The aughts were the Golden Age of television, but the ’90s laid the groundwork. Here are 10 shows that defined the decade

“Six Feet Under,” “The Wire,” “Breaking Bad,” “Mad Men”: “prestige TV”  has always been considered a 2000s phenomenon.
In fact, it began on the cusp of the 21st century, with the debut of “The Sopranos” in January 1999.
But if you go back further into the ’90s you can see the stirrings of what became prestige, or peak, television. It was a time when linear broadcasters were still willing to take chances, when cable networks were upstarts in the original programming arena and streaming wasn’t even a gleam in the eyes of executives.
The ’90s brought series whose complex characters, attention to detail, sharp writing, serialization, blending of genres, and dark, wry or irreverent tones presaged the bonanza of content to come. 
Before Sookie (“True Blood”) there was Buffy (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”). Before McNulty and Bunk (“The Wire”) there were Pembleton and Bayliss (“Homicide: Life on the Street”). Before we wondered “Who are the Others?” (“Lost”) we were asking “Who killed Laura Palmer?” (“Twin Peaks”).
Here’s a look at 10 shows of the ’90s that, for me, fit the proto-prestige bill.
The CBS comedy-drama about a young New York doctor parachuted into a small Alaskan town against his will mined humour from its quirky setting and characters without belittling them. Created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey, who also  made the groundbreaking ’80s medical drama “St. Elsewhere,” it has been called the “Schitt’s Creek” of the ’90s. It lasted six seasons,  and charmed viewers with its heart, wit and smarts, attributes also found in shows like “Gilmore Girls” and “Ted Lasso.” Buy it at Apple TV or the Microsoft Store. 
A murder mystery and supernatural drama combined with a small-town soap opera and steeped in surrealism, “Twin Peaks” was like nothing seen before, blurring the line between film and TV in an unprecedented way. Created by David Lynch and Mark Frost,  it lasted only two seasons on ABC (a long delayed third, even weirder one, debuted in 2017 on Showtime) but is revered as a landmark of TV, credited with influencing  such disparate shows as “Lost,” “The Killing,” “Riverdale” and “Stranger Things.” Buy it at Apple TV.
This crime drama, which ran for seven seasons on NBC, is the only  series on this list for which I haven’t been able to refresh my memory by rewatching episodes. Although it just landed on Peacock in the U.S., it’s not streaming in Canada — yet. But what I remember is a brilliant show about the true grit of police work and how it affects those who investigate murders day in and day out. Created by Paul Attanasio and based on a book by David Simon, who went on to  make “The Wire,” it had a top-notch ensemble cast led by the late Andre Braugher as Pembleton and Kyle Secor as Bayliss.   
Anti-hero, thy name is Sipowicz. Uncouth, racist, alcoholic detective Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) was meant to play second fiddle to David Caruso’s short-lived character but became the star of this ensemble police drama, which also gave us Jimmy Smits in his second career-defining role. Created by Steven Bochco of “Hill Street Blues” and “L.A. Law” fame, and David Milch, who went on to make the prestige western “Deadwood,” it lasted 12 seasons on ABC and pushed network TV boundaries with its sex, violence and profanity. Stream it on Disney Plus.
For 11 seasons (including revivals in 2016 and 2018), the truth was out there. Created by Chris Carter and credited as one of the first “puzzle-box” shows — think “Lost” or “The Leftovers” —  this Fox drama blended the police procedural with science fiction as true believer FBI agent Mulder (David Duchovny) and skeptical partner Scully (Gillian Anderson) took on cases that pointed to paranormal phenomena as well as a larger government conspiracy. Stream it on Disney Plus and Paramount Plus.
This medical drama, created by novelist Michael Crichton, ran for 15 seasons on NBC and revolutionized not just the genre but, some say, television itself. Through its fast-moving camerawork and rapid, jargon-filled dialogue, it brought viewers directly into the life-and-death world of a hospital emergency room while also leaving space for them to get to know and care about its doctors and nurses. It made stars  of George Clooney, Julianna Margulies and Anthony Edwards. And long before TV became a regular haunt of movie folks, it attracted talent like Ewan McGregor and Quentin Tarantino. Buy it at Apple TV.
A teen drama without the soapiness of “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “My So-Called Life” presented a layered, credible view of  adolescence through the voice of one conflicted 15-year-old girl, Angela Chase (Claire Danes). It also broke ground by portraying a recurring gay character (Rickie, played by Wilson Cruz) who was also a person of colour. It lasted just one season on ABC but has been cited as an influence on “Dawson’s Creek” and “Euphoria,” to name just a couple of shows. Stream it on Disney Plus.
Coming-of-age TV shows are one thing; having to deal with the vicissitudes of high school, and later college, while also ridding the world of vampires, demons and other supernatural creatures is something else all together. Over seven seasons on WB and UPN, this series made Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) a feminist role model while blending its horror-of-the-week format with clever, dark humour and thoughtful reflections on growing up. Stream it on Disney Plus and Paramount Plus.
This was HBO’s first original drama, the precursor to series that would cement the cable channel’s dominance like “The Sopranos,” “The Wire” and “Game of Thrones.” It put viewers into a men’s prison, with all the profanity and brutality that implied,  and offered an ensemble of nasty but compellingly watchable characters, played by a fantastic cast. It even killed its ostensible  lead character in the first episode, never mind the first season like “Game of Thrones.” Created by Tom Fontana, who also helped  make “Homicide: Life on the Street,” it lasted six seasons. Stream it on Crave.
Yes, the characters could be annoying (I’m looking at you, Carrie Bradshaw), but that was kind of the point: they were women, not paragons. The HBO comedy, which lasted six seasons (and spawned a couple of meh movies and an inferior sequel series), is still an inspiration for its portrayal of female friendship. And its enthusiastic embrace of female sexuality laid the groundwork for the frankness of shows like “Girls,” “Orange Is the New Black” and “Sex Education.” Stream it on Crave.