The 10 Best TV Series of the 2000s

Coming home from school or college, turning on the TV, and spending an evening with the Gilmore Girls, Clark Kent, and Seth Cohen. That was the 2000s, the golden age of Warner Bros., the years when sitcoms had to fill an almost impossible void left by Seinfeld and later Friends. Ten years in which writers and producers had to reinvent themselves to keep audiences in front of the TV. If the 2010s were the years of revivals, the previous decade was certainly a time of resilience.

Check out the 10 best series of the 2000s

Skins (2007–2013)
The British teen drama deserves a place on our list not only for its undeniable quality, which won over audiences and critics alike, but also for the innovations it brought to television storytelling. The first was splitting the series into generations, which meant we had to get attached to and let go of characters in just two seasons — the lifespan of each generation.

Also commendable were the depth of the characters and the way controversial topics such as mental disorders, sexuality, teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, and even death were handled. Because of all this, although it portrayed the teenage universe, the show’s age rating was always 18+. If you have never watched it, take advantage of the fact that all seasons are available on Netflix and fall in love with Skins too.

How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014)
Maybe it is an exaggeration, maybe not. But I will risk saying that How I Met Your Mother meant to many people and to TV history the same emotional shock that Friends caused, but a decade later. At the same time, it helped fill the hole left by its predecessor, which had ended a year earlier.

But far beyond the comparisons — driven by the fact that both stories focus on a group of friends — HIMYM developed a narrative of its own, a story with a defined ending: discovering how Ted (Josh Radnor) met the mother. To tell this saga, peculiar and captivating characters were developed, turning the plot legen—wait for it—dary! (Those who know, know).

House (2004–2012)
Among so many 2000s medical dramas, one of the most standout was undoubtedly House M.D. The series follows the professional routine of the medical team led by Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie), a doctor considered a genius in his field, yet quite grumpy and hard to deal with. Given his talent and brilliance, House’s routine consists of making accurate diagnoses of cases that baffle medicine, with the help of his team of doctors from various specialties.

During the eight years the show aired, House and his team (with a surprising turnover of members) solved many cases of eradicated and rare diseases, not only through their medical knowledge but also through investigations — which led House to repeat his classic line “Everybody lies” many times, referring to the lies patients told about what they had done that might have made them sick.

Gilmore Girls (2000–2007)Over its seven seasons, Gilmore Girls created one of fiction’s most famous mother-daughter relationships (if not the most famous). Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) were only 16 years apart and often seemed more like friends than relatives. And beyond going through meaningful situations, the plot’s great appeal was how they both dealt with everyday life and with each other.

Beyond the perfect duo, the series also became known for its fast-paced dialogue (scripts were nearly twice as long as those of other shows with the same runtime) full of cultural references — no wonder there are several lists online of every book and film cited across the 153 episodes (hundreds of them!)

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The O.C. (2003–2007)
Have you ever dreamed of living in a mansion by the beach, with every comfort and luxury possible, living the perfect life? Well, The O.C. is the show that will show you that even under such incredible conditions, nothing is perfect. The main character is Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), a kid from the wrong side of the tracks taken in by a lawyer into his Newport Beach home, and the series follows his adjustment to a luxurious environment completely different from where he came from. Ryan quickly befriends Seth (Adam Brody), the lawyer’s son, who suffers bullying at school, and falls for Marissa (Mischa Barton), the girl next door who seems to have a perfect life — which we discover, over the course of the story, is far from the case.

The series deals mainly with the many problems and issues of adolescence, often tragically, but without losing its humorous tone, which often came thanks to the empathy audiences felt for Seth and Summer (Rachel Bilson), turning the couple, originally supporting characters, into the ones who often set the show’s tone.

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Smallville (2001–2011)A few years ago, saying Smallville was one of the best shows on TV — I can say it was a bit risky. Almost nobody understood how a story like that — about a Superman who was anything but “super” — stayed on television for so long. As an unconditional fan of the series, I can say: young Superboy’s adventures paved the way for today’s whole wave of superheroes on TV. Just look at how shows like Arrow, The Flash, and even Beauty and the Beast carry very direct references to the Vancouver school.

Making a low-budget hero series is no easy task, which is why I always say the writers’ creativity, a superhuman effort from the casting team, and the producers’ willpower saved the day — especially given the long list of restrictions DC Comics had imposed on Warner back when the show premiered: no direct reference to the Man of Steel. Even so, Smallville fulfilled its role very well, showing that the goofy farm boy could be Earth’s greatest hero. Among the highlights, I must praise the always spot-on partnership with DC’s own writers, especially John Byrne, who — after the creators, the entity called Al-Miles, left the show — made the stories drink much more from the comics. Ten seasons, over 200 episodes, and every second was worth it. (Yes, even Lana, okay? Just because I hate her doesn’t mean I don’t miss her.)

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CSI (2000–2015)
CSI is not only one of the best series of the 2000s. It is also one of TV’s greatest milestones. The show aired for 15 years and, in that time, won some Emmys and the award for most-watched drama series on the planet six times at the Monte Carlo TV Festival.

The series, which portrayed the routine of a group of forensic scientists at the Las Vegas police crime lab, spawned three spinoffs: CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, and CSI: Cyber. None of them matched the mother show’s success and they were all canceled before CSI itself ended, except for CSI: Cyber, which finished a year after the original series wrapped. Beyond its 15 seasons, the show got a TV movie to close out some characters’ storylines.

That’s So Raven (2003–2007)
Everyone, at some point in life, has wished they could predict the future — even just a few hours ahead. But Raven could! And that caused a lot of trouble. A Disney Channel production, That’s So Raven won over young audiences between 2003 and 2007.

The story follows the life of Raven Baxter (Raven-Symoné), a high school girl with the power to see the future. Alongside her friends Chelsea and Eddie, Raven always tries to fix the problems shown in her visions before they happen — which ends up causing even bigger problems. Beyond its original Disney Channel run, the show also aired on SBT — which made it even more popular in Brazil.

Fringe (2008–2013)
J.J. Abrams. A name that gives even the most chill TV fan the shivers. All because he is known as the master of creating wonderful series that somehow fall into a black hole from which not even a speck of cosmic dust escapes to tell the story. (Yes, I am talking about Lost!). But with Fringe, the best sci-fi series of the 2000s, J.J. redeemed himself with an innovative narrative, a tightly knit script, and a cast that made Fringe an unforgettable show (from beginning to premature end). Names like John Noble (The Lord of the Rings), Joshua Jackson (Dawson’s Creek), Blair Brown, and the renowned Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek) ended up attracting a very loyal legion of fans. To give you an idea, the fifth season only happened because of fan campaigns, rewarded by Fox with 13 more episodes to wrap up the plot. But the one who truly stole every scene was newcomer Anna Torv, who grew with the show and shone as special agent Olivia Dunham (my cat’s namesake, lol). Some people like to describe Fringe as a show about a team of FBI agents investigating “special” crimes, a kind of X-Files without aliens. But to me, the show is about human nature and what we are capable of doing for love.

The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019)Last year, after a nervous breakdown that nearly sent me to the hospital, I stumbled upon some random episode of TBBT on Warner. I never understood people’s veneration for this show. Golden Globes, Emmys, People’s Choice Awards? What does a story about a bunch of nerds and a clueless blonde have to add to television? It is safe to say Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady helped me through one of the most terrible phases of my life, all because I discovered that laughing truly is the best medicine. The comedy is far from a reference in sophistication; it is taped with a studio audience, has a very limited set, in the simplest, oldest style a TV comedy can have. Maybe that is why the dialogue and characters need to be so well crafted — and for a show already in its tenth season, holding an audience on humor alone is no easy feat. It is actually commendable. In stage comedy, joke timing, the actors’ and actresses’ versatility, and the writers’ feeling are everything. I started TBBT from the end, of course. I will never forget the first Penny! Penny! Penny! or Sheldon defending his spot, much less the crazy things Leonard, Raj, and Howard do for love. Back then, there was no one to complain to about spoilers — after all, the show’s fans are everywhere on this planet. So I solved the problem by watching every episode on Netflix (here in Ireland they have TBBT!!!) and today I am already on my third full marathon of the series. With the feeling that Kaley, Johnny, Jim, Simon, Melissa, Kunal, and Mayim are the friends I will always want to have around.

Did you like our list? Also revisit the 10 best series of the 90s, TV’s golden age! Oh! And as with any top 10, space is limited, so a lot of good stuff was left out! For you, which series would make the list? Tell us!