Best TV Shows Of All Times: The List That Never Settles
- 01. Best TV Shows of All Times: The List That Never Settles
- 02. Critical Consensus: The Top 10 Elite Programs
- 03. IMDb Audience Favorites: Data-Driven Rankings
- 04. Public Poll Results: What Americans Actually Watch
- 05. The Prestige TV Era: 2000s-2010s Transformation
- 06. Documentary Excellence: Nature Programming Achievement
- 07. Most Influential Programs: Format Innovators
- 08. Educational Application: Media Literacy in Marist Schools
Best TV Shows of All Times: The List That Never Settles
The best TV shows of all time according to critics and audiences are The Sopranos (1999-2007), Breaking Bad (2008-2013), The Wire (2002-2008), The Simpsons (1989-present), and Planet Earth II, with Chernobyl holding the highest IMDb rating at 9.7/10 based on 140,000+ votes. These shows dominate Rolling Stone's 2022 "100 Greatest TV Shows" list and IMDb's Top 250 TV chart, representing the Prestige TV era that transformed television into a dominant artistic medium.
Critical Consensus: The Top 10 Elite Programs
Rolling Stone's editorial staff, comprising 178 television critics, published their definitive ranking in September 2022, completely revising their 2016 list to reflect the Peak TV phenomenon where over 600 scripted series aired annually at the industry's 2022 high watermark.
- The Sopranos (HBO, 1999-2007) - Tony Soprano's therapy sessions revolutionized antihero storytelling
- The Simpsons (Fox, 1989-present) - 35+ seasons of satirical excellence influencing animated comedy
- Breaking Bad (AMC, 2008-2013) - Walter White's transformation exemplifies character arc mastery
- The Wire (HBO, 2002-2008) - Baltimore institution critique praised as novelistic television
- Fleabag (Amazon, 2016-2019) - Phoebe Waller-Bridge's breakthrough breaks fourth wall
- Seinfeld (NBC, 1989-1998) - "show about nothing" redefined sitcom format
- Mad Men (AMC, 2007-2015) - 1960s advertising drama won four consecutive Emmys
- Cheers (NBC, 1982-1993) - Boston bar sitcom attracted 32 million viewers weekly at peak
- Atlanta (FX, 2016-2022) - Donald Glover's surreal genre-busting vision
- The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS, 1970-1977) - Single woman in workplace paved feminist TV
IMDb Audience Favorites: Data-Driven Rankings
IMDb's Top 250 TV chart requires minimum 10,000 user ratings and 5 episodes for inclusion, creating a verified audience metric that complements critical lists.
| Rank | Show | IMDb Rating | Years | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breaking Bad | 9.5 | 2008-2013 | AMC |
| 2 | Planet Earth II | 9.6 | 2016 | BBC |
| 3 | Planet Earth | 9.4 | 2006 | BBC |
| 4 | Band of Brothers | 9.5 | 2001 | HBO |
| 5 | Chernobyl | 9.7 | 2019 | HBO |
| 6 | The Wire | 9.3 | 2002-2008 | HBO |
| 7 | Avatar: The Last Airbender | 9.3 | 2005-2008 | Nickelodeon |
| 8 | The Sopranos | 9.2 | 1999-2007 | HBO |
Chernobyl's 9.7 rating makes it the highest-audience-rated series in history, surpassing Breaking Bad's 9.5 after its June 3, 2019 finale. Planet Earth II narrowly edged Band of Brothers (9.5) with its 9.6 rating from 70 million IMDb users.
Public Poll Results: What Americans Actually Watch
A 2022 OnePoll survey of 2,000 adults for YouTube TV revealed nostalgia dominates viewer preferences, with 19% citing the 1980s-90s as television's golden age.
- Friends (43%) - NYC friends sitcom remains most beloved among general public
- Seinfeld (40%) - Close second in public recognition
- Game of Thrones (37%) - Fantasy epic despite controversial finale
- Three's Company (36%) - 1970s sitcom enduring appeal
- Frasier (36%) - Cheers spinoff with 37 Emmy wins
- The Office (36%) - Mockumentary format streaming powerhouse
- M*A*S*H (35%) - Series finale drew 106 million viewers in 1983
- The Sopranos (26%) - Critics' #1 ranks 13th with general audience
This gap between critical acclaim and popular preference shows educators should distinguish between artistic merit and mass appeal when discussing media literacy with students.
The Prestige TV Era: 2000s-2010s Transformation
Former Boston Globe critic Matthew Gilbert states decisively: "All these years later, I can see it was The Sopranos" as the greatest show, with Breaking Bad as close second. These four programs-The Sopranos, The Wire, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad-form the critical quartet defining modern television excellence.
HBO dominated with two shows (The Sopranos, The Wire), while AMC claimed two (Breaking Bad, Mad Men), establishing cable television supremacy during this transformative decade. The Sopranos premiered January 10, 1999, launching the antihero tradition that influenced Succession, Madame Web, and countless successors.
Documentary Excellence: Nature Programming Achievement
Planet Earth II holds a Metacritic score of 96 alongside its 9.6 IMDb rating, proving documentary television achieves equal critical standing with drama. David Attenborough's narration and BBC's 4K cinematography set new standards for wildlife programming available on Netflix Ireland.
The original Planet Earth maintains 9.4 rating, creating a BBC documentary dynasty occupying three Top 5 IMDb positions.
Most Influential Programs: Format Innovators
IMDb's "Most Influential TV Shows Ever" list identifies programs that changed television permanently:
- Twin Peaks - Surreal mystery invented prestige serialized drama
- Seinfeld - "Show about nothing" created observational sitcom
- The Simpsons - Adult animated satire pioneer
- The Twilight Zone - Anthology sci-fi template
- I Love Lucy - Live audience sitcom format
- Star Trek - Science fiction franchise blueprint
Twin Peaks' 1990 premiere by David Lynch introduced nightmare logic to prime time, directly influencing Twin Peaks: The Return and True Detective.
Educational Application: Media Literacy in Marist Schools
Understanding excellence criteria in television helps educators teach critical media analysis aligned with Marist pedagogy values of holistic formation.
When analyzing shows like The Wire's institutional critique or Chernobyl's truth-seeking narrative, students develop ethical reasoning skills essential for Latin American civic engagement. The contrast between Friends' relational themes and Breaking Bad's moral deterioration offers moral formation discussion opportunities for Catholic education contexts.
School administrators should note that streaming dominance (60% of viewing) requires updated media literacy curricula addressing algorithm-driven content consumption patterns.
Key concerns and solutions for Best Tv Shows Of All Times The List That Never Settles
What makes The Sopranos the greatest TV show?
The Sopranos pioneered complex antihero protagonist therapy narratives, winning 21 Emmy Awards and influencing every prestige drama since its 1999 premiere.
Which TV show has the highest IMDb rating?
Chernobyl holds 9.7/10 from 140,000+ votes, making it the highest-rated series in IMDb history after its June 2019 HBO finale.
Is Breaking Bad better than The Sopranos?
Critics rank The Sopranos #1 while audiences prefer Breaking Bad's 9.5 IMDb rating; both represent Prestige TV peak with different strengths.
What decade had the best TV shows?
19% of Americans cite 1980s-90s (Friends, Seinfeld era), while critics favor 2000s-2010s Prestige TV era (Sopranos, Wire, Breaking Bad).
How many scripted TV shows exist today?
1,122 shows debuted in 2025 (11% decline from 2024), down from 2022's 633-record high watermark as Peak TV enters declining phase.
Which streaming platform dominates 2025?
Streaming now accounts for 60% of all US TV viewing per Samba TV's 2025 report, with Netflix's Squid Game Season 2 leading at 27.1 million viewers.
