<p>Discover the on-screen hits that have defined the past 26 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p class="isSelectedEnd"><span>Some of the most culturally relevant moments in screen culture have emerged from the films and television series that have defined the 21st century. As audiences embraced streaming and the so-called "Golden Age of Television" transformed the entertainment landscape, storytelling became more ambitious than ever, blurring the lines between prestige television and cinema. Shows evolved into global cultural phenomena, while films continued to push creative and technical boundaries, sparking conversations that extended far beyond the screen.</span></p>
<p class="isSelectedEnd"><span>Whether through groundbreaking narrative structures, unforgettable performances, the introduction of once-niche genres to mainstream audiences, or remarkably nuanced portrayals of pivotal moments in history, these works have redefined what modern entertainment can achieve. More than critical successes, they've shaped the cultural lexicon, inspired countless imitators, and become the stories audiences return to time and time again.</span></p>
<p><span>Here is </span><em><span>L'OFFICIEL</span></em><span>'s selection of the films and television shows that have helped define—and continue to shape—the 21st century so far.</span></p>

<h1 style="text-align: center;">TV Shows</h1>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>Survivor&nbsp;</em>(2000)</h2>

Survivor Season 1 Opening Scene | First Episode of Survivor (2000)

<p>A group of contestants is stranded in remote locations, competing in physical, mental, and social challenges. Their objective is to outwit and outperform their fellow competitors while voting each other out until one remains.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>Survivor</em>, which just celebrated its 50th season, pioneered a new reality competition format that proved that unscripted competition could be multilayered and fascinating. It introduced the idea of social strategy for entertainment and influenced countless formats like&nbsp;<em>Big Brother</em> and <em>The Challenge</em>.</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>Gilmore Girls </em>(2000)&nbsp;</h2>

Gilmore Girls | Season 1 Recap | Netflix

<p>The bond is the emotional core of the series as this fast-talking mother and her studious daughter navigate life, love, and ambition in the small and quirky town of Stars Hollow.&nbsp;</p>
<p><br>Its rapid-fire (also known as “walk and talk”) dialogue and cozy aesthetic shaped a generation of dramadies. Now known as a cultural comfort show, the strong female leads are likened to other family-driven dramedies like <em>Ginny &amp; Georgia </em>(2023) and <em>Sweet Magnolias </em>(2020).&nbsp;</p>

The Wire | Official Trailer | HBO

<p>Here, an ecosystem of institutions, community leaders, local business owners, police officers, drug dealers, and the elected officials who decide all of their fates interacts in this Baltimore-centric crime drama.</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>The Office </em>(2005)</h2>

The Office (US) | Trailer Oficial | HBO Max

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" id="docs-internal-guid-078b527c-7fff-dedc-2ea5-6567dbadd0d2">The Office redefined workplace comedy and popularized the mockumentary format in the US.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Following the lovable employees of Dunder Mifflin, its meme-ability and casual dialogue that capture the absurdity of office life have made it one of the top restreamed and rewatched shows of all time, according to a Nielsen report. Multiple high-performing mockumentaries like <em>Parks and Recreation</em>, <em>Modern Family</em>, and <em>Abbott Elementary.</em> Like reality TV, a defining trait of the genre is that characters react to their own lives and interactions in an interview format.</p>

Mad Men- The Greatest TV Drama Series of All Time (Trailer)

<p>Set in 1960s New York, the series follows a troubled advertising executive (played by<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/jon-hamm-your-friends-neighbors-interview"> John Hamm</a>) who, despite appearing to live the ideal American Dream from the outside, struggles with a changing society, business, and family.</p>
<p>A touchstone for vintage glamour and historical authenticity, this gave rise to the anti-hero. The series was created by Matthew Weiner, a writer and producer on <em>The Sopranos</em>, the critically acclaimed HBO drama that also reshaped television in the late 1990s and early 2000s.</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>Breaking Bad</em> (2009)</h2>

BREAKING BAD - Seasons 1-5 Trailer

<p>What's considered one of the best dramas ever made features lovable TV dad and comedian Bryan Cranston, who stars as a docile chemistry teacher who turns into a ruthless drug kingpin, disrupting the lives of everyone around him.</p>
<p><em>Breaking Bad</em> is widely hailed as one of the best examples of character transformation. The series, which won 16 Primetime Emmy Awards and 2 Golden Globe Awards, later rolled out a prequel, a feature-length film, and multiple web series.</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>Game of Thrones</em> (2011)</h2>

Game of Thrones | Season 1 Official Trailer | HBO

<p>Based on George R.R. Martin's&nbsp; <em>A Song of Ice and Fire</em> novels, HBO brought the world of Westeros to life. Here betrayal, magic, and dragons decide the fate of kingdoms while noble families fight to maintain power.</p>
<p><em>Game of Thrones</em> became a cultural phenomenon which proved that fantasy could dominate mainstream TV.&nbsp; With each season drawing millions of more viewers than the last, <em>GOT</em> is credited with expanding the fantasy genre beyond just a black and white or good versus evil narrative.&nbsp;</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>Orange is the New Black </em>(2013)</h2>

Orange Is The New Black - Season 1 - Official Trailer [HD]

<p>This real-life account based on <em>Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison</em> by Piper Kerman, details the experience of a privileged woman who is sent to a woman’s prison, where she encounters a diverse group of inmates whose stories reveal systemic injustices.</p>
<p>Based on a true story, this show was one of Netflix’s first major hits that defined the binge-watch era. With <em>Time</em> magazine calling the show “the most important TV show of the decade," plots highlighted real-world discussions and instances of poverty, police brutality, abuse of power, and discussions of prison reform; the six-season series proved that streaming originals could rival traditional TV.&nbsp;</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>Succession</em> (2019)</h2>

Succession: Season 1 | Official Trailer | HBO

<p><em>Succession </em>became a defining prestige drama of the late 2010s, influencing dialogue around “stealth wealth” fashion, meme culture, and corporate satire.</p>
<p>As the ultra-wealthy and powerful Roy family battles for control of their media empire in the most unruly way, the show is often mentioned among a newly named but often trending genre called “rich people behaving badly".&nbsp;</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>Ted Lasso </em>(2020)&nbsp;</h2>

Ted Lasso — Official Trailer | Apple TV

<p><em>Ted Lasso</em> features <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/jason-sudeikis-iconic-roles-snl-ted-lasso">Jason Sudeikis</a> as an optimistic American college football coach who is hired to manage a struggling English soccer team. While training and competing, they navigate their personal struggles and cultural differences.</p>
<p>The show arrived during the 2020 lockdown, and its feel-good comedy layered with vulnerability surrounding men's mental health, healthy romantic relationships, and inclusive leadership was received with open arms. With over 16 billion minutes viewed, the Apple TV show was the most streamed original series of 2023.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Season 4 of <em>Ted Lasso</em> premieres on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, on Apple TV.&nbsp;</p>

<h1 style="text-align: center;">Movies</h1>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>The Royal Tenenbaums </em>(2001)</h2>

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

<p>When a dysfunctional family reunites for a funeral, old tensions and eccentricities rise.</p>
<p><em>The Royal Tenenbaums </em>popularized Wes Anderson's signature indie style, causing a wave of quirky and character-driven films filled with deadpan humor to follow. The film's embodiment of nostalgia, which is set against a backdrop of symmetrical compositions and carefully selected color palettes, helped defined the mid-2000s hipster fashion wave, which brands like Urban Outfitters and American Apparel further defined and capitalized on.&nbsp;</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone </em>(2001)</h2>

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Trailer

<p>What launched one of the most successful franchises of all time began with a movie based on a novel about a wizard discovering his magical heritage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With record-shattering engagement in movie attendance and readership across the globe, this movie/book duo redefined fantasty literature and gave a generation a group of virtuous young influences who navigated friendship, bravery, bigotry, and moral choice together.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The publishing, merchandising, and fan engagement set the standard for modern multimedia storytelling as an example of what great worldbuilding could do.</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>Spirited Away</em> (2001)</h2>

SPIRITED AWAY | Official English Trailer

<p>Audiences were captivated by the animated tale of a young girl wandering into a spirit world. With Studio Ghibli's first major hit, the notion of animation as strictly children's entertainment was challenged. This landmark movie showcased the emotional and visual sophistication and potential of Japanese filmmaking.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It still remains a touchstone for discussions about consumerism, cultural identity, and environmentalism.</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind</em> (2004)&nbsp;</h2>

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004) - Official Trailer - directed by MICHEL GONDRY

<p>After a painful breakup, a couple erases each other from their memories only to fall in love again. This romantic drama includes a sci-fi element that both <em>Black Mirror </em>fans and rom-com lovers can enjoy. The nonlinear storytelling and portrayal of love and loss resonated with many groups (on and off Tumblr) who found this to be an accurate, angsty, and intimate drama. The film's influence can be seen in later works that blend sci-fi with intimate human stories, including Ariana Grande's seventh studio album, <em>Eternal Sunshine</em>. Grande's 2024 music video for her hit single "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" recreates elements of the 2004 classic.&nbsp;</p>

WALL-E (2008) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

<p>On a trash-covered and overly polluted Earth, a lonely waste-collecting robot falls in love and attempts to save humanity. <em>WALL·E</em> used sci-fi and animation to tackle a powerful message about the importance of environmental consciousness with heart.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It's considered a Disney classic that reshaped expectations for family films while addressing serious topics of loneliness, technology addiction, and climate change.</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>The Social Network</em> (2010)</h2>

THE SOCIAL NETWORK - Official Trailer [2010] (HD)

<p>The story of the creation of Facebook redefined the biopic for the digital age. What started off as a young college student creating a website to rate the attractiveness of Harvard women turned into a litigious battle where bonds would be eventually broken and billions of dollars made.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The film's cynical tone is remembered along with its mirroring of the rise of Silicon Valley and social media's influence at a time where generations were experiencing the isolation and pressure of coming of age in an online space for the first time.</p>
<p>A companion film (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM4LkaXwGuY"><em>The Social Reckoning</em> 2026</a>) that focuses on the <em>Wall Street Journal's</em> exposé and whistleblower case against Facebook (now Meta) will be coming out exclusively in theatres on October 9.&nbsp;</p>

Lady Bird | Official Trailer HD | A24

<p><em>Lady Bird </em>became a defining coming-of-age narrative, told through the lens of director Greta Gerwig in her first solo directorial debut.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Starring Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet, this depiction of a high schooler navigating college applications, first love, and a fragile maternal bond was relatable to many young women who've praised the film for its relatability.</p>

Get Out - In Theaters This February - Official Trailer

<p>In <em>Get Out</em>, a Black man visits his white girlfriend's family and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy. The solo directorial debut of comedian Jordan Peele sparked national conversations about bodily autonomy, race, and liberalism. This new-age social thriller grossed $259 million worldwide against a $4.5 million budget, proving that audiences enjoy social commentary woven into suspense.</p>
<p>Since then Jordan Peele and his longtime collaborator Keegan-Michael Key have stayed within the genre with <em>Us </em>(2019) and <em>Nope </em>(2022).&nbsp;</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before</em> (2018)</h2>

To All The Boys I've Loved Before | Official Trailer | Netflix

<p>When a high schooler's secret love letters are accidentally mailed, she experiences a chain of romantic mishaps. <em>To All the Boys I've Loved Before</em> became a cultural touchstone for Gen Z romance. It was celebrated for its Asian-American representation and helped shift mainstream expectations for romantic leads.</p>
<p>The film's success on streaming platforms also demonstrated a shift in expectations for digital distribution as a primary mode for reaching adolescent audiences.&nbsp;</p>

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><em>Parasite</em> (2019)</h2>

Parasite - Official Trailer (2019) Bong Joon Ho Film

<p>In this class-conscious Korean flick, a poor family infiltrates a wealthy household only for their scheme to unravel in unsuspecting ways.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Parasite </em>broke barriers as the first-ever non-English film to win Best Picture. Its success opened more doors for international cinema in Hollywood and ignited many conversations about wealth gaps and social stratification. This blended comedy/thriller/drama influenced a new wave of globally conscious storytelling, with director Bong Joon Ho remarking, "Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films."</p>

The Most Groundbreaking Shows and Movies of the 21st Century

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