15 Most Influential Of The Decade

OK, technically, the end of the decade is next year, but since everyone seems to think this is the end of the decade, I guess I better do my Best of the Decade list for TV like everyone else.



Instead of the best, however, I'm going with "Most Influential," in this case, 15 shows that have re-written pop culture. Some of these shows I don't watch, or even like, but there influence on TV trends is undeniable.



I only had two rules for the list -- the shows in question couldn't start any earlier than 1999 (thus making it a true decade's worth) and the shows in question had to last more than one season (sorry "Firefly" and "Glee").



Anyway, in no particular order (except saving the best for last):



--Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO): When all is said and done, and whomever is living a thousand years from now looks back to how we entertained ourselves, the name Larry David will remain as the creator of two of the best comedy series ever.



--Mad Men (AMC): It took creator Matt Weiner more than a decade to get this series on the air, and it's not hard to understand why. It's a period piece that moves slowly without too many likeable characters or action sequences. It's also one of the best-written, best-acted ensemble pieces of the decade, proof that the unconventional can still be great. It's also made AMC a major player among the cable networks.



--The Sopranos (HBO): Some will call this the best show of the decade, and it's certainly a contender. Another superbly written and acted series, it turned the tradition story of mobsters on its head. Unfortunately, it's dreadful ending for me knocks it out of the top spot.



--The Daily Show/Colbert Report (Comedy Central): It's a telling statement that more people under 30 in this country get their news from these two series than they do from traditional media. The thing is, hosts Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert do deliver some of the best interviews around, even if they do strike the funny bone.



--Battlestar Galactica (SyFy): Probably the best-ever re-imagining of an old TV series ever, it's also the single best series when it comes to commentary on our post 9/11 world, outlining the stakes but not taking sides. Another perfect mix of acting and writing, and probably the most thought-provoking series on this list.



--24 (Fox): The "other" post 9/11 show on the list. OK, people know how much I think this series is ridiculous on a weekly basis, but it'd be ridiculous not to include it based on its popularity and unique storytelling structure.



--American Idol (Fox): OK, not a fan of this one, either, but it's the single-most watched series of the decade. It's also launched a stream of important musical talent (Clay Aiken, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood) as well as foisted the likes of Taylor Hicks, Fantasia and Sanjaya upon us. If one were listing the most important individuals of the decade, Simon Cowell would have to get a nod.



--Survivor (CBS): I stopped watching this after the second series, but years later, it still delivers great numbers. More importantly, it was the first major "reality" series on a network, paving the way for all sorts of other entries in this genre.



--CSI (CBS): Not a series I ever watch, but it's been the face of CBS for most of the decade, establishing the network as a haven for procedurals as well as launching two spinoffs.



--Monk (USA): Along with "The Shield," it was the series that made regular cable a player among broadcasters for original series. It was also a pioneer among dramedies and created the "look" for USA's character-driven, light-hearted fare. Though "Monk" wasn't a great show wire-to-wire, it allowed for a breakout performance for career character actor Tony Shalhoub.



--The Wire (HBO): Another great entry from HBO, and arguably one of the best all-time cop dramas, and a worthy successor to "Homicide" and the creator of both series, David Simon. More thought-provoking than action-based, it had a collection of great and memorable characters.



--Family Guy (Fox): One of the most interesting stories of the decade, "Family Guy" survived cancellation. Since then, it's been TV's best-rated animated series and has allowed creator Seth McFarlane to launch two more animated shows. The "FG" spoofs of "Star Wars" are some of the funniest sendups around.



--Doctor Who (BBC): Not only did the BBC revive the longest-running science fiction series of all time, it actually made it cool from a pop culture point of view. "Doctor Who" has not only launched two spinoffs -- "Torchwood" and "The Sarah Jane Adventures" -- but has paved the way for a lot of fantasy style programs from Britain to reach across the pond.



--Lost (ABC): Perhaps the biggest risk of any series here, "Lost" debuted with the most expensive pilot in TV history and has kept viewers wrapped up in one of TV's biggest mysteries. "Lost" also allowed other series to experiment with a series arc of their own mythology, though none have been as successful. Few series have also used the Web so successfully to keep viewers immersed in the show.



--The Shield (FX): OK, this is my best series of the decade. I can't think of a single show where the quality started out so strong right from the very beginning and stayed that way through every single episode, right through its brilliant ending. In addition to one of the best casts of any show, "The Shield" provided the right mix of action with thoughtful storytelling, and it created one of the most morally compromised anti-heroes ever in Michael Chiklis' Vic Mackey. On a separate note, "The Shield" made FX a player on the cable front AND led the way for all the other regular cable channels to take some creative risks that were formerly reserved for HBO.



TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Pretty light nights this week. "Better Off Ted" (ABC, 9:30 p.m.) is all new, while "Nova" (PBS, 8 p.m.) airs a two-our special on human evolution.



CBS broadcasts the Kennedy Center Honors at 9 p.m.

This story was originally published December 29, 2009 at 1:34 AM with the headline "15 Most Influential Of The Decade."