10 Best ‘Prestige Television’ Shows Nobody Talks About Anymore

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Led by premium cable networks, like HBO and Showtime, producing their own widely acclaimed and popular shows, the late ’90s and early 2000s saw a shift in television storytelling. Network and basic cable TV similarly upped their storytelling game during this period to maintain their own viability. Dubbed the era of prestige television, the shows recognized as part of this wave featured more sophisticated writing and production values. The perceived walls separating actors between being associated with television or film steadily eroded, with many big-name stars making the leap to TV during this time.

While some would argue that prestige television hasn’t abated, we’re really focusing on a specific period with cable shows taking off and informing the early days of the streaming era. Even more specifically, we’re talking about the shows that haven’t remained an ongoing part of the cultural lexicon like “The Sopranos,” “Breaking Bad,” or “Dexter” have. This isn’t a dig on the quality for these series — more an observation that they just haven’t quite had the same staying power as their more prominently enduring contemporaries. Here are the 10 best prestige television shows that nobody talks about anymore, despite success and critical acclaim at the time of their runs.

For much of its early original programming, FX was primarily known for producing raunchy comedy shows. That perception changed considerably with the premiere of the crime drama “The Shield” in 2002, following a group of police detectives in Los Angeles. Tasked with restoring and maintaining order into a notoriously dangerous neighborhood, the ensemble is led by Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis). Though the team appears effective, they regularly employ questionable methods while several detectives, especially Mackey, are extraordinarily corrupt, even resorting to murder to evade persecution.

One of FX’s greatest shows ever, “The Shield” opened the doors for subsequent series like “Justified” or “Sons of Anarchy.” Chiklis plays an utterly unforgettable antihero in Vic Mackey, intense and unrepentant in the increasingly morally dubious things that he does on the job. He’s joined by a stellar ensemble cast, including a young Walton Goggins and CCH Pounder, each matching him beat-for-beat. Running for seven seasons, “The Shield” ushered FX into the prestige television arena, where it has fiercely thrived ever since.

One of the most ambitious historical dramas produced by HBO during the 2000s was “Rome,” which ran from 2005 to 2007. Set during the pivotal transition of the Roman Republic transforming into an empire, the sweeping saga centers on Roman soldiers Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson). The two friends not only witness but participate in many crucial moments in ancient history, including the rise and fall of Julius Caesar (Ciarán Hinds), along with the subsequent fallout. Throughout all these harrowing moments that defined the Roman Republic’s legacy, Titus and Lucius navigate their own friendship and complicated personal lives.

Though it covers a significant portion of history, “Rome” was cancelled midway during its second season, purportedly over its high production costs. This meant that the second season condenses the story of Titus and Lucius significantly to give the series a satisfying ending. Despite its shorter than anticipated run, “Rome” is among the best two-season TV shows ever, especially considering how much story it covered. A true historical epic that never loses sight of the two common and unassuming characters at its core, “Rome” is the forgotten HBO period piece show.

Glenn Close and Rose Byrne headline the FX and Audience Network series “Damages,” which debuted in 2007. Close stars as powerful New York City attorney Patty Hewes, who takes on law school graduate Ellen Parsons as her newest protegee. Though each season features Hewes’ firm taking on a different major case, the real emotional narrative at play is her dynamic with Parsons. This culminates in Ellen trying to separate herself from Patty’s toxic hold on her life despite her mentor’s best efforts.

Right from the show’s opening scene, it’s clear that “Damages” is setting itself up to be a harrowing psychological thriller. These darker colors offer a solid counterpoint to the series’ usual legal drama premise, illustrating a world without heroes. Across their five-season run together, Close and Byrne maintain a riveting rapport, especially as Ellen tries to escape from Patty’s iron hold on her. Tautly executed right down to its stunning last shot, “Damages” is another pivotal series in FX’s evolution in becoming a premier platform for prestige television.

After David Duchovny left “The X-Files,” he starred in a number of comedic projects, but none with the level of acclaim as “Californication.” Premiering in 2007, the Showtime series starred Duchovny as acerbic writer Hank Moody, a man prone to hard vices, including alcoholism and sex addiction. Hank struggles with keeping his inner demons at bay while maintaining his career, including attempts to become a college instructor and screenwriter. Amidst his incredibly messy personal life, Moody has a complicated relationship with his on-again/off-again lover Karen Van Der Beek (Natascha McElhone) and their daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin).

“Californication” is a dramedy in the fullest sense of the word, with the main characters’ penchant for self-destruction fueling both its laughs and emotional turmoil. The show never loses sight of the fact that Hank’s antics get other characters hurt, no matter how outrageously debaucherous they become. At the same time, these aren’t characters actively seeking redemption but trying to function while keeping their self-medicating damage under control. “Californication” is among the best Showtime shows of all time, giving Duchovny a seven-season showcase to demonstrate his range.

The 2002 non-fiction book “Boardwalk Empire” by Nelson Johnson, chronicling the life of Atlantic City politician Enoch L. Johnson, was adapted into an HBO series in 2010. Steve Buscemi plays Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, a pastiche of Johnson, an influential New Jersey figure during Prohibition in the 1920s. Deeply corrupt, Thompson is well-connected with other political figures and organized crime bosses. As the federal government begins to focus on bootlegging in the area, Nucky goes through increasingly brutal steps to avoid the law and stay in power.

“Boardwalk Empire” is ultimately about the titular empire not only facing threats from all sides, including within, but coming crashing down spectacularly. Buscemi delivers what is arguably the finest performance of his career as Nucky, capturing not just his unflinching viciousness but his private vulnerabilities. To provide the story with its backdrop, HBO creates an evocative vision of its immersive period piece setting. Packed with big twists right through to its finale, “Boardwalk Empire” is a richly told crime saga with Buscemi leading an all-around impressive ensemble cast.

Former “Friends” star Matt LeBlanc has loads of fun taking the mickey out of himself in the Showtime series “Episodes.” Playing a fictionalized version of himself, LeBlanc is courted to star in a Hollywood remake of an acclaimed British sitcom. The creative team behind the production is the show’s British creators Sean Lincoln (Stephen Mangan) and Beverly Lincoln (Tamsin Greig), who are appalled by network-mandated changes to the source material. As production continues, with the sitcom popular despite being critically lambasted, the core trio’s personal lives collide and crumble in messy ways.

Smartly written, “Episodes” gives LeBlanc a fuller showcase for his under-appreciated comedic chops and dramatic potential. The series really leans into moral and emotional compromises of working in entertainment in Hollywood and that provides it with much of its humor. There was always a self-aware element to “Episodes,” with that meta approach evident through the series finale. This helps elevate the series and stand as one of the best projects any of the “Friends” cast has done since that sitcom’s conclusion.

The cutthroat world of management consulting is the subject of the Showtime series “House of Lies,” based on the memoir by Martin Kihn. The show stars Don Cheadle as Marty Kaan, a successful consultant who often mixes business with pleasure, often to help sway his clients. As the story progresses, Marty sets up his own consultancy firm, with his questionable and manipulative methods landing both his professional and personal life in chaos. Joining the firm are associates Jeannie van der Hooven (Kristen Bell), Clyde Oberholt (Ben Schwartz), and Doug Guggenheim (Josh Lawson).

So much of the appeal of “House of Lies” is Cheadle’s singular starring performance, with his character often breaking the fourth wall to get audiences in on the fun. Elevating this is the always effervescent Bell, with her character serving as the perfect (and literal) partner in crime to Marty. Like its main ensemble, this is a show that relies so much on its undeniable charm and, fortunately, this is a series with charisma to spare. A rollicking dark workplace comedy, “House of Lies” balances corporate debauchery with plenty of mature gags.

As Netflix began to develop its own original programming, one of the shows that led the charge was the 2013 dramedy “Orange Is the New Black.” Loosely based on Piper Kerman’s 2010 memoir, the show follows Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) as she is sentenced to a minimum-security prison for transporting drug money. Piper is reunited with her ex-girlfriend Alex Vause (Laura Prepon), for whom she committed the crime, only to be named in Alex’s subsequent trial. Throughout the show, the lives of the other inmates are also explored, including the circumstances behind each of their incarcerations.

“Orange Is the New Black” starts out as a fish-out-of-water comedy as Piper’s upper-middle class background clashes with her new status in prison. This grows into a more nuanced and dramatic story, sorting through the individual backgrounds and traumas of the fellow inmates. Between the laughs and heartrending moments, the show also highlights fundamental flaws in the justice system and correctional and rehabilitative treatment of criminals. An unflinching look at life in prison, with all the foibles that come with it, “Orange Is the New Black” is a show that expertly blurs comedy and drama.

Interestingly enough, despite being at the forefront of Netflix’s initial push into original programming, it feels like “Orange Is the New Black” is rarely talked about today. With four Emmy wins under its belt, and critical acclaim from both fans and critics, it’s a wonder why the show’s popularity seems to be stuck in the 2010s.

The personal computer boom in the late ’80s and early ’90s serves as the backdrop for the AMC original series “Halt and Catch Fire.” Starting in 1983, the show follows unscrupulous tech entrepreneur Joe MacMillan (Lee Pace) as he illicitly begins reverse-engineering IBM computers for his own business. Joining this venture are tech prodigies Gordon Clark (Scott McNairy) and Cameron Howe (Mackenzie Davis), with the three eventually forming their own startup. As the characters’ personal and professional lives grow increasingly complicated and intertwined, they venture into gaming and early internet interests.

“Halt and Catch Fire” really takes advantage of its moody ’80s setting and the early days of personal computing. Watching the industry and environment around it grow and evolve over the course of the series’ ten-year span makes an engrossing watch. Delivering the story’s emotional investment, of course, is its strong writing and top-notch cast, with Pace and Davis both in particularly fine form charting their respective characters’ journeys to the finale. Perhaps overshadowed by the tall shadow “Mad Men” cast over AMC period piece dramas, “Halt and Catch Fire” is one of the network’s greatest shows.

Tom Perrotta’s 2011 novel “The Leftovers” was adapted into television by Perrotta and Damon Lindelof on HBO in 2014. Simply put, it’s a prestige drama that deserves far more respect, recognition, and praise.

The story starts three years after a mysterious global event suddenly caused approximately 2% of the world’s population to abruptly vanish into thin air. The show focuses on the citizens of Mapleton, New York as they try to pick up the pieces from the upheaval that this incident inflicted on their community. This includes dealing with the religious cults that surfaced in the wake of the mass departure, leading to a slow-burn conflict in their town.

For all the manipulative cult activity and ongoing mystery about the departure, “The Leftovers” is really a drama about sudden loss. Each of the story’s main characters are rocked to their core by loved ones vanishing and reconcile with this grief in their own way. By the story’s end, Lindelof answers most of the burning questions while leaving enough loose ends to keep viewers debating its implications. A soul-searing character drama in the finest HBO tradition, “The Leftovers” is unassuming in its heart-wrenching quality. The series may have ended in 2017, but it remains a triumph as one of the best shows streaming on HBO Max today.