Last Updated on 18 September 2023
The following list is the Official Definitive List of the 500 best TV shows of all time.
I found 27 different ranked lists online of “best TV shows 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 all 27 lists that were averaged. Below is a checklist you can print to track which ones you’ve seen, followed by the ranked list.
- Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
- The Sopranos (1999-2007)
- The Wire (2002-2008)
- Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
- Seinfeld (1989-1998)
- The Simpsons (1989-present)
- The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
- Friends (1994-2004)
- Mad Men (2007-2015)
- M*A*S*H (1972-1983)
- Twin Peaks (1990-1991, 2017)
- I Love Lucy (1951-1957)
- Lost (2004-2010)
- Cheers (1982-1993)
- The West Wing (1999-2006)
- The Office (U.S.) (2005-2013)
- The X-Files (1993-2002, 2016-2018)
- The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977)
- All in the Family (1971-1979)
- Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
- Band of Brothers (2001)
- Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)
- Saturday Night Live (1975-present)
- Arcane (2021-present)
- Stranger Things (2016-2025)
- Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-present)
- Deadwood (2004-2006)
- Arrested Development (2003-2006, 2013-2019)
- 30 Rock (2006-2013)
- Six Feet Under (2001-2005)
- Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)
- South Park (1997-present)
- Frasier (1993-2004)
- Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
- Planet Earth (2006)
- ER (1994-2009)
- Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
- Sherlock (2010-2017)
- Doctor Who (1963-1989, 2005-present)
- The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998)
- True Detective (2014-2019, 2024)
- Succession (2018-2023)
- The Boys (2019-present)
- Chernobyl (2019)
- Hill Street Blues (1981-1987)
- Fleabag (2016-2019)
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
- Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969-1974)
- Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)
- Sex and the City (1998-2004)
- Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014)
- The Shield (2002-2008)
- Fargo (2014-2024)
- Sesame Street (1969-present)
- The Golden Girls (1985-1992)
- House (2004-2012)
- The Leftovers (2014-2017)
- Dexter (2006-2013)
- The Muppet Show (1976-1981)
- The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978)
- Rick and Morty (2013-present)
- Friday Night Lights (2006-2011)
- NYPD Blue (1993-2005)
- 24 (2001-2010)
- Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995)
- Tom and Jerry (1940-1986)
- Modern Family (2009-2020)
- Jeopardy! (1984-present)
- Roots (1977)
- BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)
- Veep (2012-2019)
- Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)
- Planet Earth II (2016)
- Law & Order (1990-present)
- It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-present)
- The Americans (2013-2018)
- House of Cards (2013-2018)
- Community (2009-2015)
- Oz (1997-2003)
- Firefly (2002-2003)
- The Walking Dead (2010-2022)
- Taxi (1978-1983)
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962)
- The Cosby Show (1984-1992)
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962-1992)
- The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968)
- The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966)
- Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
- The Good Wife (2009-2016)
- The Bugs Bunny Show (1960-1975, 1978-2000)
- Columbo (1971-1978, 1989-2003)
- Fawlty Towers (1975-1979)
- The Honeymooners (1955-1956)
- The Wonder Years (1988-1993)
- Futurama (1999-2003, 2008-2013, 2023-present)
- Ted Lasso (2020-2023)
- How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)
- Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005)
- Chappelle’s Show (2003-2006)
- The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)
- Justified (2010-2015)
- This Is Us (2016-2022)
- Will & Grace (1998-2020)
- Scrubs (2001-2010)
- The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-present)
- Happy Days (1974-1984)
- The Mandalorian (2019-present)
- Westworld (2016-2022)
- Hannibal (2013-2015)
- Gilligan’s Island (1963-1967)
- Orange Is the New Black (2013-2019)
- Black Mirror (2011-present)
- The Office (U.K.) (2001-2003)
- Family Guy (1999-present)
- The Blue Planet (2001, 2017)
- Roseanne (1988-1997)
- The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (1999-2015)
- The OA (2016-2019)
- Grey’s Anatomy (2005-present)
- The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978)
- St. Elsewhere (1982-1988)
- Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014)
- Your Show of Shows (1950-1954)
- Peaky Blinders (2013-2022)
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017-2023)
- Life on Mars (2006-2007)
- Married… with Children (1987-1997)
- Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020)
- Atlanta (2016-2022)
- Homeland (2011-2020)
- Homicide: Life on the Street (1993-1999)
- American Dad! (2005-present)
- Looney Tunes (1930-1969)
- Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983)
- Bewitched (1964-1972)
- In Treatment (2008-2021)
- Narcos: Mexico (2018-2021)
- Adventure Time (2010-2018)
- Yellowstone (2018-2023)
- My So-Called Life (1994-1995)
- Dark (2017-2020)
- The Good Place (2016-2020)
- The Rockford Files (1974-1980)
- Dragon Ball Z (1989-1996)
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-2021)
- Mindhunter (2017-2019)
- Late Night with David Letterman (1982-1993)
- What We Do in the Shadows (2019-present)
- Supernatural (2005-2020)
- The Prisoner (1967-1968)
- The Jetsons (1962-1963)
- Rome (2005-2007)
- Murphy Brown (1988-1998)
- Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
- Gunsmoke (1955-1975)
- The Brady Bunch (1969-1974)
- Northern Exposure (1990-1995)
- Quantum Leap (1989-1993)
- Flight of the Conchords (2007-2009)
- Money Heist (2017-2021)
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996)
- Family Ties (1982-1989)
- Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (1968-2001)
- Spaced (1999-2001)
- Only Fools and Horses (1981-2003)
- Squid Game (2021-present)
- The Crown (2016-2023)
- Sanford and Son (1972-1978)
- Blackadder (1983-1989)
- SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-present)
- Batman (1966-1968)
- Killing Eve (2018-2022)
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
- I Dream of Jeannie (1965-1970)
- 60 Minutes (1968-present)
- Big Mouth (2017-2024)
- American Horror Story (2011-present)
- Survivor (2000-present)
- Good Times (1974-1979)
- Get Smart (1965-1970)
- Alias (2001-2006)
- Moonlighting (1985-1989)
- In Living Color (1990-1994)
- Louie (2010-2015)
- Dallas (1978-1991)
- The Jeffersons (1975-1985)
- Three’s Company (1976-1984)
- Barney Miller (1975-1982)
- Soap (1977-1981)
- Home Improvement (1991-1999)
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-present)
- The Real World (1992-present)
- The Flintstones (1960-1966)
- The Queen’s Gambit (2020)
- The Three Stooges (1934-1959)
- Black-ish (2014-2022)
- True Blood (2008-2014)
- The Witcher (2019-present)
- Thirtysomething (1987-1991)
- Criminal Minds (2005-present)
- The Wheel of Time (2021-present)
- Gravity Falls (2012-2016)
- Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
- Prime Suspect (1991-1996, 2003-2006)
- Fringe (2008-2013)
- Cobra Kai (2018-present)
- Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988)
- The Waltons (1972-1981)
- I’m Alan Partridge (1997-2002)
- Knight Rider (1982-1986)
- Mr. Robot (2015-2019)
- Only Murders In the Building (2021-present)
- Shameless (2011-2021)
- Malcolm in the Middle (2000-2006)
- Entourage (2004-2011)
- Narcos (2015-2017)
- The Odd Couple (1970-1975)
- Key & Peele (2012-2015)
- I May Destroy You (2020)
- Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1998-2007, 2013-present)
- Wayne (2019)
- Wheel of Fortune (1983-present)
- American Idol (2002-present)
- Castle (2009-2016)
- Girls (2012-2017)
- Saved by the Bell (1989-1992)
- Ozark (2017-2022)
- Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1978)
- The Fugitive (1963-1967)
- L.A. Law (1986-1994)
- Maude (1972-1978)
- The Avengers (1961-1969)
- Outlander (2014-present)
- Ally McBeal (1997-2002)
- Locke & Key (2020-2022)
- The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
- Watchmen (2019)
- The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971)
- Leave It to Beaver (1957-1963)
- Family Feud (1976-present)
- Foundation (2021-present)
- The Phil Silvers Show (Sergeant Bilko) (1955-1959)
- The Munsters (1964-1966)
- Queer As Folk (1999-2000)
- Arrow (2012-2020)
- Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-1999, 2017-2018, 2022-present)
- The Thick of It (2005-2012)
- The Umbrella Academy (2019-present)
- Barry (2018-present)
- Line of Duty (2012-2021)
- Paranormal (2020)
- The Morning Show (2019-present)
- Lassie (1954-1974)
- Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995-1998)
- Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In (1967-1973)
- Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990-2000)
- Night Court (1984-1992)
- NCIS (2003-present)
- Miami Vice (1984-1989)
- The Singing Detective (1986)
- Our Planet (2019)
- Hawkeye (2021)
- I, Claudius (1976)
- Absolutely Fabulous (1992-2012)
- Cagney & Lacey (1981-1988)
- Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996)
- House of the Dragon (2022-present)
- Loki (2021-present)
- Peep Show (2003-2015)
- Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present)
- Regular Show (2010-2017)
- The Blacklist (2013-2023)
- The Expanse (2015-2022)
- Daredevil (2015-2018)
- Desperate Housewives (2004-2012)
- Dawson’s Creek (1998-2003)
- Beavis and Butt-Head (1993-2011)
- Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (2014)
- MacGyver (1985-1992, 2016-2021)
- Mork & Mindy (1978-1982)
- Sex Education (2019-present)
- That ’70s Show (1998-2006)
- Bob’s Burgers (2011-present)
- Luther (2010-2019)
- Veronica Mars (2004-2007, 2019)
- Dragnet (1951-1959)
- Hogan’s Heroes (1965-1971)
- The White Lotus (2021-present)
- Orphan Black (2013-2017)
- The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (1964-1968)
- Hellbound (2021-present)
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014-present)
- The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-2011)
- Lucifer (2016-2021)
- Perry Mason (1957-1966)
- Designing Women (1986-1993)
- Big Brother (2000-present)
- Black Sails (2014-2017)
- The Shrink Next Door (2021-present)
- The A-Team (1983-1987)
- The Price Is Right (1972-present)
- Family (1976-1980)
- American Crime Story (2016-present)
- Pokémon (1997-2023)
- Top Cat (1961-1962)
- Related (2005-2006)
- You (2018-2024)
- Benson (1979-1986)
- The Rifleman (1958-1963)
- American Gods (2017-2021)
- Party of Five (1994-2000)
- The Punisher (2017-2019)
- Newhart (1982-1990)
- America’s Funniest Home Videos (1989-present)
- Superman & Lois (2021-present)
- Bonanza (1959-1973)
- The Flash (2014-2023)
- WKRP in Cincinnati (1978-1982)
- Teen Titans (2003-2006)
- Silicon Valley (2014-2019)
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-present)
- The Abbott and Costello Show (1952-1957)
- The Amazing World of Gumball (2011-2019)
- Monk (2002-2009)
- Invasion (2021-present)
- Steven Universe (2013-2019)
- Dynasty (1981-1989)
- NewsRadio (1995-1999)
- 1883 (2021-2022)
- Chucky (2021-present)
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948-1971)
- The Legend of Korra (2012-2014)
- The Addams Family (1964-1966)
- Angel (1999-2004)
- Chicago Fire (2012-present)
- Young Sheldon (2017-present)
- Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983)
- Parenthood (2010-2015)
- Prison Break (2005-2017)
- Charlie’s Angels (1976-1981)
- The Love Boat (1977-1987)
- The Rookie (2018-present)
- My Hero Academia (2016-present)
- Mission Impossible (1966-1973)
- Sense8 (2015-2018)
- The Sinner (2017-2021)
- The Practice (1997-2004)
- Total Drama (2007-2023)
- The Road Runner Show (1966-1973)
- Insecure (2016-2021)
- Mr. Bean (1990-1995)
- The Young Ones (1982-1984)
- Yellowjackets (2021-present)
- Mr. Robot (2015-2019)
- Starsky & Hutch (1975-1979)
- Lost in Space (1965-1968)
- Doom Patrol (2019-2023)
- The Pink Panther Show (1969-1970)
- Invincible (2021-present)
- Boston Legal (2004-2008)
- Peanuts (2014-2017)
- Supergirl (2015-2021)
- The Colbert Report (2005-2014)
- The Six Million Dollar Man (1974-1978)
- Severance (2022-present)
- Golden Girls (1985-1992)
- Halt and Catch Fire (2014-2017)
- The Grand Tour (2016-present)
- The Last of Us (2023-present)
- Russian Doll (2019-present)
- Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001)
- Atlanta (2016-2022)
- Misfits (2009-2013)
- Cowboy Bebop (1998-1999, 2001)
- The Underground Railroad (2021)
- Utopia (2013)
- Father Ted (1995-1998)
- Monkey (1978-1980)
- Eastbound & Down (2009-2013)
- Playhouse 90 (1956-1961)
- The Day Today (1994)
- Archer (2009-present)
- Toast of London (2012-present)
- The Newsroom (2012-2014)
- Joe 90 (1968-1969)
- Desmond’s (1989-1994)
- SCTV (1976-1984)
- Better Things (2016-2022)
- It’s a Sin (2021)
- Making a Murderer (2015-2018)
- State of Play (2003)
- Lou Grant (1977-1982)
- Top Boy (2011-present)
- This Life (1996-1997)
- Full House (1986-1995)
- Our Friends in the North (1996)
- Cracker (1993-1996, 2006)
- Nathan Barley (2005)
- Scandal (2012-2018)
- 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996-2001)
- Suits (2011-2019)
- Reading Rainbow (1983-2006)
- Euphoria (2019-present)
- Red Dwarf (1988-1999, 2009-present)
- Upstairs Downstairs (1971-1975, 2010-2012)
- Party Down (2009-2010, 2023)
- Spartacus (2010-2013)
- The Defenders (1961-1965)
- Father Knows Best (1954-1960)
- Vikings (2013-2020)
- Person of Interest (2011-2016)
- The Kids in the Hall (1988-1995, 2011)
- Catastrophe (2015-2019)
- Babylon 5 (1993-1998)
- Felicity (1998-2002)
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigations (2000-2015)
- Sacred Games (2018-2019)
- The Outer Limits (1963-1965)
- Diff’rent Strokes (1978-1986)
- The Bridge (2011-2018)
- The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967-1969)
- The Magical World of Disney (1954-1966, 1986-2002)
- Bosch (2014-2021)
- Project Runway (2004-present)
- Samurai Jack (2001-2017)
- Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (1995-2002)
- Lonesome Dove (1989)
- The Danny Thomas Show (1953-1965)
- Broadchurch (2013-2017)
- The Comeback (2005, 2014)
- Two and a Half Men (2003-2015)
- The Good Fight (2017-2022)
- Farscape (1999-2003)
- MythBusters (2003-2018)
- Mad About You (1992-1999)
- The Little Rascals (1955)
- Our Miss Brooks (1952-1956)
- DuckTales (1987-1990)
- Popeye the Sailor (1960-1962)
- Wonder Woman (1975-1979)
- WandaVision (2021)
- Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005)
- Wednesday (2022-present)
- Chicago Hope (1994-2000)
- Good Omens (2019-present)
- The Yogi Bear Show (1961-1962)
- Star Trek: Picard (2020-2023)
- Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007)
- The Muppets (2015-2016)
- The Woody Woodpecker Show (1957-1972)
- Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969-1976)
- Reacher (2022-present)
- The IT Crowd (2006-2013)
- Have Gun – Will Travel (1957-1963)
- Unsolved Mysteries (1987-2010)
- The Untouchables (1959-1963)
- Inspector Gadget (1983-1986)
- I Spy (1965-1968)
- Andor (2022-present)
- Maverick (1957-1962)
- Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
- Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015-2019)
- Moon Knight (2022)
- Mister Ed (1961-1966)
- Mannix (1967-1975)
- The Lucy Show (1962-1968)
- Room 222 (1969-1974)
- Antiques Roadshow (1997-present)
- The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959-1963)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020)
- The Orville (2017-2022)
- Rescue Me (2004-2011)
- Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980, 2010-2020)
- The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show (1959-1963)
- Ironside (1967-1975)
- Kung Fu (1972-1975)
- Coach (1989-1997)
- Kojak (1973-1978)
- Goosebumps (1995-1998)
- Pose (2018-2021)
- The Benny Hill Show (1969-1989)
- Wild, Wild West (1965-1969)
- Alice in Borderland (2020-present)
- Chuck (2007-2012)
- Hanna (2019-2021)
- Manifest (2018-2023)
- King of the Hill (1997-2010)
- The Streets of San Francisco (1972-1977)
- The Johnny Carson Show (1953-1956)
- The Monkees (1965-1968)
- Spin City (1996-2002)
- Hazel (1961-1966)
- Rhoda (1974-1978)
- Superstore (2015-2021)
- That Girl (1966-1971)
- Poldark (2015-2019)
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009-2010)
- Big Love (2006-2011)
- A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017-2019)
- Penny Dreadful (2014-2016)