Top 10 TV Series of the Decade

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Any top 10 list without The Wire is a ridiculous list.

Also, Damages can't hold a candle to The Shield.

Modern Family? After a handful of episodes? Who made this list, a fifteen year old?

 

No "Arrested Development"? COME ON!

Out of the list, I've only seen "Lost" and "24". "Lost" is still awesome. I think I've lost interest in "24". I still have the last six or seven hours of the last season waiting on the TiVo and have made zero effort to watch it in months. The dialog is driving me crazy.

Saw a few episodes of "The West Wing" and just didn't like it. Probably because it's Sorkin and he's a brilliant genius with his intelligent TV and I'm too dumb to get it.

 

that there wouldn't be 100% agreement on a top 10 list, MAN You should play the lotto!!!

 

I'm suprised that this thread made it to 25 posts before someone mentioned Arrested Develpment.

 

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I tried watching that show, but it irritated me to no end... the whole 15 minutes or so that I managed to stomach.

 

I'll add to the chorus.

I see this list - I see no "Wire" - I ignore this list as bullsh1t.

 

My 2 cents:

10. MODERN FAMILY - I like it, but it's too new (and not my favorite new comedy of the year, that would be The Middle)

9. LOST - despite my misgivings about the direction this went, ie time travel, this and 24 are the only shows that consistantly make me look forward to the next episode). Deserves to be here, perhaps as high as top 3.

8. 24 - Even though it has gotten totally unrealistic, I am always engrossed in every season. This belongs.

7. 30 ROCK - Borderline for me. I love the show, but I'm not sure it's top 10.

6. MAD MEN - watched a couple of episodes and found it boring. This would be off my list.

5. DAMAGES - no interest in this show....next....

4. THE SHIELD - same with this one. Not a big cop show fan.

3. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM - this definitely belongs. One of the funniest sitcoms of all time, and so totally anti-PC that it makes it OK to laugh at the wrongness of it all.

2. THE WEST WING - Another show I watched a couple of episodes and found boring. Perhaps it's more about Sorkin's writing style that after awhile annoys me. I love Sports Night and found it was better than TWW if you like Sorkin.

1. THE SOPRANOS - If not number one, this would be in my top 3. I came late to this and watched the first 3 seasons on DVD, but this series was the one reason I subscribed to HBO after years of doing without it.

Series that were missed that deserve to be there:

Deadwood (I'm surprised that nobody mentioned this). I was never a big western fan, but this show really had me hooked. At it's peak was as good if not better than Tony and his gang.

The Riches - Perhaps this didn't last long enough to be included, but I loved this series.

Arrested Development - Always compared to 30 Rock, but I always felt that this was better than 30 Rock, even on it's worst shows. And like I said, I LIKE 30 Rock.

Fringe - This one could be up there with the others, but it might be too short a run to compare yet, but this series gets better and better.

Scrubs - Some of the best sitcom work ever at it's best and some of the more memorable characters.

Near Misses - Burn Notice, In Plain Sight, Chuck, Big Love, Carnivalle, Dexter (would be on this list probably based on what I've seen, but I'm only a season and a half into it). The United States of Tara (again, only one short season, but I loved what I saw). Survivor and The Amazing Race (not sure if Realty shows should be included, but IMO these are the best...Survivor for it's groundbreaking format, and TAR for just being the smartest format, with the contestants both having fun and learning about local culture, along with the audience).

 

I think Scrubs has had enough stinkers and unmemorable episodes to keep it off the list. When it's good, it's great, but the consistency isn't there.

 

Another vote for "Six Feet Under". I think it is close to "The Sopranos".
I actually would make it my number 1, but recognize that it's likely that "across the board" , The Sopranos would probably win out.

 

The thing about Scrubs is that their stinkers are STILL funnier than 90% of any other sitcom. IMO the worst Scrubs episode is better than the best Two and a Half Men. But I'm a big fan.

 

The Wire should replace The West Wing, since it had more insightful and interesting stuff about politics than The West Wing did anyway.

 

Good idea - I'm on fire.

 

Sex and the City doesn't qualify because it premiered in 98.

I'm sure SFU is in the "honorable mention" category, but I don't think it's as good as most of the shows on the list.

The only real quibble I have with the list is the inclusion of Modern Family. That's just absurd for a show with only a handful of episodes, and imho, it's not even close to being worthy of this list (not yet anyway). Remove it and replace it with The Wire, Deadwood, Arrested Development, or The Office.

I personally wouldn't choose 24 because it's so over the top, but I stopped watching after the cougar incident and maybe it improved dramatically in later seasons. But my friends who watch tell me not really.

ETA: I totally agree with #1 and #2 and those would probably be my choices too, in that order. I can still remember Adriana crawling on the ground, begging for her life. Chris and Paulie wandering around in the snow. A singing fish. And the ducks. Good TV.

I also love Mad Men, and while I find Lost very frustrating at times, it would be on my list as well for ambition and originality.

 

I agree with many of the comments here. Especially wrt The Wire and Deadwood, those 2 series have a prominent place on MY list.

Someone already mentioned Sons of Anarchy. SOA and Breaking Bad will belong on the list if they continue to deliver the same quality as they have already.

 

One Top 10 list is not enough for all of the shows in a decade. There should be Top 10 Sit Com, Top 10 Drama, etc.

 

I agree Modern Family doesn't belong. I'd include CSI (the original). The show was creative. It invented a new genre.

 

Quincy pretty much laughs at that statement.

 

I was originally going to say "re-invent" the format but I didn't think many TCF members remember Quincy ME. CSI is an ensemble show and my memory is Qunicy ME was more of a one person show.

 

Deadwood, NCIS, CSI, Bones, Dexter, Burn Notice, In Plain Sight, Eureka, Castle and Numbers would have been my top 10.
Not any of the ones they chosedid.

 

Finally. Somebody that knows how to spel bullsh1t.