Entertainment

9.8k voters

The Best Television Shows of the 2000s

Updated March 16, 2021 145.6k votes 9.8k voters 223.1k views196 items

List RulesOnly TV series that aired between 2000 and 2009

Some great TV shows came out of the 2000s, while some have even lived on. Here's a list of the best shows that aired from 2000-2009, as ranked by television fanatics and critics. Television has been steadily evolving over the past few decades. What used to be simply an entertaining way to spend a half hour with the family has transformed into an elevated art form. Movies have been usurped by the television medium due to a continued rise in content quality. Starting in the 2000s, when cable networks like HBO and Showtime were introduced, the focus moved to quality in writing, directing, and acting more than ever before. People in the entertainment business who used to focus on movies began to move into television.

In the '00s, there were more quality television shows on the air than ever before. Cable networks introduced shows like Six Feet Under, Dexter, and The Sopranos that revolutionized the way television was made. Other shows, like Lost, Battlestar Galactica, and Supernatural, changed the way people watched television, by including fan involvement and discussion as part of the experience. Comedies like Arrested Development and The Office and reality shows like American Idol also reigned supreme in the television universe.

What are your favorite TV shows from 2000-2009? This list includes the top shows from the 2000s from a variety of genres from sitcoms to science fiction.

Photo:

...more

1
2,158
1,332
Breaking Bad
2008-2013
Actors: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, RJ Mitte, Dean Norris
Genres (Tv): Crime drama
Breaking Bad (AMC, 2008) is an American neo-Western crime drama television series created by Vince Gilligan. After being diagnosed with cancer, a depressed high school chemistry teacher (Bryan... more
More Breaking Bad
The Best Breaking Bad Characters of All TimeThe Most Low-Key Evil Things Walter White Ever Did
2
2,820
1,728
The Office
2005-2013
Actors: Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Ed Helms
Genres (Tv): Sitcom
The Office (NBC, 2005) is an American mockumentary sitcom television series developed by Greg Daniels, based on the 2001 British series. Led by manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell), the office of... more
More The Office
Jim Halpert Is A Scumbag, And It's Obvious If You Just Pay AttentionInsane Fan Theories About 'The Office' That'll Blow Your Mind
3
2,387
1,793
Friends
1994-2004
Actors: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry
Genres (Tv): Sitcom
Friends (NBC, 1994) is an American sitcom television series created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman. The personal and professional lives of six friends (Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa... more
More Friends
Ross Geller Is Hands Down The Worst Father In Prime Time TV HistoryIt's Not Just Ross - Every Character On 'Friends' Is a Really Bad Friend
4
1,434
1,056
The Simpsons
December 17, 1989
Actors: Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Julie Kavner
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Animated
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by the... more
More The Simpsons
13 Reasons Bob's Burgers Is Objectively Way Better Than The Simpsons#96 of 178 The Best Video Game Franchises of All Time
5
1,086
846
SpongeBob SquarePants
May 1, 1999
Actors: Tom Kenny, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke
Genres (Tv): Comedy, Fantasy, Animated, Children
SpongeBob SquarePants (Nickelodeon, 1999) is an American animated television series created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. The series chronicles the adventures... more
More SpongeBob SquarePants
Spongebob Squarepants Memes That Imagine Quarantine In Bikini Bottom30 Random SpongeBob Memes For Serious Fans Only
6
1,174
899
South Park
1997-present
Actors: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Mary Kay Bergman, Isaac Hayes, Eliza Schneider
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Animated
South Park (Comedy Central, 1997) is an American adult animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. In the small town of South Park, four boys get caught up in all sorts of bizarre... more
More South Park
Behind-The-Scenes Stories From Making ‘South Park’Crazy Good Fan Theories About South Park
7
1,254
1,035
Parks and Recreation
2009-present
Actors: Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt
Genres (Tv): Sitcom
Parks and Recreation (NBC, 2009) is an American television sitcom created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. The series follows Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), a perky mid-level bureaucrat, and her parks... more
More Parks and Recreation
15 Reasons Why 'Parks and Rec' Has Always Been Better Than 'The Office'Ben Wyatt Is A Better Husband Than Jim Halpert And We Can Prove It
8
886
679
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
1997-2003
Actors: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan, James Marsters, Emma Caulfield, Anthony Head
Genres (Tv): Drama, Horror, Fantasy
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (The WB, 1997) is an American supernatural drama television series created by Joss Whedon, based on the 1992 film. Destined to slay vampires, a young woman (Sarah Michelle... more
More Buffy the Vampire Slayer
All Of The Behind-The-Scenes Drama From 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' And 'Angel'#2 of 32 The Best UPN Shows
9
1,562
1,351
How I Met Your Mother
2005-2014
Actors: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan
Genres (Tv): Sitcom
How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 2005) is an American sitcom created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays. Through a series of flashbacks, Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) recounts to his children the journey he and... more
More How I Met Your Mother
The Real Reasons Why 'How I Met Your Mother' Is Better Than 'Friends'#22 of 79 The Best CBS Shows of All Time
10
1,396
785
That '70s Show
August 23, 1998
Actors: Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Wilmer Valderrama
Genres (Tv): Sitcom
That '70s Show (Fox, 2006) is an American teen period comedy sitcom created by Bonnie Turner, Terry Turner, and Mark Brazill. The series focused on the lives of a group of teenage friends living in... more
More That '70s Show
14 Clapbacks From ‘That ‘70s Show’ That Would Make Red Forman Proud#5 of 52 The Best Sitcoms Of The '90s

11
1,168
1,036
The Sopranos
1999-2007
Actors: James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico
Genres (Tv): Crime drama
The Sopranos (HBO, 1999) is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase. New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) deals with personal and professional issues in his... more
More The Sopranos
The Best Characters on The Sopranos#2 of 109 The Best HBO Original Series
12
1,636
1,429
House
2004-2012
Actors: Hugh Laurie, Robert Sean Leonard, Omar Epps, Jesse Spencer, Peter Jacobson
Genres (Tv): Drama, Mystery, Medical
House, M.D. (Fox, 2004) is an American television medical drama created by David Shore. An antisocial maverick doctor (Hugh Laurie) who specializes in diagnostic medicine does whatever it takes to... more
More House
The Best Seasons of 'House'#1 of 113 The Best Dramedy TV Series
13
965
799
Futurama
March 28, 1999
Actors: Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Science fiction, Animated
Futurama is an American adult animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures... more
More Futurama
21 'Futurama' Memes We Laughed Way Too Hard At13 Persuasive Reasons Rick And Morty Is Better Than Futurama
14
1,447
1,175
The Big Bang Theory
2007-present
Actors: Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik
Genres (Tv): Sitcom
The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 2007) is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady. A woman (Kaley Cuoco) who moves into an apartment across the hall from two brilliant but... more
More The Big Bang Theory
Dark 'Big Bang Theory' Fan Theories That Will Mess With Your HeadBehind-The-Scenes Secrets From The Set Of 'The Big Bang Theory'
15
1,011
883
Supernatural
2005-present
Actors: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Alexander Calvert, Mark A. Sheppard
Genres (Tv): Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Supernatural (The CW, 2005) is an American fantasy horror television series created by Eric Kripke. Two brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), follow their father's... more
More Supernatural
24 Supernatural Memes For The Fans That Have Been There Since The Start20 Tweets From The Cast Of 'Supernatural' That Prove They're The Show's Biggest Fans
16
478
385
Smallville
October 16, 2001
Actors: Tom Welling, Erica Durance, Justin Hartley, Cassidy Freeman, Allison Mack
Genres (Tv): Drama, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Smallville is an American television series developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series,... more
More Smallville
36 Wholesome Animal Memes That Lifted Our Spirits In A Big Way#227 of 508 The Best TV Theme Songs of All Time
17
735
650
Prison Break
2005-2009
Actors: Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Sarah Wayne Callies, Amaury Nolasco, Robert Knepper
Genres (Tv): Drama, Adventure
Prison Break (Fox, 2005) is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring.The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced for a something he did not commit, and the... more
More Prison Break
The Best Seasons of Prison Break#154 of 538 TV Shows Canceled Before Their Time
18
1,101
922
Scrubs
2001-2010
Actors: Zach Braff, Donald Faison, John C. McGinley, Ken Jenkins, Sarah Chalke
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Medical
Scrubs (NBC, 2001) is an American medical comedy-drama television series created by Bill Lawrence. In the unreal world of Sacred Heart Hospital, intern John "J.D." Dorian (Zach Braff) learns the ways... more
More Scrubs
The Cast Of 'Scrubs': Where Are They Now?#18 of 296 The Greatest Sitcoms in Television History
19
816
546
Criminal Minds
2005-present
Actors: Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Matthew Gray Gubler, A.J. Cook, Aisha Tyler
Genres (Tv): Crime drama, Mystery, Thriller, Drama, Law
Criminal Minds (CBS, 2005) is an American police-procedural television program. The series follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. The show... more
More Criminal Minds
The Best Seasons of 'Criminal Minds'#14 of 44 The Best CBS Dramas of All Time
20
1,222
1,126
Dexter
2006-2013
Actors: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, C.S. Lee, David Zayas, James Remar
Genres (Tv): Crime drama
Dexter (Showtime, 2006) is an American crime drama mystery series developed by James Manos Jr., based on the 2004 novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. When he's not doing forensic work for... more
More Dexter
Behind-The-Scenes Facts About Michael C. Hall And Jennifer Carpenter On 'Dexter'#20 of 271 The Best Cult TV Shows of All Time

21
800
685
Drake & Josh
January 11, 2004
Actors: Drake Bell, Josh Peck, Miranda Cosgrove, Jonathan Goldstein, Nancy Sullivan
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Children
Drake & Josh (Nickelodeon, 2004) is an American sitcom created by Dan Schneider. Despite having opposite personalities, stepbrothers Drake Parker (Drake Bell) and Josh Nichols (Josh Peck) get into... more
More Drake & Josh
#4 of 120 The Best Nickelodeon Original Shows#17 of 133 The Best High School TV Shows
22
837
594
Gilmore Girls
2000-2007
Actors: Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Melissa McCarthy, Keiko Agena, Yanic Truesdale
Genres (Tv): Comedy drama
Gilmore Girls (The WB, 2000) is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino. In the fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, a thirty-something single mother... more
More Gilmore Girls
The Biggest Mistakes Gilmore Girls Ever MadeAll of the Love Interests on Gilmore Girls, Ranked
23
686
522
The X-Files
September 10, 1993
Actors: Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, Mitch Pileggi, Robert Patrick, Annabeth Gish
Genres (Tv): Drama, Science fiction
The X-Files (Fox, 1993) is an American science fiction horror drama television series created by Chris Carter. The series revolves around FBI special agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully investigating... more
More The X-Files
'The X-Files' Episodes That Made Us Say "Ewwww"#48 of 235 The Greatest TV Shows for Women
24
1,193
1,126
Modern Family
2009-present
Actors: Ed O'Neill, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Sofía Vergara, Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Genres (Tv): Sitcom
Modern Family (ABC, 2009) is an American comedy television sitcom created by Francisco Bobadilla. Three different but related families face trials and tribulations in their own unique way from the... more
More Modern Family
The Best Characters On Modern Family#2 of 83 The Best ABC Shows of All Time
25
466
386
Phineas and Ferb
August 17, 2007
Actors: Jeff "Swampy" Marsh
Genres (Tv): Adventure, Animated, Children
Phineas and Ferb is an American animated comedy-musical television series. Originally broadcast as a one-episode preview on August 17, 2007 and again previewed on September 28, 2007, the series... more
More Phineas and Ferb
#55 of 344 The Best Kids Cartoons of All Time#115 of 148 The Most Annoying Kids Shows of All Time