There are over one thousand students at Tumwater High School, and so naturally, there are many circulating TV shows, from horror series to rom-coms, weaving through conversations and watched discreetly under desks.
I interviewed almost thirty students and staff, a mere fraction of our community, and got a pretty wide range of answers. With said answers, I created a very subjective and definitely not controversial (duh) tier ranking. Which show is truly the best?
This tier list is nothing special. It has five levels, going from best to worst: S, A, B, C, D. It’s like school grades- plus an S, just for fun, I guess.
I categorized each TV show by rating, the Google-provided summary, and how interesting the plot seems. (Do not take offense at these decisions; they are merely my albeit uneducated opinions and not fact…)
Here is the ranking, and a summary of each show.
On the D tier: MASH, It: Welcome To Derry, and Gravity Falls.
- MASH: Starring the amusing 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital surgeons and staff during the Korean War, MASH mixes the reality of combat and dark humor as the characters perform crude surgeries while often fighting military bureaucracy, pranks, and their own sanity.
- It: Welcome to Derry: A prequel to Stephen King’s It, this show explores the origins of Pennywise and Derry’s cursed history set in 1962, decades before the movies. It focuses on different kids and a military family, and their creepy adventures facing supernatural horrors, racist incidents, and a dangerous cult.
- Gravity Falls: A Disney animated series centered around twins Mabel and Dipper Pines spending a summer at the funky Mystery Shack in a spooky, paranormal-full Oregon town, where Dipper finds a mysterious journal detailing local secrets.
On the C tier: Dexter, Duck Dynasty, Doctor Who, and All of Us Are Dead.
- Dexter: Based in Miami, a forensic blood splatter analyst Dexter Morgan lives a secret life: he is a serial killer who only kills other murderers who have dodged the justice system.
- Duck Dynasty: Duck Dynasty is a Louisiana reality show that follows the adventures of the Robertson family. The show centers around a multimillion-dollar-duck-hunting business called Duck Commander and family dynamics, Christian values, and silly everyday happenings.
- Doctor Who: This plot follows an alien Time Lord known as The Doctor. He travels through space in time to explore, fight evil, help others, and stop universe-changing disasters. Often human counterparts are by his side as the audience’s perspective.
- All of Us Are Dead: It is a South Korean zombie apocalypse based on high school students trapped at their school while a virus turns people into zombies and forces them to fight for survival, navigate through betrayal, and confront their deepest fears.
On the B tier: Total Drama Island, How I Met Your Mother, Clone Wars, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and Quarterback.
- Total Drama Island: Total Drama Island is an animated parody of reality shows, where teens live at the rundown Camp Wawanakwa. They compete in dangerous challenges for $100,000 and get voted off by teammates until one winner remains. The show features alliances, drama, and crazy stunts.
- How I Met Your Mother: A sitcom about a man telling his kids the story of how he met their mother, the show focuses on his life in New York as they steer romance, jobs, and life in their 20s and 20s. It is all a lead-up to his eventual meeting with the titular mother.
- Clone Wars: A Star Wars animated series, Clone Wars summarizes the galactic battles between the Republic and the Separatists. Jedi Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Padawan Ahsoka Tano lead clone troopers through epic fights, political intrigue, and character development. The undercurrent of the show reveals Palpatine’s dark rise to power and Anakin’s fall.
- The Summer I Turned Pretty: A coming-of-age story about Belly Conklin, perfect summers at Cousins Beach with her family are upended when she turns sixteen and finds herself in love with brothers Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher. The series continues throughout the rest of her high school career and college, where Belly overcomes heartbreak, self-discovery, and true love amidst family tragedy.
- Quarterback: A Netflix docuseries, Quarterback is produced by Peyton Manning and offers a unique behind-the-scenes look at the busy, pressure-full lives of NFL quarterbacks. It showcases their games mic’d up and important off-field family and personal lives. Quarterback reveals the immense sacrifices and support system needed to handle one of the most demanding jobs in sports.
On the A tier: Gilmore Girls, Grey’s Anatomy, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Charlie’s Angels, and Breaking Bad.
- Gilmore Girls: Lorelai and Rory Gilmore are mother and daughter in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. They face many romantic pursuits and career goals while focusing on their close bond and albeit complicated relationship with Lorelai’s wealthy parents, Emily and Richard.
- Grey’s Anatomy: Centered on the personal and professional lives of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital staff, Grey’s Anatomy follows Meredith Grey and her coworkers. They deal with life-or-death medical cases and complex romantic relationships, sometimes blurring the line between the two.
- The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: A reality series follows Mormon, Utahn mom-influencers and reveals marital issues, societal conflicts, and scandals rocking their “MomTok” community. It also showcases struggles with faith and tackles taboo topics like abuse and mental health.
- Charlie’s Angels: Charlie’s Angels is a crime-drama about three glamorous private investigators in LA, hired by the secretive multi-millionaire Charlie Townsend, solving crime, and often going undercover in disguises.
- Breaking Bad: Walter White is a meek high school chemistry teacher who was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. He partners with alumni Jesse Pinkman to cook and sell a high-purity chemical, methamphetamine, to save and protect his family’s financial future. Walter transforms from a calm, mild-mannered man into a cruel drug lord-Heisenberg- as his power (and ego!) grow, trapping him in a treacherous criminal realm.
On the S tier: Seinfeld, Little House on the Prairie, Stranger Things, and The Office.
- Seinfeld: Seinfeld is famously a sitcom about nothing, focusing on Jerry Seinfeld, a comedian, and his three friends. Together, the group faces mundane NYC life, dating disasters, and social faux pas, all connected by intricate, often wild, storylines that highlight the trivial everyday human behavior. There is, hilariously, no real growth or lessons learned.
- Little House on the Prairie: Based on Laura Ingall’s famous book series about her family (Charles, Caroline, Mary, Laura, and Carrie) growing up as pioneers in the late 19th century. The show, which is narrated by Laura Ingalls, struggles with hardship, disease, weather, and also joys.
- Stranger Things: A sci-fi horror series set in 1980s Indiana, young Will Byers disappears. When he is recovered, the town finds secret government experiments, supernatural forces from a parallel dimension, and a mysterious girl with psychokinetic powers. Friends lead a group to battle monsters and confront threats that endanger their town and world.
- The Office: The Office is a mockumentary sitcom following the bizarre employees of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The business is led by an eccentric but well-meaning manager Michael Scott. The staff faces workplace antics, awkward conversations and humor, and budding and intricate romance.
