Generally, gritty refers to one (or all) of a few things:
- darker subjects such as rape and incest and torture, showing the worst sides of humanity.
- realistic portrayal of violence and other such things, including showing things that other shows only hint at or imply off screen (for example, heads exploding, limbs being blown off, et cetera).
- characters that would be typically classified as "evil," for lack of a better term (yes, I know it's subjective), are given key roles--in essence, the shows focus on seldom-touched subjects, and use non-typical characters and situations to do it.
- gritty shows basically do hold back. If there is something the creator wants to show, for whatever reason, it will be shown. If there is a topic, no matter how taboo, the creator wants to focus on, it will be shown.
To that end, The Wire is about as gritty as they come, with entire seasons filled with things like full frontal male nudity (still taboo it seems, even in movies), ample sex and violence, dirty cops, drugs and corruption, and anything else you can think of. Also, most of these subjects include extremely under-age characters. In effect, the show tries to show the truth and reality that other cop dramas only hint at. It's an amazing show, but certainly not the faint of heart.
Battlestar Galactica is also another gritty and dark show that is simply excellent. However, it isn't as over-the-top as The Wire, though it is every bit as entertaining, albeit in different ways. If you are looking for a show that combines military action with science fiction (not your daddy's Star Trek or Star Wars, mind you), and explores topics such as terrorism, religion, politics, the human condition and our place in the universe, then BSG is about as good as it gets.
If you just want a show that you can "chill out" to, while still being entertained for an hour or two, then I stand by my suggestions of NCIS and Numb3rs. Also, you may want to check out Chuck, or consider a 30-minute comedy, in which case How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory are two great choices (more seasons of the former, however).
cheers!