Aditi AgrawalChoosing a TV series from among the endless collection of iconic series that have been produced in the last century. Long gone are the days when one only had to buy tickets to enjoy watching films on the big screen. This is the era of streaming platforms. From Disney+ to Netflix, and from Voot to Amazon Prime, many great streaming sites have come up with great content for the viewers which turned out to be the Best TV Shows of All Time.
If you are a fan of Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad, or Sopranos, then you’re most likely to stick around with us as we have come up with a list of top best TV Shows of All Time on the Metacritic.
Have a look at our eye-catching list of the 24 Best TV shows of all time, according to fans.
24 Best TV Shows of All Time, According to Fans
1. Chernobyl (2019)
Director: Johan Renck
Cast: Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgard
Metacritic: 9.1
Genre: Historical Drama
Where to watch: HBO, Disney+ Hotstar
Commitment: 330 min
Chernobyl is a 5- episode TV miniseries based on the catastrophic 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant that had left a devastating impact on millions of people. Within a few weeks of its release, the show had garnered immense love and appreciation from fans and critics alike, becoming one of the Best TV shows of all time.
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2. True Detective (2014)
Creator: Nic Pizzolatto
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson
Metacritic: 8.5
Genre: Mystery, Detective Fiction
Where to watch: HBO, Disney+ Hotstar
Commitment: 55 min
Withing the release of its first season, the show quickly managed to take place among other greatest TV series of the world. The story revolves around detectives and police offers around the USA, trying to solve unusual sex-motivated homicides. Watch the powerful performances of Matthew and Woody on streaming platforms near you.
3. Sherlock (2010)
Creator: Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman
Metacritic: 8.9
Genre: Crime Mystery
Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon
Commitment: 88 min
The modernized version of Sherlock Holmes, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, is one of the finest renditions of the classic mystery novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Highly popular among viewers and one of the Top Best TV Shows of All Time, According to Fans, this detective TV series comes with 13 episodes over its four seasons till now.
A suspenseful journey awaits you as Sherlock and his doctor partner John Watson solve mysterious crimes in the 21st century London.
4. Breaking Bad (2008)
Director: Vince Gilligan
Cast: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul
Metacritic: 9.3
Genre: Crime
Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon
Commitment: 49 min
When a chemistry teacher Walter White gets diagnosed with lung cancer, a series of events lead him into a drug frenzy to secure a better future for his family.
Breaking Bad broke all records when several of its episodes received the highest-ratings ever in TV history. This iconic series is a must-watch among our list of Best TV shows of all time.
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5. The Leftovers (2014)
Creator: Damon Lindelof, Tom Perrotta
Cast: Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon
Metacritic: 8.5
Genre: Supernatural Mystery Drama
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar, HBO
Commitment: 60 min
Premiered in 2014, the HBO series The Leftovers spans over three seasons between 2014 and 2017. It revolves around the life of a group of people, struggling to make sense of the mysterious disappearance of around 2% of the global population.
The show is now regarded to be one the best TV shows of all time and a contemporary show HBO has produced till now.
6. Lost (2004-10)
Director: J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof
Cast: Evangeline Lilly, Jorge Gracia
Metacritic: 9.0
Genre: Adventure, Mystery
Where to watch: Amazon
Commitment: 44 min
When a group of plane-crash survivors finds themselves stranded on a strange island, they must find a way to survive.
The TV series became an instant hit among the masses owing to its interesting plot, stunning settings, and unique concept. However, the last season was a bit of a let-down. Nevertheless, the show is still highly rated by viewers around the world and is one of the Best TV Shows of All Time, According to Fans.
7. In Treatment (2008)
Director: Rodrigo Gracia
Cast: Gabriel Byrne, Dianne West, Irrfan Khan
Metacritic: 78
Genre: Drama
Where to watch: HBO
Commitment: 25 min
Based on an award-winning Israeli series ‘Be Tipul’, In Treatment is about how a middle-aged Psychotherapist’s sessions with his different clients and even with his therapist leads to an unraveling of bitter truths of life.
8. Band Of Brothers (2001)
Director: Tom Hanks
Cast: Damian Lewis, Michael Fassbender
Metacritic: 9.6
Genre: War Drama
Where to watch: HBO, Disney+ Hotstar
Commitment: 50-70 min
Band of Brothers is a 10 episode American War drama miniseries created by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. It is based on Stephen E. Ambrose’s non-fiction book about World War II. The show has been critically acclaimed for its raw portrayal of heroic battles and sacrifices made during the war.
9. Rick And Morty (2013)
Creator: Justin Roiland, Dan Harmon
Voice: Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, Spencer Grammer
Metacritic: 8.7
Genre: Animated Sitcom, Science Fiction
Where to watch: Netflix
Commitment: 22 min
The adult-animated TV sitcom, Rick and Morty has gained a cult following over recent years and is a widely popular TV show among viewers all over the world.
The show has been praised for its uniqueness, humor, and creativity by different critics. It revolves around the misadventures of the members of the Smith family to different dimensions and planets through Rick’s car.
10. Dexter (2006)
Creator: James Manos, Jr.
Cast: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter
Metacritic: 8.7
Genre: Crime Drama
Where to watch: Voot
Commitment: 53 min
Dexter is an American crime drama mystery that aired on Showtime from 2006 to 2013.
It follows the story of a Miami-based blood analyst named Dexter, leading a parallel life of a serial killer, hunting down other killers in the society. The first season soared in popularity and helped the show to become one of the Best TV shows of all time.
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11. Fargo (2014)
Creator: Ethan Coen
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman
Metacritic: 8.9
Genre: Black comedy, crime drama
Where to watch: Netflix
Commitment: 3 min
The show is loosely inspired by the 1996 eponymous film by the Coen brothers. It is yet another popular police drama among people and is based on an anthology format, where each of the three seasons is placed in various eras, with different plot and characters. The 30-episode series is available to watch on Netflix.
12. Party Of Five (1994)
Creator: Christopher Keyser, Amy Lippman
Cast: Lacey Chabert, Scott Wolf
Metacritic: 79
Genre: Family and teen drama
Where to watch: Amazon
Commitment: 60 min
The six- seasons of Party of Five aired on Fox between 1994 and 2000. Led by an ensemble cast, it charts the story of five siblings, whose life takes a turn after losing parents in a car accident. The show was praised for its genuine portrayal of teen pregnancy, drug and domestic abuse, and the struggle of living a life without parents.
13. The OA (2016)
Creator: Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling
Cast: Brit Marling, Jason Isaacs
Metacritic: 9.6
Genre: Mystery
Where to watch: Netflix
Commitment: 60 min
The OA has been quite successful In drawing viewers from different parts of the world, and it became even more evident when they stood against the cancellation of the show by the streaming site Netflix. The users have rated the show highly on the Metacritic, making it a worth-watching TV series.
14. Deadwood (2004)
Director: David Milch
Cast: Timothy Olyphant, Ian Mcshane
Metacritic: 9.2
Genre: Western Period Drama
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
Commitment: 55 min
The HBO TV show ‘Deadwood’ is set in the late 1800s and centers on the lives of the residents of Deadwood in South Dakota, a hub of petty criminals and thugs. Even though the show had received immense critical and user acclaim and became one of the Best TV Shows of All Time, According to Fans, the show was unfortunately canceled in 2006.
But to satiate the growing eagerness of the viewers regarding the ultimate fate of the characters, the show was specially aired to conclude the series altogether in 2019.
15. Justified (2010)
Creator: Graham Yost
Cast: Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy
Metacritic: 9.5
Genre: Crime Action
Where to watch: FX
Commitment: 60 min
The FX show ‘Justified’ spans over six seasons between 2010-15 and is based on the story ‘Fire in the Hole’ by Elmore Leonard.
It follows the story of a strict US Marshall, who is relocated to Kentucky and enforces his sense of justice upon the inhabitants of the place. The powerful performances, especially by Timothy Olyphant, and the stellar plot were praised highly by all.
16. Better Call Saul (2015)
Creator: Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould
Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks
Metascore: 9.2
Genre: Crime Drama
Where to watch: Netflix
Commitment: 41-60 min
The AMC’s Crime Drama series ‘Better Call Saul’ is a prequel and a spin-off of Gilligan’s previous popular series ‘Breaking Bad’. It proved to be successful when viewers rated the show highly on Metacritic, slowly making it one of the Best TV shows of all time like Breaking Bad.
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17. Twin Peaks (1990)
Creators: Mark Frost, David Lynch
Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean
Metacritic: 8.6
Genre: Crime Drama
Where to watch: Voot
Commitment: 47 min
An FBI agent Dale Cooper journeys to a small town named ‘ Twin Peaks’ to find culprits of the mysterious murder of high school girl Laura Palmer. Twin Peaks manages to combine eerie elements with a supernatural tinge, ultimate bagging a cult status since its premiere in 1990. The show was, however, cancelled in 1991, but that didn’t stop it from becoming a fan-favourite.
18. Rome (2005)
Creators: John Milius, William J. MacDonald
Cast: Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson
Metacritic: 9.1
Genre: Historical Drama
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
Commitment: 44-65 min
This cross-boundary British-American-Italian historical drama series was telecast between 2005 and 2007. It projects real-life events in 1st-century Ancient Rome, such as the tragic assassination of Julius Caesar. It was already a hit before it was canceled owing to high production costs.
But, it enjoys a high rating on Metacritic as well as other platforms and has thus earned a place in the list of 24 Best TV shows of all time.
19. Game Of Thrones (2011)
Creators: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Cast: Emilia Clarke, Kit Harrington, and others
Metacritic: 7.3
Genre: Fantasy Drama
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
Commitment: 50-82 min
An adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s book series ‘ A Song of Ice and Fire’, Game of Thrones is by far the most-watched and highly popular epic fantasy drama in the entire history. Viewers who loved the show waited impatiently before each season’s premiere, only to get disappointed with the unsettling conclusion. Nevertheless, one cannot deny the fact that it is one of the Best TV shows of all time.
20. The Shield (2002)
Creator: Shawn Ryan
Cast: Michael Chiklis, Catherine Dent
Metacritic: 9.3
Genre: Crime Drama
Where to watch: Amazon
Commitment: 45-50 min
The Shield is one of the most successful TV dramas produced by Sony Pictures TV. The groundbreaking procedural drama focuses on the growing rift between Los Angeles Police unit and their head cop, who is hell-bent on breaking them to further his political ambitions.
21. Arrested Development (2003)
Creator: Mitchell Hurwitz
Cast: Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi
Metacritic: 9.3
Genre: Sitcom
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
Commitment: 22-48 min
A renowned family business gets bankrupt after the head of the family gets jailed for fraud. Now the only level-headed member of the family comes forward to keep his dysfunctional family from falling apart. The first three seasons were aired on Fox before Netflix added two more seasons to the show in 2016.
22. Related (2005)
Creator: Liz Tuccillo
Cast: Laura Breckenridge, Kiele Sanchez, Lizzy Caplan, Jennifer Esposito
Genre: Comedy-drama
Where to watch: Amazon
Commitment: 60 min
The show centers on the life of four sisters who share a lovable bond, and how they all deal with their life in New York City. Even though this comedy-drama show only aired on the WB network for one season but was successful enough to steal the hearts of all of the viewers.
23. The Sopranos (1999)
Creator: David Chase
Cast: James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco
Metascore: 9.2
Genre: Crime drama
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
Commitment: 55 min
Tony Soprano( played by James Gandolfini) is a New Jersey-based mafia who struggles to run back and forth between managing his criminal organization and family matters. He then decides to confide in with his psychiatrist Jennifer Malfi. All this and much more awaits you in this highly acclaimed and easily one of the Best TV shows of all time.
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24. The Wire (2002)
Creator: David Simon
Cast: Dominic West, John Doman
Metacritic: 9.0
Genre: Crime drama
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
Commitment: 59 min
Among all the police dramas that we’ve enlisted here, ‘The Wire’ excels above them all effortlessly—aired between 2002 and 2008. the show mainly deals with Baltimore’s prominent narcotic scenes. The show mixes the subjects of education, bureaucracy, drug kingpins, government, and seaport system to form a compelling show that is a must-watch for all those looking for top-notch suspense dramas.
Baishaly Roy
