Top 25 TV shows of the last 10 years.

It’s been pointed out I’ve missed some great shows but here are my personal set of rules.
The show had to have started in the last 10 years, If it was mid may through then it won’t be on here.
That means Sopranos, CSI and 24 are all out. Now onto the good stuff.

25. Arrested Development:

What to say about this show, not only is it highly funny and well acted but it’s also one of the strangest sitcoms around. Michael Bluth takes over his father’s company when some dodgy dealings are found out, as the money runs out his family end up living under the same roof as him and hilarity ensues.
This was pretty much Michael Cera’s big break into acting, he played the wonderfully aloof George-Michael Bluth, Michael’s son. The father and son relationship was probably the best in the show. Greatest character hands down is Will Arnet’s, Gob Bluth. Brother of MIchael, he’s a wannabe Vegas magician who’s tricks never quite work the way he hopes.
Recently it has gotten a resurgence considering it is getting a 4th season years after it ended.

24. Castle:

Castle would probably be higher on the list if I’d watched more of it. You ever find yourself wanting to watch a show but are too caught up with everything else?
I love the character of Richard Castle, a best-selling crime author who helps the police on cases, then uses them as basis for his new books.
He even has card games with other best-selling authors (playing themselves) which is awfully cool. Needless to say it has the cool as a cucumber Nathan Fillion in it so even if it was awful I’d probably still watch it.

23: The Big Bang Theory:

I’ve just recently started watching this show and I love it, I can’t believe I left it alone for years.
Reason being there were too many people telling me it was cool and awesome. The thing is they were right. A show about a group of geeks (proper geeks) who befriend the new girl next door (who isn’t a geek), it’s funny to people with an understanding of geek culture and also people who haven’t got a clue. Case and point a girl in my work thought this show invented 3D chess.
Sheldon is by far the greatest character, might even be one of the best characters in any sitcom ever. He’s up there.

22. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles:

What a show, it takes a few episodes to hit its stide but when it does it’s great. It basically charts an alternate timeline that’s set after the events of Terminator 2.
Thinking they had destroyed Skynet Sarah and John (Lena Headey and Thomas Dekker) try to stay under the radar and away from the government. When Skynet finds them once more along with Cameron (Summer Glau) a terminator sent to protect the Connors, they try to hatch various plots to bring Skynet down once and for all.
I loved this show because it snuffed the idea of Terminator 3.
The relationship between Sarah and John is amazing, you could believe that he really is her son. She is overbearing and over protecting but that’s understandable. Cameron is like Arnie in T2 she wants to know what makes humans tick.
unfortunately just as this show was hitting its stride it got cancelled.

21. Prison Break:

Talk about a show starting strong, this had it all, action, drama, suspense and an underlying tone of impending doom.
It started as a simple concept, Michael Schofield (Wentworth Miller) is a top class architect, a genius some would say and when his brother gets put on death row in Fox River Penitentiary, he gets sent down to break his brother out. The awesome thing is he has the plans elaborately tattooed on his body.
His brother Lincon Burrows (Dominic Purcell) is innocent and as the series goes on a complicated conspiracy unravels.
The show had a strong first and second season but the writers strike and probably lack of ideas meant it finished on its fourth season. When it finished I think it had wiped people s memory of how good it was at the start as folk stormed message boards and forums to blast their opinion of how the whole show was shit.

20. The Walking Dead:

I’ll admit I didn’t see it working. I’m an avid fan of the comic book and couldn’t see Robert Kirkman’s epic be reduced to a TV series. Boy was I wrong.
through out the first season I was sceptical, I didn’t see it going anywhere but I stuck through to the brilliant second season and I’m desperately looking forward to the third.
Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincon) awakes from a coma to find a world overrun by zombies. He heads for Atlanta where after nearly dying he bumps into his family who are still alive thanks to his best friend Shane. The story is about the group, their dynamics and what they will do to survive.
Sometimes episodes go by without much look in from a zombie which I think is a great idea.
This new season looks to be a blinder so fingers crossed it stays good.

19. New Girl:

‘Who’s that girl, Who’s that girl… it’s Jess’. New girl is a fantastic little sitcom starring the multi talented Zooey Deschanel. she plays the bubbly and quirky Jess. After a bad break up Jess moves into a loft apartment with 3 guys. At first they find her to be strange and a little crazy but they slowly start to fall in love with her.
I don’t know what I like about this, I don’t think there’s a human being out there who doesn’t like Zooey Deschanel, plus the comedy is offbeat and actually funny. They constantly run into real situations but turn them horrible. It reminds me of Three’s Company and maybe a little of Friends.
It’s been renewed for a second season which is coming our way in a few weeks.

18. American Horror Story:

Even the theme music unsettles me in this horror TV series. It’s about a family who buy an amazing house only to find it holds a lot of dark secrets and horrors. It’s not often I find something that creeps me out but this is one of those things. I don’t know what to say about it other than watch it and see what I mean.

17. Sherlock:

I thought Guy Richie’s reboot of Sherlock Holmes was awesome, but no one plays Holmes better than Bernard Cumberbatch. Martin Freeman also plays a fantastic Watson and they really work with one another.
The show which is only 3 one and a half hour episodes per season (not enough in my opinion) shows them meeting and their first cases together. Seeing Holmes in modern London with black cabs, metropolitan police and modern tech like mobile telephones is awesome. He really is the worlds greatest detective. The only thing that remotely halts him is the presence of Miss Irene Adler and maybe his old foe Moriarty.
You have to see this one, it is by far one of the best british TV shows in years.
I must say I’m looking forward to Americas adaptation ‘Elementary’ which is coming to our screens in a few weeks, doubt it will beat Sherlock though.

16. Breaking Bad:

Who would have thought Bryan Cranston had it in him? You all remember the dad from Malcolm in the Middle don’t you. Well he isn’t that dad anymore, in fact papa’s got a brand new bag.
Cranston plays Walter White, a mild-mannered chemistry teacher who holds down two jobs to support himself, his wife and disabled son. When Walter starts taking unwell and the doctor tells him its cancer he takes matters into his own hands to support his wife through his upcoming demise. Turning his hand to meth amphetamine (the best meth amphetamine that is) he and former student Jessie (Aaron Paul) go from petty dealers to drug lords.
It’s coming up to its final season and it looks to be a blinder so watch it.

15. Sons Of Anarchy:

Charlie Hunnam plays Jax one of the leading members of the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle gang. The show revolves around them and their various encounters with other gangs, local police and FBI. It is much more of a drama than an action show. It’s got a fantastic turn by Katy Sagal as Jax’s mother, showing she is much more than a comedy actress.

14. John Doe:

Talk about your overlooked shows. Here in the UK for weeks in the lead up of John Doe airing the Sci-Fi channel showed symbols and little titbits from the show, they really pushed the marketing and this made me excited. I can say I’ve not been as excited again. Little did I know that even although it was getting a big push that it had already been cancelled. So I watched this show about a man (Dominic Purcell) who wakes up without any memory of who he is but instead has random facts and encyclopedic knowledge. He meets a couple of people who are willing to help him learn who he is and he also helps the police solve cases. It was an interesting show with a phenomenal cliffhanger.
Interesting things were the fact John saw in black and white, only seeing in colour when things were connected to his past, there was the mysterious company who was following him who you didn’t know were bad or good and then there was the symbol on his shoulder.
It had so much mystery and lots of potential, it was never given a proper chance and to this date has yet to be released on DVD. If you can somehow find it you should watch, then read the interview with the creator on how it would have ended if they had been given the chance.

13. Two Broke Girls:

I will get a lot of flack for this but like Max (Kat Dennings) I do not care. This sitcom has a simple basis, Max is a tough waitress with a baking streak. Caroline (Beth Behrs) used to be a rich ‘It’ girl but since her Dad went to jail she has been thrown out into the street, Max decides to help her out, first moving her into her small basement apartment, then a job at the diner she works at. Caroline is business savvy and takes Max’s cupcakes and decides to make a business through it.
It’s a simple tale about two clashing personalities coming together to make a great partnership. Max is tough with a heart of gold and a dry sarcastic wit. Caroline is a cute and cuddly type, Paris Hilton but a million times better, she might be business savvy but in other things she hasn’t a clue. It’s funny… I mean laugh out loud funny and I love it so sue me.

12. Supernatural:

Well, well, well what have we here. It’s a great show about the supernatural and it’s aptly titled Supernatural.
It starts of as a story about two brothers Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) who were brought up as demon hunters by their dad John (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) after their mother was killed by a demon. John went missing and the boys attempted to find him.
Years earlier Sam had left to do his own thing and the death of his girlfriend push him back into the family business. throughout the seasons the boys lives are forever on the line, along for the ride are Castiel (Misha Collins) and Bobby (Jim Beaver).
The boys fight everything from vampires to mischief demons. The seasons have had their ups and downs but recently it has gotten back on point with a great 7th season.
Another show that starts back in a few weeks and how I’m looking forward to it.

11. Bones

A great detective show with a twist, David Boreanez plays Seeley Booth a special agent with the FBI, he gets help from time to time on cases from Dr Temperance Brennan an anthropologist played by Emily Deschanel. At the end of the pilot it is decided Booth and Brennan will be partnered up.
Booth is ex-army, a real tough guy with simple values. Brennan is a geek who knows her bones (hence why Booth nicknames her this) shes world renowned and a published author, but her people skills lack quite a bit.
As the show moves on so do Booth and Brennan’s friendship. The show has a format and a basic one at that but the way it all comes together is always impressive. I always prefer when they have some big master serial killer to hunt than the day-to-day cases.

10. Burn Notice:

Ever wanted to be a spy? Well watch this show as every episode Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) will give you the tips and tricks of the spy trade.
Burn notice is the tale of a spy who has been burned by the CIA, it follows him as he tries to find who burned him and why. SInce he is now stuck in his hometown of Miami he decides to help people for money. With a little help from an old friend Sam (Bruce Campbell) and his ex-girlfriend Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) he tries to sort people’s problems. I suppose it’s the same kind of format as the A-team and Macgiver but I love it. Michael is always calm and focused and teaches us all how to be a spy and how to counter spys. It’s high action and easy on the drama so let your brain out at the door.

9. How I met your Mother:

Who would have though Nick Andopolis, Dougie Howser ad Willow Rosenberg in a show together would work?
Well whoever they are they deserve a medal.
How I Met Your Mother is one of the funniest shows I have ever seen, best sitcom since Friends and that’s saying something.
Ted Mosley (Josh Radnor) lives with his best friend Marshall (Jason Segal) and Marshall’s girlfriend Lily (Alyson Hannigan) they regularly meet up at the bar downstairs with their other friend Barney (Neil patrick Harris). Soon Ted is dating Robin (Cobie Smulders) and this completes their little troupe.
Barney is by far the funniest character, if I tried to explain him he would come off sounding like a douchebag (which he kind of is) but he is so much more. The set ups are hilarious and the situations everyone finds themselves in is constantly great.
The basic premise is Ted in the future telling his grown up kids how he met their mother. It’s went on for 7 seasons so far and we have yet to meet her, so there is a little mystery to this laugh out loud sitcom.

8. Falling Skies:

It took me 3 attempts to get through the pilot episode but I’m glad I did.
The show is set several months after aliens have invaded earth, it follows a small band of rebels led by Captain Weaver (Wil Patton) and Tom Mason (Noah Wyle). They are not only trying to save the human race but its humanity too.
If you want to know more read my full review of it here.

7. Battlestar Gallactica:

All I’m going to say is watch this awesome reimagined version of the awful 70’s show of the same name.
its brutal, its serious and it’s some of the best Sci-fi in years.

6. Dexter:

If you have never seen Dexter then shame on you. One of the only shows that will have you voting for the bad guy, well he’s not bad but he is.
Michael C Hall plays Dexter Morgan, a blood splatter analyst by day and a serial killer by night. The thing is he has a certain rule book that he follows for his killings and he’s more of a vigilante than an all out killer.
Dexter is charming and smart, this show will make you hope that he gets out of every bad situation he gets in. Every season gets more tense and word has it that there are only going to be 2 more until it finishes for good.

5. Rescue Me:

It’s no secret that I am a massive Denis Leary fan, when this show first aired I was unwilling to miss an episode.
Rescue Me is based around firemen in New York, mainly Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary) and his crazy crew.
It’s not only funny but a sobering view of some of New York’s finest, showing that these heroes are people too, very flawed and off the wall human beings.
Tommy is an alcoholic, at times a drug user and treats his wife and kids like shit. This wears him down and through out seven seasons you will see some dramatic changes in Tommy and the crew. A perfect ending for an awesome show was had and it teaches you to respect these men more and more.

4. Lost:

It’s a show that had people talking for years, what was it about and where was it going. Was it being made up as the writers went along for a 6 year run? who knows.
The ending for me was a perfect end to an epic show, but others would disagree.
Survivors of a plane crash end up on a mysterious island, we see these people on the island and in flashbacks to their former lives. If anything this series was less about the mystery and more about the people and their relationships.
Forever Jack, Sawyer, Desmond and Hurley will live in my heart. A show not to be missed.

3. Fringe:

Not only one of my favourite shows of the last 10 years but of all time.
FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Trov) is investigating a strange case when she realises its in line with experiments Walter Bishop (John Noble) had been doing years previous. unfortunately Walter has incarcerated himself in an insane asylum with only one allowed visitor, his son Peter (Joshua Jackson).
Olivia finds Peter and gets him out of trouble in the middle east, together they create the Fringe division of the FBI, which looks into strange occurences.
With each season it just gets better and better, the relationships between father and son is amazing. John Noble is a fine actor and along with the surprisingly amazing Joshua Jackson they really tear the screen up.
Anna Trov is fantastic too as the perceptive and talented FBI agent. Things go from weird to weirder on a week to week basis.
It’s the beginning of the end for poor Fringe, this week marks the start of the fifth and final season. I know for sure I will miss it.

2. Chuck:

Chuck (Zachary Levi) is an electronics department store worker in his mid twenties. His life is going nowhere until an old friend Bryce sends him an email. In the email is the intersect, a computer programme that was designed to hold all the information from NSA and CIA computers, this programme was to be inserted into an agents head making them a super agent. Chuck gets this and his world is turned upside down. Two agents are initially sent to kill him, John Casey (Adam Baldwin) and Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski). Eventually they are told to protect him.
Chuck is just awesome, he is a great character that I think everyone dreams of being, especially if you are in a boring dead-end job.
The interaction between the leads is great and there were even a few times I was in tears.
Just watch it and see one of the best shows that nearly never made it past season 1.

1. Firefly: