough-but-sensitive Saunders was the breakout star of the series (he had never had a role better suited to his skills); and he knew how to use the strengths of television, saying more with a look or a gesture than many actors could say with a whole speech. In fact, Morrow and Jason, with the approval of Altman and other directors, would often cut a lot of their dialogue as unnecessary.
The cast is a repertory company of great characters, including the strong, silent Cajun nick-named Caje (Pierre Jalbert), the malcon-tent “Wild Man” Kirby (Jack Hogan), the farm boy Little John (Dick Peabody), and the sturdy, dependable medic, “Doc” (Conlan Carter).
The interplay among the actors is realistic, the situations in which they find themselves compelling, often with well-known guest stars. “Masquerade” features James Coburn as a clever Nazi spy, posing as the fast-talking but dangerous Cpl. Klinger. “Bridge at Chalons” showcases Lee Marvin as a bitter munitions expert; “What Are the Bugles Blowin’ For?” with Ronald Howard (son of Leslie) is a superb two-parter that delves into the different psyches of American and British soldiers as it examines the meaning of courage; and “S.I.W.,” features John Cassavetes as a soldier who may or may not be a coward in a story about the nature of truth.
The series often does a lot with a simple premise. Watching some episodes, you may sometimes wonder, “How are they going to stretch this out to 52 minutes?” One of my favorites in that category is “The Duel,” in which Saunders has to delay a tank that is coming round the bend in the road – Saunders versus a tank? Sounds unlike-ly. But it works.
The series was also groundbreaking for its sometimes sympa-thetic portrayals of Germans, who are not always painted in the broad strokes of many war movies (and who also spoke to each other in German, not the German-accented English common in a lot of World War II films and TV series). A classic example is in the first episode broadcast, “Forgotten Front,” directed by Altman, which not only presents a very human German soldier but also raises moral questions about the treatment of prisoners, rare on TV of the era.
Combat! made a point of making powerful statements about war, the military, heroism, and the frustrations of soldiering. “Hills Are for Heroes,” a two-parter directed by Morrow, and “Cat and Mouse,” written and directed by Altman, both tell stories of soldiers sacrificing their lives for a military objective – only to have that objective change by story’s end, making the deaths of the “heroes” pointless.
Above all else, Combat! is more worthwhile viewing than many of the “must see” shows in 1001 TV Shows You Must Watcb because it is about people in extraordinary circumstances, under great pressure, who are tempted to but never forget their basic humanity. It is a mes-sage that is timeless and enduring, and helps make Combat! the No.1 show you must watch before you die.
July 19, 2022
Beautifully presented as always, however there is a nagging feeling throughout that whereas the volume on films felt like 99% were vital entries and the same for the albums edition, this, just isn't. I started to wonder if only 1,002 TV Series have actually been made in history as literally everything seems to make the cut here be it 'Mrs Browns Boys' or 'Eastenders'. Obviously you're never going to watch everything in here and any list is subjective, but the quality on offer does make this little more than a 'huh, yeah that was a pretty good show' response as you turn each page.
January 1, 2016
I love this series of books, and the TV shows one is no exception. I am rather embarrassed to say that I have seen (either the whole series or at least one episode of) over 75% of the listed titles. There are some European shows which I would definitely like to catch up on (Australia only had a multi-language broadcaster set up in the 80s). All I can say is that I have clearly spent the bulk of my life watching TV (and the other part reading books)
December 30, 2016
Counted the shows that I have seen. 307. I guess I can stay alive a little longer.
September 2, 2022
1001 TV Series You Must Watch Before You Die is already a hard list due to the fact that, to be honest, there aren't really 1001 TV series that you must watch (well in full that is). But they managed to make it not a good list in a couple of ways.
First: the omitted series.
This is a given with any list that you will end up disagreeing with what appears and most importantly with what doesn't. Still this list is full of omissions. While yes there are a handful of notable live-action omissions, it is most prevalent with the animated series. As an example, this list omits SpongeBob SquarePants. While yes there are some very bad episodes (even as a fan), is this no more a problem than with Family Guy? (which is included). How about the Animaniacs? And then there's the fact that no anime is included. No Sailor Moon, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop or anything else. I could go on with personal guilty pleasures not being included (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EFfj...) as well as there perhaps being a western bias and the fact that there's a lot of soap operas, but i'll move on to the problem that makes this list less readable.
Second: The format
With most all of the 1001 lists on the arts (yes i consider TV series to be the arts) they are listed chronologically (or approximately for works whose date of composition is unknown). With 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up it is listed by age which i feel is kinda boneheaded. This list's decision of organizing it alphabetically is possibly even more boneheaded and less understandable in the context of the list. Yes there are versions of this list where the contents are sorted chronologically but those aren't the official list. While yes, organizing TV series chronologically can be difficult, i would sort them by the year they began airing. This list doesn't do that which is, again, a boneheaded decision.
Third: a short little factoid that will make this list even worse given what i said uptop
It has Keeping Up with the Kardashians. If that didn't make you want to take a swig of draino i don't know what will.
First: the omitted series.
This is a given with any list that you will end up disagreeing with what appears and most importantly with what doesn't. Still this list is full of omissions. While yes there are a handful of notable live-action omissions, it is most prevalent with the animated series. As an example, this list omits SpongeBob SquarePants. While yes there are some very bad episodes (even as a fan), is this no more a problem than with Family Guy? (which is included). How about the Animaniacs? And then there's the fact that no anime is included. No Sailor Moon, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop or anything else. I could go on with personal guilty pleasures not being included (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EFfj...) as well as there perhaps being a western bias and the fact that there's a lot of soap operas, but i'll move on to the problem that makes this list less readable.
Second: The format
With most all of the 1001 lists on the arts (yes i consider TV series to be the arts) they are listed chronologically (or approximately for works whose date of composition is unknown). With 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up it is listed by age which i feel is kinda boneheaded. This list's decision of organizing it alphabetically is possibly even more boneheaded and less understandable in the context of the list. Yes there are versions of this list where the contents are sorted chronologically but those aren't the official list. While yes, organizing TV series chronologically can be difficult, i would sort them by the year they began airing. This list doesn't do that which is, again, a boneheaded decision.
Third: a short little factoid that will make this list even worse given what i said uptop
It has Keeping Up with the Kardashians. If that didn't make you want to take a swig of draino i don't know what will.
December 26, 2017
With a scene from BREAKING BAD on the cover I said this looks like a book full of quality TV shows.
The book is full of some interesting information and great photographs. I asked myself a question "Have there been 1001 shows worth mentioning and when I saw that there are some game shows in the compilation I thought, "Maybe Not".
Here are some shows which are not in this book. GET SMART, F TROOP, McHALES NAVY, COMBAT, 12 O'CLOCK HIGH and BEN CASEY. All classics. THE BULLWINKLE SHOW nor did THE BUGS BUNNY SHOW make the list of animated shows.
As an Australian I see that the soap operas NEIGHBOURS and HOME & AWAY which screen five nights a week are included. In the late 90's Australian television had three great cop shows BLUE MURDER , PHOENIX and it's spin off JANUS which were multi award winning shows yet didn't they are not in this compilation.
Some great photographs but the shows missing out are genuine must see television shows whatever the criteria.
The book is full of some interesting information and great photographs. I asked myself a question "Have there been 1001 shows worth mentioning and when I saw that there are some game shows in the compilation I thought, "Maybe Not".
Here are some shows which are not in this book. GET SMART, F TROOP, McHALES NAVY, COMBAT, 12 O'CLOCK HIGH and BEN CASEY. All classics. THE BULLWINKLE SHOW nor did THE BUGS BUNNY SHOW make the list of animated shows.
As an Australian I see that the soap operas NEIGHBOURS and HOME & AWAY which screen five nights a week are included. In the late 90's Australian television had three great cop shows BLUE MURDER , PHOENIX and it's spin off JANUS which were multi award winning shows yet didn't they are not in this compilation.
Some great photographs but the shows missing out are genuine must see television shows whatever the criteria.
November 25, 2020
Z pewnością tytułu nie należy brać dosłownie. Jest umowny a wybrano 1001 seriali tylko po to, aby pasowało to do serii tego typu przewodników. Dla mnie to przede wszystkim kompendium wiedzy o telewizyjnych produkcjach od początków telewizji po 2015 rok (z dodatkiem "Wiedźmina" od Netflixa z pewnością na potrzeby polskiego wydania).
W trakcie lektury zastanawiałem się, czy pojawi się jakiś polski tytuł. I co by to mogło być. Okazał się nim "Dekalog" Krzysztofa Kieślowskiego, co teraz wydaje mi się wyborem oczywistym.
Generalnie, to uważam - jako nałogowy widz seriali od trzech dekad - że seriali, które należy obejrzeć, zmieściłoby się na liście może sto. I z pewnością to kompendium pomogłoby mi w dokonaniu takiego wyboru.
W trakcie lektury zastanawiałem się, czy pojawi się jakiś polski tytuł. I co by to mogło być. Okazał się nim "Dekalog" Krzysztofa Kieślowskiego, co teraz wydaje mi się wyborem oczywistym.
Generalnie, to uważam - jako nałogowy widz seriali od trzech dekad - że seriali, które należy obejrzeć, zmieściłoby się na liście może sto. I z pewnością to kompendium pomogłoby mi w dokonaniu takiego wyboru.
November 5, 2020
It was an okay ready, it was very eye opening on the fact that from those 1001 series, I could count very little of them showed diversity, but I get that it was also from different ages till now so anyway.
July 21, 2021
Does not credit Black women stars - specifically, these dudes chose not to credit Yvette Nicole Brown (Shirley, a main character in 99 episodes) of Community but did credit Rob Corddry (a minor guest in 3 episodes.)
August 1, 2021
Didn't include Yvette Nicole Brown, a Black lead actress, on her own show. They credited a white dude guest appearance - so no excuses about text limits. What a disappointing and violent decision by the writers and editors.
December 8, 2021
This book only took me 5 and a half years to read! OK its the sort of book you dip into normally but I ended up reading it cover to cover. A good compilation which gvae me some good ideas of shows to binge watch.
June 21, 2023
Un buen recorrido de la historia de las series desde los inicios de la televisión, aunque hay un exceso de reality shows, programas de variedades y concursos que me han sobrado en su mayoría. Pero siempre hay series por descubrir y por rememorar.
March 19, 2017
A bit of fun for browsing, perhaps finding a few series that one has not watched but would like to. Also for recalling long forgotten series! In my case "UFO" from the early 7os.
June 2, 2017
Not as good as the others "1001" book series.
Where are the tv series before 1940-1950, such as Flash Gordon (Buster Crabbe), and others?
Where are the tv series before 1940-1950, such as Flash Gordon (Buster Crabbe), and others?
March 27, 2020
A fun book that even if you don't get to see the shows mentioned within you can get a fun idea that lets you picture them or make up your own stories based on the summaries. If the shows are available to view you will undoubtedly find something new to keep you entertained. A great mix of all genres from all over the world across the last half-century.
December 16, 2015
If you go by my definition of "watching" a series as "I've seen at least one complete episode", then I've covered about 8% of the titles in this book. Granted, there's a bunch of foreign shows, news programs, talk shows, etc. in here, so "series" is sort of a loose term by this book's definition, but, still plenty of work for me to do. ;-)
March 31, 2016
nice book about tv show from around television history & from around the world!
November 4, 2019
131 de 1001! I really want a book about 1001 Cartoons please
March 21, 2020
A fine collection of pen portraits of some of the greatest TV series ever produced.
While Anglo-American centric, there are some interesting programs from around the world to pique your interest.
While Anglo-American centric, there are some interesting programs from around the world to pique your interest.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews