[Locke.]

The Sopranos was named the best-written show in television history by the Writers Guild of America, edging out an eclectic collection of some of the most beloved and admired series. Members of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) voted online for the 101 Best Written TV Series, with David Chase’s iconic “family” drama topping Seinfeld, The Twilight Zone, All in the Family, and M*A*S*H*.
“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,” said WGAW President Chris Keyser and WGAE President Michael Winship 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.”

1. The Sopranos, HBO
Created by David Chase
2. Seinfeld, NBC
Created by Larry David & Jerry Seinfeld
3. The Twilight Zone (1959), CBS
Season 1 writers: Charles Beaumont, Richard Matheson, Robert Presnell, Jr., Rod Serling
4. All in the Family, CBS
Developed for Television by Norman Lear, Based on Till Death Do Us Part, Created by Johnny Speight
5. M*A*S*H, CBS
Developed for Television by Larry Gelbart
6. The Mary Tyler Moore Show, CBS
Created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns
7. Mad Men, AMC
Created by Matthew Weiner
8. Cheers, NBC
Created by Glen Charles & Les Charles and James Burrows
9. The Wire, HBO
Created by David Simon
10. The West Wing, NBC
Created by Aaron Sorkin
11. The Simpsons, FOX
Created by Matt Groening, Developed by James L. Brooks and Matt Groening and Sam Simon
12. I Love Lucy, CBS
“Pilot,” Written by Jess Oppenheimer & Madelyn Pugh & Bob Carroll, Jr.
13. Breaking Bad, AMC
Created by Vince Gilligan
14. The Dick Van Dyke Show, CBS
Created by Carl Reiner
15. Hill Street Blues, NBC
Created by Michael Kozoll and Steven Bochco
16. Arrested Development, FOX
Created by Mitchell Hurwitz
17. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, COMEDY CENTRAL
Created by Madeleine Smithberg, Lizz Winstead; Season 1 – Head Writer: Chris Kreski; Writers: Jim Earl, Daniel J. Goor, Charles Grandy, J.R. Havlan, Tom Johnson, Kent Jones, Paul Mercurio, Guy Nicolucci, Steve Rosenfield, Jon Stewart
18. Six Feet Under, HBO
Created by Alan Ball
19. Taxi, ABC
Created by James L. Brooks and Stan Daniels and David Davis and Ed Weinberger
20. The Larry Sanders Show, HBO
Created by Garry Shandling & Dennis Klein
21. 30 Rock, NBC
Created by Tina Fey
22. Friday Night Lights, NBC
Developed for Television by Peter Berg, Inspired by the Book by H.G. Bissinger
23. Frasier, NBC
Created by David Angell & Peter Casey & David Lee, Based on the Character “Frasier Crane” Created by Glen Charles & Les Charles
24. Friends, NBC
Created by Marta Kauffman & David Crane
25. Saturday Night Live, NBC
Season 1: Writing Supervised by Walter Kempley, Harry Shearer; Written by: Ann Beatts, Chevy Chase, Tom Davis, Al Franken, Rosie Michaels, Garrett Morris, Michael O’Donoghue, Herb Sargent, Tom Schiller, Alan Zweibel
26. The X-Files, FOX
Created by Chris Carter
27. Lost, ABC
Created by Jeffrey Lieber and J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof
28. ER, NBC
Created Michael Crichton
29. The Cosby Show, NBC
Created by Ed Weinberger & Michael Leeson and William Cosby, Jr., Ed. D.
30. Curb Your Enthusiasm, HBO
Created by Larry David
31. The Honeymooners, CBS
Season 1 writers: Herbert Finn, Marvin Marx, A.J. Russell, Leonard Stern, Walter Stone, Sydney Zelinka
32. Deadwood, HBO
Created by David Milch
33. Star Trek, NBC
Created by Gene Roddenberry
34. Modern Family, ABC
Created by Steven Levitan & Christopher Lloyd
35. Twin Peaks, ABC
“Pilot,” Written by Mark Frost & David Lynch
36. NYPD Blue, ABC
Created by David Milch & Steven Bochco
37. The Carol Burnett Show, CBS
Season 1: Written by Bill Angelos, Stan Burns, Don Hinkley, Buz Kohan, Mike Marmer, Gail Parent, Kenny Solms, Saul Turtletaub; Writing Supervised by Arnie Rosen
38. Battlestar Galactica (2005), SYFY
Developed by Ronald D. Moore, Based on the Series Battlestar Galactica Created by Glen A. Larson
39. Sex & the City, HBO
Created by Darren Star, Based on the Book by Candace Bushnell
40. Game of Thrones, HBO
Created by David Benioff & D. B. Weiss, Based on A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin
41. (Tie) The Bob Newhart Show, CBS
Created by David Davis and Lorenzo Music
Your Show of Shows, NBC
Season 1: Written by Mel Tolkin, Lucille Kallen, Max Liebman
43. (Tie) Downton Abbey, PBS
Created by Julian Fellowes
Law & Order, NBC
Created by Dick Wolf
thirtysomething, ABC
Created by Marshall Herskovitz & Edward Zwick
46. (Tie) Homicide: Life on the Street, NBC
Created by Paul Attanasio, Based on the Book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets by David Simon
St. Elsewhere, CBS
Created by Joshua Brand & John Falsey, Developed by Mark Tinker / John Masius
48. Homeland, SHOWTIME
Developed by Howard Gordon & Alex Gansa, Based on the Original Israeli Series Prisoners of War by Gideon Raff
49. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, WB
Created by Joss Whedon
50. (Tie) The Colbert Report, COMEDY CENTRAL
Season 1 writers: Stephen Colbert, Rich Dahm, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Jay Katsir, Laura Krafft, Allison Silverman
The Good Wife, CBS
Created by Robert King & Michelle King
The Office (UK), BBC
Created by Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant

The rest of the list is here but it's not really possible to copy and paste it and for it to look tidy without a load of editing - http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=4925 , but it includes the likes of Dexter, 24, House, The Shield, etc.

[Shaun]

friends above star trek i can't

[Marsh.]

Translation: Most popular shows.

[lostalex]

My So-Called Life not in the top 50?

[Locke.]

Friday Night Lights would not be on the list if it was based on popularity.

[Benjamin]

Curb Your Enthusiasm. I forgot that existed.

Good to see 30 Rock in there too.

[GiRTh]

Originally Posted by Shaun

friends above star trek i can't

Frasier only one place above Friends? Friends higher than Curb Your Enthusiam?

[Shaun]

modern family above twin peaks

but a fine choice for #1.

[GiRTh]

Six Feet Under. #overrated.

[james130]

Yes at Buffy and 30 Rock making the top 50.

[Niall]

Battlestar Galactica at #38.

[Firewire]

parks and recreation deserved to be on this list

[Brother Leon]

Agree with Sopranos. Wire should be 2nd though. Never been so connected to the characters on a show before. Even the ones who were meant to be the apparent scum of the earth end up pulling on your heart strings. Beautifully written show.

[Saph]

wheres thats so raven?

[Joelle.]

Sex & The City above Game of Thrones

Awful show