5 Best TV shows since 2000
I admit there were some legendary TV shows that never grabbed my attention, even if objectively, I know they were great. Personally, I wasn't able to connect. That's on me.
Shows like Lost, The Sopranos, Game of thrones and a few others. Try as I might, I did not feel that "pull" to watch those shows consistently.
But that doesn't mean I didn't like ANY shows. There were more than a few that etched themselves into my psyche and never left. There are definitely more than five of those, but for the sake of expediency, I will focus on no more than that. So without further ado, here are my top 5 favorite TV shows since the year 2000.
5) Family Guy - We're starting off with a cartoon, but not just any cartoon. The most brilliant satire-focused cartoon of all time. From the omni-talented Seth Macfarlane, we have a show that never stopped speaking truth to power and doing it via the prism of cartoonish comedy that emphasized the ridiculousness of so many pop culture references, many of which were political in nature. Those references are infused into the smallest of moments in the show, whether through a facial expression, a moment of dialogue etc. If your pop culture radar is on point, you were able to notice them and realize how a seemingly innocuous moment in the show was actually bringing up a brilliant point. Oh, and shut up, Meg.
4) 24 - Special agent Jack Bauer of the Counter Terrorism Unit found a special place in my heart right away. The "24 hours in real time" format that the show introduced added a unique sense of urgency in every action the characters took, and every plot twist was a nail biter. While many believe the first season was the best, I still hold firm in my conviction that it was the second season that was the finest. How can you beat the urgency of a nuclear bomb ready to go off in Los Angeles at any moment? While it's true that subsequent seasons never reached the height of the first two, they were still awesome in their own right. A definite must watch for pretty much anybody. By the way, is a cougar still chasing Kim Bauer?
3) The west wing - Possibly the most entertaining political TV show in history, the west wing portrayed a somewhat idealized version of a white house in everyday operation. The show introduced everyone to the "walk&talk". In almost every episode, two or more characters conversed about a pressing issue while walking side-by-side, with the camera man always ahead of them, walking backwards as they kept moving forward. Until this day, I keep hoping for a real life President Josiah Bartlett, but for now, we have to settle for the even more fictional prez that is Donald Trump. Oy vey...
2) Sons of anarchy - A sex&violence-infused show about a fictional biker gang in northern California, it followed the unbelievable amount of turmoil the members of the gang went through, trying to establish the gang's operations as the members' primary occupation. Running guns, drugs and a classy (as it were) brothel&porn biz, each of those put gang members in various run-ins with the law. Ultimately, it was keeping secrets that brought events to a very bloody unraveling in the show's latter stages. It was brilliantly written, and while I wasn't sure I would like it at the beginning, Kurt Sutter, the show's creator, proved me wrong. It's a masterpiece of a TV show. I still miss Jax and Tara.
Before we get to number one, some description-free honorable mentions:
- House M.D
- Chicago P.D
- Nikita
- Dexter
- Oz
- Prison break
- Arrow
And my numero uno TV show that has yet to be eclipsed in my book - The shield - Michael Chiklis plays a rough, ruthless, uncompromising police officer in charge of the strike team. A unit specifically designed to handle the worst gangs, drug dealers and murderers is eastern and south L.A.
While he has zero problem with brandishing is own version of justice in a way that almost seemed psychotic at times, it is clear that inside, he truly believes he's doing it for the right reasons and will stop at nothing to protect those he loves. Another Kurt Sutter jewel of a show, some moments in it brought me to a position where I literally found myself shaking uncontrollably. Simply the best.
