Now that we’ve taken a look at ten shows that didn’t quite make the cut, the next step is to examine the shows which are RIGHT there but fall short of the Top 25 countdown.

Honorable Mention (#35-26) — These are the shows that made major contributions to the medium over the past ten years, no matter of the genre. They range from a sketch show to a show about a sketch show (warning, there are more of one of these in this countdown).

- Chappelle’s Show
(Comedy Central: January 22, 2003-July 23, 2006; 33 episodes)
Dave Chappelle was given his own sketch comedy and ran wild with it. Providing a unique humor with offbeat characters including Tyrone Biggums and Lil’ John, Chappelle would inspire a pop culture phenomenon with the phrase “I’m Rick James, bitch!” However, the show was cut short when Chappelle cited burn out and shut down production during the third season.

- Desperate Housewives
(ABC: October 3, 2004-present; 121 episodes)
They said that the primetime soap opera was dead with the cancellation of series like Dallas. However, Marc Cherry decided to take a new approach: female driven and full of dark comedy. The ladies of Wisteria Lane have long been a ratings hit, finishing no season outside of the Top 10 (this season, the series is ranked 11th). It’s also made a star out of Eva Longoria and finally brought long awaited success for Dana Delany.

- Grey’s Anatomy
(ABC: March 5, 2005-present; 112 episodes)
Sure, it isn’t ER, but it’s not trying to be either. Grey’s Anatomy capitalized on the steaminess of medical personal relationships, breeding the McDreamy/McSteamy craze. But it also showed a panache for writing medical disaster very well, with the primary case being the 2006 post-Super Bowl episode. It’s also already spawned one spinoff.

- House
(Fox: November 16, 2004-present; 120 episodes)
Continuing our medical drama string, House represents somewhat of a polar difference from Grey’s Anatomy. It centers on Hugh Laurie’s Gregory House, an unorthodox, cocky but brilliant doctor. Often called upon to diagnose medical mysteries, House does it his way. Featuring writing with a bite, House is the answer to when a doctor knows his patients says “You should see my doctor: he’s the best”.

- How I Met Your Mother
(CBS: September 19, 2005-present; 98 episodes)
So we all know that the formula is over done: boy meets girl of his dreams, falls in love after overcoming obstacles, and they start a life together. Boring, right? Well what about the journey to start that story? How about a show based on that? HIMYM is told in mostly a flashback format, and has provided plenty of pop culture references including “slap bet”. It also gave Neil Patrick Harris a stage after making a comeback in the 2004 stoner comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. Straight up, HIMYM is probably my favorite written sitcom of the 2000s.

- Malcolm in the Middle
(Fox: January 9, 2000-May 14, 2006; 151 episodes)
Malcolm in the Middle set about to tell the story of an intelligent kid trying to fit in the cruel world of middle school. Frankie Muniz played the sarcastic and observant Malcolm, trying to juggle his chaotic home life with his gifted intellect. At one point, it was watched by 20 million people, but sagging ratings affected its final few years on the air. But in the end, Malcolm will be infamous for being a show about trying to fit in, no matter how hard it may seem.

- One Tree Hill
(The WB/The CW: September 23, 2003-present; 142 episodes)
One Tree Hill premiered around the same time as its much more publicized rival, Fox’s The OC. But while the latter was shelved after four years, One Tree Hill has re-invented itself as more than a teen drama. Its ensemble cast has plenty of heart stopping drama for nearly seven full seasons. It has become a rock on the fledgling CW network, even though some didn’t feel it should’ve survived the WB/UPN merger. This is like…the smart but doesn’t try to be version of Dawson’s Creek.

- Scrubs
(NBC/ABC: October 2, 2001-present; 171 episodes)
Yes, there is another medical series on the countdown (the backdrop makes it a little easier to write about). However, this isn’t ER. It plays for the laughs, most of the time and tugs at your heart the rest. Following the lives of doctors John “JD” Dorian, Christopher Turk and Elliot Reid from their first day at Sacred Heart. Scrubs definitely has an interesting offscreen story to tell, having been canceled by NBC and then brought back by ABC for an eighth season. And then ABC renewed it for a ninth season, though that was never in the original plans. Perhaps it’s lasted too long. But the journey of coming to that conclusion has been an entertaining one.

- Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
(NBC: September 18, 2006-June 28, 2007; 22 episodes)
I believe that Studio 60 has among the least amount of episodes of the 45 I’m profiling. However, those twenty-two were a finally crafted television series. Telling the behind the scenes stories that comprise a sketch comedy similar to Saturday Night Live, Aaron Sorkin penned a blend of drama and dark comedy, of not only performers but network brass. Some cited the immediate popularity of similarly themed 30 Rock as the death knell for Studio 60. If that’s true, at least we got a proper ending.

- That 70’s Show
(Fox: August 23, 1998-May 18, 2006; 200 episodes)
A teen comedy set in the late 70s world of Wisconsin, That 70’s Show blended funny writing with a red hot cast that became that way because of the show. The series created Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace and Mila Kunis as breakthrough stars. It brought success to character actors like Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp. Even though its spinoff, That 80’s Show, was an utter failure, the original has shown it will live forever in syndication.