All right. Let's get this show started! (Ha! Get it? Wait, shit. Let me explain.) First up, the list of influential TV shows. Let's get this show started! (Get it?) Please note that this list is not in any particular order. Just because these are labeled 18-25 doesn't mean that they are any less of an influence than something at, say, 1-5. Cool? Cool.

18. Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!: I love this show. I love it even though it’s not perfect. In fact, in any given episode, I might only enjoy 60-80% of the material. But the absolutely ridiculous things they do, and, more importantly, how they present it, totally makes this show. It’s sketch-comedy from hell. You’ll either love it or hate it -- there’s no middle ground. If you enjoy cheesy “as seen on TV” ads, or cheesy after school specials, or cheesy Power Point presentations, then this show might be for you. Regardless, it’s now a part of my sense of humor.

19. Pushing Daisies: As a writer, I think one of the hardest things to do is express true emotion without sounding clichéd, cheesy, or fake. But this show can totally nail heartwarming without being any one of those things. It’s funny, it’s sad, it’s life-affirming. It has great writing and great acting and stunning sets and costumes. However, one of my favorite aspects of the show is that it takes an illogical concept (waking dead people) and fastens it to binding rules. Fantastic.

20. Sports Night: My very first exposure to Aaron Sorkin. It’s a half-hour comedy that balances the hilarious with the dramatic without missing a beat. Sorkin’s dialogue is rapid-fire. The only downside to this show is the laugh-track that cripples the first season.

21. The West Wing: And after I thought it couldn’t get better than Sports Night, here comes The West Wing. I can never decide which show I like better (it usually comes down to which show I’ve watched most recently), but the fact that these episodes are twice as long as a Sports Night episode means more show to love. I can’t vouch for Season 5-7, as they are post-Sorkin years, but Seasons 1-4 (and 2, in particular) are some of the finest political drama ever.

22. The Wire: While Aaron Sorkin wins the award for “heightened level of dialogue that I wish everyone spoke in,” David Simon and the writers of The Wire win the award for most authentic-sounding dialogue. The character development in this show is amazing. Everyone has flaws. Everyone has redeeming qualities. Everyone gets stuck in the system. In my opinion, season 2 is rather lack-luster, but the other four seasons are top-notch.

23. Mystery Science Theater 3000: My favorite low-budget cult classic show. The premise is ridiculously simple (a guy and his two robot friends watch horrible B movies and talk back to the screen, adding their own humorous commentary), but the result is nothing short of brilliant. From the low-brow to the high-brow, the sheer range of jokes is astonishing. There were jokes I got in high school, then there were new jokes I got in college, and finally there are new jokes that I only now get. This show has truly, truly, truly shaped my life.

24. Arrested Development: Call-backs, foreshadowing, double or triple entendres… This show is one of the most tightly-knit shows I’ve ever seen. Unbelievable. It’s the only sitcom (if you can even call it that) that I’ll ever need.

25. The Daily Show: No, it’s not the only place I go for news, thank you very much, but let’s be honest -- as much as Jon Stewart jokes, it’s a good place to go for news. I’m glad there’s an outlet for my pessimism and overall disgust with all things political.