Since we're still new to Warming Glow, I thought it would be useful to provide some context to the television opinions expressed about the current television landscape by looking back a decade and exploring the nine best shows of 2001. Obviously, not all of these shows began their runs in 2001, but they were all airing, and each one had a strong 2001 season (the missing 10th series was "Friends," but by 2001, it was crap). Also, retrospectives are fun, and if you haven't caught all of the series below, they're each worth checking out (and number 8 and number 5 can each be knocked out in a weekend).
9. 24: The first season, in 2001, of Keifer Sutherland's overwrought, over-the-top but intensely action-packed series was maybe the best, and ended with one of the more surprising deaths of the decade. Unfortunately, it was mostly downhill from there.
8. Undeclared: Not quite "Freaks and Geeks," Judd Apatow brought a similar comedic sensibility to college in this short-lived, cancelled to soon series that introduced American to Charlie Hunnam and Jay Baruchel. Seth Rogen was pretty great in it, too.
7. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Slightly cheesy, all kinds of kick ass, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was a coming of age show about self-and-sexual identity crises, and, of course, vampires. It's everything that Twilight isn't. Unfortunatley, it also had one of the worst theme songs of the decade. Ugh
6. Curb Your Enthusiasm: Larry David combined uncomfortable and aggressively anti-PC humor into a show that merged huge laughs with one of the least likable characters on TV. In all the right ways, of course.
5. The Office (UK): Ricky Gervais' original "The Office" series popularized comedy of discomfort. It was absurdist tragedy combined with Andy Kaufmanesque humor and populated with small, joyous victories that you'd miss if you left the room to avoid the awkward almost too-hard-to-watch situations.
4. Futurama: This brilliant Matt Groening sci-fi animated series is perhaps the most heartfelt cartoon of all time: Smart, sophisticated, and thanks to a five-year hiatus, it's the one of only two shows on this list that is still running, but unlike the other one, it's as fresh and smart as it ever was. The "Jurassic Bark" episode could also bring the strongest man to his knees.
3. Six Feet Under: 2001 was the freshman season of "Six Feet Under" and its very best, as Alan Ball confronted death head on, exploring the different ways in which people deal with grief. Eventually, it also gave us the most painful, gut-wrenching series finale of the decade.
2. West Wing: In 2001, "The West Wing" was still under the stewardship of Aaron Sorkin (before John Wells gutted it), and he gave us pitch-perfect writing, emotional resonance, and President Bartlett shoving Bible quotes down a homophobic radio host's gullet in one of the best scenes of the decade.
1. The Sopranos: The cable drama that put premium cable on the television map: No longer was it about airing late-night soft core skin flicks and feature films before they were edited for network television, "The Sopronas" paved the way for many of the best series of the entire decade. But it wasn't just groundbreaking: It was a phenomenal series in its own right, even though the glacially paced later seasons gave way to one of the most frustrating finales in television series history (below, spoilers obviously)
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I miss Matt, this site used to be the anti-list place to be. I think this last week had more lists than the site had in its entire life span.
No love for Matt and Trey?
Futurama > The Simpsons
The lists are fine. I miss matt coming into the commenting section and pummeling the yahoos that dared challenge how he ran his site.
also, with the increase in lists has come a welcome increase in tits.
I’d give the West Wing the edge over the Sopranos with the exception of the episode they aired after September 11th.
I don’t mind the lists- as long as there is thought behind them. Sometimes it seems like the lists in the past were literally just first 10 things that showed up on google that met the category. I don’t think this is the case here.
That list reminds me of how happy I am we had a kid in 2000 and I didn’t have time for much TV in 2001.
I miss Matt too. If he was still here, there wouldn’t be a comment in every thread pissing and moaning for his return.
I’d like to point out that “OZ” was still on in 2001.
(Damn. Blew that one. There was the 10th series I was looking for. List amended, in my mind. — DR)
That list reminds me of how happy I am we had a kid in 2000 and I didn’t have time for much TV in 2001.
You didn’t have time for TV after you had kids? Jesus, that’s all I had time for. You know, aside from the kids.
Being a parent means never having to say “I’m going out tonight.”
If Buffy is going to start getting some love on this site, then I’m all for the new management.
Speaking of tits and the changes around here, where the hell is Lindy? Bring the funny.
Wow, this list brought up TWO different things that crushed me – that episode of Futurama with the dog, and the finale of Six Feet Under. Six Feet Under put me into an existential funk for a fucking MONTH, and still weighs on me like a year later (I watched the show via Netflix, not as it aired).
David Brent’s dance is one of the greatest moments in TV history. That is all.
(Word. — DR)
@Jack Burton, opinion seconded. I’d go so far as Futurama > Simpsons > Family Guy
24. The Office. rest of the list is suck. tv is so much better these days.
But what were the 14 best TV shows on the air in 1997?
I was about to suggest “X-Files,” but I think it was getting into crazypants Mulder-less territory by then.
Was that a shot at Curb being stale? Did we watch the same series this past season?
You start off by saying 24 was all downhill after season 1, then you take a shot at Curb in the Futurama pane? After Curb just had arguably one of it’s best seasons? That’s it, we’re fighting after school.
I demand more integrity from this faceless blog writer.
At least check your GD spelling. Fuck.
Man I wish we had a president who could be so direct about how stupid biblical literalists are.
It says that Sopranos clip is 4:50 but I swear it just took me a half hour to watch…
Putting four shows above The Office is a travesty.
Worst theme song ever for Buffy?
I thought it was a pretty kick ass opening. You just can’t listen to it every episode or you’ll go crazy.
Also, I liked Angel’s theme better.
More slideshows! Maybe if you do enough it’ll confuse Zerkle and he’ll accidentally write here instead of on bleacher report
Undeclared was really terrific.
The scene with Marshall and his Japanese girlfriend arguing with their translators about the eel farm….still one of the funniest scenes I’ve ever seen.
I’m glad I somehow managed to live my life not having watched The West Wing.
Buffy ruled though.
Great call on Six Feet Under. That finale still haunts me and reminds me of a time when I looked forward to Sunday night TV on HBO.
Mind the typos, that’s not pro at all.