Best TV Seasons Of The Decade

American Crime Season 2

The word "important" gets tossed around a lot in these #PeakTV times — but the second season of ABC's anthology drama was arguably one of 2016's most important shows. The sophomore year was a brutal, almost-unbearable-to-watch examination of rape culture in America, brought to life by John Ridley's nuanced storytelling and stunning, slow-burn performances from leads Connor Jessup and Joey Pollari.

American Horror Story: Asylum

Following a solid debut with Murder House, this FX anthology returned with a vengeance in Season 2, keeping us hooked — and legitimately scared — for the duration of Asylum, which set a new standard for horror on TV. Factor in powerhouse performances from stars like Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe and Zachary Quinto, and the whole thing almost seemed too good to be true. (Lange recently revealed that she believes Asylum was her best AHS season, so there's also that.)

Arrow Season 2

With the series' framework established and Oliver acclimated to vigilantism, the Arrowverse's flagship series went all in with its sophomore run — and in doing so, planted seeds for its richest storyline threads. The mourning of Tommy (for which Oliver will forever blame himself), the introduction of Sara/Black Canary and then Nyssa, Barry Allen's debut, Slade and Roy bring compromised by Mirakuru, Oliver's choice between Sara and Shado and then Moira and Thea.... Season 2 hit the bull's-eye again and again.

Atlanta Season 2

Donald Glover's boundary-pushing FX comedy got even weirder — and even better — in its sophomore season, expertly juggling genres and cranking out instant-classic episodes each week like the Gothic horror-tinged masterpiece "Teddy Perkins." (A strong contender for the best episode of the 2010s, for sure.) Each episode played like its own intricately crafted mini-movie, but they were linked together by Earn's steady climb up the showbiz ladder — part sharp industry satire, part earnest cautionary tale. Unclassifiable... but unmissable, too.

Breaking Bad Season 4

Walt's evolution into evil mastermind took some giant leaps forward (poor little Brock!) in a season that showed us exactly how ruthless and captivating Heisenberg could be. Jesse's downward spiral, Skyler's side machinations regarding Ted, Hank's ever-narrowing hunch, "I am the one who knocks!" — all of them combined for a heart-pounding string of episodes that ended with Gus' literally (and finally!) getting his bell rung at Tio's nursing home.

Catastrophe Season 1

In the first season of Amazon's delightful U.K. import, Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney's characters hook up, accidentally conceive a child, fight, make up, stay together, have doubts, get married, fight some more, yadda yadda yadda. Their relationship is new and scary, and Catastrophe deftly navigated the fear and excitement that comes with such an unorthodox love story, resulting in a first season that's equal parts hilarious and heartfelt.

Fleabag Season 2

Phoebe Waller-Bridge's sexually frank title character was delightful enough in Season 1 of Amazon's tart UK comedy, but the addition of Andrew Scott's "hot priest" as Fleabag's new lust interest made Season 2 simply heavenly. (Is that blasphemous to say?) Layering in cosmic questions of morality and spirituality alongside the show's more, um, primal concerns, Waller-Bridge's writing was impeccable — yep, she wrote the whole thing herself, too — and struck a perfectly bittersweet note with one of the decade's best final scenes.

Game of Thrones Season 3

We'd thought Ned Stark's beheading was the most gruesomely surprising move the HBO series could pull... then the Red Wedding showed up and said, "Hold my Dornish red." The violent deaths of Robb and Catelyn Stark & Co. came at the climax of a breathless season in which Jaime grew a conscience and lost a hand (and we witnessed the beauty of his bath scene with Brienne); Daenerys took The Unsullied by glorious force; Lady Olenna blessed King's Landing with her presence; and Jon did the wild thing with a Wildling.

Homeland Season 1

Equal parts gripping thriller, nuanced family drama and insightful dissertation on the War on Terror, the Showtime drama instantly hooked us when it launched in December 2011. But it was Claire Danes' breathtakingly unpredictable performance as bipolar terrorist hunter Carrie Mathison that made Homeland's first season (and several subsequent seasons) next-level triumphant.

How to Get Away With Murder Season 1

Remember when the Keating Five's biggest concern was who would win that scales of justice trophy? Ah, simpler times. But even though Murder has told a long and twisty story, it's the first chapter that we loved most. With its breakneck pace, genuinely surprising twists (wait, who killed Sam?!) and deep bench of impressive performances, the ABC drama pulled off an entire season's worth of compelling murder mysteries.

Killing Eve Season 1

BBC America's buzzy hit came out of the gates strong, giving the tired crime drama genre a serious shot of adrenaline with its addictive, blood-soaked freshman season. Creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge's sparklingly witty dialogue added a welcome bit of black comedy amid all the murders, and stars Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer made an instantly electrifying on-screen duo as intelligence agent Eve and flamboyant killer for hire Villanelle. Did this decade produce a more intriguing TV pairing? Not bloody likely.

Mr. Robot Season 1

Sleek, cerebral and relentlessly cutting-edge, the freshman season of creator Sam Esmail's paranoid techno-thriller felt like a transmission from the near future... or a warning, actually. Esmail told the story of lonely hacker Elliot and his battle against corporate behemoth E Corp with a captivating visual style; you didn't need to know anything about computers to feel the nail-biting tension. Plus, Rami Malek's jittery lead performance as Elliot helped anchor all the arcane digital jargon and give the densely brainy plot a beating human heart.

Orphan Black Season 1

If nothing else, Orphan Black's debut gave Tatiana Maslany the starring role she deserved, which is reason enough to include it here. But aside from shining a spotlight on Maslany's many talents, the drama's first season served up a magnificently paced sci-fi mystery. From Beth's Episode 1 suicide, to the introduction of ice queen Rachel Duncan, to Sarah's finale standoff with Helena, Orphan Black's first batch of episodes was tense, terrifying and totally thrilling.

The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

The inaugural installment of Ryan Murphy's anthology took off like a white Ford Bronco on the San Diego Freeway, giving the In Cold Blood treatment to a trial collectively remembered as a late-night talk show joke. The formula, unlike the prosecution, was a success: The season took home multiple 2016 Emmys, including acting accolades for Sarah Paulson (as Marcia Clark), Courtney B. Vance (as Johnnie Cochran) and Sterling K. Brown (as Christopher Darden), as well as Outstanding Limited Series.

Saturday Night Live Season 42

It's easy to forget just how beloved Alec Baldwin's Trump impression was when the 30 Rock alum first lampooned the then-presidential hopeful. Or how Melissa McCarthy nearly broke the Internet when she first stepped up to the podium as Sean Spicer. Season 42 also featured some of the very best individual episodes in recent memory, headlined by such hosts as Dave Chappelle and Tom Hanks.

The Good Wife Season 5

In its first four seasons, Robert and Michelle King's unconventional CBS legal drama had already reinvented the TV procedural. But nothing could prepare us for the genre-shattering fireworks to come in Season 5, which began with Alicia and Cary igniting a civil war at Lockhart and Gardner before breaking out on their own, and ended with the stunning murder of Josh Charles' Will.

The Leftovers Season 2

HBO's surreal drama was never afraid to take chances, and in its sophomore season, it took its biggest one — by charting a new course after Season 1 used up all of the source material in co-creator Tom Perrotta's novel. But the gamble paid off, resulting in a legendary Nora/Erika faceoff, the sucker-punch reveal that Evie hadn't "departed" but had joined the Guilty Remnant, and "International Assassin," one of the most brutal, bonkers hours in TV history.

True Detective Season 1

We've seen plenty of unsolved murders in small rural towns on TV this decade, but none of them quite commanded our attention like the HBO anthology's stellar freshman run. Cary Fukunaga's direction was so vivid that we could practically feel the Louisiana sweat on our brows, Nic Pizzolatto's twist-laden storytelling kept us guessing and theorizing to the very end, and Matthew McConaughey's philosophy-spouting detective Rust Cohle was one of the 2010s' most unforgettable TV creations.

You're the Worst Season 2

Having already established itself as one of TV's most cynical comedies, You're the Worst wasn't afraid to go a little darker in Season 2, introducing Gretchen's struggle with depression in a storyline that would ultimately define the show. In its exploration of mental health, the FXX series offered a thoughtful, sincere portrayal of a typically taboo subject, anchored by a tremendous performance from leading lady Aya Cash.

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Orange Is the New Black Season 4

Though it is mostly remembered for Poussey's death, this was also the season of Orange that took a closer look at mental health, revealing how the system failed inmates like Suzanne and Lolly. Other highlights included Piper's power trip, Alex and Lolly's greenhouse "team-up" and Sophia's stint in the SHU.