#1 The Simpsons vs. #16 The Bob Newhart Show

Ok, this TV titan had a bit of a harder push in its first round match than one might expect, but still won the voting by about a 3:1 margin. Part of it may have to do with love for the underdog. Perhaps, it’s that the long out of syndication but still classic first Bob Newhart showcase still has a loyal fanbase. Or, and I suspect this is a big part of it: some people conflated the two famous Newhart programs. I hope someone got fired for that. In any case, The family Simp-son moves to the second round where it will battle…

#8 You’re the Worst vs. #9 Black-ish

It’s not a shocker that the currently running show about the Johnsons beat the instant cult classic about two misanthropes who try to make it work by being awful together; I’m just surprised how decisive the victory turned out to be. It’ll be hard to take down the reigning king of television in the next round, but for today, the center of the -Ishaverse is on top of the Scholarly world. And, yes, I am going to continue to try to make -Ishaverse happen!

#2 The Good Place vs. #15 The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle

• Moose & squirrel had nothing up their sleeves, so Mike Schur’s tribute to the good in humanity acquires enough points to make it to the Solid 64. Rocky, Bullwinkle, we say this to you, our friends, from the bottom of our hearts, with all the love in our hearts and all the wisdom of the universe: keep it sleazy! So Disco Janet boogies on to the Solid 64 where it will face…

#7 Monty Python’s Flying Circus vs. #10 Diff’rent Strokes

The landmark BBC show by the five Brits and one American is enough of a goer this round to advance to the next round, if you know what I mean (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). Unfortunately for another classic comedy from the 1970s, this world does move to the beat of just one drum–that’s kind of the whole point. However, the absurd, thinly connected but wonderfully wacky sketches will have its work cut out for it against the show that redefined heaven. That said, the troupe does have a history tweaking gods…

#3 The Office [UK] vs. #14 Weeds

We bid adieu to Mary-Louise Parker, Kevin Nealon and the rest of the funniest drug cartels. The Pythons surely were a huge influence on Ricky Gervais, especially in his creation of the weaselly David Brent. Funnily enough, if this show makes it through the next round, they will either face MPFC or The Good Place–a show which featured a prominent guest spot from The Office co-creator Steven Merchant as The Accountant, the arbiter of the whole points system central to the whole show. However, first it needs to get past…

#6 Family Ties vs. #11 Shameless

Frank Gallagher, as on the actual show which ended last week, does not go quietly into that dark night, but in the end, William H. Macy was no match for Michael J. Fox in the battle of actors who famously sport middle initials. In the end, the voters hearted the ’80s and Alex P. & co. sha-la-la-la into the second round of loving each other through everything. And damned if I didn’t forget that Fox married Tracy Pollan, possibly the most famous significant other on a TV show. I’m verklempt, but, what do you say at this moment?

#4 Mr. Show vs. #13 The Odd Couple

Sad songs are nature’s onions. Mr. Show did famously argue that 24 was the highest number, so it probably had no business being in a group of 128. Oh you men! The battle between Felix & Oscar and Bob & David was close, but in the end, Oscar Madison hit a 3-pointer as time expired and the original odd couple find their place in the next round, where they will face the dynamic duo of Morgendorffer & Lane…

#5 Daria vs. #12 Baskets

Daria won’t be soothed (or smoothed over like milk). The Mike Judge Conference is having an excellent start to the tourney as two of the four shows in this competition to which he has a connection have moved on to the second round already. It was a razor tight victory on our site, but she ran up the score on #GBOAT. Oh, Chip Baskets: you were just too pure for this tournament. 

So, there you have it. We’ve got three iconic families (two who date back to the ’80s, one emerging), an iconic heaven, the original paper company, one disaffected and sarcastic teen, one mismatched pair, and the home of The Society of Putting Things on Top of Other Things. Thanks for voting and look out for Section C tomorrow morning which includes a surly TV host, a pair of hapless computer nerds, a reluctant hit man, wisecracking DJs, mole women, box store employees, a 46-year-old high schooler, and arguably the most famous and beloved (non-animated) TV show of all time as the top seed. Oh, and two shows each featuring Garry Shandling and Amy Sedaris.