Dispatch #22: 5 Years of Reviews Capped With My 30 Favorite Shows of the 00s.

Hey readers,

Five years ago, I published my first episodic review, for 24’s “Day 4: 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM” (I gave it a 6/10). In honor of that, and because some people are still getting out best of the decade lists (it’s not easy for critics who don’t get paid), I bring you my top 30 favorite shows of the decade. Why 30? Because there’s no way I could only do 10, or even 20. Hopefully this can help make up for lack of consistent releases, which should be changing.

This was a fantastic decade for TV. The 00s were to TV what the late 60s-70s were to American cinema. The long suffering TV geek, avoiding the glares of snobs who dismissed the medium as the “idiot box”, had a lot to celebrate and point to for proof of what TV was capable of. Not only the quality of the shows, but its sheer volume was astounding. It had something for every viewer, from those who wanted complex epics told over seasons to ones that just told self-contained stories. Technology, between online video & the TV-DVD marker, has made these series easier to get a hold of, and HD broadcasting has made them look better than ever. Certainly we’ll be reaping the benefits of these shows for a long time.

Please note: The list starts at 27 because there are a few ties.

27. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX, 2005-Present)

Its latter seasons are keeping it from being higher on the list, but its first three were solidly funny. It’s Always Sunny takes the concept of Seinfeld, horrible people hurting others and themselves because of their own self involvement, to its logical conclusion, one that could only be done on cable.

26. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS, 2000-Present)

Procedurals have gotten under the skin of many critics who feel like they homogenize TV and leave little room for originality. They seem to forget how entertaining a formulaic show can be when done right. CSI, the blockbuster spun out of our post-OJ fascination with forensics, took an interesting spin on the crime drama where the guys collecting the evidence, not the beat detectives or police officers, were the heroes.

25. Mad Men (AMC, 2007-Present)

I’ve said occasionally on other blog entries that for much of the series run, I found Mad Men to be seriously overrated. I couldn’t get over the often smug winking the show did at how people were back then, as if the series was made solely to anger republicans who can’t stop talking about the post-WWII, pre-“The 1960s” era. Obviously the show is meant to deconstruct nostalgia by having the people who manufactured it as the focus, but they went a little overboard. After really enjoying the third season, I want to go back and see what I missed the first time. With immaculate production value & superb acting, it’s the first show that feels like an heir to The Sopranos’ style where setting mood and painting a picture take precedence over conventional plot.

24. Breaking Bad (AMC, 2008-Present)

Certainly it doesn’t take long for a show to make an impression and this one, cementing AMC as the budding darling for quality cable TV, is a prime example. Bryan Cranston gets to show some range in a role few who saw his comedic side in Malcolm in the Middle would’ve ever expected to see. As Cranston’s White goes further down the slope of meth production, so the series goes darker, analyzing what can happen in a dangerous culture with a man who has nothing to lose.

23. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (WB, UPN, 1997-2003)

Shows that are split between decades often get the short end of the stick, but Buffy’s 00s output was nothing to be ashamed of: from the trippy “Restless” to the meditation on mortality in “The Body” to the song & dance of “Once More With Feeling” to the feminist empowerment of “Chosen”. Even though it went too long and got too dark in the latter seasons, it still had greatness sprinkled throughout the run.

22. Venture Bros. (Cartoon Network, 2003-Present)

I’ve been quick to dismiss a lot of Adult Swim’s original programming as mindless stoner humor with no attention span. Venure Bros. makes me rethink that claim. While Venture Bros does have a lot of the absurdity AS is famous for, it also explores themes of failure and disappointment without losing its humor. In a way, Venture Bros. is a deconstruction of the cartoons of the 60s and 70s the way Watchmen is a deconstruction of the superhero mythos. It also has the most fleshed out cartoon ensemble since The Simpsons.

21. Planet Earth (BBC, Discovery, 2006)

If there was ever a reason to get on board with HD, it was this mind blowing documentary miniseries. Camera crews, some working for months at a time with state of the art technology, captured life from every climate on this planet in unbelievable detail. Don’t settle for standard definition: when you make the move to HD (if you haven’t already), make sure to check this one out.

20. House (Fox, 2004-Present)

Procedurals get criticized for emphasizing story over character development, but no one could claim that on David Shore’s medical blockbuster. At the center lies Hugh Laurie’s Greg House, a man who can’t stand people, but his brilliance at treating their ailments is unparalleled. Using CSI-esque techniques, it spins the medical drama into a mystery solving procedure, turning whodunits into what caused it. While the average viewer can’t play along, it’s nonetheless entertaining.

19. Six Feet Under (HBO, 2001-2005)

At its worst, it was pretentious and preachy (if you couldn’t figure it out, Alan Ball is not a fan of George W. Bush). At its best it was a great observation of mortality and how life should be lived. Like everything on HBO, it was beautifully produced and had one of the best ensembles around, from Michael C. Hall, who had a great decade, to Richard Jenkins.

18. Battlestar Galactica (SciFi, 2003-2009)

Science fiction has always lent itself to allegory, and this remake of the 1970s cult favorite is no exception. From the beginning it was clear this wouldn’t be your parents’ Galactica, as the series served as one of the decades’ defining commentaries on the War on Terror. It was dark, complex and often challenging, as the human survivors swayed from representing America to representing Iraqi insurgents. Though the series didn’t plan ahead as much as the series needed which lead to an uneven end, the journey and examination of what makes us human remained strong.

17. Survivor & The Amazing Race (CBS, 2000-Present, 2001-Present)

Survivor, which helped get CBS to the top of the ratings (which they owned for the rest of the decade), may be easy to blame for the piles of sludge that make up a lot of reality TV. However, Survivor has taken the high road with the drama existing in the game and not on exploiting people. It’s a simple concept and they’ve kept it fresh for almost 10 years. The Amazing Race goes that same route ratcheting suspense out of every moment as it sends its players around the world.

16. Deadwood (HBO, 2004-2006)

Much like The Wire is about a society on the verge of collapse, Deadwood is about such a society being built. Filled with fantastic actors from Ian McShane’s iconic portrayal of Al Swearengen to Timothy Olyphant’s Seth Bullock and containing some of the most complex, Shakespearean dialogue ever to be shown on TV (where its profanity is an art-form), it’s one of those shows that fully realizes its volatile environment, populated by people looking to make their fortune, and where nothing stands in the way of it.

15. 30 Rock (NBC, 2006-Present)

The NBC series about the behind the scenes machinations of a sketch comedy show made by a talented writer that premiered in the fall of 2006 that had a number divisible by 30 in the title that succeeded, 30 Rock had different ambitions than Aaron Sorkin’s Studio 60, but it succeeded where Studio 60 failed. It was a goofy cartoon and a smart satire of show business & politics, picking up where Arrested Development left off. Not to mention, the comedic duo of Tina Fey & Alec Baldwin (the latter of whom is clearly having a lot of fun) is one of the decade’s best.

14. Dexter (Showtime, 2006-Present)

If only every great TV actor had the rebound Michael C. Hall did. Hall went from playing neurotic David Fischer on Six Feet Under to the title role here, a serial killer preying on those who prey on others. While many criticize the supporting cast for being uneven or not as well developed, character study of a sociopath trying to relate to others while coping with his dark desires remains fascinating.

13. Friday Night Lights (NBC, Direct 101, 2006-2011)

There has been a lot of talk about middle America in the past 10 years, and it ranges from people calling them rednecks to people patronizing them as proudly ignorant “Joe Six Packs”. Thankfully the writers behind this beloved but critically under seen gem never go the easy route (except for that rough patch in season two). Instead they focus on making well rounded, fully realized characters, played by very talented actors. That NBC hasn’t made this show a massive hit just goes on the ever expanding list of failures the network has made in the past 10 years.

12. How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 2005-Present)

The “Death of the Sitcom” has been a catchphrase for critics ever since Seinfeld ended 12 years ago. It can be easy to see why: traditional sitcoms are glut with thinly veiled excuses for gags and characters acting merely as punchline delivery services. However, creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas show there is still room for traditional sitcoms to be fresh with flashbacks and asides used to help build jokes and recurring bits. Besides the show’s high concept and clever writing, they’ve never forgotten about quality character development either, building a solid ensemble with fantastic chemistry.

11. Chappelle’s Show (Comedy Central, 2003-2006)

The untimely demise of this show and its fallout might’ve diminished the decade's defining sketch comedy show, but the show, to borrow a phrase from the show, is "scandal-proof". Sketches like the night with Wayne Brady & the instant classic Rick James episode are still as hilarious as they are quotable. It had some of the edgiest comedy on TV from the past 10 years, but was always served with a smile, which explains how massively popular it became.

10. South Park (Comedy Central, 1997-Present)

South Park’s trajectory is similar to another groundbreaking animated show, The Simpsons, in that the writing got tighter and funnier after commercial overkill early in the run. It was reborn with the film “Bigger, Longer, and Uncut” and spent the next decade refining their satiric jabs at anything in their path. Technology also gave them an advantage no animated show has ever had: topicality. Their remarkable ability to take something from the headlines and put it into a show within days of it happening is something you don’t see even in scripted situational TV. Certainly many have tried shock humor to diminishing returns, but South Park always had a brain to their humor, even if it was fart jokes.

9. The Shield (FX, 2002-2008)

The show that put FX on the map, The Shield could easily be dismissed as another cop show. Vic Mackey is the “loose canon” cop who is going to land his bosses in trouble for his behavior. However, the seven season arc is much more a tragedy of the decline and fall of Mackey and his team of crooked cops patrolling one of the worst districts in LA. It pushed the limits of what you could see on basic cable, but it wasn't just shock for its own sake. Its well crafted story and powerhouse performances (from CCH Pounder, Walton Goggins and of course Michael Chiklis) elevate it into one of the decade’s best crime dramas.

8. The Office (UK) (BBC, 2001-2003) & The Office (US) (NBC, 2005-Present)

Ricky Gervais’ original is an exercise in how to wring every bit of discomfort from awkward social interactions. In just 7 ½ hours, it’s perfect. This set the bar high for the remake, which after the disaster of the American remake of Coupling, had skeptics waiting for it to fail. However, they were able to overcome it thanks to fleshing out the ensemble with a lot of great, funny characters, developing one of the most involving and realistic long term TV romances ever as well as finding its voice rather than shamelessly ripping off its source (besides the first episode).

7. 24 (Fox, 2001-2010)

Certainly 24 didn’t have any expectations of being more than a thrill ride going in, but the effects of 9/11, which happened 2 months before its premiere, changed its path permanently. Rather than avoid the associations people had with the show, they embraced them, taking our worst nightmares of terrorism and turning them into escapist fun. Sure it veered into absurd plot twists that came out of the writers desperately trying to fit enough content for 24 episodes, and the recent seasons have left a lot to be desired, but when it works no one does exciting popcorn TV better.

6. Freaks & Geeks (NBC, 1999-2000)

Most depictions of high school from TV tend to see things from a glossy, artificial perspective. Freaks & Geeks is the rare exception. It exposes the horrors of high school, the hilarious, embarrassing, heartbreaking & poignant, in a way no other high school show has done before or since. It was awkward years before it became fashionable. While the show failed commercially, it’s great that so many of its cast and crew have thrived in the second half of the decade. If only NBC knew then what they had when they had it.

5. The Daily Show With Jon Stewart & The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 1996-Present, 2005-Present)

Certainly the Bush White House gave comics a lot of material, but what separates these is the immense wit and biting commentary they brought with them. While some critics may decry that young people get their news from the brilliant satirists, what they see has declining standards in our youth is really the declining standard of journalism. Stewart, Colbert & Co. are among the sharpest critics of modern news, satirizing the operation & influence of news as well as the events themselves.

4. The Sopranos (HBO 1999-2007)

No doubt this list would read differently had The Sopranos never aired. Its first season was a revelation and it sent a very clear message: everyone else needed to step up. With its tale of a man dealing with his family, both home and in his criminal enterprise, it was proof you could see something on TV that was comparable to the best cinema. Sure controversy surrounded the later years as creator David Chase was unwilling to provide closure to many dangling loose threads like the final scene and seemed to have open contempt for those who wanted it, but the show, from the production to the acting, made up for it most of the time.

3. Lost (ABC, 2004-2010)

In the wake of HBO’s golden age, many critics feared that they wouldn’t find anything on network TV that had the goals and ambitions of cable. They had reason to worry, many shows like this on network TV have been quickly canceled. Luckily, everything happened exactly as it did for Lost, one of several series that rejuvenated a lagging ABC. With its ethnically diverse cast and its sprawling story, Lost has kept audiences guessing for years and even in its final season, it’s anyone’s guess how it will end. While it may not have always been a smooth ride, those who stayed along have reaped many rewards.

2. Arrested Development (Fox, 2003-2006)

It’s unfortunate that a show like Arrested Development never caught the commercial break it deserved. Despite awards, accolades and a few stunts, the people never tuned in, or long enough to make a difference. Those who left unfortunately missed one of the most satisfying TV viewing experiences the decade had. Nobody did meta comedy, clever word play and recurring jokes that build over episodes or seasons like Mitchell Hurwitz’s masterpiece, often described as “Royal Tenenbaums meets COPS”. Its attention to detail makes Arrested Development naturally rewatchable with details and jokes coming out through multiple viewings. Whether the movie actually gets made, the series itself is more than enough to stand as a brilliant, hilarious story.

1. The Wire (HBO, 2002-2008)

If you ask your TV geek friend what series you should watch if you could only watch one series from the past 10 years, it’s going to be this one. You may already be sick of them talking about it, but seeing is believing. Deserving of all the praise it gets, David Simon’s epic of crime and corruption in a modern American city is the best example of the visual novel many serialized shows strive for. Each episode contains half a dozen subplots with dozens of main and supporting characters, yet never in the 60 episode run did any moment not get the time it deserved (an element Simon surely learned from his time as a newspaper reporter). It ran the gambit from the halls of power to nadir of the streets and from the devastating to the hilarious while rarely losing consistency. To paraphrase the home improvement store employee in the classic season four opener, every other show on this list is second best. Considering the caliber of shows that came out in the past decade, that’s saying something.