History's Best Selling TV Shows of 2001

Revisiting 2001 presents a grand parade of tv history, marked by Y2K fever and early digital revolution and enduring fan favorites. Unrivaled hits including Six Feet Under, The Office, and Band of Brothers took top honors in living rooms and storefronts alike. Master craftsmen from industry leaders like Alan Ball and Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant led the vanguard, engineering high-caliber releases that dominated airwaves and playground buzz alike. Dive into the full historical rankings below to see which standout creations won the day.

1. Six Feet Under

   Released in 2001 by Alan Ball, HBO

   On June 3, 2001, HBO introduced a series that would redefine how television approached mortality with the premiere of 'Six Feet Under'. Arriving during HBO's golden age, alongside giants like 'The Sopranos' and 'Sex and the City', the show carved out a unique space by placing death front and center. Created by 'American Beauty' scribe Alan Ball, the first episode introduced the Fisher family, proprietors of the Fisher & Sons Funeral Home, whose lives are thrown into turmoil by the sudden death of their own patriarch. The premiere immediately established the show's signature blend of dark humor, surreal dream sequences, and profound family drama, inviting viewers into a world where the business of death illuminates the complexities of life.

2. The Office

   Released in 2001 by Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant, BBC

   On July 9, 2001, the landscape of television comedy was quietly but irrevocably changed with the premiere of 'The Office' on BBC Two. The first episode, 'Downsize', introduced the world to the Wernham Hogg paper company and its insufferable manager, David Brent. At a time when British sitcoms were dominated by studio audiences and laugh tracks, this new mockumentary style felt revolutionary. Its debut was not a ratings blockbuster; instead, it began a slow burn, building an audience through word-of-mouth and critical praise. This date marks the genesis of a cultural phenomenon that would not only redefine the sitcom genre but also spawn a globally successful franchise, proving that the mundane reality of office life could be a source of profound and painfully funny television.

3. Band of Brothers

   Released in 2001 by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, HBO

   On September 9, 2001, HBO premiered 'Band of Brothers', an event that would unknowingly become a profound cultural touchstone. The debut was the culmination of a massive production effort by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, building on their cinematic success with 'Saving Private Ryan'. It was positioned as the prestige television event of the year. However, its historical context was irrevocably altered just two days later by the September 11th attacks. The series, a tribute to the heroism and sacrifice of the 'Greatest Generation' during World War II, suddenly aired to a nation grappling with a new, contemporary conflict, giving its themes of unity, resilience, and the cost of freedom an unforeseen and powerful resonance.

4. Alias

   Released in 2001 by J.J. Abrams, ABC

   On September 30, 2001, just nineteen days after the September 11th attacks, ABC premiered J.J. Abrams' 'Alias'. The timing was extraordinary. In a national climate of fear, uncertainty, and heightened patriotism, a show about a smart, capable, and determined American CIA agent fighting a shadowy terrorist organization struck a powerful chord. 'Alias' offered audiences a form of cathartic escapism, presenting a world where threats could be confronted head-on by a heroic figure. The series premiere wasn't just another TV debut; it was a cultural event that inadvertently tapped into the zeitgeist, providing a fictional framework for audiences to process real-world anxieties about espionage and global security through the lens of high-octane entertainment.

5. 24

   Released in 2001 by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, Fox

   On November 6, 2001, less than two months after the September 11th attacks reshaped the American psyche, the Fox network premiered '24'. Originally scheduled for an earlier debut, the pilot's airing was postponed due to its subject matter involving a terrorist plot and a bomb on a passenger plane. Its eventual premiere landed in a changed world, one grappling with new fears about national security and terrorism. This real-world context transformed '24' from a high-concept thriller into something deeply, and often uncomfortably, resonant. The show's themes of a nation under threat and the difficult choices made by its protectors were no longer abstract, making its debut a significant and highly debated cultural moment in television history.