Favourite TV Shows (Action/Drama)
by wilson-michael24 | created - 20 May 2013 | updated - 2 months ago | PublicI've seen other lists and it's helped me find new shows. I hope my list can play a part. Cheers!
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1. 24 (2001–2010)
TV-14 | 44 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Counter Terrorism Agent Jack Bauer races against the clock to subvert terrorist plots and save his nation from ultimate disaster.
Stars: Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Carlos Bernard, Dennis Haysbert
Votes: 196,899
My favourite show of all time.
2. Spartacus (2010–2013)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Biography
The life of Spartacus, the gladiator who lead a rebellion against the Romans. From his time as an ally of the Romans, to his betrayal and becoming a gladiator, to the rebellion he leads and its ultimate outcome.
Stars: Andy Whitfield, Lucy Lawless, Manu Bennett, Daniel Feuerriegel
Votes: 256,754
Absolutely loved this series! Great action with characters you grow to really like only to have the constant worry they will perish.
3. 1883 (2021–2022)
TV-MA | 56 min | Drama, Western
The post-Civil war generation of the Dutton family travels to Texas, and joins a wagon train undertaking the arduous journey west to Oregon, before settling in Montana to establish what would eventually become the Yellowstone Ranch.
Stars: Tim McGraw, Sam Elliott, Faith Hill, Isabel May
Votes: 115,670
4. Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009)
TV-14 | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
When an old enemy, the Cylons, resurface and obliterate the 12 colonies, the crew of the aged Galactica protect a small civilian fleet - the last of humanity - as they journey toward the fabled 13th colony, Earth.
Stars: Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Jamie Bamber, James Callis
Votes: 175,415
Took me a while before I broke down and watched this series because I didn't like the revisionist history (Starbuck now a girl etc.) but.. this show was absolutely fantastic! I miss it.
5. The Mandalorian (2019– )
TV-14 | 40 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
The travels of a lone bounty hunter in the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic.
Stars: Pedro Pascal, Chris Bartlett, Katee Sackhoff, Carl Weathers
Votes: 585,992
6. The Last Kingdom (2015–2022)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Drama, History
As Alfred the Great defends his kingdom from Norse invaders, Uhtred--born a Saxon but raised by Vikings--seeks to claim his ancestral birthright.
Stars: Alexander Dreymon, Eliza Butterworth, Arnas Fedaravicius, Mark Rowley
Votes: 165,373
7. Merlin (2008–2012)
TV-PG | 45 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
These are the brand new adventures of Merlin, the legendary sorcerer as a young man, when he was just a servant to young Prince Arthur on the royal court of Camelot, who has soon become his best friend, and turned Arthur into a great king and a legend.
Stars: John Hurt, Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Richard Wilson
Votes: 87,171
Started out campy and "Harry Potter" like, however by season three the show grew darker and gained depth. Absolutely loved the last 2 seasons.
8. Better Call Saul (2015–2022)
TV-MA | 45 min | Crime, Drama
The trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer Jimmy McGill in the years leading up to his fateful run-in with Walter White and Jesse Pinkman.
Stars: Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Jonathan Banks, Patrick Fabian
Votes: 645,805
9. The Wire (2002–2008)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
The Baltimore drug scene, as seen through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement.
Stars: Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Sonja Sohn, Wendell Pierce
Votes: 376,748
10. Justified (2010–2015)
TV-MA | 45 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Enforcing his own brand of justice, U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, a strong-willed, quiet law-man haunted by his past, returns to his native town to see that justice is served to those in need.
Stars: Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy, Joelle Carter, Jacob Pitts
Votes: 118,495
If you like a great modern day day action show with a small town feel to it this is the show!
11. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)
TV-PG | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.
Stars: Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton
Votes: 135,767
I used to look forward to Friday night's to tune into my generations' Star Trek.
12. Ray Donovan (2013–2020)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama
Ray Donovan, a professional "fixer" for the rich and famous in Los Angeles, can make anyone's problems disappear except those created by his own family.
Stars: Liev Schreiber, Eddie Marsan, Dash Mihok, Pooch Hall
Votes: 93,471
13. Star Trek (1966–1969)
TV-PG | 50 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.
Stars: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols
Votes: 92,785
14. Hell on Wheels (2011–2016)
TV-14 | 42 min | Drama, Western
The Civil War is past, but former Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon can't put it behind him. Fresh are the memories of the death of his wife, killed at the hands of Union soldiers, an act that sets him on a course of revenge.
Stars: Anson Mount, Colm Meaney, Robin McLeavy, Phil Burke
Votes: 55,719
15. Breaking Bad (2008–2013)
TV-MA | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine with a former student in order to secure his family's future.
Stars: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Betsy Brandt
Votes: 2,131,868
16. The Americans (2013–2018)
TV-MA | 44 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
At the height of the Cold War, two Russian agents pose as the average American couple, complete with family.
Stars: Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Keidrich Sellati, Holly Taylor
Votes: 111,114
17. Banshee (2013–2016)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
An ex-con assumes the identity of a murdered sheriff in the small town of Banshee, Pennsylvania, where he has some unfinished business.
Stars: Antony Starr, Ivana Milicevic, Ulrich Thomsen, Frankie Faison
Votes: 123,334
18. The Fall (I) (2013–2016)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A seemingly cold but very passionate policewoman goes head to head with a seemingly passionate father who is in fact a cold serial killer in this procedural out of Belfast. The only thing they share is their common complexity.
Stars: Gillian Anderson, Jamie Dornan, John Lynch, Aisling Franciosi
Votes: 119,501
19. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2020)
TV-PG | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Jedi Knights lead the Grand Army of the Republic against the droid army of the Separatists.
Stars: Tom Kane, Dee Bradley Baker, Matt Lanter, James Arnold Taylor
Votes: 120,074
20. Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.
Stars: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey
Votes: 2,280,558
I think this is a very good show. I love the action and political maneuvering. I still think it just lacks something that could make this the pinnacle of all shows.
21. The Expanse (2015–2022)
TV-14 | 60 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
The disappearance of rich-girl-turned-political-activist links the lives of Ceres detective, accidental ship captain and U.N. politician. Amidst political tension between Earth, Mars and the Belt, they unravel the greatest conspiracy.
Stars: Steven Strait, Dominique Tipper, Wes Chatham, Shohreh Aghdashloo
Votes: 171,983
22. Billy the Kid (2022– )
TV-MA | 49 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
An epic romantic adventure based on the life of Billy the Kid, from his humble Irish roots and his early days as a cowboy and gunslinger in the American frontier, to his pivotal role in the Lincoln County War and beyond.
Stars: Tom Blyth, Daniel Webber, Shaun Benson, Sean Owen Roberts
Votes: 7,204
23. Succession (2018–2023)
TV-MA | 60 min | Comedy, Drama
The Roy family is known for controlling the biggest media and entertainment company in the world. However, their world changes when their father steps down from the company.
Stars: Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin, Peter Friedman
Votes: 271,836
24. Animal Kingdom (2016–2022)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama
Centers on a Southern California family, whose excessive lifestyle is fueled by their criminal activities.
Stars: Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole
Votes: 43,561
25. Ahsoka (2023– )
TV-14 | 54 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
After the fall of the Galactic Empire, former Jedi Ahsoka Tano investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy.
Stars: Rosario Dawson, David Tennant, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Votes: 110,058
26. Bosch: Legacy (2022– )
TV-MA | 50 min | Crime, Drama
Bosch embarks on the next chapter of his career and finds himself working with his one-time enemy, Honey Chandler.
Stars: Titus Welliver, Mimi Rogers, Madison Lintz, Stephen A. Chang
Votes: 28,094
27. Reacher (2022– )
TV-MA | 50 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Itinerant former military policeman Jack Reacher solves crimes and metes out his own brand of street justice. Based on the novels by Lee Child.
Stars: Alan Ritchson, Maria Sten, Malcolm Goodwin, Willa Fitzgerald
Votes: 210,167
28. Yellowstone (2018– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Western
A ranching family in Montana faces off against others encroaching on their land.
Stars: Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley
Votes: 219,475
29. Narcos (2015–2017)
TV-MA | 50 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
A chronicled look at the criminal exploits of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, as well as the many other drug kingpins who plagued the country through the years.
Stars: Pedro Pascal, Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook, Alberto Ammann
Votes: 469,633
30. Mr. Mercedes (2017–2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A demented killer taunts a retired police detective with a series of lurid letters and emails, forcing the ex-cop to undertake a private, and potentially felonious, crusade to bring the killer to justice before he can strike again.
Stars: Brendan Gleeson, Holland Taylor, Jharrel Jerome, Breeda Wool
Votes: 26,543
31. Prison Break (2005–2017)
TV-14 | 44 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A structural engineer installs himself in a prison he helped design, in order to save his falsely accused brother from a death sentence by breaking themselves out from the inside.
Stars: Dominic Purcell, Wentworth Miller, Amaury Nolasco, Robert Knepper
Votes: 578,671
32. Hap and Leonard (2016–2018)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Set in the late 1980s, Hap and Leonard is a darkly comic swamp noir of two best friends, one femme fatale, a crew of washed up revolutionaries, a pair of murderous psycho killers, some lost loot, and the fuzz.
Stars: James Purefoy, Michael Kenneth Williams, Tiffany Mack, Cranston Johnson
Votes: 8,320
33. The Leftovers (2014–2017)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Three years after the disappearance of 2% of the global human population, a group of people in a small New York community try to continue their lives while coping with the tragedy of the unexplained nature of the event.
Stars: Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler
Votes: 112,147
34. The Last Ship (2014–2018)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
The crew of a naval destroyer is forced to confront the reality of a new existence when a pandemic kills off most of the earth's population.
Stars: Eric Dane, Adam Baldwin, Charles Parnell, Travis Van Winkle
Votes: 63,729
35. Watchmen (2019)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Set in an alternate history where masked vigilantes are treated as outlaws, Watchmen embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel of the same name, while attempting to break new ground of its own.
Stars: Regina King, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Tom Mison, Sara Vickers
Votes: 134,061
36. Fargo (2014–2024)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Various chronicles of deception, intrigue, and murder in and around frozen Minnesota. All of these tales mysteriously lead back one way or another to Fargo, North Dakota.
Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks
Votes: 421,277
37. Firefly (2002–2003)
TV-14 | 45 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Five hundred years in the future, a renegade crew aboard a small spacecraft tries to survive as they travel the unknown parts of the galaxy and evade warring factions as well as authority agents out to get them.
Stars: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin
Votes: 281,465
This show went before it's time.
38. Star Wars: Rebels (2014–2018)
TV-Y7-FV | 22 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The crew of the spaceship Ghost defends those who cannot fight for themselves against the Empire, providing the spark for a rebellion.
Stars: Dave Filoni, Taylor Gray, Freddie Prinze Jr., Vanessa Marshall
Votes: 58,106
39. The Killing (2011–2014)
TV-14 | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A police investigation, the saga of a grieving family, and a Seattle mayoral campaign all interlock after the body of 17-year-old Rosie Larsen is found in the trunk of a submerged car.
Stars: Mireille Enos, Joel Kinnaman, Billy Campbell, Liam James
Votes: 123,215
40. Mad Men (2007–2015)
TV-MA | 45 min | Drama
A drama about one of New York's most prestigious ad agencies at the beginning of the 1960s, focusing on one of the firm's most mysterious but extremely talented ad executives, Donald Draper.
Stars: Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, January Jones
Votes: 260,219
41. Vikings (2013–2020)
TV-MA | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Vikings transports us to the brutal and mysterious world of Ragnar Lothbrok, a Viking warrior and farmer who yearns to explore--and raid--the distant shores across the ocean.
Stars: Katheryn Winnick, Gustaf Skarsgård, Alexander Ludwig, Georgia Hirst
Votes: 581,298
42. Strike Back (2010–2020)
TV-MA | 45 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
Follows the actions of Section 20, a secretive unit of British military intelligence. A team of special operations personnel conduct several high risk missions across the globe.
Stars: Philip Winchester, Sullivan Stapleton, Michelle Lukes, Daniel MacPherson
Votes: 33,468
43. Joe Pickett (2021–2023)
TV-14 | 50 min | Drama, Western
Follows a game warden and his family during a changing political and socioeconomic climate in a small rural town.
Stars: Michael Dorman, Julianna Guill, Sharon Lawrence, Mustafa Speaks
Votes: 10,413
44. Jack Ryan (2018–2023)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
Up-and-coming CIA analyst, Jack Ryan, is thrust into dangerous field assignments.
Stars: John Krasinski, Wendell Pierce, Michael Kelly, Abbie Cornish
Votes: 175,312
45. Blindspot (2015–2020)
TV-14 | 42 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Jane Doe is found in Times Square with no memory and mysterious tattoos on her body.
Stars: Sullivan Stapleton, Jaimie Alexander, Audrey Esparza, Ashley Johnson
Votes: 78,980
46. Rome (2005–2007)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Drama, Romance
A down-to-earth account of the lives of both illustrious and ordinary Romans set in the last days of the Roman Republic.
Stars: Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Polly Walker, Kerry Condon
Votes: 185,160
Great show! Interesting historical perspective viewed through the eyes of two roman soldiers. Not as intense or action-oriented as "Spartacus" focusing more on the historical aspect.
47. The Shield (2002–2008)
TV-MA | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Drama series following the lives and cases of dirty cop Vic Mackey and the corrupt LAPD unit under his command.
Stars: Michael Chiklis, Catherine Dent, Walton Goggins, Michael Jace
Votes: 87,967
48. Gotham (2014–2019)
TV-14 | 42 min | Action, Crime, Drama
The story behind Detective James Gordon's rise to prominence in Gotham City in the years before Batman's arrival.
Stars: Ben McKenzie, Jada Pinkett Smith, Donal Logue, Camren Bicondova
Votes: 240,584
49. Quarry (2016)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Quarry, a disillusioned Vietnam War vet, returns home to Memphis in 1972 only to find rejection and scrutiny at every step. A mysterious man known only as The Broker gives him an offer he can't refuse - to work for him as a hitman.
Stars: Logan Marshall-Green, Jodi Balfour, Damon Herriman, Edoardo Ballerini
Votes: 14,343
50. Peaky Blinders (2013–2022)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama
A gangster family epic set in 1900s England, centering on a gang who sew razor blades in the peaks of their caps, and their fierce boss Tommy Shelby.
Stars: Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle, Helen McCrory
Votes: 648,040
51. Revolution (2012–2014)
TV-14 | 43 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Fifteen years after a permanent global blackout, a group of revolutionaries seek to drive out a tyrannical militia that's taken over the former United States of America.
Stars: Billy Burke, Tracy Spiridakos, Giancarlo Esposito, Zak Orth
Votes: 86,031
Post apocolyptic world. Great action and characters.
52. Bates Motel (2013–2017)
TV-MA | 45 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A contemporary prequel to Psycho, giving a portrayal of how Norman Bates' psyche unravels through his teenage years, and how deeply intricate his relationship with his mother, Norma, truly is.
Stars: Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot, Nicola Peltz Beckham
Votes: 116,853
53. Arrow (2012–2020)
TV-14 | 42 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Spoiled billionaire playboy Oliver Queen is missing and presumed dead when his yacht is lost at sea. He returns five years later a changed man, determined to clean up the city as a hooded vigilante armed with a bow.
Stars: Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Susanna Thompson
Votes: 445,840
I thought a TV show about a comic book super hero would be campy but surprisingly this show has more layers than I thought. Good action show with interesting characters.
54. Bosch (2014–2021)
TV-MA | 50 min | Crime, Drama
An L.A.P.D. homicide detective works to solve the murder of a 13-year-old boy while standing trial in federal court for the murder of a serial killer.
Stars: Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Lance Reddick
Votes: 83,299
55. Godless (2017)
TV-MA | 65 min | Action, Drama, Western
In the 1880s American West, murderous outlaw gang leader Frank Griffin hunts for ex-protege Roy Goode. Frank's chase leads him to La Belle, New Mexico--a town inhabited, after a mining disaster, almost entirely by women.
Stars: Jack O'Connell, Michelle Dockery, Scoot McNairy, Merritt Wever
Votes: 78,405
56. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–2020)
TV-PG | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The missions of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.
Stars: Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Brett Dalton, Iain De Caestecker
Votes: 225,890
57. Daredevil (2015–2018)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A blind lawyer by day, vigilante by night. Matt Murdock fights the crime of New York as Daredevil.
Stars: Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson
Votes: 474,233
58. Star Trek: Enterprise (2001–2005)
TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A century before Captain Kirk's five-year mission, Jonathan Archer captains the United Earth ship Enterprise during the early years of Starfleet, leading up to the Earth-Romulan War and the formation of the Federation.
Stars: Scott Bakula, John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating
Votes: 59,030
59. V (1984–1985)
TV-PG | 1,088 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A year after Liberation Day, courtesy of the red-dust bacteria, the humanoid, lizard-like aliens develop a resistance to the micro-organism and try to regain control of the Earth--only now, some humans are knowingly working with them.
Stars: Marc Singer, Faye Grant, Michael Ironside, Jane Badler
Votes: 14,018
I was glued to the set for this series when I was kid. A great premise that gets used often but this was the original. The 2009 remake series had potential but writers held back and it cost them.. too bad.
60. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022– )
TV-PG | 52 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, the show follows the crew of the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike.
Stars: Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Christina Chong, Melissa Navia
Votes: 58,663
61. Titans (I) (2018–2023)
TV-MA | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Dick and Rachel, a girl possessed by a strange darkness, get embroiled in a conspiracy that could bring Hell on Earth. Joining them along the way are the hot-headed Starfire and lovable Beast Boy. Together they become a team of heroes.
Stars: Brenton Thwaites, Anna Diop, Ryan Potter, Teagan Croft
Votes: 112,679
62. The Glades (2010–2013)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A former Chicago cop moves to a small Florida town and joins the state police.
Stars: Matt Passmore, Kiele Sanchez, Carlos Gómez, Jordan Wall
Votes: 14,825
This show had so much untapped potential that they never got to before it was cancelled.
63. The Son (2017–2019)
TV-14 | 44 min | Drama, History, Western
A multi-generational epic telling of the story of America's birth as a superpower through the bloody rise and fall of one Texas oil empire.
Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Jacob Lofland, Henry Garrett, Paola Núñez
Votes: 7,296
64. House of the Dragon (2022– )
TV-MA | 50 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
An internal succession war within House Targaryen at the height of its power, 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen.
Stars: Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans
Votes: 374,110
65. The Old Man (2022– )
TV-MA | 61 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
A retired CIA agent is hunted by both the agency he once worked for and his own nightmares, when an unknown man suddenly visits him after nearly three decades.
Stars: Jeff Bridges, John Lithgow, E.J. Bonilla, Bill Heck
Votes: 48,271
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