The past decade has seen a huge explosion in the popularity and variety of primetime television. Currently there are over 688 shows on air on primetime or on a streaming service according to the research of TV journalist Liz Shannon Miller, and we’re bound to have even more new and exciting shows in the 2020s.
With all this TV, though, it’s impossible for you the viewer to have watched every show. And yeah, you have that list on your iPhone notes app of shows your cousin’s girlfriend and your roommate’s soccer coach recommended, but like… are you ever really going to get around to watching any of those? You heard Fleabag was good, but all your friends are already a season in and you don’t have money to spend on an Amazon Prime account.
That’s why we at mxdwn have created the ultimate “Best Of” list for the past decade; the list to end all lists. We’ve got one show for each year from 2010-2019 that is the ABSOLUTE BEST of that year (according to our past ranking and the personal bias of Editor in Chief Raymond Flotat, of course). Now, you can take the first few weeks of January, watch like, maybe half a season of each of these, and finally understand those Game of Thrones memes your coworker Dave keeps sending you. Maybe.
#10 – BoJack Horseman
Year: 2019
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why You Should Watch: A combination of highbrow and lowbrow humor that takes a serious look at mental health and relationships. Plus, horse puns. – KJ Minzner
#9 – Community
Year: 2010
Where to Watch: Hulu, NBC.com
Why You Should Watch: Dan Harmon’s unique sense of comedy writing is brought to life by an incredibly talented ensemble cast. If you’ve ever attended any sort of college, some of the episodes might hit close to home. – KJ Minzner
#8 – Parks and Recreation
Year: 2011
Where to Watch: Netflix for now, though Peacock will have streaming rights soon
Why You Should Watch: Showrunner Mike Schur does this thing where he hands you a quirky off-beat comedy and then says “Surprise! It’s a love story!” If you liked it with The Office and The Good Place, you’ll like it here too. – KJ Minzner
#7 – Breaking Bad
Year: 2013
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why You Should Watch: A chemistry teacher starts making meth to support his family. Great acting from Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul and amazing writing and directing from Vince Gilligan. – Will Goodeve
#6 – Fargo
Year: 2014
Where to Watch: Hulu
Why You Should Watch: Aside from great breakout performances from a slew of well renowned actors, FX’s Fargo remains to be a great masterclass in writing and cinematography for any cinephile. The anthology thriller also comes from the unique visionary mind of Noah Hawley. – Ashton Hughes
#5 – Jessica Jones
Year: 2015
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why You Should Watch: You might be tired of gritty superhero takes by now, but Jessica Jones was the first gritty superhero show from Marvel, and people were enthralled. Krysten Ritter and David Tennant give incredible performances, and each plot twist is more shocking than the last. – KJ Minzner
#4 – The Last Kingdom
Year: 2018
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why You Should Watch: This show is a thrilling Viking drama with twists and turns to rival Game of Thrones. Our team here has been in love with this show for years. – KJ Minzner
#3 – The Handmaid’s Tale
Year: 2017
Where to Watch: Hulu
Why You Should Watch: Even though this show is set in a dystopia, the themes of violence against women are still incredibly political relevant. And the show isn’t all doom and gloom, either; Elizabeth Moss gives such an engaging performance that even in the tragic moments of the show, you find yourself entertained. – KJ Minzner
#2 – Game of Thrones
Year: 2016
Where to Watch: HBO
Why You Should Watch: Love it or hate it, Game of Thrones has defined this decade in a way no other show really has. The huge cast and the multiple intertwining plots mean that there’s something in this show for everyone, no matter how boring everyone else thinks your favorite character is (I see you, Bran stans). – KJ Minzner
#1 – Mad Men
Year: 2012
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why You Should Watch: Even though this show is over, it still manages to be incredibly relevant. Don Draper is the definition of a bad man, and yet, you want to follow his story to the end. If it’s been a while since you’ve watched Mad Men, give it another try. You may get something entirely different out of your watch the second time around. – KJ Minzner