8 2020s Shows That Are True Masterpieces

The early decades of the 21st century have ushered in what is the golden age of television entertainment, elevating the medium from being episodic drama and sitcom amusement to one of the most prestigious forms of storytelling of the modern day. The 2000s achieved this with series like The Sopranos and The Wire. The 2010s featured Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and Game of Thrones. The 2020s has already had its own collection of great series that suggest the golden era of the small screen is still very much alive.

Ranging from absorbing sci-fi dramas to feel-good comedies, pulsating spy thrillers, and even subversive superhero spectacles, the decade’s greatest series define the brilliance of television as a medium. With many of these shows standing among the most culturally relevant and critically acclaimed stories of any format this decade, their claim to being modern masterpieces is impossible to deny.

8 'Slow Horses' (2022–)

Having released five seasons already, Slow Horses stands as one of the most prolific series of the decade thus far. This quantity hasn’t come at a cost of quality, however, with the Apple TV+ series earning critical acclaim with every release while gradually growing as a cultural phenomenon as well. Based on Mick Herron’s “Slough House,” the acclaimed spy series follows a unit of defunct and discarded agents in MI5 who, under the command of the crude and conniving Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), find themselves involved in cases that endanger Great Britain.

It defies the smooth and suave sophistication the spy genre is known for, even going so far as to incorporate flashes of comedy as it depicts the central agents as bumbling snoops rather than debonair operatives. Fun, thrilling, and full of engaging characters and storylines, Slow Horses is one of the most compelling and captivating TV shows in recent years, a delightfully watchable gem that, having already been renewed for Seasons 6 and 7, is set to keep enthralling viewers for years to come.

7 'Invincible' (2021–)

Superhero stories have been the defining trend of entertainment throughout the early part of the 21st century, with tales of great heroics and immense power captivating the masses. As the genre has evolved, however, more subversive spins on such narratives have become prevalent, with Amazon Prime Video’s animated series Invincible presenting a dark and compelling take on the form. It follows the 17-year-old son of the world’s greatest superhero as he develops his own powers. As he learns how to utilize them, he also discovers that his father is far from the noble figure of justice and honor he appears to be.

Defined by its brutal violence and its unflinching deconstruction of the responsibility of power—or the immunity from it—Invincible presents a complex and absorbing story of morality. Created by Robert Kirkman, who co-wrote the original comic book series with Corey Walker and Ryan Ottley, the series has become an entrancing phenomenon of modern television that both plays with superhero tropes and dissects the thematic core of the genre.

6 'Ted Lasso' (2020–)

In an era where many films and TV shows have made an impact with their pessimistic drama, their exploration of the world’s corruption and callousness, Ted Lasso has endeared itself to many as a cheerful push against the grain. Set within the A.F.C. Richmond Premier League team, it follows the appointment of American football coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) as the head coach of the team. While the decision is made, in part, hoping to sabotage the organization, Lasso’s unbridled kindness, compassion, and support for the players and staff sees the team rise anew.

Celebrating sport’s ability to make people emotionally invest and dream, while also championing the impact optimism, humor, and heart can have on any group of people, Ted Lasso is profoundly feel-good. It flaunts an old-fashioned charm, a winning conviction in the power of human decency that is masterfully executed. The series’ first three seasons have all been well-received, while the release of a fourth season in the near future is sure to have every fan coming back to embrace the spirited bravura of the series again.

5 'Shōgun' (2024–)

A mesmerizing adaptation of James Clavell’s 1975 historical novel, Shōgun announced itself as one of the defining series of the decade with just its first season. Premiering in 2024, it follows two men defined by their ambition. John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) is a shipwrecked sailor stranded in feudal-era Japan who falls into the service of Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), a cunning and powerful daimyo combating his own political rivals.

Epic in scope, Shōgun presents a dazzling visual display of awe-inspiring beauty and captivating period detail that complements its culturally aware and historically authentic approach, immersing viewers in the intrigue of the high-stakes story. Covering political turmoil, simmering conflict, and large-scale battle sequences with aplomb, while also featuring precise and balanced performances aplenty, Shōgun has the potential to become the outright best series of the 2020s, with ensuing seasons coming soon.

4 'Andor' (2022–2025)

The outright best, and arguably sole redeemer, of all Disney’s forays into the Star Wars franchise, Andor strikes the perfect balance between honoring the traditional style of the saga and offering something refreshing and original to the fanbase. It achieves this by implementing a darker, more mature tone as it explores the backstory of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a skilled thief who becomes involved with the Rebel Alliance in defiance of the tyranny of the Galactic Empire.

In stark contrast to Disney’s other Star Wars series, Andor thrives with its grounded presentation, its endeavor to shoot on location imbuing it with a gripping intensity that lends tremendous gravitas to its story, anchored in ideas of fascism and political resistance. Its ability to conjure raw suspense and moral ambiguity is the best that the Star Wars franchise has seen, while its engrossing world-building, layered performances, and nuanced screenplay also serve as defining strengths.

3 'Silo' (2023–)

Another gem of sci-fi television that thrives with its air of mystery, its imposing dystopian setting, and Rebecca Ferguson’s magnetic lead performance, Silo is one of the most captivating series of the decade thus far. Based on Hugh Howey’s novel series, it transpires in a post-apocalyptic world where the remnants of humanity live in massive underground silos governed by strict rules that are meant to protect them. As engineer Juliette Nichols (Ferguson) becomes intrigued by a conspiracy, however, the true nature of the silo, and those who hold power in society starts to be unveiled.

Its divine spectacle, defined by its awe-inspiring production value, is matched only by its pulsating, enigmatic brilliance, its unwinding mystery of immorality, and the abuse of power that is presented with gripping slow-burn suspense and fierce intelligence. Both of the series’ two seasons so far have been outstanding, and with Apple TV+ already confirming Silo for a third and fourth-and-final season, the sci-fi stunner could come to be celebrated as one of the defining masterpieces of genre-centric television at large.

2 'The Pitt' (2025–)

Redefining the nature of medical drama television, The Pitt trades out the melodrama the genre usually features in favor of piercing and confronting realism. Unfolding as a real-time narrative, each of its 15 Season 1 episodes covers an hour in an extended shift of an understaffed trauma center in Pittsburgh, exploring issues of insufficient resources, overworked medical staff, and the environment of hospitals in a post-COVID world through the overlapping stories of doctors, nurses, and other staff.

Excelling with its tight and focused writing and a litany of sublime performances, The Pitt became an instant small-screen sensation, an illuminating story of the hardships medical experts face in their professional lives, and the bitter intensity of an ER. The medical drama TV series earned widespread critical acclaim, but it also garnered an overwhelmingly positive response from the medical community for its accuracy and its addressing of serious issues in the industry as well.

1 'Severance' (2022–)

Science-fiction drama has been something of a trend in 2020s television, and no series has excelled in that regard quite like Severance. Mixing its high-concept premise with a resonant critique of the modern work-life structure, the Apple TV+ series has cemented itself as a true must-watch masterpiece. It follows workers in a corporation who have had their memories surgically divided, meaning when they are at work, they have no recollection of their personal lives and vice versa. However, when Mark Scout (Adam McKay) has a chance encounter with a former colleague in the outside world, he and his fellow employees set out to discover the truth behind the company they work for.

Its thematic exploration of identity, work-life autonomy, and corporate evil is supported by uniquely enchanting minimalist visuals and an undercurrent of acidic satire, giving Severance a multipronged quality that has appealed to the masses. Both highly bingeworthy and richly thought-provoking, the hit series presents an innovative, intellectual metaphor for the drudgery of corporate life that has understandably evoked an emotional response from viewers.