10. Pushing Daisies
What can you say about Pushing Daisies? Not only was it one of the funniest shows of the best decade but also one of, if not the, best looking shows of the past decade. Everything about it bleeds whimsy and magic. The characters, the sets, the storyline, the music, were oh-so fantastical that when I first saw it I thought it was a Tim Burton creation, the part of him that made Big Fish not Sweeney Todd. I think the greatest aspects of the show were the amazing narration by Jim Dale and the dialogue. One thing you will keep seeing on this list is shows with fantastic dialogue. Not only is the dialogue brilliant but it is delivered so straight-faced and deadpan that it makes it all the more hilarious. Sadly the show was severely hindered by the writer's strike and was canceled after only two seasons but was brought to a somewhat satisfying conclusion. If you missed this show, I highly recommend catching it on DVD.
9. Reaper
Another show that was killed before it could deliver everything it had to offer. Like Daisies this is a fantasy comedy but whereas Daisies was whimsy, Reaper could be dark and kick serious ass, like the other side of Tim Burton's creative mind. It could have been a formulaic monster-of-the-week style show but it quickly rose above it. One of the creative consultants on the show was Kevin Smith, one of my favorite writer/directors, and the imprint of his style of dialogue shows. Especially with one of the best comedic television performances I have seen, Ray Wise as the Devil. Wise delivers his lines so beautifully that you really feel that this is what evil incarnate would be: charming, witty, and just oh-so despicable. While the show could get dark and serious, it was able to handle those moments with aplomb and deliver a great concept. Again, if you missed it, check it out, both seasons are on DVD. Reaper, a hell of a good show (sorry, I'll try and stay away from the puns).
8. Monk
Tony Shaloub makes this show; no ifs, ands, or buts. Originally USA was going to cast Michael Richards, AKA Kramer from Seinfeld, and thank god they didn't. Shaloub's portryal of the obsessive compulsive detective is so nuanced and so cleverly executed that despite all the things that make him less relatable, his extreme phobias and quirks, he is just so likable and one of the best characters to come out of the last decade. As an actor, Shaloub really is able to gracefully walk that line with this character that he doesn't overact but he still delivers a full performance. This doesn't mean that the rest of the cast isn't phenomenal, far from it, they give the show some of its best moments. Also this show had guest stars, one of the most memorable being, Monk's brother Ambrosse, played by one of my favorite character actors John Turturro. The writing for this show early on was fantastic, especially with Monk interacting with everyday life and his relationships with the other characters, including the ghost of his dead wife, Trudy. Sadly, in the later years, the writing began to follow the murder-of-the-week that many detective shows fall victim to and while I liked the series finale, it still was not as good as those first three or four seasons. If you missed it, check it out solely for Shaloub's life-like performance of this oddball character.
7. Psych
Made in the same style as Monk, but geared more the "hipster" generation. Unlike Monk, it doesn't solely rely on its lead, though James Roday as Shawn Spencer could run off with this show, it works with a great ensemble cast of characters. Like Monk, it does follow that murder-of-the-week formula, but makes up for it with the dialogue and the fantastic chemistry each of these actors have with one another. Dule Hill as Burton "Gus" Guster, could have been a bland sidekick but he and Roday develop such a great comedic team of give-and-take that allow both of them to hold command of the screen. Unlike Monk, this show started strictly as a comedy but in the past couple of seasons has explored dark elements especially with episodes like "An Evening with Mr Yang," that shows the Psych and its actors have more range than we expect. Like Monk, Psych has guest stars by the score, Jane Lynch, Cybil Shepard, Gary Cole, and Ally Sheedy in a role that you wouldn't expect. Right now, I'd say Psych is in it's prime so check it out.
6. 30 Rock
I love just how insane this show is and its unwillingness to take reality into account. Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan make this show and yes I will say certain actors make a show as I am biased towards actors. I really need to credit Tina Fey and the 30 Rock writing staff. There are so many visual jokes thrown in for people who have stuck with the show but it is accessible enough that you can really pick it up from anywhere. I think the classic episodes would be "Generalissimo," "Into the Crevasse," "Mamma-Mia," and "Believe in the Stars." Specifically because these episodes are the ones that truly delve to lowest depths of insanity and ludicrousness that you can't help but life. Any show that can have actors say lines like, "You don't tell me what kind of pizza to like," and "laser-shield," totally straight is an achievement. All I can say is that 30 Rock does indeed rock (okay I'll try and stay away from the puns).
5. How I Met Your Mother
While there was a patch of the show that I tuned out for, the first three seasons and the current season are pure gold. Again, the dialogue is a great part of this show and pretty much anything Neil Patrick Harris utters is laugh out loud hilarious. While the show presents the question, "Who is Ted's future wife?" it really isn't concerned with the question and for most people, that is more than alright. It's a character study of this young group of friends that you're able to find someone in the cast that you like. While it does still have the canned laughter and does fall into typical sitcom traps, ie asking for the laugh rather than acting and saying the line, ok I'm getting a bit snobbish. I think the series has its best moments in episodes like "The Pineapple Incident," "Slapsgiving," "The Slap Bet," and "Girls vs. Suits." This series as a whole rarely fails to deliver and I think this one will be around for a while.
4. Glee
As a theatre geek I am sort of obligated to put this show on the list and I might get some flack because the show just premiered last year, but by god did it premiere strongly, in fact the only reason it isn't higher on the list is simply because there has only been 13 episodes as of yet. The dialogue, the characters, and, of course, the musical numbers truly define the show. It both parodies and pays tribute to the high school genre of television and high school in general. The characters were painted in broad stroaks and over time, each of them slowly fleshed out into characters who were larger than life, yet at the same time you know or knew someone in high school exactly like them. My favorite characters so far are Kurt Hummel and of course, Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester, currently the funniest female character on television. Even if the show doesn't last long, I think Sue Sylvester will be a character with some great staying power, as she has delivered some of the best one-liners of the past year. Don't stop believin'!
3. Chuck
Again, another niche show. A geek becomes a super-spy and has references to video games and cult movies, intense action scenes, and fanservice? What is there not to like?! With one of the best show soundtracks in recent memory, the show hits all the right notes, especially with Chuck, Sarah, and Casey. Chuck really is this ordinary guy who is thrown into larger than life consequences; granted some will say that that is a typical fish-out-of-water tale but sometimes originality can be trumped just be sheer quality. Besides, any show that can get Scott Bakula on the show has my approval. I hope that Chuck stays on air for a few more seasons as it really is a well written and well acted show. Tune in now, and make sure that fans never have to go on a Subway binge again.
2.Late Night with Conan O'Brien/The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Alright, so I'm cheating just a tad bit as both of these shows premeired in the late 90s but in all honesty both shows hit their stride in the 2000s with great bits of comedy that will stick with me for a long time. While Conan and Stewart represent opposite ends of the comedy spectrum, both conquer that style of comedy. Conan on the side of the sheer outrageous and random and Stewart on the topical, biting, witty commentary of the day. Conan's tenure on Late Night created truly original and memorial bits: The Year 2000, The Walker Texas Ranger Lever, Conan Hates My Country, the Masturbating Bear, and of course, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. With Stewart, it is harder to pick out the great bits but I think "Internet=Series of Tubes," the Larry Craig Scandal, and anything involved in an election year, showcases all that Stewart and his writing staff can mock with rapier wit. Of course, the best bit of either show was the late night brawl between Conan, Stewart, and Stephen Colbert, during the Writer's Strike that was not only one of the most memorable moments of 2000s television but one of the funniest moments in television.
1. Arrested Development
I'll admit, I missed this show the first time around but it's just such a great show. Everything about this show I simply love: The Bluth Family, the visual jokes, the references to past episodes and the meta-references, Ron Howard's commentary, makes it all work in this really great mad-cap fashion. The madcap writing of this show is helped by the fact that I cannot point out a single bad performance in this show. The show really shines in episodes like "Top Banana," "Hand to God," "Spring Breakout," "Staff Infection," "S.O.B.S," and even the way the show ended in "Development Arrested," was amazing. I really am looking forward to the movie adaptation of this series and I hope that it is as rewatchable and as hilarious as the show is. It's Arrested Development.
That's my list of the best tv comedies of the past decade, stay tuned for my list of the best dramas!
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