50 TV shows of the 2000s
My personal choices of my favorite TV shows of the 2000s that began in 2000 (Futurama started in 1999 but restarted in 2010). Talk shows and reality shows are ineligible but I don't watch that many of the latter. The Colbert Report is included because he plays a character. Also, of note: My name isn't really Scott.
This is pulled from much of my TV writing, especially year-end Top 10 lists:
http://sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2012/04/super-belated-top-10-tv-shows-of-2011.html
http://sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2010/12/top-ten-shows-of-year.html
http://www.sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-10-of-year-in-tv.html
http://sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2009/12/top-ten-tv-shows-of-year.html
and I've attached a few links below where I've written extensively about the show if anyone's curious
This is pulled from much of my TV writing, especially year-end Top 10 lists:
http://sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2012/04/super-belated-top-10-tv-shows-of-2011.html
http://sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2010/12/top-ten-shows-of-year.html
http://www.sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-10-of-year-in-tv.html
http://sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2009/12/top-ten-tv-shows-of-year.html
and I've attached a few links below where I've written extensively about the show if anyone's curious
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- CreatorDavid E. KelleyStarsLoretta DevineAnthony HealdFyvush FinkelThe lives of 10 faculty members at a high school in Boston weave in and out of dealing with trouble-makers, having a personal life, and keeping sanity.One of my first TV obsessions, it was set at a high school drama where literally everything that has gone wrong in the history of public schools occurs every week or two. The show is quintessential David Kelly and is one of the few (perhaps only?) TV shows to give the procedural approach to school administration.
Also of note: The protagonist shares a name with the Canadian prime minister - CreatorBryan FullerStarsLee PaceAnna FrielChi McBrideA pastry chef with the power to bring dead people back to life solves murder mysteries with his resurrected childhood sweetheart, a cynical private investigator, and a lovesick waitress.Wonderfully whimsy with a great visual tone and a solid enough backstory for this world to make for great episode-to-episode mysteries. It also is great how the show has so many odd couples. Kristin Chenoweth deserved an Emmy as the stand-out of the ensemble.
- CreatorChuck LorreBill PradyStarsJohnny GaleckiJim ParsonsKaley CuocoA woman who moves into an apartment across the hall from two brilliant but socially awkward physicists shows them how little they know about life outside of the laboratory.An unlikely comedy (how many TV studios would greenlight the fun hijinx of nuclear scientists?) with the modern-day charm of a cross-class romance (nerds and beauties being the two classes) and a couple initially unworkable characters (Howard and Raj) who've gotten better.
- CreatorDavid GuarascioMoses PortStarsDan ByrdAdhir KalyanAmy PietzA young Muslim student from Pakistan is sent to live with a Christian family in Wisconsin as part of a foreign exchange program.Ranking high on the brilliant but cancelled list, Aliens in America was great cross-cultural hillarity, deadpan snark, and Midwestern sweetness
- CreatorGreg DanielsRicky GervaisStephen MerchantStarsSteve CarellJenna FischerJohn KrasinskiA mockumentary on a group of typical office workers, where the workday consists of ego clashes, inappropriate behavior, tedium and romance.Through high times and low, The Office was pretty much the core of my viewing experiences and shaped how I viewed the medium entirely.
I wrote more about it here in a more personal essay:
http://www.sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2013/05/good-bye-to-office-but-not-yet.html - CreatorRicky GervaisStephen MerchantStarsRicky GervaisAshley JensenStephen MerchantAndy Millman is an actor with ambition and a script. Reduced to working as an extra with a useless agent, Andy's attempts to boost his career invariably end in failure and embarrassment.The British Office kickstarted nine seasons the American Office and was unique in changing the way we perceived TV but Extras is the one I remember more fondly today. Throughout two seasons, Andy Millman struggled with life on both sides of the fame equation. He was desperately lacking in it as an extra the first season and once he had it, found an even new set of troubles. A great satire on our need to be famous (as a substitute for achievement) and the ins-and-outs of that struggle.
- CreatorJohn EnbomDan EtheridgePaul RuddStarsAdam ScottKen MarinoRyan HansenA group of actors move to Los Angeles to make it big, but end up working as caterers.Party Down centers around a ragtag band of dreamers in Los Angeles working on a catering team together to pay the bills but hoping for bigger things. The characters' varying degrees of disconnect from reality is contrasted with the very close proximity these people are to the people who nonchalantly live their lives. The show also manages to be edgy in bringing characters to the screen who aren't in love with their lives without being unnecessarily crude or depressing (a sin I find Weeds and Entourage guilty of).
- CreatorBill LawrencePhil LordChristopher MillerStarsWill FortePhil LordMichael McDonaldThe greatest minds of the world have been cloned, and are now attending high school together.Short-lived but ridiculously clever cartoon for history buffs who felt that Gandhi, Cleopatra, Abe Lincoln, JFK, Joan of Arc and Ponce de Leon (in a very special episode) weren't hilarious enough. Great running gags and multi-layered jokes
- CreatorFelicia DayStarsFelicia DaySandeep ParikhJeff LewisThe lives inside and outside video games of the members of online guild the Knights of Good.An unabashed celebration of nerd culture and the banding together of six highly diverse misfits who initially never meant anything to each other beyond anonymous screen names to go on gaming quests with. Each season has succeeded in raising the stakes for the characters and developing them further. Felicia Day can play the violin, work a crowd at comic con, act, and is a talented writer as well. America's next great hyphenate in the making.
- CreatorTony BasgallopStarsDexter FletcherMartin MarquezMichael ObioraAt a posh urban hotel, the love lives and whims of its wealthy guests are attended to by hard-working staff who have their own troubles with love.Set at a four-star hotel in London, the show combines an enticing glimpse of the luxuries of the high life in the UK with an engaging look into the struggles of people in the service industry.
- CreatorPaul T. ScheuringStarsDominic PurcellWentworth MillerAmaury NolascoA structural engineer installs himself in a prison he helped design, in order to save his falsely accused brother from a death sentence by breaking themselves out from the inside.From around the age of Lost where serialized TV was just finding its footing, Prison Break was super-hooky, featured a cast with great chemistry, and was one of the first shows that dared you to think a couple steps ahead
- CreatorGregory Thomas GarciaStarsJason LeeEthan SupleeJaime PresslyA ne'er do well wins $100,000 in the lottery and decides to right all the wrongs from his past with his newfound realization!A sweet and inspiring show with memorable backwoods characters who are often smarter than they seem (although it can be hard to defend Randy at times). Greg Garcia, the creator, and show-runner, went to my high school, which might imply that I came from a place with backwoods characters rather than the Washington D.C. suburbs.
- CreatorMike BarkerSeth MacFarlaneMatt WeitzmanStarsSeth MacFarlaneWendy SchaalScott GrimesThe escapades of Stan Smith, a conservative C.I.A. Agent dealing with family life, and keeping America safe.An under discussed animated entity, American Dad deserves mention for being consistently funny and inventive. Roger, that lovable extraterrestrial duex-es-machina, continues to lead the show in interesting directions signifying just how well the writer’s room has resisted the temptations to overextend his limitless personality. Unlike sister show, Family Guy, American Dad has distinctive characters which exist as more than just an excuse to get from point A to point B in the plot.
- CreatorScott SilveriStarsMatthew PerryLaura BenantiJulie WhitePressured by his boss to join a support group because he can't move forward after his wife's death, an irreverent sportscaster finds connection with the extremely varied members.Go On was also based on a disparate group of characters toughing out a big life challenge together (whether being relegated to community college or coping with loss) but it had a stronger emotional baseline. The ensemble was filled with a few characters that started out a bit over-the-top but the show made great strides at developing everyone to the point where the quirky ensemble interplay really drove the humor while the bittersweet plots were effectively emotional.
- CreatorMitchell HurwitzStarsJason BatemanMichael CeraPortia de RossiLevel-headed son Michael Bluth takes over family affairs after his father is imprisoned. But the rest of his spoiled, dysfunctional family are making his job unbearable.What can I say that hasn't already been said. Nearly every great thing written about this show is 100% true.
- CreatorTim KringStarsJack ColemanHayden PanettiereMilo VentimigliaCommon people discover that they have super powers. Their lives intertwine as a devastating event must be prevented.Disclaimer: I've only watched it to the beginning of season 3
I've rarely seen something so nerdy enter the mainstream as when Heroes was the show everyone was watching in 2007. Borrowing heavily from comic book conventions, Heroes was a grounded take on the superhero genre with a mix of playfully excitable, angtsy, and intense super hero characters bringing a nice level of diversity to a show that also doubles as an ensemble drama. - CreatorVictor FrescoStarsJay HarringtonPortia de RossiAndrea AndersIn an amoral science-based company, a manager tries to keep control of his scientists while being pressured by his shrewd boss.Issues with Jay Harrington as a lead, but not even a piece of cardboard in the lead could take away from the sharp writing and strong supporting cast. It's satire taken to levels of absurdity.
- CreatorAndrew LenchewskiJohn P. RogersStarsMark FeuersteinPaulo CostanzoReshma ShettyAn unfairly discredited but brilliant ER doctor winds up working with his younger brother in the Hamptons as a concierge doctor to the uber-rich and ultra-elite.Episodic/procedural TV that really sticks out with a strong protagonist who could probably solve America's health care crisis if given the chance.
- CreatorAndy BreckmanStarsTony ShalhoubJason Gray-StanfordTed LevineThe series follows Adrian Monk, a brilliant former San Francisco detective, who now consults the police as a private consultant whilst battling with an obsessive-compulsive disorder.The first of many lighthearted idiot savant (or some form of brilliant guy hampered by circumstances) procedurals over on USA, the show had great chemistry between Monk and the Sherrif (Ted Levine) and Natalie (Taylor Howard).
- StarsWill ArnettJason BatemanKristin ChenowethAbout the teachers at a slightly poor, non-distinguished school and their random day-to-day problems.The show from Mitch Hurwitz started out terribly, but really found its strides in its "second season" (technically, this was just the network burning off the remaining nine episodes of the first season). Whatever problems the show had, it had a great cast that never let the show down and created interesting characters out of the lines that were given to them. The basis of any good comedy is good characters and Sit Down Shut Up had that base so when the plots were clicking (as what happened more often in the season's second half) the show really came on fire. I also loved how unapologetic the show was about never involving the students into the picture.
- CreatorRodrigo GarcíaHagai LeviNir BergmanStarsGabriel ByrneUzo AdubaDianne WiestA psychotherapist questions his abilities and gets help by reuniting with his old therapist, whom he has not seen for ten years.The cinematically minimalist series stars Gabriel Bryne as a therapist operating out of his apartment with multi-episode arcs as he skillfully peels back the layers of dysfunction of his patients' dysfunction. It's a show that proves that the sheer gravity of good performances (John Mahoney, child actor Aaron Shaw, Dianne Wiest, and Hope Davis) and captivating dialogue is all you need to make a show work.
- CreatorJoe GaytonTony GaytonStarsAnson MountColm MeaneyRobin McLeavyThe Civil War is past, but former Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon can't put it behind him. Fresh are the memories of the death of his wife, killed at the hands of Union soldiers, an act that sets him on a course of revenge.The show is beautifully shot but doesn’t do the glamor of the West any favors. The railroad camps and the life of backbreaking labor is so hellish that only marked men would go there. The show interestingly contrasts that with two Irish brothers who think they can get a slice of the American dream with their picture show, a preacher who wants to open up a church, a whore with scars from her time as an Indian princess and a newly widowed fair-haired maiden who was told by another character that, not being a whore or Indian, she doesn’t belong out there.
- CreatorLaura DernMike WhiteStarsLaura DernDiane LaddSarah BurnsA self-destructive woman who has a spiritual awakening becomes determined to live an enlightened life, creating havoc at home and work.A highly engaging show in that it forced you to constantly reevaluate your sense of right and wrong with respect to its characters. Laura Dern is a highly capable lead and Mike White is perfect as the unwilling sidekick. Bonus points for giving Michaela Watkins a TV role.
- CreatorAlex GansaHoward GordonStarsClaire DanesMandy PatinkinDamian LewisA bipolar CIA operative becomes convinced a prisoner of war has been turned by al-Qaeda and is planning to carry out a terrorist attack on American soil.Generally, dramas made about events that are pervasive in the news aren't things I'd like to watch as escape but Homeland is a rare exception where I'm entirely hooked by a show about something I'm already sick to death of hearing on the news about. The acting by Lewis, Danes, and Patankin is phenomenal, the characters are engaging, and the show keeps suspense going without seeming as though the cliffhangers are cheaply inserted. The show's "hook" is the insider look at CIA interrogations and terrorist watches but it branches into medicine, politics, and even throws in a Douglas Sirkian melodrama for good measure.
- CreatorElwood ReidBjörn SteinMeredith StiehmStarsDemián BichirDiane KrugerThomas M. WrightTwo detectives work together to take down a serial killer operating on both sides of the Texas-Chihuahua border.A topical serial drama that unfolded perfectly in the first season as we became more intimate with the principle characters. A near-perfect example of serial drama done right.
- CreatorEilif SkodvinAnne BjørnstadStarsSteven Van ZandtTrond FausaSteinar SagenA New York mobster goes into hiding in rural Lillehammer in Norway after testifying against his former associates.The show's one big flaw is allowing it's protagonist to have become inexplicably powerful too quickly and too easily. Other than that, Lilyhammer has an excitingly well-defined sense of place. Because it's filmed by a Norweigan production company (in collaboration with Steve van Zandt), it goes without saying that watching this show transports you to another world. The cast of characters is wonderfully sharp and I get the strong sense that there's potential of better things to come in Season 2.
- CreatorJenji KohanStarsTaylor SchillingDanielle BrooksTaryn ManningConvicted of a decade-old crime of transporting drug money, ordinarily law-abiding Piper Chapman is sentenced to 18 months behind bars and quickly discovers the realities of life-changing prison time.Take a memoir from an observant white collar ex-con and imbue it with maximum levels of suspense, and you have the roller coaster that was watching OitNB on Netflix. It's moving, unpredictable, occasionally amusing, insightful, and filled with more fascinating female characters than every network TV show combined. It's also a show that arouses the viewer to reevaluate social injustice in the world
Further Reading: http://sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2013/08/orange-is-new-black-episode-9-fcksgiving.html - CreatorTina FeyStarsTina FeyAlec BaldwinTracy MorganLiz Lemon, head writer of the sketch-comedy show "TGS with Tracy Jordan", must deal with an arrogant new boss and a crazy new star while trying to run a successful television show without losing her mind.Consistently hilarious and containing some of the best, most malleable comic characters TV's ever invented, 30 Rock uses so many forms of comedy to maximum effect that it should be considered a comedy writer's master course.
Further reading:
http://www.sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/search/label/30%20Rock - CreatorEmily KapnekStarsJeremy SistoJane LevyCarly ChaikinTessa Altman is used to the big city, but when her dad moves her away, she has to adapt to her new suburban life in Chatswin.Suburgatory, created by Emily Kapnek, isn't revolutionary by any means, but it's the show watching and rewatching more than practically anything else. It has a unique voice and a sharp script. More importantly, the show has a vastly underrated cast with supporting actors (Cheryl Hines, Rex Lee, Chris Parnell, Alan Tudyk, Ana Gasteyer) who add a lot of color to the show. The show also gets a surprising amount of milage for its visual gags and is one of the few instances of voiceover that's not annoying.
- CreatorRob McElhenneyGlenn HowertonStarsCharlie DayGlenn HowertonRob McElhenneyFive friends with big egos and small brains are the proprietors of an Irish pub in Philadelphia.I continue to find it astounding just how many layers these shows can reveal around its five characters. In a way, it seems as clues are simultaneously being dropped as to what's wrong with these guys. Over time, we learn that Dennis wasn't as popular in high school as he thought or that Charlie's mom was a whore and questions are answered. At the same time, Sunny has such fun with dysfunction. Mac had daddy issues, Mac was fat, now Mac's a repressed gay, does it really matter? I don't know the answer to that but I'm having fun figuring it out. The show is so comedically strong that many a scene can be lifted verbatim and, as a stand alone sketch, it would be funnier than what you'd see on Saturday Night Live. The Gang Dines Out, which had the makings of a stageplay, was one of the best episodes of TV I've seen all year. Ditto for "Charlie and Dee Find Love" and the "Maureen Ponderosa Wedding Massacre." As of late, it's getting more apparent that the characters truly love each other which has led to a few more happy endings and that puts a smile on my face more than it compromises the show.
Further reading:
http://www.sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2013/01/irs-always-sunny-is-mac-gay.html - CreatorAnthony CiprianoCarlton CuseKerry EhrinStarsVera FarmigaFreddie HighmoreMax ThieriotA contemporary prequel to Psycho, giving a portrayal of how Norman Bates' psyche unravels through his teenage years, and how deeply intricate his relationship with his mother, Norma, truly is.A prequel to Psycho, the series is rife with depth in its efforts to slowly disentangle the "why" and the "who" of Norman Bates, the series is rife with nuggets for a budding psych major to have a field day with. More often that not, however, its just a breezy small-town drama with fascinating characters, most of whom are concealing a dark side.
Further reading:
http://www.sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2013/04/new-spring-tv-shows.html - CreatorSteven LevitanChristopher LloydStarsEd O'NeillSofía VergaraJulie BowenThree different, but related, families face trials and tribulations in their own uniquely comedic ways.A 21st century reimagining of the family sitcom-- with a May-December and a cross-cultural marraige, a gay couple, stepsiblings, adopted kids-- that gets great mileage out of simple conventional sitcom plots. Riding on great ensemble chemistry, the show is endlessly rewatchable in syndication even if it's not the most exciting thing in primetime.
Further reading:
http://www.sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2010/10/difference-between-modern-family-and.html - CreatorIan BrennanBrad FalchukRyan MurphyStarsLea MicheleJane LynchMatthew MorrisonA group of ambitious misfits try to escape the harsh realities of high school by joining a glee club headed by a passionate Spanish teacher.It has its points of silliness and ups and downs, but every errant turn in the storyline is done with conviction. The show has a strong sense of style but there's a lot of bittersweet resonance underneath as it takes on the high school experience from the POV of outcasts, jocks (who end up feelings like outcasts themselves), and a well-meaning teacher. Plus, the musical numbers can be quite catchy.
Further reading:
http://www.sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/search/label/Glee - CreatorLamar DamonAmy Sherman-PalladinoStarsSutton FosterKaitlyn JenkinsJulia Goldani TellesMichelle, a Las Vegas showgirl marries a man on a whim and moves to his sleepy coastal town where she winds up working alongside her new mother-in-law at her dance school.A sugary small-town dramedy (that's slightly female oriented) from the creator of Gillmore Girls had a lot of depth underneath of a seemingly superficial tale of a newly-widowed (after having been married for 24 hours) Las Vegas dancer resettling into a small town where no one knows her name.
Further reading:
http://sophomorecritic.blogspot.com/2012/12/bunheads-and-tv-historys-biggest-2nd.html - CreatorVince GilliganStarsBryan CranstonAaron PaulAnna GunnA chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine with a former student in order to secure his family's future.I haven't always been on board the "Best show ever of all time" bandwagon, and have tuned out for big chunks of some seasons, but it's definitely a great show and one that deserves a place on this list. I personally liked it best when it was just a black comedy in the first season, but it ended well in a great arc towards the back season.
- CreatorTerence WinterStarsSteve BuscemiKelly MacdonaldMichael ShannonAn Atlantic City politician plays both sides of the law by conspiring with gangsters during the Prohibition era.Unlike other mob dramas, Boardwalk Empire has the added challenge of being a historic artifact. We know where Al Capone, Lucky Luciano and Nucky Thompson are going to end up, but that doesn't detract from the journey. Boardwalk Empire weaves together a number of interesting storylines and more often than not, the characters- Kelly McDonald as practical Irish immigrant who's moral purity slowly wilts in a marriage to a criminal, Gretchen Mol as a randy young grandmother who knows how to play the angles, Michael Shannon as the Fed determined to stay within tracking distance of the bootlegging operation, Jack Huston as a gentle soul of a gangster with a disfigured face, and Michael Kenneth Williams as the criminal leader of the black community who can intimidate but knows his limits- do not disappoint. Season two succeeded in creating a more tightly coiled narrative arc with tension rising as Nucky and Jimmy headed towards an inevitable showdown.
- CreatorMichael KarnowZak PennStarsDavid StrathairnRyan CartwrightWarren ChristieAlphas is a science fiction drama focusing on a team that investigates people with supernatural abilities.Procedurals rarely hook me but in this show, each mystery of the week helps develop the show and the characters. The special effects are top-notch and the action scenes are both physical and intellectual: The intersection of the characters' powers often play out like a game of chess. The show also works well because of the chemistry. David Strathain's Dr. Lee Rosen works well as a father figure to the group, Rachel and Nina have an intriguing budding relationship as surrogate sisters, and with Ryan Cartwright's Gary Bell, the show deserves credit for not treating autism as though it has kid gloves.
- CreatorAdam ReedStarsH. Jon BenjaminJudy GreerAmber NashCovert black ops and espionage take a back seat to zany personalities and relationships between secret agents and drones.A first-rate spy parody and a wacky office comedy to boot, what a crazy combination that works. The key to the show is that the characters are uniquely idiosyncratic comic creations rather than the means to and end for traditional parody. Within a couple seasons, Archer's characters have become so great together that we usually are content just to watch them thrown into a room together and see the sparks take off.
- CreatorKeegan-Michael KeyJordan PeeleStarsKeegan-Michael KeyJordan PeeleMetta World PeaceProject sees Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele in front of a live studio audience bantering about a topic weaved between filmed shorts and sketches.This or Portlandia were both fighting for the last spot. Key and Peele is an innovative sketch comedy show with a unique tone and a solid format. It's also great to see two workhorses (Fun fact: Key has a master's degree from Penn State's School of Drama) from the comedy circuit finally break out after being relegated to the gutters of Mad TV.
- StarsSuzanne SenaBrian HuskeyTodd Alan CrainSatirical coverage from the most trusted news network in the world.One of the most funny and twistedly honest programs on TV in its two-season run. Especially notable is how experimental the show got with its format in the second season: We had an Armageddon episode, a revelation that Brooke Alvarez was an ex-cosmonaut, a rivalry with do-gooder reporter Brady Shaw, and an episode where the computer became sentient and fell in love with Brooke. And if things got slow, they just replaced Tucker Hope.
- CreatorStephen ColbertBen KarlinJon StewartStarsStephen ColbertJay KatsirJon StewartSatirical newscaster Stephen Colbert provides humorous commentary on the big issues going on in the United States and the rest of the world, with his larger-than-life ego and overly-patriotic spirit along with him every step of the way.Steve Colbert was more of a novelty when he launched his spin-off but he's become a cultural icon at this point and seems far from running out of tricks. He's even eclipsed the Daily Show at this point in sheer inventiveness.
- CreatorJoss WhedonStarsEliza DushkuHarry LennixFran KranzA top secret organization erases the identities of attractive young people, turning them into blank "dolls" ready for imprints of temporary identities they need to fulfill assignments for clients.Disclaimer: Only saw season 1.
The kind of cerebral yet action-packed sci-fi series that TV needs more of. The episodes mostly work episodically but the overarching mythology was something one could easily get lost in and that was what made the show kinetic. - CreatorJason GannDavid ZuckermanAdam ZwarStarsElijah WoodJason GannFiona GubelmannThe story of a depressed man who inexplicably is the only one who can see his neighbor's dog as a full-grown man in a dog suit.You can treat it as either a comedy or a secret drama. It has one of the most depressed characters on television, it doesn't treat his illness with kid gloves and it's a feel good story with no false moments which is a lot to say for a show with a talking dog in it. It's also hilarious in a situational way and consistently watchable as well.
- CreatorBrad FalchukRyan MurphyHalley FeifferStarsLady GagaKathy BatesAngela BassettAn anthology series centering on different characters and locations, showcasing different aspects of horror.Only applies to the first season (Monster House) as the second two seasons got caught up in convoluted plot machinations. The first season had a great jigsaw-puzzle-like quality and allowed its characters to play in an interesting space without going overboard.
- CreatorGreg DanielsMichael SchurStarsAmy PoehlerJim O'HeirNick OffermanThe absurd antics of an Indiana town's public officials as they pursue sundry projects to make their city a better place.A worthy follow-up to The Office that started out on incredibly shaky ground with a very unclear view of its protagonist. Five seasons later, few characters are as rootable (in-universe and out) or endearing as Leslie. Nearly every character on this show is capable of being an audience favorite and the character of Pawneee grows on the viewer as well.
- CreatorAdam HorowitzEdward KitsisStarsGinnifer GoodwinJennifer MorrisonLana ParrillaA young woman with a troubled past is drawn to a small town in Maine where fairy tales are to be believed.Disclaimer: Most of my watching was Season 1
A cleverly designed show that alternates realities between fairyland and a small town in Maine with an unreliable narrator (the 8-year-old son of the town mayor who may or may not be secretly evil) as our guide. The show is pretty far out in left field in terms of concept and still manages feel accessible. It's light-hearted and engaging enough to keep us wanting to piece the jigsaw puzzle together. - CreatorZarqa NawazStarsZaib ShaikhSitara HewittDebra McGrathA satirical view at a Muslim community living in Mercy, Saskatchewan, Canada.Just as how the Cosby Show eased racial tension by showing how a black family wasn't that different than white middle-class Americans, Little Mosque could do the same in America if people watch it on hulu
- CreatorDan BucatinskyLisa KudrowDon RoosStarsLisa KudrowDan BucatinskyJennifer Elise CoxAfter quitting her job in finance under dubious circumstances, the affluent and self-interested Fiona Wallice tries her hand at therapy - offering clients 3-minute sessions over the Internet in hopes of weeding out any unnecessary emotion.Web Therapy is about an insecure and morally horrible therapist and the beauty of the series is how subtly it's revealed through these three-minute skype sessions that the protagonist is in fact a terrible person.
- CreatorDavid X. CohenMatt GroeningStarsBilly WestJohn DiMaggioKatey SagalPhilip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy, is accidentally frozen in 1999 and thawed out on New Year's Eve 2999.One of the most consistently entertaining and visually inventive films with a solid cast of characters (both the core group and the expanding world) that features consistently sharp satire.
- CreatorJames BobinJemaine ClementBret McKenzieStarsJemaine ClementBret McKenzieRhys DarbyBret and Jemaine are Flight of the Conchords, a folk-rock band from New Zealand living in New York City in search of stardom.Flight of the Conchords is about two guys who are successfully being deluded by the people around them into thinking that their sad, aimless existence is actually some micro-form of stardom. Like Ricky Gervais, it's all about the celebration of the mundane. Compliments for pulling of this premise hillariously go to the deluders: Rhys Darby as their clueless pushpin manager and Wendy Schaal as the borderline psychotic fanbase of one.