Watching the BBC's new
War of the Worlds serial (jury's still out on that by the way - some of it was ok but I think they really missed a trick by not having Tom Baker deliver the opening "No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century..." narration!), I recalled some old science fiction series that used to be regular viewing back in the day. Of course many of them proved to be enduring classics that remain among my favourite tv shows of all time.
Besides classic
Doctor Who (the original series only - I just don't consider any New Who to be derserving of classic status), there's probably far too many to mention but here's some of me faves...
The Avengers - I am a fan of the entire series and I include
The New Avengers albeit to a lesser extent.
Star Trek - similar to
Who, I mean only the original series (i.e. Kirk and Spock etc) and I enjoy all the movies with the original cast as well.
UFO - definitely my favourite Gerry Anderson series, still fondly remembered. I think it was the moonbase girls with the purple hair that did it.
The Prisoner - incredibly original cult classic.
Sherlock Holmes - all the Granada series starring Jeremy Brett, the earlier seasons I think are the finest though.
Monty Python - I love all the
Flying Circus series as well as all the Python movies plus the excellent related stuff by individual Python members like
Fawlty Towers,
Rutland Weekend,
Ripping Yarns etc.
The Comedians - great 70s tv show that wasn't pc and all the funnier for it.
Benny Hill - again not pc but fecking funny imo.
Dick Emery - amusing pioneering character based sketch show.
The Two Ronnies - witty and frequently hilarious.
Porridge - wonderful character based comic genius.
Blackadder - brilliant series entirely.
Kenny Everett TV/Video Show - always entertaining.
The Sweeney - simply the greatest cops & crooks series of all time, steeped in the sleazy crime atmosphere evoked by movies like
Get Carter and
Villain in the early 70s.
I, Claudius - I also liked later epic series like
Rome and
Spartacus but this still stands out as the best cast classic ancient Roman drama except maybe for
Plebs or of course
Up Pompeii!