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)!
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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.
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!
as a Benedict Cumberbatch fan i'm surprised i have not seen this yet-
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.
This show is absolutely timeless. Every episode is a total mindf!ck and I love it! It definitely stands the test of time and I'm 35, for what it's worth.
Stranger Things
i don't know why people hate on this show so much. it's great
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.
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.
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.
The X-Files
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.
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!
Chernobyl
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.
Band Of Brothers
South Park
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!
The Wire
Arrested Development
The Bugs Bunny Show
Fargo
Monty Python's Flying Circus
The Flintstones
Married... With Children
Black Mirror
The Golden Girls
The Simpsons
The Muppet Show
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Planet Earth II
Downton Abbey
House
I really loved this show when it first came out but it got so ridiculous toward the end. I also hated how they kept playing the fans off each other with the shipper stuff. Hugh Laurie is incredible, though, and worth watching for him and him alone. And Robert Sean Leonard is so great as well. I would recommend.
Modern Family
The Big Bang Theory
The Addams Family
The Walking Dead
Malcolm In The Middle
The Mandalorian
I have no interest in Star Wars, but I watched the whole season and really enjoyed it. If you're not an obsessed fan you'll still enjoy this.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Check out his movies, too. I really like Rear Window. James Stewart was an amazing actor.
Mr. Bean
Dark
You need to really focus on this mindf*ck of a show, but what a pay-off. Not for those seeking light entertainment.
The Boys
I know I'll get c**p for this but this show would be better without Karl Urban. His stupid cockney accent and overacting drives me crazy... ugh. Pretty good show, though. Kind of depressing because every character is a little bit shitty, lol.
Futurama
Frasier
Quantum Leap
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Peaky Blinders
The Last Kingdom captivated us for two weeks. Vikings and pagens and stuff.
Star Trek
Watched this for the first time last year, but Amazon switched it from free (for Prime members) to paid (quite a chunk, too), while I was in the second season. I heard the first two seasons were the best, so I never finished it. SO MUCH better than Star Trek TNG or Deep Space Nine. Most episodes were actual science fiction (or at least an attempt at it), unlike the later shows, where it was mostly just a drama that happened to be on the set of spaceship.
Family Guy
Yellowstone
Pushing Daisies. Produced by Barry Sonnefeld (Men In Black, Addams Family movie), created by Brian Fuller. Everything is a plot twist, intense character development and a feast for the eyes. Only 2 seasons were produced before a writers strike killed it completely. Too clever for the masses. Treat yourself to an alternate universe somewhere between Little Shop of Horrors and the VERY French movie Amelie.
Pushing Daisies. Produced by Barry Sonnefeld (Men In Black, Addams Family movie), created by Brian Fuller. Everything is a plot twist, intense character development and a feast for the eyes. Only 2 seasons were produced before a writers strike killed it completely. Too clever for the masses. Treat yourself to an alternate universe somewhere between Little Shop of Horrors and the VERY French movie Amelie.