This one comes with a huge caveat: the sci-fi drama's devastating season four finale shook things up and polarized viewers and critics alike, thrilling some while turning others into ex-fans. But before that, this gleefully weird deconstruction of sci-fi and fantasy earned a place as one of the most creative shows of the decade — even if not many people even heard about it until controversy struck.
With sharp, witty, darkly humourous dialogue, a diverse collection of characters, and a penchant for the unexpected, The Magicians soared far beyond its initial premise as "Harry Potter grad school meets dark and twisty Narnia." And it's not just the humour or the weird factor — there's a big heart there, too. The emotional season three episode "A Life In the Day," in which two characters live out an entire alternate lifetime in a single montage, is one of the best episodes of TV this decade, period.