I think that one of the lines between "great" and "good" shows is the writers' and producers' ability to let the viewer draw his/her own conclusion. There are g

I think that one of the lines between "great" and "good" shows is the writers' and producers' ability to let the viewer draw his/her own conclusion. There are good shows out there with good plots and good acting, but what holds a lot of those shows back from becoming great is where the writing doesn't allow the viewer to turn on that part of the brain that fills in the blanks on its own. While I'll watch TV that fills in the blanks for me, it really just satisfies a different purpose - typically I find that it creates laughs or provides knowledge useful outside in the real world. That's often good television. But shows like Mad Men, House of Cards, Breaking Bad - one of the hallmarks in these shows is that the viewer isn't explicitly drawn a conclusion or directly told what is going on. The writers and producers use the dialogue and situation to foreshadow. There are hints dropped along the way but not tied up until the very end of the season. It's a gradual build-up, it allows me to think and enjoy every part of the show - from the cast and scene selection to the dialogue and the cinematography. That's what I think makes great television.