No. 83 – “Big Little Lies”
Premiere Date: February 19, 2017 (2 seasons)
HBO
That theme song over the gorgeous Bixby Bridge in Monterey, California. Laura Dern as Renata, losing it time and time again as the epitome of white woman privilege (and then chilling with a glass of wine). Nicole Kidman as Celeste, a woman unable to escape her abusive husband (a horrifying Alexander Skarsgard). Reese Witherspoon as Madeline, the glue to a friend group who thinks she knows it all. Zoe Kravitz as Bonnie, a young mother looking for acceptance from her husband’s ex-wife. Shailene Woodley as the mysterious Jane, looking for closure, and, in season two, Meryl Streep as Mary Louise, the mother from hell. Adapted from Liane Moriarty‘s Sydney-set best seller, David E. Kelly and Jean-Marc Vallée were an unexpected perfect match to craft one of the best escapist programs ever. It surprisingly lost a bit of that magic in its second season under the guise of Andrea Arnold, but the characters were still so distinct, the performances so fierce, that fans are still clamoring for more.
No. 82 – “The Good Wife”
Premiere Date: September 22, 2009 (7 seasons)
CBS
Inspired by the women who stood or continue to “stand by their man,” no matter what scandal follows them, Robert and Patrick King‘s acclaimed drama was a serialized potboiler that navigated contemporary political issues while avoiding the “issue of the week” stigma. The woman or “Wife,” in this case, is Alicia (Julianna Margulies), the partner of a disgraced Illinois State Attorney (Chris Noth). With her husband in jail in the first season, she returns to the workforce at a law firm run by politically liberal partners Will Lockhart (Josh Charles) and Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski, chewing up every scene she’s in). Throughout seven seasons, Alicia finds herself pulled back into her husband’s political aspirations (campaigns directed by a scheming political operative portrayed by Alan Cumming), faces off against in a seemingly never ending rivalry with an envious Cary (Matt Czuchry), an eventual LockhartGardner associate, and tries to raise her two teenagers outside an increasingly tense media bubble. Oh, and there’s that passionate will they, won’t they, will they again affair between Alicia and Will. The show featured some of the most unexpected twists and turns of any series on network television, which often made it must-see TV, a rarity for a drama series on CBS.
No. 81 – “Key & Peele”
Premiere Date: January 31, 2012 (5 seasons)
Comedy Central
In the 2010s, Comedy Central was the home to three of the more influential sketch comedy shows in recent memory. There was the breakout hit “Inside Amy Schumer,” which turned its star into a temporary movie star, and the underrated “Kroll Show,” which deserved more than a three-season run. The third, starring MADTV alumni Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key, was a true pop culture phenomenon. Over 54 half-hour episodes, the pair crafted memorable characters such as Luther, Obama’s Anger Translator, Mr. Garvey, the inner-city substitute teacher, the opposites-attract gay couple LaShawn and Sameul, and, of course, the players of the East/West College Bowl, among many others. Like its Comedy Central counterparts, “Key & Peele” succeeded by not dumbing down its comedy, and gave a much-needed African-American perspective in sketch comedy (something barely seen on “SNL” at the time).
No. 80 – “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”
Premiere Date: August 4, 2005 (17 seasons)
FX, FXX
There are no selections in this list that qualify based on their longevity, but if any show comes close, it would be “Sunny.” The longest-running live-action sitcom or comedy in television history, the show’s creative consistency after 17 years is simply remarkable. This unconventional comedy focuses on The Gang, a bunch of friends who often exhibit the worst possible behaviors and somehow still keep their means of employment, Paddy’s Pub, afloat. The show has covered about every possible social issue you can imagine (genuinely), and even saw Mac (Rob McElhenney, also the show’s creator) come out of the closet over a decade into its run. Even crazier, the show has become such a cult hit that it may be what Danny DeVito is remembered more for than being part of the seminal classic sitcom, “Taxi.” More importantly, it’s been a massive showcase for the talents of the original gang: McElhenney, Kaitlin Olsen, Charlie Day, and Glenn Howerton, who, despite other hit shows or movies, still find time to shoot new seasons two decades in. There’s still never been anything like it and probably never will be again.
No. 79 – “Abbott Elementary”
Premiere Date: December 7, 2021 (4 seasons)
ABC
Inspired by her mother’s exploits as a school teacher, Quinta Brunson’s “Abbott Elementary” has been a post-pandemic, “feel-good” gem in the best way possible. Like several other series on this list, “Abbott” finds its characters’ lives chronicled by a documentary crew that is never seen or heard from. At the center of it all is Janine (Brunson), an idealistic young teacher at a Philly elementary school. She has a romantic flirtation with Gregory (Tyler James Williams), who finds himself teaching after being passed over for the school’s principal opening. That gig went to Ava (Janelle James), the hilariously blunt administrator who eventually becomes better at her job than the school staff thinks. Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) and Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) are the longtime veterans who have seen it all, while Jacob (Chris Perfetti) is the gay history teacher who is often more optimistic about Janine’s plans for the school than she is. Shaking his head at all their antics is Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis), who’s seen it all. Like all great comedies, the show’s cast has incredible chemistry, but it’s often laugh-out-loud funny because of a writing staff that never picks the easy way out.
No. 78 – “Portlandia”
Premiere Date: January 21, 2011 (8 seasons)
IFC
Unsurprisingly, there are several selections on this list that are snapshots of the early 2010s hipster movement (coincidentally, perhaps too many). The only one that doesn’t take place in New York City is Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, and Jonathan Krisel’s “Portlandia.” Filmed on location, each episode saw Armisen and Brownstein playing different characters caught up in the most Portland-esque series of events possible. With familiar faces peppered in as guest stars, Armisen and Brownstein lovingly poked fun at liberal causes, feminism, gentrification, and political correctness. There were episodes in coffee houses, book stores, an outdoor movie screening, that never-ending line for brunch, a Men’s Film Festival (a skit hilariously and horrifingly ahead of its time), and that time a goth couple went to Bed Bath and Beyond. Sure, it was all very stereotypically Portland, but anyone who lives there would say it was sort of super spot on. It was also very much Obama years content, and, honestly, we’re sort of nostalgic for it.
No. 77 – “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
Premiere Date: February 2, 2009 (17 seasons)
Logo, VH1, MTV
Originally intended to mock reality competition shows such as “Project Runway,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race” turned the competition format on its head, evolving into a creative endeavor like nothing before it. Over 17 years, the program has chronicled stories of LGBTQ+ individuals rarely seen by a mainstream audience, while pushing the boundaries of what a mainstream “drag” show could be. The contestants on the show have influenced the world’s fashion’s designers, brought queer slang to the masses (if you run into a straight man who uses “girl” as part of his vernacular chances are its because of “Drag Race”), and influenced a generation of global pop stars from Miley Cyrus to Chappell Roan. It became a meme generator like no other, inspiring protest signs and marches around the world (really). For many, it became a bingeable escape during the first Trump administration (ask John Oliver) and a necessary distraction during the stay-at-home era of the pandemic. It pushed Hollywood to include drag queens in all aspects of film, television, Broadway, and even some competition reality shows. And almost two decades in, the inherent drama and creativity its queens have displayed season after season shows no signs of slowing down.
No. 76- “True Detective”
Premiere Date: January 19, 2014 (4 seasons)
HBO
The first season of “True Detective” was an utter sensation. Created by Nic Pizzolatto and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, it was arguably the beginning of a wave of auteurs-driven content that television has rarely seen. Set over multiple eras, the first season found Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) pulled back into an investigation they thought was closed 17 years prior. Pizzolatto crafted the narrative to explore the existential battle between “light vs. dark” (Hart famously pines, “the light’s winning”), but suggests evil is ingrained everywhere in society. Television had ventured into cinematic moments before, but Fukunaga stunned many with his almost five-minute one-shot take in episode 4. It opened the door to untapped possibilities as prestige television exploded in the years following. The second and third seasons, also under Pizzolatto, tackled everything from the New World Order to one detective’s decades-long obsession with an unsolved case. The fourth go-around, “Night Country,” found writer and director Issa Lopez taking the show in a different direction while still hinting at the original existential themes. There were incredible moments and performances in seasons 2-4, but the show still hasn’t returned to the heights of that original Louisiana mystery.
Tomorrow: No. 75 to No. 51
