Defining TV Shows of the 2010s, According to 'Closer Weekly' Staff

We certainly saw a boom for TV shows in the 2010s — especially with the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon’s Prime Video just to name a few. This, plus all the offerings on broadcast and cable (both regular and premium), means we are never without anything to watch. The best part? A lot of the series that aired during the 2010s were incredible!

Some of the TV shows that reigned supreme in the past decade were there before it started and some are still going as it comes to an end. As we are looking back at some of our favorite pop culture offerings, we here at Closer Weekly decided it would be fun to create a list of our favorite series from the 2010s as we look forward to 2020 and all that there is to come on the small screen.

Scroll down below to see which TV shows the Closer Weekly staff chose as the series that defined the last 10 years.

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Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

Breaking Bad is my favorite show of all time and continues to be a classic because of how it shed a different light on Bryan Cranston‘s talents. He was always known to be a “funny guy” type from Malcolm in the Middle, but Breaking Bad crossed boundaries in the TV industry as it was one of the first shows (thanks to The Sopranos, of course!) to have a protagonist who wasn’t “the hero.” Walter White’s character made you question your own morality; there were many times you still rooted for him even when he committed the most heinous crimes. The show brings you on a downward spiral. To this day, I binge-watched this series the fastest! Many amazing shows that came out after followed the antihero model because of Breaking Bad, and I think that’s a big part of what makes this show so noteworthy. — Tara Vaughan, social media producer

‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ (2017-Present)

After her husband cheats on her, a ‘50s housewife inadvertently finds herself immersed in the world of standup comedy and, over the course of the show’s three seasons (fourth is on the way), we see her evolution and rise as a strong comedic voice at a time when comedy was mostly a man’s world. The show genuinely sparks thanks largely to the writing of Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and a stellar cast, led by Rachel Broshnahan as Miriam “Midge” Maisel. A perfect example of why more and more of the creative types from network television are making the leap to streaming. — Ed Gross, film/TV editor

‘Orange Is the New Black’ (2013-2019)

A show that catapulted Netflix to TV dominance, Orange Is the New Black — based on Piper Kerman‘s 2010 memoir, Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison — took the streaming site to new heights. Created by Jenji Kohan, it starred a diverse and talented cast of actresses playing female inmates in a Connecticut federal prison. The series ran for seven seasons between 2013 and 2019, snagging a ton of nominations, winning a few prestigious awards and spawning interesting discussions (be it about LGBTQ issues, race, or our broken prison system) along the way. — Carson Blackwelder, senior editor

‘Parks and Recreation’ (2009-2015)

The Office was losing steam as it got into the later years, but thankfully Amy Poehler, Rob Lowe, Chris Pratt and the other talented cast members of Parks and Recreation put the town of Pawnee, Indiana, on the map. The NBC hit lasted seven seasons, earned Amy a Golden Globe and continues to be played on a loop by fans, both old and new. — Bryan Brunati, staff writer

‘This Is Us’ (2016-Present)

I loved This is Us because I felt it was so compelling and just truly taught you the meaning of true love and family. The show teaches so many lessons and discusses so many topics that I feel are important for viewers to be exposed to nowadays. I just can’t get enough of the Pearsons! — Kelly Braun, digital staff writer