Top 10 TV Series since 1999 (Revised)

As a child of the 80s and 90s, I bore witness to the tail end of the so-called Golden Age of broadcast TV, when sitcoms, cop dramas, and (later) reality TV ruled the free airwaves. These shows routinely garnered sky-high ratings at a time when original cable shows were still far inferior in quality and viewership.

But a strange thing happened once the new millennium turned. Some of the most creative minds in television — future pioneers such as David Simon (The Wire), David Chase (The Sopranos), Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad) and Matthew Weiner (Mad Men) — started looking beyond the traditional formulaic TV formats and looked to films for inspiration. Instead of creating 24 essentially standalone episodes of a show spread out over 6 months, these and other early pioneers began creating what essentially amounted to 13-hour movies that rewarded careful viewing and attention to detail. HBO’s Oz kicked off this trend in 1997 and The Sopranos ushered in that era in 1999.

And here’s the thing, even a hit show in this era had ratings that paled in comparison to some of the astronomical numbers of broadcast TV’s halcyon days. And I think TV is all the better for it. Once cable gained traction and writers were able to skirt the FCC’s broadcast strictures, I believe a new Golden Age emerged, an age when visionaries and auteurs gained the freedom to take risks without the constant pressure of viewership ratings. So without further ado, here is the countdown of my top 10 TV series since 1999. Ranked. I won’t hide behind “in no particular order.”

10. The Shield (FX, 2002–2008)

I recently re-watched some of the earlier episodes, and in some places it definitely shows its age. But at its core, at its raw, ass-kicking core, The Shield was a show about one man spending a career chasing redemption for the irredeemable. Michael Chiklis is the beating heart of this story about brotherhood and how one man’s actions could push the limits of loyalty to its breaking point. The final episode is merciless, a fate worse than death for a larger-than-life figure.

9. Boardwalk Empire (HBO, 2010–2014)

I had my doubts about career character actor Steve Buscemi’s ability to carry a show on his own, but he put those doubts to rest early on. Martin Scorsese directed the pilot and the show maintained its momentum ever since. Prohibition is a seldom explored era in TV, and creator Terence Winter (another Sopranos writing alum) executes the period flawlessly, including a faithful recreation of the 1920s Atlantic City boardwalk as its crown jewel. The final season was shorter but provided an interesting backstory that filled out Nucky Thompson’s character and gave some purpose to the broader story.

8. Justified (FX, 2010–2015)

As far as opening theme songs go, no show can match the uniquely paradoxical ‘Gangstagrass’ tune that revs up each episode. Set in fictional Harlan County, Kentucky (but shot in California), this show features regular badass Timothy Olyphant (of Deadwood and Hitman fame) as Raylan Givens, a deputy U.S. Marshall who is reassigned back to his home county after a fugitive capture gone awry. Justified has some of the most well-spoken yet ruthless criminals you’ll ever see in Boyd Crowder (played masterfully by The Shield alum Walton Goggins)— and also some of the dumbest but entertaining backwards buffoons. Ambiguous characters who hop across sides of the law, crime families who terrorize entire counties, and one flawed, denim-on-denim, ten-gallon-hat-wearing hero looking to foil them all. Raylan’s recent moral ambiguity added another layer of intrigue. The final season had the build-up we all expected and executed on that promise in a way befitting Justified.

7. Curb Your Enthusiasm — (HBO, 2000-?)

Imagine an R-rated Seinfeld. No FCC. No filters. No topic is off limits. Uncomfortable moments galore. Absurd yet relatable. Sublime ensemble cast of gifted comedic actors with a matchless sense of rhythm, timing, and improvisation. A truly quotable water cooler show. Episodes to watch: “Crazy Eyez Killa” and “Palestinian Chicken.” The show’s creator Larry David continues to demur about the possibility of another season but he will not rule it out. We wait with bated breath no matter how long he takes.

6. Six Feet Under — (HBO, 2001–2006)

The pilot pulled you into the dark underbelly, and the ensuing five seasons confirmed exactly why you didn’t mind being there. Dark humor (a family-owned funeral home at its center), complex relationships, family dynamics, and a unique cold-open gimmick were just some of the reasons to tune in. Some of the most emotionally wrenching moments I’ve ever experience watching a show. Death literally followed you in every episode, yet the writers infused enough humanity and genuine characters to make it all palatable. And strangely intoxicating.

5. Deadwood (HBO, 2003–2006)

At only three seasons, it has the shortest run on this list, but guess what? I don’t think Deadwood had any throwaway episodes. Al Swearengen, played by British actor Ian McShane, is on the short list of TV history’s greatest bad-asses; Rasputin of the Old West. Brilliant dialogue and excellent period wardrobe and mannerisms. Much like in The Wire, the setting was also a primary character. Had one of the best TV fights I’ve ever seen.

4. Breaking Bad — (AMC, 2007–2013)

The final eight episodes of the two-part final season will go down as one of the most exhilarating and captivating closing stretches any show has ever had. Bryan Cranston’s portrayal of Walter White — an underachieving, cancer-stricken high school chemistry teacher turned meth-cooker — is a once-in-a-generation performance. Witnessing his slow yet calculated evolution (or devolution) over five seasons is reason enough to tune in. The New Mexico setting takes on a life of its own and Aaron Paul is a revelation as Jesse Pinkman. Probably the last great show that required appointment viewing.

3. Mad Men (AMC, 2007–2015)

Mad Men started slowly for me, but once it picked up steam, it showed a relentless, almost fastidious devotion to subtlety and character development. Each episode was like a peeling off a few more layers. Some of the best writing of its generation. Even if you remove the surrounding stories, I’d watch this show just to see how iconic ads evolve from kernels of ideas and the conviction of their creators. Its final two-part season did not have the provocativeness of Breaking Bad or the signature ending of The Shield, but it proved to be a fine send-off for a show that never cared much for moving plot forward — it wanted you to pull over on the side of the road and take in the scenery.

2. The Sopranos (HBO, 1999–2007)

Confession: I only started watching the show in 2014 and finished it earlier this year. I started and stopped over the years, never making it past the second episode. I finally let The Sopranos in and I don’t regret a second of it. Seeing multiple perspectives of the same main character, how he saw himself in therapy, his family’s view of him, and his employees’ take was dynamic and groundbreaking. Family was the center of it all as in most mob dramas, but the turbulence both within and outside of Tony Soprano was a gas to watch. Iconic show with an iconic lead that kicked off an iconic era. Just brilliant.

1. The Wire (HBO, 2002–2008)

This show turned the cop show formula on its head. An unfiltered look at villainous heroes and heroic villains. Possibly the greatest anti-hero in TV history (Omar Little). Small characters routinely had big moments — a true ensemble cast. Rewarded careful watching. Underrated humor that helped soften some of the harder moments. For my money, I put season 4, which looked at a broken education system and the kids struggling within it, against any season of any show in the history of TV.

Originally published at techequator.wordpress.com on February 5, 2013.