The best seasons of This Is Us, Buffy, and 78 more shows

This Is Us, Season 1

NBC's all-feelings-on-display drama paid off its biggest mystery arc in season 2, with viewers learning that SuperDad Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) heroically saved the family (and dog) from the fire before his heart gave out. But imaginations were most captured in season 1 when the ambitious blueprints for this multigenerational family saga were first laid out on the kitchen table. The pilot episode boasted a primo premise twist — these four strangers celebrating their 36^th birthdays are actually siblings and parents! — and the tail end of the season produced the show's most emotional and arguably greatest episode when Randall (Sterling K. Brown) and his terminally ill biological father, William (Ron Cephas Jones), embarked on a joyfully tearful Memphis adventure. All season long, as this family tale twisted and turned in compelling ways, viewers were reminded to heed the advice that Randall learned from one father and gave it to the other: Just breathe. —Dan Snierson

Where to watch This is Us: Hulu

Atlanta, Season 2

Past a certain point, there are only legendary episodes in the FX weirdcom's second year, subtitled Robbin' Season. Creator Donald Glover's scary-outrageous turn as ghastly Teddy Perkins marked a high point for Atlanta's gothic farce, trapping down-for-whatever Darius (LaKeith Stanfield) in a Neverland-y nightmare. But there's just as much perilous wonder in the New Year's Eve party Van (Zazie Beetz) attends at Drake's house. And Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry) keeps getting lost on bizarre odysseys: lost in the woods, held captive with a half-finished haircut, lost on a college campus with no place to crash. Surreal imagery (full-frontal frat guys, a golden gun) accumulates alongside memorable supporting characters (like RJ Walker's sellout Clark County and Khris Davis' earnest hanger-on Tracy). In hindsight, this was Atlanta's just-right moment, when its narrative experiments still felt embedded in the specific traits of the central characters (unlike seasons 3's far-out anthology episodes). —Darren Franich

Where to watch Atlanta: Hulu

Fleabag, Season 2

You'd be hard-pressed to find 12 more perfectly-crafted episodes of television than Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Emmy-hogging comedy about an unhappy young woman shagging her way through London. But if season 1 was Fleabag's hilarious, fourth-wall-breaking race to her life's nadir, season 2 brings us her glorious and riotous redemption. It begins with a brilliantly chaotic opening dinner and ends with a beautifully bittersweet final shot, and everything in between is simply sublime: Fleabag's relationship with the Hot (and horny) Priest (Andrew Scott), her tested-but-never-broken bond with her older sister Claire (Sian Clifford), and her realization that sometimes, forgiving yourself is even better than sex. —Kristen Baldwin

Where to watch Fleabag: Amazon Prime Video

The Good Place, Season 1

Mike Schur's crafty afterlife comedy opened its pearly gates with a chipper tone and a sense that something was off-kilter here. (Why is frozen yogurt the go-to cold treat in paradise?) But viewers had no motherforking idea what exactly they were in for. Season 1 was a gradual unfolding of a trippy new world (including the marvelously meh Medium Place), with surprises tucked around every corner (silent monk Jianyu is actually a Jacksonville deejay bro?). But the season finale truly opened eyes — and its universe — when scrappy dirtbag Eleanor (Kristen Bell) deduced that the avuncular architect guide had hoodwinked them all and that the Good Place was actually...the Bad Place. While the good times roller-coastered on — season 2 soared as the Soul-Squad got a do-over on Earth and concluded with its most emotional punch yet — you can't help but think of season 1 (and that whopper of a capper) and let out a devilish giggle as big as Michael's. —Dan Snierson

Where to watch The Good Place: Netflix

The O.C., Season 1

If you love The O.C. — and you should — it's because you love the first season. From one of TV's single best pilots to a truly epic season finale, the 27-episode (!!!) first run introduced us to one of teen drama's great families: the Cohens, for whom a life of insecurity and paralyzing self-doubt is the only way. Season 1 launched the show to phenom-status while simultaneously reviving the teen soap opera genre, making "geek" chic, and stepping up television's music game along the way. Highlights include a life-or-death trip to Tijuana, the introduction of Chrismukkah, and THE NANA. —Samantha Highfill

Where to watch The O.C.: Hulu

The Office, Season 2

The Office was probably the only show to ever make you think working in an office could actually be kind of fun, and no season of the NBC sitcom did that better than the second, when it properly diverged from its BBC source material. The sophomore season brought us delights such as the Office Olympics, a little ditty known as "Ryan Started the Fire," and, of course, Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam's (Jenna Fischer) first (and second!) kiss — and with it, the hope that they were finally getting together. Spoiler: They weren't (yet), but from season 2 onward, we knew eventually it was going to be JAM forever. —Ruth Kinane

Where to watch The Office: Peacock

Dexter, Season 4

Each season of Showtime's dark-passenger serial-killer saga was as good (or as bad) as Michael C. Hall's nemesis. And none could compete with the chilling, ice-in-the-veins evil of John Lithgow's domesticated monster, the Trinity Killer. It didn't hurt that this was also the season in which Keith Carradine joined the cast as Special Agent Lundy and our antihero took (reluctant) baby steps into family life with Rita (Julie Benz) and his newborn son, giving him something to lose. Like a 12-episode cat-and-mouse game, the season culminated with a truly shocking sting-in-the-tail finale featuring a corpse in a bathtub and a toddler crying in a pool of blood — his fate eerily mirroring his father's own baptism into evil once upon a time. —Chris Nashawaty

Where to watch Dexter: Paramount+ with Showtime

Survivor, Season 16 (Micronesia — Fans vs. Favorites)

This is the Survivor season that has it all: a gorgeous location (Palau), a perfect balance of newbies and returning favorites (such as single-name legends Parvati, Ozzy, and Cirie), epic blindsides, the biggest blunder of all time (Erik giving away his immunity and promptly being voted out), and an inadvertent two-man comedy team (Chet and Joel). That's why season 16 of the reality giant is number one in our hearts. —Dalton Ross

Where to watch Survivor: Hulu

Sherlock, Season 2

In retrospect, Season 2 of Sherlock occupied a narrow golden age in which the show had just begun to grow in international popularity but had yet to reach the state of global cultural mania that sent it off the deep end. It's no coincidence that this is also the season in which we get the most of Andrew Scott's Moriarty. With his dance moves, Vivienne Westwood, and "Staying Alive" ringtone, the whimsical villain was the Joker to Sherlock's Batman and the source of the most fun the show ever produced. Sure, "The Hounds of Baskerville" was a weak link, but every season had one stinker, and it barely dents the glorious frenzy of the final act in "The Reichenbach Fall." —Dana Schwartz

Where to watch Sherlock: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Breaking Bad, Season 4

The season opens with Gus (Giancarlo Esposito) coldly slitting the neck of one of his henchmen with a box cutter and closes with Gus being blown up by a bomb planted by Walt (Bryan Cranston) on the wheelchair of an old nemesis. Indeed, the menacing, ever-darkening tension in the meth drama quite literally exploded at the end of the charged chess match between the two drug lords, and that final scene of the season — in which we learned that Walt, not Gus, had poisoned an innocent child — put a chilling exclamation point on the savagery of the far-gone man who declared, "I won." —Dan Snierson

Where to watch Breaking Bad: Netflix

The Vampire Diaries, Season 3

The first two years of The Vampire Diaries were incredibly strong, but if we're looking at season-long arcs from start to finish, there's no match for the perfect pacing of season 3. From Stefan's (Paul Wesley) time on the road with Klaus (Joseph Morgan) to his reunion with Elena (Nina Dobrev), the action never dragged, constantly pushing its characters to new, often dark places. By anchoring all of its action with the love triangle — which Salvatore will Elena choose?! — the series was able to deliver some of its best twists, from the arrival of Esther (Alice Evans) to Alaric's (Matthew Davis) death (and subsequent revival). And with the incredibly charismatic Original family as its central villain, season 3 delivered two of the series' strongest hours: "The Reckoning" and "The Departed," a finale that would bring Elena's story full circle in one of the show's most powerful moments. —Samantha Highfill

Where to watch The Vampire Diaries: Peacock

Mad Men, Season 4

Mad Men's fourth season didn't waste any time cutting to the question at the heart of the series. "Who is Don Draper?" a journalist asks at the top of the season premiere, and the man formerly known as Dick Whitman (Jon Hamm) deftly excuses himself from giving a real answer. The 13 episodes that follow search for the truth of the subject, however, as the recently-divorced Don burns his life to the ground with booze and sex workers and then hesitantly, hopefully, begins to rise from the ashes. It certainly helps that the middle season's middle episode, "The Suitcase," is one of the series' all-time greatest hours, as well as a critical narrative turning point, taking Don out of his downward spiral and toward an impulsive engagement with Megan. "I hope she knows you only like the beginnings of things," a hurt Faye Miller (Cara Buono) tells him in the finale after hearing about his new fiancée. That may be true of Don Draper, but after four seasons, we've never loved Mad Men more. —Mary Sollosi

Where to watch Mad Men: AMC+

Friday Night Lights, Season 4

Let's get this out of the way: Season 1 of Friday Night Lights is GREAT. It's when the Panthers are at the top of their game. It has "Mud Bowl." It has Bo. BUT, if you can look past the shiny exterior of the season that made you fall in love with the show, you'll notice that season 4 is FNL at its best. After seasons spent watching Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) teach boys how to be men, we watch as he has to practice what he's preached when he finds himself having to pull himself up and create greatness out of nothing at East Dillon. There is no moment more heartbreaking than Coach forfeiting the team's first game of the season, and no moment more rewarding than watching East Dillon beat West Dillon in the end. From start to finish, this season had the most seamless arc, which also happened to be its most meaningful — because it represented everything the show was about, everything it had preached for years. Also, it gave us "The Son" and Michael B. Jordan. —Samantha Highfill

Where to watch Friday Night Lights: Netflix

How I Met Your Mother, Season 3

The CBS sitcom was one of the first to return from hiatus after the 2008 writers' strike — a stretch that co-creator Carter Bays remembers as "very fertile." He's absolutely right. It includes a terrific guest turn by Britney Spears, a little ditty called "Sandcastles in the Sand" featuring James Van Der Beek, and a memorable episode in which Ted tries to woo Stella (guest star Sarah Chalke) in record time. "The day of shooting [the "Two-Minute Date"] really felt like orchestrating the moon landing," Bays told EW in 2013. "It was fun seeing everybody working against a clock. And the final product was this sweet romantic moment that says everything we want to say with a show. If you pick two minutes that tells what the show is about, I'd select those two minutes." —Henry Goldblatt

How to watch How I Met Your Mother: Hulu

Game of Thrones, Seasons 4 and 6

Largely drawing from the back half of George R. R. Martin's third Westeros novel, the fourth season of HBO's fantasy hit marks a magic crossover high point for source material and adaptation. In book form, it was the high point for Martin's skills as a thrilling twistmaster, with a fatal wedding, a snowy showdown, and a literally mind-crushing trial-by-combat. And in TV form, showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss perfected their panoramic adaptation strategy. Big hashtaggy moments like the Purple Wedding and the Trial of Tyrion run alongside fascinating digressions — you could make a whole show out of Arya (Maisie Williams) and the Hound's (Rory McCann) Cormac McCarthy-ish road trip through the ruined continent. And with Pedro Pascal's Oberyn Martell, the show coughed up its last truly memorable new character. —Darren Franich

Season 6

A contrarian view: While season 4 is a terrific run of episodes and brutal twists of fate, GoT delivered its greatest emotional highs in season 6 and combined them with unprecedented production values and the younger cast members coming into their own to give their strongest performances. Coming out of the darkness of season 5 — which saw fan favorites at their lowest points — this Emmy record-setting season powerfully staged the resurrection of Jon Snow (Kit Harington), his tear-jerking reunion with Sansa (Sophie Turner), Daenerys' (Emilia Clarke) fiery seizure of a Dothraki army, the devastating and revelatory fate of Hodor (Kristian Nairn), and Sansa's bitter triumph over Ramsay (Iwan Rheon). The year was capped by the two finest episodes of GoT — or arguably of any TV show this century: The jaw-dropping "Battle of the Bastards" and the operatic, Sept-nuking "The Winds of Winter," both gracefully combining nuanced intimate drama and epic conflict. —James Hibberd

Where to watch Game of Thrones: Max

The Walking Dead, Season 5

Season 5 starts with what is considered by many to be the best Walking Dead episode ever, "No Sanctuary" — a tour de force complete with two emotional reunions (Carol and Daryl; Rick and Judith) as the gang escapes from the cannibals of Terminus. It ends in Alexandria as Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Morgan (Lennie James) come face-to-face just as Rick has executed someone. No season mixed action and agony better than this crucial arc. —Dalton Ross

Where to watch The Walking Dead: Netflix

RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 6

Did you think we'd champion any other season as the best in RuPaul's Drag Race herstory? Not today, Satan. RuPaul has sashayed many a fabulous queen into the worldwide spotlight of drag, but none have amassed a post-show following as quickly as season 6 victor Bianca Del Rio. From episode 1, she kept whiny contestants like Laganja Estranja in check while serving lewks (and verbal comedic hooks) on the main stage. At the time, the show was growing up and out of its humble beginnings on Logo, and Del Rio fused the old-school pizazz of her craft and costumes with a fiercely original (yet still accessible) creative energy that helped Drag Race make the jump from niche novelty to global phenomenon. —Joey Nolfi

Where to watch RuPaul's Drag Race: Paramount+

Grey's Anatomy, Season 2

After capping off its shortened first season with one hell of a cliffhanger — welcome to the fray, Addison! (Kate Walsh) — the ABC medical drama hit its stride in season 2 with some of its best story lines and episodes. MerDer in turmoil, Izzie (Katherine Heigl) cuts Denny's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) LVAD, Bailey (Chandra Wilson) gives birth to Tuck (and the phrase "vajayjay"), Cristina (Sandra Oh) loses Burke's baby, Mark Sloan (Eric Dane) and Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) arrive, George (T.R. Knight) and Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) have sex! This season also includes infamous patients (like the duo skewered together by a pole in a train crash) and iconic lines, from Cristina calling Meredith her "person" to Meredith urging Derek (Patrick Dempsey), "Pick me, choose me, love me." And, of course, there's the most-watched episode in Grey's Anatomy history, the post-Super Bowl hour in which Meredith holds a bomb steady inside a man's chest cavity. (Poor Coach turned to pink mist!) —Natalie Abrams

Where to watch Grey's Anatomy: Netflix

Damages, Season 1

The Damages pilot opens in a yellow-tinted haze on the image of a young woman covered in blood, emerging from the elevator of a Manhattan high-rise, panicked and on the run. We'll find out how she got there over 13 delectably twisty episodes, even as more flash-forwards keep raising new juicy questions. Damages was puzzlebox TV before it was in fashion, a legal thriller driven by the imposingly enigmatic Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) as she vanquished billionaire opponents by any means necessary. That the first season sustained itself, keeping you on the edge of your seat to the final seconds, felt like a magic trick — and like any magic trick, there was nothing quite like seeing it for the first time. —David Canfield

Where to watch Damages: Hulu

The Americans, Season 4

FX's Cold War spy drama has always been about relationships — to family, friends, ideology, and country. In the bleak and deliberately structured fourth season, the show dug even deeper and explored how these relationships could be both beneficial and damaging by using a bioweapon as a metaphor. You couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of dread watching Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth (Keri Russell) handle a dangerous, weaponized virus while also dealing with their daughter Paige (Holly Taylor), and, of course, their own tormented psyches. Furthermore, this was the year in which many seeds that were planted in the first season finally bloomed, and the payoffs were definitely well worth the wait. —Chancellor Agard

Where to watch The Americans: Hulu

The Good Wife, Season 5

Throughout its seven-season run, The Good Wife had a knack for reinvention. It was never afraid to blow up its status quo in order to present new challenges to its characters. This was no more apparent than in the show's exceptional fifth season, which explored what happens when friends become enemies. Chicago lawyers Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) and Cary Agos (Matt Czuchry) decided to leave Lockhart Gardner in order to start their own firm, thereby pitting themselves against their mentors Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) and Will Gardner (Josh Charles), with whom Alicia shared a complicated romantic history. "Hitting the Fan," the episode in which Alicia and Cary's plans are revealed, remains one of the most propulsive and exciting episodes of television we've seen yet, and it doesn't even feature a big-budget battle — just a shocking and aggressive desk clearing. This dramatic separation not only tested every relationship on the show but also furthered the series' interest in exploring the costs of ambition. (Season 5 also featured the show's best twist ever, which is only at least the fourth most interesting thing of the season). —Chancellor Agard

Where to watch The Good Wife: Paramount+

Sports Night, Season 1

If you can get past the laugh track, the inaugural season of Aaron Sorkin's shamefully short-lived series about an irreverent, SportsCenter-like news show (anchored by Josh Charles and Peter Krause) is everything a workplace comedy should be. Sorkin's high-IQ, rat-a-tat cocktail of noble sentiment, scalpel-sharp satire, and sports-as-a-metaphor-for-life drama was fueled by an innate love of language and a palpable fondness for the people who craft it for a living. Think of it as The West Wing with walk-off home runs. Network TV hadn't aimed this high since its Norman Lear-in-the-'70s heyday…and for that, it would be canceled after two seasons. —Chris Nashawaty

Where to watch Sports Night: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Ally McBeal, Season 4

Four years in, and yes, we had been down this road. But after a third season that saw Billy (Gil Bellows) strut around with a coterie of women from a Robert Palmer video before dropping dead of a brain tumor, this outing is remarkably grounded, poignant…and sad. Robert Downey Jr. joins the cast as Larry, a love interest for Ally (Calista Flockhart). Off-screen, however, Downey was dealing with addiction issues, which led to increasingly sporadic on-screen appearances and his abrupt departure from the series. Lore has it that creator David E. Kelley was even forced to scrap a planned marriage for Ally and Larry. Episode 20, which features Sting and Downey serenading Ally on her birthday with "Every Breath You Take," is the stand-out. —Henry Goldblatt

Ally McBeal is not available to watch or rent

Broad City, Season 4

New York City has been depicted on TV and film through different lenses, from the glitzy parties to the gossip world of the Upper East Side, but no show has managed to depict modern-day New York — largely high and millennial — better than Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, especially in their series' fourth season. From the perils of a daily commute, often rancid and rushed, to the stress of dealing with low-paying jobs, high rent, and even the President's effect on daily life, these young women managed to poke fun at the eternally fabulous chaos of the city clouded by pizza, vapes, and, of course, reliable friendship. —Ernest Macias

Where to watch Broad City: Hulu

Six Feet Under, Season 1

Alan Ball's landmark ensemble drama was unlike anything else on the air when HBO premiered it in 2001 — a sweeping panorama of sexuality, mortality, and family that balanced sharp realism with gorgeous dream sequences. Meeting the Fishers for the first time, in the wake of patriarch Nathaniel's death, was similarly invigorating — a family so familiar in their angst, their love, and their complexity that they could've been your own. No season managed to feel simultaneously like an epic and a slice of life better than the first — though the entire show's legacy certainly speaks for itself. —David Canfield

Where to watch Six Feet Under: Max

Gilmore Girls, Season 3

The third season of Gilmore Girls does include the entirety of Rory's (Alexis Bledel) relationship with Jess (Milo Ventimiglia), whom many (correctly) consider to be her best boyfriend, but their romance — and the legendary dance marathon that kicks it off — isn't all that makes this a great chapter in the Gilmores' lives. It takes place over the course of Rory's senior year of high school and, after three seasons of nonstop Harvard talk, delivers the brilliant curveball of her choosing to go to Yale — a decision that ties her that much more closely to Richard (Edward Herrmann) and Emily (Kelly Bishop). Throw in a four-part Thanksgiving, a wistful look at Lorelai's (Lauren Graham) past, and one tear-jerking valedictorian speech (even Luke cries!), and season 3 is easily the greatest. —Mary Sollosi

Where to watch Gilmore Girls: Netflix

Better Call Saul, Season 5

Saul only improved with age as it found its off-kilter equilibrium, and season 5 stands as its most consistently explosive and intriguing, when this bifurcated Breaking Bad prequel mashed its legal and cartel worlds into each other. And, yes, it was certainly the season of Kim: Rhea Seehorn's enigmatic lawyer staked her claim as the show's most mysterious character. The back half of the season — Kim's surprise marriage proposal! Jimmy's "lightning bolts shoot from my fingertips!" eruption at Howard! Jimmy and Mike's deadly desert survival trek! Lalo's terrifying "Tell. Me. Again" drop-by! — was as mesmerizing and compelling as any stretch of Breaking Bad. By the time Kim had turned to the dark side by pitching a dark scheme and firing finger guns at Jimmy in the season finale, viewers were already blown away. —Dan Snierson

Where to watch Better Call Saul: Netflix

Friends, Season 5

A decade after the show's conclusion, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Ross (David Schwimmer) are still the most name-checked Friends couple, but Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) were truly the sitcom's romantic heart. Season 5 turned their unexpected romance into comedy gold with episodes like "The One With All the Kissing," which finds Monica hiding in a bubble bath and Chandler kissing Rachel and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) as his "European thing" to keep their relationship a secret. The charade gets milked for laughs for more than half the season in episodes like "The One With the Kips," "The One With All the Resolutions," and the iconic "The One Where Everybody Finds Out." The season is also bursting with classic moments, including the Turkey-on-Monica's-head Thanksgiving episode, our introduction to Chandler's "work laugh," and the whole group's trip to Vegas (culminating in Ross and Rachel's drunken wedding). Season 5 showcased the acting ensemble at its peak, making plenty of room for the blend of humor and heartfelt emotion that made the show a hit for 10 seasons. —Maureen Lee Lenker

Where to watch Friends: Max

The Bachelorette, Season 1

Trista was the first Bachelorette, and, quite frankly, she did it best. Whether you were rooting for the series' greatest love story — Trista and Ryan — or pulling for a Charlie upset, it didn't seem like Trista could go wrong. Well, unless she chose Charlie. In the end, Trista and Ryan got their love story, which resulted in a wedding and, to this day, the franchise's biggest success story. —Samantha Highfill

Where to watch The Bachelorette: Hulu

Arrested Development, Season 2

Arrested Development's comedy was too weird to stay on broadcast TV longer than three seasons; years later, its Netflix-exclusive seasons 4 and 5 proved too weird even for streaming viewers. But season 2 was the show's perfect nexus between strangeness and brilliance. Without ever missing a beat, this batch of episodes saw Tobias (David Cross) join the Blue Man Group and Gob (Will Arnett) learn the true value of an expensive suit, while Buster's (Tony Hale) attachment to his mother cost him a hand. George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor), of course, continued to imitate both George W. Bush and Saddam Hussein in all the worst ways. —Christian Holub

Where to watch Arrested Development: Netflix

Glee, Season 1

After the first season of Glee, the show sometimes veered into PSA territory, but season 1 was gloriously self-aware and tongue-in-cheek, perfectly campy but anchored in the real world in a way that was like almost nothing else on TV. Looking back on it now, the musical's exciting two-part first cycle, which ended with cheerleader Quinn (Dianna Agron) giving birth while Jonathan Groff's Jesse St. James performed "Bohemian Rhapsody" with Carmel High School's Vocal Adrenaline, seems like a relic from a different era. —Dana Schwartz

Where to watch Glee: Hulu

Homeland, Season 1

Homeland is the perfect example of a show that came out the gate so strongly that it set itself up for nearly inevitable disappointment. However, whether the series went downhill afterward is, frankly, irrelevant to the masterpiece that is the first 12 episodes. This season was like television clickbait: It knew how to hook you right from the start, and there wasn't an episode that didn't end with the most delectable cliffhanger. Homeland's freshman season also provided the audience with plenty of watercooler debate over whether Sgt. Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) was actually a spy for a terrorist — a mystery of murky loyalty that was never matched in any of the follow-up seasons. —Seija Rankin

Where to watch Homeland: Hulu

Bones, Season 2

Before Bones settled into its role as the sort of reliable procedural that might run for, say, 12 seasons on Fox, it spent years trying on different genres just to see how they fit. But Bones was never more consistent than in season 2, a dark blend of the show's best elements. The personal drama was tightly serialized: In one arc, Brennan (Emily Deschanel) found a new partner-turned-boyfriend when Booth (David Boreanaz) was sidelined by trauma. The action hit closer to home when Brennan's con-man father (Ryan O'Neal) returned, and, in EW's pick for the series' all-time best episode, Brennan and Hodgins (T.J. Thyne) were buried alive. New, no-nonsense boss Cam (Tamara Taylor) shook up the team, and the comedy was dry enough to lighten the mood without lowering the stakes. But most importantly, season 2 did right by Booth and Brennan, giving them space to fall into bed with other people even as they gravitated toward each other. And did we mention that undercover trip to Vegas? —Kelly Connolly

Where to watch Bones: Hulu

Parks and Recreation, Season 3

It was the kind of year that would take home a blue ribbon at the Harvest Festival. After finding its groove over the first two seasons, Parks and Recreation finally landed on a winning formula when it traded Paul Schneider's city planner Mark Brendanawicz for two out-of-towners with a little more personality: eternal optimist Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe) and killjoy-with-a-heart-of-gold Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott). Their goal was to slash the Parks Department's budget, but they wound up staying to build something great instead, and as they joined Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and her team in defense of Pawnee, Parks and Rec became a vision of what the government could be. From "Flu Season" to "The Fight," season 3's blend of comedy and idealism was the real Pyramid of Greatness.—Kelly Connolly

Where to watch Parks and Recreation: Peacock

Teen Wolf, Season 3B

One of the MTV series' greatest villains came along with one of the show's greatest twists: Stiles (Dylan O'Brien) is the Nogitsune! If that isn't enough drama for you, season 3B played home to the series' most shocking moment, which also goes down as its most heartbreaking: Allison (Crystal Reed) dying in the arms of the man she loves. For a show that was all about surprising fans and making them feel things, this season took the cake. —Samantha Highfill

Where to watch Teen Wolf: Hulu

Justified, Season 2

While Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) was Justified's chief antagonist throughout the six-season run, season 2 of the FX drama stands out because of the emergence of another memorable Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) foe. As Mags, the Bennett clan matriarch and local criminal kingpin, Margo Martindale intimidated and surprised (to an Emmy-winning degree). In addition to Martindale, Kaitlyn Dever, playing a young girl caught between Raylan and Mags, also shined on the often predominately male-led show. But the season's No. 1 takeaway was clear: Never drink Mags Bennett's apple pie moonshine. —Derek Lawrence

Where to watch Justified: Hulu

Parenthood, Season 4

Over its six seasons, Parenthood never shied away from dealing with very real, very emotional issues. Yet, its season 4 arc, which saw Kristina's (Monica Potter) breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, was arguably its greatest achievement. Any Parenthood fan will always remember the phrase, "There's something I need to tell you," and not just because it was the title of that episode. Outside of Kristina's plot, season 4 also gave Amber (Mae Whitman) her biggest love story, in Ryan (Matt Lauria), while Sarah (Lauren Graham) had a choice to make: Should she be with Mark (Jason Ritter) or Hank (Ray Romano)? —Samantha Highfill

Where to watch Parenthood: Hulu

Big Love, Season 3

As with any of the five seasons of HBO's polygamy drama, so much happens in season 3. Bill (Bill Paxton) marries a fourth wife, Ana (Branka Katic), only for her to cut and run just a few days later. Roman (Harry Dean Stanton) is on trial for rape and child sex abuse but manages to be acquitted when Adaleen (Mary Kay Place) bribes Rhonda (Daveigh Chase) into refusing to testify. Sarah (Amanda Seyfried) gets pregnant and has a miscarriage. Ginger dies, Kathy dies, Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn) has a cancer scare, and Nicki (Chloë Sevigny) steals Margie's (Ginnifer Goodwin) identity to get a job at the D.A.'s office and has a super-steamy flirtation with her boss, Ray. But there's one element of the season that made the third batch of episodes take the cake: Lois' (Grace Zabriskie) ridiculous and continued unsuccessful attempts to murder her husband, Frank (Bruce Dern), and his simultaneous attempts to woo her back (which he does). It's wild and over-the-top and inexplicably works thanks to the committed performances of Zabriskie and Dern. —Breanne L. Heldman

Where to watch Big Love: Max

Lost, Season 1

Now this is how you start a series. With TV's most expensive pilot at that point, Lost began with a bang (and a crash), instantly hooking more than 20 million viewers per week through intriguing mysteries, revealing flashbacks, and hilarious Sawyer (Josh Holloway) one-liners. Packed with countless unforgettable moments, including the show's first major death (R.I.P. to Ian Somerhalder's Boone) and Jack (Matthew Fox) and Sawyer's heart-to-heart about the former's father, the debut season culminates in the question that fans spent months endlessly speculating over: What's in the hatch? (Answer: a charming Scotsman). —Derek Lawrence

Where to watch Lost: Hulu

Supernatural, Season 5

Supernatural's fifth season was quite literally four years in the making. The show's creator, Eric Kripke, always claimed he had a five-year arc in mind when he started the show, which means that seeds that had been planted over the past four seasons all came together to build to the ultimate brother showdown: Lucifer vs. Michael (meaning Sam vs. Dean) in the literal apocalypse. It doesn't get better than that. —Samantha Highfill

Where to watch Supernatural: Netflix

Star Trek, Season 1

Pop myth incarnate. The first season of the first Star Trek built the infrastructure for a half-century (and counting) of cosmic wonder, with 29 episodes that blast the starship Enterprise into the weirdest corners of the galaxy and the human condition. It's a galaxy built from reused backlots, empty planetscapes that look like the thirstiest drylands of greater Los Angeles, and the not-so-occasional bottle episode, but the no-fi special effects didn't matter. Creator Gene Roddenberry and his collaborators oversaw adventures with eerily fascinating monsters ("The Man Trap," "The Devil in the Dark") and inhuman gods run amok ("Where No Man Has Gone Before," "The Squire of Gothos") and tense Cold War metaphor-thrillers ("Errand of Mercy," "Balance of Terror") that invent whole alien cultures in a couple of minutes. And Kirk fought a lizard man, and the crew caught space-madness, and we learned you should never fall in love when you travel to the past. Some episodes have aged into candy-colored camp, but with William Shatner's macho thoughtfulness and Leonard Nimoy's cerebral sensitivity, even the worst parts of season 1 boldly go somewhere. —Darren Franich

Where to watch Star Trek: Paramount+

Superstore, Season 4

Few network sitcoms were steadier than this NBC sitcom, which perfected contemporary workplace hijinks in its first three seasons. Superstore built a great ensemble with a deep bench of hilarious characters, and everyone gets a showcase in this transformative year. Amy (America Ferrera) and Jonah (Ben Feldman) go from will-they-won't-they to THEY ARE, managing a shift to coupledom with aplomb. Amy unexpectedly finds herself wanting more from her Cloud 9 life, evolving from disinterested employee to befuddled manager after zealous Glenn (Mark McKinney) decides to focus on his own work-life balance. Marvelously snarky Mateo (Nico Santos) has the most dramatic arc, revealing his undocumented status at the worst/Trumpiest time. And don't forget about wonderfully poignant Sandra (Kaliko Kauahi), who gets a romantic triangle subplot and a fiery new dedication to union-building. The simultaneous labors of Amy and Dina (Lauren Ash) cast a sharp light on healthcare inequity. And did we mention the climactic ICE raid? It's the pinnacle of Superstore's sneakily ambitious laugh-out-loud comedy — and the last season showrun by creator Justin Spitzer. —Darren Franich

Where to watch Superstore: Hulu

Deadwood, Season 2

Weddings and funerals, murder and suicide, amalgamation and capital: This was the frontier, and this is America. Every episode of creator David Milch's Western drama features better dialogue than any show you've watched this week, but it's in the second season that his radically expansive vision hits a new level of perfection. While Ian McShane's quote machine Al Swearengen is initially sidelined, the show paints in unexpected margins of its world, meticulously tracking how a violent mining camp becomes a town. Cruel to list just a few of the wonderful actors, but marvel at the eerie power of Garret Dillahunt's Wolcott, the envoy of horrific "civilization" — and the arrival of Gerald McRaney's George Hearst, that civilization's dark god. —Darren Franich

Where to watch Deadwood: Max

The Bachelor, Season 13

Jason Mesnick was the likable single father who'd just had his heart broken by DeAnna Pappas. Translation: It wasn't hard to root for him. But no one expected the finale that Jason provided: After saying goodbye to Molly, he spent the better half of the finale bent over a railing, sobbing his guts out. By the time Melissa arrived, the nation was shocked when he gathered himself long enough to get down on one knee. Then, we were even more shocked when, at the "After the Final Rose" ceremony, he changed his mind and went back to Molly. AND they're still married to this day. How's that for the most dramatic season ever?! —Samantha Highfill

Where to watch The Bachelor: Hulu

Dawson's Creek, Season 1

Is there anything better than seeing Katie Holmes and James Van Der Beek exchange unlikely teenage dialogue (ahem, "I just think our emerging hormones are destined to alter our relationship, and I'm trying to limit the fallout") for the first time? Or Pacey (Joshua Jackson) telling me — er, Tamara Jacob (Leann Hunley) — "I'm the best sex you'll never have"? Or having your heart completely shattered as Joey sings "On My Own"? Or that grand finale when Joey and Dawson finally kiss for the very first time? Those 13 episodes represent simpler, impeccably soundtracked times, and while the show went on to many bigger milestone moments, future seasons never fully recaptured season 1's full-circle first-love magic. —Breanne L. Heldman

Where to watch Dawson's Creek: Hulu

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 2

As Buffy went on, its engrossing mythology became more and more complex, introducing new conceptions of evil and going on elaborate philosophical tangents that certainly made the series richer (and ensured it never got boring). But there's beauty in simplicity, and the most perfect stretch of Buffy episodes is its second, when it evolves beyond the weird and wacky season 1 but still sticks to the show's central metaphor — high school is hell — by providing its most elegant, most devastating expression in Buffy's (Sarah Michelle Gellar) doomed romance with Angel (David Boreanaz). In short: Have sex with a boy and he can become a monster. But what a monster! Angelus' connection to Buffy makes him the biggest bad of them all (did any subsequent villain ever say anything as haunting as that "Passion" speech?); still, his defeat, seconds after his soul is restored, is somehow more heartbreaking than it is victorious. Between that story line and the introductions of Kendra (R.I.P.), Oz (Seth Green), and a certain bleach-blond British vamp and his less-than-sane lover, it's a season of TV worth feeling passionate about. —Mary Sollosi

Where to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Hulu

The Sopranos, Season 5

In this spellbinding set of episodes, Tony (James Gandolfini) and Carmela (Edie Falco) attempt to build new lives as a newly separated couple — a development that rocks the world of their already troublesome son, Anthony (Robert Iler). And the death of Carmine Lupertazzi (Ray Abruzzo) wreaks havoc on the New York and New Jersey families, thus prompting the age-old question: Who's the boss? —Lynette Rice

Where to watch The Sopranos: Max

Chuck, Season 2

The NBC spy dramedy's second season is classic Chuck. It provided the best mix of action, espionage fun, romance, and silly pop culture references and homages. The conflict between Team Bartowski and Fulcrum, a rogue group of spies, was the show's strongest and most engaging season-long arc, and it was rather satisfying watching Chuck (Zachary Levi) become a better spy and more proactive character. Moreover, season 2 featured some of the show's best guest stars, including Scott Bakula, Chevy Chase, Tricia Helfer, and Gary Cole. —Chancellor Agard

Where to watch Chuck: Amazon Prime Video

The Shield, Season 7

It's not often that a show saves its best for last — but that's exactly what Shawn Ryan's gritty cop drama did. After years of bringing in new adversaries for Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis), such as Monica Rawling (Glenn Close) and Antwon Mitchell (Anthony Anderson), The Shield looked within the Strike Team, pitting him against his former friend and partner Shane (Walton Goggins). An all-time season and series was capped off tragically and perfectly with "Family Meeting," which featured a devastating end for Shane and his family, while also landing Vic in his own personal prison: unaware of his children's whereabouts and stuck behind a desk. The series' final shot of Vic grabbing his gun and walking out of his office, seemingly prepared to risk his freedom by returning to the streets, serves as both a perfect conclusion and one that makes you desperate to see what's next. —Derek Lawrence

Where to watch The Shield: Hulu

The West Wing, Season 2

It might be hard to pinpoint a best season for a series that was nominated for 95 Primetime Emmys and won 26, but an argument can be made for the stellar sophomore installment, which picked up immediately after the dramatic assassination attempt in the season 1 finale. Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) grapples with the trauma of being shot in the award-winning episode "Noël"; Republican lawyer Ainsley Hayes (Emily Procter) makes her debut and shows that smarts and patriotism can come from both sides of the aisle; and President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) comes clean to his staff (and to America) about his multiple sclerosis diagnosis — and implies he will run for reelection in the much-praised finale "Two Cathedrals." (EW even included the episode in our end-of-the-decade best-of pop culture list.) —Noelene Clark

Where to watch The West Wing: Max

The Newsroom, Season 1

While The West Wing was Aaron Sorkin's vision of politics with decency at its center, The Newsroom marked a similar worldview transposed to the world of cable news. The first season was standard Sorkin — a group of empathetic people working to deliver the news for the sake of the facts and bettering the world (never mind the ratings). Though hindsight is 20/20, here the show genuinely managed to make old news feel like compelling, edge-of-your-seat drama, as in "5/1" when the characters anticipate the news of Osama Bin Laden's death. Sorkin expertly balanced his attitude toward the news, which in later seasons became preachy, with the interpersonal dynamics of the newsroom, including various romantic dramas and the battle for the soul of the network. The season finale brought all of these things to a head with a superb guest star appearance from Jane Fonda and Maggie's (Alison Pill) epic Sex and the City rant that ended with a season-in-the-making kiss. In its first season, The Newsroom offered us a glimpse of what the news could and should be while allowing space for us to fall for its quirky cast of characters. —Maureen Lee Lenker

Where to watch The Newsroom: Max

Rick and Morty, Season 2

This twisted cartoon started off as a Back to the Future riff, but season 2 exploded with fresh creativity. Co-creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland took classic sci-fi tropes and twisted them to explore contemporary issues of interpersonal relationships and mental health. "Total Rickall" remains the show's landmark achievement — a home invasion by shapeshifting alien parasites allowed Harmon and Roiland to riff on bottle episodes, "Cousin Oliver"-type characters, and clip shows, while also exploring how healthy relationships can still support anger and strife. This run of episodes must also hold the record for weirdest cameos of all time, given Christina Hendricks' turn as a hive mind-controlled alien species and Jemaine Clement's role as a singing, omnipotent fart. —Christian Holub

Where to watch Rick and Morty: Hulu

America's Next Top Model, Cycle 6

ANTM is as much about modeling as RuPaul's Drag Race is about motor sports. You come to the show for fashion eleganza but you stay for the wild contestants — and no contestant proved that more than cycle 6's self-proclaimed "biracial butterfly," Jade Cole. From her epic Cover Girl commercial flub in episode 6 ("Hey, girl!" *twirls* "Oh, I feel fabulous!") and singular vocabulary ("decipheration," "analystic," and "dwelve," anyone?) to her adamant declaration that the show is not, in fact, titled America's Next Top Best Friend, Jade's delusional candor made cycle 6 the most consistently entertaining strut down the ANTM runway in the show's history. —Joey Nolfi

Where to watch America's Next Top Model: Hulu

Arrow, Season 2

The second season of the CW's flagship superhero drama featured the show's best villain in Slade Wilson's Deathstroke (Manu Bennett), who was effectively a creation of Oliver's (Stephen Amell) making. Powerful flashbacks detail how Oliver was forced to inject his ally with super solider serum Mirakuru to save his life, causing Slade to basically go mad and vow revenge on Oliver for allowing Shado (Celina Jade) to die so Sara Lance (Caity Lotz) could live. The season built toward an ultimate showdown between them with very real stakes, along the way bringing Sara into the fold in the present day as the Canary, introducing Roy Harper (Colton Haynes) as the eventual vigilante Arsenal, and ultimately forcing Oliver to face real loss with the death of his mother at Slade's hands. —Natalie Abrams

Where to watch Arrow: Netflix

Battlestar Galactica, Season 2

Even the show's worst episode ("Black Market") can't eclipse the two-part second season of BSG from shining through as the show's more propulsive realization of its postapocalyptic space-opera premise. The midseason arc showcasing the arrival of the Battlestar Pegasus, ruled by the warmongering Admiral Cain (Michelle Forbes), put the Galactica's heroes into an impossible moral conflict; "Scar" was a compelling stand-alone showcase for Katee Sackhoff's Starbuck; and the season climaxed with a shocking "One Year Later" time jump — a stunningly original twist in 2006, and one that's since been seldom utilized to greater impact. —James Hibberd

Where to watch Battlestar Galactica: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Melrose Place, Season 3

There once was a woman named Kimberly

Who wore wigs and stole babies — what lunacy!

She set off a bomb

Without any qualms

Would this be the end of her killing spree?

—Henry Goldblatt

Where to watch Melrose Place: Amazon Prime Video

Scandal, Season 2

Much like its TGIT predecessor Grey's Anatomy, Scandal also had a shortened first season, gaining immense traction through word-of-mouth and social media buzz heading into season 2, which detailed how our white hat-wearing heroine Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) previously got her hands dirty alongside a cabal of heavy hitters to rig the election and ensure Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) would become POTUS. Through flashbacks, we learned how Olivia and Fitz came to fall in love, but we also saw the cabal commit dirty deeds, including framing Quinn (Katie Lowes) as the Molotov Mistress and giving rise to the delicious villain Billy Chambers (Matt Letscher). The season ended with a number of big shockers, including ostensible hero Fitz killing Verna Thornton, but more so than that was discovering that the B613 baddie working from the shadows was actually Olivia Pope's own father. —Natalie Abrams

Where to watch Scandal: Hulu

The Good Fight, Season 2

When future historians seek to understand the seismic social, political, ideological, and emotional shifts that took place in America in the mid-to-late 2010s, they'll need look no further than The Good Fight. The second season of Robert and Michelle King's brilliant, surrealist portrait of life in the Age of Trump often served as a real-time reflection of everything its viewers were feeling: paranoia, rage, disorientation, fear, disbelief, and of course, derangement. For Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski), it seemed like her world was falling apart — the poor woman had to start microdosing to feel normal — but this was the year The Good Fight truly came together. Liz Reddick (Audra McDonald) joins the firm. Jay (Nyambi Nyambi) and Marissa (Sarah Steele) team up as investigators. Kurt (Gary Cole) and Diane reunite. Season 2 is Good Fight at its greatest. —Kristen Baldwin

Where to watch The Good Fight: Paramount+

The Blacklist, Season 5

Sure, the first season set the stage for a long-running mystery of why notorious criminal mastermind Raymond Reddington (James Spader) would only work with FBI profiler Elizabeth "Liz" Keen (Megan Boone) to track down a list of dangerous criminals, but it wasn't until season 5 when Liz was finally in on the truth — for the most part — that both of the show's dynamic leads could have a bit of fun. While there are clearly still secrets between them, knowing that Red is her father initially allowed Liz to give into some of the darker impulses embedded in her DNA, much to the audience's delight. But after the shocking death of her husband, it gave way to Liz turning into her father, using any means necessary to get revenge, and allowing Boone a commanding presence on the NBC thriller. —Natalie Abrams

Where to watch The Blacklist: Netflix

Alias, Season 2

Alias' five seasons fall into two categories: the first two and then everything else. It's not that the later years weren't fun; it's just that the early years were nearly perfect. In its second season, the twisty spy drama became a family affair when Sydney Bristow's (Jennifer Garner) ex-KGB mom Irina (Lena Olin) turned herself in, reopening old wounds for Sydney and dad Jack (Victor Garber). Sydney's work with the CIA entangled itself in all of her relationships that year. Along the way, the show reinvented itself twice: Alias blew up its premise in a bold post-Super Bowl episode, then pulled the rug out from Sydney yet again in a jaw-dropping finale. Season 2 was Alias at its go-for-broke best. It also gave us the best line to ever kick off a fight: "I just remembered: Francie doesn't like coffee ice cream." —Kelly Connolly

Where to watch Alias: Disney+

24, Season 5

Beginning a season by killing (or appearing to kill) off multiple beloved characters wouldn't seem to be the best recipe for success. But for 24, the end for David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert), Edgar Stiles (Louis Lombardi), Michelle Dessler (Reiko Aylesworth), and, presumably, Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard), kickstarted the series' Emmy-winning, adrenaline-filled high mark. Possibly even more crucial to the fifth season's success was the rise of Charles (Gregory Itzin) and Martha Logan (Jean Smart), the first couple whose treacherous and crazy antics we always assumed would be impossible to top. —Derek Lawrence

Where to watch 24: Hulu

Beverly Hills, 90210, Season 3 (Summer)

Six episodes of absolute bliss between the gang's junior and senior years: Brenda (Shannen Doherty) and Donna (Tori Spelling) go to Paris, try on horrible fake French accents, and flirt with Dean Cain; meanwhile back at home, Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight's "Love Is" constantly plays in the background as Dylan (Luke Perry) and Kelly (Jennie Garth) betray Brenda by hooking up. Or is it more??? —Henry Goldblatt

Where to watch Beverly Hills, 90210: Amazon Prime Video

Desperate Housewives, Season 3

After publicly admitting that season 2 had problems (due in no small part to his stepping away from the writers' room), creator Marc Cherry returned as showrunner. Among his most immediate fixes: He began the season by advancing the story line by six months and made Kyle MacLachlan a series regular as Orson Hodge, the mysterious man who would ultimately become Bree's (Marcia Cross) deliciously complicated mate. —Lynette Rice

Where to watch Desperate Housewives: Hulu

30 Rock, Season 1

30 Rock was so consistently excellent in terms of its rock-solid joke density that it might seem strange to pick season 1 as a favorite — especially considering we didn't get Jon Hamm's beautiful, unintelligent doctor until season 3 and Wesley Snipes (no, not that one...) until season 4. But a rocky pilot notwithstanding, season 1 introduced a bounty of long-running jokes that would continue to be developed over the course of the show — see: The Rural Juror — plus a bevy of phenomenal guest stars. This is the season Isabella Rossellini utters the immortal phrase, "Oh dammit, Johnny! You know I love my Big Beef and Cheddar." There's simply nothing better. —Dana Schwartz

Where to watch 30 Rock: Peacock

Weeds, Season 6

Jenji Kohan's breakout drug-dealing-widow comedy Weeds became a very different show once it left its suburban community of Agrestic after season 3. The first few "reboot" years were messy, unsuccessfully implementing telenovela conventions, but everything clicked into place for season 6. The Botwin family was on the run for all 13 episodes, which both accelerated the show's overall pace while also leaving room for superb character work. Gradually, the season built toward a reckoning for its antiheroine, Nancy, whom Mary-Louise Parker played with unsparing brilliance. And the final shot — a freeze-frame of Nancy turning herself in, as her family left her behind — was profound enough to mark the show's conclusion. Too bad it didn't. —David Canfield

Where to watch Weeds: Hulu

The Wire, Season 4

The Wire was never afraid of change. After introducing viewers to the streets of Baltimore and the likes of Stringer Bell (Idris Elba) and Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris), the underrated second season shifted to the docks and a new set of faces. The third season would return the spotlight to the eventual end of the Barksdale Organization, paving the way for another change-up in season 4, which brought the educational system into focus. Terrible cop–turned–compassionate public school teacher Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski (Jim True-Frost) was our familiar in, but it was the young group of Dukie (Jermaine Crawford), Michael (Tristan Mack Wilds), Randy (Maestro Harrell), and Namond (Julito McCullum) that delivered the heart and emotional gut punch. —Derek Lawrence

Where to watch The Wire: Max

The X-Files, Season 3

The X-Files' third season was classic in an Old Hollywood sense. Like a self-styled pair of noir detectives, Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) tracked a Southern Nessie in "Quagmire" and faced down a man with deadly powers of persuasion in "Pusher," an early standout from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. Writer Darin Morgan tilted the show sideways with his oddball take on the agents, pushing them into comedy territory and winning The X-Files' only writing Emmy, for "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose," in the process. (He redefined the show, but Morgan only wrote four episodes of the original series; three were in season 3.) In the aftermath of Scully's abduction and the lead-up to her cancer, the show's mythology was still urgent and personal. And it was all wrapped up in sleek, shadowy visuals that made even the season's weak spots look like art. —Kelly Connolly

Where to watch The X-Files: Hulu

Vanderpump Rules, Season 2

The actual logline of Vanderpump Rules has never been its selling point. A closer look at the personal lives of the waitstaff of a restaurant owned by a cast member of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills? For people to watch that, Bravo had to make it a backdoor pilot during an episode of Housewives. Those who did catch the first season, though, got a fascinating look at a group of twentysomethings unraveling from their mutated sense of codependency. If the twist of the first season is just how unreliable one of the protagonists is, the second season does a The Matrix-level reality check that breaks down cast members' façades both literally and figuratively. At times, it's painful to watch the SURver's raw emotions through the dissolution of their toxic relationships, but then the show provides such specific, stranger-than-fiction details that make us laugh and look at the 2011 film Drive in a whole new way. —Marcus Jones

Where to watch Vanderpump Rules: Peacock

Community, Season 2

The second year at Greendale represented Community's best formulation of brilliant, bizarre, hyper-referential comedy — a difficult balance to hit correctly, as later seasons without creator Dan Harmon or with Yahoo would attest. Many of Community's most memorable episodes belong here, from Abed's (Danny Pudi) My Dinner with Andre-themed birthday party to the strip-search lost-pen bottle episode. Season 2 of Community got viewers to both reflect on how pop culture twists modern relationships and constantly ask, "Wait, what did they just get away with?" By the time Betty White shot Joel McHale with a crossbow, there were still 23 episodes to go. —Christian Holub

Where to watch Community: Hulu

Hannibal, Season 3

With each season, Bryan Fuller's adaptation of Thomas Harris' novels became increasingly detached from reality until we arrived at the third season, which felt more like a fever dream than the quasi-procedural the show appeared to be when it first premiered. The season began with Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) chasing Hannibal (Mads Mikkelsen) to Italy to exact his revenge over the traumatic events of the season 2 finale, and the second half of the season was a luscious and bizarre adaptation of Thomas Harris' The Red Dragon. These two story arcs showed the series at its best. What's remarkable about the nightmarish final season is that it ends up making the strongest case for allowing the show to end there, putting a frightening period on the odd, complicated, and engrossing relationship between Will and Hannibal. —Chancellor Agard

Where to watch Hannibal: Amazon Prime Video

Curb Your Enthusiasm, Season 6

Every Curb Your Enthusiasm season is filled with classic episodes. Given the consistency it's demonstrated over a nearly two-decade broadcast history — okay, save its 2017 return/ninth season — everyone's bound to have their favorites. But the show's peak was season 6: Larry (Larry David) taking in a family that survived Hurricane Katrina provided more bitingly funny and nuanced racial comedy than anything a Wanda Sykes cameo could accomplish, not to mention a more satisfying throughline. (And also: The introduction of J.B. Smoove's Leon!) The divorce arc of Larry and Cheryl (Cheryl Hines) pushed the show in surprising new directions, too, culminating in a most unexpectedly romantic season finale. —David Canfield

Where to watch Curb Your Enthusiasm: Max

Pretty Little Liars, Season 4

Season 4 feels like peak PLL because it exists in a sweet spot for diehard fans: It occurred after the Mona (Janel Parrish) reveal, but before the Charlotte (Vanessa Ray) reveal, at a time when the show's mysteries were still fun and didn't feel like they'd gone on for too long. Not to mention that season 4 is home to many of the show's biggest twists: Ezra (Ian Harding) might be "A!" Jessica DiLaurentis (Andrea Parker) is killed! Ezra is shot! Oh yeah, and ALISON IS ALIVE! —Samantha Highfill

Where to watch Pretty Little Liars: Hulu

Will & Grace, Season 3

Fresh off winning the Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy for its second season, Will & Grace returned for its third — and arguably funniest — with guest stars galore (Woody Harrelson, Natasha Lyonne, Ellen DeGeneres, Jeremy Piven, and Sandra Bernhard among them), proof Hollywood was paying attention to the groundbreaking NBC sitcom and wanted in on the action. Sean Hayes' Jack scored comedy gold — in a season highlight, Cher slaps him — and then there's the time Jack gets, well, jacked up on caffeine, delivering a tongue-twisting, 200 mph monologue. But before all of that, the show goes back in time to a mid-'80s Adler Thanksgiving, where audiences see Will (Eric McCormack), after befriending Jack, get up the nerve to tell then-girlfriend Grace (Debra Messing) he's gay. Will's coming out may not have gone over well, but Eric McCormack's performance did, earning him an Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Emmy in 2001. —Gerrad Hall

Where to watch Will & Grace: Hulu

The Leftovers, Season 3

The Leftovers did not go gently. The HBO drama made the most of its shortened final season and went out wildly, with eight episodes so distinct they each got their own theme song. Any one of the last five could make a case for being the best episode of the series. Whether they arrived via a trippy boat ride with a lion-worshiping cult or were summoned by a call from the star of Perfect Strangers, the characters found themselves on a curious walkabout in Australia, questioning how much they'd healed and whether they even wanted to. Kevin (Justin Theroux) broke from reality. Nora (Carrie Coon) weighed an offer. Matt (Christopher Eccleston) literally interrogated his faith. Laurie (Amy Brenneman) strapped on a scuba mask. It was a surreal grace note to cap off a show that started out grim, ending with one last story about the ways we all disappear. —Kelly Connolly

Where to watch The Leftovers: Max

Sons of Anarchy, Season 2

While it's debatable whether Sons of Anarchy belongs on the list of all-time great series, there's no argument when it comes to picking the best season of Kurt Sutter's biker drama. SOA's sophomore year reached heights that, unfortunately, the subsequent seasons were unable to match. The season focuses on the arrival of white separatists, led by businessman Ethan Zobelle (Adam Arkin) and his henchman A.J. Weston (Henry Rollins), who hope to drive SAMCRO out of Charming. Their evil is quickly put on full display as Weston and company kidnap and rape Gemma (Katey Sagal), with the aftermath of the painful story line leaving the tough-as-nails matriarch shaken throughout the season and, in turn, bringing out the best in Sagal. The sole downfall of the season comes at its conclusion, setting up an extremely underwhelming season 3 central arc. —Derek Lawrence

Where to watch Sons of Anarchy: Hulu

Happy Endings, Season 1

Season 1 of Happy Endings introduced us to six goofy, unpredictable, and endearing friends who you wished were part of your own gang. The first seasons of the sitcom did such a good job ensnaring our affection, it should've been the first of 12 seasons of the ABC comedy (no, we'll never let this go). While Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) and Dave's (Zachary Knighton) navigation of a break-up while remaining in the same friend group offered plenty of laughs and ridiculousness, more crazy hilarity came from getting familiar with (and jealous of) Max (Adam Pally) and Penny's (Casey Wilson) codependency as well as Jane (Eliza Coupe) and Brad's (Damon Wayans Jr.) eccentrics. The first season has everything from zombie-apocalypse challenges to Jazz-Kwon Do and a whole bunch of happy endings (to each episode) in between. —Ruth Kinane

Where to watch Happy Endings: Hulu

The Flash, Season 1

The Flash's first season is superb from top to bottom. After a confident and charming pilot, the show wastes no time in getting weird — from psychic gorillas to time travel to a walking nuclear weapon (Firestorm). Beneath all of that, though, there's a huge amount of heart as Barry (Grant Gustin) and his new friends work to free his father, who was framed for murdering Barry's mother, from prison. Of course, we can't talk about this season without mentioning Tom Cavanagh's excellent and layered performance as Harrison Wells, a man you knew you should hate but found it hard to do so. Looking back at this season, it's very easy to understand why it became one of The CW's most-watched shows. —Chancellor Agard

Where to watch The Flash: Netflix

American Crime Story, Season 2

Each season of American Crime Story pushes us to reexamine the sensational stories we were told — and the ones we told ourselves — about criminal scandals, from O.J.'s murder trial to Bill Clinton's impeachment. But it was The Assassination of Gianni Versace that delivered the FX anthology's most moving, illuminating, and humane season of them all. Versace showcased the personal strength and private struggles of the Cunanan victims the headlines forgot, including David Madson (Cody Fern), a talented young architect, and Jeff Trail (Finn Wittrock), a closeted Navy officer who risked his career to speak out about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." And the series reminded us that the fashion icon at its center had the courage to live his truth as a gay man long before the world was ready to accept it. —Kristen Baldwin

Where to watch American Crime Story: Hulu

New Girl, Season 2

A sophomore slump this was not. After we all came to know and love the residents of the Loft, New Girl threw the hijinks into high gear. Jess (Zooey Deschanel) is single, jobless, and on a tear to meet guys, Hot Doctor Sam (David Walton) joins the mix, Cece (Hannah Simone) and Schmidt (Max Greenfield) are schtooping temporarily, and a few of the show's best long-running bits get started (like Tran, Nick's friend from the park, and Julius Pepperwood, the ex-cop from Chicago). This was also the season that showed us the more heartwarming side of the show: Nick (Jake Johnson) lost his dad, Schmidt let his guard down for Cece, and the Loft Gang went from friends to family. Really, though, season two earns the superlative title because it gave us this scene of Schmidt and Winston (Lamorne Morris) trying to buy crack. —Seija Rankin

Where to watch New Girl: Peacock

Veronica Mars, Season 1

Before Kristen Bell was vying for a spot in the Good Place, she played the titular gumshoe in the high school noir series Veronica Mars. And while we loved watching her pull off that kidnapping in season 2 and hunt down a serial rapist in season 3, Neptune High's sassy P.I. shines brightest in her debut season as a newly minted outcast investigating the murder of her best friend Lilly Kane (Amanda Seyfried). Throw in her witty banter with new best friend Wallace Fennel (Percy Daggs III) and her steamy romance with Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring), and it's easy to see why season 1 stands out. —Noelene Clark

Where to watch Veronica Mars: Hulu