This could be interesting http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/6613851/100-TV-shows-that-defined-the-decade.html
(There are also books, films, cultural moments -- probably worthy of their own threads if this one takes off)
Lot of comedy in it, particularly near the top.
Dan
10 per year? That's about 1 every 37 days. How much defining does a decade need?
Babestation
The West Wing at Number 4!
Yeah, a show that presented a liberal's wet dream, a fiction which bore no credible relationship to any Democratic/Republican administration of the time (if ever)? It was wilfully detached from any sort of reality and only really touched the political classes. Proof that these lists are complete rubbish, as they are not compiled by me for a start. 
EDIT: See that Two Pints... made it in at Number 93. I'd actually put it in the Top 10 in terms of defining the decade.
Quote: Mike T @ December 10 2009, 4:37 PM GMTBabestation
Agreed.
I'd also include the cancelled-soon-after-the-first-episode series Bring Your Husband To Heel - where dog trainers were used to correct women's husbands. That's how low TV sank.
Quote: Tim Walker @ December 10 2009, 4:44 PM GMT
Yeah, a show that presented a liberal's wet dream, a fiction which bore no credible relationship to any Democratic/Republican administration of the time (if ever)? It was wilfully detached from any sort of reality and only really touched the political classes. Proof that these lists are complete rubbish, as they are not compiled by me for a start.
EDIT: See that Two Pints... made it in at Number 93. I'd actually put it in the Top 10 in terms of defining the decade.
Agreed.
I'd also include the cancelled-soon-after-the-first-episode series How To Bring Your Man To Heel - where dog trainers were used to correct women's husbands. That's how low TV sank.
Babestation got me through the nights before I discovered the world of free internet pornography. not that I watch it though, Im a Christian for goodness sake
Some of them are ridiculous.
Blue Peter?
That turned into bilge in the 1990's!
Where were The Inbetweeners, Desperate Housewives, Hollyoaks(or any soap come to think of it) and The Simpsons or Family Guy? Fair enough the last 3 started in the 90s but they're still going strong. Also no Miranda! ? I mean really! 
Best thing so far this year.
Was surprised not to see Hostel or Blood Diamond in the films list.
I did expect Big Brother to be at the top. It has been the most talked about, controversial piece of crap to ever be screened - I'll admit I watched the first 3 series as I found it interesting, after which I watched the evictions nights and the odd bit from series 4-7, series 8&9 I half watched and I didn't bother for even a second with series 10.
Big Brother defined my decade by causing the death of my favourite soap - Brookside. I've never recovered...Neither has Channel 4 come to think of it....
Quote: David Carmon @ December 11 2009, 2:13 AM GMTI'll admit I watched the first 3 series as I found it interesting
The first 3 were good. The Brian series was ace. And the Jade one.
I found it quite interesting for a few series. Just seeing how different people mixed. But after that it just turned into the place where fame hungry, self loving people went to boost their egos and earn aload of cash.
I see Jade as someone who became a celebrity for nothing. She will always be written about in the history of the 2000's as someone who defines celebrity, but not fame, someone who sold her life to the press and eventually died horribly with them watching.
Personally I hated her at first but grew to like her after a year or so.
Couldn't stand Brian though 
Favourites probably Craig, Scott Turner BB5, Alison(just for falling through a table) and Glyn (though I hardly watched that series)
I loved Brian. Oh and I liked the Nikki series too. Some people are just entertaining to watch, even with no discernible talent, just being themselves and going about their daily business. They were exactly what BB should have been about, but unfortunately the people doing the casting (who should have been brilliant at spotting just that) were in fact shit at it.
What about the pure desperation of Nasty Nick? During his stay in the house (and not his character ego afterwards) was quite compelling and added an interesting edge, to an otherwise lame show.
Quote: David Carmon @ December 11 2009, 2:42 AM GMTI found it quite interesting for a few series. Just seeing how different people mixed. But after that it just turned into the place where fame hungry, self loving people went to boost their egos and earn aload of cash.
Absolutely spot on, my feelings exactly! I can't be asked with the spoilt attention-seeking freaks any more. They just want you to look at them, so for that reason I don't.