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September 23, 2026

The 21st Century’s Best, Nos. 41-60

Illustration by Bráulio Amado; Video via HBO (“Insecure”); Hulu (“Pen15”); HBO Max (“Hacks”); Netflix (“Bojack Horseman”)

Dear Watchers,

Where to start with today’s batch of 20? Nos. 41-60 of our 100 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century poll include some of the most innovative, hard-to-categorize shows in TV history. As I wrote about David Lynch and Mark Frost’s dreamlike — and frankly, sometimes maddening — experiment “Twin Peaks: The Return,” several of the shows felt as if they were on TV but barely of it, especially when they debuted.

Lynch insisted “The Return” was “a film” that was “broken into parts.” With due respect to Mr. Lynch, I agree with James Poniewozik, our chief TV critic, who argued it was still TV. (Likening any ambitious show with a long narrative arc to a “X-hour movie” has become its own cliché, but “The Return” made as good a case for itself as any.)

But I also agree with Manohla Dargis, our chief film critic, who said the TV-film distinction was “irrelevant for an artist who consistently defies easy explanations, familiar narrative forms and the usual interpretive moves.”

The actor Brett Goldstein, one of the many TV professionals who voted in our poll, told us he saw the original “Twin Peaks” when he was 9. (“I shouldn’t have,” he added.) He described “The Return” this way:

What David Lynch and Mark Frost did with “Twin Peaks,” they didn’t give you the show you expected. And that’s why “Twin Peaks: The Return” is one of the great masterpieces of our life. It’s not what anyone asked for. It’s not what anyone expected, but it’s [expletive] incredible.

Innovators and breakout talents

Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones in a scene from “Normal People,” a favorite of Alexis Bledel.  Element Pictures / Enda Bowe

Manohla could have been describing many of the creators in this batch, who in their own ways expanded the definition of TV. Click here to take a look for yourself. “Chappelle’s Show”? “Nathan for You”? We’re still trying to figure out what Dave Chappelle and Nathan Fielder were doing with parts of those.

The odd-couple comedy “Peep Show,” with its unconventional first-person P.O.V. style, was a slow-burn early success for its co-creator Jesse Armstrong, who later created “Succession.” He said this about “Peep Show”:

We knew that David Mitchell and Robert Webb, who were the leads in it, were really, really funny, and that we could write for them. […] I still sometimes meet younger people who are watching it and enjoying it, and I think even if it wasn’t a huge success right out the gate, it has had some longevity because the plots work.

The sensitive drama “Normal People” didn’t, perhaps, revolutionize the medium. But it introduced much of the world to its leads, Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones — bona fide stars now, both. It’s a favorite of Alexis Bledel, of “Gilmore Girls” and “The Handmaid’s Tale,” who talked with us about the leads:

The fact that it was just mainly the two of them and they were both so perfectly cast — they really captured that dynamic of two people who have this very deep connection but almost don’t know what to do about it. Or how to allow it to unfold in a way that’s going to be good for both of them. […] You could tell that those two actors just brought so much of their own warmth and intelligence and charisma.

Still not seeing your favorites on the list? They might still be coming. (“The Sopranos,” again, will not.) And be sure to vote for your own Top 10. We’ll post those results next week.

Tell us what you think

What has surprised you so far? What hasn’t? We want to hear from you as our 100 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century list rolls out this week. Click here to leave a comment. Each day, Times editors, critics and reporters will be joining in the conversation.

From the comments:

EXTRA-CREDIT READING

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Hayden Panettiere Died From Toxic Effects of Fentanyl and Other Drugs Ms. Panettiere, who starred in “Heroes” and “Nashville,” died last month at the age of 36. Her death was ruled accidental. By Derrick Bryson Taylor

Taylor Frankie Paul Won’t Return to ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ The embattled reality TV star announced her departure on Monday in a social media post that accused her castmates of “bullying.” By Shivani Gonzalez

After Crucial Paramount Agreement Come Relief, Anger and Concern Few seem totally satisfied by the settlement that will let Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery move forward. By Matt Stevens

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