We have lived thousands of lives through the characters on screen (and in books, but who reads any more?). But the great thing about the shows I’ve listed is that each of these shows have the amazing ability to make me think while also being entertained. Grand ideas, hot topics, and opened-ended questions are easily conveyed in a way that's funny or artful. These are the shows that make you laugh, cry and die a little inside, and give you something to talk about with your couch buddies.

1. Scrubs

Let’s face it, this show hits the heart. Besides being laugh out loud funny to totally relatable, this show has started big topic conversation in houses everywhere while showcasing the wonderful characters we all love.

J.D is the maturing young doctor, who's always in his head and who's always getting in his own way. Besides his sitcom-style sense of humor and daydream cutaways, J.D also has a personalty we don't often see on screen.

J.D's a straight white guy but he's also effeminate, nerdy, and has a wonderful bromance with his best friend Turk. (I think the bromance is half the reason I watch the show.)

He's okay with himself even though most people make fun of him (Dr. Cox, especially by calling him a different girl's name). He's okay with his identity. In fact, everyone in that show has a strong sense of identity and grows to better themselves in the same way the viewers do.

But what really pushes this show to the top is the fact that Scrubs explores a lot of life's subjects. Subjects like racism, sexism, drug abuse, marital issues, identity, war, and abortion come up a lot more than you'd expect. Who can forget that "abort the baby" scene from season 5.

I think the best part about the scene is when J.D and the priest are hiding in the bushes, J.D apologizes and the priest says, "Actually I'm pro-choice."

2. The Twilight Zone

For those of us who still remember the days of black and white television, and for those of us who have parents or grandparents that love watching old shows, this show will always haunt us. I look forward to New Year's if only because of the "Twilight Zone" marathon that plays on the Sci-Fy network. I recently found it on Netflix and played it in my dorm's lounge and an annoying girl walked in an snubbed it because it was in black and white. Needless to say I gave that girl dirty looks until she feared for her life.

It's not just the amazing aesthetic of the 60's, or the remarkable acting, or the sweet, seductive voice of Rod Sterling that makes this show wonderful. It's the plot! It's the dialogue! It's the originality of the stories and the unforgettable characters! Can you not see how awesome this is?!

A combination of fantasy and horror, of reality and dream, of superstition and sanity, this show shaped the way I saw my world. This to me, was my world. "The Twilight Zone" reflected only the most horrific, truthful parts of our society.

From beauty in "Eye of the Beholder,"

to individuality in "The Number 12 Looks Just Like You,"

to sanity in "Living Doll."

3. Avatar: The Last Airbender

Speaking of things that are awesome...

If you saw this show in your childhood, you've got to admit this raised the bar for you in terms of good TV. The character development alone stands as one of the best I've ever seen.

Prince Zuko was the enemy we all rooted against and the sad teen we all wished could change. Then he became a man we could all root for and, at last, an alley that guaranteed a happy ending for everyone.

But it's not just the character development that made this show great. It was also the underlying messages of war, honor and forgiveness. It came at a time when people needed it the most. I don't know if anyone remembers this, or even if it was done on purpose, but this show came out five years after the attack on 9/11 and it was a time when propaganda and violence was at it's peek. If you take a look at this show in a real world context, the show begins to take a more political shape. I'm not saying it was done on purpose, but it was one of the things that made this show great.

But when you look back at Aang's first reaction to seeing the bones of his people killed in battle, it's easily compared to the reaction people had on 9/11.

Or looking back to the character of Jet.

Remember the old man he attacked just because the old man was from the fire nation?

It boarders on symbolic, don't you think? Maybe just a little?

If you think about it in context, a lot of what the characters experienced could be said as similar to the average American.

Uncle Iroh's wisdom that came from losing his son in the war.

Aang's journey and his choice of whether or not to kill the Fire Lord.

Katara's journey to find the man who killed her mother and forgive Zuko.

Wisdom is found throughout the show.

And that's what makes this show great.

I have many favorite shows, but these are the ones that rose the bar of television for me. These shows enriched my childhood and gave me something to look forward to after school. They continue to inspire me and give me joy today. It wasn't until I was older that I fully understood the complexity and mastery of the writing and now hopefully you do too.