Netflix has been around for more than two decades, but only in recent years, together with other streaming platforms, has it become one of the most widespread pop culture phenomena worldwide. These platforms have changed the way we consume media forever. People no longer watch one episode per week or go see a movie in theaters; instead, they prefer binge-watching entire seasons or films over the course of a few days.
And how could we not, considering the high-quality content these platforms feed us with? The best TV shows of all time have changed the industry and left an indelible mark on pop culture, becoming part of our everyday lives, influencing culture, and in more recent years, finally showing more representation and diversity. Many of these shows were milestones in media history, changing the landscape for good and forever altering how we view television storytelling. Others simply broke new ground, orienting viewers toward serialized storytelling and complex characters with all their strengths and flaws.
If you’re wondering what you should watch next, these are all binge-worthy shows that inspire debates about favorite episodes and moments; they’re the ones we rewatch just because it’s so much fun to see them again after so many years (or decades)!
#1 Breaking Bad
2008-2013 | 5 seasons
Often considered one of the unmissable shows to watch, Breaking Bad follows Walter White, a struggling high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with advanced lung cancer at the beginning of the series. He turns to a life of crime, producing and selling methamphetamine with a former student, Jesse Pinkman, with the aim of securing the family’s financial future after his death. The show premiered on January 20, 2008, on AMC and completed its fifth and final season in 2013.
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50points
#2 Sherlock
2010-2017 | 4 seasons
Sherlock is a contemporary take on the classic detective Sherlock Holmes and his partner Watson, who are best friends and flatmates in modern-day London. The show has been praised for its great writing, fast-paced action, and suspenseful investigations. With just 13 episodes, you can easily binge-watch the four seasons of this wonderful show in just a couple of days!
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42points
#3 The Twilight Zone
1959-1964 | 5 seasons
The Twilight Zone is an anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The series features stories in which characters find themselves dealing with unusual situations, typically either supernatural or science fiction in nature, often ending with huge plot twists and a moral. The show ran for five seasons from 1959 to 1964 and became a tremendous success, leading to different revivals through the years, with the fourth one released from 2019 to 2020.
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40points
#5 The Office
2005-2013 | 9 seasons
It’s hilarious, touching, heartbreaking, and even thought-provoking at times. The Office is a mockumentary-style show, which means everything is filmed as if it were a documentary crew following the cast around all day long. Among the elements that contributed to the show’s success, we find the iconic lines, the memeable moments, and the characters that are so genuine and real they make you feel like you’re part of their daily lives. In 2016, Rolling Stone named The Office one of the 100 greatest television shows of all time.
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38points
#6 Game Of Thrones
2011-2019 | 8 seasons
The world-building and cinematography of Game of Thrones are so phenomenal that you could watch it for those reasons alone. The series ran from 2011 to 2019 and follows a large ensemble cast in the fictional territories of Westeros and Essos. The show is based on a series of novels by George R.R. Martin that have since become popular culture touchstones. Game Of Thrones has also become known for its complex female characters and the focus on politics, religion, oppression, and resistance. Despite the negative reception of its last season, the show is still very well worth watching.
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35points
#7 The Sopranos
1999-2007 | 6 seasons
This HBO series was one of the first cable dramas to get mainstream attention and acclaim. The story revolves around a New Jersey mobster facing the difficulties of leading a criminal organization and balancing his family life, all explored through his therapy sessions with a psychiatrist. The show soon became one of the most talked-about shows on television despite being aired on premium cable network HBO, available in significantly fewer American homes than regular networks. It also helped launch the careers of James Gandolfini and Edie Falco.
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34points
#9 Friends
1994-2004 | 10 seasons
For those who have lived under a rock their whole life, Friends is about a group of friends (obviously) living together in Manhattan. The show revolves around the ups and downs of their lives with each other, family, and work. You will fall in love with the characters and find yourself watching one episode after another because they are just that entertaining and addictive! The 2021 reunion, with the cast revisiting the original show location and re-enacting some iconic scenes, was watched by an estimated 29% of streaming households in the U.S., along with over 5 million viewers from the UK.
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30points
#10 Looney Tunes
1930-1969 (Original Series)
Looney Tunes, along with its sister series Merrie Melodies, had the spotlight during the golden age of American animation. The two cartoon shows gave life to some of the most famous animated characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the chaotic duo made of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. The most famous Looney Tunes character, Bugs Bunny, is regarded as a cultural icon and even has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!
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28points
#12 Tom And Jerry
1940-1967
When you’re looking for some good TV show to watch at random, turning on Tom & Jerry is an easy choice. It’s a classic comedy cartoon that never gets old, even after dozens of short episodes. The series centers on the rivalry between the titular characters, a cat named Tom and a mouse named Jerry, and heavily uses slapstick comedy (like falling down or hitting another character), which highly contributed to the show’s popularity among kids and adults alike.
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26points
#16 Better Call Saul
2015-2022 | 6 seasons
Better Call Saul is a worthy successor spin-off and prequel to the Breaking Bad series. The show follows Jimmy McGill and his gradual transformation into Saul Goodman as he works as a small-time lawyer in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The show received universal acclaim for its acting and writing, and earned 39 Primetime Emmys nominations. Many critics defined it as “the perfect prequel” and we couldn’t agree more with such a bold statement!
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21points
