Are you looking for a list of the greatest and best TV shows and TV series of all time?
Well, we decided to take a look.
We have a list of the best TV shows and TV series ever created.
Our critics have compiled a list of the best TV shows to ever grace our screens, so if you love television programs and top-rated TV shows, we’ve got plenty of shows for you to check out (or shows you’ve already watched).
So sit back and read through all about these fantastic, gripping, and riveting TV series.
Each one has been handpicked by our team as being one of 50 best television programs – some might just surprise you!
And some, you might think… where’s that one show?
But unfortunately, we only picked 50.
Let’s take a look.
Best TV Shows and TV Series of All Time
1. Yellowstone (2018– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Western
A ranching family in Montana faces off against others intruding on their land.
Stars: Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley
2. Arcane (2021– )
TV-14 | Animation, Action, Adventure
Set in the utopian world of Piltover and the browbeaten underground of Zaun, Arcane follows the origins of two iconic League champions – and the force that will divide them apart.
Stars: Kevin Alejandro, Jason Spisak, Hailee Steinfeld, JB Blanc
3. Succession (2018– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Business Drama
The Roy family controls the largest media and entertainment company globally. However, when their father resigns from the company, their world is split apart.
Stars: Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin, Peter Friedman
4. Narcos: Mexico (2018–2021)
TV-MA | 50 min | Crime, Drama
Chronicles the ascension of the Guadalajara Cartel as a US Drug Enforcement Agency rep learns the hazard of targeting narcos in Mexico.
Stars: Scoot McNairy, José María Yazpik, Alejandro Edda, Alfonso Dosal
5. The Sopranos (1999–2007)
TV-MA | 55 min | Crime, Drama
New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano deals with issues in his personal and business life that impact his state of mind, which leads him to seek out professional psychiatric counseling.
Stars: James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli
6. Big Mouth (2017– )
TV-MA | 30 min | Animation, Comedy, Romance
Teenage friends find themselves transfixed by the vagaries of adolescense and puberty.
Stars: Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Jessi Klein, Jason Mantzoukas
7. Dexter (2006–2013)
TV-MA | 53 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Dexter, the hit SHOWTIME Original Series, stars Dexter Morgan, America’s most infamous serial killer, who spends his days solving crimes and nights committing them.
Stars: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, David Zayas, James Remar
8. Stranger Things (2016– )
TV-14 | 51 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
When a young boy goes missing, his mother, a police chief, and his friends must take on horrifying supernatural forces in order to get him back.
Stars: Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Winona Ryder, David Harbour
9. Ted Lasso (2020– )
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Drama, Sport
College football coach Ted Lasso goes to London to manage football club AFC Richmond, a struggling English Premier League soccer team.
Stars: Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed
10. Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
TV-MA | 57 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Nine noble families battle for control over the lands of Westeros, while an old enemy re-emerges after laying low for hundreds of years.
Stars: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey
11. Doctor Who (2005– )
TV-PG | 45 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
The ongoing adventures of the alien adventurer known as the Doctor and their companions from planet Earth.
Stars: Jodie Whittaker, Peter Capaldi, Pearl Mackie, Matt Smith
12. Locke & Key (2020– )
TV-14 | 48 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
The three Locke siblings and their mother move into Keyhouse, their ancestral home, after their father is mysteriously murdered and find that it’s full of magical keys that may be connected to their father’s untimely death.
Stars: Darby Stanchfield, Connor Jessup, Emilia Jones, Jackson Robert Scott
13. Foundation (2021– )
TV-14 | 60 min | Drama, Sci-Fi
A complex saga of humans scattered on various planets throughout the galaxy are all living under the rule of the Galactic Empire.
Stars: Lou Llobell, Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Leah Harvey
14. The Morning Show (I) (2019– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama
An inside look behind-the-scenes at the lives of the people who help America wake up in the morning, looking at the challenges faced by the men and women who carry out this daily televised ritual.
Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Nestor Carbonell
15. Seinfeld (1989–1998)
TV-PG | 22 min | Comedy
The comedic misadventures of New York City comic Jerry Seinfeld and his nervy, overanxious friends about the city.
Stars: Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, Jason Alexander
16. The Walking Dead (2010–2022)
TV-14 | 44 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes emerges from a coma to learn the world is in disrepair and must lead a group of survivors to stay alive.
Stars: Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan
17. Grey’s Anatomy (2005– )
TV-14 | 41 min | Drama, Romance
A drama focused on the lives of five surgical interns and their supervisors.
Stars: Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Justin Chambers
18. The Office (2005–2013)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy
A Dilbert-like mockumentary on a group of corporate office workers, where the workday consists of dullness, personality clashes, and unprofessional behavior.
Stars: Steve Carell, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson
19. Hellbound (2021– )
TV-MA | 150 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
People hear predictions on when they will die, after which a death angel shows up in front of them and kills them.
Stars: Yoo Ah-in, Kim Hyun-joo, Jeong Min Park, Chase Yi
20. The Shrink Next Door (2021– )
TV-MA | Comedy, Drama
The story of Marty and the therapist who turned his life around – then took it over. When Marty meets Dr. Ike, he just wants to better define boundaries. Over 30 years, he’ll learn all about them – and what happens when they get breached.
Stars: Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Kathryn Hahn, Casey Wilson
21. American Crime Story (2016– )
TV-MA | 42 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
A series centered around America’s most infamous crimes and criminals.
Stars: Sarah Paulson, Annaleigh Ashford, Sterling K. Brown, Kenneth Choi
22. You (2018– )
TV-MA | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
A charming and obsessive young man goes to extreme measures to wield himself into the lives of those he idolizes.
Stars: Penn Badgley, Victoria Pedretti, Ambyr Childers, Elizabeth Lail
23. The Wheel of Time (2021– )
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama | Completed
Set in a utopian world where magic exists, but is only available for a select few, Moiraine meets five young men and women. This creates a dangerous journey that spans worlds. Based on the book series by author Robert Jordan.
Stars: Rosamund Pike, Josha Stradowski, Daniel Henney, Zoë Robins
24. Sex Education (2019– )
TV-MA | 45 min | Comedy, Drama
A sex therapist mother and her teenage son team up with a high school classmate to create an secret sex therapy clinic at school.
Stars: Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Emma Mackey, Ncuti Gatwa
25. NCIS (2003– )
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Led by Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, we view cases of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service’s Washington, DC Major Case Response Team.
Stars: Mark Harmon, David McCallum, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette
26. American Horror Story (2011– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
An anthology series centering on different characters and locations, including a:
- house with a murderous past
- mental health asylum
- coven of witches
- show circus
- haunted hotel
- possessed farmhouse
- cult
- the apocalypse
- slasher summer camp, and
- bleak beach town and desert valley
Stars: Lady Gaga, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson
27. The Blacklist (2013– )
TV-14 | 43 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
FBI profiler Elizabeth Keen has the shock of her life when a mysterious criminal, Raymond Reddington, who has eluded capture for decades, turns himself in and wants to speak only with her.
Stars: James Spader, Megan Boone, Diego Klattenhoff, Ryan Eggold
28. Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000– )
TV-MA | 28 min | Comedy
The life and times of Larry David and the quandaries he gets himself into with friends and strangers.
Stars: Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman
29. Invasion (2021– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Earth is visited by an alien species that threatens to kill off humanity. Events unfold in real-time through the eyes of five people across the globe as they try to make sense of the world in ruin.
Stars: Golshifteh Farahani, Shamier Anderson, Shioli Kutsuna, Firas Nassar
30. Peaky Blinders (2013– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama
A gangster family set in early-1900s England, focused on a gang who sows razor blades in the peaks of their caps, and their boss Tommy Shelby.
Stars: Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, Helen McCrory, Sophie Rundle
31. Chucky (2021– )
TV-MA | 42 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
After a vintage Chucky doll shows up at a suburban yard sale, an idyllic US town is thrown into chaos as a series of horrifying murders start to expose the town’s secret past.
Stars: Zackary Arthur, Brad Dourif, Bjorgvin Arnarson, Alyvia Alyn Lind
32. Castle (2009–2016)
TV-14 | 43 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
After a serial killer mirrors the plots of his mystery novels, author Rick Castle receives permission from the New York City Mayor to tag along with an NYPD homicide investigation team for research purposes.
Stars: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Jon Huertas
33. Young Sheldon (2017– )
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy
The story of child produigy named Sheldon Cooper – already seen as an adult in The Big Bang Theory (2007) – and his family. Some unique challenges face Sheldon who appears to be socially awkward.
Stars: Iain Armitage, Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Montana Jordan
34. Breaking Bad (2008–2013)
TV-MA | 49 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with terminal lung cancer turns to the production and selling of methamphetamine in order to secure his family’s future financially.
Stars: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Betsy Brandt
35. The Rookie (2018– )
TV-14 | 43 min | Crime, Drama
John Nolan, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his life’s dream of joining the Los Angeles Police Department. As their oldest newcomer, he’s met with skepticism from those around him who see Nolan as just working through a midlife crisis.
Stars: Nathan Fillion, Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones, Melissa O’Neil
36. The Witcher (2019– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Beast hunter Geralt of Rivia struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more evil than monsters.
Stars: Henry Cavill, Anna Shaffer, Freya Allan, Graham McTavish
37. What We Do in the Shadows (2016– )
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
A look into the daily (nightly) lives of three vampires on Staten Island, who have lived together for over a century.
Stars: Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén
38. The Sinner (2017– )
TV-MA | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Examines how and why otherwise regular people commit heinous crimes.
Stars: Bill Pullman, Jessica Hecht, Dohn Norwood, Adam LeFevre
39. Only Murders in the Building (2021– )
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Three strangers who share a strong interest in crime come to find themselves caught up in one.
Stars: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Aaron Dominguez
40. Chicago Fire (2012– )
TV-14 | 43 min | Action, Drama
The story of the personal and professional lives of firefighters, paramedics, and first responders in the city of Chicago.
Stars: Taylor Kinney, Christian Stolte, Eamonn Walker, Joe Minoso
41. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999– )
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
This series follows the specially trained squad of detectives in the NYPD (the Special Victims Unit), who investigate sexually related crimes.
Stars: Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Ice-T, Dann Florek
42. Friends (1994–2004)
TV-PG | 22 min | Comedy, Romance
Follows the personal and professional lives of six 30-somethings living in New York City.
Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc
43. Lucifer (2016–2021)
TV-14 | 42 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
Lucifer Morningstar has had enough of being a dutiful servant in Hell and decides to spend some time on Earth to better understand humanity. He settles in the City of Angels (LA).
Stars: Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Kevin Alejandro, D.B. Woodside
44. Yellowjackets (2021– )
TV-MA | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A talented high school girls soccer team survive a plane crash deep in the Ontario wilderness and fight for survival.
Stars: Melanie Lynskey, Sophie Thatcher, Tawny Cypress, Ella Purnell
45. Money Heist (2017–2021)
TV-MA | 70 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Robbers look to carry out the biggest robbery in Spanish history – stealing €2.4 billion from the Royal Mint of Spain.
Stars: Úrsula Corberó, Álvaro Morte, Itziar Ituño, Pedro Alonso
46. The Mandalorian (2019– )
TV-14 | 40 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A lone bounty hunter travels to the outer edges of the galaxy, far from the New Republic’s authority.
Stars: Pedro Pascal, Carl Weathers, Barry Lowin, Gina Carano
47. Doom Patrol (2019– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
The adventures of a mad scientist and his team of superpowered misfits.
Stars: Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby, Matt Bomer, Brendan Fraser
48. Criminal Minds (2005–2020)
TV-14 | 42 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Explores cases of the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit (B.A.U.), an elite group of investigators who analyze the nation’s most threatening serial killers and brtual crimes in an effort to anticipate their next moves before they strike again.
Stars: Matthew Gray Gubler, Kirsten Vangsness, A.J. Cook, Joe Mantegna
49. Supernatural (2005–2020)
TV-14 | 44 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Two brothers follow in their father’s footsteps as hunters, fighting off demonic supernatural entities of various kinds that roam the earth.
Stars: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Jim Beaver, Misha Collins
Related: Is Destiel Canon in Supernatural?
50. Supergirl (2015–2021)
TV-PG | 43 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Superman’s cousin has her own superhero adventures.
Stars: Melissa Benoist, Chyler Leigh, David Harewood, Katie McGrath
Conclusion
That’s our list of the best TV shows of all time, with a tilt toward more recent shows and few classics.
It’s hard to pick only 50. There are always the classics that people love, like The Sopranos, Friends, and Seinfeld.
Newer shows like Peaky Blinders, Squid Games (not yet on the list), and other massively popular series are making a case if they continue their run of fame and keep appealing to the masses long after they’ve debuted and wrapped up.
There are lots of blockbusters hitting Netflix and other content channels, so it’s an exciting time for fans of TV and on-demand streaming.
