Famous playwrights and TV counterparts: If Oscar Wilde wrote ‘Mad Men,’ and other pairings

Cast of Mad Men

Courtesy of Huff Post Culture

You know it’s real when people keep writing eulogies for it: we’re in a golden age of TV, everyone. Today’s scripted shows are stylish, smart and occasionally revolutionary, a runoff effect from structural and aesthetic game-changers like “Louie,” “Mad Men,” and yes, “The Sopranos.” We at HuffPost Culture can’t shake the thought that the medium has become a lot like what theater has historically been — a destination for a range of people looking to be entertained without fail.

Then there’s playwright David Adjmi’s “3C,” in which “Three’s Company” is re-imagined as if Anton Chekhov wrote it. The oddness of Adjmi’s coupling made us realize how many of today’s shows actually hit heights of which even a Russian literary genius might be proud. A show like “The Wire,” for instance, might not yield as provocative a switcheroo as “Three’s Company” does in “3C,” but with its sharp dialogue and commitment to character, it’s a playwright’s dream. Inspired by the possibilities, we put together our own list of shows we’d love to see scripted by a specific great. Let us know what you think of our pairings in the comments, and don’t forget to tell us your own.