This is only my list not any type of “correct” list. If I left your favorites off the list I’d love to hear about it. I haven’t watched several of the series that top many online lists like The Sopranos or Breaking Bad or The Wire. You can see by my picks I’m pretty partial to a strong female lead and I think that’s a testament to all the strong ladies I’ve known and loved. What are your favorites?
10 – Weeds
The softer side of Breaking Bad, the arc of Mary Louise Parker’s Nancy Botwin makes for a wild ride through the underbelly of the pre-legalization California marijuana market. Show-runner Jengi Kohan crafts an outrageous but grounded story played to perfection by an outstanding cast. In addition to Parker who is truly one of the greatest of her generation, Justin Kirk is pathetically perfect as freeloading loser uncle Andy. Elizabeth Perkins absolutely slays as Celia, a holier than thou proto-Karen. As much comedy as drama Weeds takes some strange turns and becomes the TV equivalent of the how it started/how it’s going meme.
9 – Scandal
Admittedly this show lost its way a bit in the last couple of seasons but boy did it start off well. I’m not transgendered but I am trans-Olivia Pope. I’d give anything for her charisma, deep intelligence and style. Girl, the style! Creator Shonda Rhimes and Kerry Washington combine their substantial talents to bring to life one of the most iconic TV characters of all time. A soapy response to The West Wing, Scandal is a thrilling behind the scenes look at the most powerful people in America and the Presidents and politicians that they keep out of trouble.
8 – The Boys
This show is buck wild! One of the few currently airing shows to make this list this show is one wackadoo, damn good time. It brings the superhero concept into modern reality, detailing the regulations and revenues superhumans might be up against in capitalist, corporate America. It’s completely unhinged, crashing through any sort of PC boundaries and always shocking in its plot development. It’s a great concept really well produced and well performed by a stellar cast and it’s one of the most insane and unique shows on television.
7 – Grey’s Anatomy
I recently ended my abusive relationship with this show at the beginning of the current season. It’s 18th season. 18! At this point I don’t even know what they’re doing anymore and sadly, neither do they. What started as a sexy, character driven medical drama has unwound into a directionless mess with few if any relatable characters left on the roster. Shonda Rhimes is one of the best TV creators out there but apparently she just doesn’t know when, or how, to call it quits. This show makes the list for the magic it once had, for the good old days, even if they’ve been gone for a really, really, reeeeaaallllllly long time.
6 – Queer as Folk
I was very freshly out of the closet when this show came out and it was important to my process of self acceptance. I haven’t seen the reboot and I probably won’t but the original will always stand out in my mind for the way it made me feel part of a larger community. At this point I’ve intersected with many of the situations covered by the show’s writers and can personally attest to the truth and honesty of the narrative. The acting is spotty, some of the central characters are downright cringey, but this doesn’t interfere with the show’s dramatic and cultural impact.
5 – Orange is the New Black
Another Jengi Kohan joint, this show boasts some of the best writing and one of the best overall casts on the list. The show’s structure, with most episodes flashing between present day and how a particular inmate ended up in the prison, allows us to intimately know every character and to deeply understand their objectives and motivations. It’s such a shining example of true ensemble work that it feels wrong to single out any one performance over another. This show is the very definition of character driven drama filled with haunting and heartbreaking performances that stick with you long after the final episode.
4 – Six Feet Under
This show would make the list for its finale alone as it’s one of the finest TV episodes in history. But the quirky point of view and beautiful dialogue make this show a provocative must watch throughout. Centering on a family run funeral home, death is essential to the show and informs the storytelling and theming throughout its run. Creator Alan Ball has a knack for pulling truth and beauty from the most macabre and depressing of places and this show is his meditation on what death can teach us about living. Filled with fantastic, robust performances particularly from Francis Conroy, Michael C Hall and Lauren Ambrose, it’s heavy premise can make for a difficult watch but take your time. Watch in small doses. You’ll be so glad you did.
3 – The Handmaid’s Tale
Elizabeth Moss is one of the greatest actors not just on television but working in Hollywood today. She is riveting in every frame of this adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s prophetic novel. Her performance alone would be reason enough to watch but she is given worthy scene partners who match her both in skill and intensity. Ann Dowd, Yvonne Strahovski, Bradley Whitford, Joseph Fiennes, Madeline Brewer and Samira Wiley all give masterful performances. Add to that a stunning, filmic production design and incredibly chilling, upsettingly familiar world building and this is one of the best shows ever on television.
2 – Game of Thrones
Yeah. The ending was weird. Not great. Surprising in the worst way. But it seems weirder still to toss a show of this magnitude and level of excellence because it didn’t end well. HBO pulled out all the stops for this one. You wanna talk production design-whew chile. Special effects? Hu-nny! Those dragons looked like real dragons to me. Those white walkers scared the poop outta me. A cast of thousands and I honestly can’t think of a weak performance. This show was like an eight season long film. Epic. Girthy. I’m not alone in ranking it among the best in TV history and for obvious reasons. Every aspect just shines with excellence. Although the swords and sandally-ness of it may not seem like your thing, there is truly something for everyone here. And House of the Dragon is shaping up to be just as epically excellent so get on it.
1 – Buffy the Vampire Slayer
If you haven’t seen Buffy then you’re probably surprised to see it at number one. And I get it, I was once like you. The title sounded too silly, too adolescent, I couldn’t possibly imagine being able to relate. But that irony is at the core of what is essentially an archetypal hero’s journey. How could anyone take a chick named Buffy seriously? But Buffy is the slayer, the chosen one, the only person who can protect and save the world from all the evils of Hell. She’s a badass boss lady whether you get it or not. Joss Whedon is a genius myth maker and world builder and the fantastic world of Buffy is a rich and deep gift to anyone who’s ever felt an outsider. There’s never been a tv show that’s affected me so much, never a hero I’ve rooted for more. Frankly it hasn’t aged super well, the special effects are in that pre CGI era that looked a little off then but look absolutely absurd by modern standards. But I urge you to suspend your disbelief enough to get through all that and get to the brilliant storytelling, the zippy dialogue and the heartfelt characterizations that make this show my all-time number one.
Cliff’s Notes: Rotted & Relatable Reviews 