This is such a subjective topic. While I’d love to share my thoughts on the best TV show ever, I thought it would be better to scour the internet to find out what, in your opinion, is the best show ever from a variety of fans.
These are the top 12 that came up most often or have the most upvotes. I’ve gotta say, I don’t find this list incredibly shocking – these are some really great TV shows!
The Wire
I’m going to be honest with you here: this is the only show on this list I haven’t seen. An HBO show, the Wire was written and created by a former police reporter and it shows. Lauded for its realism, the Wire earned top ratings from both fans and critics when it came out and is considered by many to be one of the best shows ever made.
Game of Thrones
I don’t know too many people who haven’t watched Game of Thrones. Although the series was rocky in a few places, especially once they caught up to the books, it told an amazing story overall. Some fans really hated the ending, but that hasn’t stopped GoT from being considered the best TV show ever by many of its fans.
Fun fact: Game of Thrones is also HBO’s most watched series, to date.
Friends
A classic comfort show that’s still popular today, even with the younger generation, Friends is regarded as a favorite show by so many people. Even Prince Harry talks about binge watching the show in his book!
The Sopranos
What The Sopranos did not just in the show, but for TV as a whole, has made a lasting impression. The series won 21 Emmy awards over the 6 season run and is often regarded as the show that cemented HBO’s reputation for delivering stunning 1 hour dramas.
Seinfeld
I recently re-watched Seinfeld and I can honestly say that it still holds up. What makes Seinfeld so funny, and so revered, is that the humor comes from exaggerating stupid, everyday situations that we can all relate to.
The Simpsons
One could argue that the Simpsons set the stage for the family and adult-oriented animated comedy shows that followed. Every fan of the show (like myself) regularly quotes it. Even if some of the seasons are kind of mid, there are so many great moments that this show is hard not to love.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
“Nothing makes me so proud and hopeful to be human.” one Redditor said of Star Trek TNG.
Starring the iconic Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard, this series really did boldly go where no man went before. Interesting and profoundly ahead of its time in terms of social issues, The Next Generation is worth a watch (or re-watch) even today.
The Twilight Zone
One of my personal favorites, the Twilight Zone told stories that had tremendous lasting power. Despite airing over 60 years ago the Twilight Zone still appeals to a modern audience.
“Twilight zone 101%>. Every episode still stands to this day.” one commenter said of the show.
Dexter
The show that made serial killers part of the mainstream long before those Netflix documentaries started getting popular! Dexter is regarded by many as one of the best TV shows ever, and I’m inclined to agree.
Lost
If you don’t get why this show is regarded so highly I’m sorry to say, you just had to be there. While the show really is fantastic, I’m convinced that we see this one through rose-tinted glasses because of how enthralling it was to see the mysteries unfold slowly over weeks, even years. Plus the unique marketing made it feel like we were part of something big!
Mad Men
Man Men is regarded as the best TV show ever by so many people for a multitude of reasons. It wasn’t just the plot, characters, acting, and setting, but the way all these came together in this period drama. While we can’t all relate to Don Draper himself, there isn’t a person who hasn’t been affected by the work his real-life counterparts do every day.
Breaking Bad
I admit that I was reluctant to watch Breaking Bad at first. After I finally caved it quickly became one of my favorite TV shows, and I would definitely agree that it’s one of the best TV shows ever – at least in my opinion. The pacing, the drama, the fall of a “regular” man into the criminal world… No show has done it better than this series.
Honorable Mentions
While we decided to stop this list at 12, the next few shows that came up frequently were:
- The West Wing
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- The X-Files
- Firefly
- Doctor Who
- The Office (US)
- Cheers
- Arrested Development
- Better Call Saul
There were too many great cult classics listed that I couldn’t leave them out!
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Yeah you missed the three best shows completely…….MASH….BIG BANG THEORY ….AND BEST DRAMA EVER …NCIS.
I’m with you on MASH…and *only* MASH.
With you on MASH and NCIS
Television shows did exist long before Millennials started watching TV. And there were a heck of a lot better shows then, than the some of the shows you have on your list. You should explore some of them:
MASH
I LOVE LUCY
THE HONEYMOONERS
MARY TYLER MOORE
DICK VAN DYKE SHOW
ALL IN THE FAMILY
STAR TREK
MONTY PYTHON’S FLYING CIRCUS and FAWLTY TOWERS
ER
BLACKADDER
THE X-FILES
MURDER SHE WROTE
FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR
PERRY MASON (original)
Try them out, you will find they are in many ways much better than many of the programs on your list.
WHERE IS M*A*S*H!!!!!
Unfortunately the shows listed were all very new. You left out “The Prisoner”. Easily in the top three of best TV shows.
What no “Mash” or “All in the Family”? This is a bogus list without those two! Honorable mentions for Arrested Development and Firefly higher on the list? Fire the guy that put the list together
ALL IN THE FAMILY, BARNEY MILLER, GREAT SHOWS NOT EVEN AN HONORABLE MENTION!
BARNEY MILLER!! What a great show. So many great episodes.
Golden Girls
Magnum, P.I.-the original
One of the best shows I ever watched was: “ROWIN AND MARTINS LAUGH IN.”
Great Great comedy!!!! have to be older to mention this. I am sure the guy who put this one together is 12.
One show that deserves to be on this list is FRAZIER, Frasier is one of the most critically acclaimed comedy series of all time and the most successful spin-off series in television history. Critics and commentators have broadly held the show in high regard, it was the most successful comedy series of all time, winning 37 Primetime Emmy Awards, only Game of Thrones won more with 38.
100% what I came on here to see/say. I LOVE Game of Thrones, Dexter, Stranger Things, etc…..but man oh man…Fraiser is one of the sharpest, funniest, most rewatchable shows of all-time…and NEVER gets old or dips in quality.
Justified is my honorable mention.
One of my favorites – the original Dark Shadows.
I wish there were more like the Gilmore Girls, Happy Days, Friday Nights Lights
But not All in the Family, Mash, Mary Tyler Moore, The Honeymooners or I Love Lucy? Sorry but you need to explore past the things someone under forty would know, my friend. Everything I just named made the Writer’s Guild and most other lists.
I agree with your entire list.
I would add Twin Peaks…at least the first season.
M*A*S*H
All in the Family
Taxi
Barney Miller
My Name is Earl
Parks & Recreation
30 Rock
…are better than most of the shows in this list.
MASH, of course, as well as The *original* Battlestar Galactica, the *original* The Prisoner, The Banana Splits, the *original* Land of the Lost, Krofft Supershow, Gilligan’s Island, The Wonder Years, the *original* Star Trek, Wonder Woman, Knight Rider, the *original* Kung Fu, and the Looney Toons cartoon series.
Honeymooners, Andy Griffith (with Don Knots), The Americans, Homeland, Sanford and Son, Jefferson’s, The Shield, Combat, The Walking Dead, Gunsmoke. Too many of your choices are within the last twenty years. TV did not start in 2000, definitely you do not have the “Life Experience” to put this list together.
the beverly jillbillies
I would have had the original Star Trek series, M*A*S*H* and The Carol Burnett show.
Better Off Ted.
That was such a great show, with its own built-in commercials. Shame it only lasted one season.
You blew it. While yes I agree on most of your picks you just forgot one of the greatest comedies ever. Schitts creek. That show is hands down the goat. The writing, The timing and one of the greatest ensemble casts ever. There is not one fault throughout the entire 5 seasons.
I loved the first seasons of “West World”, before it destroyed itself, plus “How to
Get Away with Murder” and the first few seasons of “Alias”.
Six Feet Under — hands down!
Best series finale of all time!
FRAISER!! I LOVE Game of Thrones, Dexter, Stranger Things, Barry, etc…..but man oh man…Fraiser is one of the sharpest, funniest, most rewatchable shows of all-time…and NEVER gets old or dips in quality.
yeah NO whoever made this list is severely WRONG. So many good shows leftnoff som maany bad shows on the list MASH All in the Family 24 NCIS Andy Griffith I love lucy The wonderful world of disney ( prior to disney losing its morals ethics and insight) Gunsmoke the list can go on and on with quality shows not the trash on this list
One show that you all have not seen obviously is Outlanders. If you have seen it, you would definitely say it was the best show series EVER in the history of time.
Law and Order, Blacklist, Boston Legal and The Practice.
24, The Blacklist, Boston Legal
I thought “The Newsroom” was the best show ever, but at least Sorkin appeared with “The West Wing” with your Honorable Mentions.
Whomever compiled this list ought to do their homework. They left off one of the greatest, most iconic sitcoms of all time: The Dick Van Dyke Show with VanDyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Morey Amsterdam, Rose Marie, Richard Deacon, Anne Marie Guilbert and other notables. A classic show that is still funny more than six decades later. Also, Fraiser with Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, John Mahoney, and other talented cast members. Taxi should also have gotten a nod. And for drama, the list would need to include Cold Case, one of the most intelligent, well-written shows ever.
24
NYPD Blue
The Shield
Spartacus
Boss
Friday Night Lights
House
All In the Family
Everybody Loves Raymond
2 & 1/2 Men
House of Cards
This isn’t even a list without All in the Family. Ground breaking TV, broke every barrier.
Being a TV junkie I understand that everyone has favorites and I respect the likes and dislikes of everyone. It is what makes the world go round. My list would be too long to list. Some of my favorites are Blue Bloods, NCIS, Wagon Train, Bonanza, Flintstones, Jetsons, Ed Sullivan Show, The Dean Martin Show, Gunsmoke, Big Bang Theory, and a thousand more!
I totally agree. Although it took about 2-3 episodes to kick in, hands down the best show in TV!!
Miami Vice! It revolutionized TV, fashion, and defined a decade!
This list was put together by someone in their 20s, I would guess, and aimed at an audience of 30-year-olds and under.
Before his bad press The Cosby Show was one of the best family sit-coms on TV. Room 222 and 21 Jump Street in the 70s was aimed at the younger TV watchers. The Dick Van Dyke Show before that (1960s) brought family friendly adult entertainment to multi-aged audiences across the spectrum. Gunsmoke ran for 20 seasons for crying out loud.
If your article is about television, I think it should consider “ALL” of television. In doing so it would be virtually impossible to make such a short list.