staggers@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Ken Staggers) (11/17/90)
(From Electronic Media -- 11/12) The following are the results of Electronic Media's twice yearly poll of the nation's television critics. This poll seems to be gaining notariety over the last few years, as evidenced by the full page congratulation ads from studios (nice poster of the crew of Star Trek: TNG with Whoopi, and from MTM Enterprises--A TVS Entertainment Company). EM asked 67 writers to name the 10 best series and 5 worst series that can be viewed on TV-network and cable-excluding miniseries, specials, and movies. Here are the highlights: Best Show: Murphy Brown (CBS) Top Newcomer: Evening Shade (CBS) Best Cable Show: Dream On (HBO) Best Syndicated Show: Star Trek: The Next Generation (Paramount) Worst Show: Good Grief (FBC) Worst Syndicated Show: Hard Copy (Paramount) Here's the details: BEST SHOWS Total Points 1st Place Votes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1- Murphy Brown 391 8 2- The Simpsons (FBC) 357 9 3- LA Law (NBC) 298 7 4- Cheers (NBC) 295 7 5- The Wonder Years (ABC) 275 9 6- Twin Peaks (ABC) 249 5 7- 30something (ABC) 238 5 8- Designing Women (CBS) 140 0 9- In Living Color (FBC) 119 4 10- China Beach (ABC) 115 0 11- Star Trek: The Next Generation (Syn) 78 1 12- Quantum Leap (NBC) 68 0 13- Roseanne (ABC) 66 0 14- Evening Shade (CBS) 65 0 15- Trials of Rosie O'Neill (CBS) 56 2 16- 60 Minutes (CBS) 54 0 17- Late Night with David Letterman (NBC) 53 0 18- Doctor, Doctor (CBS) 44 0 19- Cop Rock (ABC) * 44 0 20- Dream On (HBO) 32 0 20- Law & Order (NBC) 32 0 WORST SHOWS Total Points ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1- Good Grief (FBC) 103 2- Uncle Buck (CBS) 90 2- Ferris Bueller (NBC) 90 4- E.A.R.T.H. Force (CBS) * 80 4- Going Places (ABC) 80 6- Funniest People (ABC) 51 7- Funniest Home Videos (ABC) 42 8- Babes (FBC) 32 9- Full House (ABC) 28 9- Married People (ABC) 28 11- Family Man (CBS) 27 12- True Colors (FBC) 24 13- Into The Night (ABC) 16 14- Married with Children (FBC) 15 15- Fanelli Boys (NBC) 14 * Cancelled Shows Comments From The Critics: "The critics favorite first run syndicated series is Paramount's "Star Trek: The Next Generation" which placed #11 on the best list. The series had previously received only token mention as a favorite by critics, but its ranking this time shows a surge of popularity with the critics. "Its production values and its values- in terms of the humanity it devotes to its characters and storylines-is not cheap science fiction opera. It avoids the trappings of that usual sort of space adventures," said USA Today's Matt Roush. "They've finally managed to get the characters out in front of the technology," said Scott Pierce of the Deseret News in Salt Lake City. --Ken (The Travelin' Fool) -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edited by Jim "The Big Dweeb" Griffith - the official scapegoat for r.a.s.i. Email submissions to trek-info@dweeb.fx.com, and questions to trek-info-request@dweeb.fx.com