100 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century – New York Times

The 100 best TV shows of the 21st century according to a New York Times survey of more than 500 television professionals.

• Breaking Bad ~ Ranked #1 for its exceptionally consistent story and complex portrayal of moral transformation.
• The Wire ~ Ranked #2 for its realistic and complex exploration of institutions, society, and their connections.
• Mad Men ~ Ranked #3 for its detailed characters, social commentary, and portrayal of changing American society.
• Succession ~ Ranked #4 for its sharp combination of family conflict, wealth, power, and dark comedy.
• Fleabag ~ Ranked #5 for its unique mix of humor, grief, relationships, and emotional vulnerability.
• Game of Thrones ~ Ranked #6 for combining fantasy, politics, intrigue, and major character development.
• Veep ~ Ranked #7 for its exceptionally sharp political satire and rapid-fire dialogue.
• 30 Rock ~ Ranked #8 for its dense comedy, running jokes, and brilliant parody of the television industry.
• Curb Your Enthusiasm ~ Ranked #9 for turning everyday social situations into increasingly absurd comedy.
• Atlanta ~ Ranked #10 for creatively combining comedy, music, social commentary, and surreal storytelling.
• The Office (U.S.) ~ Ranked #11 for becoming one of the defining workplace comedies of the 21st century.
• Arrested Development ~ Ranked #12 for its fast jokes, running gags, and uniquely dysfunctional family.
• Girls ~ Ranked #13 for its direct and often uncomfortable portrayal of young adulthood and relationships.
• Friday Night Lights ~ Ranked #14 for its believable characters, relationships, and small-town sports drama.
• Six Feet Under ~ Ranked #15 for its unusually deep exploration of family, death, grief, and personal development.
• The Office (U.K.) ~ Ranked #16 for helping define the modern workplace mockumentary.
• The Americans ~ Ranked #17 for combining espionage with an intense family drama.
• I May Destroy You ~ Ranked #18 for its deeply personal exploration of trauma, identity, and relationships.
• Chernobyl ~ Ranked #19 for its intense and atmospheric portrayal of a historical disaster.
• The Crown ~ Ranked #20 for its elaborate portrayal of the British monarchy across several generations.
• The White Lotus ~ Ranked #21 for using vacation settings to explore social differences and interpersonal conflict.
• Lost ~ Ranked #22 for its mystery, ensemble cast, and enormous cultural impact.
• The Comeback ~ Ranked #23 for its uncomfortable and human portrayal of Hollywood and the pursuit of fame.
• Deadwood ~ Ranked #24 for its distinctive language, characters, and detailed historical Western setting.
• The Leftovers ~ Ranked #25 for its deep exploration of grief, loss, faith, and existential questions.
• Black Mirror ~ Ranked #26 for examining technology and its consequences through memorable standalone stories.
• Better Call Saul ~ Ranked #27 for developing a supporting character into an exceptionally detailed character drama.
• Band of Brothers ~ Ranked #28 for combining historical accuracy, strong characters, and cinematic storytelling.
• Key & Peele ~ Ranked #29 for combining sketch comedy with social commentary and memorable recurring characters.
• Severance ~ Ranked #30 for its unusual science-fiction concept, workplace satire, mystery, and psychological themes.
• Survivor ~ Ranked #31 for helping define modern reality television and the competition format.
• Andor ~ Ranked #32 for bringing political drama, resistance, and mature storytelling into the Star Wars universe.
• Enlightened ~ Ranked #33 for its distinctive exploration of self-discovery, personal change, and social issues.
• Schitt's Creek ~ Ranked #34 for turning a story about wealth and loss into a warm family and community comedy.
• True Detective (Season 1) ~ Ranked #35 for its atmosphere, investigation, characters, and tightly written story.
• The Pitt ~ Ranked #36 for its intense and realistic portrayal of life inside a hospital emergency department.
• Battlestar Galactica ~ Ranked #37 for combining science fiction with political, moral, and social questions.
• Homeland ~ Ranked #38 for combining espionage, terrorism, politics, and personal conflict.
• Watchmen ~ Ranked #39 for using superhero storytelling to explore history, racism, and American society.
• Adolescence ~ Ranked #40 for its immersive approach to a difficult social and psychological subject.
• Louie ~ Ranked #41 for combining comedy, everyday life, and personal observations in a distinctive style.
• Hacks ~ Ranked #42 for its strong characters and exploration of generational conflict in the comedy business.
• Peaky Blinders ~ Ranked #43 for its memorable characters, historical setting, and distinctive visual style.
• BoJack Horseman ~ Ranked #44 for combining animation and comedy with serious themes such as loneliness, addiction, and depression.
• Happy Valley ~ Ranked #45 for combining crime investigation with strong characters and personal drama.
• Broad City ~ Ranked #46 for its distinctive combination of friendship, everyday life, and absurd comedy.
• Twin Peaks: The Return ~ Ranked #47 for pushing surreal and experimental television storytelling to an extreme.
• House of Cards ~ Ranked #48 for its portrayal of political power, manipulation, and ambition.
• Normal People ~ Ranked #49 for its detailed and emotional portrayal of a complex relationship.
• Parks and Recreation ~ Ranked #50 for turning local government into a warm and character-driven ensemble comedy.
• The Good Place ~ Ranked #51 for combining philosophical questions about morality with an inventive comedy concept.
• Downton Abbey ~ Ranked #52 for combining family drama, social change, and class differences across generations.
• Stranger Things ~ Ranked #53 for combining mystery, horror, coming-of-age storytelling, and 1980s nostalgia.
• The Bureau ~ Ranked #54 for its realistic and character-driven portrayal of intelligence work.
• Insecure ~ Ranked #55 for its modern exploration of relationships, friendship, work, and identity.
• Nathan for You ~ Ranked #56 for its uniquely strange combination of reality television, business ideas, and absurd comedy.
• I Think You Should Leave ~ Ranked #57 for its surreal sketches and deliberately escalating everyday situations.
• Chappelle's Show ~ Ranked #58 for combining sketch comedy with cultural and social commentary.
• PEN15 ~ Ranked #59 for its unusually authentic portrayal of awkward adolescence.
• Peep Show ~ Ranked #60 for its distinctive subjective camera style and socially awkward characters.
• RuPaul's Drag Race ~ Ranked #61 for bringing drag culture and competition reality television to a global audience.
• Slow Horses ~ Ranked #62 for combining espionage with dark humor and unconventional intelligence officers.
• The Thick of It ~ Ranked #63 for its fast-paced political satire and exceptionally sharp dialogue.
• Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown ~ Ranked #64 for combining travel, food, culture, and social observation.
• Mare of Easttown ~ Ranked #65 for combining a murder investigation with intense family and small-town drama.
• The Rehearsal ~ Ranked #66 for its unusual exploration of social situations, preparation, and reality.
• The Handmaid's Tale ~ Ranked #67 for exploring power, oppression, freedom, and resistance through dystopian drama.
• Ozark ~ Ranked #68 for combining organized crime, money laundering, family conflict, and suspense.
• Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations ~ Ranked #69 for combining travel, food, personal encounters, and cultural observation.
• The Shield ~ Ranked #70 for its morally complex and uncompromising portrayal of police work.
• Beef (Season 1) ~ Ranked #71 for turning a minor conflict into an escalating exploration of anger and personal problems.
• Squid Game ~ Ranked #72 for combining a deadly competition with social commentary and striking visual storytelling.
• Barry ~ Ranked #73 for combining an assassin story with dark comedy and an unusual character arc.
• The Bear ~ Ranked #74 for its intense portrayal of family, pressure, grief, and restaurant life.
• Ted Lasso ~ Ranked #75 for its combination of sports comedy, optimism, relationships, and character development.
• Somebody Somewhere ~ Ranked #76 for its quiet and deeply human portrayal of loneliness, friendship, and community.
• Modern Family ~ Ranked #77 for bringing different family structures together through accessible ensemble comedy.
• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia ~ Ranked #78 for its deliberately dark and dysfunctional style of comedy.
• The Good Wife ~ Ranked #79 for combining courtroom drama, politics, relationships, and personal development.
• How To with John Wilson ~ Ranked #80 for its uniquely strange combination of documentary filmmaking, everyday observations, and absurd humor.
• The Queen's Gambit ~ Ranked #81 for combining chess, talent, addiction, and personal development.
• Better Things ~ Ranked #82 for its personal and humorous portrayal of motherhood, family, and everyday life.
• Justified ~ Ranked #83 for its memorable characters, strong dialogue, and modern Western atmosphere.
• Planet Earth ~ Ranked #84 for its spectacular nature footage and influential documentary filmmaking.
• The Great British Baking Show ~ Ranked #85 for turning a baking competition into an unusually warm and friendly reality format.
• Shogun ~ Ranked #86 for its detailed historical setting, political intrigue, and cultural conflicts.
• Reservation Dogs ~ Ranked #87 for combining coming-of-age stories, friendship, humor, and Indigenous culture.
• Dexter ~ Ranked #88 for its unusual perspective on a serial killer who targets other killers.
• Baby Reindeer ~ Ranked #89 for its direct exploration of stalking, trauma, and personal boundaries.
• Eastbound & Down ~ Ranked #90 for its exaggerated protagonist and deliberately uncomfortable dark comedy.
• Catastrophe ~ Ranked #91 for its dry and dark portrayal of relationships, parenthood, and everyday problems.
• The Night Of ~ Ranked #92 for using a murder case to explore the justice system, prison, and social prejudice.
• Station Eleven ~ Ranked #93 for combining post-apocalyptic survival with art, memory, and human relationships.
• The Diplomat ~ Ranked #94 for combining international politics, diplomacy, and personal conflict.
• House ~ Ranked #95 for combining medical cases with an exceptionally distinctive protagonist.
• Halt and Catch Fire ~ Ranked #96 for exploring technological change and the people behind the early computer industry.
• Community ~ Ranked #97 for repeatedly breaking conventional sitcom structures through meta-humor and experimentation.
• The OA ~ Ranked #98 for combining mystery, science fiction, and philosophical questions in an intentionally enigmatic story.
• Gilmore Girls ~ Ranked #99 for its fast dialogue, strong mother-daughter relationship, and distinctive small-town world.
• Scandal ~ Ranked #100 for combining political power, crisis management, and personal relationships in a fast-paced drama.