Last Updated on 21 October 2023

The following list is the Official Definitive List of the 200 best TV drama shows of all time.

I found 12 different ranked lists online of “best TV dramas of all time” and pulled them all into Excel and merged them all to get this definitive compilation. See my Methodology page for the research process that was used, including links to the 12 lists that were averaged. Below is a checklist you can print to track which ones you’ve seen, followed by the ranked list.

Greatest-TV-Dramas-Viewing-ChecklistDownload
  1. Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
  2. The Sopranos (1999-2007)
  3. The Wire (2002-2008)
  4. Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
  5. The West Wing (1999-2006)
  6. The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
  7. Mad Men (2007-2015)
  8. Band of Brothers (2001)
  9. True Detective (2014-2019)
  10. Chernobyl (2019)
  11. Succession (2018-2023)
  12. Twin Peaks (1990-1991)
  13. Six Feet Under (2001-2005)
  14. Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
  15. Peaky Blinders (2013-2022)
  16. Fargo (2014-present)
  17. House (2004-2012)
  18. Lost (2004-2010)
  19. Sherlock (2010-2017)
  20. ER (1994-2009)
  21. Stranger Things (2016-present)
  22. Law & Order (1990-present)
  23. The Americans (2013-2018)
  24. Justified (2010-2015)
  25. Friday Night Lights (2006-2011)
  26. The Shield (2002-2008)
  27. The O.C. (2003-2007)
  28. Black Mirror (2011-2019, 2023)
  29. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
  30. Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014)
  31. Deadwood (2004-2006)
  32. Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)
  33. Firefly (2002-2003)
  34. House of Cards (2013-2018)
  35. Dexter (2006-2013)
  36. Brideshead Revisited (1981)
  37. Dark (2017-2020)
  38. The X-Files (1993-2018)
  39. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
  40. The Crown (2016-2023)
  41. Ozark (2017-2022)
  42. Yellowstone (2018-2023)
  43. Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
  44. Oz (1997-2003)
  45. The Walking Dead (2010 – 2022)
  46. The Last of Us (2023)
  47. Hannibal (2013-2015)
  48. Euphoria (2019-present)
  49. Our Friends in the North (1996)
  50. Narcos (2015-2017)
  51. Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)
  52. Mr. Robot (2015-2019)
  53. 24 (2001-2010)
  54. Rome (2005-2007)
  55. Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014)
  56. Pride and Prejudice (1995)
  57. NYPD Blue (1993-2005)
  58. Hill Street Blues (1981-1987)
  59. Homeland (2011-2020)
  60. BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)
  61. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017-2023)
  62. This Is Us (2016-2022)
  63. Steins;Gate (2011-2015)
  64. Mindhunter (2017-2019)
  65. A Very Peculiar Practice (1986-1992)
  66. Queer as Folk (1999-2000)
  67. The Leftovers (2014-2017)
  68. Severance (2022-present)
  69. Dekalog (1988)
  70. Sharp Objects (2018)
  71. Talking Heads (1988, 1998, 2020)
  72. Vikings (2013-2020)
  73. The Chosen (2017-present)
  74. House of the Dragon (2022-present)
  75. Shameless (2011-2021)
  76. One Tree Hill (2003-2012)
  77. The Singing Detective (1986)
  78. Invincible (2021-present)
  79. Daredevil (2015-2018)
  80. Fleabag (2016-2019)
  81. Normal People (2020)
  82. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (1989-1990)
  83. TVF Pitchers (2015-2022)
  84. Westworld (2016-2022)
  85. Line of Duty (2012-2021)
  86. The Good Wife (2009-2016)
  87. Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962)
  88. Prison Break (2005-2017)
  89. I May Destroy You (2020)
  90. State of Play (2003)
  91. Homicide: Life on the Street (1993-1999)
  92. Person of Interest (2011-2016)
  93. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984-1985)
  94. Arcane (2021-present)
  95. Boys from the Blackstuff (1982)
  96. Grey’s Anatomy (2005-present)
  97. Doctor Who (2005-present)
  98. MAS*H (1972-1983)
  99. 1883 (2021-2022)
  100. Endeavour (2012-2023)
  101. Anne with an E (2017-2019)
  102. Atlanta (2016-2022)
  103. Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
  104. Lonesome Dove (1989)
  105. The Newsroom (2012-2014)
  106. Wentworth (2013-2021)
  107. Pose (2018-2021)
  108. The Last Kingdom (2015-2022)
  109. EastEnders (1985-present)
  110. When They See Us (2019)
  111. The Expanse (2015-2022)
  112. How Do You Want Me? (1998-1999)
  113. Ted Lasso (2020-2023)
  114. Cobra Kai (2018-2023)
  115. Spartacus (2010-2013)
  116. Suits (2011-2019)
  117. Collider
  118. Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017)
  119. Smiley’s People (1982)
  120. The Punisher (2017-2019)
  121. Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
  122. Gossip Girl (2007-2012)
  123. Boston Legal (2004-2008)
  124. Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)
  125. John Adams (2008)
  126. Friends (1994-2004)
  127. Prime Suspect (1991-2006)
  128. The Knick (2014-2015)
  129. Bodies (2004-2006)
  130. Hollyoaks (1995-present)
  131. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1979)
  132. Glee (2009-2015)
  133. Mare of Easttown (2021)
  134. Cracker (1993-1995)
  135. Home & Away (1988-present)
  136. Pennies from Heaven (1978)
  137. The Boys (2019-present)
  138. Veronica Mars (2004-2007)
  139. I, Claudius (1976)
  140. Coronation Street (1960-present)
  141. Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)
  142. Alias (2001-2006)
  143. Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990-2000)
  144. The Offer (2022)
  145. American Crime Story (2016-present)
  146. Miami Vice (1984-1989)
  147. Babylon 5 (1993-1998)
  148. St. Elsewhere (1982-1988)
  149. Columbo (1971-1978)
  150. In Treatment (2008-2010)
  151. The Mandalorian (2019-2023)
  152. My So-Called Life (1994-1995)
  153. Felicity (1998-2002)
  154. Dark Shadows (1966-1971)
  155. Fringe (2008-2013)
  156. The Bureau (2015-present)
  157. Big Love (2006-2011)
  158. Criminal Minds (2005-present)
  159. Carnivàle (2003-2005)
  160. Primal (2019-present)
  161. Roots (1977)
  162. The Family Man (2019-present)
  163. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-present)
  164. Umbre (2014-2019)
  165. The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1986-1988)
  166. The Blacklist (2013-2023)
  167. The Bear (2022-present)
  168. The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-present)
  169. Moonlighting (1985-1989)
  170. Call the Midwife (2012-present)
  171. The Wonder Years (1988-1993)
  172. Poirot (1989-2013)
  173. The Queen’s Gambit (2020)
  174. All Creatures Great and Small (2020-present)
  175. Dopesick (2021)
  176. Dragnet (1951-1959)
  177. Mr Inbetween (2018-2021)
  178. North & South (2004)
  179. From the Earth to the Moon (1998)
  180. Heartstopper (2022-present)
  181. Perry Mason (1957-1966)
  182. 1923 (2022-2023)
  183. Longmire (2012-2017)
  184. Killing Eve (2018-2022)
  185. The Rockford Files (1974-1980)
  186. Foyle’s War (2002-2015)
  187. Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988)
  188. Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996)
  189. Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983)
  190. Kardes Payi (2014-2015)
  191. Modern Family (2009-2020)
  192. Squid Game (2021-present)
  193. Outlander (2014-present)
  194. Smallville (2001-2011)
  195. American Horror Story (2011-present)
  196. Entourage (2004-2011)
  197. Gunsmoke (1955-1975)
  198. Heartland (2007-present)
  199. The Mentalist (2008-2015_
  200. The Night Of (2016)

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