“Best of” lists tend to be as great or as useless as the minds behind them. We’re happy to note, then, that the staff of Paste Magazine has used its collective brain power to come up with the 20 Best TV Shows of the Decade.
While we agree with the commenters who say Six Feet Under was tragically overlooked, most of the Paste picks are right on the money. Of course it helps that two outstanding Showtime series made the cut.
At No. 19, Dexter got a shout out for its complicated leading man. “The fact that Dexter is governed by a strict moral code, only preying on murderers, makes the series uniquely fascinating and challenging,” writes Kate Kiefer. Inevitably, as a viewer, “you find yourself rooting for a killer, caring for his family, hoping he’ll do the right thing, and wondering: Can slicing someone to pieces and dumping the body in the ocean ever be right?”
At No. 16 on the list, Weeds was singled out as black comedy at its finest. “Nancy’s behavior grows progressively darker, but supporting characters like alcoholic neighbor Celia, stoner CPA Doug and irresponsible brother-in-law Andy provide just enough comic relief,” Kiefer notes.
Curious about the rest of the best? Bounce on over to Paste’s blog for the full list.
Image: Courtesy of Showtime