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Best TV Shows of the 21st Century: First 25 Years

Moviefone’s 25 Best TV Series of the first 25 years of the 21st Century.

With 2025 quickly coming to a close, so is the first 25 years of the 21st century!
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While most consider that the modern golden age of television started with ‘The Sopranos‘ in 1999, it really came into prominence in the 2000’s with shows like ‘The Wire‘, ‘24‘, ‘Lost‘, ‘Mad Men‘, ‘Breaking Bad‘, and ‘The Walking Dead‘, and eventually ‘Game of Thrones‘, ‘Stranger Things‘ and ‘Succession‘.

As we leave behind the first quester of this century, Moviefone is counting down the 25 best TV series of the first 25 years of the 21st century!

Let’s begin!

Related Article: The 25 Best Films of the First 25 Years of the 21st Century

25. ‘Stranger Things‘ (2016-2025)

(L to R) Sadie Sink, Noah Schapp, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, and Caleb McLaughlin in Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things.’

When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces, and one strange little girl (Millie Bobby Brown).
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24. ‘The Walking Dead‘ (2010-2022)

Jeffrey Dean Morgan in ‘The Walking Dead’. Photo: AMC Studios.

Sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world dominated by flesh-eating zombies. He sets out to find his family and encounters many other survivors along the way.
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23. ‘30 Rock‘ (2006-2013)

(L to R) Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey in ’30 Rock’. Photo: NBC.

Liz Lemon (Tina Fey), the head writer for a late-night TV variety show in New York, tries to juggle all the egos around her while chasing her own dream.
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22. ‘Westworld‘ (2016-2022)

(L to R) Evan Rachel Wood and James Marsden in ‘Westworld.’ Photo: HBO.

A dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged.
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21. ‘The Boys‘ (2019-2024)

Antony Starr as John Gillman / Homelander in Prime Video’s ‘The Boys’ season 4. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

A group of vigilantes known informally as “The Boys” set out to take down corrupt superheroes with no more than blue-collar grit and a willingness to fight dirty.
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20. ‘Justified‘ (2010-2015)

Timothy Olyphant in ‘Justified’. Photo: FX.

A character drama based on the 2001 Elmore Leonard short story “Fire in the Hole.” Leonard’s tale centers around U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) of Kentucky, a quiet but strong-willed official of the law. The tale covers his high-stakes job, as well as his strained relationships with his ex-wife and father.
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19. ‘Sons of Anarchy‘ (2008-2014)

(L to R) Charlie Hunnam and Tommy Flanagan in ‘Sons of Anarchy’. Photo: FX Productions.

The Sons of Anarchy (SOA) are an outlaw motorcycle club with many charters in the United States and overseas. The show focused on the original and founding charter, Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Redwood Original, often referred to by the acronym SAMCRO, Sam Crow, or simply Redwood Charter. The charter operates both legal and illegal businesses in the small town of Charming, California. They combine gun-running and a garage, and involvement in porn film industry. Clay (Ron Perlman), the charter president, likes it old school and violent; while Jax (Charlie Hunnam), his stepson and the club’s VP, has thoughts about changing the way things are done. Their conflict has effects on both the club and their personal relationship, especially when Jax goes on a personal quest to cleanse the SAMCRO name and image.
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18. ‘Arrow‘ (2012-2020)

(L to R) Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, and David Ramsey in ‘Arrow’. Photo: Warner Bros. Television.

Spoiled billionaire playboy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) is missing and presumed dead when his yacht is lost at sea. He returns five years later a changed man, determined to clean up the city as a hooded vigilante armed with a bow.
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17. ‘The Closer‘ (2005-2012)

(L to R) J.K. Simmons and Krya Sedgwick in ‘The Closer’. Photo: Warner Bros. Television.

Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) transfers from Atlanta to LA to head up a special unit of the LAPD that handles sensitive, high-profile murder cases. Johnson’s quirky personality and hard-nosed approach often rubs her colleagues the wrong way, but her reputation as one of the world’s best interrogator eventually wins over even her toughest critics.
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16. ‘Billions‘ (2016-2023)

(L to R) Daniel Breaker as Roger “Scooter” Dunbar, Corey Stoll as Mike Prince, Toney Goins as Philip Charyn, Damian Lewis as Bobby “Axe” Axelrod, Asia Kate Dillon as Taylor Mason, David Costabile as Mike ‘Wags’ Wagner, Paul Giamatti as Chuck Rhoades, Maggie Siff as Wendy Rhoades, Sakina Jaffrey as Daevisha ‘Dave’ Mahar, Dola Rashad as Kate Sacker and Jeffrey DeMunn as Chuck Rhoades, Sr. in ‘Billions’ Season 7. Photo Credit: Mark Seliger/Showtime.

A complex drama about power politics in the world of New York high finance. Shrewd, savvy U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) and the brilliant, ambitious hedge fund king Bobby “Axe” Axelrod (Damian Lewis) are on an explosive collision course, with each using all of his considerable smarts, power and influence to outmaneuver the other. The stakes are in the billions in this timely, provocative series.
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15. ‘Mad Men‘ (2007-2015)

Jon Hamm in ‘Made Men’. Photo: Lionsgate Television.

Set in 1960-1970 New York, this sexy, stylized and provocative drama follows the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising.
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14. ‘Yellowstone‘ (2018-2024)

Kevin Costner as John Dutton III in Paramount Network’s ‘Yellowstone’ season 5. Credit: Paramount Network.

Follow the violent world of the Dutton family, who controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. Led by their patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner), the family defends their property against constant attack by land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first National Park.
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13. ‘Game of Thrones‘ (2011-2019)

Emilia Clarke in HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones.’ Photo: HBO.

Seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Friction between the houses leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the farthest north. Amidst the war, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night’s Watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and icy horrors beyond.
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12. ‘Breaking Bad‘ (2008-2013)

Bryan Cranston in ‘Breaking Bad’. Photo: Sony Pictures Television.

Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a New Mexico chemistry teacher, is diagnosed with Stage III cancer and given a prognosis of only two years left to live. He becomes filled with a sense of fearlessness and an unrelenting desire to secure his family’s financial future at any cost as he enters the dangerous world of drugs and crime.
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11. ‘Succession’ (2018-2023)

Brian Cox in season 4 of HBO’s ‘Succession.’ Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO.

Follow the lives of the Roy family as they contemplate their future once their aging father begins to step back from the media and entertainment conglomerate they control.
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10. ‘Prison Break‘ (2005-2017)

(L to R) Amaury Nolasco, Robert Knepper, Wentworth Miller, Peter Stormare and Dominic Purcell in ‘Prison Break’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

Due to a political conspiracy, an innocent man (Dominic Purcell) is sent to death row and his only hope is his brother (Wentworth Miller), who makes it his mission to deliberately get himself sent to the same prison in order to break the both of them out, from the inside out.
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9. ‘Arrested Development‘ (2003-2019)

The cast of ‘Arrested Development’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

The story of a wealthy family that lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together.
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8. ‘Battlestar Galactica‘ (2004-2009)

The cast of ‘Battlestar Galactica’. Photo: Universal Media Studios.

When 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.
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7. ‘The Shield‘ (2002-2008)

The cast of ‘The Shield’. Photo: Sony Pictures Television.

The story of an inner-city Los Angeles police precinct where some of the cops aren’t above breaking the rules or working against their associates to both keep the streets safe and their self-interests intact.
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6. ‘Lost‘ (2004-2010)

The cast of ‘Lost’. Photo: ABC Studios.

Stripped of everything, the survivors of a horrific plane crash must work together to stay alive. But the island holds many secrets.
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5. ‘The Wire‘ (2002-2008)

(L to R) Wendell Pierce and Dominic West in ‘The Wire’. Photo: HBO.

Told from the points of view of both the Baltimore homicide and narcotics detectives and their targets, the series captures a universe in which the national war on drugs has become a permanent, self-sustaining bureaucracy, and distinctions between good and evil are routinely obliterated.
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4. ‘Luther‘ (2010-2019)

Idris Elba in ‘Luther’. Photo:BBC Studios Drama Productions.

A dark psychological crime drama starring Idris Elba as Luther, a man struggling with his own terrible demons, who might be as dangerous as the depraved murderers he hunts.
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3. ‘Life‘ (2007-2009)

(L to R) Sarah Shahi and Damian Lewis in ‘Life’. Photo: Universal Media Studios.

Complex, offbeat Detective Charlie Crews (Damian Lewis) returns to the force after serving time in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Crews’ new lease on life has provided him with a Zen-like outlook, peace of mind and no need for vengeance, an attitude which can be challenging to maintain when someone he cares about is threatened — or when he is investigating the mystery surrounding the murder he was falsely accused of.
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2. ‘24‘ (2001-2014)

Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer in ’24’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

Counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) fights the bad guys of the world, a day at a time. With each week’s episode unfolding in real-time, “24” covers a single day in the life of Bauer each season.
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1. ‘Bosch‘ (2015-2021)

Titus Welliver in season 4 of ‘Bosch’. Photo: Aaron Epstein. Copyright: Amazon Studios

Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver), an LAPD homicide detective, stands trial for the fatal shooting of a serial murder suspect. A cold case involving the remains of a missing boy forces Bosch to confront his past. As daring recruit Julia Brasher (Annie Wersching) catches his eye and departmental politics heat up, Bosch will pursue justice at all costs.
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December 30, 2025
TV Review: ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’
Jon Hamm as Andrew “Coop” Cooper in ‘Your Friends & Neighbors.’ Photo: Apple TV+.

‘Your Friends & Neighbors receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.

Arriving on Apple TV+ with its first two episodes on April 11th followed by one weekly, ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ sees Jon Hamm blending comedy and drama for a series about a hedge fund manager whose life has taken a real downward swing, and who turns to breaking into his rich neighbors’ mansions in order to maintain his lifestyle.

The new show also stars Amanda Peet, Olivia Munn, Hoon Lee, Mark Tallman, Lena Hall, Aimee Carrero and Eunice Bae.

Related Article: Jon Hamm Says “I Hope I Get a Chance” to Appear in a Marvel Movie

Initial Thoughts

Amanda Peet as Mel Cooper in ‘Your Friends & Neighbors.’ Photo: Apple TV+.

There have been many shows about the dark underbellies of wealthy neighborhoods, where despite the well-manicured lawns and seemingly perfect mansions, the locale is a hotbed of affairs, crimes and gossip.

Trouble is, to stand out from the crowd, ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ really needed to find a truly fun new angle from which to explore it, and on the evidence of the first season, it’s not totally clear that it succeeded.

Given that Hamm made his name playing another less-than-satisfied symbol of affluent machismo with an edge in ‘Mad Men’s Don Draper, it’s not hard to see why he might be attracted to the different shades of Andrew “Coop” Cooper here.

Script and Direction

(L to R) Amanda Peet as Mel Cooper and Olivia Munn as Samantha Leavitt in ‘Your Friends & Neighbors.’ Photo: Apple TV+.

Jonathan Tropper, who made his name as a novelist and has been forging quite the cinematic career through work alongside Shawn Levy in particular (he adapted his own novel into ‘This is Where I Leave You’ that the director made in 2014 and wrote ‘The Adam Project,’ the filmmaker’s second successful collaboration with star Ryan Reynolds), and also previously created ‘Banshee’ and ‘Warrior’ for Cinemax.

Here, his back in original TV territory, even if the story of how a wealthy, entitled and slightly smug individual sees some real push back in his life doesn’t really strike you as the most innovative of concepts.

Still, with a well-used format such as this, it’s the execution that counts, and Tropper, along with his writing team, has fashioned something that mostly manages to stick the landing, at least in terms of its main character. Coop is a complicated man, far more than he first appears, and the showrunner has found a more than able talent in Jon Hamm to bring him to life.

Around him, the other characters are a little less fulfilling, but several of them work, including his troubled younger sibling Allison ‘Ali’ Cooper (Lena Hall), and Olivia Munn, doing stalwart work as Samantha Levitt, the unsatisfied housewife in the midst of a difficult divorce to whom Coop has turned for sex and fun since his own marriage collapsed.

The largely smart scripting is sometimes let down by an early over-reliance on voice-over, which despite Hamm’s ability to deliver it smoothly does dip into cliché territory from time to time. How many lectures do we really need, for example, on the shady background to status symbols such as diamonds?

On the directorial front, Tropper has found some experienced collaborators including Craig Gillespie (who is a fellow showrunner here), Greg Yaitanes and Stephanie Laing, who along with Tropper (who handles one episode himself), bring the requisite style and zip to the show, while letting the more emotional sides sit.

Pacing can sometimes be an issue, but the show in general works on a creative level, even if the balance of satire and mystery doesn’t always sit smoothly on the scale.

Cast and Performances

Lena Hall as Allison ‘Ali’ Cooper in ‘Your Friends & Neighbors.’ Photo: Apple TV+.

Jon Hamm has long proved he can handle both drama and comedy, and here he has the chance to blend them. For the most part, he runs with the opportunity, bringing both a brio and world-weariness to the main character of Coop.

He’s our way into this story, a man who is facing the slings and arrows of misfortune after his wealthy lifestyle and marriage crumbles around him, giving him a new viewpoint on life. And a yen for breaking and entering. Coop’s a fine character to follow, one with depth and perception about those around him, and while he’s not always the most likeable person, Hamm’s natural charisma still peeks through.

As his ex-wife Mel, Amanda Peet is somewhat saddled with the sassy-yet-sympathetic role of the former spouse who has moved on, but still has some affection for her former partner (and shares kids with him). Peet has had better roles, yet Mel’s effective in her own way.

Olivia Munn has more of an active role as Samantha, with whom Coop has been having an affair for a while. She brings a spiky, darkly funny energy to the role.

Elsewhere, Lena Hall brings nuance to Coop’s sister Ali, whose mental health struggles bring her back into her life, but also enjoys her own plotline instead of simply being another aspect of his. And there’s a memorable turn from Aimee Carrero as Elena Benavides, a housekeeper who becomes Coop’s partner in crime.

Final Thoughts

Aimee Carrero as Elena Benavides in ‘Your Friends & Neighbors.’ Photo: Apple TV+.

It doesn’t always overcome the strictures of its genre, and it does sometimes attempt to coast on Hamm’s natural talent, but ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ makes for a decent enough entry into the Wealthy Suburban Dark Secrets genre.

Apple clearly has enough confidence in it to order a second season before the first has finished putting out episodes (in fact, the order came before it launched), so we can expect this one to hang around the TV neighborhood for a while.
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What’s the plot of ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’?

After being fired in disgrace, Andrew “Coop” Cooper (Jon Hamm), a hedge fund manager still grappling with his recent divorce, resorts to stealing from his neighbors’ homes in the exceedingly affluent Westmont Village.

But as he finds some treasures among their possessions, Coop also discovers that the secrets and affairs hidden behind those wealthy facades might be more dangerous than he ever imagined.

Who stars in ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’?
- Jon Hamm
- Amanda Peet
- Olivia Munn
- Hoon Lee
- Mark Tallman
- Lena Hall
- Aimee Carrero
- Eunice Bae
- Isabel Gravitt
Jon Hamm as Andrew “Coop” Cooper in ‘Your Friends & Neighbors.’ Photo: Apple TV+.

Jon Hamm Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘Kissing Jessica Stein‘ (2001)
- ‘We Were Soldiers‘ (2002)
- ‘Mad Men’ (2007)
- ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still‘ (2008)
- ‘Stolen‘ (2009)
- ‘Shrek Forever After‘ (2010)
- ‘The A-Team‘ (2010)
- ‘The Town‘ (2010)
- ‘Sucker Punch‘ (2011)
- ‘Bridesmaids‘ (2011)
- ‘Million Dollar Arm‘ (2014)
- ‘Fargo’ (2014)
- ‘Minions‘ (2015)
- ‘Keeping Up with the Joneses‘ (2016)
- ‘Baby Driver‘ (2017)
- ‘Beirut‘ (2018)
- ‘Tag‘ (2018)
- ‘Bad Times at the El Royale‘ (2018)
- ‘Richard Jewell‘ (2019)
- ‘The Morning Show’ (2019)
- ‘Top Gun: Maverick‘ (2022)
- ‘Confess, Fletch‘ (2022)
- ‘Landman’ (2024)
Buy Jon Hamm Movies on Amazon
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May 18, 2025
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September 5, 2018
‘The Romanoffs’ Teaser Reveals Doozy of a Cast for ‘Mad Men’ Creator’s Anthology

Amazon

Matthew Weiner is returning to TV, and he’s bringing a few “Mad Men” stars with him for “The Romanoffs.”

This time, Weiner is swapping AMC for Amazon, which will stream his ambitious new anthology series this October. (Side note: Is anyone NOT making an anthology these days? It’s the new vampire movie.)

Here’s the logline:

“From the creator of ‘Mad Men,’ ‘The Romanoffs’ is a contemporary anthology series set around the globe featuring eight separate stories about people who believe themselves to be descendants of the Russian royal family.”

Apparently the series was shot on location in “three continents and seven countries collaborating with local productions and creative talent across Europe, the Americas, and the Far East.”

Amazon shared a teaser that’s literally just flashing the names of the star-studded cast on screen. There are a lot of names to show!

It was already revealed that John Slattery and Christina Hendricks would be returning from “Mad Men” for this series. But check out the new and previously announced names for the full cast (via Collider):

Noah Wyle
Kathryn Hahn
Kerry Bishé
Jay R. Ferguson
Ben Miles
Mary Kay Place
Griffin Dunne
Cara Buono
Ron Livingston
Jon Tenney
Clea DuVall
Radha Mitchell
Hugh Skinner
Juan Pablo Castañeda
Emily Rudd
Adèle Anderson
Annet Mahendru
Louise Bourgoin
Hera Hilmar
Inès Melab

Isabelle Huppert
Marthe Keller
Aaron Eckhart
Diane Lane
Christina Hendricks
John Slattery
Amanda Peet
Jack Huston
Corey Stoll
Andrew Rannells
Mike Doyle
JJ Field
Janet Montgomery
Paul Reiser

Here’s the teaser with the names:

And now that music, Prokofiev’s “Dance of the Knights,” is going to be in your head all day.

That’s just a teaser, so we’re curious to get a real taste of the show from the eventual trailer.

“The Romanoffs” premieres Friday, October 12 on Amazon Prime Video.

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July 30, 2018
8 Things You (Probably) Don’t Know About Alison Brie

December 28, 2017
‘Mad Men’ Creator Matthew Weiner’s Next Series to Stream on Amazon

This time around, Matthew Weiner has no shortage of network suitors.

Sixteen years ago, Weiner shopped his pilot script for “Mad Men” to HBO and Showtime, but both networks passed. Years passed before AMC finally picked it up.

Now — after “Mad Men” won 16 Emmys and five Golden Globes — Weiner is ready to make his second series, and six entities engaged in a heated bidding war for the project, according to Deadline. The lucky winner was the Weinstein Company and Amazon, which will pay $70 million for the eight-episode series.

Weiner won’t be returning to the ’60s for his new project. Instead, Deadline reports it will be an anthology series (all the rage right now) set in the present day and in locations around the world. He will write and executive produce, as well as direct about half of the episodes.

That’s a huge chunk of change for a television series, but Weiner’s track record speaks for itself. “Mad Men” made AMC a player in prestige scripted series, won boatloads of awards, garnered heaps of critical acclaim, and became a pop culture phenomenon.

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October 26, 2016