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At the end of 2019, I decided to write about my favourite shows of the decade. Reflecting on the past 10 years, it dawned on me that so many of the series which I felt characterised the 2010sÌýactuallyÌýbelongÌýmore aptly to the decade before. Sure,ÌýBreaking BadÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýMad MenÌýmight have concluded in 2013 and 2014 respectively, but both began in lateÌý2000s. Even the shows which did commence in the 2010s – likeÌýBoardwalk Empire, House of Cards,Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌýTrue Detective –Ìýwere the immediate successors of their 2000s forebearers, often preoccupied with the sameÌýcharacter archetypes and exploring similarÌýideas.

Indeed, the late 2000s-early 2010s was a period of television centred on the rise and fall of the antihero. From Don Draper to Walter White, to Rust Chole, Nucky Thompson and Jax Teller, TV dramas were characterised by brooding, complicated men torn between right and wrong. Characters like Draper and White allowed usÌýto examine the anxieties affecting the white, middle-class male on the verge of losing control to ‘emasculating’ forces. Cynical, self-aware and resistant to change, these figures became the perfect symbols of how we understood western masculinity at the time.Ìý

However, as the 2010s progressed, so did the characters we saw on our screens. Ideas which first rose to prominence in shows likeÌýMad MenÌýwere expanded upon and reconstructed, as we entered a more socially and politically fragmented era. Our interests grew to extend beyond the white male experience, as the dissipation of the anti-hero created space for more diverse subjects. For instance,Ìý´¡³Ù±ô²¹²Ô³Ù²¹,Ìýwhich began in 2016,Ìýexplores the realities of black masculinity in modern-day America, while the more recentÌýBarry,Ìýconsiders the relationship between toxic masculinity and mental health. Furthermore, in the wake of the ‘Me Too’ movement, we have realisedÌýthe importance of tellingÌýstories about bold, compelling women, with shows likeÌýOrange is the New Black, Big Little Lies, Fleabag,Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌýKilling EveÌýbecoming acclaimed sensations.Ìý

We still have a way to go, particularly regarding on-screen portrayals of the LGBTQI+ community and People of Colour, but we’re making progress; we are, at the very least, no longer ignoring the problem. And while I’ll always hold a place in my heart for the Don Draper heyday, I rejoice in the fact that today’sÌýtelevision is more inclusive, allowing for deeply personal tales to nestle alongside the old schoolÌýhits.