I
love lists. As this decade comes to close, I was going to continue listing my
favourite twenty shows from the last ten years. However, I thought I would go
back even further and list my favourites from the 90’s, then repost my slightly
updated 00’s and conclude with the 10’s. The criteria is that the show needs to
have more than two seasons (sustainability is important) and should be plot
driven (no Last Week Tonight). Here’s
the new list. Enjoy.
Creators: David
Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Seasons: 8
Episodes: 73 Years: 2011-2019
Best Season: 4
Truly
epic television. With budgets rivaling feature films, this cinematic series had
a rich narrative, a cast of thousands and a plethora of amazing scenes and
episodes. This was appointment television.
Standout Episode: Battle of the Bastards (S06E09)
Ramsay Bolton and Jon Snow face off in a
masterfully filmed battle that keeps you on the edge of your seat and gives a
satisfying conclusion.
Creator: Vince
Gilligan
Seasons: 5
Episodes: 62 Years: 2008-2013
Best Season: 5
Watching
Mr. Chips turn into Scarface was a brilliant idea from Gilligan which he
crafted into a near perfect show full of jaw dropping moments, memorable
characters, intriguing teasers and solid plot.
Standout Episode: Ozymandias (S05E14)
Walt’s world crumbles as he is
responsible for a relative’s death, betrays a partner and tears apart his
family. A nail-biting hour of television.
Creators: Vince
Gilligan, Peter Gould
Seasons: 5+
Episodes: 50+ Years: 2015-Present
Best Season: 3
Who
would have thought a Breaking Bad
spin-off of one of the comic relief characters could become a moving dramatic story
full of heart-breaking relationships and cinematic beauty? Gilligan apparently.
Standout Episode: Chicanery (S03E05)
The relationship between Jimmy and his
brother has always been rocky but their head-to-head in court to get Jimmy
disbarred is a sight to see.
Creators: Daniel
J. Goor, Michael Schur
Seasons: 6+
Episodes: 130+
Years: 2013-Present
Best Season: 5
A
fantastic workplace comedy that makes the most of its quick-witted cast. Andy
Samberg ring-leads the ensemble with outrageous hijinks and surprising
professionalism. Straight-laced Holt is the cherry on top.
Standout Episode: HalloVeen (S05E04)
The squad always makes the best of their
Halloween episodes where they compete to steal an item. This one has added
stakes involved.
Creators: Greg
Daniels, Michael Schur
Seasons: 7
Episodes: 125 Years: 2009-2015
Best Season: 3
The
show makes great use of Leslie Knope’s infectious optimism juxtaposed with the
slow and selfish nature of the rest of the city workers. At times, ‘they
out-Officed’ The Office. Amazing but
true.
Standout Episode: Sweetums (S02E15)
Leslie and Ann go up against the
conglomerate that runs the lemming-like town of Pawnee with their over-sugared
treats. The town hall meeting is awesome.
Creator: Aaron
Sorkin
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 25 Years: 2012-2014
Best Season: 1
Hindsight
lecturing aside, Sorkin brings a wonderful cast together, led by the amazing
Jeff Daniels, to put on the most ‘fair and balanced’ news show ever made.
Obviously a fairy tale but worth discussing.
Standout Episode: We Just Decided To (S01E01)
Sorkin loves to start a series with a
monologue meltdown to set the stage. This one's no exception. Ends with a
powerful night of news.
Creator: Elizabeth
Meriwether
Seasons: 7
Episodes: 146 Years: 2011-2018
Best Season: 2
The
‘adorkable’ Zooey Deschanel as the lovable Jess may be the center of the show
but it’s the antics of her roommates that bring the extra heart and laughs to
this Friends-type sitcom.
Standout Episode: Background Check (S04E06)
The roommates have to hide a large bag
of Jess’ meth when Winston gets a background check to become a cop. They are
the worst liars ever. So funny.
Creator: Dan
Fogelman
Seasons: 4+
Episodes: 63+ Years: 2016-Present
Best Season: 2
This
heartwarming and emotional family drama gets me every time. They are adept at
pulling the heartstrings with great speeches, surprising twists and strong
relationships. The casting is also brilliant with various ages.
Standout Episode: Super Bowl Sunday (S02E14)
After a couple years of speculation, the
devastating death of patriarch Jack Pearson is revealed. Curse you, Crock-Pot.
Creators: Chris
Chibnall
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 24 Years: 2013-2017
Best Season: 1
Each
season-long murder mystery keeps you guessing to the very end. The pairing of
David Tennant and Olivia Colman is brilliant and makes this series a compelling
treat.
Standout Episode: Episode 8 (S01E08)
There is utter shock in the town of
Broadchurch as Hardy and Miller discover who murdered Danny Latimer. A very
satisfying conclusion with hope for more.
Creators: Mark
Gatiss, Steven Moffat
Seasons: 4
Episodes: 15 Years: 2010-2017
Best Season: 2
Each
ninety-minute episode is expertly crafted and edited and keeps your mind racing
along. The one-two punch of Benedict Cumberbatch & Martin Freeman makes it incredible.
Standout Episode: The Reichenbach Fall (S02E03)
Moriarty returns and gets the whole city
to turn against Sherlock forcing him to make the ultimate sacrifice. It’s a
riveting episode.
Creators: Alex
Gansa, Howard Gordon
Seasons: 7+
Episodes: 96+ Years: 2011-Present
Best Season: 4
Even
with a couple bad seasons, bipolar Carrie Mathison and stalwart Saul Berenson
continually save the world from international terrorism. Usually slow to start,
each season ends with some great payoffs.
Standout Episode: There’s Something Else Going
On (S04E09)
Some great twists as the CIA closes in
on Dennis, Carrie makes a prisoner exchange for Saul and the embassy is left
unguarded.
Creator: Noah
Hawley
Seasons: 3+
Episodes: 30+ Years: 2014-Present
Best Season: 2
Okay,
a bit of a cheat as this is an anthology show but each season tells a gripping
tale that is chock full of quirky characters and nail-biting suspense.
Standout Episode: Rhinoceros (S02E06)
The Gerhardts try to take down Peggy and
Ed at home and the police station. It’s an epic stand-off that is expertly
executed.
Creators: Steven
Levitan, Christopher Lloyd
Seasons: 11
Episodes: 241+ Years: 2009-Present
Best Season: 2
A
sharp family comedy full of interconnected storylines that are filled with
laughs and heart. The later seasons are losing it and why it’s a documentary
confuses me but most of the seasons are stellar.
Standout Episode: Leap Day (S03E17)
Mitch’s elaborate Wizard of Oz party
getting disassembled is fun but the highlight is Phil & Luke trying to
avoid ‘Satan’s trifecta’ of periods.
Creator: Dan
Harmon
Seasons: 6
Episodes: 110 Years: 2009-2015
Best Season: 2
While
regular episodes of this adult school sitcom were peppered with hilarious quick
witted one liners, it was the specialty episodes that changed the game. Law & Order, Glee, space movies, westerns, etc.
Standout Episode: Remedial Chaos Theory (S03E04)
Getting a pizza rests on the roll of a
dice which leads to Abed’s contemplation of six alternate realities that will
blow your mind.
Creator: Michael
Schur
Seasons: 4
Episodes: 48+ Years: 2016-Present
Best Season: 1
The
premise seemed pretty limited at first but Schur has thought things through as
we are taken into an afterlife where the rules keep changing and ethical
dilemmas abound.
Standout Episode: Michael’s Gambit (S01E13)
It’s hard to talk about this episode
without spoiling it, so I’ll just say that this episode made my jaw drop as
things were made more clear.
Creator: Joseph
Weisberg
Seasons: 6
Episodes: 75 Years: 2013-2018
Best Season: 6
The
pace is slow but the pay-offs are worth it as these Russian spies deal with
their family and the CIA during the height of the Cold War. The intrigue and
disguises made for some gripping episodes.
Standout Episode: START (S06E10)
A well-crafted finale that will keep you
on the edge of your seat as the culmination of all six seasons are laid out in
a parking garage.
Creator: Noah
Hawley
Seasons: 6
Episodes: 73 Years: 2013-2018
Best Season: 2
While
it may have limped to the finish line without Kevin Spacey, the rest of the
series was an incredibly dark version of The
West Wing that made you question the morality of government.
Standout Episode: Chapter 6 (S01E06)
Frank goes to extremes in order to end
the strike and Russo steps up to run for Governor in an episode with darkly
twisted moments.
Creators: Frank
Darabont, Angela Kang
Seasons: 10+
Episodes: 139+
Years: 2010-Present
Best Season: 3
At times, this post-apocalyptic drama is heart-pounding with its life or death situations, devastating with its characters succumbing to fate and disgusting with its rotting walkers. All in all, a dark survival story.
At times, this post-apocalyptic drama is heart-pounding with its life or death situations, devastating with its characters succumbing to fate and disgusting with its rotting walkers. All in all, a dark survival story.
Standout Episode: Cherokee Rose (S02E04)
While there are many other highly
suspenseful episodes, this one focuses on the beginning of Glenn & Maggie’s
love story with a well and pharmacy run.
Creator: Shonda
Rhimes
Seasons: 7
Episodes: 124 Years: 2012-2018
Best Season: 3
The
series started out with difficult cases-of-the-week but quickly became a
gigantic corrupt cover-up of the secrets of Olivia Pope and company. Highly
ludicrous and entertaining at the same time.
Standout Episode: Dead in the Water (S06E09)
Huck is in mortal danger as Olivia Pope
and her agency race against time to locate and save him, not realizing one of
them is responsible.
Creators: Chuck
Lorre, Bill Prady
Seasons: 12
Episodes: 281 Years: 2007-2019
Best Season: 3
The
show may have gotten repetitive in its later years but for the most part, it
was a consistently funny sitcom that reveled in nerd culture. Watching Sheldon
evolve was also a treat.
Standout Episode: The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis (S02E11)
Leonard being jealous of Penny’s new
beau is just okay but the gift exchange of the napkin and Sheldon’s
over-the-top reaction is simply priceless.
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