23 Essential TV Series From The 2000s (and Where To Binge Them)

These series helped define a decade, and you can watch them today!

The 2000s were a very interesting time throughout media: nu metal and post-grunge seceded during the emergence of pop punk, CGI was changing what could be done with film and animation with every passing day, and television was transformed thanks to the arrival of expansive cable packages, a burgeoning DVD market, and new viewing habits courtesy of the internet and DVR.

ABC

Yet the television shows of the 2000s live on to this day thanks to the numerous streaming services in our homes and devices, which enable us to revisit these pop culture powerhouses in our next convenient binge. With this in mind, I've assembled 23 of the most essential and definitive television programs born from the '00s that you can dive into right now...

23. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–15)

CBS / Alamy

You know your stylish, ensemble crime procedural is a landmark of television when you have the likes of Quentin Tarantino and William Friedkin more than willing to step into the director’s chair.

Where to Watch: Hulu & Paramount+

22. Deadwood (2004–06)

Doug Hyun / HBO / Album / Alamy

David Milch’s foul-mouthed yet phenomenal Western series was the perfect precursor for the “golden age” of television and redefined the careers of its excellent ensemble, including Ian McShane, Timothy Olyphant, John Hawkes, Molly Parker, and Anna Gunn.

Where to Watch: HBO Max

21. Gilmore Girls (2000–07)

Warner Bros. Television Distribution / Alamy

Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel punched their ticket to cult stardom thanks to the rampant popularity of this witty dramedy from the mind of Amy Sherman-Palladino.

Where to Watch: Netflix

20. Fringe (2008–13)

Bad Robot / Alamy

Bad Robot found another small-screen sensation with this twisty sci-fi series that helped establish Anna Torv as a magnificent leading lady while opening a new chapter for the careers of The Lord of the Rings’ John Noble and Dawson’s Creek’s Joshua Jackson.

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

19. Smallville (2001–11)

David Gray / The WB / Alamy

Laying the groundwork for the CW’s superhero-studded future programming slate, Smallville’s subversion of the traditional comic book lore has helped cement its status as the best small-screen Superman series ever.

Where to Watch: Hulu

18. The Boondocks (2005–14)

Cartoon Network / Courtesy Everett Collection

Aaron McGruder’s hysterical and envelope-pushing animated series was at times bandied as the heir to South Park’s adult animation throne, but the extended gaps between seasons and McGruder’s not-so-amicable departure from the series after its third season in 2010 prevented it from reaching greater heights.

Where to Watch: Hulu & HBO Max

17. Nip/Tuck (2003–10)

Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection

Before his career skyrocketed into the stratosphere with Glee and American Horror Story, Ryan Murphy cut his teeth as a primetime provocateur with Nip/Tuck, the graphic and controversial mystery-drama in the sensational (yet allegedly medically accurate) world of plastic surgery.

Where to Watch: Hulu

16. The O.C. (2003–07)

20th Century Fox Television / Alamy

Taking the baton from the likes of Beverly Hills, 90210 and Party of Five, The O.C. took the teen-centric melodrama into the new millennium while utilizing a modern soundtrack and edgier subject matter relevant to a newer generation.

Where to Watch: Hulu & HBO Max

15. The Shield (2002–08)

Prashant Gupta / Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

Shawn Ryan’s groundbreaking drama series not only rewrote the playbook on what was acceptable on non-premium cable television, but was one of the first major series to introduce the rough-and-tumble handheld camerawork that would become adopted by many subsequent cop programs.

Where to Watch: Hulu

14. Battlestar Galactica (2003–09)

Sci-Fi Channel / Courtesy Everett Collection

This modern reboot of the 1978 sci-fi classic brought the gravitas of prestige drama and the dark edge of modern storytelling to a genre that is so often perceived as relying on special effects as a crutch for its content.

Where to Watch: Peacock

13. Dexter (2006–13)

Showtime Networks Inc. / Courtesy Everett Collection

Though the latter seasons lost some of the luster of the series’ heyday, there’s no denying that Dexter was a seminal show of the ‘00s, proving that a serialized serial killer story could be accepted by a nationwide audience.

Where to Watch: Showtime

12. Chappelle’s Show (2003–06)

Comedy Central / Courtesy Everett Collection

Before he became one of the most polarizing figures in stand-up comedy, Dave Chappelle completely upended the sketch show landscape in the ‘00s with this risky and ridiculous series, making a permanent impact on pop culture in a relatively short amount of time.

Where to Watch: Netflix, HBO Max & Paramount+

11. Aqua Teen Hunger Force (2001–15)

Cartoon Network / Courtesy Everett Collection

A defining show for Adult Swim’s absurdist brand of adult-oriented television, Aqua Teen Hunger Force essentially operated on the principles of meme culture before memes were really a thing and opened the door for the weird and wild shows that have kept Adult Swim riding high to this day.

Where to Watch: Hulu & HBO Max

10. The Wire (2002–08)

HBO / Courtesy: Everett Collection

David Simon’s unflinching and multifaceted look at the War on Drugs in Baltimore still remains one of the benchmarks of HBO’s original programming, and often locks horns with The Sopranos in debates regarding the GOAT of premium cable.

Where to Watch: HBO Max

9. Scrubs (2001–10)

ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

Blending irreverence and fantastical absurdity with the biting, barb-laden modern sitcom structure in a substantial way, this comedy about oddball medical students found a way to appeal to both old-school sitcom fans and less precious younger audiences in an all-too-palatable and neat package.

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video & Hulu

8. Desperate Housewives (2004–12)

ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

While behind-the-scenes drama would mar some of the series’ legacy to an extent, this satirical sensation dominated the pop culture conversation for a number of years and proved that women of a certain age could still be as popular and funny as their less stigmatized male counterparts.

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video & Hulu

7. 24 (2001–10)

20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

In 2001, Joel Surnow, Robert Cochran, and Kiefer Sutherland did what many thought was impossible in the television landscape: they successfully ported the feel, atmosphere, and spectacle of a big-budget action movie into a serialized format, armed with a gimmick that was tailor-made to keep you coming back until the season finale.

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video & Hulu

6. Friday Night Lights (2006–11)

NBC / Courtesy Everett Collection

While it would be easy to assume Friday Night Lights could be a Varsity Blues-esque melodrama for a small-screen format, the incredible cast of underrated heavy-hitters and up-and-coming young performers elevated this series to potent, must-watch television.

Where to Watch: Netflix, Peacock & Hulu

5. Lost (2004–10)

ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

The fact that, more than 10 years after the show has concluded, fans, new and old, continue to debate the mysteries, twists, and resolution of this pop culture phenomenon makes it all the more worthy of inclusion on this list.

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video & Hulu

4. House (2004–12)

Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

Hugh Laurie became a household name on American shores as the irritable yet effective titular character of a medical procedure with an X-Files-esque “mystery of the week” throughline that had a little bit of something for everyone.

Where to Watch: Peacock, AppleTV & The Roku Channel

3. Alias (2001–06)

ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

Though he was often considered a small-screen prodigy, J.J. Abrams became a power player on the television after the massive success of this riveting Jennifer Garner-led spy series.

Where to Watch: Disney+

2. Arrested Development (2003–06)

20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

Prior to its less-than-stellar revival on Netflix in 2013, Arrested Development might have been the best comedy of the ‘00s, bolstered by a painfully funny cast and a layered callback structure that put most “smart” comedies to shame.

Where to Watch: Netflix, Hulu & The Roku Channel

1. Six Feet Under (2001–05)

HBO / Album / Alamy

Alan Ball’s heartbreaking drama about a family-run funeral home was one of HBO’s most acclaimed series throughout its five-season tenure, the run of which culminated in what many people consider to be the greatest series finale of all time.

Where to Watch: HBO Max