by Julian Spivey 10. "Finale" - Late Show with David Letterman (2015)The final six months of David Letterman’s tenure as host of ‘Late Show,’ a show he created for CBS, was one of my favorite television moments of the decade. Letterman was my guy – not just my favorite late night comedy TV host, but somebody I looked up to and felt formed my own personal sense of humor. I knew he wouldn’t be on TV forever, but always hoped that day would never come. The last few months were incredible with frequent guests having their last hurrah being interviewed by Letterman. The final episode was a moment filled with great laughs, favorite guest stars and some tears. 9. "Remedial Chaos Theory" - Community (2011)NBC’s “Community” was easily the most high concept sitcom on network television at its time and one of the greatest, if not greatest episodes, of the series was “Remedial Chaos Theory” which sees our favorite study group meeting at Troy (Donald Glover) and Abed’s (Danny Pudi) new apartment for a get together, but it quickly becomes divided into six different timelines when Jeff (Joel McHale) devises a plan to decide who runs downstairs to grab the pizza being delivered. The episode is a great example of the ways that “Community” thought outside of the box and why it developed a cult-like status among its fans. 8. "Episode 6" - Fleabag (2019)I think “Fleabag” creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge was able to get every conceivable emotion one could feel into the finale of the series “Episode 6” and knocked them all out of the park. The episode is incredibly funny, heartwarming and sad all at the same time. Going into the reasons why would spoil it for those who haven’t seen it yet and I highly recommend doing so, but the performances in this episode by Waller-Bridge and Andrew Scott’s Priest, better known to the Internet world as “Hot Priest” are among the best on television all year. 7. "May God Bless & Keep You Always" - Parenthood (2015)Series finales are hard to do because it’s incredibly hard to wrap up a story viewers have loved for years. I think NBC’s “Parenthood” and creator Jason Katims found the perfect way to wrap the series with “May God Bless & Keep You Always,” which took its title from Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” that served as the show’s theme song. “Parenthood” was a realistic view of a family and all its good times and struggles and could be heartwarming at times and heartbreaking at others and the finale hits all these points brilliantly – we have a beautiful wedding between Sarah (Lauren Graham) and Hank (Ray Romano), one of the decade’s truly underrated TV couples, as well as the loss of a major character. That’s life and this show did life better than almost any show I’ve ever seen. 6. "Alive in Tucson" - The Last Man on Earth (2015)As it’s hard to have a perfect series finale it’s equally as hard to have a perfect pilot, but Will Forte did a series premiere brilliantly with “Alive in Tucson,” the pilot episode of Fox’s “The Last Man on Earth,” which he both wrote and starred in. The episode finds Forte’s Phil Miller believing himself to be the titular last man on earth after a virus has wiped out the rest of humanity. The episode sees the highs and lows of life on one’s own – Phil gets to play racquetball inside the White House (probably the episode’s funniest moment) but being the last man on earth can also be incredibly lonely. Toward the end of the episode Phil is set on killing himself until he sees smoke in the distance and realizes he’s not alone. 5. "Terra Incognita" - Person of Interest (2015)Just picking one episode of the incredible and incredibly underrated CBS drama “Person of Interest” for this list was hard. The show had a handful of jaw-droppers. But, the one I’ve settled on is season four’s “Terra Incognita.” The episode sees Taraji P. Henson return to the series in flashback form as Det. Joss Carter, who’s death earlier in the series was among the most shocking of the decade, when she’s being hallucinated by John Reese (Jim Caviezel) who’s taken on a personal journey in trying to solve a cold case that Carter couldn’t and has been seriously injured. “Person of Interest” was likely the smartest network drama of its time and this episode featured more complex storytelling through flashbacks than many of its other excellent offerings. 4. "ronny/lily" - Barry (2019)“ronny/lily,” a second season episode of HBO’s “Barry,” had me in stitches its entire 30 minute runtime. It’s one of the funniest episodes of television I’ve not only seen in a long time, but all time. The episode sees hitman, who wants to give up the violent life and become an actor, Barry (played by an eye opening Bill Hader) out to do a hit to get him off the hook for a previous murder. Not wanting to kill again he tries to let his target off easy by forcing him to move elsewhere, but it turns out the target is a taekwondo expert and isn’t going to go easily. What happens next is the longest fight scene I’ve ever seen and certainly the funniest. That was Ronny. Then walks in Ronny’s daughter Lily who believes Barry has killed her father … and Lily just so happens to be even more ferocious than her father. The antics that play out between Lily, Barry and Stephen Root’s Fuches are so unbelievably hilarious you might pass out from laughing so hard. 3. "We Just Decided To" - The Newsroom (2012)Even if you’ve never seen a single episode of HBO’s “The Newsroom” that ran for three seasons from 2012-2014 you’ve probably seen the terrific “America isn’t the greatest country in the world” Aaron Sorkin monologue that the show’s lead Jeff Daniels gives somewhere on the Internet. It’s one of my all-time favorite television scenes and shows the wonder and glory that can simply be a great actor reading incredible writing. I think this one scene is likely the reason for Daniels’ surprising Emmy win as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama for the show’s first season. “The Newsroom” pilot episode titled “We Just Decided To” introduces us to these incredible journalists trying to tell the real story of the biggest stories of the day with facts and their efforts to cover a potentially disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. 2. "Vincent and the Doctor" - Doctor Who (2010)There were likely a dozen or so terrific episodes of “Doctor Who” this decade I could’ve spotlighted here, but the first to come to mind was “Vincent and the Doctor,” which aired June 5, 2010, during Matt Smith’s first season as the titular Doctor. The episode sees our friendly time traveler head back in time to the time of legendary painter Vincent Van Gogh (played brilliantly by guest Tony Curran). The most touching part of the episode was when they bring Van Gogh, who famously never got to see what he meant to the artistic medium, to modern times to see fans admiring his legacy. But this is capable of ultimately saving Van Gogh as we realize not everything in time can be rewritten. It’s at the same time a beautiful and devastating episode. 1. "Teddy Perkins" - Atlanta (2018)Throughout its first two seasons on FX the Donald Glover created “Atlanta” has shown there isn’t anything it won’t try to do and the second season horror-inspired “Teddy Perkins” episode, which was originally shown without commercial interruption to help build its suspense, was like watching one of the all-time great horror movies in the form of a 30 minute TV show. Excellently written by Glover, the episode sees LaKeith Stanfield’s Darius going to a house of a recluse former pop star after answering an ad for a piano. It quickly turns into a tale of glorious horror in which Glover in an obvious parallel to Michael Jackson plays the mysterious Teddy Perkins. What was your favorite TV episode of the decade?
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by Julian Spivey 5. "Veep" (Veep)HBO’s “Veep” was for most of the last decade the funniest show on television, but also the most callous, vile and mean-spirited show of the decade. The series finale, simply titled “Veep,” double down on all of those things that made it the greatest political satire we’ve ever seen. We’d seen for seven seasons that Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Selina Meyer could be a cruel and truly evil politician, but what she did at the end to her most loyal of staff members absolutely took the cake. 4. "Rose390" (Evil) The fourth episode of the new CBS horror drama “Evil,” from Robert and Michelle King (who created the critically-acclaimed “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight” for CBS and CBS All Access), is when the show really clicked and showed it might turn into something special (which is still to be seen as it’s only halfway into its first season). The episode “Rose390” had two incredibly creepy storylines – one in which our protagonist Kristen’s (played by Katja Herbers) children are seemingly being hacked in a virtual reality world and another in which Kristen, David (Mike Colter) and Ben (Aasif Mandvi) are tasked with seeing if a kid with violent behavior is being controlled by a demon. What the episode does at the end is something you just don’t see out of network television, and though deeply disturbing, gave me hope that this show might go deeper than your average CBS procedural. 3. Eddie Murphy Hosts (Saturday Night Live)Eddie Murphy is one of the all-time great “Saturday Night Live” legends but hadn’t returned to the show (other than for a brief appearance at the 40th anniversary special) since he was a cast member in the early ‘80s. It was a bit of a shock a few months ago when announced he’d be hosting a show this season in December and it led to many wondering if he would reprise his great characters like Gumby, Buckwheat and Mr. Robinson even though he hadn’t touched them in nearly 35 years. Murphy’s return had high expectations, but the show’s writing doesn’t always lead to the best shows these days, but this episode easily cleared those high expectations. Crafting a perfect ‘SNL’ episode is like throwing a perfect game in baseball – it just doesn’t happen often because sketch comedy is so hit or miss. Murphy hosted a perfect episode with reprisals of his greatest hits and by the time the goodnights finished rolling it was instantly the best ‘SNL’ episode in a long time. 2. "Episode 6" (Fleabag)I think “Fleabag” creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge was able to get every conceivable emotion one could feel into the finale of the series “Episode 6” and knocked them all out of the park. The episode is incredibly funny, heartwarming and sad all at the same time. Going into the reasons why would spoil it for those who haven’t seen it yet and I highly recommend doing so, but the performances in this episode by Waller-Bridge and Andrew Scott’s Priest, better known to the Internet world as “Hot Priest” are among the best on television all year. 1. "ronny/lily" (Barry)“ronny/lily,” a second season episode of HBO’s “Barry,” had me in stitches its entire 30 minute runtime. It’s one of the funniest episodes of television I’ve not only seen in a long time, but all time. The episode sees hitman, who wants to give up the violent life and become an actor, Barry (played by an eye opening Bill Hader) out to do a hit to get him off the hook for a previous murder. Not wanting to kill again he tries to let his target off easy by forcing him to move elsewhere, but it turns out the target is a taekwondo expert and isn’t going to go easily. What happens next is the longest fight scene I’ve ever seen and certainly the funniest. That was Ronny. Then walks in Ronny’s daughter Lily who believes Barry has killed her father … and Lily just so happens to be even more ferocious than her father. The antics that play out between Lily, Barry and Stephen Root’s Fuches are so unbelievably hilarious you might pass out from laughing so hard. What was your favorite TV episode of 2019?
by Julian Spivey *parody of Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" theme song from the 1980 film starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin Tumble outta bed and I stumbled to the protest
Gonna show the world I’m more than an actress Shout and chant and try to save some lives Here come the cops and my blood starts pumpin’ On the Capitol steps these people are somethin’ Folks like me protesting from 9 to 5 Protestin’ 9 to 5, what a way to get arrested Government, it’s all takin’ and no givin’ They don’t care about environmental issues It’s enough to drive you crazy if you let it Protestin’ 9 to 5, until we film ‘Grace & Frankie’ Season six is comin’ January On Netflix, your favorite streaming service Maybe this time one of us will win an Emmy by Julian Spivey 10. Crashing (HBO)This might be a binge impact response from me. The third season of the HBO comedy that follows the beginnings of a stand-up comedy career of Pete Holmes, who plays himself in a somewhat fictionalized account of his life aired early in 2019. Right before the start of the season, that would end up being its last, I binged the first two seasons and found it to be parts heartwarming and heartbreaking and hilarious. I definitely found the second season to be the show’s best, particularly the relationship between Holmes and Jamie Lee’s Ali Reissen. 9. Evil (CBS)The new CBS thriller “Evil” has only aired nine episodes thus far in its first season, but it’s been an impressive start for the new series by creators Robert and Michelle King, the brains behind the equally as impressive “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight.” “Evil” is essentially an update on “The X-Files,” with Katja Herbers as the skeptic and Mike Colter as the believer, but this spin sees the duo investigating unexplained religious phenomenon instead of science fiction. 8. SEAL Team (CBS)For two and a half seasons now on CBS “SEAL Team” has been potentially the most underrated drama on network television. “SEAL Team” could’ve been nothing more than a gung-ho, America’s badass take on military heroes (and it still has that stuff), but it’s at its best when it gets inside the heads of these heroes, as it’s been doing in season three with lead David Boreanaz’s Jason Hayes. 7. This Is Us (NBC)NBC’s “This Is Us” continues to be the best drama on network television while continuing the interesting tale of the beloved Pearson family through multiple time periods in their lives. The show’s fourth season, which premiered in September, took the risk of adding on a few new characters, but it’s one that paid off nicely. My only concern is as season four heads into 2020 it looks like the show is about to break up our favorite TV family, which while I have no doubts it’ll do so in a realistic and dramatic fashion, I’m not sure the hearts of its fan-base will be able to take it. 6. Veep (HBO)HBO’s “Veep” finished off its great decade of being television’s most vicious and oftentimes incredibly hilarious character with its final season after a year off for star Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s fight with breast cancer. It seemed there was nothing this show wouldn’t do for Louis-Dreyfus’s Selina Meyer and her to do for herself to further her career and save face and “Veep” proved as much in its series finale that saw Meyer make her cruelest decision yet. The ensemble cast of “Veep” was perfect in every single role and that’s something I’m really going to miss. 5. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC)I’ve lost count at how many times I’ve placed “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” on my year-end best TV shows of the year lists. In 2019 I was just thrilled to see my favorite comedy of the decade back on television after Fox had canceled the series after season five in May of 2018. It didn’t take long for NBC to realize this show had a large enough fan-base and enough left in the tank to bring it to its network and in season six the show proved it had an awful lot left to offer and provided us with numerous more laughs from its great ensemble cast led by Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher. 4. Ken Burns' Country Music3. Orange is the New Black (Netflix)The sixth season of Netflix’s longest running original series “Orange is the New Black” was the show’s worst in my opinion (and in many people’s opinions it seems) and this came after what I felt was the show’s best season overall in season five. This had me concerned for the final season that debuted this summer, but those fears were quickly laid to rest as the show returned to what made it so great initially by giving us the stories of all of these great and diverse characters and intertwining them effortlessly. Not everybody on the show got a happy ending, but that wouldn’t be realistic for a prison drama anyway. What ultimately was so great about “Orange is the New Black” and what I believe it’ll most be remembered for is giving so many different kinds of people a chance to shine. 2. Fleabag (Amazon)I never got around to watching the first season of “Fleabag” on Amazon when it debuted in 2016, despite the good reviews the show had. But when critics and viewers alike began to call it the best TV show of 2019 in its second season (and what is supposedly its last) I had to catch up. The first season was good, not great, but the second season that aired this year was a perfectly written and acted six episodes of television that really left me wanting more. “Fleabag” is Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s baby that developed from a one-woman show to an Emmy winner and tells the story of a confused woman struggling with life heading into her 30s. The second season features just this heartbreakingly beautiful love story between Waller-Bridge’s lead and a priest, played brilliantly by Andrew Scott, that truly features some of the best chemistry you’re ever going to see. 1. Barry (HBO)Despite Bill Hader being one of my absolutely favorite celebrities I didn’t get around to watching his Emmy-winning turn as a hitman wanting to break into acting in HBO’s “Barry” until I binged the first season right before the beginning of season two this year. This isn’t your “Saturday Night Live” Bill Hader, but a performance that showcases he can do literally anything and be stellar at it. The second season continues with Barry having to continue his career as a hitman, despite desperately wanting to put that part of his life behind him. Hader wins his second straight Emmy for the season that features a wildly terrific ensemble cast of Henry Winkler, Sarah Goldberg, Stephen Root and Anthony Carrigan. The second season episode “ronny/lily” was the greatest, wildest and funniest episode of television I saw all year long and one of the all-time greatest of any show I’ve ever seen.
by Julian Spivey, Preston Tolliver, Aprille Spivey, Tyler Glover and Alea Jeremiah This list is in alphabetical order American Crime (2015-2017) “American Crime,” not to be confused with FX’s “American Crime Story” anthology series, was at times too good for network television. The ABC series lasted three terrific seasons from 2015-2017 and each season told the story of a particular crime and the people involved or victimized by it. The great thing about the series was it featured an incredible cast of actors like Timothy Hutton, Regina King, Felicity Huffman, Benito Martinez, Richard Cabral and more who would appear in each season as different characters. The anthology aspect of it was unusual for something appearing on network TV and is probably the biggest reason for its short-lived run. JS Atlanta (2016-present) Donald Glover is one of the most unique personalities in Hollywood. Stand-up comedian, comedy writer, award-winning hip-hop persona and incredibly talented actor Glover can do everything it seems. His greatest creation is arguably FX’s comedy “Atlanta,” which has aired two seasons thus far, and shown that it can and will do anything. The bare bones of the show sees Glover as Earn, a struggling music manager trying to get his rapper cousin Paper Boi, played by the criminally underrated Brian Tyree Henry, to the big time. But sometimes this show is at its best when it’s completely out there, like in the amazing second season episode “Teddy Perkins,” which plays out like one of the greatest horror films you’ll ever see. JS Barry (2018-present) If HBO’s “Barry,” which has aired two seasons thus far, doesn’t make you respect Bill Hader even more than you already did I’m not sure there’s anything that can be done for you. Everybody already knew the comical talent that Hader was from his ‘SNL’ days but playing a hitman who just wants to act shows Hader has quite the serious side to him, as well. He’s won an Emmy for both seasons of the show. “Barry” also features potentially the most talented cast on any current comedy on television with hilarious performances from Henry Winkler, Sarah Goldberg, Stephen Root and Anthony Carrigan. JS Bates Motel (2013-2017) Norman Bates is one of the greatest cinema characters of all-time, so doing a prequel on his early days is quite the risk, but the A&E series “Bates Motel” did so brilliantly. Freddie Highmore was a revelation as a young Norman Bates and it’s insane he didn’t receive any award consideration for his performance. Vera Farmiga was equally as great as his overbearing mother Norma Bates, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the terrific supporting work from Max Thieriot and Nestor Carbonell in the series, as well. JS Better Call Saul (2015-present) Vince Gilligan continued on the success of his AMC series “Breaking Bad” in 2015, winding the clock back a few years to tell the backstory of Jimmy McGill, better known as shadier-than-thou criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. The attention to detail Gilligan perfected in “Breaking Bad” remains just as alive as Saul is now (we think), running a Cinnabon in Nebraska. Though the show doesn’t live up to its predecessor, it’s still a strong prequel that helps to lay the foundation of Walter White’s story. PT The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019) Nerds are cool. No show did more in the past decade to solidify that phrase than CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory.” Premiering in 2007, the 30-minute sitcom went on a 12-year run – a rare feat – moving the geeky scientists from what could have stayed one dimensional stereotypes to beloved characters. Not every episode was memorable, but the ups and downs of unlikely couple Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) and Penny (eventually Hofstadter; Kaley Cuoco) and the evolution of Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and his relationship with Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) made it worth watching. It started out zeroing in on Leonard and Penny, but it’s a testament to the talented cast as each eventually received developed storylines. It seeped into pop culture, with Sheldon’s phrases like “Bazinga!,” “Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur” and his incessant and always hilarious door-knocking ritual. Like that mint-condition comic book, it will age into a classic. AS Black Mirror (2011-Present) For a show that started out with an episode about a politician having sex with a pig, “Black Mirror” has become arguably the best science fiction show of this decade. While the show might appear to be about technology and how our dependence on it has put us on a trajectory toward an Orwellian dystopia, it’s more so about humanity, and how we might respond to an ever changing world that tries to trade that humanity for ease and entertainment. While most of the episodes are bleak, depressing reminders of how little control we have left in our world, episodes like “San Junipero” and “Be Right Back” are also reminders of what makes us human and what that humanity can overcome. PT Black-ish (2014-Present) ABC’s “Black-ish” has been one of the most important sitcoms of the decade as it gives us insight to the lives of an African-American family in a decade that wasn’t the easiest for African-Americans, with the election of Donald Trump and multiple police brutality events toward the black community. Not only does the series revolving around the Johnson family, led by the excellent Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross, bring us important topics from time-to-time, but often teaches us a thing or two with brilliantly crafted asides that are essentially black history lectures for those of us who aren’t in the black community. JS The Blacklist (2013-Present) Raymond Reddington is one of the best television villains of the last decade. That’s all because of the delicious dialogue provided by the writers of NBC’s “The Blacklist” specifically for the one-of-a-kind talent that is James Spader. Currently in its seventh season, the NBC spy/crime drama is still giving us enough twists and turns and surprises to be among one of TV’s best network shows this far in. JS Bob's Burgers (2011-Present) Watch Fox’s “Bob’s Burgers” and try to tell me you don’t wish you could jump into your TV screen and live in their town. All of the characters in this world are so likeable and will have you falling out of your chair laughing. The animation is gorgeous and the writing, led by show creator Loren Bouchard, is genius. Who knew a show about a family that owns a burger restaurant could be so entertaining? The show is in its 10th season and if you haven’t jumped on this band wagon yet I highly recommend doing so. AJ Bojack Horseman (2014-Present) You wouldn’t expect a show about a world in which animals of all species walk around upright, talking, interacting and sexing with one another, centered around a narcissistic, alcoholic, former sitcom star horse would become one of the most poignant, thought-provoking television shows in modern history, yet here we are. Netflix’s “Bojack Horseman” has its funny moments - generally through cynicism and dark humor - but those talking animals also aren’t afraid to dive into the depravity of the ugly things that make us human: things like fear, abuse (whether against one’s self or others) or the deterioration of the human mind, as shown in perhaps the show’s most provocative and gripping episode, “Time’s Arrow.” PT Breaking Bad (2008-2013) The father of foreshadowing, Vince Gilligan, changed the way we watch television with AMC’s “Breaking Bad.” The storytelling was deliberate, smart and precise to a level previously unmatched. The story about the desperation, degradation, destruction and sort-of redemption of Walter White captivated audiences everywhere, landing it third on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of 100 greatest television shows of all time, behind only “The Wire” and “The Sopranos.” PT Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-Present) “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” which began on Fox and now currently airs on NBC, has been network television’s most consistently funny sitcom of the decade. It’s a workplace sitcom set in a police department, which isn’t a typical setting for a sitcom, but it works to great effect, especially when it comes to the hierarchy of Capt. Raymond Holt, played by the absolutely amazing Andre Braugher (who should’ve won an Emmy for this role) and one of his top detectives Jake Peralta, played by Andy Samberg (in a truly eye-opening performance). The cast rounded out by Melissa Fumero, Terry Crews, Stephanie Beatriz, Joe Lo Truglio and Chelsea Peretti is incredibly tight and well-acted. Yippe kayak other buckets! JS The Carmichael Show (2015-2017) Stand-up comedian Jerrod Carmichael’s short-lived NBC sitcom “The Carmichael Show” was destined to be a quick series. The show featured one topic – typically one that was a hot button issue in the country at the time like gun control or racial issues or Donald Trump – and ran with it with Carmichael and his family (which included the brilliant David Alan Grier and Loretta Devine as his parents) debating such topics. It was a show built around conversations and often only had one setting per episode. It was brilliant, but it’s often controversial topics and the style in which it was done was always going to lead to something short, but oh so sweet, especially on network television. JS Community (2009-2015) “Community,” which aired on NBC from 2009 to 2014 and finished its run on the short-lived Yahoo! Screen streaming service in 2015, was potentially the most unique sitcom of the decade, especially for one airing the majority of its run on network television. The Dan Harmon-created comedy surrounding a wide-range of students at a community college was fearless in its storytelling, which you could see in game-changing episodes like the alternate timelines of its third season episode “Remedial Chaos Theory.” It was a weird show, and it was glorious in its strangeness. JS Doctor Who (2005-Present) This was the decade “Doctor Who” celebrated its 50th anniversary and continued strong into the future – and even made some history with the first ever female Doctor (well, The Doctor is nongender specific, but the first female portraying The Doctor on TV in Jodie Whittaker). The decade ended with the demise of the Tenth Doctor, played by David Tennant, saw my all-time favorite Doctor in Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor go on glorious travels and returned to an older-looking Doctor when Peter Capaldi took over the reigns of the TARDIS. Every new era of “Doctor Who” has its highlights and the last 10 years have sure seen plenty. JS Fleabag (2016 & 2019) Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s “Fleabag,” which aired in America on Amazon Prime, is an interesting story. The show debut in 2016 with a series about a confused, sexually-insatiable woman trying to navigate her life and family, while comically breaking the fourth wall to speak to the audience. The six-episode first season was good, but I didn’t quite find it worthy of this list. The show had an extremely lengthy hiatus before returning this year for six more episodes (the final episodes – that’s right this entire series is merely 12 episodes long and can be watched in less than six hours). The second season was pitch perfect with Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag finding love in a place one isn’t supposed to find love, with a priest (played beautifully by Andrew Scott). The second season is hilarious, witty, lovely and tragic. It recently won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series and is the type that’ll have you in tears, both by laughing and from just feeling all the feels. JS Game of Thrones (2011-2019) Before “Game of Thrones” hit the air in 2011, the top American fantasy show of all-time was arguably “Xena: Warrior Princess.” So, the on-screen adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire saga wasn’t coming into a very high bar to clear, but it quickly became the gold standard due to its excellent, long-haul storytelling and the cast that helped to tell it. While the show fizzled out with a small spark instead of the white hot intensity of a dragon’s breath, it will long remain the standard bearer for all fantasy shows moving forward. PT The Good Place (2016-Present) Ah, fork it. Arizona party girl Eleanor Shellstrop, who had little respect for anyone or herself, has died and wound up in, to her surprise, the “Good Place,” i.e., heaven. Played by Kristen Bell, she is promptly met by angel Michael (Ted Danson) who introduces her to a neighborhood of eternal joy, with everything from frozen yogurt to soul mates. Life-like “robot” assistant Janet (D’Arcy Carden) is there to assist her in whatever request she has. It’s a major testament to the writers because the audience has no idea what’s coming. But the show will take Eleanor, the nervous philosophy major Chidi Anagonye (William Jackson Harper), socialite Tahani Al-Jamil (Jameela Jamil) and Jacksonville, Fla., native Jason Mendoza (Manny Jacinto) on a journey that puts the reward of eternal happiness for those that deserve it in their hands. Between Mendoza’s NFL star Blake Bortles obsession, Eleanor’s “curse” words – bullshirt, son of a bench, etc. – and Michael’s transformation, the writers have created this intricate world that’s unlike anything ever on television. The NBC sitcom premiered in 2016 and will wrap up its final season, per the creators intent, in early 2020. AS The Good Wife (2009-2016) I wasn’t initially on “The Good Wife” train when it aired from 2009-2016. But when I decided to binge the series after its initial run via streaming, I realized I had been missing out on one of the absolute best dramas on television. “The Good Wife” follows Alicia Florrick, a political housewife who’s been embarrassed by her husband’s public infidelities, who decides to get back into her law career many years after giving it up. The Emmy-winning performance of Julianna Margulies as Florrick was eye-opening and the show featured an incredible supporting cast of Christine Baranski, Josh Charles, Matt Czuchry and Alan Cumming and easily some of the best writing on network TV. JS Grace and Frankie (2015-Present) Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. That alone should pique people’s interest. But explaining it’s a comedy where unlikely duo hippie Frankie Bergstein (Tomlin) and socialite Grace Hanson (Fonda) strike up a best friendship after their longtime husbands Sol Bergstein (Sam Waterston) and Robert Hanson (Martin Sheen) reveal they are gay and wish to get married, it’s instantly a winner. That foursome brings a next level acting prowess to a unique premise. Mix in a stellar supporting cast of their adult children – most notably June Diane Raphael who plays the constantly deadpan funny Brianna Hanson -- and friends and it’s a hit. The comedy premiered on Netflix in 2015 and will wrap up its sixth and final season in January. The friends hilariously navigate aging by starting their own dildo business for older women to exploring the dating world. However, the show also does a powerful job of addressing emotional issues like dying, Alzheimer’s and other ailments and gay rights. It’s a gem in a sea of viewing options. AH The Handmaid's Tale (2017-Present) "The Handmaid's Tale" is a cautionary tale of why we as a nation need to keep our government in check and remind them, they are representatives of us. In the dystopian society of Gilead, infertility rates are very high due to STDs and environmental pollution. As a result, this new totalitarian government takes fertile women against their will and forces them to have babies with most of the powerful leaders to continue life. “The Handmaid's Tale" really excels at how it humanizes the situation for us by introducing us to June, whose name becomes Offred since she is now the "possession" of Fred. June's daughter was taken from her and her husband is believed to be dead. Her motivation is to be reunited with her daughter. There is no question that this can be a difficult show to watch. There are times when it feels like the characters are making progress in rising up against all of their abusers just to have it taken away seconds later. It appears at times that there is no hope. It may be difficult material to watch but it does not make "The Handmaid's Tale" shine any less. It is a compelling story that reminds us all of what our future can be if we continue to turn our heads away. TG Hannibal (2013-2015) NBC’s “Hannibal” was the most unique show on network television of the past decade and easily any decade before it. Destined from the beginning to have a short run because of its uniqueness that was more cinematic and non-procedural like than most other dramas on network TV, the Bryan Fuller produced series saw two tour de force performances from leads Mads Mikkelsen, as a pre-‘Silence of the Lambs’ Hannibal Lecter, and Hugh Dancy, as FBI serial killer profiler Will Graham. The series develops an emotional relationship between Lecter and Graham that is unlike any other you likely saw this decade – it was a warped love story indeed. JS Homeland (2011-Present) "Homeland" is a very suspenseful thriller about the CIA working to stop terrorists from killing innocent people. Our main protagonist Carrie Mathison, who is a very intense officer who was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder, gains Intel an American prisoner of war has been turned by al-Qaeda. Days later, Nicholas Brody, a U.S. Marine who had been missing in action and believed to be dead since 2003, is rescued. Everyone believes him to be a war hero but Carrie believes he is the American prisoner she was warned about that is planning a terrorist attack. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-Present) “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” is a show about people we love to watch but would hate to actually know. The gang is 14 seasons strong now, despite most the cast having moved on at some point to other projects and bigger fame. Even after 14 years, they manage to serve up hilarity and uncomfortable moments, while also magnificently tackling important social issues (such as storylines about Rob McElhenney’s Mac’s sexuality, or the poignant dance number McElhenney so eloquently performs at the end of the 13th season. PT Key & Peele (2012-2015) During the 45 years “Saturday Night Live” has been on TV there has rarely, if ever, been another sketch comedy show come along that was better than ‘SNL’ at any given moment, but for a while during its five-season run from 2012-2015 on Comedy Central “Key & Peele,” the outrageously funny duo of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, was the best sketch comedy show on the air. Characters and sketches such as Luther: President Barack Obama’s Anger Translator, Mr. Garvey (the substitute teacher who can’t pronounce the names of white students), The Valets and East/West Football Players will be remembered as long as sketch comedy exists. JS The Last Man on Earth (2015-2018) There are a lot of shows that tackle the end of the world and the depravity that befalls the survivors who are left behind to pick up the pieces – “The Leftovers,” “The Walking Dead,” “Jericho” - but perhaps none are more honest than “The Last Man on Earth:” that, most of us, would be lost and would fill our time plundering all the cool shit left in the world and masturbating sadly to the mountains of pornography left behind. The show did a lot with a little; at its peak, the cast still numbered fewer than 10, which allowed the show’s staples - Will Forte, Kristen Schaal, January Jones and Mel Rodriguez - to shine in a way that other sitcom stars often don’t. Unfortunately, “The Last Man on Earth” wasn’t long for this world, getting the axe after only four seasons. PT Late Show with David Letterman (1993-2015) David Letterman is one of my heroes. He was my first “go-to” late night television host and, for my money, the greatest one to ever live. What made Letterman the best was he wasn’t just the funniest man on TV, but also seemed to be one of the smartest and intelligent interviewers the medium had – and this is something that’s struggled on late night TV since his ‘Late Show’ ended in May of 2015. I knew the end of his show would come sooner than later, but I was not ready for it to end when he announced his retirement a year or so before his version of ‘Late Show,’ which he created for CBS, went off the air. His final year on television was some of his best work ever and it was a nostalgic run I’ll always remember. JS Longmire (2012-2017) Longmire,” which started its run on A&E and ended it on Netflix, was a nice throwback of sorts in that it took a cowboy lawman and placed him in a modern day Wyoming in a world that was ever-changing for his old-school ways. The crime drama was based on a popular series of novels by Craig Johnson and featured Robert Taylor in his career-defining role as the titular Sheriff Walt Longmire, a man who you wanted on your side and definitely not on your trail. JS The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017-Present) Amazon’s original comedy “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” is just as marvelous as the show’s lead character. This look at a cheated on housewife who realizes she’s a special kind of funny is basically what would happen if Alicia Florrick from “The Good Wife” could tell a joke. Rachel Brosnahan is incredible in her Emmy-winning performance as the titular Mrs. Maisel in a series that features probably the most and best jokes per minute since Tina Fey’s “30 Rock” went off the air. The series also features terrific Emmy-winning performances from Alex Borstein, as Mrs. Maisel’s manager, and Emmy-favorite Tony Shalhoub as Mrs. Maisel’s father. The show’s third season premiered this month. JS The Mindy Project (2012-2017) Mindy Lahiri is a damn mess. And she’s proud of it. She enjoys her bear claws, cute clothes and is obsessed with romantic comedies, which puts her on a mission to find her fairytale ending in “The Mindy Project.” The 30-minute sitcom premiered in 2012 with the fabulous Mindy Kaling, bringing her relatability and writing prowess to the role. Dr. Lahiri is a successful OBGYN who breezes her way through a variety of guys in the New York dating scene. With a strong lead, the supporting cast has to be phenomenal and with former convict turned nurse Morgan Tookers (Ike Barinholtz), best friend/frat boy Dr. Peter Prentice (Adam Pally) and thorn-in-her-side/love of her life Dr. Danny Castellano (Chris Messina), it’s a perfect storm. After three years on Fox, the network cancelled it. Exsqueeze me?! But in heroic fashion, Hulu swooped in to give it life for three more seasons. The switch to streaming gave way to darker themes, most prominently in the tumultuous relationship with Danny. Kaling’s quick wit and lovable nature made it one of the best shows to ever grace TV and streaming. AS Modern Family (2009-Present) The documentary-style concept of “Modern Family” was not new. It followed the style of the phenomenon that is “The Office.” However, the ABC sitcom, which premiered in 2009, was the first to really use this technique in a family setting. But more than that, it showed what “modern” families look like – an older Jay Pritchett (Ed O’Neill) marrying a much younger Gloria Delgado (Sofia Vegara), living with her young son Manny; Pritchett’s son Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) marrying Cameron Tucker (Eric Stonestreet), who eventually adopt daughter Lily; and the crazy “traditional” family of Phil and Claire Dunphy (Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen) and their three children, Haley, Alex and Luke. While viewers might be used to seeing diverse families on TV now – think “Black-ish” and “Fresh off the Boat” – “Modern Family” was really the show that not only made viewers laugh, but realistically portrayed many modern families out there. As it wraps up its 11th and final season, it will be remembered as groundbreaking. AS Mozart in the Jungle (2014-2018) Amazon’s original series “Mozart in the Jungle” was one of the loveliest pieces of television of the last decade. It wasn’t seemingly much watched, but gave us the story of a rebellious and beautifully wacky orchestra maestro played brilliantly by Gael Garcia Bernal, who won a Golden Globe for the show’s first season (as did the series as a whole), and his mentee/assistant/backup oboist/later love interest Hailey, played greatly by Lola Kirke. The chemistry between Bernal and Kirke was among the best TV had to offer in the past 10 years. JS New Girl (2011-2018) Television has a history of best friend shows – “Friends,” “Will and Grace,” “Sex and the City,” “Three’s Company,” etc. But the 2011 Fox sitcom “New Girl” ranks right up there with the best of them. After a messy break-up, the adorkable teacher Jessica “Jess” Day (Zooey Deschanel) becomes the only female roommate to then singles Nick Miller (Jake Johnson), a lovable slacker who keeps his important papers in a shoebox, Schmidt (Max Greenfield), a businessman obsessed with himself (but in an hilarious and endearing way) and Winston, a former basketball player that washed out of the Latvian league. For a minute, the show also had Damon Wayans Jr. playing Coach. Bring in Jess’ best friend/model Cece (Hannah Simone) and you have comedy gold and a lot of heart. Throughout the seven season run, the characters evolve in their little loft, navigating relationships, careers and their wacky friendships. From Schmidt’s one liners (“Youths!”) to their epic drinking game True American, it had plenty of laughs. Anyone in their late 20s and early 30s can relate to the uncertainty of how to grow up and what’s next in life, which makes it both funny and relatable. AS The Newsroom (2012-2014) I love Aaron Sorkin TV shows. He’s been a bit unfairly ripped since his days running “The West Wing,” which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, but I believe his three-season long HBO series “The Newsroom,” about the behind the scenes of a cable news show was absolutely brilliant. The lead performance by Jeff Daniels, which won him an Emmy in the show’s first season, instantly became one of my television heroes as a journalism nerd as Sorkin crafted an upstanding newsman who gave us the truth and nothing but the truth (borrowing from another Sorkin script) and showed us what cable news could be. I just wish the show had been around for the 2016 Presidential election. JS Orange is the New Black (2013-2019) This decade on television brought us new ways to watch television with the rising popularity of streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and more. Netflix’s best series in its first decade of original programming was the recently ended “Orange is the New Black,” which told the story of prisoners in a women’s prison and featured television’s most diverse cast, allowing the show to tell so many important stories. The great thing about ‘OINTB’ is that the cast was filled with unknowns and allowed each of them the time to shine, and boy did they ever. JS Parenthood (2010-2015) Before the Pearsons of “This Is Us” there was the Bravermans of “Parenthood.” The Bravermans are my all-time favorite TV family. Every single character on this series from creator/writer Jason Katims was perfect and gave us a look into the highs and lows of a realistic family and their bond. Brilliantly written and acted the show featured first-class performances from the likes of Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepard, Monica Potter and more. It was also maybe the most underrated drama of the decade. JS Parks and Recreation (2009-2015) “Parks and Recreation,” the supplement that helped ‘Office’ fans through their grief after “The Office” went off the air, did the impossible: it made small-town government fun. Most of the show’s cast was relatively unknown before its debut in 2009, but its stars - namely Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Aziz Ansari, Aubrey Plaza and Chris Pratt - became household names, and it’s not tough to see why. The show was just as funny as “The Office,” but without the heavy romantic undertones - it was simply good, funny television that perfectly captured the monotony of small-town government. PT The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (2016) FX’s “The People v. O.J. Simpson,” the first installment of the network’s “American Crime Story” anthology series that’s based on true crime stories, whereas the similar named ABC anthology series “American Crime” was fiction, was the best miniseries of the decade. The series revolved around the O.J. Simpson murder case and trial in 1994 and 1995 and featured a stellar cast of actors portraying the real-life people in the case. Cuba Gooding Jr. played the title role of Simpson and Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vance and Sterling K. Brown (in a star making performance) all won Emmys for playing attorneys Marcia Cross, Johnnie Cochran and Christopher Darden respectively. The cast was rounded out by John Travolta, David Schwimmer (both Emmy nominated), Nathan Lane and Bruce Greenwood all giving nice performances. It was a series that truly had Americana captivated, much like the original trial had two decades before it. JS Person of Interest (2011-2016) “Person of Interest,” which ran for five seasons on CBS from 2011 to 2016, was the best drama on network television over the last decade. When it began it was not too different than your average crime procedural on network TV, albeit with a better cast than most, but it quickly turned into something much smarter and more entertaining as it fed off of a real-world fear about what A.I. systems developed by governments spying on people could potentially turn into under the wrong hands or if it becomes sentient. The series featured incredible performances from its entire cast throughout, but was led by the amazingly strong leads of Michael Emerson, as the computer programmer who created “The Machine,” and Jim Caviezel, the presumed dead former CIA agent who does a world of good in a system that could do a lot of harm. JS Raising Hope (2010-2014) If I had a vote for most underrated network sitcom of the last decade it would probably have to go to Fox’s “Raising Hope.” Creator Greg Garcia has a terrific knack for writing incredibly funny white trash or lower class characters, as he did the decade before with NBC’s “My Name is Earl” (also incredibly underrated in its time) and did so brilliantly on “Raising Hope” about the Chance family and their day-to-day lives. Martha Plimpton and Garret Dillahunt were laugh-out-loud funny as the head of this wild family, which also featured television legend Cloris Leachman as the elderly grandmother always providing a little bit of extra crazy on top. JS Saturday Night Live (1975-Present) NBC’s long-running sketch comedy series “Saturday Night Live” always has enough interesting moments, characters, performances, etc. to justify its position on such a list, even if the shows writing and episodes can oftentimes be hit-or-miss and even with many people always vocal in saying, “this show hasn’t been good since (almost always the person will say whatever era they began watching the show in).” This was the decade that gave us incredible recurring characters like Bobby Moynihan’s Drunk Uncle, Cecily Strong’s The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With At A Party, Heidi Gardner’s Angel, Every Boxer’s Girlfriend from Ever Movie About Boxing Ever and, one of the all-time greatest recurring characters in Bill Hader’s Stefon. It was the decade that gave us brilliant sketches like Black Jeopardy and huge pop culture moments like David S. Pumpkins. It was also the decade in which major guest stars like Alec Baldwin won Emmys portraying politicians like President Donald Trump. And, it was the decade that gave us new superstars like Kate McKinnon. No matter how old it is as long as there is a ‘SNL’ it will remain a pop culture phenomenon. JS Scandal (2012-2018) When ABC’s “Scandal” was good it was a helluva lot of fun and the best soapy drama on network television. It wasn’t able to keep up that goodness and fun its entire seven-season run but spread it around enough to make it one of the 50 best shows of the decade. What “Scandal” did best was the dramatic monologues so deliciously performed by the likes of Kerry Washington, Joe Morton and Jeff Perry. The show also gave a dramatic lead role to an African-American woman, something that even in 2012 when the show debuted wasn’t happening on network television. JS Stranger Things (2016-Present) Netflix’s “Stranger Things” is one the best shows to grace our screens in quite some time. The huge fan-base that just keeps growing every year is proof of that. It has something for everybody including ‘80s nostalgia, amazing sci-fi elements, romance, coming of age, humor and at times heartbreaking emotion. The characters are so easy to get attached to, especially the kids. They’re growing up as the seasons go on and it feels really special to be a part of. “Stranger Things” captured my heart in that first episode when Will Byers disappeared into the night, and it will always have it. AJ This Is Us (2016-Present) Coming off the heels of the terrific NBC family drama “Parenthood,” I didn’t know what to think when I first heard of the network’s similar sounding “This Is Us.” But the show quickly set itself apart in its brilliant pilot that showed us the Pearson family on multiple timelines. The show’s cast is amazing in every single role and has seen a handful of Emmy nominations, including a win for Sterling K. Brown in the show’s first season (giving a network drama an almost unheard of win in this TV era) and the show currently in its fourth season has basically been given carte blanche by NBC that has already greenlit it through six seasons. JS True Detective (2014-Present) Most series need at least a few seasons to tell a truly captivating story, but in 2014, Nic Pizzolatto introduced the world to “True Detective,” a series that introduced us to single-season, star-studded stories about the horrors of the criminal underbelly of urban and rural America. The show has had its fair share of ebbs and flows - it’s other two seasons failed to live up to the premier season (which starred Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson). The second season was regarded a failure by most fans and the third, while it was a step in the right direction, still leaves room to grow in the coming years. PT Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015-2019) Following her successful runs at "Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock," multiple Emmy winner Tina Fey co-created one of the best shows of this decade: "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt." ‘Unbreakable’ follows the adventures of Kimmy once she is rescued from a doomsday cult. The subject matter definitely appeared to be bleak and hardly the typical setup for a comedy series but where this show really succeeds is interesting characters and amazing actors and actresses that sell the parts to perfection. No one could have played Kimmy Schmidt with as much perfection as Ellie Kemper. Her sunny disposition, the innocence, the positivity, and her beautiful soul all made Kemper the person to play Kimmy. The other big standout in this show is Titus Burgess playing Kimmy's gay roommate, Titus Andromedon. He is quite simply fabulous. Also rounding out the cast is Jane Krakowski who plays selfish wealthy socialite, Jacqueline Voorhees. This character reminds me of Jenna from "30 Rock" but with more layers. Also, Carol Kane plays their wacky landlord and brings some added humor there. With interesting characters anyone would love to hang out with and a fresh outlook on life, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" brings a truly original story that shows why Tina Fey has had such a successful career in television. TG Veep (2012-2019) HBO’s “Veep,” which aired from 2012-2019, featured the best all-around comedy cast on television of the last decade and potentially the greatest (certainly the most awarded) performance by a female lead in TV comedy history in Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Selina Meyer. Armando Iannucci adapted his British comedy “The Thick of It” for American audiences and what happened was one of the most outrageous looks at politics you’ll ever see (although unfortunately it seemed less outrageous at its end based on real-world American politics). Louis-Dreyfus won six consecutive Emmy Awards for her performance as the wickedly funny (and often just plain wicked) Meyer, only losing out on the Emmy for the show’s recent final season. JS Westworld (2016-Present) If you’re a kid, you want your theme parks to have roller coasters and funnel cakes. If you’re an adult, you want to be able to shoot and have sex with whoever you want (ideally, different people). Or at least that’s what the writers of “Westworld” have envisioned: a world in which realistic robots bow to the darkest whims of the human imagination. Just like most theme parks, though, something goes terribly wrong, and HBO’s series shows us what happens when those robots become more human and use our own perversion against us. PT You're the Worst (2014-2019) The brilliance of “You’re the Worst,” which aired on FX and later its sister network FXX from 2014-2019, was that it was a rom-com unlike any rom-com before it in that our projected lovers, played by Chris Geere and a truly robbed when it comes to the award circuit Aya Cash were horrible, unbearable people, hence the title. But they were also just about perfect for each other. The series followed the ups-and-downs of their relationship from start until finish and was remarkable in that you’d never want to be around these folks, but still didn’t want to look away from them. JS
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February 2025
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