Five Must-Watch TV Series from the Early 2000s
An article on Artribune highlights five groundbreaking TV series from the late 1990s and early 2000s that shaped the golden age of serialized storytelling. 'Oz' (1997-2003), created by Tom Fontana, is set in a maximum-security US prison and presents a raw, theatrical microcosm of a corrupt society. 'The Sopranos' (1999-2007), created by David Chase and aired on HBO, stars the late James Gandolfini and explores the rise and crisis of an Italian-American crime family in New Jersey, delving into human insecurities. 'The Wire' (2002-2008), created by David Simon, portrays Baltimore through its social layers in a choral fresco. 'Battlestar Galactica' (2004-2009), a sci-fi series by Ronald D. Moore, revisits themes of survival and machine emancipation. 'Homeland' (2011-2020), created by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, follows CIA agent Carrie Mathison with bipolar disorder through Middle East conflicts and international terrorism, offering alternative scenarios inspired by reality.
Key facts
- Oz ran for 6 seasons and 56 episodes from 1997 to 2003.
- The Sopranos ran for 6 seasons and 86 episodes from 1999 to 2007.
- The Wire ran for 5 seasons and 60 episodes from 2002 to 2008.
- Battlestar Galactica ran for 4 seasons and 73 episodes from 2004 to 2009.
- Homeland ran for 8 seasons and 96 episodes from 2011 to 2020.
- James Gandolfini died in Rome in 2013.
- The article was published in Artribune Magazine #62.
- Santa Nastro, vice director of Artribune, authored the article.
Entities
Artists
- Tom Fontana
- David Chase
- James Gandolfini
- David Simon
- Ronald D. Moore
- Howard Gordon
- Alex Gansa
- Carrie Mathison
- Santa Nastro
Institutions
- HBO
- Artribune
- CIA
Locations
- United States
- New Jersey
- Baltimore
- Rome
- Italy
- Middle East
- Iraq
- Afghanistan