The Top 10 Series of the 21st Century’s First Decade

Picking out the best of the 2000s is more challenging than previous decades simply because there was so much more available to consider on more channels. Still, I believe what I have compiled here pretty well reflects the cream of the crop, as well as the dominance of drama over comedy these last 10 years (there are four comedies to six dramas – if you think reality shows should be on this list, move on). I have limited my selections only to shows that debuted this decade, which explains the absence of The Sopranos (1999-2007), among others. As for fans of Arrested Development, 30 Rock, Glee, Bones, Desperate Housewives and anything else that did not make my list – sorry, but I really feel these were the most creatively satisfying and fascinating series to watch. The list counts down in reverse order, with my pick of the best of the best at #1.

10) Without a Trace (2002-2009): The best of way too many procedurals on the air, Without a Trace stood out because it was much less excessively violent than similar shows, plus it had the benefit of suspense involved. Would the missing person turn up dead or alive? You never knew. The scripts had clever twists, the actions moved swiftly, and the cast was most appealing, with a multilayered job by Anthony LaPaglia in the lead role that could have been a one-note portrayal in lesser hands.

9) Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-present): Larry David went from co-creating Seinfeld to starring in his own rollicking sitcom, which channeled his misanthropic take on life along with some cutting satire on the Hollywood lifestyle in a manner that’s much better than the overrated Entourage, in my opinion. Yes, sometimes it goes over the top, but I will take that occasional slipup over far too many series that prefer to remain bumbling at the bottom all the time.

8) Nip/Tuck (2003-2010): If you are going to make a drama about plastic surgery, this is the way to do it, with plenty of humor, odd plots, steamy sexual situations and a solid cast, not to mention wonderful guest casting from Larry Hagman to Joan Rivers. Commendably unpredictably, this is unfairly ending rather quietly soon. It deserved better than that.

7) 24 (2001-present): A federal agent (Kiefer Sutherland) has some of the most intense situations ever faced on TV as he attempts to save the President or even the fate of America, all in “real time” episodes spanning a day. A novel concept beautifully played out on all levels, with some great supporting roles where characters are sometimes revealed as not what they first appeared. I dock it some for a few overdone plot contrivances and the use of “torture porn” on suspects which was later said to be popular with Vice President Dick Cheney. Enough said about that.

6) The Big Bang Theory (2007-present): Four brainy geeks interact with one hot blonde living near two of them, which sounds like a tired “sexcom” situation, but it is much more than that. Witty dialogue combined with sharp characterizations has helped make this TV’s most popular comedy right now, and deservedly so. In particular, Jim Parsons’ Sheldon is one of the great TV comedy creations of all time, with his ability to master complex science terms casually while delivering lines in a deadpan style being an instant classic.

5) Six Feet Under (2001-2005): A family focused on the undertaking business – now there is something I can honestly say I never imagined as a great premise for TV drama. But man, did it work beautifully here, with some incredibly poignant moments of love amid reflections of what life really means before you pass away. The imaginative concluding episode alone passed The Mary Tyler Moore Show as the all-time best finale for a series.

4) The Office (2005-present): Some will argue this is a cruder version of the British miniseries of the same name that gave Ricky Gervais his first whiff of fame in the United States. I say first those people are idiots, since Gervais is an executive producer of this rendition, and second they have never watched this carefully. An uproarious look at a workplace whose employees must put up with a boss struggling (and failing mightily) to be politically correct, this is much funnier than its more honored and lower rated Thursday night companion 30 Rock. Three cheers in particular for installing actors as regulars who actually resemble what you might find in a typical business, and whose actions and comments are humorously exaggerated yet entirely believable.

3) The Colbert Report (2006-present): Spinning off a correspondent from The Daily Show to spoof Bill O’Reilly pompous nightly commentary show on Fox News seemed a limited possibility at first, but Stephen Colbert took the challenge to heights unimagined. Managing the tough feat of being funny while often acting smug, Colbert and his writers fashioned a mock opinion show that incorporated The Daily Show trick of using actual video of politicians against them while adding devastating one liners of their own for a variety of segments. Colbert also proved himself surprisingly adept during interviews, and he even became a hero for raising funds among his devoted followers (the “Colbert Nation,” as he dubbed it). There are more laughs per show here than almost all other comedies currently in production.

2) Lost (2004-2010): What sounded like simply Gilligan’s Island redone as a drama (people in a plane crash land into a deserted island) turned out to be more than that – much, much more, with viewers finding they had to watch every scene for clues in scenes that veered into wild tangents that would pay off in fascinating ways in the future. This fantasy has a mythology worthy of that of Lord of the Rings, but it can be enjoyed as character study or even just a plain old adventure. The genius producers are winding it up in a few months, and I can hardly wait to see (or hazard a guess about) how it will end.

1) The Wire (2002-2008): TV shows typically look at one segment of the population – cops, for example, or families. The Wire went beyond that to cover many parts of life in Baltimore, starting initially with the drug war in the city as seen by participants, the police, the media, public officials and others. Thanks to pitch-perfect writing, acting, directing and producing, it all seemed more like life than a TV series, and quite affecting as well. It is truly one of the greatest TV shows ever – and one of the biggest embarrassments to the stature of the Emmy Awards that they never even nominated it for Best Drama. Too realistic, I guess.