If a group of self-acclaimed experts insist that a show is objectively better than others, they are merely saying that there is a consensus that the show meets their arbitrary standards. If the masses claim that a show is objectively a great show, it means that a lot of people like the way the show affects them.
What matters to me when I watch drama is the personal effect it has on me. Am I entertained? Did I learn something? Did the show evoke strong feelings, make me laugh or cry? Did it change the way I saw the world?
I am currently watching Kung Fu on DVD, over 30 years after watching it live, and I am reminded that the show made a profound impact on me that has lasted a lifetime. It forever changed the way I saw the world.