An excellent TV show that I never wanted to skip or end . . .

Almost 4 years later, this drama is still the gold standard and has aged extremely well. Each plot piece fits perfectly, heroes and villains all have interesting, nuanced stories. The music adds great atmosphere, though I wish it was a bit more varied (they heavily rely on some 2 excellent songs/musical theme) . Scenes from the show linger in your memory far after the show is over, and I did rewatch certain scenes - though not the whole show.

I have other criteria I score by:

Complex Themes - 10
(The series does not jump from random plot element to plot element, but actually builds on concepts regarding narcissism, good leadership, sacrifices for the greater good, etc.)
Character Growth - 10
(Characters are not just playing the same 5 facial expressions. They face tragedies and setbacks, and they actually change as a result; even the 'evil' or 'bad' characters have moments of weakness and sympathy.)
Nuanced Women - 6
(The female characters are nuanced, but in the end they have much less screen time than the men. Also, felt like their storylines were somewhat cut or dropped by the end).
Cinematography/Production Values - 7
(Did not distract from the drama, but also did not add to it. Seemed mostly filmed on 3 or 4 standard sets, costumes/design were competent but not particularly interesting, action scenes were a bit poorly choreographed and limited).