13 Best TV Dramas of the 2000s, Ranked (original) (raw)
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Updated Mar 11, 2025, 10:30 PM EDT
A recovering journalism major, Brynn accidentally learned about TV development while studying abroad in Australia--a trip that was supposed to be merely a beach vacation disguised as a college semester. After graduating, she set off for Los Angeles with nothing but a dream and a vague idea of what a "pilot order" meant. Having now worked with the development teams of some of the most reputable studios and streamers in the industry, Brynn has returned to her journalism roots, bringing a decade of TV experience along with her.
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The year 2000 signaled a new era in human history. While some prognosticators expected flying cars or a catastrophic technological reset, the cultural advancement most readily delivered by the first decade of the new millennium was good TV. Really good TV. This transitional period in scripted programming saw the beginning of network TV's decline, while cable and premium networks like HBO, Showtime, and AMC planted their flags.
As with all evolutionary advancements, increased competition inspired innovation and diversification. When not restrained by the FCC's broadcasting standards, TV as a medium was allowed to spread its storytelling wings. The premises grew darker, the language became grittier, and the heroes started breaking bad. As a result, the 2000s saw a slew of groundbreaking dramas make their mark on television history and redefine what was possible for the genre. Here are the best, ranked from great to greatest.
13 Prison Break (2005-2009, 2017)
Created By Paul Scheuring
Wentworth Miller as Michael Scofield looks at a piece of paper in 'Prison Break'.
Image via 20th Television
So, imagine your best friend is convicted of a crime that he didn’t commit, and your background as a structural engineer gives you a splendid idea: help break your friend out of prison, by going to prison yourself. If that sounds like a bonkers premise, you are, one, correct, and, two, had no idea how this translated into an integral piece of 2000s TV.
Prison Break, created by Paul Scheuring, took that unconventional premise and made it work brilliantly. Each episode kept you on the edge of your seat, wondering if that plan would work. Prison Break “ended” with a TV movie in 2009 that pretty much wrapped up its initial story, but was revived in 2017, to everyone’s confusion. We won’t talk about Season 5, which you should skip; but the first four seasons were gold for Prison Break, and was one of the best dramas of the Y2K era.
Prison Break
Release Date
2005 - 2017-00-00
Network
FOX
Showrunner
Paul Scheuring
12 '24' (2001-2010)
Created by Robert Cochran, Joel Surnow
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Jack Bauer on the phone in 24, a helicopter in flames behind him
Image via Fox
24 completely revolutionized TV storytelling by having the action unfold in real-time, resulting in each season occurring over the course of a single day. The structure instantly became iconic, as did the lead character, US counter-terrorism agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland). As Bauer thwarted assassination attempts and bioterrorism plots, the audience was driven to appreciate the story's life-or-death stakes in a visceral way.
Premiering only months after September 11, 2001, 24 was the right show at the right time for many Americans. With the US positioned as the hero, the exploration of the ethical dilemmas of counter-terrorism and subsequent victories over nefarious actors offered a kind of catharsis that was not available in reality. The series, however, still managed to provide its own brand of escapism, and its engaging characters and stunning cliffhangers kept the audience on the edge of their seats, one heart-pounding hour at a time.
24
Release Date
2001 - 2010-00-00
Showrunner
Robert Cochran
Set against the ticking clock of impending disaster, 24 follows the intense life of CTU agent Jack Bauer, played by Kiefer Sutherland. The series is notable for its real-time format, where each of the 24 episodes represents one hour of a single day, with Bauer facing severe challenges and critical decisions in his fight against terrorism.
Creator(s)
Robert Cochran, Joel Surnow
Seasons
9
11 'Dexter' (2006-2013)
Developed by James Manos Jr.
Dexter stands like a deer in the headlights holding a knife over a dead body in Dexter.
Image via Showtime
There may not have been many people calling for a premium drama about a serial killer with a heart of gold, but Dexter did it anyway. The series followed Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a blood-splatter analyst for the Miami Police Department who brutally murdered people in his spare time. Though his violent tendencies emerged in response to the horrific experience of seeing his mother killed in front of him at just three years old, Dexter's adoptive father taught him how to channel his rage and bloodlust only toward those who deserved it most--those who have committed violent crimes themselves, yet escaped justice.
Dexter Morgan perfectly encapsulated the complicated antihero protagonist that dominated the airwaves in the 2000s. Typical of the decade, the series forced the audience to reconcile the uncomfortable feeling of rooting for and even caring about someone that they would likely revile if he existed in reality. Dexter's ever-present inner conflict—trying to be a good person while longing to inflict pain—made for one of the most complex and gripping characters ever seen on screen, for which Michael C. Hall received five Emmy nominations.
Dexter
Release Date
2006 - 2013-00-00
Network
Showtime
10 House (2004-2012)
Created by David Shore
Hugh Laurie tending to a patient's eye who is sitting up in a hospital bed in House episode Birthmarks
Image via Fox
It feels as if this Fox medical drama has slipped through the cracks of perpetual obscurity, so we’re reaching into the void to bring this show back to the relevance it deserves. When it premiered in 2004, House set itself apart from the other medical shows at the time thanks to Hugh Laurie’s mesmerizing performance as Dr. House, a doctor who often clashes with fellow physicians thanks to his “unique” insights.
The unconventional nature of House is what made the show so memorable, but as other medical-centric dramas have taken a foothold in the genre, House has slowly faded into obscurity, which is a shame because we need more unconventional dramas such as House.
House
Release Date
2004 - 2012-00-00
Network
FOX
9 'Lost' (2004-2010)
Created by J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, and Jeffrey Lieber
In a wide shot, Walt, Charlie, Michael, Sun, Kate, Sayid, Jack, Sawyer and Locke, of ABC’s ‘Lost,’ look off into the distance with concern.
Image via ABC
As the first series to ever boast a $10 million budget for its pilot episode, expectations were high when Lost premiered in 2004. Following a group of castaways stranded on a mysterious island after a plane crash, the series starts with one question, as delivered by stranded passenger Charlie (Dominic Monaghan): "Guys, where are we?" By the time the show wrapped 6 seasons later, Lost had continued to pose questions more quickly than it answered them, creating a viewing experience where it was impossible to know what would happen next.
While the concept of "water cooler shows" started to decline in the 2000s due to DVR, Lost established itself as a series for which appointment viewing remained essential. The audience treated theorizing the next reveal like it was a sport, but the story stayed one step ahead until the very end. Though the finale remains controversial, the series overall was a lightning rod of a spectacle that isn't likely to be seen on network TV again.
Lost
Release Date
2004 - 2010-00-00
Network
Lost follows the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815, which crashes on a mysterious island in the South Pacific. The diverse group must work together to survive while uncovering the island's many secrets, including a hidden hatch, a smoke monster, and other supernatural elements. Known for its complex narrative structure, the series includes flashbacks and flashforwards that provide deeper insights into the characters' backstories and their lives off the island. As they navigate the island's dangers and mysteries, the survivors form bonds and face challenges that test their limits and reveal hidden truths.
Creator(s)
J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, Jeffrey Lieber
Seasons
6
8 'The West Wing' (1999-2006)
Created by Aaron Sorkin
President Bartlet is on the phone while Sam Seaborn and Toby Ziegler stand beside him in the Oval Office
Image via NBC
A series about a well-functioning government where everyone operates in good faith might be considered science fiction today, but in the early 2000s, The West Wing was the most grounded view into the world of politics that had ever been seen on TV. Focused on the senior staff of President Jed Bartlett (Martin Sheen), The West Wing peeled back the curtain on the inner workings of Washington, while exploring what it meant for a character to endure life's typical personal challenges as someone whose decisions make a global impact.
Written in the singular style of creator Aaron Sorkin, The West Wing was known for its rapid-fire dialogue, unapologetic earnestness, and many conversations in hallways. Never one to talk down to the audience, the series tackled complex policy issues and political maneuvers in a way that still managed to be accessible and character-driven. With subsequent political series taking on a decidedly more pessimistic tone, The West Wing, once known for its grounded realism, now inspires nostalgia for an era where both TV and politics could be a little less cynical.
The West Wing
Release Date
1999 - 2006-00-00
Network
Inside the lives of staffers in the West Wing of the White House.
Showrunner
Aaron Sorkin
Seasons
7
7 'Mad Men' (2007-2015)
Created by Matthew Weiner
H. Richard Greene as Jim Hobart, Jon Hamm as Don Draper and Paul Johansson as Ferg Donnelly in a meeting on Mad Men.
Image via AMC
The golden age of television explored the golden age of advertising in Mad Men, and the 1960s never looked sleeker or cooler than the way the era was portrayed on the AMC series. The image was all a facade, however—an ongoing theme that was perfectly encapsulated within the complicated, ubiquitous main character, Don Draper (Jon Hamm). As the creative director at Sterling Cooper ad agency, Draper was forced to balance the never-ending rat race with his picturesque, yet often troubled, home life.
When it debuted in 2007, Mad Men delivered a level of nuance that hadn't yet become expected of TV dramas. The show explored themes like identity, sexism, and class, without ever resorting to simplification for the sake of a tidy TV moral. It stayed true to its characters' unflinching commitment to their own self-interest and their overall pathos that winning was far more important than any antiquated ideas about righteousness. The finale delivered a satisfying conclusion to Don Draper's journey, where conceiving the, "I want to buy the world a Coke," ad campaign granted him the ultimate win—both commercial and introspective.
Mad Men
Release Date
2007 - 2015-00-00
Network
AMC
A drama about one of New York's most prestigious ad agencies at the beginning of the 1960s, focusing on one of the firm's most mysterious but extremely talented ad executives, Donald Draper.
Seasons
7
Main Genre
6 Criminal Minds (2005-2020, 2022 -)
Created by Jeff David
Joe Mantegna as David Rossi in Criminal Minds Evolution
Image via Paramount
In 2005, a show revolving around a group of FBI profilers premiered and went on to change the nature of police dramas forever. That show was Criminal Minds, which followed criminal profilers as they used their unique skills to solve gruesome crimes.
For years, Criminal Minds was a ratings juggernaut for CBS, frequently one of the network’s top-rated and most-watched shows, thanks to its stellar cast and intoxicating storyline. After ending early in 2020, Criminal Minds was revived on Paramount+ in 2022, and continues its streak of ratings success.
Criminal Minds
Release Date
September 22, 2005
Network
CBS, Paramount+
Cast
Kirsten Vangsness
Penelope Garcia
5 'Six Feet Under' (2001-2005)
Created by Alan Ball
Image from Six Feet Under's pilot released in 2001 of people standing at a graveside service.
Image via HBO
HBO firmly established itself as a home for premium series about the darker sides of life when it released Six Feet Under, a show about death. The series followed the dysfunctional Fisher family, funeral home owners who had to continue their work while navigating their own grief after patriarch Nathaniel Fisher's (Richard Jenkins) passing. Each episode, beginning with a different death, inspired the characters to reflect on their lives in new ways, and sometimes, having an imaginary conversation with a corpse mid-embalming is the best method of introspection.
Six Feet Under remains one of the most well-regarded series in television history thanks to its deeply complex characters and the specific tone crafted by creator Alan Ball. The rise of premium cable allowed writers to flex their creative muscles, and the macabre humor of the Fisher & Sons Funeral Home pushed the boundaries for what could be considered acceptable for a television series. Throw in one of the most satisfying finales of all time, and Six Feet Under has more than earned its place as one of the defining series of the 2000s.
Six Feet Under
Release Date
2001 - 2005-00-00
Network
HBO
A chronicle of the lives of a dysfunctional family who run an independent funeral home in Los Angeles.
4 'Friday Night Lights' (2006-2011)
Developed by Peter Berg
Coach Eric Taylor stands on the football field sidelines while his wife, Tami, stands in the bleachers behind him.
Image via NBC
"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose." The rallying cry for the Dillon High School football team was also a mission statement for Friday Night Lights, a series where all the trials and tragedies of a small West Texas town never defeated its complicated and resilient characters. Beginning with the devastating paralysis of a star quarterback, Friday Night Lights explored the precariousness of small-town glory and the new pathways one can forge when big dreams don't go as planned.
Though the low-rated series had to perennially fight for its place in NBC's lineup like a freshman trying to make the team, Friday Night Lights generated one of the most passionate fan bases on TV. With deeply empathetic storytelling and characters that inspired fierce investment from viewers, the show held an important place within the cultural landscape. In a decade where television dramas were largely defined by darkness and grit, Friday Night Lights was like a warm embrace, proving that even in the provocative premium cable era, TV could still be a source of comfort.
Friday Night Lights
Release Date
2006 - 2011
Network
NBC, The 101
A drama that follows the lives of the Dillon Panthers, one of the nation's best high school football teams, and their head coach Eric Taylor.