The Best TV Shows of the Decade (And Yes, The Wire is Number One)

 This was the decade when television became art, New York Magazine's Emily Nussbaum wrote earlier this month.

  And it's hard to argue with that. Sure, there have always been things on TV that transcended the ordinary, whether it was The Twilight Zone in the '50s, The Singing Detective in the 1980s, or Prime Suspect in the '90s. 

 And yes, this was also the decade that brought us shows like The Hills, Deal or No Deal, American Idol, Jon & Kate Plus 8, to name just a few. But beyond this swamp there was an oasis -- and yeah, that's kind of a mixed metaphor -- where good shows lived, where audiences were respected, where storytelling thrived. 

 A few quick notes: this isn't going to be a top 10 list, but more like a top 14, due to some ties and the fact that one of the entries is devoted to a person who was involved in four good-to-great shows in the past 10 years. 

  Secondly, I know there are people who, every 10 years around this time, point out that this new decade doesn't start until January 1, 2011, because there was no year zero, blah blah blah. Tell you what: if you're one of those people, bookmark this page, and come back next year. 

 Lastly, I've included clips from at least one show (The Shield) which gives away an important plot point, so if you've never seen the show, please ignore the video.

And with that out of the way, onto the list:

 

1.The Wire (HBO 2002-2008) My heart wants to give this spot to Lost; my brain knows The Wire was the better, more consistent and more important show. Seven years ago, a former reporter and an ex-cop/teacher collaborated to make a drama that shows television at its finest, even as it depicts humanity at its worst. 

 The Wire was a brutal, heartbreaking --yet often very funny -- dissection of American justice, education and politics (with unions and the media thrown in for good measure) that ultimately reached the same conclusion, whether it was at city hall or on the drug corner: the system doesn't work. 

 2. Lost (ABC 2004-present) Like The Wire, Lost expands its universe every season (island, hatch, Others, off-the-island, back in time), adding new layers and characters as it goes. It works both as a character drama and TV puzzle, featuring one of the most complex mythologies ever. Exciting at first and occasionally shaky in the middle, the show has nonetheless been the most thrilling and most maddening thing network TV has done this decade, especially invigorated by the decision to end the story this spring. Whether everything will be answered is doubtful, and also beside the point; the treasure of Lost lies in the map, not the X. 

 3. Arrested Development (FOX 2003-2006) One of the most uncompromising comedies ever put on network TV, Arrested Development was the zany story of the Bluth family and its slow crawl out of financial and personal ruin. More than 30 Rock or The Office, it was the decade's most quotable sitcom, each episode filled with what felt like dozens, if not hundreds, of little site gags and throw-away jokes. Looking back, it's hard to single out a single season, episode or cast member as being weak.

 4. The Sopranos (HBO 1999-2007) The Sopranos had its first, breakout season in the previous decade, but its best years were still ahead of it. After that first season, the show got richer, darker and weirder. Even its leaner seasons (thinking here of four and six) had their moments, but it was The Sopranos' second and final years (which showed Tony at the peak of his power and at his lowest, respectively) that rank among the show's best. And even if you don't like the ending, it's given other TV creators a frame of reference for promising what not to do for years to come.

 5. The Office (both versions) (BBC, 2001-2003, NBC, 2005-present) It's hard to choose just one. The original British version is probably funnier (nothing's made me laugh out loud like David Brent's trip down the "free love freeway"), and certainly more vicious. Then again, with only 13 episodes, it could afford to be. The American version has more heart and less acid, and every time you think it's showing its age (we're now into the sixth season), it surprises you.

 6. Freaks & Geeks (NBC, 1999-2000) The smartest, sweetest, funniest, most-heartbreaking...oh, let's just come out and say it...the best show about high-school ever, Freaks & Geeks laid the groundwork for the Judd Apatow Comedy Dynasty that basically took over this decade. 

 7. Joss Whedon Buffy the Vampire Slayer mourns her mother, sings and dances. Angel, Buffy's spin-off worthy ex-boyfriend, gets turned into a puppet, has one of the best final seasons of any genre show. The brilliant-but-cancelled Firefly spawns a cult and a pretty nifty movie. The less-brilliant (but still cancelled) Dollhouse goes out with a bang. All the work of creator Joss Whedon, who really needs to go to cable -- or just stay off TV altogether and stick to on-line stuff like his Dr. Horrible series -- in order to really shine, unimpeded.

 8. The Shield (FX, 2001-2008) The best cop show ever (The Wire had police characters, but was about so much more than the police) featured one of the worst cops ever: Vic Mackey, a shark with a badge, committing horrific acts in the name of an ever-evolving "greater good." Some weaker seasons -- the needlessly shocking third and the almost unnecessary sixth -- kept this one from being higher on the list.

 9. Doctor Who/Battlestar Galactica (BBC, 2005-present, Sci-Fi, 2003-2009) Two science fiction shows, both remakes (or "re-imaginings") of lesser works from years past. That's where the similarities stop. Galactica was an addictive soap opera, containing some of the best acting and best action ever seen on TV, while dealing with issues like politics, religion, identity and technology. The new Doctor Who takes darker turns sometimes, but it's basically a light-hearted, highly entertaining procedural in space. And when it's good, it's the most fun you'll have on TV that week. In a decade where TV was crawling with shows that fell under the sci-fi umbrella, these were two of the best.

10. Deadwood (HBO 2004-2006) Deadwood might be the only show on this list that you can enjoy just by listening to it. All of these shows are here -- in part -- for their great writing, but none of them used language like Deadwood. And not just the epic, poetic profanity which made the show famous, but the way each of the characters sounded unique. Using the mud and filth of the old west, creator David Milch made something quite beautiful, a story about how civilizations are born, and how people try to profit from them. 

  

 And that's all for now. I welcome other people's suggestions for the best of the decade. Coming next week. My top 10 for 2009, and a look some shows that almost made this list.

 Tom Coombe

Comments

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IQJewnDieo
From the ashes of ER and all the medical drama's before comes the dark, yet sweet Nip / Tuck. Ok, the season for the California move was a bust, but who can argue about the complexities of the characters one can love to hate. The style & superficiality of the characters is a monument to the excellent writing, not to mention the illustration of the disturbing paradox of fundamentally flawed people whom seek a superficial change in order to be better. Also fun is how each of the doctor's take on the traits of the patients that seek the changes promised by McNamara Troy.

[Thomas Coombe]

I think the first two seasons of nip/tuck were outstanding. The third was such a let down that I stopped watching. But even if the show had just been those first two seasons, I don't think it surpasses anything I have on my list.