It was a great decade for television. It's as simple as that. There was a renaissance of dramas, and enough brilliant comedies were around to balance out the fallow years of that genre. Best series of the decade would be impossible to hold to 10. After a lengthy and laborious (and fun and difficult) period of winnowing the decade, I came up with 25 series. The Top 10 follow. A discussion of Nos. 11 through 25 can be found on my blog at SFGate.com and TheBastardMachine.com. (A list of those titles, sans commentary, can also be found at the end of this column.)
1. "The Wire," HBO. Ostensibly a cop series with a story to tell about the drug war in America's inner city (Baltimore, in this case), "The Wire" over five seasons was really an insanely ambitious, intimately detailed historical document about institutional failure on all levels - cops, criminals, courts, politics, schools and newspapers. Dense, novelistic, painful, funny, real and transformative all at once. "The Wire" is the best television series ever made. Period.
2. "The Sopranos," HBO. You can make an argument that "The Sopranos" is the most important television series ever. It made great television a mandatory requirement for any cable channel seeking an audience. It cemented HBO as a must-have pay channel. It fueled the creative renaissance of all dramas - cable and network. And it cleverly fooled people into thinking that they were watching a violent story about the mob when they were really watching a married couple come undone as they dealt with each other and their extended families. A neat trick, that. The writing, acting and directing set a standard still trying to be matched everywhere on the small screen.
3. "Mad Men," AMC. The best series still in production (followed closely by AMC stablemate "Breaking Bad"), this drama about the existential angst of an early 1960s ad man, Don Draper, has exemplary writing and acting that is intimate, reflective, funny and shaded, and it boasts the most memorable premise and look in ages. It carries the torch of greatness into the next decade.
4. "Deadwood," HBO. The classic Western turned foulmouthed, violent version of Shakespeare in the mud, "Deadwood" showcased the reason that television is a writer's medium while film belongs to directors. David Milch's ferociously original take on a well-worn genre was rooted in the raucous and hypnotic acting performance of Ian McShane, who made every word uttered sound like coarsely brilliant poetry. McShane's magnetic personality turned Al Swearengen into one of television's most memorable characters. "Deadwood" will also be remembered as the biggest blunder in HBO history, as Milch and executives agreed to end "Deadwood" prematurely after three seasons. Two promised follow-up movies never materialized.
5. "The Shield," FX. After the networks did cop series as well as could be done with "Hill Street Blues," "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "NYPD Blue," cable stepped up and changed the game. This series was morally conflicted as the protagonist detective, Vic Mackey, played to perfection by Michael Chiklis, was a killer, thief and rule-breaker as well as a public guardian and seeker of justice. Swaggering, thrilling, filled with angst and bravado and pain and righteousness, "The Shield" was a series you couldn't look away from as it crashed through boundaries.
6. "The Office," British version, BBC America. Ricky Gervais created this superb, scathing series that later spun off a very good American import version. But the original is where all the genius was born, where Gervais as cocksure, befuddled and annoying middle manager David Brent created a character that simply can't be forgotten. The faux documentary device is now overused, but it fueled the cringe-worthy humor of this series in an original, inspired way.
7. "Slings and Arrows," Sundance Channel. Three smart, funny, subtle and emotionally rewarding seasons made this Canadian series one of those rare finds worth seeking out. Set at a troubled Shakespearean theater company, the literate and witty story lines revolved around not only the performers and their backstage antics and offstage personalities but also the overwhelming transformative power of the Bard himself, played by people who really felt the words. A gem.
8. "Arrested Development," Fox. Comedy is far more subjective than drama, so the debate on what merits attention on these lists (and, in fact, what is actually funny or not) will rage on. "Arrested Development" was hilarious on so many levels. The writing was smart and funny; there were visual jokes, slapstick, absurdity and physical humor. The jokes were often four deep, which makes the series particularly cherished on repeated viewings. A fantastic cast and acerbic writers made it all happen.
9. "The West Wing," NBC. We'll probably not see another political series for ages - certainly not one this good. Aaron Sorkin not only made people believe in the power of the people and the presidency again, but he also made an intellectually stimulating, fast-paced series about politics when everyone in the business said it couldn't be done. Plus, it was a hit. It had some weak years, but when it was at its finest, "The West Wing" was moving and aspirational.
10. "Breaking Bad," AMC. One of only a few "young" series that made the cut, "Breaking Bad" is a series that has achieved greatness as fast as any of the most critically acclaimed, respected dramas on this list. When a high school chemistry teacher turns 50 and is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, he turns to making (and selling) methamphetamine to help his financially struggling family. Wonderfully original, daring and poignant.
The rest of the best series of the decade list: 11. "Lost," ABC. 12. "Battlestar Galactica," Syfy. 13. "Freaks and Geeks," NBC. 14. "Six Feet Under," HBO. 15. "The Daily Show," Comedy Central. 16. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," WB, UPN. 17. "30 Rock," NBC. 18. "Sex and the City," HBO. 19. "King of the Hill," Fox. 20. "Extras," HBO. 21. "Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO. 22. "Dexter," Showtime. 23. "The Office," NBC. 24. "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," FX. 25. "South Park," Comedy Central. |
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