Come on—arguing the best TV shows ever produced is pretty much a sport now. Whether at a dinner table, group chat, or on the web, everyone has their own and fierce opinions to go along with them. TV has come a long, long way from being relegated as brain candy. It’s now a legitimate artistic form with narrative that can compete with even the greatest movies. From the black-and-white classics to the current streaming behemoths, deciding on the greatest shows ever isn’t simple, but it’s certainly fun. So settle into your snacks, turn off your phone, and let’s begin our countdown of the ten best shows ever to grace the small screen. We’re counting down from 10 to 1, because what’s a decent list without some drama?
10. Lost
Way before “binging” was a thing, Lost had us on the edge of every cliffhanger. Who can forget being obsessed with smoke monsters, cryptic numbers, and who could forget that polar bear? This show wasn’t entertainment—it was a community obsession. Week in and week out, fans were speculating, arguing, and rewatching each episode for hints. Of course, the finale split audiences, but nobody can deny its effect. Lost was ambitious, emotional, and took risks, paving the way for all sorts of big-budget, high-concept shows that followed.
9. The Prisoner
If you’ve never seen The Prisoner, you’re in for a trip. This 1968 British cult classic is strange, stylish, and still surprisingly relevant. It follows a former spy—now called Number Six—trapped in a surreal, inescapable village where nothing is quite what it seems. Part psychological thriller, part social satire, it was decades ahead of its time. The show’s themes of identity, control, and rebellion still echo in some of today’s most thought-provoking television.
8. The Sopranos
It was unthinkable that a mob boss would attend therapy before The Sopranos. But what David Chase produced was no joke. This wasn’t merely a crime show—it was about family, psychiatry, morality, and the quiet unraveling of a man struggling to maintain it all. Tony Soprano became a legend, and the show irreparably changed what television could do: it was smart, it was violent, it was funny, and it was human. And yes, that closing shot continues to incite argument.
7. Mad Men
In the universe of 1960s advertising, Mad Men is both hip and somber. Don Draper might appear cool on the surface, but behind the suit is a man grappling with identity and lies. Each frame is painstakingly put together, each line of dialogue thoughtfully inserted. It’s not merely fashion for the period or retro looks—it’s ambition, gender roles, and the American dream myth. Seeing it is like a time machine, but one with a mirror held to contemporary life.
6. I Love Lucy
Few series have maintained as much staying power as I Love Lucy. Even today, years since its initial broadcast, Lucy’s escapades continue to elicit chuckles. Lucille Ball was a comedic mastermind, and the chemistry she had with Desi Arnaz was magic. Whether she was cramming chocolates or making grape stomping into anarchy, Lucy Ricardo brought happiness into homes all over the globe. This was not merely a sitcom—this was the template. Without it, television comedy might be a much different beast.
5. Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is not a television show—though it is one; it’s an experience. Merging small-town America with surreal nightmarishness, it became addicted with its opening episode. Who murdered Laura Palmer? The question set off a cultural phenomenon. Produced by David Lynch and Mark Frost, the show dislocated boundaries between mystery, horror, and dream logic in ways never accomplished on television before. And when it came back decades later with a third season? It was braver and more brilliant than ever before.
4. Seinfeld
A show about nothing? Not exactly a show about everything. Seinfeld took mundane annoyances—waiting in line, crummy dates, awkward conversation—and turned them into comedic gold. Its neurotic, lovable misfit cast of characters revolutionized the sitcom. And the catchphrases? They’re now part of everyday conversation. Whether “yada yada yada” or “no soup for you,” Seinfeld made the ordinary funny and challenged what a sitcom could do.
3. Breaking Bad
Few shows have built tension the way Breaking Bad did. Walter White’s slow, terrifying transformation from mild-mannered teacher to criminal mastermind was both horrifying and heartbreaking. Vince Gilligan crafted a world where every detail mattered, where every decision had consequences. It wasn’t just about drugs—it was about pride, morality, and the choices that define us. Every episode felt like a punch to the gut—in the best way possible.
2. The Wire
Where Breaking Bad is a tragedy, The Wire is an epic. It’s not merely about the Baltimore streets—it’s about how systems collapse on individuals. Whether the police, schools, press, or city politics, the show examines how things disintegrate and why. Realistic, multi-layered, and brutally honest, The Wire doesn’t provide easy answers. It demands you pay attention, and it repays you with some of the strongest storytelling ever to be shot.
1. The Simpsons
Over 30 years on, The Simpsons remains part of the pop culture conversation—and that’s no coincidence. What began as an offbeat animated family grew into a biting, clever, and frequently profoundly poignant commentary on society. Satire, slapstick, social commentary—whatever it does, it does it with aplomb. The series has shaped generations of writers, comedians, and animators, and its first seasons, in particular, are generally regarded as being among the greatest television ever produced. If you grew up with the series or stumbled upon it later, The Simpsons has probably informed the way you perceive the world.
And there you have it—the 10 best television programs ever produced, at least based on this list. You can disagree, and that’s sort of the point. Good television doesn’t only entertain—it lingers with us, provokes argument, and makes us think. What would your top 10 be?