1. "Community," Season Two

With classes on space flight, dorms with elaborate blanket forts and stop-motion classmates, Greendale Community College is, without a doubt, the coolest place to get your degree. On the surface, “Community” details the misadventures of a diverse study group at community college. In actuality, the show is a love letter to our favorite movies and TV shows, with episodes recreating “Mean Girls,” “The Secret Garden” and zombie flicks. Augmenting the pop culture references is a meta self-referential humor that hasn’t been seen since “Arrested Development.”

As is often typical with television, the show’s ratings haven’t reflected its awesomeness. “Community” fights against CBS’s powerhouse “The Big Bang Theory” in Thursday's 8 p.m. timeslot. Despite being snubbed at the Emmys, facing regular threats of cancellation and struggling through its financial woes (KFC even sponsored an episode, during which Señor Chang exclaims, “I'm trying to buy us some time with these Doublicious sandwiches”), “Community” has still garnered a cult following of media junkies and pop culture-obsessed college kids. Just like its characters, “Community” is quirky and lovable. And it's the Daily's pick for the best TV show of 2010.

-CAROLYN KLARECKI

2. "Boardwalk Empire," Season One

Once upon a time, there was a show on HBO that combined gangland violence with symbolism, intelligent stylization and incredibly powerful acting. That little fairy tale was “The Sopranos,” which came to the most ambiguous ending in television history in 2007.

This year, “Sopranos” veteran Terence Winter and director Martin Scorsese united to bring this winning formula back to TV. They shifted “The Sopranos” to the Prohibition era, moved it to Atlantic City and voila, we have “Boardwalk Empire” — a bloody, symbolic period-correct crime drama. It's “The Sopranos” with a loud pinstripe suit and a tommy gun.

Really though, it’s a bit “The Sopranos,” but almost as much “The West Wing,” as central character Nucky Thompson, the treasurer of Atlantic City, toes the line between running the local political machine and supplying the underground speakeasies with booze. His interactions with some of the period’s most notorious criminals make for an incredible viewing experience and contribute to some of the most complex stories currently being told on television.

-DAVID TAO

3. "How I Met Your Mother," Season Six

Ted gets the opportunity of his career when asked to design the new headquarters for Goliath National Bank, Barney comes a bit closer to discovering the real identity of his father and Marshall and Lily make their first attempts to start a family. The gang gains a member in the form of Zoey (Jennifer Morrison, “House”) and a new Robin Sparkles video is revealed. Sound like a lot? Throw in the fact that each episode moves effortlessly from dramatic to slapstick, and it’s understandable why these carefully crafted storylines have landed season six of “How I Met Your Mother” on the Daily’s Best of 2010 list.

The series progressed this past year, but while maintaining the light, playful humor we’ve come to know and love. Where this beloved series will head remains a mystery, but one thing is certain: Co-creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas have succeeded in making a traditional sitcom fresh and original — a plot-driven show that strives to serve the story.

-JACOB AXELRAD

4. "Mad Men," Season 4

For better and worse, Don Draper has gone wild — better for the faithful and verdant “Mad Men” audience; likely worse for its dapper hero. Season four of the hit AMC drama took our favorite angry gents in a new direction, as a new look and new characters gave the series a fresh, if sometimes jarring, start.