Top TV. Personal best tv of all time
by TheMulderFox | created - 17 Jan 2014 | updated - 07 Mar 2017 | PublicMy all time favourite tv shows. Listed in descending order.
The list is by no means exhaustive, but it is largely an accurate listing of my all time favourite tv shows. At least untill #20 or so.
I will edit the list as and when I deem it appropriate.
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1. The X-Files (1993–2018)
TV-14 | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Two F.B.I. Agents, Fox Mulder the believer and Dana Scully the skeptic, investigate the strange and unexplained, while hidden forces work to impede their efforts.
Stars: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi, William B. Davis
Votes: 250,014
2. 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: 281,818
3. 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: 2,286,538
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: 175,661
for the purposes of this list I make no distinction between the mini series and the tv series as continuity exists.
5. Angel (1999–2004)
TV-14 | 44 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
The vampire Angel, cursed with a soul, moves to Los Angeles and aids people with supernatural-related problems while questing for his own redemption.
Stars: David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, Alexis Denisof, J. August Richards
Votes: 75,813
6. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)
TV-14 | 44 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
A young woman, destined to slay vampires, demons and other infernal creatures, deals with her life fighting evil, with the help of her friends.
Stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Head
Votes: 159,839
7. True Blood (2008–2014)
TV-MA | 55 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse encounters a strange new supernatural world when she meets the mysterious Bill Compton, a southern Louisiana gentleman and vampire.
Stars: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten
Votes: 260,205
8. Stargate SG-1 (1997–2007)
TV-14 | 44 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A secret military team, SG-1, is formed to explore other planets through the recently discovered Stargates.
Stars: Richard Dean Anderson, Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge
Votes: 101,461
9. Futurama (1999– )
TV-14 | 22 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Philip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy, is accidentally frozen in 1999 and thawed out on New Year's Eve 2999.
Stars: Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille
Votes: 261,107
10. Penny Dreadful (2014–2016)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Explorer Sir Malcolm Murray, American gunslinger Ethan Chandler, scientist Victor Frankenstein and medium Vanessa Ives unite to combat supernatural threats in Victorian London.
Stars: Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton, Eva Green, Reeve Carney
Votes: 131,136
11. Charmed (1998–2006)
TV-14 | 42 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Three Halliwell sisters discover that they are descendants of a line of good female witches and are destined to fight against the forces of evil, using their combined power of witchcraft known as the "Power of Three".
Stars: Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano, Brian Krause, Rose McGowan
Votes: 91,598
12. Lost (2004–2010)
TV-14 | 5,445 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
The survivors of a plane crash are forced to work together in order to survive on a seemingly deserted tropical island.
Stars: Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Yunjin Kim, Evangeline Lilly
Votes: 595,631
13. Alias (2001–2006)
TV-14 | 42 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
Sydney Bristow is an international spy recruited out of college, trained for espionage and self-defense.
Stars: Jennifer Garner, Ron Rifkin, Carl Lumbly, Kevin Weisman
Votes: 54,778
14. La Femme Nikita (1997–2001)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A clandestine anti-terrorist organization fakes the death of a convicted murderer and trains her in the fighting skills necessary to succeed in her new job.
Stars: Peta Wilson, Don Francks, Eugene Robert Glazer, Roy Dupuis
Votes: 10,819
15. 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: 377,846
16. Deadwood (2004–2006)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, History
A show set in the late 1800s, revolving around the characters of Deadwood, South Dakota; a town of deep corruption and crime.
Stars: Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker, Brad Dourif
Votes: 117,731
17. Seinfeld (1989–1998)
TV-PG | 22 min | Comedy
The continuing misadventures of neurotic New York City stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his equally neurotic New York City friends.
Stars: Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, Jason Alexander
Votes: 351,801
18. Homeland (2011–2020)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A bipolar CIA operative becomes convinced a prisoner of war has been turned by al-Qaeda and is planning to carry out a terrorist attack on American soil.
Stars: Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Damian Lewis, Rupert Friend
Votes: 361,053
19. 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: 2,138,633
20. Arrested Development (2003–2019)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy
Level-headed son Michael Bluth takes over family affairs after his father is imprisoned. But the rest of his spoiled, dysfunctional family are making his job unbearable.
Stars: Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett
Votes: 324,361
21. The Sopranos (1999–2007)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama
New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano deals with personal and professional issues in his home and business life that affect his mental state, leading him to seek professional psychiatric counseling.
Stars: James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli
Votes: 471,906
22. 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: 111,398
23. Oz (1997–2003)
TV-MA | 55 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A series chronicling the daily activities of an unusual prison facility and its criminal inhabitants.
Stars: Ernie Hudson, J.K. Simmons, Lee Tergesen, Dean Winters
Votes: 106,734
24. 30 Rock (2006–2013)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy
Liz Lemon, head writer of the sketch-comedy show "TGS with Tracy Jordan", must deal with an arrogant new boss and a crazy new star while trying to run a successful television show without losing her mind.
Stars: Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jack McBrayer
Votes: 132,035
25. Supernatural (2005–2020)
TV-14 | 44 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Two brothers follow their father's footsteps as hunters, fighting evil supernatural beings of many kinds, including monsters, demons, and gods that roam the earth.
Stars: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Jim Beaver, Misha Collins
Votes: 483,475
26. House of Cards (2013–2018)
TV-MA | 50 min | Drama
A Congressman works with his equally conniving wife to exact revenge on the people who betrayed him.
Stars: Kevin Spacey, Michel Gill, Robin Wright, Kate Mara
Votes: 531,088
27. Jessica Jones (2015–2019)
TV-MA | 56 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Following the tragic end of her brief superhero career, Jessica Jones tries to rebuild her life as a private investigator, dealing with cases involving people with remarkable abilities in New York City.
Stars: Krysten Ritter, Rachael Taylor, Eka Darville, Carrie-Anne Moss
Votes: 226,845
28. The Walking Dead (2010–2022)
TV-MA | 45 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes wakes up from a coma to learn the world is in ruins and must lead a group of survivors to stay alive.
Stars: Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan
Votes: 1,082,903
29. Mission: Impossible (1966–1973)
TV-PG | 50 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
An elite covert operations unit carries out highly sensitive missions subject to official denial in the event of failure, death or capture.
Stars: Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, Greg Morris, Peter Lupus
Votes: 11,506
30. 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: 118,837
31. 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: 117,027
32. Nikita (2010–2013)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A rogue assassin returns to take down the secret organization that trained her.
Stars: Maggie Q, Shane West, Lyndsy Fonseca, Aaron Stanford
Votes: 53,910
33. Orphan Black (2013–2017)
TV-MA | 44 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A streetwise hustler is pulled into a compelling conspiracy after witnessing the suicide of a girl who looks just like her.
Stars: Tatiana Maslany, Dylan Bruce, Jordan Gavaris, Kevin Hanchard
Votes: 117,013
34. The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017)
TV-14 | 43 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
The lives, loves, dangers and disasters in the town, Mystic Falls, Virginia. Creatures of unspeakable horror lurk beneath this town as a teenage girl is suddenly torn between two vampire brothers.
Stars: Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham
Votes: 350,006
35. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–2015)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
In Las Vegas, a squad of forensic investigators are trained to solve crimes by meticulously examining the evidence. They employ advanced technology and their rationality to detect the perpetrators.
Stars: William Petersen, Laurence Fishburne, Ted Danson, George Eads
Votes: 89,157
36. The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019)
TV-PG | 22 min | Comedy, Romance
A woman who moves into an apartment across the hall from two brilliant but socially awkward physicists shows them how little they know about life outside of the laboratory.
Stars: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg
Votes: 868,605
37. 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: 583,385
38. 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: 119,736
39. 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: 475,015
40. Profiler (1996–2000)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Dr. Sam Waters is a detective with the Violent Crimes Task Force, a federal agency which often works with the FBI, ATF, and other crime-solving agencies.
Stars: Ally Walker, Julian McMahon, A Martinez, Robert Davi
Votes: 4,484
41. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999– )
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
This series follows the Special Victims Unit, a specially trained squad of detectives in the New York City Police Department that investigate sexually related crimes.
Stars: Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Ice-T, Dann Florek
Votes: 125,153
42. 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: 650,492
43. Blackadder (1982–1983)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy
In the Middle Ages, Prince Edmund the Black Adder constantly schemes and endeavors to seize the crown from his father and brother.
Stars: Rowan Atkinson, Brian Blessed, Elspet Gray, Tim McInnerny
Votes: 41,101
again I'm including all of th Black Adder titles in this as a general listing and not just the 1st series.
44. Luther (2010–2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
John Luther is a brilliant homicide detective with a knack for getting inside the minds of murderers. Unfortunately, his unconventional methods and personal demons put him at odds with his team.
Stars: Idris Elba, Dermot Crowley, Michael Smiley, Warren Brown
Votes: 154,411
45. Millennium (I) (1996–1999)
TV-14 | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
A former FBI profiler with the ability to look inside the mind of a killer begins working for the mysterious Millennium Group which investigates serial killers, conspiracies, the occult, and those obsessed with the end of the millennium.
Stars: Lance Henriksen, Megan Gallagher, Terry O'Quinn, Brittany Tiplady
Votes: 12,290
...went off the rails a little after the first season, but still good."
46. 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: 136,191
47. Broadchurch (2013–2017)
TV-MA | 1,143 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The murder of a young boy in a small coastal town brings a media frenzy, which threatens to tear the community apart.
Stars: David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker, Andrew Buchan
Votes: 127,381
48. 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: 55,784
49. Relic Hunter (1999–2002)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Sydney Fox is a university professor and black belt who globe-trots after lost, stolen and rumored to exist artifacts and antiquities.
Stars: Tia Carrere, Christien Anholt, Lindy Booth, Tanja Reichert
Votes: 7,730
50. Xena: Warrior Princess (1995–2001)
TV-PG | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Xena, a mighty Warrior Princess with a dark past, sets out to redeem herself. She is joined by small town bard, Gabrielle. Together they journey the ancient world and fight for the greater good against ruthless Warlords and Gods.
Stars: Lucy Lawless, Renée O'Connor, Ted Raimi, Kevin Smith
Votes: 48,717
51. Doctor Who (2005–2022)
TV-PG | 45 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
The further adventures in time and space of the alien adventurer known as the Doctor and his companions from planet Earth.
Stars: Jodie Whittaker, Peter Capaldi, Pearl Mackie, Matt Smith
Votes: 246,681
52. Happy Valley (2014–2023)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Yorkshire-based crime drama centering on the personal and professional life of Police Sergeant Catherine Cawood.
Stars: Sarah Lancashire, Siobhan Finneran, James Norton, Rhys Connah
Votes: 64,662
53. The Good Wife (2009–2016)
TV-14 | 43 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Alicia Florrick has been a good wife to her husband, a former state's attorney. After a very humiliating sex and corruption scandal, he is behind bars. She must now provide for her family and returns to work as a litigator in a law firm.
Stars: Julianna Margulies, Chris Noth, Josh Charles, Matt Czuchry
Votes: 82,802
54. Scandal (2012–2018)
TV-14 | 43 min | Drama, Thriller
A former White House Communications Director starts her own crisis management firm only to realize her clients are not the only ones with secrets.
Stars: Kerry Washington, Darby Stanchfield, Katie Lowes, Guillermo Diaz
Votes: 79,739
55. The Simpsons (1989– )
TV-14 | 22 min | Animation, Comedy
The satiric adventures of a working-class family in the misfit city of Springfield.
Stars: Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Harry Shearer, Julie Kavner
Votes: 436,156
56. How to Get Away with Murder (2014–2020)
TV-14 | 43 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A group of ambitious law students and their brilliant criminal defense professor become involved in a twisted murder plot that promises to change the course of their lives.
Stars: Viola Davis, Billy Brown, Jack Falahee, Aja Naomi King
Votes: 166,780
57. Heroes (II) (2006–2010)
TV-14 | 45 min | Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Common people discover that they have super powers. Their lives intertwine as a devastating event must be prevented.
Stars: Jack Coleman, Hayden Panettiere, Milo Ventimiglia, Masi Oka
Votes: 251,700
58. Desperate Housewives (2004–2012)
TV-14 | 45 min | Comedy, Drama, Mystery
Secrets and truths unfold through the lives of female friends in one suburban neighborhood after the mysterious suicide of a neighbor.
Stars: Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria
Votes: 139,842
59. Nip/Tuck (2003–2010)
TV-MA | 44 min | Drama
Two plastic surgeons--one a dedicated family man and one an unscrupulous playboy--strive to maintain their business whilst having to work their way through numerous hardships ranging from personal to clients with criminal connections.
Stars: Dylan Walsh, Julian McMahon, Joely Richardson, John Hensley
Votes: 58,684
another show that went limp in the latter seasons. The first couple of seasons were fantastic though.
60. Black Books (2000–2004)
TV-PG | 25 min | Comedy
Bernard Black runs a book shop, though his customer service skills leave something to be desired. He hires Manny as an employee. Fran runs the shop next door. Between the three of them many adventures ensue.
Stars: Dylan Moran, Bill Bailey, Tamsin Greig, Paul Beech
Votes: 61,948
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