7. “The Office” (2005 - present)
Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s original British “Office” is one of the most critically lauded shows of all time, so when NBC announced plans to bring the show stateside in 2005 it was met with much trepidation. But thanks to a comically gifted ensemble cast and the will they/won’t they, heart-tugging courtship between Jim and Pam, it quickly became a consistent place to turn for guaranteed laughs week after week. Rarely has an entire show’s cast been so hilarious across the board, from the perfectly clueless Michael Scott (Steve Carell) to the brown-nosing, perpetually scheming Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) all the way down to the inane (and slightly disturbing) one-liners of creepy Creed (Creed Bratton). “The Office” continues to find a way to turn the awkwardness and monotony of your average, soul-sucking 9 to 5 job into comedy.

8. Grey’s Anatomy (2005 - present)
“ER” was the medical show of note in the ‘90s, but as it began to show its age and lose most of its original stars along came “Grey’s Anatomy” with a fresh spin and distinct voice in narrator Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), written by creator Shonda Rhimes. The show became an instant mega hit for ABC when it premiered mid-season as a replacement for “Boston Legal” in March of 2005, a rare feat for a mid-season show. Newcomers Katherine Heigl, T.R. Knight and Justin Chambers were thrust into the spotlight and Patrick Dempsey who had been an 80’s teen-flick icon found his career taking on a second act.

9. “Desperate Housewives” (2004 - present)
Marc Cherry’s dramedy about housewives was nothing less than revolutionary and debuted to rave reviews from critics when it came on the scene October 3, 2004. There was an instant and insatiable appetite for anything related to the show and its ladies — Teri Hatcher, Marcia Cross, Felicity Huffman and Nicolette Sheridan, who relished their “second life” on the small screen, and Eva Longoria, who was launched from obscurity into super-stardom. Cherry’s move to jump the show five years into the future last season successfully refreshed the show, which continues to thrive now in its sixth season. It could also be called the show that changed everything for ABC, raising the network’s viewership to highs it hadn’t seen in years and paving the way for its other hit dramas “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Lost.”

Note:
Laud: If people laud someone, they praise and admire them. (JOURNALISM)
Stateside: Stateside means in, from, or to the United States. (JOURNALISM or INFORMAL)
Ensemble: An ensemble of things or people is a group of things or people considered as a whole rather than as separate individuals. (FORMAL)
Courtship: Courtship is the activity of courting or the time during which a man and a woman are courting. (OLD-FASHIONED)
Perpetual: A perpetual act, situation, or state is one that happens again and again and so seems never to end.
Inane: If you describe someone's behaviour or actions as inane, you think they are very silly or stupid.
Insatiable: If someone has an insatiable desire for something, they want as much of it as they can possibly get.
Obscurity: Obscurity is the state of being known by only a few people.