10 Game-Changing Shows That Premiered 10 Years Ago

Updated on 9/30/2016 at 4:40 PM

While dozens of shows premiere each Fall, only a handful go on to be hits. The year 2006 was a great one for TV, producing hits like Heroes and 30 Rock. Like any year, there were also duds (Fox's Happy Hour, ABC's Six Degrees, NBC's Twenty Good Years, etc.), but it's actually impressive how many long-running, memorable series began in 2006. Before you dig into Fall's new shows, take a trip down memory lane.

30 Rock

In 2006, Tina Fey left Saturday Night Live for a primetime comedy of her very own. 30 Rock was a massive success for the then-struggling NBC. It ran seven seasons and racked up numerous Emmy and Golden Globe nominations and wins for Fey and Alec Baldwin.

Friday Night Lights

While TV shows based on movies can be an underwhelming affair, Friday Night Lights broke the mold. Critics loved it, and if you watched its five emotional seasons, chances are good that it holds a special place in your heart. Kyle Chandler even took home the Emmy for his final season as Coach Taylor.

Ugly Betty

Hot off the success of 2005's The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, America Ferrera was cast in a little show called Ugly Betty. Though she was far from ugly, Ferrera led the show to great ratings over the course of its four seasons — she also got an Emmy and a Golden Globe out of it.

'Til Death

A year after Everybody Loves Raymond ended, Brad Garrett transitioned to this Fox comedy. While it wasn't the award season winner of his previous show, people loved 'Til Death, and it ran four seasons.

Heroes

In the midst of Lost madness, NBC debuted a thriller of its very own: Heroes. It had a great ensemble, a central mystery, and a definite element of sci-fi. The first season was huge, but then things got messy. The series concluded in 2010 but returned as Heroes Reborn in 2015.

The Game

Wanting to recapture the success of UPN's Girlfriends, the newly named CW ordered a spinoff called The Game. Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Pooch Hall led the series, which lasted three seasons on The CW before hopping over to BET for another six seasons.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

OK, OK, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip isn't what one might traditionally refer to as "game-changing," but it's notable because it was supposed to be Matthew Perry's big move after Friends ended in 2004. Though it starred Sarah Paulson, Bradley Whitford, and Amanda Peet, it was canceled after just one season. It kicked off Perry's primetime curse; his next two shows, Mr. Sunshine and Go On, didn't make it to season two either. Good news: his CBS comedy The Odd Couple will be back for a third season in October!

Brothers & Sisters

Speaking of primetime comebacks, it was a big deal when Calista Flockhart returned to TV after Ally McBeal ended in 2002. The family drama lasted five seasons thanks to Flockhart, Sally Field, Dave Annable, Rachel Griffiths, Matthew Rhys, Emily VanCamp, and Balthazar Getty.

Dexter

Though Breaking Bad is credited with popularizing the modern antihero on TV, it was really Dexter that got the ball rolling two years earlier. Michael C. Hall deftly played Dexter Morgan, a Miami-based forensics expert who also happens to be a meticulous serial killer. The show ran eight seasons.

Jericho

Last but not least, Skeet Ulrich's sci-fi drama Jericho became a cult hit in 2006. After a full season with a small (but dedicated) audience, CBS granted it a shortened second season, then cut the cord. Still, Jericho will live on in fan forums for years to come.