Top Made For TV Programs

[xudash]

Adding to our "top" lists, naming as many as you want, list your top favorite made for TV programs - outside of normal programming (e.g. made for TV movies, etc.):

I'll start it with a few classics:

Ken Burns: The Civil War - the best documentary programming I have ever watched.

Rich Man, Poor Man - Once you got into this, if you were into it at the time, you cleared your calendar to not miss an episode. An excellent story acted out by a superb cast.

Billy Jean King v. Bobby Riggs in the Astrodome - it changed a lot of things, and it was a spectacle. Bobby Riggs was a pill-popping piece of work.

[Juice]

Lonesome Dove

Never saw it when it aired originally because I was too young to like something like this, but I have since watched it and loved it.

[Raoul Duke]

Band of Brothers was phenomenal.

[Kahns Krazy]

The original "V" miniseries.

[Stonebreaker]

Band of Brothers and V were awesome. But nothing can beat...

http://www.flixray.com/dvd_covers/200807/93161.jpg

[chico]

Centennial is a great call, but seeing Robert Conrad reminds me of one I think tops it. It was a yearly special - The Battle of the Network Stars.

http://www.70s-tv.com/images/battle1.jpg

I loved watching this. Back when there were only 3 networks, all the stars would battle in a sports competition - kayaking (in a swimming pool, obstacle courses, dunking booth, 1/4 mile relay). Howard Cosell commentating. But Robert Conrad was the best. Here's a little video of what I'm talking about (it's about 9 minutes long, but it's worth it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqWU9huMMco

The Superstars and Superteams were also great. The Tug of War to end the competition couldn't be beat.

[MHettel]

"V" was seriously awesome as a kid. Such low production quality.

[wkrq59]

Many of you, most of you in fact, will disagree with my top, but it was a special series made for TV in the 50s I believe:
1. Victory at Sea, a pioneer presentation, made better by Rogers and Hammerstein score.
2.Ken Burns --Baseball
3. Ken Burns World War II
4. Ken Burns Civil War
5.Lonesome Dove
6. Generation Kill, an HBO series on Iraq.:cool:

[ATL Muskie]

Many of you, most of you in fact, will disagree with my top, but it was a special series made for TV in the 50s I believe:
1. Victory at Sea, a pioneer presentation, made better by Rogers and Hammerstein score.
2.Ken Burns --Baseball
3. Ken Burns World War II
4. Ken Burns Civil War
5.Lonesome Dove
6. Generation Kill, an HBO series on Iraq.:cool:


Excellent list! Generation Kill is amazing.

[Juice]

The Last Don

It aired a long time ago but I remember liking it at the time. I also believe it was done by Mario Puzo.

[Kahns Krazy]

Centennial is a great call, but seeing Robert Conrad reminds me of one I think tops it. It was a yearly special - The Battle of the Network Stars.

http://www.70s-tv.com/images/battle1.jpg

I loved watching this. Back when there were only 3 networks, all the stars would battle in a sports competition - kayaking (in a swimming pool, obstacle courses, dunking booth, 1/4 mile relay). Howard Cosell commentating. But Robert Conrad was the best. Here's a little video of what I'm talking about (it's about 9 minutes long, but it's worth it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqWU9huMMco

The Superstars and Superteams were also great. The Tug of War to end the competition couldn't be beat.
BAM! BOTNS rocked. I grew up with a tv that didn't need a frickin remote because we had a tv guide in the sunday paper and 3 channels. Specials like BOTNS were all that was talked about at school.

Howard Cosell's voice defines a generation in sports programming.

[Kahns Krazy]

Oh, and the cameltoe rocked.

[bourbonman]

Many of you, most of you in fact, will disagree with my top, but it was a special series made for TV in the 50s I believe:
1. Victory at Sea, a pioneer presentation, made better by Rogers and Hammerstein score.


Q, I just completed "1942, The Year That Tried Men's Souls" by Winston Groom. While I was reading it on a plane I laid it down for a couple of minutes. When I returned to my seat another fellow across the aisle was reading the back cover. He turned out to be a WW2 vet and was interested in the book. During the conversation he suggested a couple of additional books along with the series you mention above. I can't wait to get my hands on it. And now that you're suggesting it, I'm dialing up my search.

[Smails]

1)Band of Brothers
2)North and South
3)The War by Ken Burns
4)Thief (was on FX starred Andre Brower sp?)
5)The Day After (Cold War classic)

[muskienick]

"ROOTS" was my all-time favorite

[wkrq59]

It's Braugher, but who cares. He's awesome and of course we got to know him through Homicide:Life on the Streets.:D

[Stonebreaker]

Many of you, most of you in fact, will disagree with my top, but it was a special series made for TV in the 50s I believe:
1. Victory at Sea, a pioneer presentation, made better by Rogers and Hammerstein score.
2.Ken Burns --Baseball
3. Ken Burns World War II
4. Ken Burns Civil War
5.Lonesome Dove
6. Generation Kill, an HBO series on Iraq.:cool:


Ken Burns puts out good stuff.

[Stonebreaker]

How could I forget 'Winds of War'. That miniseries was awesome. To me at least.

[wkrq59]

How could I forget 'Winds of War'. That miniseries was awesome. To me at least.

Or Johnny Carson's wonderful spoof, "Winds of Whoopee.":D

[xudash]

Here's one for you: Queen's Bench VII

[MuskieDadof4ormore]

One from 25/30 years ago -- The First Olympics. The story of the reinstitution of the summer games in the year 1896 in Athens, Greece. Some good scenes -- especially the discus, hurdles, and the marathon. BTW, USA won 9 of the 12 Gold medals. Taped it on VHS, lost most otf it when someone taped over it.