These TV shows are the greatest ones that premiered every year of the 2000s. After the most exciting TV releases of the 1990s, which included the beloved Friends in 1994, television audiences were about to be introduced to some captivating prestige dramas and charming sitcoms.
From a miniseries that started a cool trend to a medical drama that is still on the air today, we could tell that these 2000s shows would be a big deal when their pilots aired. Although many years have passed since then, we still think about these series now, and they’re just as impactful as they were back then.
2000: Malcolm in the Middle
The family members from Malcolm in the MIddle family looking shocked on a couch
Following in the footsteps of family sitcoms like Full House, Malcolm in the Middle stood out when it premiered in 2000 thanks to its endearing family set-up. Frankie Muniz is charming as the main character who loves his parents and siblings but doesn’t fit in at home or at school.
Besides the nostalgic value of the sitcom, Malcolm in the Middle endures thanks to great performances by Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek as parents Hal and Lois. It’s also relatable to see siblings who don’t get along, and while the characters treat each other harshly most of the time, you can tell there’s real love between them.
2001: Band of Brothers
Dexter Fletcher wearing an army uniform and looking serious in Band of Brothers
The war miniseries Band of Brothers made a big impact in 2001, showing how memorable this type of show could be, and we’re still talking about it now. The HBO show juggles a massive number of characters, which emphasizes just how many soldiers are involved in every war, and the emotional impact of that.
The 2000s were the start of many epic dramas, and the miniseries genre began taking off during that time period, too. From Generation Kill to Angels in America, there are so many devastating limited series that still matter now.
Band of Brothers appealed to fans of war stories, of course, but also made us look forward to seeing more of what this succinct storytelling style had to offer.
2002: The Wire
Stringer (Idris Elba) looking serious in The Wire
The 2000s were a great decade for HBO prestige dramas, and after Six Feet Under premiered in 2001, The Wire became a universally celebrated series when the pilot aired in 2002.
Whether we’re praising the crime drama’s harsh yet realistic plotlines about drug dealing and life as a police officer in Baltimore or thinking about the great writing, there’s always so much to discuss.
Since The Wire is both a singular tale about Baltimore and also feels like it could be sharing life in many big cities, every episode feels like it could have aired at any point in time, and it’s still impactful today.
2003: NCIS
Gibbs and Ziva standing together on NCIS
From the pilot episode of NCIS, it was clear that the CBS show would be around for a long time. Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) is a fantastic character whom you can’t help but want to know more about.
The teamwork between the main characters is a major draw because if you didn’t care about them, the procedural storytelling format might become stale. NCIS is still going strong today, and with season 23 currently airing, it’s hard to imagine the procedural ever becoming less beloved.
The fact that there are so many spinoffs, from Paramount+’s Tony & Ziva to the prequel NCIS: Origins, proves the franchise’s thrilling storylines and clever characters are still exciting.
2004: Lost
Dominic Monaghan as Charlie in Lost, standing in the plane crash wreckage
When Lost premiered in 2004, it introduced an epic tale about plane crash survivors, and since the show paid a lot of attention to who they were beforehand, it’s still an amazing example of how powerful TV can be. The twists still hook us, the characters are still interesting, and the setting is still scary.
Although we can’t forget about the negative reaction to the Lost series finale, many of us still have a lot of love for the 2000s sci-fi series and enjoy rewatching it to try and understand more of the story. It might even be the coolest show that we could rewatch since we’ll notice something different and new each time.
2005: Grey’s Anatomy
Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) looking serious in her doctor’s coat on Grey’s Anatomy
Just like ER was one of the strongest shows that premiered in 2004 and The Pitt is still a much-discussed 2025 release, Grey’s Anatomy was the best show that came out in 2005. The pilot sets up the lovable and smart interns and the romance between Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey).
While it was clear the series would have a great run, we might not have predicted that Grey’s Anatomy would still be on the air in 2025. That staying power is rare for any genre, but particularly a medical drama, since the cases and characters need to keep us invested. Even ER ended after 15 seasons.
Grey’s Anatomy keeps viewers coming back thanks to effective cliffhangers, consistently compelling and sweet love stories, and characters who care deeply about their work.
2006: Friday Night Lights
Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) talking to Lyla Garrity (Minka Kelly) at a football game in Friday Night Lights
Friday Night Lights made a lot of people care about sports, which is still one of its biggest legacies. While some other compelling shows premiered in 2006, including the quirky and charming Psych and the HBO prestige drama Big Love, the Dillon, Texas-set series was the strongest show that year.
Besides a poorly constructed season 2 plotline about Landry Clarke (Jesse Plemons) murdering a man, most episodes of Friday Night Lights have aged well and have as many beautiful, quiet character moments as exciting football game celebrations. Some other 2000s dramas have filler episodes and problematic storylines, but not this one.
The series followed in the footsteps of the greatest coming-of-age dramas and featured fast-paced, engaging storylines about the personal lives of the adult and high school-aged characters along with thoughtful plot points about class, race, love, and family.
2007: Mad Men
The incredible Mad Men pilot is just one reason why we could tell the show would be a hit when it premiered in 2007. Mad Men does an excellent job letting us in on the interesting world of 1960s New York City advertising while making us feel the struggles of strong characters like Peggy Olsen (Elizabeth Moss).
The upsetting sexism of the time period, the power dynamics at Sterling Cooper, and the series’s inclusion of historical events combine to make a show that is as powerful today as it was then.
It’s still great watching how Don Draper (Jon Hamm) pitches clients and uses emotions in his campaign, and he was one of the first main characters that we wanted to watch despite the fact that he’s harsh, self-centered, and sometimes overly ambitious.
2008: Breaking Bad
Walt, Skyler, and Walt Jr looking off-screen in Breaking Bad
Sons of Anarchy also started in 2008, and no matter how fantastic and powerful the show’s storytelling is, it’s hard to argue that Breaking Bad remains the greatest 2008 TV release. Not every show has a series finale that feels as devastating and memorable as the pilot, but that’s exactly how we feel about Walter White’s (Bryan Cranston) story.
Breaking Bad’s five seasons blend Walt’s cancer journey with action, danger, and high stakes. Although the show is anything but corny and sentimental, we still feel the emotions of him facing the end of his life. This adds an interesting sense of urgency to the story and a hook that sets it apart from many crime dramas.
2009: The Good Wife
Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) and Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) standing next to each other in The Good Wife
Although other legal shows get more attention, from Suits to the Law & Order franchise, the fantastic storytelling on The Good Wife made it the most compelling show from 2009. After watching Juliana Margulies’s fantastic work as a passionate nurse Carol Hathaway on ER, it was exciting to watch her take on another strong-willed character, lawyer and mom Alicia Florrick.
The cases are, of course, a draw on any law show, but The Good Wife sings because of its great characters. We feel for Alicia after her husband Peter’s (Chris Noth) cheating scandal and enjoy meeting her brilliant coworkers including investigator Kalinda Sharma (Archie Panjabi).
Along with Alicia’s intelligent boss Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski), who is at the top of her game, Alicia’s journey is still inspiring to watch.