Best TV Dramas of the new Millennium
Can't believe the new Millennium is already sixteen years old (at this writing). How time flies.
These are my favorite television dramas since the dawn of the new millennium.
In my opinion, this is truly the golden age of television dramas. While there are untold depths of GARBAGE on the airways these days, the proliferation of television networks and streaming services has allowed for some exceptional drama series to make a big splash and find an audience.
For the most part, Network TV is DEAD! How many more "reality" series, Law & Order, CSI, Dancing with the Stars, Big Brother, NCIS, Bachelor/Bachelorette BULL$H!T can these brain dead programmers shove down our throats!?
Thank goodness for HBO, SHO, CINEMAX, Starz and now Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and even Audience Network! Not to mention several other cable networks like Sundance, A&E, etc.. for taking chances and coming up with ....something.... entertaining!
These are my favorite television dramas since the dawn of the new millennium.
In my opinion, this is truly the golden age of television dramas. While there are untold depths of GARBAGE on the airways these days, the proliferation of television networks and streaming services has allowed for some exceptional drama series to make a big splash and find an audience.
For the most part, Network TV is DEAD! How many more "reality" series, Law & Order, CSI, Dancing with the Stars, Big Brother, NCIS, Bachelor/Bachelorette BULL$H!T can these brain dead programmers shove down our throats!?
Thank goodness for HBO, SHO, CINEMAX, Starz and now Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and even Audience Network! Not to mention several other cable networks like Sundance, A&E, etc.. for taking chances and coming up with ....something.... entertaining!
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- CreatorDavid SimonStarsDominic WestLance ReddickSonja SohnThe Baltimore drug scene, as seen through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement.Truly Impressive.. best drama of all-time.
- CreatorVince GilliganStarsBryan CranstonAaron PaulAnna GunnA chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine with a former student in order to secure his family's future.LOVED this series!
Vies with "The Wire" for best drama ever. - CreatorDavid BenioffD.B. WeissStarsEmilia ClarkePeter DinklageKit HaringtonNine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.NO ONE is safe!
- CreatorDavid MilchStarsTimothy OlyphantIan McShaneMolly ParkerA show set in the late 1800s, revolving around the characters of Deadwood, South Dakota; a town of deep corruption and crime.Ian McShane is F!@$ING AWESOME!
- CreatorAllan CubittStarsGillian AndersonJamie DornanJohn LynchA seemingly cold but very passionate policewoman goes head to head with a seemingly passionate father who is in fact a cold serial killer in this procedural out of Belfast. The only thing they share is their common complexity.WOW.. what a series!
The two best detective series of the millennium are NOT American-made: "The Fall", "The Bridge" ("Bron | Broen"). - CreatorMåns MårlindHans RosenfeldtBjörn SteinStarsSofia HelinRafael PetterssonSarah BobergWhen a body is found on the bridge between Denmark and Sweden, right on the border, Danish inspector Martin Rohde and Swedish Saga Norén have to share jurisdiction and work together to find the killer.Can't help but binge watch this excellent series!
The two best detective series of the millennium are NOT American-made: "The Fall", "The Bridge" ("Bron | Broen"). - CreatorBruno HellerWilliam J. MacDonaldJohn MiliusStarsKevin McKiddRay StevensonPolly WalkerA down-to-earth account of the lives of both illustrious and ordinary Romans set in the last days of the Roman Republic.An under-rated gem...
- CreatorFarhad SafiniaStarsKelsey GrammerConnie NielsenHannah WareMayor Tom Kane, diagnosed with a dementia disorder, struggles to keep his grip on power in Chicago.beautiful dialog
- CreatorRay McKinnonStarsAden YoungAbigail SpencerJ. Smith-CameronDaniel Holden must put his life back together after serving 19 years on Georgia's Death Row before DNA evidence calls his conviction into question.You will FEEL this..
- CreatorRodrigo GarcíaHagai LeviNir BergmanStarsGabriel ByrneUzo AdubaDianne WiestA psychotherapist questions his abilities and gets help by reuniting with his old therapist, whom he has not seen for ten years.excellently written, excellently acted!
- CreatorMichael HirstStarsKatheryn WinnickGustaf SkarsgårdAlexander LudwigVikings transports us to the brutal and mysterious world of Ragnar Lothbrok, a Viking warrior and farmer who yearns to explore--and raid--the distant shores across the ocean.VIKINGS!
YEA!! - CreatorBeau WillimonStarsKevin SpaceyMichel GillRobin WrightA Congressman works with his equally conniving wife to exact revenge on the people who betrayed him.Political drama to melodrama... The first two seasons are great... but it "jumped the shark" in season 3 and never recovered.. I stopped watching it then. What a shame. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- CreatorTerence WinterStarsSteve BuscemiKelly MacdonaldMichael ShannonAn Atlantic City politician plays both sides of the law by conspiring with gangsters during the Prohibition era.Well done! Very entertaining.
- CreatorVeena SudStarsMireille EnosJoel KinnamanBilly CampbellA police investigation, the saga of a grieving family, and a Seattle mayoral campaign all interlock after the body of 17-year-old Rosie Larsen is found in the trunk of a submerged car.A dark fave... love the atmosphere... very good acting... entertaining storyline.
- CreatorAnn BidermanStarsLiev SchreiberEddie MarsanDash MihokRay Donovan, a professional "fixer" for the rich and famous in Los Angeles, can make anyone's problems disappear except those created by his own family.The great Jon Voight steals the show!
- CreatorJ.J. AbramsAlex KurtzmanRoberto OrciStarsAnna TorvJoshua JacksonJohn NobleAn F.B.I. agent is forced to work with an institutionalized scientist and his son in order to rationalize a brewing storm of unexplained phenomena.Great SCI-FI Fun!
- CreatorEric Ellis OvermyerDavid SimonStarsKhandi AlexanderRob BrownKim DickensLife after Hurricane Katrina as the residents of New Orleans try to rebuild their lives, their homes, and their unique culture in the aftermath of one of the worst natural disasters in the USA.Just a well written series with excellent characterizations.
- CreatorNic PizzolattoIssa LópezStarsVince VaughnColin FarrellRachel McAdamsAnthology series in which police investigations unearth the personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within and outside the law.first season... 10 EXCELLENT!
second season... 7.5
If the second season had been as good as the first.. this would be the best detective series of the new millennium. - CreatorAlex GansaHoward GordonStarsClaire DanesMandy PatinkinDamian LewisA bipolar CIA operative becomes convinced a prisoner of war has been turned by al-Qaeda and is planning to carry out a terrorist attack on American soil.certainly not as good as it once was...
season 1 - 9.5 truly excellent
season 2 - 8.7 very, very good
season 3 - 7.0
season 4 - 7.5
season 5 - 7.7 recovering - CreatorAnn BidermanStarsMichael CudlitzShawn HatosyRegina KingThe lives of Police Officers working for the Los Angeles Police Department.Heart and Soul in this police drama.. one of the best network police dramas of the past 25yrs.
- CreatorGraham YostStarsTimothy OlyphantNick SearcyJoelle CarterEnforcing his own brand of justice, U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, a strong-willed, quiet law-man haunted by his past, returns to his native town to see that justice is served to those in need.modern day western... very well done!
- CreatorDavid SchicklerJonathan TropperStarsAntony StarrIvana MilicevicUlrich ThomsenAn ex-con assumes the identity of a murdered sheriff in the small town of Banshee, Pennsylvania, where he has some unfinished business.Action, Action, ACTION!!
- CreatorSteven S. DeKnightStarsJohn HannahManu BennettPeter MensahIn the time before the arrival of Spartacus, the House of Batiatus faces many challenges from competitors, and within its own household.In the wake of Whitfield's passing, this prequel saved the series from an early cancellation.
- CreatorSteven S. DeKnightStarsAndy WhitfieldLucy LawlessManu BennettThe life of Spartacus, the gladiator who lead a rebellion against the Romans. From his time as an ally of the Romans, to his betrayal and becoming a gladiator, to the rebellion he leads and its ultimate outcome.Great first season... the passing of Andy Whitfield could not be overcome.
- CreatorFrank DarabontStarsAndrew LincolnNorman ReedusMelissa McBrideSheriff Deputy Rick Grimes wakes up from a coma to learn the world is in ruins and must lead a group of survivors to stay alive.Was a favorite of mine until the Negan fiasco... I watched the first two eps of that season and never watched it again! Every writer, producer, exec who "ok'ed" that "cliff-hanger" should be fired!
- CreatorShawn RyanStarsMichael ChiklisCatherine DentWalton GogginsDrama series following the lives and cases of dirty cop Vic Mackey and the corrupt LAPD unit under his command.Bad cops.. very bad cops! Well done..
- CreatorAlan BallStarsPeter KrauseMichael C. HallFrances ConroyA chronicle of the lives of a dysfunctional family who run an independent funeral home in Los Angeles.An excellent series that, IMO, has the best finale eps ever!
- CreatorMichael HirstStarsJonathan Rhys MeyersHenry CavillAnthony BrophyEpic series reveals the scandalous life of a young king whose affairs and obsession with producing a male heir changed marriage, the church, and the world.
- CreatorGlen A. LarsonRonald D. MooreStarsEdward James OlmosMary McDonnellJamie BamberWhen an old enemy, the Cylons, resurface and obliterate the 12 colonies, the crew of the aged Galactica protect a small civilian fleet - the last of humanity - as they journey toward the fabled 13th colony, Earth.sci-fi drama with a well told story.. first 2-3 seasons are wonderful!
- CreatorJohn LoganStarsJosh HartnettTimothy DaltonEva GreenExplorer Sir Malcolm Murray, American gunslinger Ethan Chandler, scientist Victor Frankenstein and medium Vanessa Ives unite to combat supernatural threats in Victorian London.great horror escapism
- CreatorNoah HawleyStarsBilly Bob ThorntonMartin FreemanAllison TolmanVarious chronicles of deception, intrigue, and murder in and around frozen Minnesota. All of these tales mysteriously lead back one way or another to Fargo, North Dakota.Season after season of this series is just wonderful! It may be the best drama currently airing after "GoT".
- CreatorRobert LevineJonathan E. SteinbergStarsJessica Parker KennedyToby StephensHannah NewFollows Captain Flint and his pirates twenty years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel "Treasure Island."Wonderful story line... but they seemed to have lost track by the final season (probably, just had to wrap it up for a finale).
- CreatorDavid MilchStarsDustin HoffmanDennis FarinaJohn OrtizA television series centered around characters who are tied to the same horse-racing track.Only One season.. what a shame.
- CreatorBryan FullerStarsHugh DancyMads MikkelsenCaroline DhavernasExplores the early relationship between renowned psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter and a young FBI criminal profiler who is haunted by his ability to empathize with serial killers.DAAARRRK IMAGERY!
- CreatorJ. Michael StraczynskiLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsBae DoonaJamie ClaytonTina DesaiA group of people around the world are suddenly linked mentally, and must find a way to survive being hunted by those who see them as a threat to the world's order.very good first season... can they do it again?
- CreatorEric Ellis OvermyerStarsTitus WelliverJamie HectorAmy AquinoAn L.A.P.D. homicide detective works to solve the murder of a 13-year-old boy while standing trial in federal court for the murder of a serial killer.So far.. two well done seasons.
- CreatorDrew GoddardStarsCharlie CoxVincent D'OnofrioDeborah Ann WollA blind lawyer by day, vigilante by night. Matt Murdock fights the crime of New York as Daredevil.The first season was excellent! The second season was not on that level but still very good
- CreatorDamon LindelofTom PerrottaStarsJustin TherouxAmy BrennemanChristopher EcclestonThree years after the disappearance of 2% of the global human population, a group of people in a small New York community try to continue their lives while coping with the tragedy of the unexplained nature of the event.You'll LOVE it or HATE it!
This was a damn interesting story! Overall, I really liked it.. but there were moments that it just didn't work. - CreatorJoseph WeisbergStarsKeri RussellMatthew RhysKeidrich SellatiAt the height of the Cold War, two Russian agents pose as the average American couple, complete with family.Ridiculously UNDER-RATED show! This has easily been one of the top 10 dramas for its entire run.
- CreatorCharlie BrookerStarsWunmi MosakuMonica DolanDaniel LapaineFeaturing stand-alone dramas -- sharp, suspenseful, satirical tales that explore techno-paranoia -- "Black Mirror" is a contemporary reworking of "The Twilight Zone" with stories that tap into the collective unease about the modern world.Absolutely the most ORIGINAL writing of any series produced in the new millennium.
- CreatorChips HardyTom HardySteven KnightStarsTom HardyDavid HaymanJonathan PryceAdventurer James Keziah Delaney returns to London during the War of 1812 to rebuild his late father's shipping empire. However, both the government and his biggest competitor want his inheritance at any cost--even murder.Great first season.. hope they continue to produce an excellent story. Took some of the sting out of losing "Penny Dreadful".
- CreatorJoseph MallozziPaul MullieStarsMelissa O'NeilAnthony LemkeAlex Mallari Jr.In the dystopian 27th century, six people wake up on a deserted spaceship with no memory of who they are or what they're doing there. They reluctantly team up and set off to find answers with the help of a female android.What a shame it didn't last. I didn't discover it until it had been canceled. Fun Sci-Fi
- StarsStephen DillaneClémence PoésyCédric VieiraA prominent French politician is found dead on the border between the U.K. and France, and two agents must work together on behalf of their respective countries to find the murderer.I dismissed this series after seeing how many copies of the original series ("Bron|Broen") were being produced. That was a mistake!
While the American version ("The Bridge") was a load crap.. This UK/French version is DAMN GOOD! Maybe as good as the original Swedish/Danish version! - CreatorBrian KoppelmanDavid LevienAndrew Ross SorkinStarsPaul GiamattiDamian LewisMaggie SiffNew money means no mercy as Mike Prince takes the Axe Capital throne. Chuck Rhoades is convinced no one should have that much wealth - or power. As all the players seek out new alliances, only one thing's for certain - wealth means war.Two seasons in and I'm enjoying it very much. Very good!
- CreatorAlexandra CunninghamKem NunnStarsHugh LaurieEthan SupleeGreta LeeA forensic neuro-psychiatrist reluctantly enters a dangerous and violent world of mistaken identity, police corruption and mental illness.Didn't expect that I'd enjoy this as much as I have but such interesting take on a not so unfamiliar story line.
- CreatorBaran bo OdarJantje FrieseStarsLouis HofmannKaroline EichhornLisa VicariA family saga with a supernatural twist, set in a German town where the disappearance of two young children exposes the relationships among four families.Really enjoyed the first season.. hope they can continue at that level for the future.
- StarsKatherine ParkinsonGemma ChanLucy CarlessIn a parallel present where the latest must-have gadget for any busy family is a 'Synth'--a highly-developed robotic servant that's so similar to a real human--is transforming the way we live.Another very good Sci-Fi series. Kinda shocked that there have been so many in the new millennium.
- CreatorSam EsmailStarsRami MalekChristian SlaterCarly ChaikinElliot, a brilliant but unstable cyber-security engineer and vigilante hacker, becomes a key figure in a complex game of global chaos when he and his shadowy allies try to take down the corrupt corporation his company is paid to protect.Thought the first season was excellent but the latter seasons have not lived up to that level. Still a very good series.
- CreatorLisa JoyJonathan NolanStarsEvan Rachel WoodJeffrey WrightEd HarrisAt the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, waits a world in which every human appetite can be indulged without consequence.Favorite new series of 2016.. EXCELLENT! One of my fave currently airing.
- CreatorGeorge PelecanosDavid SimonStarsJames FrancoMaggie GyllenhaalLawrence Gilliard Jr.A look at life in New York City during the 1970s and '80s, when porn and prostitution were rampant in Manhattan.Some great new series airing in 2017 and this is one of the best.
- CreatorJack AmielMichael BeglerStarsClive OwenAndré HollandJeremy BobbA look at the professional and personal lives of the staff at New York's Knickerbocker Hospital during the early part of the twentieth century.Ended too soon! Only on for two seasons but VERY good!
- CreatorRichard WarlowStarsMatthew MacfadyenAdam RothenbergMyAnna BuringThe streets of Whitechapel are the haunt of Detective Inspector Edmund Reid and his team of officers, who aim to maintain law and order in a place once terrorized by Jack the Ripper.I enjoyed this series very much.
- CreatorZal BatmanglijBrit MarlingStarsBrit MarlingJason IsaacsScott WilsonHaving gone missing seven years ago, the previously blind Prairie returns home, now in her twenties with her sight restored. While many believe she is a miracle, others worry that she could be dangerous.Thought the first season was very interesting... until the ending, which was woefully anti-climatic. This should have been a 'one and done' series but looks like they'll try to do something with the story, which I can't imagine will be anywhere as good. We'll see.
- CreatorBrian YorkeyStarsDylan MinnetteKatherine LangfordChristian NavarroFollows teenager Clay Jensen, in his quest to uncover the story behind his classmate and crush, Hannah, and her decision to end her life.Very good story. Another that I think should have been a 'one and done'. And yet they are making a follow up season that would seem to fly in the face of the first season's ending.
Watch the first season... ignore the rest. - CreatorBrad WrightStarsEric McCormackMacKenzie PorterNesta CooperHundreds of years from now, surviving humans discover how to send consciousness back through time, into people of the 21st century, while attempting to change the path of humanity.Kinda of a shocker to me. Didn't expect to like this Sci-Fi series as much as I have.. but I really enjoy it!
- CreatorDaniel AbrahamMark FergusTy FranckStarsSteven StraitDominique TipperWes ChathamThe disappearance of rich-girl-turned-political-activist links the lives of Ceres detective, accidental ship captain and U.N. politician. Amidst political tension between Earth, Mars and the Belt, they unravel the greatest conspiracy.Just as with "Travelers"... I didn't expect to like this SCI-FI series as much as I do. I don't think it's as good as 'Travelers' but it's very good.
- CreatorMarti NoxonStarsAmy AdamsPatricia ClarksonChris MessinaAfter treating her mental illness, crime reporter Camille Preaker returns to her hometown to solve the murder of two young girls. However, she is forced to face and deal with her own demons too.I'm really kinda hooked on Amy Adams! She gives such interesting performances. This is a solid 8.5 mini-series. Very enjoyable.
- CreatorMike FlanaganStarsMichiel HuismanCarla GuginoHenry ThomasFlashing between past and present, a fractured family confronts haunting memories of their old home and the terrifying events that drove them from it.This is very likely the best horror series I've ever watched! Amazed at how well written it is.. really incredibly well done considering the genre.
It's a classic. - CreatorBruce MillerStarsElisabeth MossYvonne StrahovskiAnn DowdSet in a dystopian future, a woman is forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship.The first two seasons are really, really good.
- CreatorSaverio CostanzoStarsAlba RohrwacherMargherita MazzuccoGaia GiraceA woman recounts the lifelong friendship and conflicts with a girl she met at primary school in Naples during the early 1950s.Loved the first season... hoping to love the next!