The Best of the '00s

With so many critics making lists for the best the last decade had to offer, I figured I’d throw my two cents in for good measure. I hereby present my picks for the best TV shows that premiered between 2000 and 2009.

1. Friday Night Lights (2006-present, NBC/DirecTV's 101 Network)
No surprise to regular readers, my beloved FNL is the epitome of great storytelling. Realistic without being maudlin, uplifting without being syrupy, and one of the few shows that really makes you root for its characters to succeed. Television simply doesn’t get any better than this.

2. Lost (2004-present, ABC)
Many have abandoned this twisty drama, about to enter its final season, complaining that its central mystery has produced too few answers even as it continues to conjure more questions. To those naysayers I say, You’re missing the point. Lost has always been about its characters first and the strange island goings-on second.

3. Arrested Development (2003-06, Fox)
I’ll never look at a loose seal the same way again. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you clearly missed out on the best comedy the decade had to offer. Overlooked by the masses for its entire run, fans should just be grateful they got to spend three seasons with the inimitable Bluth clan.

4. Survivor (2000-present, CBS)
The granddaddy of all reality shows, Survivor is still going strong (and, in fact, just finished one of its most compelling seasons yet). Many have tried to duplicate its formula, but few have come close to mirroring its success. There’s nothing like the original.

5. Dexter (2006-present, Showtime)
Haunting imagery combined with terrific storytelling dexterity (pun intended) have led to one of the finest crime dramas in a decade filled with so many over-the-top examples (I’m talking to you, CSI!). Michael C. Hall’s richly layered performance just keeps getting better as we continue to hold a place in our hearts for a character whose lot in life is to commit murder without getting caught.

6. Breaking Bad (2008-present, AMC)
More darkness here, this time in the form of a man trying to do right by his family by involving himself in the cooking and dealing of crystal meth. While the show has more than its share of shocking moments, some of the most jaw-dropping exchanges happen in between, e.g., Bryan Cranston’s Walt, a man whose good intentions have driven him to some gruesome actions, looking positively apoplectic when he finds out his pregnant wife has smoked a cigarette. Raw, complex, sinister, and painful.

7. The Amazing Race (2001-present, CBS)
A couch potato’s globetrotting dream, Race brings customs and cultures to your living room in a way you probably wouldn’t experience if you had taken the trip yourself. Both exciting and—dare I say—educational, this is reality TV you’ll never feel guilty about joining in on.

8. Rescue Me (2004-present, FX)
Denis Leary is revelatory in the role of Tommy Gavin, a firefighter haunted by 9/11 and a seemingly endless stream of personal tragedies. Perhaps more than any other show, Rescue Me is able to walk the delicate line between heartache and comedy, finding gallows humor in even the toughest of situations.

9. Boomtown (2002-03, NBC)
A great show essentially killed by its network. The innovative first season of this crime drama took a Rashomon-style tack, relating the events of an occurrence from different perspectives. We saw things from the points-of-view of the police officers, the reporter, bystanders, the criminal, with each successive glimpse peeling away another layer of motivation for all involved. NBC reduced the show to a more standard, linear format in its second season, castrating the scripts and sending Boomtown to its grave after only six more episodes.

10. Modern Family (2009-present, ABC)
USA Today critic Robert Bianco took some guff for including this comedy on his decade’s best list, but I’m inclined to agree with him. Less cynical than The Office and not as infatuated with itself as 30 Rock, Family achieves all of its laughs honestly. So what if it’s only aired a handful of episodes thus far. When there are this many laughs to go around, plus a team of actors this talented, how can it not be included on this list?

It truly was a great decade for TV, and it was difficult to fit all my favorites into just ten slots. Honorable mention goes to, in no particular order, Brothers & Sisters (a powerhouse ensemble), Eli Stone (one of the decade’s saddest cancellations), The Book of Daniel (too controversial for NBC, it may have been better off on cable), 24 (uneven on a season-by-season basis but groundbreaking in the way serialized stories are told), and So You Think You Can Dance (pure fun).

The next decade certainly has a lot to live up to…