Your favourite dramatic "TV" shows of last decade

By TV, I include various streaming services such as Netflix, Prime.... With my cable TV service, those streaming services have "channels". So I'm thinking of ones from 2010 to 2019. Those shows didn't need to start in that decade, but have seasons/series (seasons for say the US audience, and series, say, for the Brits) that aired in that decade.

There are so many that I loved, but it can be tough for me to really get into one. Here are some of my favourites:

- Twin Peaks (Season Three, aka the Return, 2017). What a way to return to a series 25 years later. I found this so great. Part eight "Gotta Light?" is quite the artistic statement. It has an interesting mix of surrealism, humour/the absurd, horror and more usual dramatic elements. I would love to find more shows of that kind and quality, but despite Twin Peaks being so influential, it remains quite unique.

- Fargo (2014, 2015, 2017). I loved every season of this, although the first season resonated with me the most. Hopefully the new season will be coming out later this year (delayed due to COVID-19). I loved the film, and saw it in the cinema at the time of release, but the series (three serials) has/ have been more important to me.

- Les revenants (The Returned). An otherworldly, icy and aesthetically beautiful French TV show. It was remade in the US as The Return, but I couldn't get into the remake. Mogwai did the soundtrack. What if your loved ones came back?

- Utopia. This sometimes very violent and disturbing show blew me away. The issue it raises has been one of great interest to me for most of my life. I so wanted a series three. As was pointed out to me in another topic, a US remake is coming from Prime. I'm generally not a fan of remakes and wish they would just show the original. I do, on the other hand love continuations and prequels commonly, such as Twin Peaks and how The League of Gentlemen was handled (which is not in my list because I;m not focusing on comedy or comedy-comedy per se).

- Broen/ Bron/ The Bridge. Nordic noir done so very well.

- Chernobyl. A historical drama done so well.

- In the Flesh. A very interesting and moving take on PDS (Partially Deceased Syndrome). Sadly it was not renewed for a series three and so it did not satisfactorily conclude.

- Inside No. 9. A favourite anthology series of mine which crosses genres, from tragic, to comedic, to horror... I think it's brilliant and am surprised that it doesn't get more recognition. Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith are two of my favourite people. "The 12 days of Christine" brought a tear to my eye. I wish this often comedic British show show got a much wider audience around the world.

- Black Mirror. This anthology series I find especially interesting from a philosophical standpoint. Some episodes I definitely like more than others, as is to be expected especially with an anthology show, but I appreciate all of it. My most watched episode is White Bear.

- Westworld. I wasn't a big fan of season three. Season one I adored and have watched several times.

- Äkta människor (Real Humans). It was remade as Humans. I loved this, and am interested in it from an ethical standpoint. If you liked Ex Machina, this might be worth checking out.

- Stranger Things. Great fun, comedic and quite horrific, love it. It does make me feel rather nostalgic.

- Kingdom. This is a Korean zombie historical drama. I have yet to complete season two. Loved season one. Beautiful cinematography.

- Doctor Who. I can't say that I'm a fan of the Chibnall run, but I loved what came earlier. "Heaven Sent" in particular is one of my favourite episodes of any show.

- Good Omens: Loved the book, loved the BBC radio version, and loved the BBC/Prime show.

- Ad Vitam. I found this French show to be a very interesting take on "immortality" and preferred it to, say, Altered Carbon.

- Misfits. While the first season/ series is my particular favourite, and that came out in 2009, I enjoyed all of the seasons/ series very much. It's a darkly comedic take on the superpowers idea.

- American Gods. Some wonderful fantasy drama.

- Game of Thrones. I like the first few seasons very much, but the story does drag on rather too long for me. I came to it late and hope to complete it at some time.

- The Boys. Another darkly comedic take on superpowers/ superheroes.

- Star Trek: Picard. This genuinely moved me, and while it certainly helps to know and like The Next Generation, this surpasses it for me.

- The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. I loved the film, the Dark Crystal, and to me this Netflix series was very enjoyable. It is a little too Game of Thrones for me and I do prefer the film. Still, I find it very well done.

- Peaky Blinders. I've still only watched series/season one but I enjoyed it.

- Preacher. Still only watched season one but enjoyed it.

- Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams. I am a massive Philip K. Dick head, and enjoyed this anthology series. "Crazy Diamond"(a Syd Barrett reference) with Steve Buscemi was my favourite episode, and it has a Utopia connection.

Speaking of Philip K. Dick, The Man in the High Castle is another series which I enjoyed considerably.

There's much more I really liked, but those are some that immediately sprung to mind and one that I meant to include and promptly forgot. What are some of your favourites of the drama or dramedy variety of the past decade? I wanted to largely exclude comedy per se, especially of the sitcom ilk.

And thought of later, Watchmen.



Edited by Logan - August 01 2020 at 12:47

I have still only watched a little Penny Dreadful, I will get down to that as I have it (better double-check) including the City of Angels on my Showtime streaming service (watched Twin Peaks through that too, plus the movie on Netflix). I'll make that a priority.

Yesterday I started watching season two of The Umbrella Academy, but while I like season one, I wasn't getting into season two. Having fallen so hard for Twin Peaks, it's been hard to get into anything else since that. I am the obsessive type.

One I forgot to mention is The Watchmen. I liked that very much and I found it very relevant for our Black Lives Matter times.

^ Oh yes, Mr. Robot is one I've been wanting to watch. I've heard great things about it.

^ Two I've been meaning to get down to and both of which are readily available to me on streaming services that I subscribe to. I started on Dark, but at the time I just lacked any concentration and then failed to go back to it.

Black Spot is another I started on. In French is is called Zone Blanche, so White Zone.

dr wu23 wrote: 2 actual tv shows I followed were 'Supernatural' and 'The Blacklist'. Both were very good imho.

Logan wrote: ^ Two I've been meaning to get down to and both of which are readily available to me on streaming services that I subscribe to. I started on Dark, but at the time I just lacked any concentration and then failed to go back to it. Black Spot is another I started on. In French is is called Zone Blanche, so White Zone.

A few random choices ( this could go on forever!)

richardh wrote: Logan wrote: ^ Two I've been meaning to get down to and both of which are readily available to me on streaming services that I subscribe to. I started on Dark, but at the time I just lacked any concentration and then failed to go back to it. Black Spot is another I started on. In French is is called Zone Blanche, so White Zone. Yep I love that You will also love these other great French language dramas The Break The Chalet The Forest

Thanks, I started on The Chalet and The Forest,and really liked how it got going. So many things going on and so many streaming shows that I stopped. It usually takes a little while for me to get really invested in a show, and I have to train myself not to play solitaire while the TV is on.

The Break doesn't ring a bell.

Right now I am re-watching series three of Twin Peaks (aka "the Return" from 2017). Since going through all of Twin Peaks it's been really hard for me to devote myself to any other TV shows (loved it so). I love the characters and the situations, the surrealism, the humour, especially the heart, and then there's the horror aspect. So wished my wife would watch it with me, but she has her Korean novella fixation.

Partially its been an access thing (streaming services, cable, internet), but I think I found more great stuff to watch this last decade in terms of shows than any other decade of my life (not all of that being from the past decade).

Logan wrote: richardh wrote: Logan wrote: ^ Two I've been meaning to get down to and both of which are readily available to me on streaming services that I subscribe to. I started on Dark, but at the time I just lacked any concentration and then failed to go back to it. Black Spot is another I started on. In French is is called Zone Blanche, so White Zone. Yep I love that You will also love these other great French language dramas The Break The Chalet The Forest Thanks, I started on The Chalet and The Forest,and really liked how it got going. So many things going on and so many streaming shows that I stopped. It usually takes a little while for me to get really invested in a show, and I have to train myself not to play solitaire while the TV is on. The Break doesn't ring a bell. .