Here's my top 5 (excluding comedians):
1/ Galton and Simpson
2/ Stephen Poliakoff
3/ Russell T Davis
4/ Steven Moffat
5/ = Paul Abbott
5/ = Graham Linehan
Inspirational TV Writers
Stephen Poliokaff inspiring? Only because he manages to con the BBC into giving him shedloads of money to make ponderous twaddle that moves at a snails pace. Joe's Palace last night was almost painfully slow, with a central idea we've seen from Poliokaff a thousand times before.
Steven Moffat -- just because of the un-formulaic approach he took (takes??? ever hopeful!) in Coupling. He tries telling the stories using a different 'method' each time and it's all very inspiring that you don't have to tell it in a bog-standard straightforward way each time.
He tried the same in Joking Apart and, though I think it's written better, didn't pull it off with quite the same aplomb as in Coupling.
Linehan is good too -- he does make you *want* to write.
Dan
Steven Bochco.
David Chase.
David E. Kelley.
And the guy who created The Wire.
Moffatt? Coupling was really quite average. Clever story teller, but not all that funny.
David Renwick is someone who can be called inspirational. Witty and clever stories just pour out of him.
John Swartzwelder - wrote more Simpsons episodes than any other writer. If it's a classic from the golden era, it's got his name on it.
Larry David / Jerry Seinfeld
Larry Charles
David Milch
*Nat Hiken*
Moffat! Coupling is so clever, and that is the best kind of comedy. Anyone can write a simple setup-punchline comedy, but that takes talent to write it cleverly.
Gervais & Merchant too because they write comedy that makes me laugh more each time I see it.
Good calls - although if we're going American, I'd have to add Joss Whedon, J.J. Abrams, Matt Groening, Trey Parker/Matt Stone and...who did write 'The Wire'?
Trouble is, with the exception of Seinfeld, most US sitcoms are written by a team of keyboard strokers, so it's hard to pick out the creative genius - or you'd have to choose a bunch.
For Poliakoff - just watch 'Shooting the Past'. Most moving piece of TV I've ever seen.
Moffat - he's not just 'Coupling' you know...although I did think it was very good - except for the sadly unfunny last series with no Geoff.
P.s. Please no comedians who become writers - you can have Merchant, but no Ricky!
Writers?
What a boring thought! 
1. Larry David
2. Armando Iannucci
3. Peter Baynham
4. Chris Morris
5. Mitch Hurwitz (and the other guys who wrote Arrested Development)
I also really like David Cross, Bob Odenkirk, Jay Johnstone, Sarah Silverman...and all the rest of the team that made Mr Show and who some have continued on to write The Sarah Silverman Program.
None comedy though would have to be J.J Abrams and Damon Lindelof.
Groening as a writer? No, he does very little. Cartoonist though, yeah.
Iannucci and Baynham - good call!
George Meyer of the Simpsons as well.
Oops - missed Seth MacFarlane! Didn't realise Groening didn't write the shows...
Iannucci, Baynham and Morris - echo the above, all great calls.
John Sullivan...
Would never call Linehan inspirational but it's all about opinions, I guess.
The staff on the top US shows did an outstanding job but in terms of invdividuals I'd say,
Larry David
David Renwick
John Sullivan
Joe Keenan (did many flawless Frasier episodes IMO)
Groening only ever wrote i think 1 episode of The Simpsons.
Quote: David H @ November 5, 2007, 1:59 PMWould never call Linehan inspirational but it's all about opinions, I guess.
Why?
Quote: hotzappa11 @ November 5, 2007, 2:08 PMGroening only ever wrote i think 1 episode of The Simpsons.
Really? What about Futurama?
Are people who write great episodes of someone else's idea (like a good Frasier writer) inspirational? I guess...