Streaming may have marked the end of the Golden Age of Television a few years ago, but numerous television masterpieces have emerged in the past decade. We’ve seen Baby Reindeer, Adolescence, and Dark. There was even a Breaking Bad spinoff that met expectations.
Severance presented a dystopian perspective on work-life balance. Barry transformed a gimmicky premise about a hitman-turned-actor into an existential masterpiece. From Andor to Arcane to Atlanta, these are the greatest TV shows of the last decade.
Watchmen
Hooded Justice in black-and-white in Watchmen
Alan Moore’s Watchmen is a seminal work not only in comic books but also in 20th-century literature, making it seem like a daunting task to create an original sequel. However, Damon Lindelof successfully delivered a worthy continuation of the story.
HBO’s Watchmen series captures the essence of Moore’s iconic graphic novel. It subverts typical superhero tropes, integrates superheroes into reality, and imagines how American history might have unfolded with superheroes involved.
Baby Reindeer
Donny Dunn (Richard Gadd) doing stand-up in Baby Reindeer
Richard Gadd explored his pain to narrate a deeply personal story in Baby Reindeer. Gadd portrays a bartender and aspiring comedian whose kind gesture towards a lonely customer inadvertently leads to an intense battle of wits with a dangerously unhinged stalker.
Baby Reindeer offers a powerful exploration of the cycle of abuse and how individuals struggle to process their trauma. Gadd presents an unflinching, honest examination of his own experiences.
Barry
Bill Hader on the phone in prison in Barry
When Bill Hader began developing a half-hour show about a hitman who dreams of becoming an actor, it seemed like a gimmicky sitcom that would quickly lose its appeal. However, upon its premiere, it revealed itself as a profound, thought-provoking character study comparable to Breaking Bad.
Barry Berkman despises that his greatest skill is killing and yearns to escape this talent. Yet, no matter how hard he tries to leave this life behind, he cannot stop committing violent acts.
Sarah Parker is a research analyst and content contributor with a strong interest in business strategy, organizational behavior, and social development. With a background in sociology and public policy, she focuses on exploring the intersection between research and real-world application. Sarah regularly contributes articles that bridge academic insights and practical relevance, aiming to foster critical thinking and innovation across sectors.