Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) and Walter White (Bryan Cranston) - Breaking Bad _Season 5 - Photo Credit: Frank Ockenfels/AMC

(Photo by Frank Ockenfels/AMC)

FALL 2019 TV SURVEY: TV Shows That Defined the 2000s

For Rotten Tomatoes’ annual Fall TV Survey, we asked thousands of our users what they’re most looking forward to in the coming TV season and to reflect on the best shows from seasons past.

Ah, the aughts. Will we one day look back on the decade as a simpler time, when a school teacher becoming a meth dealer was the height of entertainment?

Probably, yes, according to Rotten Tomatoes users, who voted Breaking Bad the show that defined the decade’s television entertainment with 61% of the vote. The Bryan Cranston–led series was followed by The Office with 47% of the vote, and The Sopranos with 45%.

Which TV star ruled in the decade? Fans bestowed that honor on the late, great James Gandolfini for his role as Tony in The Sopranos. Gandolfini received 18% of the vote. Steve Carell followed with 17% of the vote, and Tina Fey grabbed third position away from Jon Stewart 7.96 percent to 7.56 percent.

Disagree with the survey results? Tell us in the comments who you think should have made the list or have been ranked higher.

Family Guy (1999)

#20

Synopsis: Animated antics of the constantly grousing Griffins, a family that put some fun in dysfunctional. While dad Peter is a... [More]

Starring: Alexandra Breckenridge, Paula Abdul, Seth MacFarlane, Brandon Richardson

Directed By: Bob Jaques, Swinton O. Scott III, Dan Povenmire, John Holmquist

Saturday Night Live (1975)

#19

Synopsis: A variety show packed with some Emmy-winning satire for laughs.... [More]

Starring: Ed Begley Jr., Paris Hilton, Paul Giamatti, Harry Anderson

Directed By: Beth McCarthy, Dave Wilson, Dave Wilson, Robert Altman

Arrested Development (2003)
75%

#18

Synopsis: A young man leads his oddball family and their real-estate-development business following a securities-fraud fiasco that put the father in... [More]

Starring: Phyllis Smith, Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Jeffrey Tambor

Directed By: Greg Mottola, Jason Bateman, Lee Shallat Chemel, Rebecca Asher

House (2004)
90%

#17

Synopsis: Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) is devoid of anything resembling bedside manner and wouldn't even talk to his patients if... [More]

Starring: Janet Glassford, Eliska Amor, Brandy Norwood, Patrick Roman Miller

Directed By: Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Newton Thomas Sigel, Fred A. Keller, Daniel Sackheim

Desperate Housewives (2004)
72%

#16

Synopsis: Following her suicide, Mary Alice Young keeps tabs on friends and family she left behind on bucolic suburban Wisteria Lane.... [More]

Starring: Felicity Huffman, John Schneider, Roselyn Sanchez, Kathryn Harrold

Directed By: Charles McDougall, Jeff Melman, John David Coles, Larry Shaw

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (0)

#15

Synopsis: Jon Stewart's hip, irreverent skewering of the news and pop culture elevated this already successful series to new comedic heights... [More]

Starring: Trita Parsi, President Mohamed Nasheed, Elon Musk, Jason Segel

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000)

#14

Synopsis: Las Vegas criminologists use scientific methods to solve grisly murders in this unusually graphic (and hugely popular) drama, which inspired... [More]

Starring: Black Sabbath, Jessica Lee Keller, Marcy Rylan, Gary Sinise

Directed By: Duane Clarke, Thomas J. Wright, Danny Cannon, Roy H. Wagner

Dexter (2006)
71%

#13

Synopsis: A forensic expert lives a double life as a vigilante-serial killer who murders wrongdoers who've escaped justice.... [More]

Starring: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, David Zayas, Erik King

Directed By: Steven Shill, Stefan Schwartz, Michael C. Hall, Alik Sakharov

Grey's Anatomy (2005)
84%

#12

Synopsis: The story revolves around five surgical interns and their supervisors, showing their personal and professional lives.... [More]

Starring: Sendhil Ramamurthy, Grinnell Morris, Moe Irvin, Josh Bywater

Directed By: Nicole Rubio, Julie Ann Robinson, Peter Horton, Jeff Melman

30 Rock (2006)
78%

#11

Synopsis: A female TV writer tries to control the behind-the-scenes antics of a live, prime-time variety show and deals with interference... [More]

Starring: Tony Bennett, Tina Fey, Gary Cole, Al Gore

Directed By: Claire Cowperthwaite, Oz Rodriguez, Steve Buscemi, Richard Shepard

The West Wing (1999)
75%

#10

Synopsis: Martin Sheen and Rob Lowe, as the U.S. President and his deputy communications director, play politics in this innovative Washington,... [More]

Starring: Martin Sheen, Terry McCrea, Rob Lowe, Donald Moffat

Directed By: Arlene Sanford, Mimi Leder, Ken Olin, Alan Taylor