Why the 2010s Were a Peak Era for Television
The 2010s delivered a rare combination of risk-taking, cinematic quality, and binge-friendly storytelling that redefined what audiences expected from TV. Streaming platforms expanded access, prestige dramas chased cinematic production values, and genre series gained cultural legitimacy. This overview highlights the decade’s best shows by impact, consistency, and innovation, pairing critical reception with lasting influence. Below you’ll find a curated breakdown of landmark series, why they define the era, what to revisit first, and how these programs continue to shape contemporary television.
Criteria and Methodology
Because "best" can mean different things, this overview weighs multiple dimensions to give a durable, fact-first view of the decade’s strongest series. The selections balance aggregate critic scores, awards recognition, cultural footprint, influence on subsequent creators, and long-term audience engagement. For each show, we consider creative risks taken, coherence of vision across seasons, representation and storytelling milestones, and how well the series aged. Rankings are not strictly positional; instead, they reflect comparative strengths so you can choose what matters most to you.
Key Measures We Use
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Aggregate Ratings | Metascore and Rotten Tomatoes averages where available | Critic and user scores |
| Major Awards | Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, Peabodys, and major critics awards | Official award records |
| Cultural Impact | Top Google Trends, social discussion peaks, watercooler moments | Search and media analysis |
| Longevity and Legacy | Multi-season arcs, sustained fandom, influence on later series | Retrospective reviews and industry commentary |
Top Narrative Dramas
Drama anchored much of the decade’s prestige conversation, with serialized storytelling and cinematic production values attracting both audiences and awards voters. These series leaned into complex character work, morally gray storytelling, and long-form arcs that rewarded dedicated viewers.
Breaking Bad (2008–2013)
Though it launched in 2008, Breaking Bad peaked culturally and structurally in the early 2010s, concluding in 2013 with one of the most tightly plotted finales in TV history. Its escalation from small-time chemistry teacher to calculated drug lord set a new bar for tension and moral collapse. The series refined its visual language each season, turning Albuquerque into a character itself and influencing countless procedurals and antihero dramas that followed.
Mad Men (2007–2015)
Winding down in the latter half of the 2010s, Mad Men spent much of the decade defining prestige drama aesthetics. Its period setting became a lens for contemporary conversations about identity, power, and change. The series is noted for its deliberate pacing, visual precision, and performances anchored in restraint, offering a slower counterpoint to the decade’s increasingly rapid storytelling rhythms.
Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
Few series rivaled Game of Thrones in scale and global reach during the 2010s. Its blend of political intrigue, fantasy worldbuilding, and cinematic set pieces generated watercooler moments on an unprecedented scale. However, its final season drew sharp critical division, illustrating how execution matters as much as premise in long-form storytelling.
Peak Comedy and Genre Hybrids
The decade’s best comedies often blurred genre lines, incorporating drama, satire, and surrealism without losing their comedic core. Antihero humor, meta storytelling, and formally inventive episodes made these shows touchstones for both casual viewers and critics.
Community (2009–2015)
Renowned for its inventive structure, parody, and meta-commentary, Community treated genre and medium as raw material rather than constraints. Episodes like "Remedial Chaos Theory" became shorthand for alternate-story ambition, and the show’s devoted fanbase sustained it through cancellations and revivals, proving that niche appeal can achieve lasting influence.
Atlanta (2016–2022)
Atlanta fused dark comedy, surrealism, and incisive social commentary, expanding the vocabulary of what TV comedy could sound and look like. Its elliptical storytelling and focus on regional specificity influenced a wave of creator-driven comedies that prioritized tone and point of view over traditional sitcom formulas.
Schitt’s Creek (2015–2020)
Beginning as a premise built on absurdity, Schitt’s Creek matured into a nuanced exploration of class, empathy, and reinvention. Its tight plotting and consistent character growth made it a benchmark for how comedy and drama can coexist, culminating in an ending widely cited as one of television’s most satisfying conclusions.
Genre Breakouts and Global Hits
Streaming and international distribution broadened the field, bringing speculative, horror, and genre-forward series to global audiences. Shows like The Walking Dead and Stranger Things became cultural baselines, while region-specific series proved that distinct voices can find devoted viewers anywhere.
The Walking Dead (2010–2022)
As a defining horror-drama of the decade, The Walking Dead tested the limits of long-running serialized storytelling. Though later seasons faced criticism for repetition, its early runs set benchmarks for tension, character loss, and the logistics of survival in a post-zombie world. Spin-offs and companion series extended its footprint well beyond the 2010s.
Stranger Things (2016–present)
Stranger Things crystallized nostalgia for the 1980s while delivering tightly structured, kid-centered sci-fi adventure. Its stylized production design and synth-forward score created a cohesive aesthetic that felt both period-specific and timeless, driving renewed interest in practical effects and ensemble youth casts.
Dark (2017–2020)
German-language series Dark demonstrated how intricate time-travel storytelling could thrive in a binge era. Its non-linear structure and morally complex characters challenged viewers to engage actively, and its conclusion in a tightly wrapped third season set a high bar for planned limited genre epics.
Animated Milestones and New Arenas
Animation matured beyond traditional sitcom formats, with serialized storytelling, adult humor, and cinematic pacing attracting older audiences and critical acclaim. Streaming services invested heavily in animated originals, expanding the medium’s range and ambitions.
BoJack Horseman (2014–2020)
Beginning as a curious oddity, BoJack Horseman evolved into one of the decade’s most ambitious explorations of depression, fame, and self-sabotage. Its tonal shifts between slapstick and devastatingly honest drama influenced how streaming shows approach mental health without shrinking from darkness.
Rick and Morty (2013–present)
Rick and Morty balanced nihilistic humor, sci-fi invention, and surprisingly emotional stakes, creating a style that felt distinctively millennial and Gen Z. Its cyclical storytelling and commitment to continuity rewarded attentive viewers and helped legitimize serialized humor in adult animation.
How to Revisit and Compare
When choosing where to start or return, align the show’s pacing and tone with your viewing goals. If you want tightly plotted, high-impact arcs, prioritize series known for concise seasons and strong finales. If you prefer evolving worldbuilding, lean into long-running dramas with consistent creative leadership. Use streaming curated lists and reputable critics’ rankings as guides, but sample pilot episodes to test pacing and tone fit for your preferences.
Quick Comparison Snapshot
- Best for tight, consequential storytelling: Breaking Bad
- Best for visual and tonal innovation: Atlanta, BoJack Horseman
- Best for event-scale worldbuilding: Game of Thrones, Stranger Things
- Best for formally ambitious comedy: Community, Rick andMorty
- Best for emotionally grounded closure: Schitt’s Creek
Enduring Influence and Legacy
The 2010s established creative and business norms that continue to shape the industry: prestige budgets for streaming originals, shorter season runs with fewer cliffhangers, and greater investment in genre and international content. These shows trained audiences to expect serialized arcs, cinematic visuals, and creator-driven visions. Their influence can be seen in current approaches to casting, marketing, and cross-platform storytelling, suggesting that the decade’s legacy will endure well beyond its years.