Top 40 Television Shows of All Time
According to Me
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For as long as I can remember, I have loved TV. Some of my fondest and earliest memories were of Mama sneaking and watching American Bandstand while Dad was at work on a Saturday afternoon. We would dance in the kitchen and I never saw her happier. At that time, our TV was a - as one of my favorite movie heroines would put it - “big, enormous twelve-inch screen” and it was, of course, black and white.
By some hook or crook, Dad got a color TV at some point and we were enchanted. Back then, no one had more than one TV and you’d better know that if you missed your favorite show, it was your very bad misfortune. It might or might not rebroadcast as a rerun or it might or might not become lost to the ages and never seen again. This was an unforgiving, ruthless world of entertainment…
…until progress changed the world and suddenly, that dream we had of the impossible idea that you could watch anything at anytime became a reality. That was when I knew I would never leave my house unless I absolutely had to.
I watch a good bit of streaming TV, both on my computer and on my oh-so-smart TV. The following list is no one’s assessment but my own. It will, without a doubt, impress some, inspire some, piss some off, and confound some that I did not include this show or that show.
As I compile and present this list, I feel no need for validation or correction. It is what it is.
I left off many shows that I love because the category is just too niche. I tried to consider shows that I felt most people might enjoy. You don’t need to know how much I love Mama June: Family Crisis or My 600 Lb Life. Basically, I wanted to include shows I could reasonably justify loving rather than ones where I just look confused and shrug when asked… “Why? Just…why?”
I looked for cleverness of writing, quality of acting, and a continuity of overall excellence, allowing for a few missteps here and there.
These are presented in no particular order, even though I have them numbered. I do not have “places to watch” listed for them due to no other reason than my own laziness.
I could ramble about any of these shows for a whole article of its own, but in the interest of short attention spans and my known tendency to verbosity, I will try to keep it short.
1) The State/Kids in the Hall
I have to include these together because the shows were so similar that I cannot remember which skits were from which show, but these two bravely took on the domination of Mad TV, SCTV, and Saturday Night Live for skit TV. “I wanna dip my balls in it,” “I’m squishing your head,” and “My name’s Doug and I’m outta here” still kill me.
2) My Name Is Earl
This is one of those times when you wish you didn’t know quite so much about the people involved with the show (that theme will pop up again in a bit), but all that aside, “Earl” gave me big belly laughs every time I watched it.
3) Stan Against Evil
I have a real love for John C. McGinley and he is at his most John C. McGinleyist here in this amazing satire of horror shows. I grieved muchly when it was canceled.
4) M*A*S*H
Throughout all eleven seasons, this show never failed to make me laugh, make me cry, and make me feel. I loved the movie as well.
5) Deadwood
Somebody said, “Wouldn’t it be wild if we did a western in iambic pentameter” and David Milch invited each and every one of us to hold his beer and watch. This is one of the few series that I have watched countless times.
6) Dead Like Me
I watched it, then I watched it, then I watched it some more. This show is unbelievably insightful and hilarious. One of the things Mandy Patinkin, a star of the show, and I agree on is that the movie that came afterward is shit. The two seasons of the show, however, are phenomenal.
7) Dead To Me
One of the things I try hard to keep hidden is that I am kind of dumb. Movies like “Inception” leave me tired and confused. I did not figure out “Shutter Island” or “The Six Sense” before the ending like lots of people. This show guides the viewer through a deeply emotional and interesting story without requiring mental gymnastics to figure out what is going on. I love it. Character development is at an all time high here.
8) Firefly
This is another of those shows that I watched in full multiple times, but also another one where my love of it is affected by knowing too much about the main players. I have issues with Joss Whedon, despite loving his work, and man, don’t even get me started on my disdain for Nathan Fillion due to a personal encounter. I was a fan from the time he was a nobody on “One Life to Live” and now, I can’t stand to look at him. The show, however, is incredible, as is the follow up movie, “Serenity.” This is truly one of the best ensemble shows ever to hit television.
9) This Is Us
There is a very good chance that this is my favorite show on the list. That’s like choosing a favorite child and yet, this show is so rich in acting, writing, long-term storytelling, directing, and pretty much just everything. It is amazing.
10) Our Flag Means Death
The devastating news of this show’s cancellation recently hit and even though it was somewhat expected, I still felt the loss. A funny show about unexpected heroes and downright anti-heroes never fails to amuse and impress me. I loved every single minute and I am grateful that the final season left the story in a good place.
11) Breaking Bad
This is a hard and harsh show, but the storytelling and acting are amazing. Anna Gunn is an incredible actor but she has a knack of choosing roles for characters I distain beyond belief (“Deadwood” and “Breaking Bad” are pertinent to the conversation). None of us imagined Malcolm’s dad would turn out such a role, but now, none of us can see him otherwise. The cast is stellar and the writing is breathtaking.
12) Better Call Saul
This is the follow-up prequel to “Breaking Bad” and even though Vince Gilligan created both shows, the pacing is entirely opposite. “Breaking Bad” moves at a devastating speed while BCS draaaaagggs out the story… but what a story it is and the ending is most satisfying. Bob Odenkirk is, of course, brilliant and he and the writing bring masterful nuance to the main character. The supporting cast is equally luminous.
13) LOST
This one was almost too smart for me and might well have been, truth be told. Still, I loved every twist and turn along the way and so many phenomenal scenes are forever stuck in my brain from this show.
14) Buffy the Vampire Slayer
I was not sold on this show when I first started watching it, even though I loved the movie. It felt too young for me, but I quickly found myself enamored by the characters and caught up in the storyline, which can be a hard sell for me. I have no problem switching off a show if it does not catch me quickly and this one did. By the end of the first season, it had my heart. Aces in writing, creativity, and character development/exploration.
15) Cobra Kai
Ah yeeeaaahhh. The sweetest rewards are those that come when you expected nothing, which is exactly what I expected from this show when it debuted. Now about to start its 6th season, Cobra Kai is the perfect reach around for fans of “The Karate Kid” and offers the perfect follow through for what might have happened to these characters thirty-three years later. This show is such a rush but will mean nothing if you did not watch the movies (and everything if you did).
16) Reservation Dogs
Having minimal knowledge (although more than many) of the culture and experience surrounding this show in no way impeded my enjoyment of it. The story is rich and interesting. The cast is unfathomably talented. Everything about this show is a win.
17) Wentworth
I liked “Orange is the New Black” and if it were still on the air, I would continue to watch it. I did not love it, however. I love “Wentworth.” The story evolution, writing, and acting are what make it such an amazing success. Characters show many facets and stories are written with tremendous authenticity and feeling while staying as gritty and raw as a female prison housing all the personalities that could land there could possibly be.
18) Being Human, UK and US
Each version follows basically the same storyline involving a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost who share an apartment. One would think the next part would be “…and hilarity ensues,” but that is not the case. This is a gripping story about “othering” and people coming to terms with how they present in the world while acknowledging their challenges and frailties. Both iterations are wonderful and deserve equal attention. Watch UK and US versions.
19) Castle Rock
As “Cobra Kai” is a love letter to fans of “The Karate Kid” movies, “Castle Rock” gives that same honor to Stephen King fans, addressing many of the primary characters of his earlier books in the two seasons it ran. The writing is sharp and the casting and acting are both on point.
20) Barney Miller
For those who do not know this show was one of the most cutting-edge comedies of its time, to my mind even more so than “All In The Family” or “Soap.” The humor transcends and is still funny now, which is a tough task (*cough* “Mork & Mindy” *cough*). “Barney Miller” tackled some of the taboo subjects of the time with a kindness and sensitivity that likely should not be in a police precinct in the late 1970s, and yet, the handling of those subjects never thwarted the humor nor minimize the message.
21) Shameless
I did not want to like this show because truly, there are no heroes, no one too root for at all. Just when you think you found your underdog, they do something so despicable that you have to distance from them. And yet… the overall show compels you to watch like some kind of mesmerizing train wreck. It deserves its place here if for no other reason than to introduce us to the incredible Jeremy Allen White, who is the forerunner of “The Bear” that falls into our honorable mention section.
22) Penny Dreadful
Ooooh, it’s dark and gothy and gritty and artsy and an absolutely wonderful nod to pulp horror. I loved every minute of it.
23) Justified and Justified: City Primeval
Being from Kentucky, we always knew those Harlan people were up to no good. ;) This is a taste of home for me along with great writing, acting, and beautiful story arcs. My personal favorite is Season 2 where we meet the Bennett family, but the love of my life is Walton Goggins who is all through the series. I had little hope for the recent reboot, “City Primeval,” but damned if it wasn’t just as good as the first.
24) What We Do In The Shadows
Beyond the ground-breaking movie that went to “This Is Spinal Tap” lengths to mocku-drama vampire life, the TV show just keeps pushing. I did not imagine the team could pull off the same idea with different vampires in a different location, but they ran with it and carried the mood and humor of the movie into an entirely new cannon of vampire television fiction. Shameless, bawdy, and unapologetic, it breaks through glass ceilings you did not even know were there.
25) The Simpsons
Groundbreaking is important to me but groundbreaking in a way that is meaningful to me is important to this list and “The Simpsons” is checks both of those boxes. It was irreverent and funny and came so far from the little interstitial that it was on “The Tracey Ullman Show.” Kudos to “The Simpsons.” It deserves all of the praise anyone gives it.
26) King of the Hill
…but I mean… great as it is, “The Simpsons” is no “King of the Hill” which is, to my mind, the best animated show ever made. I just hear the first few notes of the theme song and start to smile. I don’t even especially like animated shows. I like to watch actors respond and create the character and that is tough to pull off in drawings. For either of these two to make the list is a miracle. I did not like “South Park” or “Family Guy” or “American Dad.” That makes these two shows the elusive unicorns of my list.
27) Six Feet Under
This, as most people know, was one of the first TV shows to include “gay” storylines as if they were (*gasp*) just as important as other storylines. In a time before depiction in popular media was commonplace, “Six Feet Under” unapologetically featured openly gay characters living gay lives with gay problems right in amongst the straight people on the show. It was the “This Is Us” of its time in terms of family relations and complex storytelling, but it did so in a way that allowed us to intimately get to know each character, including their flaws, their fragility, and their strengths.
28) Game of Thrones
Nope, I didn’t watch “House of Dragons.” For some reason, it did not interest me. I read the Game of Thrones books, so the show took on a different interest for me since there were so many scenes I wanted to see play out (some of which never made it to TV). Like so many, I did not like the ending, but I surely did enjoy the ride. Bar none, the casting was incredible and the screenwriters’ take on George R. R. Martin’s source material was impressive. No, I do not think we will ever get to read Martin’s end to the series, so the TV show is what we get.
29) The Twilight Zone
Seminal? Is that the word for it? Over the many seasons and incarnations of this show, extending to “The Outer Limits” and “Night Gallery,” TZ brought to life icons of horror and mental twists we had not even considered. I think everyone has a favorite episode or ten.
30) Scrubs (But only through Season 8)
This is to be one of the genuinely funniest shows ever to hit TV (but only through Season 8) and of course, features the excellent John C. McGinley as Dr. Perry Cox. We will pretend anything starting with Season 9 does not exist because the show took a sudden turn that made it pretty much unbearable. Before then, however, pure comedy genius.
31) The Crown
Anyone who knows me, knows what a royal enthusiast I am, so shows like “Victoria” (not on this list due to its tardy-ass airing) and “The Crown” are among my favorites. Everything from casting to writing to creative liberties to cinematography were above par in this series and I enjoyed it very much, even if the current royals did not. I understand why they wouldn’t.
32) Interview With a Vampire (AMC’s)
I could not imagine that anyone could make Anne Rice’s book even more interesting, but AMC was up to the challenge and brough a fascinating retelling of the story into the canon. I loved everything about it.
33) Dark Winds
If not for “Interview With a Vampire,” I likely would not have found this treasure. No one ever talks about it and yet, everything about it is brilliant. It has a feel of the old movie, “Thunderheart” with Val Kilmer, but this show is so rich and edgy that it hardly compares.
34) Mindhunter
Word is that this one is canceled, which is such a shame. It tells the story of the development of the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit and the onset of psychological study and profiling of serial killers. Set in a time when the term “serial killer” first emerged, this show has its protagonists interviewing convicted serial killers to learn more about the pathology of this aspect of criminology. The casting is incredible and side-by-side comparisons of the actors with photos of the actual serial killers is mind-blowing.
35) The Righteous Gemstones
Danny McBride is the driving force behind this show and like “Shameless,” there is no one to root for because every character in it is deplorable… delightfully and deliciously so. Then they threw in Walton Goggins and it was all over for me. Being from the South, religious evangelism on this scale hits a cultural trigger for me.
36) Ozark
Apparently, based on the evidence, I watch a lot of shows about the South. Like “Gemstones” and “Shameless,” again, we have few to cheer for in this show as each character shows us the ugliness inside them… all but Ruth. Ruth is our little dark angel that we all want to see succeed. I enjoy Jason Bateman very much and this is a great vehicle for his talent and it is testimony to the show that I used to love Laura Linney and now that I have watched “Ozark” all the way through, I can hardly stand to look at her.
37) Call the Midwife
Some of you may not know that I spent just under twenty years in the birth field, both giving and receiving. I taught classes on natural childbirth, worked as a doula, and apprenticed as a lay midwife, in addition to giving birth six times. Even though that was a lifetime ago for me (I retired from that line of work in Jan 1997), the subject is still dear to me and this series warms my heart in so many ways as a result.
38) QI
QI stands for “Quite Interesting,” which the show is. I watched for many years with Stephen Fry as host and loved it, so when he left in 2016 after thirteen seasons, I thought I would have to give it up until they brough my sister*, Sandi Toksvig, on to host. At that point, it was as good or better. This is a combination panel show and quiz show and it is funny and irreverent and you will learn so much that you didn’t know you didn’t know.
*Sandi Toksvig does not know she is actually my sister and will likely deny it if asked. She may even pretend she doesn’t know me. She’s a hoot, that one. haha
39) The Great British Bake Off
This is inclusive of “The Great British Baking Show,” all of the holiday versions, “The Great American Baking Show,” “The Great Canadian Baking Show,” “The Great Australian Baking Show,” and all of the charity fund raising ones featuring celebrities, as well as “An Extra Slice” hosted by Jo Brand. There are too many versions on this specific theme to list.
I love them. All of them. Except the one with kids. Keep kids out of my kitchen.
40) Star Trek
This one almost did not make it, not because it was not groundbreaking (it was) and not because I did not love it, but because I did not love it all the time.
I loved the movies, “The Next Generation,” “Deep Space Nine,” “Discovery,” “Strange New Worlds,” “Picard,” and “Lower Decks.”
The show as a whole concept almost didn’t make the list because of how much I did not the original series (when it first aired or in re-watches), “Voyager,” or “Enterprise.” I tried. I just didn’t love it and this list is for shows I loved.
Interestingly, my favorite is “Deep Space Nine,” which many true trekkers hate. I loved the ones I love enough to include the show in spite of the ones I didn’t love.
Honorable Mention:
These are ones that were this|close to making the list, but something held them back:
Happy Days
I enjoyed “Happy Days” (and its spinoffs) very much, but “Happy Days” is literally where the term “jumped the shark” came from… for a reason… that applies to all of its spinoffs as well.
Quickdraw
This one never good off and it should have as one of the very few ad libbed comedy shows. It was so good that many viewers never realized it was ad libbed. Knowing that brings a whole new appreciation to the show that the ratings never reflected. Thusly, it never got the chance to develop as it should have.
X-Files
Talk about sacrilege that this is only an honorable mention, but X-Files jumped an interstellar shark and should have stopped at some point. If it had, it would have been a top 40 lister for sure.
The Bear
If I made this list next year, “The Bear” would likely be on the list. I love the show so far and I have my eye on it. Jamie Lee Curtis has a guest starring role and wow… it hits you right squarely in the feels. Jeremy Allen White is amazing as always.
Mystery Science Theater 3000
What could be better than heckling old movies with your buddies? Nothing at all and this innovative idea was fantastic until we moved from Joel to Mike as hosts and then it started to divebomb. Mike, you tried, buddy.
The Witcher
Again, this one would make the top 40 list except that we are on the precipice of a major cast change and I do not trust where it is headed, so we have this firmly in the “wait and see” category. Props to the ear worm of “Toss a coin to Your Witcher.”
Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color
This show eventually became “The Wonderful World of Disney” after Walt Disney’s death and it was just that. Wonderful. There were some duds, for sure, but it was always something to look forward to on Sunday nights.
Of course, I expect to wake up at 2:00 am thinking of another 47 shows that I should have included. There are literally hundreds of shows (ER, Downton, Bridgerton, Upstairs Downstairs… don’t get me started) that I liked to the extreme, but let me down in some way or another, so did not get included. For now, these are the 40 that flew into my head. I hope you enjoyed them.
PS: This gigantic article took a day to compile, so bless your sweet heart if you made it all the way through.