BK's Top 20 TV Shows of the Oughts

Despite all the garbage on TV (reality shows/horrible game shows), I believe that this decade has seen a resurgence in solid and innovative TV. I could count on 2 hands (with some fingers left) the shows from the '90s that I would rewatch today. I don't think I will have that same problem with these '00s shows in the future. A key to my list, especially when distinguishing my top 5, was rewatchability and shark-jumping (as in, did the show stay around way too long?). I also tried to factor in the "what-if" factor, as there are alot of shows here that disappeared quickly, and would they have stayed as good if they had made it to their 5th (or in some cases 2nd) season. So here is my favorite 20 shows from the last decade:

20. Entourage (04-present)- Vinnie Chase and his crew started so well, but the last 2 years have just been okay.
19. Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip (06-07)- Alot of potential for Sorkin's West Wing follow-up, but people just didn't care about rich actor's behind-the-scenes problems.
18. Undeclared (01-02)- This show about college freshmen was not given a proper chance by Fox. Very smart and fairly accurate depiction of starting college life. Created by Judd Apatow before he was Judd Apaptow. Also look for Jason Seigel and Seth Rogen before they were stars.
17. Mad Men (07-present)- Life in a 1960's ad firm, just as women's rights (and everything, really) were changing. One of the better ensembles of the decade.
16. Aqua Teen Hunger Force (01-present)- Cartoon about a milkshake, fries and wad of meat who solve crimes in New jersey. Yup, it's exactly what it sounds like. But funny as hell and helped launch Adult Swim.
15. Saturday Night Live (75- present)- Some so-so years in the mix this decade, but Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, et al continued to make mostly-great comedy 35 years after the show debuted.
14. Andy Richter Controls The Universe (02-03)- This show was also treated poorly by Fox, as it bounced to a million time slots. But "Andy" was a pre-cursor to shows like The Office or 30 Rock, by swaying away from "normal" sitcoms with wild sequences and awkward moments. Great cast as well.
13. The Sopranos (99-07)- When this decade started, it looked like this could be the best show ever. Then they started taking 2 year breaks between seasons. And uneven writing and weird plots. And having strange dream sequences. And the controversial finale (which I loved by the way). Still one of the best dramas I've ever watched.
12. Chapelle's Show (03-05)- For 2 season, this became the "SNL" of its time. Water-cooler material, quotes galore, and some of the funniest sketches you'll ever see. Then Dave lost his mind. Oh, what could have been.
11. How I Met Your Mother (06-present)- I didn't start watching till the 3rd season, but so glad I finally did. The plot: a father in 2030 explaining to his kids how he and their mom had met. The catch: 100 episodes in and we still don't know. But the stories leading up to that fateful day have been great. The "Friends" of the Oughts.
10. Rescue Me (04-present)- A dark dramedy about an NYC firehouse and the multitude of problems they go through. I started watching for Denis Leary and stayed because of the great writing and acting.
9. Scrubs (01-present)- I was very late to this party, catching up just as the 7th season was beginning. Just like Seinfeld the decade before, once I watched, I couldn't believe it took me so long to start. JD and his inner monologue, Dr Cox (one of my favorite characters ever) and his rants, and so much more.
8. Curb Your Enthusiasm (00-present)- The true master of awkward comedy (on Mt Rushmore with Ricky Gervais and Steve Carrell), Larry David's look behind the curtain is still funny ten years later. Every situation that Larry puts himself into is painful but hilarious. and the Seinfeld "reunion" this season drove it to new levels.
7. 30 Rock (06-present)- Tina Fey is the funniest woman on the planet. and she gets to show it in this SNL-like behind-the-scenes show. And Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan are hilarious as well.
6. The West Wing (99-06)- The incredibly well-written show about a president and his administration. While they had a small creative slump in the middle seasons, it surged while covering the campaigns of the presidential wannabes.
5. Arrested Development (03-06)- The smartest comedy ever. Which is why it barely lasted 3 seasons in a world where "According to Jim" and "Til Death" get renewed multiple times. It had jokes that you actually had to think about and pay attention to. Rumors abound that a movie is in the works. Let's hope so- bring back the Bluths!
4. 24 (01-present)- I'm proud to say that I was one of the few watching this when it debuted, and that I brought alot of people on board as the show gained popularity. Set in "real time," Jack Bauer saves the world season after season from every catastrophe possible. It's had a great run, but I'm actually hoping this upcoming season is the last- before it goes off the deep end.
3. Family Guy (99-present)- One of the greatest success stories of the decade, Family Guy is a cartoon that goes off on crazy tangents, pop-culture references, and unbelieveable story lines, but almost always finds the funny. This show was killed by Fox (a recurring theme- maybe Fox should stop being a network). But 3 years later, thanks to tremendous DVD sales and repeats on Cartoon Network, the show was revived and is now a staple on Sunday nights.
2. The Office (05-present)- Did I watch in the beginning hoping to see them bash my hometown of Scranton (the show's setting)? Yes. But while waiting for that, I discovered the funniest show on TV. It took some time to find its footing (but so did Cheers and MASH). And kudos to NBC for allowing it to do so in an era that good but underachieving shows are quickly canceled. One of the best comedy ensembles ever.
1. Lost (04-present)- How many shows do you actually miss when they are not on? Lost is one of those shows to me. But it's so much more- the questions that it raises about destiny, faith vs. science, and how much of our life do we control. The twists and turns the plot has taken have pushed some people away- fine by me. To those, I say go watch "Gilligan's Island." The finale next year should be fantastic, and the ride through 6 seasons has been worth it.