10 TV Shows That Completely Shifted The Balance Of Power In America

6. Mad Men (AMC: 2007-Present)

Mad Men was the starting pistol in cable's race for the awards season: while Showtime and HBO battled it out, AMC would look to aim its sights at FX, and those two stations then went on an epic roll of great original shows. For a few years, nearly everything that either station put out was gold. And while Mad Men didn't grab the ratings lead right away, it still managed to become one of the most talked about shows on the tube. Parodies and spoofs showed up on every comedy sketch show, and star Jon Hamm began popping up everywhere, quickly becoming a household name, recognized by those who didn't watch the show. The aesthetic of 1960s Americana was palpable and that, combined with the writing, the stellar cast (filled with bombshell beauties) and a killer soundtrack, proved that great television drama could still exist without a high body count. The sexual exploits of Don Draper (Hamm) and the marketing of classic real world products have proven more than enough to hold the attention of the viewership. The networks have attempted (and failed) to capture that nostalgia with a few other shows like The Playboy Club and Pan Am, but never actually gave them a chance to find their footing, cancelling both during the first seasons. Mad Men, in the meantime, has received over 40 Emmy nods since 2007, and as they prepare to begin their last season, more are sure to be flooding in.