'The Sopranos' Tops Writers Guild of America LIST of 101 Best-Written Series', Voted Above 'Seinfeld,' 'Friends' & More
It may be six years since it was on the air, but The Sopranos has topped the Writers Guild of America's list of the 101 greatest TV shows of all time.
The HBO multiple-award winning drama had its first episode in 1999 and continued for six seasons, with its series finale in 2007. The show's protagonist, the notorious Italian-American mafioso, was played by James Gandolfini. His wife Carmela Soprano, played by Edie Falco, is currently the lead on the show Nurse Jackie.
Released on June 2, the specific list was put together for the first time ever and also includes classic TV shows from the '50s including The Honeymooners and I Love Lucy.
More recent comedic sitcoms also made the list. Seinfeld, a TV show that debuted in July 1989 and went on for almost ten years, is second on the list. One of its competitors, Friends, is No. 24.
Sex and the City, another HBO top show, which documented the lives of four very different women living in New York City, is No. 39 on the list.
Late-night shows were also acknowledged. The comedic live show Saturday Night Live, which has been on the air for 38 seasons, holds the No. 25 spot and The Daily Show With Jon Stewart is No. 17.
Other current shows that made the list are Modern Family, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Homeland and the long-running comedic sitcom The Simpsons.
"At their core, all of these wonderful series began with the words of the writers who created them and were sustained by the writers who joined their staffs or worked on individual episodes," WGAW President Chris Keyser and WGAE President Michael Winship both said in a joint statement. "This list is not only a tribute to great TV, it is a dedication to all writers who devote their hearts and minds to advancing their craft."
Get the full list here.