8. THE SHIELD (2002-2008)
Even with all the despicable things he’s done, you can’t deny that at least a part of you wanted Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) to get away scot-free. And he did…sort of. Watching Vic sitting behind a desk, filling out reports, all alone under the thumb of the FBI, it seemed clear that he was paying for his crimes in a way that cut him deeper than prison ever could. —Abby West
7. LOST (2004-2010)
There was never going to be any way to wrap up every last hanging story line from six seasons of serialized Island mayhem, but Lost‘s two-and-a-half hour finale proved to be a high-energy epic romp, even with plenty of questions unanswered. The revelation that the Sideways world was a purgatory-ish afterlife led to a parade of tear-inducing reunions (Charlie and Claire, plus Aaron!), while the Island story line ended with a final showdown between Jack and Smokey. We dare you not to cry at the final moments, with their shot-for-shot callback to the very first scene of the series. —Darren Franich
My favorite is NEXT