Fringe

Author: J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, And Roberto Orci

The X-Files was great, and one of the things that great television series do is inspire imitators. Typically, these are low-rent, often even lower on fresh ideas, but then, once-in-a-while, you get a show like Fringe that could easily have been just another clone and makes it into something really special. So special that you don't quite realize exactly how X-Files it is until you stop to write about it! Agent Olivia Dunham, scientist Walter Bishop and his son, Peter, are the heart of the Fringe division of the FBI. The take on cases that are weird, and often discover that their predicaments are tied into an on-going storyline that crosses timelines and universes. The stories are stand-alone, but they also fall into a greater set of stories, which are a part of an even bigger narrative, which gives the entire series a layered feel. The performances, especially John Noble's strange/funny/poignant portrayal of Walter, are a part of why so many people feel in love with it. Why it's on the list: Fringe survived for five seasons in the Friday Night Death Slot, so it must be good!