My list with Snarfs criteria (plus one of my own.)
Is complete.
American.
Drama.
Series, at least 2 seasons.
Judged wholly, but bonus for good ending.
No bonus for innovation.
No hipster sneaks.
Thoughtful and good
Seen it.
Not episodic, but serial (Sorry yesterdays episodic dramas are simply outclassed)
The Leftovers Lindelof finally unshackled by ABC network television is allowed to stretch his creative skills. There have have been dozens of supernatural/super science phenomena premise shows in the last 20+ years, but finally somebody gets it right. As an audience we are just as clueless as everyone else and just get to sit back and watch the world melt. No shark jumping explanations or super powered humans, just a heartbreaking story that wraps up in three neat seasons. Another bonus for Lindelof knowing when a story has run its course.
The Sopranos The series that changed it all. Thanks goodness Fox passed on it; amiright? Not the first premo cable series but for sure the first household named series. A whole new look for the ganster flick, the suburbs of New Jersey. Taking the kids to college tours by day, choking out rats by night. Gets a little long in the tooth around 5th season, but I loved the finale, yes even the Journey.
The Wire A great serial with an anthology feel. Not much else to say, great writing, good acting, Tom Waits... I fear its tongue and cheek final season is going to make it slip in lists going forward.
Breaking Bad The Malcom in the middle dad??? This is what Disney is trying to do with their anti-hero princess movies. Show us a good guy gone bad. Funny, clever, and heart touching. Ends at the 5th season before the showrunners could really break it bad.
Ray Donovan Many have tried to make the fixer series, and many have failed. Ray Donovan is the triumphant success story. The writing, the cast, its wicked good. As much as I loathe Jon Voight, he is nothing short of amazing as the family patriarch Mickey Donovan. Its worth watching just for him alone. Fell into the trap that Breaking Bad didn't, went on way too long.
Black Sails Starts out fishy, but ends like a whale. What a concept, take Treasure Island and make an adult prequel out of it. The exposition is amazing and they pull fantastic performances out of little known actors. I so do wish someday they make a Treasure Island movie with the cast (those living).
The Borgias (showtime) History buffs will cry (its not very accurate) but what a palace intrigue story. I mean what better palace than the Vatican? Cut short in three season, I think it could have wrapped perfectly with a fourth. Jeremy Irons is like a fine wine. What more can I say?
Penny Dreadful This series just oozes atmosphere. A whole new spin on monster of the week. Chilling exposition from Eva Green and Rory Kinnear (criminally underrated). Cut short by a season, but what great ride while it lasted.
Nip Tuck Folks may have forgotten this gem, but it really opened up what a cable network series could offer. Also, not another cop show; what a concept! Great character development and twist you don't see coming.
Game of Thrones This series was executed so well, at least for a time. Its really too bad Martin's writing ran out, because when it did, so did the gas in D&Ds tank. Never have I seen someone go deuces wild in the punch bowl like this. Even Disney wants nothing to do with them.
Honorable mentions.
Counterpart; Bringing the cold war spy thriller into the 21st century.
Rectify; Something new in a sea of the same.
A Brave New World; A superb take on social constructs and sexuality. Cut short but not surprising with its 100 mill price tag
