The New York Times has revealed its list of the best television shows of the 21st century, and Dexter is surprisingly far from the top.
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| Michael C. Hall in a promotional image for Dexter Season 2. (Showtime) |
Every now and then, various lists featuring the top TV shows or movies appear online, ranking everything from the best seasons and finales to the worst ones. But this latest list is a little different, as it comes from one of the biggest media outlets in the world, The New York Times.
More specifically, The NYT recently revealed its list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century so far. And as you can probably imagine, a list this big was always going to attract a lot of attention. However, it didn't take long for the list to create controversy after it was shared across social media, with fans questioning some of the choices and where certain shows landed. And, of course, Dexter fans were actually among them.
As one of the most significant TV shows of the century so far, it was impossible for Dexter not to be included. But the biggest surprise is where it actually landed on the list.
Dexter didn't even make the top 50. In fact, it came in at No. 88, meaning there are 87 other shows ranked above it. As a result, many fans found Dexter's position extremely unfair, especially when looking at some of the shows ranked above it.
Breaking Bad takes the No. 1 spot, followed by The Wire and Mad Men. Dexter, meanwhile, is ranked below shows such as Veep, Girls, I May Destroy You, The Comeback and Homeland, as well as reality shows including Survivor and RuPaul's Drag Race.
There is also another interesting detail about the list that explains why one of the biggest TV shows of all time is missing entirely.
The Sopranos, which is widely considered one of television's greatest shows, was not eligible because it premiered in 1999. While the 90% of the series aired between 2000 and 2007, its 1999 premiere placed it outside the New York Times' eligibility rules for this particular list.
So, Should Fans Take This List Seriously?
The short answer is... no!
That doesn't necessarily mean the list itself is meaningless, but it is important to understand what it actually represents. Dexter being ranked at No. 88 means that, according to this particular list, every show above it was considered a better choice. However, that doesn't make it an objective measurement of which shows are actually the best.
According to a little research we did, The New York Times created its list by asking more than 500 people working in television, including actors, writers and critics, to vote for their top choices. Aside from the rule that shows had to debut after 2000, voters were given a lot of freedom in what they could choose.
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| Dexter at No. 88 of the NYT list. |
That meant almost everything was on the table, from dramas and comedies to reality shows and miniseries. So while the list went viral for all the wrong reasons, with viewers questioning most of its choices, it is actually the result of the opinions of more htan 500 people.
They may work in the television industry, but their votes are still opinions. And when it comes to judging the impact and popularity of a TV show, the opinion of industry insiders doesn't necessarily reflect the audience that watched, supported and helped make those shows successful.
At the end of the day, The New York Times' list is just one ranking based on the preferences of the people who took part in the voting. Dexter landing at No. 88 may come as a surprise to many, but it doesn't change the show's legacy or the impact it has on television 20 years now.