BoD: Best TV series [30-11]

It’s been one hell of a decade for television. The past 10 years saw the explosion of reality programming, the rise of cable and the deterioration of NBC.

With an embarrassment of riches to choose from, we decided to rank the top 10 programs and then separate the next 40 in four distinct tiers of descending quality.

We also picked programs based on their representational value for the decade. So you won’t see the likes of “Buffy,” “Friends,” “The X-Files” or “Dawson’s Creek” on this list because they’re clearly “’90s shows.” 

Here's the middle two tiers, numbers 30 to 11.

Third tier [in no order]

“Dexter” : Here is a TV show with a laser-like focus on taking apart its main character and learning what makes him tick. That we are still learning new things about Dexter Morgan—serial killer of serial killers, devoted brother and father—four seasons in is a credit to the show’s writers, certainly, but also a credit to the subtle, layered and underrated lead performance of Michael C. Hall.

“House”: Another amazing one-man show, “House” is powered primarily by the fantastic performance of Hugh Laurie as the title character. Though it’s another one that’s slumped as time has gone on, Laurie’s fantastic, layered performance (even without the writing to back it up) keeps audiences coming back for more.

“Chuck”: Two seasons in and we’re so charmed by this “loser becomes secret agent” hour-long dramedy that it finds a spot among the top 30. Thanks to wonderful performances from its leads, solid writing and Josh Schwartz’s pop culture-riffing, “Chuck” is one of the only must-watch programs on network television.

“The Shield”: Gritty, dark and uncompromising, “The Shield” must be recognized for its assistance in jump-starting FX’s ability to attract high-quality programs.
“The Amazing Race”: It hasn’t won the Emmy for Best Reality Program over and over for nothing. Thanks to always compelling teams, consistently evolving challenges and the beautiful landscapes the competitors crisscross, “Race” is the only “high brow” reality program.

“Freaks and Geeks”: Before Judd Apatow was Judd Apatow, he helped guide this realistic and heartfelt analysis of the high school outcast that was unceremoniously axed by NBC.

“Curb Your Enthusiasm”: Throughout this HBO comedy’s seven year run Larry David basically proved that he was the driving reason behind “Seinfeld”’s success over the years. Innovative for its use of improvisational techniques, mockumentary style and ability to make an utterly despicable character likable.  

“The OC”: Though it went through a meteoric rise and fall during its four seasons, “The OC” first introduced us to the witty mind of now uber-producer Josh Schwartz and brought us one hell of a bromance between Ryan Atwood and Seth Cohen.

“Deadwood”: Canceling “Deadwood” is perhaps HBO’s biggest mistake of the decade, as this period piece made the wild west much more compelling than we ever thought it could be. Ian McShane’s performance is must-watch-worthy.

“Veronica Mars”: What could have been yet another soapy teen drama was transformed, by virtue of witty dialogue, engaging plotlines and well-written characters, into an outstanding program that transcended all of the genres by which it could be classified (crime-based mystery, family drama, or teen romance, to name a few). Kristen Bell portrayed the titular character with both vulnerability and strength, grounding the improbable premise and propelling the story to its killer climax.

Second tier [in no order]

“Firefly”: There was the spark of a classic about creator Joss Whedon’s space western, inspiring the devotion of countless “Browncoats” even after its premature cancellation. Whether it was the creative and meaningful visual style, the intricacy of the setting, the depth of the characters or the clever dialogue that most attracted fans, “Firefly” set the standard for other thoughtful and genre-bending shows to come.

“The Office” (UK): Though its American counterpart is obviously more popular stateside, no one can deny how influential this UK series has been. There’s a reason that there are dozens of “Office” spin-offs in countries around the world.

“The Office” (US): Certainly the most recognizable and popular comedy of the decade, the “Office” captured the banality of the American workplace perfectly. Though it’s wavered in quality in later seasons, we’ve all stuck around for Jim and Pam.

“30 Rock”: Although it’s taken some comedic missteps in recent seasons, “30 Rock” still stands out for its sharp writing, its novel concept and for reminding us that Alec Baldwin can be really funny. TV comedies have taken viewers behind the scenes at variety shows, soap operas, talk shows and newscasts, but never before have they turned a satiric lens on themselves.

“Battlestar Galactica”: Never has a show gotten more undeserved ridicule based on a name than the brilliant “Battlestar.” In achieving a rarely-experienced symbiosis of drama, science fiction, religion, and politics, “Battlestar” has truly left an enormous impression on the sci-fi world. Each character is extremely well-developed, and brings something unique to the show. They are also each appreciated for being respectable in many ways, but also, perhaps more importantly, highly flawed.

“The Colbert Report”: The brother program to Comedy Central’s “Daily Show” has succeeded in taking the fake-ness to a whole new level, as Colbert delivers an amazing one-man, powerhouse riff of conservative talking heads on a nightly basis.

“Pushing Daisies”: Visually sumptuous, dazzlingly witty and knowingly ridiculous, “Daisies” probably suffered from being too imaginative for the TV landscape. It was a detective procedural! No, it was a doomed romance! Nay, it was a showcase for the effervescence of Kristin Chenoweth! That all of this and more is true of “Daisies” is a testament to creator Bryan Fuller’s unyielding vision and beautiful writing.

“American Idol”: As the decade’s most powerful reality program and the only remaining ratings powerhouse, “Idol” allows us to become enthralled with the underdog (however manufactured that underdog story may be) every spring. It’s infiltrated every corned of pop culture.

“24”: The most innovative program this side of “Lost” brought us action, political intrigue and the baddest son of a bitch ever to carry a knapsack: Jack Bauer.

“Breaking Bad”: AMC’s other fantastic drama is propelled forward but nuanced storytelling and acting, especially from star Bryan Cranston, who portrays the man with nothing to lose better than anyone.