The 13 Best TV Shows of the Decade
The 2010’s have been the decade of “prestige television” and it’s safe to say the medium has delivered on that term in full. There is an impossible number of quality television shows on a variety of channels, streaming sites, and apps. Everyone has a list of shows to watch that is never ending, so we asked some of our favorite writers, filmmakers, podcasters, and artists to help add to the “problem”! Here are some of the television shows that they loved this decade!
Westworld
Most likely I actually enjoyed some comedy like Broad City or Atlanta more. And I’m hesitant to choose an in-progress show that might fail to stick the landing Game of Thrones-style. But perhaps Westworld is the show that most intrigued me. The themes are right up my alley: ethics and threats of artificial intelligence, the nature of consciousness … and the direct references to some pretty bizarre evolutionary psychology theory that I’ve happened to read. Plus a non-linear approach to the narrative that, while often confounding—and perhaps flawed under closer examination—keeps the mystery's hooks firmly embedded in my psyche. But to boil it down: KILLER ROBOTS!!!
Jacob Hunt is an Illustrator/graphic designer/cartoonist/rock-and-roller at tracermetula.com and @juncobath on Instagram.
Black Mirror
Truly harder than any other decision I've made on this list. I have to say I deeply wanted it to be Atlanta. No show has more consistently surprised me, delighted me, and taken my breath away. I wanted it to be American Vandal. The creators of that show took what could have been a silly premise, teased it out until I cared about everyone involved, made me laugh, made me cry, made me think, then did the exact same impossible task with basically an entirely new cast. That they aren't being given a third season on Netflix is a tremendous disservice to them. I wanted it to be Fleabag or Succession or The Leftovers - all shows that have set the bar so incredibly high that the entirety of their catalog is unimpeachable. But it's not. It's Black Mirror. Because when Black Mirror is at its best, it shows you the future in ways both terrifying and delightful. Black Mirror isn't a TV show; it's a portal. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.
Jacob York is a writer and actor from Benton, Kentucky who has lived in Atlanta for most of his professional career. @jkobbster on Twitter.
True Detective
Season one to be exact; however, I am a season two fan and we all can agree that season three was a return to form. The first season is such a perfect reflection of Southern Gothic sensibility. A dark mystery of ritualistic killings with hints of a supernatural element that may or may not be there. It has dynamic performances from Mathew McConaughy, Michelle Monaghan, and Woody Harrelson. It weaved a fantastic narrative between two different timelines that fully used techniques that can only be done in film, like the tension of a long take or a character telling a story and showing that they’re lying. It is beautifully shot by Cary Joji Fukunaga and masterfully written by Nick Pizzolato. The second season’s biggest crime was that it couldn’t live up to the hype the first season had around it. You could argue that there were a couple of stiff performances in it and the writing wasn’t quite on par with the first season, but it was still far better than most shows on TV. The third season was a return to form and Mahershala Ali is absolutely magnetic on that screen. True Detective shows us what can be done with serialized television and has stories that can only be told in such a long format. It’s such a rich narrative that is visually interesting in ways that other TV shows have failed to replicate even when they’ve tried. It’s a show that leaves you still thinking about it for years after it first aired, even the season that most people didn’t like.
Daniel L. Emmons is a comedian and screenwriter from Los Angeles, you can catch him on the horror-comedy based sketch team Nightchurch on facebook or youtube.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
I honestly don't watch too many series, but I devoured Maisel. Aside from the incredible production design which immediately brings you into this world, I connected with the lead character of this fun, hilarious, and original show in her attempt to step out of her comfort zone and pursue a budding passion. Though it is set in the 40s, women today will relate to the struggle Maisel faces in terms of societal expectations of marriage and children as she breaks out on her own. Thankfully the show never gets hung up on gender politics, but delightfully and boldly pushes us onward to bigger and better things, just like Miss Maisel herself. I honestly can't wait for season 3!
Mikaela Bruce is a Writer- Director located in Los Angeles, Ca. | www.pasareafilm.com | www.mikaelabruce.com
Fargo
The original film Fargo is in my top ten (and the Coen brothers are in my top five), so this was a no-brainer. But even without my love for the original film, this series stands on its own as a brilliant exploration of "normal" people who think they can dabble in crime and then find themselves in a world of compounding pain and horror. Each season is a brilliant study of how one bad choice can lead to the dissolution of everything we care about. Cautionary storytelling at its finest.
Kevin Miller is a best-selling novelist and award-winning filmmaker whose most recent feature-length documentary, J.E.S.U.S.A. will be released on Feb. 25, 2025. To read more about Kevin and his work, visit www.kevinmillerxi.com.
Female Run Shows
I cannot choose one TV show because there was a sudden and rushing tide of female run shows, show runners and leads that took over the decade. But I have to say, it is the British written and run shows that I love the most. Witty, charming, compelling and complex, both Killing Eve and Gentleman Jack took me for a ride I had never been on. And at the close of this decade, I am inspired by the presence of Sharp Objects. Some may say they don’t like female anti-heroes, but I’d venture to say that it is those who cannot and refuse to see women in all their complexity and give them roles that put them front and centre who are “sick of female anti-heroes.” Like every male-led story, there has to be a visible and visceral fall (present or imminent) or a deep darkness to have anywhere to go – any depth to express and any relation to humanity to make a compelling story (we all know that). We watch films and tv shows—look at art—which ultimately is what this is, to see ourselves and to see what it is that we as humans do to navigate our lives, no matter how messy. And we see how it all comes out. Joyful, fearful, or despairing. As a woman, I have to see how women do it. And although we still have a long way to go, this last decade has made great efforts and strides toward making women creators visible. Now if they can only get nominated. Let’s keep putting them on the map!
CK Love is a writer and director currently working on two short films, and an Instagram graphic novel @frankiencharliesworld with a partner. You can find her on Twitter at @cklovewrites
Westworld
Definitely Westworld, even though I haven’t finished season two (oops). The first season was the most memorable and enjoyable television watching experience I’ve ever had. A large group of my friends would get together every Sunday over a bowl of piping chili to see what in the heck was going on with this wild story and try to untangle our own crazy ideas of what we expected would happen in the next episode.
Walker Whited - writer/director of feature film “By Night’s End” and editor at Atlanta based post house W Squared Media. www.wsquaredmedia.com | By Night’s End Trailer - https://youtu.be/0rrZJHHR0wE
The Leftovers
Though there were a ton of great television shows that I enjoyed this decade, The Leftovers (2014-2017) had to top them all. First off, Lost is one of my favorite television shows of all time, but Lost seemed to suffer towards the end when it tried to answer all of the questions it had brought up during its six seasons. So to see show runner Damon Lindelof go back to a show that had similar questions, this one being where did everyone go during the Departure, and stick the landing was such a rewarding experience. The Leftovers had great characters and character moments, interesting science fiction themes, and a world that felt lived in. If you haven’t gotten a chance to check it out, I highly recommend you go ahead and dive into the three season series.
Brad Kennedy - 1/2 of the directing duo at Sozo Bear Films (@sozobearfilms)
Schitt’s Creek
I am absolutely obsessed with this show. I LOVE Catherine O’Hara, Dan Levy, and Eugene Levy—they’re hilarious. And Dan is an incredible writer and storyteller. He does such a good job of pulling you into this story and making you care about these characters. I’ve re-watched season four probably a dozen times.
Jennifer Blanchard is a multi-passionate writer (www.byjenniferblanchard.com), storyteller, radio show host (www.35anddivorced.com) and maker (www.gerryrene.com) whose screenplay, The Rules, placed as a semi-finalist in the 2019 Stage32 Rom-Com Script contest.
Justified
First of all, this was tough because I have seen a ton of good TV this decade: Veep, Brooklyn 99, The Good Place, Watchmen, Westworld, Schitt’s Creek, American Vandal, Great British Bake Off, and I could go on. The main thing that Justified and these other listed shows did was that they were very specific in what they wanted to do. They have a POV, and they made me enjoy television. In an era with so much to watch, I never felt like I was doing homework when I was watching it. I was enjoying a story.
MK McFadden is a lover of science fiction, pizza, and deadlifts.
Stranger Things
My favorite TV Show of the decade is Stranger Things. What’s not to love? It encapsulates everything I grew up watching from Spielberg to Stephen King. However, it still has its own unique voice as well. It’s so perfectly character driven. You fall in love with the characters from the start of season one and you have to keep tuning in to see where the story takes them each season. And I love the soundtrack! Everything about the show draws me in and I feel like I’m there fighting monsters in the 80s with a rag-tag group of friends.
Luke Pilgrim is 1/2 of the writing/directing/producing team Sozo Bear Films, creators of the web series “Encounters.” https://youtu.be/SYiZYtIAb7w
The Young Pope
A show this funny, sexy, trippy, and flat-out weird can’t also be a palpable illustration of religious conviction, right? That’s what I thought before 2016, but Paolo Sorrentino’s ten episodes of Italian insanity and Jude Law at his mischievous, steely-eyed, best turned me into a believer. Season Two arrives in 2020. Can they pull off the same magic to kickstart the next decade? I have faith.
Brent Lambert-Zaffino is an Atlanta-based filmmaker and Programming Director at the Etowah Film Festival.
Silicon Valley
HBO had some blockbuster series during the last decade, but none were more relevant than Silicon Valley. Each of the six seasons was a roller coaster ride from start to finish. The humor managed to be high-intellect and low-brow at the same time. And its critical look at the real life Silicon Valley was both darkly satirical and much needed.
Robert Carnes is a writer, marketer, author of two books, and lives in Atlanta with his family.
