We are getting to the top twenty. If this were college football, this is where an undefeated MAC team would be ranked. Take that however you like…
20. Rebels
The tales of Ezra, Kanan, Hera, Zeb, Sabine, and Chopper is incredible. Whether it be the bond between Ezra and Kanan, the love story of Hera & Kanan, the sacrifices, the death, the victories. Ahsoka vs. Vader, Obi-Wan vs. Maul, Ezra/Kanan vs. Inquisitors. Seriously, the show is perfect.
19. House
Sherlock Holmes in a hospital. The way he solved cases was entertaining, but the characters surrounding House were what made the show so good. Oh and the fact that he was a complete jerk to everyone. It was fun to see how he would treat people every week.
18. The Shield
Vic Mackey is one of those great antiheroes. Or villains. I guess he is more of a villain. At first you think, maybe he just does bad things in order to achieve some good, but then he kills another cop (first episode!) and you go “ohhh, he is not a good dude.” Every time you begin to forget that heinous act, he does something else awful. And we love him and the rest of his Strike Team.
17. Silicon Valley
At first I thought this was going to be a parody of the tech industry, but instead it ended up being commentary on the industry. Whether it be the insane amounts of money that venture capitalists throw around to the insane way these tech CEOs become so enamored with themselves. Everything about the show was great. It was hilarious and meaningful.
16. Batman: The Animated Series
People love to argue about who was the best Batman…West, Keaton, Kilmer, Clooney, Bale, Affleck, or Pattinson. The real answer is Kevin Conroy. The cartoon did a better job of portraying the Caped Crusader better than any movie. And was there a better moment in each episode when the music kicked on which meant it was time for Batman to do some ass-kicking.
15. Oz
I think this was the first show I can remember watching on HBO. It was violent and raw. The first few seasons were unpredictable. Yes, things became a little wonky toward the end, but eh, most shows have that problem. Also, and this is a spoiler alert, was there a more heartbreaking moment than when we learned Chris Keller was working with Vern to betray Beecher?
14. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Killing monsters while also dealing with the problems teenagers face. One of my favorite parts of the show was in the later seasons when Buffy was brought back from the dead and she starts a relationship with Spike. She admits to him that she is so angry with everyone because they brought her back from Heaven. She was not in Hell. It was a cool twist and something that always stuck with me.
13. The Sopranos
A story about a simple guy in the waste management business. Yeah, Tony Soprano was definitely not a simple man. Is the “Pine Barrens” episode one of the best episodes of any show ever?
12. 24
Can you imagine living in the 24-universe? The country had been through like a major terrorist attack every year. There were nine different presidents on the show. NINE! I am forty years old and there have been seven. Despite this ridiculousness, the adventures of Jack Bauer during his one day rush to save the world were some of my favorite things on television. The crazy kills, the torture, and the constant screaming at people to tell him where the bomb is located.
11. Sons of Anarchy
Back in 2008, if you told me that a show about an outlaw biker gang would be one of my favorites of all-time, I would have called you crazy. I remember seeing the preview and thinking it looked stupid. Hell, I skipped the entire first season. And then one night, I watched the premiere of season two (I think it came on after something else I was watching, and I was too lazy to turn the channel). It was the episode where Gemma is raped by Weston. I was completely blown away by the episode and went out the next day to buy season one on DVD. I watched the entire first season in one sitting.
