If you could recommend only one TV show...

[The Germanator]

Definitely The Wire. Whenever I think about a show that was consistently good through its entire run, that's the one.

Though if push came to shove, I'd say that only the first season of Twin Peaks is my favorite television of all time, but as an entire series it just doesn't quite cut it. I could watch the first season over and over though. That's older than 7-8 years though.