FirstPerson Shooter’s Top 10 Nerd TV Shows of the 2010s
There have been so many excellent shows that premiered in the past 10 years aimed at us nerds that it is a real challenge to pick my Top 10. This list could easily have been a Top 25, but I both wanted to keep it to a reasonable length, and am lazy. Honorable Mentions go to Arrow, Black Mirror, Orphan Black, Preacher, Jessica Jones, Maniac, Star Trek: Discovery … OK, you get the idea. A note: All the shows on the list premiered in 2010 or later. That means I couldn’t include shows that ran into the 2010s from the previous decade, such as Fringe or Eureka.
As always, this is just my opinion, and not intended to be any kind of definitive statement of fact. So in no particular order, here are my favorite TV shows of the 2010s (although, who am I kidding, The Expanse is my absolute favorite).
Stranger Things (2016)
An unapologetic nostalgia-fest featuring actual nerdy kids playing nerdy kids, Stranger Things perfectly evoked whatever kids adventure movie was a hit in your childhood — Goonies, Flight of the Navigator, etc. It proved that nerds like us could be portrayed accurately and still heroically, as opposed to stereotype-driven shows like Big Bang Theory. And it probably single-handedly made Eggo super-profitable for Kellogg’s again.
The Expanse (2015)
As Den of Geek pointed out recently, if the idea of a “hard science fiction” show turns you off, then watch The Expanse for a political drama as good as House of Cards, or a mystery thriller right up there with True Detective. And maybe while doing so, enjoy a show that has no artificial gravity, no sound in space, no … OK, I’ll stop with the hard sci-fi love. But I will give love to Amazon Prime for saving this show after Syfy cancelled it. Beltalowda!
Game of Thrones (2011)
Despite an eventual drop in quality never seen in all my 50+ years of watching “the tube,” Game of Thrones was, while it was adapting the George R.R. Martin novels, absolutely unprecedented in writing quality and production values. It launched the explosion of movie-quality productions in other TV and streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. Even if showrunners Weiss and Benioff proved that they clearly know nothing.
Daredevil (2015)
The first of the Marvel light-R rated series on Netflix is the best of the lot, just edging out Jessica Jones. Daredevil had two excellent seasons and one OK season under its belt. Of course Netflix eventually killed Daredevil and all of its The Defenders siblings (really, Disney had nothing to do with it according to Marvel … right). But while it was on, Charlie Cox was nearly perfect as blind crime fighter Matt Murdock, and Vincent D’Onofrio made the Kingpin one of the best villains ever portrayed on TV.
Watchmen (2019)
One of two shows that premiered in this last year of this decade, Watchmen turned my opinion of show creator Damon Lindelof around completely. The writing is top notch — smart, witty, as realistic as a comic book show can be — and it is every bit as socially conscious as the comic book it is a sequel to. This show is, as the kids say, woke as f–k about racial inequality, but also clearly shows problems with excessive liberal policies and restrictions. Unapologetic in its preachiness, it is still an exciting thriller and mystery tale.
The Mandalorian (2019)
The other show premiering this year is the launch title for Disney+, The Mandalorian. Less consistent than Watchmen, it is an excellent expansion of the Star Wars universe, while still being an original and compelling picaresque tale about family in whatever form it takes. Loaded with Easter Eggs for Star Wars fans, The Mandalorian also adds to the canon in a way that thematically fits. And it gave us the green package of adorableness that is Baby Yoda (I know, I know, not its name — lighten up).
Legion (2017)
This decade saw a number of good to excellent adaptations of Marvel comics — Cloak and Dagger, Runaways, The Gifted, Inhumans (OK, not that one) — but none of them was anything like Legion. Show creator Noah Hawley took the story of David Haller, Charles Xavier’s insane Omega-level mutant son, and made one of trippiest shows ever put on TV. Dan Stevens as David was just one of the amazing performances in this show. And Aubrey Plaza steals every scene she is in, playing a hallucination (absorbed consciousness?) of a guy appearing as a gal (or a gal first appearing as a guy then a gal, occasionally taken over by another guy … my head hurts).
Travelers (2016)
You may notice that smart writing is one of the themes of this list. Travelers is one of the smartest time travel stories ever told. The premise itself is fascinating — what if time travelers from the future sent agents to the past as consciousnesses that take over bodies of people about to die, but the information about those people is not always accurate? The show, building around its central mission story, brilliantly explores the human implications of this method of time travel.
Altered Carbon (2018)
This is perhaps the most stereotypical sci-fi show on the list, combining cyberpunk, space opera, military sci-fi and more into an action thrill ride. But Altered Carbon at its heart explores what it means to be an individual in a future in which consciousness can be stored digitally and implanted into different bodies. Joel Kinnaman redeems himself from Suicide Squad as Takeshi Kovacs, but it is character actor Matt Beidel that captures the theme of the show, portraying three different consciousnesses (one an old woman) while physically appearing as the same tattooed leg-breaking thug. He should have won an Emmy. Oh, and the show has lots of nudity, so there’s that.
Continuum (2012)
The second time-travel show on this list, Continuum does a great job exploring what would happen if a conflict from the future spilled into the past, our current time. It looks at the effect on the world, but also the personal impact on Rachel Nichols’ lead character Kiera Cameron, now stuck 70 years in the past without her husband or young son. The special effects are used well and sparingly, and the big question of “can Kiera stop future criminals from altering the past” keeps you engaged and waiting for the next episode.
Now that I’m done, I think the list could have even been a Top 50 — Castle Rock, The OA, Umbrella Academy, American Gods … wow, there was so much excellent programming in TV, basic cable and streaming services. But I stand by my choices above. And with my favorite show returning Dec. 13th, below enjoy my interview with stars of The Expanse Dominique Tipper and Steven Strait from New York Comic Con 2016.
