The year2000brought goodies for television viewers. Who could ever forgetMalcolm in the Middle, the sitcom that not only served plenty of fan-based humor but also pushed Bryan Cranston’s career to greater heights? The first chapter of the new millennium also marked the beginning of the amazingCSIfranchise. Since then, police procedurals have only gotten better and better. Hit shows likeCurb Your EnthusiasmandDark Angelare also turning 25 in 2025.
However, as is the norm each year, several great shows went unnoticed when they debuted in 2000. This was due to the usual factors. Some were up against strong competition in their time slots, while others started slowly and didn’t hook enough viewers immediately.
Thankfully, nothing ever gets lost nowadays, so these 25-year-old underrated gems can always be revisited by fans at any given moment.
10’Falcone'
Falconeis adramatization of the life of the legendary FBI undercover agent Joe Pistone, aka Donnie Brasco(portrayed by Jason Gedrick). Pistonemanaged to infiltrate the Bonanno crime family, leading to over 200 indictmentsand over 100 convictions of Cosa Nostra members.
The Story of the Greatest FBI Informant
IsFalconeone of thebest shows based on real gangsters? Not quite? But it’s highly entertaining, perhaps evenmore entertaining than the 1997 film starring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino, which covered the same story. The show’slayered narrative approach and deep-focus imagery— folding close conversations and outward observations into the same frame — bring an otherworldly feel to all the bloody and melancholic proceedings. It just might have fared much better if it didn’t air at the height ofThe Sopranos.
9’Jack of All Trades'
Jack of All Trades
InJack of All Trades, Bruce Campbell leads us on an uproarious trek through the 19th century. He isJack Stiles, a charming American spy sent to a French-controlled island in the South Pacific where he battles Napoleon’s forces.Like many of Campbell’s other characters, Stiles relies on slapstick heroics to get the job done.
Outfoxing Le Petit Caporal
Overflowingcreative swashbuckling fight scenes and over-the-top stunts,Jack of All Tradesdraws a smile even from the most grim-faced viewer. Campbell orchestrates one silly pratfall sequence after another, and the camera dances with it all beautifully. 25 years later, this remains aperfect collision of historical satire and madcap slapstick, with an Emmy-nominated theme song (not to forget). Look out for Nardo da Vinci, a fictitious descendant of Leonardo da Vinci.
8’Wonderland'
Wonderland
Set in a New York City psychiatric hospital,WonderlandfollowsDr. Lyla Garrity (Michelle Forbes) and Dr. Robert Banger (Ted Lavine) as they navigate the challenges of their job.Events are seen both from the eyes of the doctors and the mentally ill patients admitted to the facility.
Digging into the Triggers and Cures of Mental Health Challenges
It’d be a crime to miss this fascinating, one-of-a-kindmedical drama, given its controversial opinions about mental health. The show makes great use of all the elements that have made the genre so popular. This includesstrategically pausing the medical emergencies to insert soapy moments, and constantly throwing in lots of professional derring-do.You’ll love the theme song, too, which simply consists of humming performed by the great Madonna.
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These hidden gems recently dropped on Netflix—dark comedies, teen thrillers, surreal dramas. Buried by the algorithm, but worth the dig.
InTitus, comedian Christopher Titus playsan exaggerated version of himselfwho isoutwardly childish. Here, he isthe owner of a custom car shopand has to deal with his dimwitted half-brother, his caring girlfriend, his best friend, and his arrogantly bigoted, heavy-drinking, womanizing, divorced father.
Family Drama Turned Up a Notch.
Titusis a stunning sitcom,elevated not only by the ring of truth but by a wild Emmy-worthy performance from Christopher Titus. Basing the show on his real family certainly helped, as he looks comfortable in every situation, no matter how bizarre. So daring is the show that several episodes were censored. But don’t worry. There’s still a lot of awesomeness left.
6’The Fugitive'
The Fugitive
The Fugitiveis a remake ofthe 1960s TV series of the same nameand the 1993 Harrison Ford movie. Events revolve aroundDr. Richard Kimble (Tim Daly), wrongly convicted of the murder of his wife. He goes on the run whilelooking for a mysterious one-armed man (Stephen Lang), whom he saw leave the scene of the crime.Hot on Kimble’s trail is Lieutenant Gerard (Mykelti Williamson).
As Fun as the Previous Gems
Admittedly,The Fugitiveis no better than the ‘60s show or the ‘90s movie. But it beats the latter in cinematography, and the former in dialogue.Despite taking over a role that had been handled by superior actors, Daly never looks like he is wearing oversized shoes. He shines throughout the proceedings. Beyond that, the sound is cinema-like. Consequently, the show received an Emmy nomination in this particular category.
5’Deadline'
A spinoff ofLaw & Order,DeadlinestarsOliver Platt as Wallace Benton, the star columnist for the fictional New York Ledger tabloid newspaper, seen in many episodes of the original series. Plots of the show are mainly based on major newspaper stories from different years.
Dangerous News
With more than a nod to classics likeSweet Smell of Success and Lonelyhearts, the showupdates and improves on old tabloid-themed movies by putting the events on a darker canvas.Oliver Platt also displays some impressive acting chops. Overall,everything comes off as authentic, which isn’t surprising considering that head writer Robert Palm was a newspaper reporterfor The Hartford Times and the Los Angeles Herald Examiner.
4’That’s Life'
That’s Life
InThat’s Life,Lydia DeLucca (Heather Paige Kent)breaks off her engagementfrom her irascible fiancé and vows to pursue her dreams. Sheenrolls in med school and encounters the usual challenges that stem from navigating school and family.Her overprotective mother and caring father provide a great portion of the show’s comic relief.
New Quagmires Every Day
That’s Lifethrives by maintaining a light-hearted tone while still diving into darker subjects.In one of the major plots, one of the likable characters struggles to overcome the temptation to embrace corruption. Besides that, the performances are uniformly excellent. Unfortunately, the sitcom aired during the Friday night death slot for much of its run, hence suffered low ratings.
3’The District'
The District
InThe District, former Newark, New Jersey Police Commissioner Jack Mannion (Craig T. Nelson), whose nature seemed at odds with modern times, istasked with revolutionizing the bureaucracy-plagued Washington, D.C.’s law enforcement scene.With the help of his detectives and friends from other departments, he fights crime, corruption, and overcomes seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Honoring a Real World Hero
Like many other great cop shows,The Districtexcels bydrawing much of its water from the well of the real world. The show wasinspired by the real-life adventures of former New York City Deputy Police Commissioner Jack Maple, who, along with Police Commissioner William Bratton, reorganized the NYPD and started the highly effective CompStat program (an online database for crimes). Topics such as human rights abuses, sexual assault, and the lack of ethics in politics are sufficiently explored, too.
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2’City of Angels'
City of Angels
There was more hospital drama in the year 2000.City of Angelsis about the professional and drama-filled personal lives of the doctors and nurses at the Angels of Mercy Hospital in Los Angeles.The show features plenty of familiar faces, including Vivica A. Fox, Michael Warren, and Blair Underwood.
Love and Medicine
City of Angelsis a bravura ode to work-related dilemmas.Explosive performances from the cast balance each other with ferocity.Some characters exhibit malice, going as far as trying to destroy each other’s careers, while others radiate stronger manic moods than the patients, veering from bliss to towering rage in seconds. Unfortunately, the fun only lasted for two seasons.
1’The Invisible Man'
The Invisible Man
The Invisible Manis about Darien Fawkes (Vincent Ventresca),a cat burglar who agrees to become a secret agent to avoid jail time.He’s subjected to a special experiment thatallows him to turn invisible by secreting a special light-bending substance.However, this triggers mental problems. We thus see him struggling with the psychological weight of his new assignment.
A Perfect Sci-Fi and Action Cocktail
The showstands tall above others of its kind by frequently exploring themes such as modern slavery, mental health, determinism, and bureaucracy.With abudget of $1 million an episode, everything looks pretty, too. And while capturing the majestic beauty of the surroundings, the show remains embroidered with deceptively tony yet emotionally rich moments.
