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This decade gave us a lot of remarkable shows, which is why many consider it the Golden Age of television. With the decade closing, we decided to remember some of these shows and tell you a bit about why we consider them the best of this decade.
So, without further ado, here are the 20 best shows of this decade our team members chose:
Francesca Aloe’s choice:
1. Madam Secretary
Elizabeth McCord, a college professor and former CIA analyst who left for ethical reasons, returns to public life at the request of the President to become the Secretary of State after the suspicious death of her predecessor. She battles office politics and negotiates issues at home and the White House.
Luis Navas’ choices:
3. The Good Place
One of (if not the best) live-action comedies of the decade. A character-focused show with a most interesting premise and one twist that, honestly, is better than most of Shyamalan’s. Flawed and interesting characters that make an epic ride. By the way, ALL of the performances are simply a-ma-zing.
2. Hannibal
A retelling from the books and the famous Anthony Hopkins’s portrayal of the character, Hannibal delves more into the relationships a serial killer can have with someone who he views as a peer. It also makes you think how one, in an unconscious way, can test the people whom we want to be closer to. The portrayal of Mikkelsen’s Lecter seduces the viewer. Visually spectacular and there’s not one weak performance from the main cast.
1. Barry
An ex-military turned hitman found his true calling in acting. A dramedy that makes one wonder if our past actions define the person we are becoming and if we can outrun our past sins. Outstanding acting from Bill Hader, especially in the first season’s finale.
John Tangalin’s choices:
4. Black Mirror
A twisted anthology about the consequences of integrating advanced technology into our ways of life, storytelling has never been the same.
3. Game of Thrones
A world of fantasy that has everyone wanting more and demanding answers, nothing has graced television screens since Lost. No one gets a good ending no matter the circumstance.
2. Insecure and 1. Atlanta
While on different worlds of existence, both comedy-dramas remarkably showcase how persons of color in modern society struggle to live, to love, to make the best of your days while you can. That’s what makes us human.
Cecilia López’s choices:
12. Arrow
Albeit its ups and downs, Arrow achieved what no other superhero show had before, establishing a universe. It gave us amazing crossovers, stories we didn’t think we’d get to see on screen and surprised us more than once.
11. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
No one can resist the crazy antics of this precinct. A wonderful, fun show, with iconic and ridiculous cold openings. It does not shy away from our society’s darker side, manages to present them in comedic form but without stripping away their importance and the importance of trying to make things better.
10. This is Us
A heartwarming story, one that makes you fall in love with each and all characters, where viewers get an insight into who these characters are and what they’ve been through. A beautiful story about a family that as every family suffers its highs and lows but manages to stick together through all of it.
9. The Crown
This show has conquered everyone’s heart, young and older audiences alike. It’s no wonder that this was one of Netflix’s most expensive show, it is visually stunning, beautiful locations and wonderful cinematography. What truly drives the show is the casts’ performance. Even though some may find it strange to change casts every two seasons, the different casts bring something new to these characters. It’s just an overall interesting story with excellent performances and visuals.
8. Orphan Black
One of the wackiest shows of the decade. Tatiana Maslany’s performance was legendary, bringing to life more than a dozen different characters. The twists and turns seemed to never cease but in the end, the show was about these women coming to terms with who they were and in doing so finding a family.
7. The Americans
One of the greatest espionage dramas out there. Few shows can manage to have a whole scene in complete silence while still keeping viewers glued to the screen. A great story that goes beyond your classic spy vs spy, but delves into a deeper emotional level showing viewers the struggle these Russians agents deal with, trying to keep the mission first whilst not losing sight of where they belong
6. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Just when I was blocked and couldn’t put in words why this show is so great, season 3 premiered and I remembered how marvelous -pun intended- this show truly is. Amy-Sherman Palladino’s trademark ping-pong rapid dialogue is one of the elements that make this show so enjoyable. However, what makes this show so beautiful is that it is a story about a woman who after heartbreak, finds herself and discovers who she is, as an individual and not defined by the people around her.
5. The OA
Sadly short-lived, this show was truly unique. Its brilliance lies in the crazy story-telling developed by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij. Viewers never knew what to expect, no twist was foreseen and no one could predict the mind-blowing revelations that awaited as the story progressed. It didn’t follow the rules of the genre or fit in with the content we are used to nowadays and that’s what it made it so great and enjoyable.
4. Westworld
Besides being a completely mind-blowing story, with so many twists and turns, and with truly outstanding performances by the whole cast, this show is deeply philosophical. This is something we already talked about a while ago, how the show delves deep into the meaning of humanity and morality, and how it gives us a pessimistic view on humans.
3. Downton Abbey
One of the greatest dramas of this decade for sure. The story managed to perfectly balance the historical drama aspects of the show and the fun and at times absurd everyday life of the English aristocracy. The show gave us amazing characters, such as the Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith), whose wit immediately stole our hearts and made us fall in love with the story of this house and of those of lived in it.
2. Mozart in the Jungle
Critically acclaimed and sadly axed too soon, this was a unique comedy. Perhaps for some, it may have seemed too niche but the eccentric Rodrigo de Souza (Gael García Bernal) was bound to charm viewers and get some laughs. Even though it was mostly a comedy it didn’t shy away from the drama and the struggles of an orchestra member nor did it lack emotional and at times even the philosophical depth, something that few shows manage.
1. 12 Monkeys
Probably the best time-travel show of the decade and, in my opinion, one of the best shows of the decade. One of the few time-travel stories that is coherent, perfectly crafted and paced, with an amazing resolution. The heart of it is a beautiful story about family and about these characters finding out where they belong.
These are just a couple of the fantastic shows the last ten years gave us, which shows do you think were the best of the decade?
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