The Voice reminisces about its favorite shows of the decade.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Cartoon Network, 2000-
A rapping spider with a pyramid scheme to unleash demons from hell, a universal remote monster (“remonster”) from outer space, and sentient trees with harsh punishments for polluters—and that’s just in the first two seasons. Adult Swim’s flagship program, Aqua Teen Hunger Force dropped its original crime-fighting food conceit, descending into surreality in just a few short years (Season 3’s “Hypno-Germ” is not for the sober). What’s most impressive, though, is how creators Matt Maillero and Dave Willis created such a lovable cast of characters despite the show’s lack of cohesion. Plus, there’s a guy named Meatwad. Who is a wad of meat.
—Matthew Collins
The Wire, HBO, 2002-2008
The Wire is many things: a police procedural, a dark comedy, a eulogy for—or a prick of adrenaline to—the heart of the American city. What earns it a place in history, though, is its cutting diagnosis of globalization. The good dope flows into Baltimore from some distant poppy field, shepherded to the streets by a team that includes an Israeli, a morbidly obese pusher, and The Greek, who is not Greek at all. Contract killers from other cities loom above the scenes, and the Chicago overlords control the flailing city’s failing paper. The shrinking world gives the show’s characters a choice: die, fade into retirement, or, like the Greek, succeed by losing your identity.
—Will Sommer
The Office, NBC, 2005-
American television has an incredibly poor track record of trying to translate British television series for stateside audiences, American Idol notwithstanding. That streak looked to continue in the spring of 2005, when Greg Daniels was heading up an American version of The Office starring Daily Show alum Steve Carrell. What began as a mediocre series occasionally punctuated by a hysterical joke, became a show that could be considered among the best comedies and dramas on television. Still among the most consistent shows on television in its sixth season, their deep comedy bench ensures that this will continue into the foreseeable future.
—Dan Newman
Battlestar Galactica, SyFy, 2004-2009
From spitfire pilot Starbuck to shrewd but compassionate President Laura Rosslyn, the humans on Battlestar Gallactica are engaging enough to keep viewers rooting for them in the war between mankind and robot. But it’s their cyborg foes that elevate the show above standard sci-fi fare: the humanoid cylons have unique personalities and flickerings of free will, making them not just formidable enemies, but also catalysts for questioning what exactly the concepts of individual humanity and personhood entail. On top of the philosophical debates, BSG’s themes resonate in a post-September 11th world. Not to mention the awesome scenes of shit exploding in outer space.
—Juliana Brint
