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Top 30 TV Shows of the Decade

"There are only two things I love in this world: Everybody and Television"
Kenneth Parcell, 30 Rock

TV has always been my favorite medium. It allows for callback jokes and cliffhangers and gives characters time to develop and change over the course of years. When I was young, I would have to pick a few shows to focus on, and save up my money to buy as many TV season box sets as I could get (wait, did I invent binge-watching?). With the introduction of streaming, the content has never been easier to get your hands on, and we've ushered in what is considered the Golden Age of television.

More than 500 scripted shows aired just last year, so there is no way that I could possibly keep up with it all. On top of that, shows were becoming spectacles - Game of Thrones was spending $2,000,000 per episode! MERYL STREEP was doing Big Little Lies! The landscape of television is very different now from where it began at the start of the decade.

When thinking over this list, I tried to only consider the parts of the show that aired this decade, and not anything that aired before 2010.

Here are the 30 shows that I loved the most this decade... (and no, I still haven't watched Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad so shhhh) 

30. How I Met Your Mother

09/19/2005 - 03/31/2014

A disappointing series finale often eclipses the genius that this sitcom showed for most of its run. Using time jumps cleverly, How I Met Your Mother was able to tell a story in reverse while having its audience stay entertained and invested in the central mystery.

Standout Season: 7

Standout Episode: Symphony of Illumination

Emmys Won: 10

29. Community

09/17/2009 - 06/02/2015

Something incredible about Community was its ability to shift subgenres at any given moment. From week to week, you didn't know if you would be getting a zombie apocalypse horror, a claymation holiday special, or a musical number. Dan Harmon created possibly the most meta show on television, second only to 30 Rock, and while it was never a ratings hit (seriously, it's a miracle it lasted as long as it did), he was able to make the show the way he wanted.

Standout Season: 3

Standout Episode: Remedial Chaos Theory

Emmys Won: 1

28. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

03/06/2015 - 01/25/2019

Tina Fey and Robert Carlock's follow up to 30 Rock was highly anticipated and heavily critiqued. While it never hit the highs of their previous work, Kimmy Schmidt created a rich world with even more absurdities that consistently kept the audience on their toes. With standout performances from Titus Burgess and Jane Krokowski, this show's comedic streak was unbreakable.

Standout Season: 1

Standout Episode: Kimmy Kisses A Boy!

27. This Is Us

09/20/2016 - Present

The hype around This Is Us developed before the pilot even aired. While most people probably tuned in to see Milo Ventimiglia's butt, they stayed for the reveal at the end of the episode: [super late to the party spoiler alert] The show takes place over multiple timelines! The show has mastered how to weave similar themes across decades of characters and how to make its audience cry each week. While the pacing isn't perfect, the performances from Sterling K. Brown, Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, and the rest of the cast will keep me coming back until the end. 

Standout Season: 1

Standout Episode: Memphis

Emmys Won: 3

26. How To Get Away With Murder

09/25/2014 - Present

A knockout - and history-making - performance by Viola Davis elevates this ABC thriller among other broadcast dramas today. Add in amazing diversity and never before seen representation for queer people (one of the main characters is an Asian-American man living with HIV - who isn't defined by his diagnosis!? He's In a happy committed relationship!?! And has other character traits!?!?), and this show becomes one for the books.

Standout Season: 1

Standout Episode: Kill Me, Kill Me, Kill Me

Emmys Won: 1

25. The Office

03/24/2005 - 05/16/2013

With only two "good" seasons airing this decade (the ones with Steve Carell present), The Office places a lot lower than I had expected. There may be times that it might have felt as though The Office had run its course, but with episodes like "Threat Level Midnight" and "Goodbye Michael," it proved that even later seasons of a sitcom can pack a lot of punch. 

Standout Season: 7

Standout Episode: Goodbye Michael

Emmys Won: 5

24. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

03/17/2017 - Present

Amy Sherman-Palladino's voice can be heard in every scene of this marvelous show. After reminding the world how much we loved Gilmore Girls with her revival in 2016, she returned with this critical darling. With incredible dialogue, stunning cinematography and set pieces, and of course some of the best actors on television, the Paladino team has taken everything they built in Stars Hallow and elevated it for 1950's New York. 

Standout Season: 2

Standout Episode: We're Going To the Catskills!

Emmys Won: 16

23. Grace & Frankie

05/8/2015 - Present

What do you get when you put two acting legends together to create a modern comedy about what it means to grow old? Some pretty great television magic.

Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin give two of their best performances as Grace and Frankie, respectively. While the show started out as an Odd-Couple-like sitcom about how these women deal with the coming out of their ex-husbands, it has evolved into so much more. With unique commentary on ageism, this how has connected with all generations, and reminded the world that there is so much life to live (even after 70!)

Standout Season: 1

Standout Episode: The Bachelor Party

22. Master of None

11/06/2015 - 05/12/2017

This semi-autobiographical, almost auteur-like comedy delivered some of the best and most nuanced episodes of television this decade. By telling personal accounts from people of color and queer voices, Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang were able to produce stories that you don't normally see on television. Each episode focuses on a contained adventure and oftentimes featured a lesson for the characters. One episode, in particular, was the incredible Thanksgiving which showed the story of a young queer black woman coming out to her family and led to Lena Waithe becoming the first black female to win an Emmy for comedy writing. 

Standout Season: 2

Standout Episode: Thanksgiving

Emmys Won: 3

21. Cougar Town

09/23/2009 - 03/31/2015

The first of four shows on this list to be canceled - only to be rescued days later by a smarter network: Cougar Town.

Don't let the title fool you (we all know it's terrible) this show has nothing to do with cougars. While starting out with a stale premise of Courteney Cox (of Friends fame) trying to get her groove back by dating some younger men, the show quickly course-corrected into a hilarious ensemble comedy about friends in their 40s drinking a ton of wine. With rapid-fire jokes, tons of running gags ("PENNY CAN!"), and some of the most loveable characters I've had the pleasure of watching this decade, Cougar Town will go down as the best "Post-Friends" show from any of its stars. 

Standout Season: 3

Standout Episode: Your World

20. The Mindy Project

09/25/2012 - 11/14/2017

The second of four shows on this list to be canceled - only to be rescued days later by a smarter network: The Mindy Project.

I have found that the rooms I enter are usually pretty split over Mindy Kaling. I know people who just cannot get into her brand of comedy, but I am not one of them. If Mindy Kaling is in a show or movie, her character is usually the one I most closely identify with - and that was never more true than with her character on The Mindy Project. Created, written, directed by, and starring Kaling, this show took tropes of romantic comedies and paid homage to them, usually with updated twists. The heroine was not always completely likable, but she was always real. 

Standout Season: 2

Standout Episode: You've Got Sext

19. Once Upon A Time

10/23/2011 - 05/18/2018

For six incredible seasons (and one "requel" season we'll just pretend doesn't exist) Once Upon A Time took every character I grew up loving and weaved them together in one Lost-like fantasy drama. And I. LOVED. IT. Was the CGI sometimes a little cringeworthy? Yes. Were some of the characters a bit overacted? Possibly. But this show had more heart than anything on TV at the time and offered a lot of hope in a time when I needed it in my life. 

With tons of badass and complicated female leads, and some pretty insane twists (does anyone else remember when the internet exploded over that Elsa reveal?) this show will be one that I continue to watch for years to come. If you love Disney as much as I do, add it to your list as well! (Except for season 7)

Standout Season: 3

Standout Episode: Going Home

18. Big Little Lies

02/19/2017 - 07/21/2019

Oscar-winning actresses? On television!? In 2010, I don't know if that sentence would have made much sense, but today, we have Big Little Lies. With marquee names like Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, and Meryl Freakin' Streep, this drama became a summer sudser with immense talent to back it up. The cool cinematography and soundtrack added to the aesthetic of the Monta Rae set mystery, leaving me wanting more at the end of every episode.

What was envisioned as a one-off mini-series, was quickly and wisely renewed by HBO giving fans just a taste more of these characters we fell in love with. 

Standout Season: 1

Standout Episode: You Get What You Need

Emmys Won: 8

17. New Girl

09/20/2011 - 05/15/2018

Who's that girl? It's Jess!

This "adorkable" comedy (with an irresistible intro) was initially branded as a vehicle for Zooey Deschanel to be quirky and cute around a bunch of grumpy guy roommates. As the show grew, however, the ensemble tightened and New Girl became so much more than its pilot intended. After fleshing out each of their characters (except Winston... but that's the best part!) the New Girl ensemble became so funny that even when Deschanel needed to leave for maternity leave in season 5, there were no worries. 

Standout Season: 6

Standout Episode: Five Stars for Beezus

14. One Day At A Time

01/06/2017 - Present

The third of four shows on this list to be canceled - only to be rescued days later by a smarter network:

One Day at a Time is not my usual kind of show. I tend to shy away from multi-cam sitcoms after being burned one too many times by low-hanging jokes and canned laughter. Netflix had something else in mind when it came to this reboot, however - they were going to have the classic sitcom feel, but with an updated twist. By tackling difficult topics such as immigration, religion, depression and anxiety, and addiction, there hasn't been a dull moment since the show's beginning. The representation of a Latinx family, veterans and queer characters has been groundbreaking and the character development is always steady.

On top of all that, this show stars EGOT winner Rita Moreno! What's not to love? Although Netflix decided to cancel it earlier this year, I am so thankful that POP network (seriously keep an eye on them, you guys!) swooped in so we can have more One Day at a Time in the new decade.

Standout Season: 2

Standout Episode: Hello, Penelope

Emmys Won: 1

16. Barry

03/25/2018 - Present

Bill Hader didn't set out to create the best dark comedy of the decade, but that's exactly what happened when he sold Barry to HBO. This show about a hitman trying to leave the world of murder and make it as an actor is extremely original and expertly acted. Each episode is filled with irony and tons of laughs, but while this may be a comedy, the drama is nothing to look over. Every episode's phenomenal cliffhanger always kept me on the edge of my seat and as Barry gets deeper and deeper into trouble, the more I can't look away. 

Standout Season: 2

Standout Episode: ronny/lily (Seriously this episode is BRILLIANT)

Emmys Won: 6

15. Ru Paul's Drag Race

02/02/2009 - Present

If you want to see some good in the world, watch Ru Paul's Drag Race. 

I had completely written off this show for years because a) drag queens kind of reminded me of clowns and b) I did not watch reality tv. But Drag Race is so much more than a reality competition. This is a show about the tenacity of the human spirit. This is a show about building your own family. It knows what it is and leans into the absurdity of reality tv - being over the top exactly when it needs to be and dramatic at all the right moments.

The queens are all fighting for a crown and a cash prize of $100,000, but along the way, they also have each others' backs. The shared experience of being a queer person in today's society binds the contestants together as they share their stories with each other and the viewers. 

Standout Season: All-Stars 2

Standout Queen: Katya Zamolodchikova

Emmys Won: 13

13. Stranger Things

07/15/2016 - Present

Stranger Things dropped on Netflix one summer with virtually no advertisement. I found it that weekend and decided to try something new, and before I knew it, it's the only thing people talked about for months. A phenomenon was born out of this 80's nostalgia-filled thriller - and it's not slowing down anytime soon.

The CGI is top-notch, the period costumes and set pieces are perfectly detailed, and the story is gripping... What stands out most about this show is the child actors. They are all incredible beyond their years, but especially Millie Bobby Brown (nominated for an Emmy at the age of 13!), who can act circles around most of the adults on the show. Many times when a show features child actors, the audience deals with them because they have to, but in Stranger Things, the kids carry the show. 

Standout Season: 3

Standout Episode: The Battle of Starcourt

Emmys Won: 6

12. Homecoming

11/02/2018 - Present

Visually speaking, Homecoming is the most beautiful and aesthetically pleasing show on this list. It is the first thing I talk about when I recommend this show to anyone - the cinematography and direction is genius work done by Sam Esmail. As an anthology series, there is no knowing if the following seasons will be as good, but the initial run had me so captivated there was no question of its place on my list. With a stunning performance from Julia Roberts in her first-ever television role and a mystery that threw my anxiety into high gear, there wasn't a single moment that had me looking away.

The show ended and it was all I could think about for months - and that is the mark of a show that got the job done. 

Standout Season: 1

Standout Episode: Protocol

11. 30 Rock

10/11/2006 - 01/31/2013

Although the start of 30 Rock aired in the previous decade, the show's latter half is just so good, how could it not make this list? Tina Fey cemented her place as one of the top comedians of all time with this meta gem. The number of jokes per episode is beyond what any other show is capable of, with visual gags that will have you rolling. While Tina Fey's Liz Lemon and Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy were leading the series, the true stars were stand out supporting actors Tracy Morgan, Jack McBrayer, and the incomparable Jane Krakowski (the way she pronounces "cam-er-a" will be stuck in my head until I die). 

Standout Season: 5

Standout Episode: Queen of Jordan

Emmys Won: 16

10. Parenthood

03/02/2010 - 01/29/2015

Parenthood is the best family drama to air this decade. Although never a ratings hit, this critically beloved show featured a stellar cast - seriously there wasn't one weak link -  and some of the most heartbreaking and heartwarming stories on television. So many shows have attempted to recreate the magic of Parenthood. While some shows have passed the popularity and critical acclaim (see: This Is Us), no other show has mastered the balance of humor and drama like this did. The dynamics between every character were fantastic, but standouts Lauren Graham, Dax Shepard, Monica Potter, and Mae Whitman elevated this show beyond any drama I've watched this decade.

Standout Season: 4

Standout Episode: There's Something I Need To Tell You

10. Veep

04/22/2012 - 05/12/2019

Veep is a political satire - which was easy to accomplish in 2012, but as the political landscape of the United States changed throughout the show's run, things became harder and harder to satirize. Somehow, without stumbling, Veep was able to pull it off getting funnier and more ridiculous each season. While I tend to lean toward shows that have likable characters, this show is a stark exception. These people are terrible. And yet for seven seasons, I couldn't stop thinking about them.

The stellar cast is led by (who I honestly believe to be the funniest human alive) Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the Vice President [super late to the party spoiler alert] and later President of the United States of America, Selina Meyer. Selina hilariously spent seven seasons flipping between having an overinflated sense of self and throwing herself the world's biggest pity party. Whichever mood she was in, Louis-Dreyfus played her with expertise and talent - winning her 6 consecutive Emmy awards. 

Standout Season: 4

Standout Episode: Election Night

Emmys Won: 17

9. The Comeback

8. Broad City

01/22/2014 - 03/28/2019

Chaotic and absurd, Broad City found a way to capture the millennial experience in a way that felt oh so relatable. Surreal at times, Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer were able to take everyday experiences and turn them into legendary adventures. Most of the episodes, when broken down, have little to no plot at all, and yet each chapter in the lives of these women felt epic. Through all the ups and downs, these characters were always there for each other, sometimes oversharing and always wanting what's best for their partner in crime... this show helped define what it means to be a best friend this decade.

Standout Season: 3

Standout Episode: Two Chainz

Emmys Won: 1

7. Schitt's Creek

01/13/2015 - Present

The little show that could... This POP original didn't start as anything special but has grown into a cultural phenomenon. There are so many things to love, and it just so happens that Schitt's Creek features my favorite fictional gay couple of all time, but that's just me. Whether it's Moira's questionable accent (the way she says bebé is priceless), Alexis screaming "EW David!", or the truly heartwarming and effective relationships that keep you coming back, this is a show that will stand the test of time upon dozens of rewatches. 

Standout Season: 4

Standout Episode: Open Mic

6. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

09/17/2013 - Present

The fourth and final show on this list to be canceled - only to be rescued days later by a smarter network:

In a rare flex, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is the show that just gets better with age. It's been described as "the most important cop show of all time" and I couldn't agree more. As the show goes on, its characters grow and evolve into a family of diverse and interesting people. On top of being laugh out loud funny, the ability to touch upon hot-button issues like race, sexuality, and the Me Too movement is brilliant beyond words.

Standout Season: 5

Standout Episode: HalloVeen

Emmys Won: 2

5. Jane The Virgin

10/13/2014 - 07/31/2019

Jane The Virgin took the telenovela genre and brought it to American audiences, completely turning it on its head this decade.

Whether the characters were dealing with amnesia, a face-changing crime lord, or an evil twin, not many shows can pull off every telenovela trope with such a self-aware wink. When I first heard the concept of a woman becoming accidentally artificially inseminated, it sounded ridiculous, but by the end of the first episode there I was crying. This show makes the unbelievable feel believable - large in part thanks to the incredible performance by Gina Rodriguez. As absurd as the magical realism could get, the characters were always emotionally grounded, which made this one of the best CW shows of all time. 

Standout Season: 4

Standout Episode: Chapter Eighty-One

4. Happy Endings

04/13/2011 - 05/03/2013

Criminally underrated, Happy Endings spit out jokes at a rapid-fire pace, leaving new pieces to be found with each rewatch. It's nearly impossible to choose a favorite character, as each one is equally as funny and absurd as the next. (I tend to lean toward the Kerkavich sisters, but it honestly changes by the episode). And while so many shows try to recapture that "Friends" magic, this group of friends does so and more by changing how you view close friendships in your early thirties. 

If I could greenlight one revival project, this would be my top pick. 

Standout Season: 2

Standout Episode: Big White Lies

3. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

10/12/2015 - 04/05/2019

Throughout over one hundred and fifty musical numbers, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend showed one of the most thoughtful and honest portrayals of mental illness I've seen to this day.

One might hear the title of this show and think it's sexist or silly - but this crew (consisting of mostly women creators, writers, directors, and producers) has created one of the best satires in recent memory. While many shows put characters through the wringer with drama and heartbreak, rarely do shows make those characters face their inner demons in therapy and learn from their mistakes. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is all about finding honesty and truth in the absurd, making sure that the characters all grow from beginning to end. Quirky, imaginative, and extremely original, creator and star Rachel Bloom provided us with a concise story over four seasons of songs I will never get out of my head.

Standout Season: 3

Standout Episode: Josh's Ex-Girlfriend Is Crazy

Standout Song: Let's Generalize About Men

Emmys Won: 4

2. The Good Place

09/19/2016 - Present

Season one of this after-life sitcom was delightful and hilarious, with laugh out loud jokes layered throughout weekly, easily digestible philosophy lessons. That alone would give this show reason enough to be on my "best of the decade list" - but then the season one finale blew my forking mind. Eleanor and company's discovery that [super late to the party spoiler alert] the good place was actually the bad place, allowed the entire show to shift into a mindblowing, creative behemoth.

Moving through plot at a mile-a-minute pace, The Good Place has blown up its own premise over and over again leaving the audience to question what could possibly happen next. Through it all, however, the characters have been a constant joy to watch. Whether it's Kristen Bell's perfected quality of being the most likable bully in existence, Ted Danson's career-best performance as a Demon learning to be human, or D'Arcy Carden's "not a girl/not a robot" Janet learning to experience emotions for the first time... seriously, I just love watching these characters grow from episode to episode. 

If all of that isn't enough, The Good Place has me thinking about what it means to be a good person every week. I've had deep and philosophical discussions with friends and family about what the characters are going through and how it relates to the same problems we go through as a human race. It's some heavy stuff for a half-hour of American network comedy... but The Good Place is just that special.

Standout Season: 2 (but really the whole show is close to perfect)

Standout Episode: Dance Dance Resolution

Second Standout Episode: Janet(s)

1. Parks and Recreation

04/09/2009 - 02/24/2015

There is a moment in my favorite episode of Parks and Rec where Leslie Knope is about to announce her candidacy for public office. She has big dreams and has an amazing plan for her campaign rally that includes red carpet, a beautiful stage, a huge banner, and a celebrity endorsement. Of course, none of this comes to fruition and she must inch her way across an ice hockey arena up onto a stump of wood... but her friends are there with her the entire time, supporting her, and stumbling on that ice right by her side. This is why I love this show.

Mike Schur (head writer of The Office, and creator of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Good Place) somehow created the most positive show on television when he introduced the world to Parks and Recreation. Set in Pawnee, Indiana, a town filled with eccentric characters, most of which exhibit the worst of mankind, Leslie and her friends support one another around every corner. It was the heart exemplified by Parks that separated it from it's NBC sister The Office and grew the characters from coworkers to family over the course of seven seasons.

Aside from the optimism and sincerity, this show had the best comedy writing of any show this decade. Between Jerry/Gerry/Gary/Larry and #TreatYoSelf, there isn't a shortage on running gags. The references to the selfish and lazy citizens of Pawnee are brilliant (a child's size soda is 120oz because it's the size of a small child)... The critique of fake news before "fake news" was even a thing (bring out the "GOTCHA!" dancers!)... it's all so good! This show will go down in history as one of the best comedies of all time. 

Standout Season: 4

Standout Episode: The Comeback Kid

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