1

The Simpsons

The Simpsons , created by Matt Groening, premiered on Fox in 1989, starring a new family that defied conventional, picture-perfect TV norms.

Instead, an imperfect and dysfunctional family appeared — and because of that, they were relatable in profoundly new ways . The Simpsons was also a pioneer in adult animation, allowing children to follow the story while including complex political and social satire for adults. It not only coined permanent catchphrases but also had a surprising ability to predict world events.

2

The Sopranos

The Sopranos, created by David Chase, debuted on HBO in 1999. It followed the life of Tony Soprano (played by the late James Gandolfini) and his struggles as a mobster and the patriarch of his dysfunctional suburban family , all analyzed by his psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco).

This show was radical because, unlike previous protagonists, the central figure Tony was deeply flawed and often unlikable, paving the way for more anti-hero protagonists like Walter White and Don Draper. Alongside its complex and ambiguous morality, the cinematography of the show began to rival that of Hollywood movies.

3

Lost

Lost , created by J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, and Jeffrey Lieber, premiered on ABC in 2004, before streaming existed. The story follows the crash of Oceanic Flight 815 on a very peculiar tropical island. It kicked off as a gritty and character-driven survival story that eventually evolved into a sci-fi and mythological epic.

It was revolutionary because it introduced the "mystery box" trope, proposing complex questions and dropping clues that kept viewers hooked and constantly theorizing — arguably inventing modern, interactive TV fandom.

4

Sex and the City

Created by Darren Starr, Sex and the City, which premiered in 1998 on HBO, changed the cultural narrative around women’s roles through the lives of four female friends (led by Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw) living and working in New York City.

It was the first mainstream hit that featured women talking frankly about sex and sexuality — and proposed that female friends can be soulmates, and that those relationships can take precedence over romantic, marital ones. Rejecting outdated "traditional" roles, the show also destigmatized being single and childless, and instead embraced female financial independence, celebrating women who focused on their careers and personal development in their 30s and 40s.

5

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

CSI, created by Anthony E. Zuiker and which premiered on CBS in 2000, followed the lives and work of a team from the Las Vegas Police Department (LVPD), led by Dr. Gil Grissom (William Petersen), who meticulously collected evidence to solve cases.

It shifted the focus for the first time from police and detective work on the streets to the indoor, behind-the-scenes dynamics of interrogations, forensics, and high-tech lab analysis. It also popularized the concept of "nerd squad", making lab and microscope analysis cool for the first time .

6

The X-Files

The X-Files, created by Chris Carter, premiered in 1993, and introduced a structure where each episode was a stand-alone story known as a "monster of the week," while also being part of an overarching mythic story that included government alien conspiracy theories and supernatural events.

This show flipped gender roles completely: the main female character, Agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), was the intelligent and assertive medical doctor (inspiring many women at the time to pursue STEM careers), and the lead male character, Agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), was the intuitive and instinct-driven character.

7

Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, premiered in 2008 and is considered by many to be the ultimate catalyst that transformed television into a cinematic experience, elevated serialized storytelling, and, once it became available on Netflix, popularized the binge-watching model so common today .

Another crucial aspect was the main character: Walter White (Bryan Cranston) changed from a sympathetic, cancer-stricken high school chemistry teacher to the ultimate drug lord villain. Before this show, characters rarely evolved; instead, here the audience became especially invested in Mr. White’s persona.

8

Mad Men

Mad Men , created by Matthew Weiner and airing on AMC from 2007 to 2015, centered on the professional and personal lives of advertising executives, including protagonist Don Draper (Jon Hamm), on Madison Avenue in New York City in the 1960s. It was the first basic cable series to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series .

It revolutionized television at the time by proving that a sophisticated, slow-burning script with literary character development (including some of the best-written dialogue on television ever) could work. The show was also committed to historical accuracy and meticulous set design, raising the bar for visual and thematic storytelling.

9

Law & Order

Law & Order, created by Dick Wolf, premiered on NBC in 1990, flipping the usual crime drama formula on its head — splitting episodes into a two-part structure, presenting a police investigation, followed by a courtroom prosecution .

Therefore, it prioritized legal procedures over emotional drama, and the cases became the main character, presenting the difficulties and nuances of the criminal justice system, instead of the usual black-and-white representation of justice. With new episodes still airing (following a 2010-2022 hiatus), Law & Order remains one of the most successful series in TV history, launching numerous spinoffs including the popular Law & Order: SVU.

10

Grey’s Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy, created by Shonda Rhimes, aired on TV for the first time in 2005 and became the longest-running American primetime medical series ever. It centers on a hospital in Seattle and follows surgical residents as they become surgeons, while balancing intense life-and-death emergencies with complex personal life stories .

Most notably, the series created what was described as "Grey’s Effects": the approach to joyful and defiant female sexuality and to women unapologetically taking up space in a male-dominated professional field; it even shaped medical school applications and improved the public's understanding of real-world health issues.

11

The Wire

The Wire was created by former police reporter David Simon and detective Ed Burns, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest shows ever made , airing on HBO from 2002 to 2008. It is a drama series that analyzes the systemic issues Baltimore faces, examining a different institution in each of its five seasons.

Originally pitched as the "anti-cop show," it showed police departments slowed down by piles of bureaucracy, where chasing arrests became more important than actually solving crimes or improving lives. In addition, the city was the main character, portrayed as a gray, morally complex world.

1

Backyard Barbecues

Image: Maude Frédérique Lavoie

You say American, you smell a barbecue, isn’t that right? Backyard barbecues are probably one of the most American traditions there is and it is all about that summer fun we all love!

Casual gatherings on a hot summer day to grill some meat is a favorite pastime for all. Adults chat while grilling some burgers or hot dogs, and the kids play. Everyone has fun!

This tradition, like many others, is about good food, good company, and having a great day outdoors.

2

Gameday Tailgating

Image: Scott Madore

Pre-game events? Isn’t the game enough? A tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating often involves consuming alcoholic beverages and grilling food.

Hours before kickoff, fans tailgatein the parking lot with burgers on the grill and a football to toss. It is a fan gathering, a get-together to celebrate your team and get you in high spirits for the game ahead!

3

Family Game Nights

Image: Stephen Harlan

All it takes are those simple traditions, and sometimes they are the best traditions. A night of family games is an ideal opportunity to spend a few hours around the table having quality time with the ones you love.

Board games, card games, or even video games! It all comes down to bonding, some good-natured rivalry, and some potentially-not-very-serious debates on how to interpret the rules.

4

Turkeys Pardon

Image: Claudio Schwarz

If you don’t comply with many national traditions, this is one you definitely can’t evade. Thanksgiving has many rituals surrounding the holiday, but probably the most bizarre one is the ceremony by means of which the president officially grants a live turkey their pardon.

This is exactly as it sounds, traditionally, the president is gifted a turkey whose life is spared from the stove. The origins of this tradition are disputed but, regardless of who was the first to do so, this tradition continues today and it is one of the things that make Thanksgiving an amazing holiday!

5

Black Friday Shopping

Image: CardMapr.nl

The end of the year can easily become a chaotic time with all the gifts one has to get ready. Just as thousands of turkeys go unpardoned by the president, many shoppers take time to find the right Christmas gifts for their loved ones. The national weekend shopping kicks off with Black Friday, a day in which sales are high and shoppers are on alert . This shopping spree continues with Small Business Saturday and ends with Cyber Monday.

However this is one tradition that can escalate rather quickly, haven’t we all witnessed deadly stampedes or frantic arguments to get that one item?

6

Baby Showers

Image: Ajeet Singh

Celebrating a new child is customary in many cultures. All over the world babies to come are honored in many ways, but the American way is something else.

Baby showers are the traditional way to celebrate the mother and the child. They are gatherings in which friends and family "shower" the mother with gifts for the baby to come. It is worth noting that this tradition has evolved and it includes gender reveals now too.

Thanks to social media and the quick spread of news, baby showers have become a tradition in many countries now, but it all started in America!

7

Supersized Food

Image: Visual Karsa

You’ve surely been to McDonalds or Starbucks, have you ever stopped and thought about how they offer you different sizes of food and cups ? Why is that?

Well, this is already embedded in the American DNA. In our country, fast food or takeaway orders come in different sizes. And that is not all, the smaller size is not small at all; a nd the biggest is exactly as the title says, supersized.

This practice can be traced to the 70s when marketing directors saw a way to sell more for lower prices. This tradition became customary in many countries too, but each nation adapted their sizes to their customers.

8

Trick-Or-Treating

Image: Nick Fewings

Halloween is a festive time, customs come out and decorations get put up. Many cultures follow these traditions, but America is different in that children in our country go on a door-to-door hunt for candy. But that is not all, the practice is not complete until a child says "Trick or treat!"

Lovely as they are to see, the magic words are a requirement to get those precious pieces of candy they will later enjoy with their friends and family . They only have to hope the giver doesn’t require a trick from them!

9

Display Of National Symbols

Image: Serena T

If you are one to watch movies often, we have a challenge for you: try and spot the American flag in the movie you’re watching. No, we don’t work in the film industry, we know for a fact that American pride is shown in many ways, and displaying the American flag is probably the most common one.

Houses all over the country display a flag, American movies have at least one scene in which you can spot it, and the colors dress thousands of objects in all kinds of celebrations . Is there a flag in your front yard?

10

Road Trips

Image: Raphaël LR

Americans are hard workers, but like everyone else, they await those well-deserved holidays to get their feet up and chill out. Regardless of the available budget, which may vary from family to family, road trips are highly popular in our nation and they are not so common in other countries.

Mostly because of how vast the American territory is , road trips are the perfect way to travel and see all the wonders the United States has to offer. True Americans go on at least one road trip in their life, have you done it already?

1

Legal drinking age

Image: Elevate

When was the first time you tried a beer? Probably at 21 or later. While that's completely normal here in the US, it can seem a bit strange to people in other parts of the world. Why? In America, you can vote, serve on a jury, and even get married in some states at 18, but you still can't legally buy alcohol until you're 21. In many other countries, the legal drinking age is 18—or even younger—and that's why they find our law unusual.

2

The faces of real estate agents

Image: Tierra Mallorca

We're used to walking through a neighborhood and seeing signs with real estate agents' faces in front of homes for sale. But in other countries, that's pretty unusual! In many places, real estate transactions are more impersonal; you deal with an agency, not a specific person. Here in the US, we like to put a face to the name. Getting to know the person helping you buy or sell a home feels more personal and trustworthy. It makes sense, right?

3

Our coins

Image: Shot by Cerqueira

Many of us don't even notice this until we travel abroad, but some of our coins don't actually show their value! Sure, you'll see words like "Five Cents," "One Cent," or even "One Dime," but there's no actual number printed on them. When you think about it, that's kind of strange, right? Especially when most countries display the value on their coins using numbers.

4

American flag everywhere

Image: camera obscura

In many countries, their national flag is used only for formal or official purposes, but that's not the case in the US. We tend to see the American flag literally everywhere, not just at official functions or holiday celebrations, but also on all kinds of products and imagery. From T-shirts and caps to food packaging and even swimsuits, our flag is a constant presence in everyday life.

5

No bad words on TV

Image: Kevin Woblick

If you're in America and turn on your TV right now, you'll find everything from romantic scenes to shows about zombies or violent crimes, but you'll rarely hear any bad language. Our television generally doesn't include insults or swear words, while in other countries they often do, even in shows that air during times when children might be watching.

6

Dinner before 8 PM

Image: Or Hakim

Depending on the region, dinner in the United States is often served before 8 p.m., and sometimes even before 7 p.m. But in many other countries, that's considered too early. In Latin America, for example, most people eat dinner between 8 and 11 p.m.!

7

The Imperial System

Image: Jarosław Kwoczała

We Americans use miles, feet, pounds, and degrees Fahrenheit, but this is often very confusing for visitors from other parts of the world. We are totally used to the Imperial System, but in most countries, the Metric System reigns supreme, with everything measured in meters, kilometers, kilograms, and degrees Celsius.

8

Big portions

Image: mafe estudio

Large portions are deeply ingrained in our daily lives. Whether it's restaurant meals, snack packs, or soft drinks, everything tends to be bigger in America. This can be surprising for foreigners who come here and order food, since in many other countries, dishes are smaller, and the custom of taking leftovers home after eating at a restaurant isn't as common as it is in the US.

9

Turkey pardon

Image: Tyler Donaghy

The pardoning of the turkey by the US president is a big event for many Americans. But in other parts of the world, where Thanksgiving isn't celebrated, it can come as a surprise. To foreigners, this formal ceremony involving a turkey might seem quite strange. Since Thanksgiving traditions aren't part of their history, this custom is uniquely American.

10

Alumni homecoming

Image: Carol Highsmith's America

Perhaps you've had the chance to participate in Homecoming, the annual event that celebrates university spirit with parties, sports games, and other activities for students returning to campus. While it's a big part of our college tradition and communities are deeply involved, it's quite different in other parts of the world, where the return to school usually happens with little fanfare.