5 Greatest TV Shows of the 2010s for Those Who Love a Little Nostalgia

At the turn of the millennium and into the 2010s, cinema was rapidly shifting toward expensive franchises and remakes that made money at the box office. Television, on the other hand, became a haven for great writers who were given the opportunity to realize their boldest ideas on TV and then on streaming.

And if at the beginning of the century the television format was still considered something second-rate, by the end of the 2010s there was no escaping the excess of so-called prestige television.

1. True Detective, 2014-...

In 1995, a high-profile crime occurs in Louisiana. Someone brutally murders a sex worker, leaves occult symbols on her back and puts deer antlers on her head.

Cynical cop Marty Hart is assigned to the case, and he is joined by strange detective Rust Cohle. Together they try to get to the truth and prevent another crime.

True Detective is an anthology created by Nic Pizzolatto that has become the cornerstone of the genre and influenced many TV series. In the first season, Pizzolatto created a new canon that he was never able to surpass: the second season was destroyed by fans of the first, and the fourth, after a more or less successful third, was made by other people.

2. The Walking Dead, 2010-2022

Rick Grimes is a deputy sheriff who is shot on his next assignment and falls into a coma. Some time later, he regains consciousness in a hospital ward and is surprised to find that the hospital is empty.

He gradually realizes that in his absence the world has been struck by a virus that is turning people into ruthless monsters. Taking up arms, Rick embarks on a perilous journey to find his wife and son.

The Walking Dead is the most important zombie horror of the 21st century and one of the biggest television hits of the 2010s. Thanks to The Walking Dead's multi-dimensional characters and strong drama, the genre is no longer considered lowbrow and has attracted viewers who previously avoided zombie films.

3. Mindhunter, 2017-2019

FBI Special Agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench are pioneers in the world of criminal psychology. At a time when the understanding of the psyche of serial killers is just beginning to take shape, their work is not only important, but groundbreaking.

The agents' job is to interview serial killers serving time in order to build detailed psychological portraits based on their words and behavior. This data will form the basis of a professional manual that will eventually help solve complex crimes.

Mindhunter is a series that exists outside the boundaries of genre. Its showrunner and director of the best episodes is David Fincher, who was given complete creative freedom by Netflix after House of Cards.

4. Fleabag, 2016-2019

This is the story of a woman from London. She desperately wants to change the world around her, but stubbornly refuses to accept help and advice from others.

The woman is over 30, but her personal life is a mess. Refusing to grow up, she rebels against her own relatives and tries unsuccessfully to turn around an unprofitable cafe, constantly getting herself into ridiculous situations.

Fleabag is a TV series created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge and adapted from her own one-woman show. Touching on provocative themes and maintaining a delicate balance between comedy and drama, Waller-Bridge has created one of the most memorable series of the 2010s, with a charismatic and atypical TV heroine.

5. Sherlock, 2010-2017

Set in modern-day London, Sherlock Holmes is a keen investigator of high-profile crimes. He takes on complex and intricate cases using a unique method of deduction that remains a mystery to those around him.

Holmes' partner is John Watson, recently returned from Afghanistan and struggling to adjust to civilian life.

Sherlock is perhaps the best reading of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic works. Initially, the show was the number one hit in the world, but by the fourth series it had received rather mixed reviews, dividing the fanbase into two camps. Still, Steven Moffat's Sherlock is a phenomenon and one of the key shows that preceded the streaming boom.