Beef stew lacks depth?

Previous answers were much better than mine, but I'll throw in some extra ideas. I like bay leaves (just a couple). Don't underestimate the power of black pepper. I also like to use stock-in-the-carton like Rachael Ray does instead of cubes (something about the depth of flavor, cubes seem to just add salt). Sometimes, even a very small amount of sugar can help. If it's in a slow cooker, you want to limit the amount of water. Parsley works too. For earthiness, throw in a few mushrooms. Oregano is okay, but if you use too much, it may taste less like stew and more like minestrone. Garlic helps, also in moderation (and not added at the very last moment to salvage the dish). Really what it boils down to (pun intended) is the quality and type of vegetables and the cut of meat.