The New York Times gets modern TV right
Last week, the New York Times published what it deemed “The 100 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century.” While cinematic phenomena, from 2009’s Avatar to 2023’s “Barbenheimer” and this year’s blockbuster Odyssey, occasionally flare up and captivate the culture, television has been the steadier force shaping popular entertainment over the past two decades. The rise of streaming, movie stars migrating to the small screen, and increasingly lavish production budgets turned television into the place where some of the era’s most ambitious storytelling unfolds.
TL;DR
- The New York Times published a list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century.
- The author criticizes the list for mixing genres and questions the placement of shows like 'I May Destroy You,' 'Breaking Bad,' and 'The American Office.'
- Praised shows include 'Girls,' 'Arrested Development,' 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' 'Mad Men,' 'The Wire,' and 'Band of Brothers.'
- The omission of '24' is highlighted as a major flaw, especially in its representation of post-9/11 culture.
- The article suggests separate lists for different genres would have been more meaningful.