Best TV show of the Decade

[jcankerhuxley]

I don't watch regular TV but I catch stuff on reruns and on DVD / internet. Since everyone is making lists, what would you consider the best show of the decade?

[HGervais]

It's hard to argue with The Wire. Farscape is right up there as well. Battlestar Galactica. Arrested Development. Gilmore Girls. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The Sopranos. Deadwood. Curb Your Enthusiasm. 30 Rock. I could go on.

[BrettCullum]

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER was actually the best television show of the '90s. Hard to believe, but it is pretty old stuff now. Television seemed to splinter in the 00s. It was dominated by reality reality reality and then some more of the same. I liked many shows that came along though, and I did sit up and take notice of quite a few.

LOST gets my vote for best of the decade. It had a cinematic quality and a true inventive feel that made it feel unique.
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA continued the trend of hour long smart shows, and deserves the nod as well.

[mavrach]

My picks are mostly already mentioned: Buffy, Farscape, Battlestar Gallactica. Does the current Doctor Who production count as being from this past decade?

I want to throw in Arrested Development too, but I enjoyed the above shows more, and it's seriously apples and oranges with this one.

[Dan Mancini]

Arrested Development or Curb Your Enthusiasm would probably top my list, but since it hasn't been mentioned yet, I'll go ahead and throw in a nomination for Dexter.

[Stubblecat]

It was cancelled after a season and a half, and appeared about 2 years before the world was ready for it, but Andy Richter Controls The Universe was brilliant.

[Dunnyman]

Compelling TV, Battlestar Galactica. It took a cheesy 70's sci-fi premise, and made it exceptional, with one of the best casts on TV.
Sentimental Nod, Pushing Daisies. Created a whole other technicolor world, populated it with some rather unique characters, and delivered the tastiest slice of pie on TV. Pun intended.
Hands Down, Simply The Best, Monk. No other show has moved me the way this one did. Eight perfect seasons, laughs, tears and cheers. Goodbye Adrian, you and the crew will be missed.

[cdouglas]

Though I haven't gotten around to watching The Wire or Farscapeyet (pretty huge omissions, I know), I would probably have to pick The Sopranos as the finest television series of the decade. Also worthy of very high praise...

Arrested Development
Deadwood
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Mad Men
Breaking Bad
Weeds
Chappelle's Show
Six Feet Under
30 Rock
Battlestar Galactica
Lost
The Office (British and American versions, though I prefer the British)

[Steve T Power]

I'm not much for TV, so there were really only a handful of shows i devoted any time to in the last decade.

The winnah (by a huge margin for me):

Band of Brothers - masterful storytelling that manages to accomplish in 10 episodes what few series have in that many seasons.

I also have to give runner-up props to Battlestar Galactica, and Deadwood could have been the big one if David Milch had the discipline to write just one more season to clue all of the threads up, as Season 3, while a conclusion of sorts, was anything but a worthy end.

[the5thghostbuster]

Doctor Who
Dexter
Torchwood: Children of Earth

I known there are offers, but brain not functioning well right now

[Bryan Pope]

West Wing and The Shield both deserve mention on this list.

[Andrew Forbes]

I'll toss a few out there. Not to say they are the best, but these have definitely provided me with the most entertainment:

Firefly
Samurai Champloo
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Wonderfalls
Clone High
Ergo Proxy

[J.M. Vargas]

Dexter (Showtime) - premise execution and flawless lead performance (by Michael C. Hall, who has yet to prove he can be this good on another movie/TV role and yes, I'm including "Six Feet Under") carry this show past some glaring holes (some weak acting by the supporting cast) and misfires (Season 3). Still awesome, and Season 4 has brought the show's mojo back with a vengeance. Season 5 will be hawt!

Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi Channel) - ending throws things way up in the air when looking back at earlier seasons, but overall a potent mix of sci-fi setting and socio-political commentary brought to life by the best acting ensemble on TV (screw "Lost" ).

Big Love (HBO) - who knew Mormonism could be as much fun to watch as "The Godfather" crime saga? And who knew Bill Paxton could deliver a credible performance as a patriarch wearing way too many hats (father, prophet, husband, perspective-husband-of-fourth-wife boyfriend, businessman, etc.) while keeping multiple family emergencies from exploding. Throw in strong supporting performances from Tripplehorn, Dean Stanton, Sevigny, etc. and this remains one of pay cable's must underrated but compelling dramas.

Weeds (Showtime) - outrageous-for-the-sake-of-being-outrageous comedies that constantly seek to top themselves could have resulted in comedy death. Jenji Kohan and her troupe of game actors haven't fallen flat on their face yet though, and have earned my attention enough to keep me guessing where Nancy & Co. will end up at the end of their 'crime spree.' Kevin Nealon as Doug remains the funniest supporting character in a comedy since... poof... fooooooreeeeeever man!

The Sopranos (HBO) - coasted on its last few seasons, but damn if there wasn't some quality acting (by everybody... seriously, not a weak acting link in the bunch including Robert Iler's AJ whom we were supposed to hate) and tight scripting (by anal-to-a-fault David Chase) that kept the tension and fear of what was going to happen more fun than what actually happened. This show rewards repeat viewing with so many subtle jokes and homages an encylopedia is needed to keep them all in mind. An instant classic.

[BrettCullum]

I want to nominate THE BIGGEST LOSER...

And that show with Paris Hilton, THE SIMPLE LIFE!