Finally, a reason to put my degree to use.
It's fair to say that the last year has been monumental for TV. Not only has the way that we watch television changed forever, but the lines between TV and film have started to grow ever thinner. Limited series like Maniac and The Mandalorian have brought Hollywood talent back to the small screen for the first time in decades to create some masterful long-form stories, while streaming platforms such as Netflix, Prime, Hulu, HBO and seemingly countless others have been giving a voice to the 'little guys' of the TV industry and providing platforms for revolutionary ideas that would never receive a look-in with the big broadcasters. Whereas most networks previously had to rely on advertisers, and therefore could only endorse 'brand-safe' programming, we are now living in a creative goldmine of opportunity where more voices than ever can speak up. This does, however, bring its problems. While it has resulted in some game-changing shows appearing and conquering the industry, it has also led to its fair share of copycats and trend-hitters. So how do you sort through this jungle of content to find the gold? Well, with so much available to you, it is seemingly impossible to pick the 'definitive' best TV of the decade, but I have picked three shows that really stand out to me for their quality, impact, importance to this decade, and just how much I enjoyed them.
Black Mirror
This is a show that began on the UK's Channel 4 before taking to a global stage on Netflix in its third season, and rightly so. Black Mirror is a series of dark anthologies written by Charlie Brooker which analyses current trends with technology, the internet and social media, stretching them to their extreme in an alternative dystopic future. Each instalment features brand new characters in an original scenario with some hints of an interlinking arc, so each episode really acts as its own short film. I'd like to share with you just a couple of my favourites that you should watch, even if you don't divulge with the rest of the show:
The National Anthem: the very first episode offers a grim political crisis within modern day Britain. A failing prime minister is forced into an impossible situation when a member of the royal family is kidnapped and held at ransom in exchange for national humiliation. It's a hard watch, but the pay-off is very worth it.
San Junipero: my absolute favourite. Possibly my favourite piece of TV ever. In a sea of nostalgia, two lost souls not used to sharing find each other and form a very real connection. The beauty of this one is figuring out where the fake world ends and the real world begins. With some masterful performances (and perhaps the only 'happy ending' in the entire series) it's simply magical.
USS Callister: it's Black Mirror's brand of subtle-shock sci-fi meets classic 1960s sci-fi. When the neglected creator of an expansive online video game becomes disgruntled with his employees, he traps them within a simulation based on his favourite TV show. It's all about power, ego, and humanity, and it's surprisingly fun.
Bandersnatch: this interactive instalment shocked viewers across the world with its meta-analysis of consumer entitlement and streaming platforms. This one takes 'TV you can watch over and over' to the next level.
If there's one reason Black Mirror made my list, however, it's because it breaks away from the idea that all TV needs to satisfy the viewer in order to justify it as a product. This is a show that does not sugar coat the world around you; it is designed for the sceptical mind to make you more critical of the uncontrollable forces in your world. Brooker's view of our future may not be the brightest, but it has created a platform with seemingly infinite storytelling possibilities, with so many different genres to explore and even brand new ways of watching and engaging with TV. While the more hard-hitting episodes may not be for everybody, every individual in the Western world can relate to something here.
Robot Wars
I'm not a sports fan. My friends keep telling me what a monumental decade it has been for sports broadcasting with the Olympics coming to London, England making it into the World Cup Final and, ultimately, the Premier League joining Amazon Prime. Other than the Olympics, however, I do not know what these words mean. So what is there (or... was there) for we who are intimidated by the 'rugged retrosexual' stereotype of the football audience?
Originally devised in 1998, Robot Wars replaced physical strength with engineering prowess and pit the best of the UK's roboteers against each other in the Robot Wars Arena. Teams come together to construct death machines, designed to tear other robots apart with their weapon of choice, whether it's a spinning disc, a drill attachment, a flail or a cluster of smaller robots. It's wild, unpredictable and extremely dangerous, and it has spread from the UK to all four corners of the world, most famously spawning the hit US show Battlebots. However, the original returned for a new generation, sporting a more hazardous arena, souped-up 'House Robot' defenders and far greater stakes. For a young nerd longing for the action of the football pitch without having to watch actual football, it was paradise.
Then, last year, came the darkest day an aspiring roboteer could have dreaded, as once again, Sir Killalot's plug was pulled. Even if Robot Wars is no more, it remains one of the most exciting television shows I have ever watched, and I pray that one day it will return once more. Come on, Netflix. Do the deal.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Some call it the Friends of our generation. In many ways they're right, but I say it's everything that Friends could only dream of being. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is one of the most progressive comedies of all time, and I'll tell you why.
It's an ensemble sitcom that takes place in modern day Brooklyn, following a handful of NYPD officers through their day-to-day lives. By mixing tropes of a crime drama with situation comedy, it creates a new brand of humour that allows for much richer character building than shows of either genre, bringing together a very tight group of individuals (like Friends) but putting them through hell together and seeing how their ordinary lives change as a result. This is what would happen in Joey and Chandler faced death every day. Starting from a fairly generic template and building from there, it has developed some genuinely charming relationships between its cast; crushes have become friendships, friendships have become rivalries and rivalries have become marriages. It's hard to sum up in just a few short paragraphs, but it's even harder not to get drawn in.
Is it the Nine-Nine's diverse ensemble of New Yorkers from all walks of life that makes it a staple of Teenies comedy? Or perhaps its relevant social commentary that always stays up-to-date with the world outside it? Well, both of those are very important factors, but the real genius of this show comes from the way that it learns. As the characters grow and form relationships with one another, we see them become wiser and more tolerant to the world around them. Whether it's Jake, a childish endearing womaniser turned empathetic husband, or Captain Holt, a seemingly emotionless robot boss turned compassionate leader and shoulder-to-cry-on, there's someone that everybody can fall in love with among the ranks of the Nine-Nine.
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From Our Panel
Now it's time to turn to this week's guest writer for their take on a noteworthy piece of television from the last ten years. I've invited Vicki, a badass screenwriter who is currently working on her most expansive world to date, to give us the lowdown on her favourite show. Which she stole from my list. So thanks for making me have to think outside the box, Vicki. Over to you.
@ToogoodVicki: Orphan Black. "The show had something special that made me keep watching. It wasn’t overly dramatic which I find can make dramas too much and sometimes cringy. The fact that the characters were comical and realistic made them easy to connect with. The stories were well written and having everyone come together for the final ‘battles’ is always something you see in films and shows but in Orphan Black specifically - you felt like you were part of it. The emotions were true and the performances were incredible. It has proven to be an inspiration for my own work and I truly miss it."
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With TV being my major, it's obviously a very important topic to me. The future of the industry is more uncertain than ever; the Streaming Wars are about to kick it up a notch, with each major studio seemingly wanting to control distribution all by themselves, but I remain optimistic about opportunities for fresh new voices to enter the small screen (which I need to, as a fresh new voice myself). If you know me from outside the pages of this blog, you may be surprised that Doctor Who is absent from this list, but as that show occupies such a large part of my life, I felt it would be only fitting to give it its own dedicated list. Check back next week where we'll be covering my top three adventures in space and time from the last ten years, but until then... watch some good telly.
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