I chose these shows based on quirkiness, weirdness, and oddness. These shows stand out as different from the usual network fodder. Because of their kitschy humor, mainstream audiences were hard to attract. Most of these shows had short runs, despite their brilliant content. Gilmore Girls and X-Files had long runs, but on second tier networks, and due to hardcore support from demographic specific die-hard fans, not mass appeal. Seinfeld’s eventual mass popularity and ratings success kept it from being the cult classic it should have been, and therefore relegated it to the honorable mention list.
I did not include cartoons or kids shows, which are usually quirky by nature. I did not include variety shows like The Tracy Ullman Show, or late night talk shows like Conan O’Brien.
I opened it up to US shows and the BBC, because the British do quirky so much better than we do.
13. Gilmore Girls- Yes, it can be “girly” at times, but it’s definitely quirky. Based in an odd small town, full of odd and quirky characters, quirky dialog, and unusual events.
12. Dark Shadows- Both the campy melodramatic 1966 original and the darker 1991 revival were great programs. A gothic soap opera revolving around vampire Barnabas Collins wet the taste buds of two generations of fans looking for a break from mainstream television.
11. Herman’s Head- Hilarious early Fox program featuring four aspects of the main character’s psyche battling it out inside his mind over every decision he needed to make. Great concept, and well done, even though most people didn’t appreciate it.
10. Red Dwarf- Hilarious and kitschy BBC show about a dysfunctional group of survivors stuck alone together on a ship in deep space. The slacker human, ornery hologram, silly humanoid cat, android, and their computer get into many quirky misadventures.
9. Addams Family- An all time classic full of quirky fun. Certainly not your typical 1960’s sitcom family by far. The wacky antics of Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, and the rest of the family never fail to tickle the funny bone, as they are oblivious to how different they really are.
8. Twilight Zone- The weirdest show ever, this all time classic had so many great moments of fear, dread, and wonderment. It gives you nightmares, it gives you chills, but yet you’re compelled to come back for more.
7. The Musters- Just like the Addams Family, The Munsters offered a culture shock polar opposite to the Cleaveresque sitcom families of the 1960’s. Both shows were great, but The Munsters kicked the kitschy quirky humor up a notch higher. Grandpa and Herman are a kooky quirky comedic team that’s hard to beat.
6. Picket Fences- The closest “quirky small town with weird residents” program to Twin Peaks I’ve seen yet. Bizarre happenings and a great cast made the show great, but the weirdness left most of America scratching their heads.
5. Are You Being Served?- The greatest Britcom of all time, focusing on the hilarious antics of the quirky employees of Grace Brothers department store. Brilliant writing, and dead on performances by the stellar cast made this one of the funniest programs ever. The odd characters really made this show stand out as a quirky gem.
4. X-Files- Certainly one of the weirdest shows in television history, the X-Files was never afraid to delve into the strange and the unknown. The very topics investigated alone make this show rank high on this list. Add in the brilliant performances and the quirky characters, and you’ve got a great alternative to 1990’s network drivel.
3. Monty Pythons Flying Circus- Often imitated, but never equaled. The only sketch comedy show to make the list. All the others, SNL included, had their high points and their low points, but Monty Python never failed to deliver both highbrow and lowbrow comedy simultaneously. If a sketch wasn’t funny to you, you probably didn’t “get” it.
2. Arrested Development- The most intelligent comedy program of all time, AD continued to push the envelope of quirky fun. Unfortunately, most people didn’t “get” the dry humor, and the running gags were lost on casual viewers. Add in pathetically absent promotion by Fox, and this gem only lasted 2 ½ seasons, just like the only show that was able to rank higher than it on this list…
1. Twin Peaks- David Lynch’s television masterpiece is simply the best ever. No show in the history of television ever was, or ever will be weirder, quirkier, or more brilliant than this story of an odd small town with a lot of secrets, some supernatural, some soap operaesque, it’s unusual residents, and the strange FBI agent who comes to town. Giants, dancing midgets, a talking log, a transvestite special agent (who went on to star in #4), and lots and lots of coffee, doughnuts, and pie trademarked Twin Peaks as the Greatest Quirky TV Show of All Time.
Honorable Mention:
American Gothic
Black Adder
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Dream on
Doctor Who
Eureka
Get a Life
It’s Garry Shandling’s Show
Mama’s Family
Outer Limits
Seinfeld
Small Wonder
©2010 Denim McDemus
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