The Best TV Shows Of The Past 20 Years

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Updated April 15, 2025 1.4M views 302 items

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2.6M votes

152.7K voters

321 reranks

Voting Rules

Vote up the best series that have aired new episodes since 2003.

This list of the best TV shows of the past 20 years represents the combined opinions of thousands of TV fans on what series have been the standouts of the past two decades. Anyone can vote on this list of the best TV shows of recent memory, making this list a truly trustworthy way to find the best recent(ish) TV show.

Including recent big-name shows like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad, the best TV shows ever in the past 20 years feature the latest and greatest television series. Even older shows like Friends and That '70s Show have episodes that aired in the past two decades so there really is a wonderfully wide selection of great shows in recent memory. From sitcoms to dramas and animations to miniseries, this list has got them all.

What are the best TV shows of recent memory? Whether you're looking for the best TV shows to add to your Netflix queue or you just want to share your picks for the best TV series of the last two decades, this is the place to tune in to the tastes of TV fans around the world. Figure out what must-see TV you have to catch up on, find where your favorites rank, and cast your votes for the best television in recent history.

Most divisive: How I Met Your Mother

Over 152.7K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Greatest TV Series of the Past 20 Years

HOW RANKINGS WORK

1
75,454 votes
Breaking Bad
Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn
A high-school chemistry teacher has a midlife crisis.
2
80,192 votes
Game of Thrones
Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey
Noble families in the seven kingdoms of Westeros vie for control of the Iron Throne.
3
44,426 votes
The Sopranos
James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco
Tony Soprano tries to be a good family man and run the New Jersey mob.
4
27,745 votes
Vikings
Katheryn Winnick, Moe Dunford, Josefin Asplund
The adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok as he rises to become King of the Viking tribes.
5
43,373 votes
Stranger Things
Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown
Mysteries unravel in a small Midwestern town involving supernatural forces.
6
21,562 votes
The Mandalorian
Pedro Pascal, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito
After the fall of the Galactic Empire, a lone gunfighter makes his way through the lawless galaxy.
7
52,158 votes
The Office
Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski
Workers plod along at Dunder Mifflin's paper-supply company.
8
46,213 votes
House
Hugh Laurie, Robert Sean Leonard, Omar Epps
A brilliant and acerbic diagnostician leads a team of specialists.
9
52,016 votes
The Big Bang Theory
Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco
A free-spirited beauty moves in next door to two physicists.
10
19,943 votes
The Boys
Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr
The Boys embark on a quest to expose the truth about The Seven, superheroes who abuse their powers.
11
40,553 votes
Dexter
Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, C.S. Lee
A forensics analyst moonlights as a serial killer.
12
29,920 votes
Sons of Anarchy
Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal, Kim Coates
An outlaw motorcycle club is intent on protecting its sheltered California town.
13
50,331 votes
Friends
Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow
Six friends living in New York hang out at a coffee bar.
14
18,795 votes
Better Call Saul
Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Michael Mando
Six years before Saul Goodman meets Walter White, he is known as small-time lawyer Jimmy McGill.
15
44,163 votes
Walking Dead
Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan
In the years following a zombie apocalypse, survivors seek refuge in a world overrun by the dead.
16
44,287 votes
The Simpsons
Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright
Homer and Marge Simpson raise Bart, Lisa and baby Maggie in Springfield.
17
37,454 votes
Sherlock
Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Andrew Scott
A contemporary spin on the novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, featuring the peerless Sherlock Holmes.
18
40,114 votes
South Park
Trey Parker, Matt Stone
The adventures of four boys who live in South Park, Colo.
19
15,071 votes
Ozark
Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Sofia Hublitz
A financial adviser and his family are forced to relocate after dealings with a drug cartel go awry.
20
32,887 votes
Supernatural
Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins
Two brothers battle evil forces.
21
35,260 votes
Family Guy
Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green
The adventures of an eccentric family living in New England.
22
20,357 votes
Criminal Minds
Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness
An elite squad of FBI profilers analyzes the country's most-twisted criminal minds.
23
19,571 votes
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Wayne Brady
Prompted by ideas from the audience, comics improvise sketches.
24
25,489 votes
Modern Family
Ed O'Neill, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell
A diverse clan bridges cultural and generational gaps.
25
31,387 votes
That '70s Show
Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher
A close-knit group of young, eclectic friends approaches adulthood.
26
29,397 votes
Futurama
Billy West, Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio
Accidentally frozen, a pizza delivery boy wakes up 1,000 years in the future.
27
27,738 votes
Scrubs
Zach Braff, Donald Faison, John C. McGinley
A doctor works at a hospital with unpredictable staffers and patients.
28
33,255 votes
How I Met Your Mother
Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders
Through a series of flashbacks, Ted tells his kids how he met their mother.
29
23,574 votes
Parks & Recreation
Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman
A midlevel bureaucrat works tirelessly toward improving her hometown.
30
9,351 votes
Planet Earth
David Attenborough, Sigourney Weaver, Thomas Anguti Johnston
The planet and its wildlife.
31
13,723 votes
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, Terry Crews
An offbeat police squad must get its act together to impress its precinct's new captain.
32
7,400 votes
Schitt's Creek
Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Annie Murphy
When a rich family goes broke, its members move to Schitt's Creek, a depressing small town.
33
16,242 votes
MythBusters
Jon Lung, Brian Louden
Testing the myths and urban legends, to find out which are true and which are not.
34
12,317 votes
Lucifer
Tom Ellis, Lauren German, DB Woodside
The original fallen angel retires to Los Angeles, where he meets an intriguing homicide detective.
35
25,245 votes
Lost
Naveen Andrews, Nestor Carbonell, Emilie de Ravin
Survivors of a plane crash struggle for survival on a desert island.
36
16,585 votes
American Horror Story
Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton, Taissa Farmiga
A family of three moves from Boston to Los Angeles to reconcile its painful past.
37
18,724 votes
The Wire
Dominic West, John Doman, Frankie R. Faison
A homicide officer and narcotics detective target drug traffickers.
38
16,377 votes
Malcolm in the Middle
Jane Kaczmarek, Bryan Cranston, Frankie Muniz
A child genius deals with his siblings and eccentric parents.
39
15,676 votes
Law and Order SVU
Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, Kelli Giddish
Capt. Benson and her NYPD squad fight for justice in cases ripped straight from the headlines.
40
9,281 votes
Shameless
William H. Macy, Jeremy Allen White, Cameron Monaghan
An addict looks for ways to beat the system and feed his habits while his kids fend for themselves.
41
20,392 votes
Doctor Who
Jodie Whittaker, Mandip Gill, John Bishop
An eccentric Time Lord travels through time and space to battle injustice across the universe.
42
14,042 votes
Bones
Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, T.J. Thyne
Dr. Temperance Brennan uses impressive forensics skills to solve murders.
43
7,180 votes
The Last Kingdom
Alexander Dreymon, Emily Cox, Timothy Innes
A young warrior is on a mission to reclaim his birthright.
44
5,165 votes
Planet Earth II
Sir David Attenborough
Animals meet the challenges of surviving in iconic habitats.
45
16,195 votes
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Danny DeVito, Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson
Five egocentric friends run a bar together in Philadelphia.
46
9,194 votes
Downton Abbey
Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter
Hugh Bonneville, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Brendan Coyle
47
6,807 votes
The Punisher
Jon Bernthal, Ben Barnes, Amber Rose Revah
A former Marine becomes embroiled in a military conspiracy while trying to punish criminals.
48
10,019 votes
Daredevil
Charlie Cox, Elodie Yung, Deborah Ann Woll
A blind lawyer, with his other senses superhumanly enhanced, fights crime as a costumed superhero.
49
11,580 votes
Prison Break
Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Sarah Wayne Callies
Brothers Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows continue to evade the law.
50
14,192 votes
NCIS
Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Brian Dietzen
Special agents investigate crimes related to the Navy and Marine Corps.
51
12,590 votes
Chapelle's Show
Dave Chappelle, Donnell Rawlings, Neal Brennan
Sketch comedy starring Dave Chappelle.
52
13,230 votes
True Blood
Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell
Vampires walk the Earth using synthetic blood.
53
7,389 votes
Westworld
Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Ed Harris
Exploring the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin.
54
10,438 votes
Jeopardy!
Mike Richards, Alex Trebek, Johnny Gilbert
The Emmy-winning quiz show features a unique answer-and-question format.
55
11,662 votes
Orange Is the New Black
Taylor Schilling, Natasha Lyonne, Uzo Aduba
Piper Chapman spends time in a women's prison as a result of her dealings with a drug smuggler.
56
7,660 votes
True Detective
Mahershala Ali, Stephen Dorff, Carmen Ejogo
Police investigations unearth the personal and professional secrets of those involved.
57
10,702 votes
My Name Is Earl
Jason Lee, Ethan Suplee, Jaime Pressly
A petty con artist wins the lottery and decides to make amends for the past.
58
8,610 votes
The Blacklist
James Spader, Diego Klattenhoff, Hisham Tawfiq
"Red" Reddington agrees to work with the FBI, on the condition he'll only work with profiler Keen.
59
10,660 votes
Sesame Street
Fran Brill, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Ryan Dillon
Preparing children socially and academically for school.
60
8,347 votes
Rick and Morty
Ian Cardoni, Harry Belden, Sarah Chalke
A father suddenly appears at his adult daughter's doorstep, 20 years after disappearing.
61
11,332 votes
ER
Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Julianna Margulies
Doctors labor to save lives in the emergency room of a Chicago hospital.
62
9,157 votes
3rd Rock from the Sun
John Lithgow, Jane Curtin, Kristen Johnston
Members of an alien expedition assume human shapes to study Earth.
63
11,108 votes
24
Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Cherry Jones
Jack Bauer must try to divert a catastrophe.
64
7,750 votes
Stargate SG-1
Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, Christopher Judge
A team searches for clues to save the Earth from imminent destruction.
65
18,819 votes
Arrested Development
Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett
An eccentric family suffers a reversal of fortune.
66
7,709 votes
Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Andy Whitfield, Lucy Lawless, John Hannah
Spartacus becomes ancient Rome's most-infamous rebel.
67
14,527 votes
Mad Men
Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Vincent Kartheiser
Top adman Don Draper seals the deal in the boardroom and bedroom but struggles with changing times.
68
4,014 votes
Cobra Kai
Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler
Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso reignite their rivalry 34 years after a fateful karate tourney.
69
4,854 votes
Outlander
Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Sophie Skelton
Honeymooning in 1945 Scotland, a combat nurse is suddenly transported back to the 1700s.
70
7,607 votes
Two and a Half Men
Jon Cryer, Charlie Sheen, Ashton Kutcher
The social interactions of a group of misfits, including a divorcee and an Internet billionaire.
71
9,471 votes
Charmed
Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan, Holly Marie Combs
Three sisterly witches battle the supernatural.
72
10,938 votes
Fringe
Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble
An FBI agent, a brilliant scientist and his estranged son investigate unexplained phenomena.
73
9,532 votes
Once Upon a Time
Lana Parrilla, Robert Carlyle, Colin O'Donoghue
A bail bond collector must fight for the present-day world, in which fairy-tale characters now live.
74
10,146 votes
Heroes
Jack Coleman, Greg Grunberg, Robert Knepper
Ordinary people begin to find that they possess extraordinary powers.
75
7,426 votes
The Mentalist
Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Tim Kang
A detective's adviser uses his keen powers of observation to solve crimes.
76
2,321 votes
The Tudors
Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Tamzin Merchant, Joss Stone
The tumultuous early years of the reign of King Henry VIII.
77
10,574 votes
Monk
Tony Shalhoub, Ted Levine, Traylor Howard
A detective with obsessive-compulsive disorder cracks cases.
78
8,916 votes
Animaniacs
Rob Paulsen, Tress MacNeille, Jess Harnell
Wakko, Yakko, and Dot like wreaking havoc and mischief in the lives of everyone they come across.
79
10,402 votes
Everybody Loves Raymond
Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Doris Roberts
Sports writer Ray Barone tries to be a good husband, father -- and son.
80
11,095 votes
Law & Order
Hugh Dancy, Odelya Halevi, Tony Goldwyn
Detectives and prosecutors pursue justice in the New York City streets and courtrooms.
81
7,263 votes
House of Cards
Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Jayne Atkinson
Politicians plot revenge on those who have thwarted and betrayed them.
82
6,909 votes
Xena: Warrior Princess
Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor
Xena helps people free themselves against tyranny and injustice.
83
5,586 votes
Star Trek: Voyager
Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson
The crew of the Voyager, lost in space, searches for home.
84
5,787 votes
Grimm
David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, Reggie Lee
Nick, a warrior known as a Grimm, protects Portland from dangerous creatures known as Wesen.
85
11,387 votes
Battlestar Galactica
Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff
Humanity's last survivors search for a mythical planet called Earth.
86
6,656 votes
X-Men: The Animated Series
Cal Dodd, Cedric Smith, Norm Spencer
Superhuman abilities help the X-Men protect the world against evil.
87
7,097 votes
Deadwood
Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker
The inhabitants of a frontier town struggle for power.
88
5,158 votes
The 100
Eliza Taylor, Paige Turco, Bob Morley
A century after nuclear Armageddon on Earth, 100 youths return to test the planet's habitability.
89
9,067 votes
Grey's Anatomy
Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens
A team of doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial in Seattle.
90
9,052 votes
SpongeBob SquarePants
Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass
A square yellow sponge lives in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom.
91
7,729 votes
Arrow
Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Emily Bett Rickards
Changed by a shipwreck, billionaire Oliver Queen becomes Arrow to right the wrongs of his family.
92
7,121 votes
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Zachery Tyler, Mae Whitman, Jack De Sena
A 12-year-old must master his powers in order to save the world.
93
5,071 votes
Gotham
Benjamin McKenzie, Donal Logue, David Mazouz
Detective James Gordon and a young Bruce Wayne navigate the dangerous world of Gotham City.
94
9,128 votes
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Ted Danson, Elisabeth Shue, George Eads
An investigation team in Las Vegas scours crime scenes for forensic evidence.
95
8,102 votes
Castle
Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan
A bored mystery writer helps police solve crimes.
96
12,437 votes
Saturday Night Live
Michael Che, Mikey Day, Chloe Fineman
An ensemble performs sketch comedy.
97
6,415 votes
Smallville
Tom Welling, Erica Durance, Justin Hartley
Clark Kent explores his dual identities as superhero and reporter.
98
5,509 votes
Fargo
Juno Temple, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Jason Leigh
A new case and characters are followed each season in this anthology series set in the Midwest.
99
3,417 votes
Penny Dreadful
Timothy Dalton, Eva Green, Josh Hartnett
Some of literature's most famously terrifying characters become embroiled in Victorian London.
100
4,625 votes
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet
A group of highly trained S.H.I.E.L.D. agents investigates the strange and unknown.
101
6,724 votes
The King of Queens
Kevin James, Leah Remini, Jerry Stiller
Doug Heffernan shares a house with his wife and father-in-law.
102
2,330 votes
Jessica Jones
Krysten Ritter, Rachael Taylor, Eka Darville
After a tragic end to her superhero career, Jessica Jones becomes a detective in New York City.
103
3,961 votes
Twin Peaks
Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Mädchen Amick
An FBI agent investigates murders in a Pacific Northwest town.
104
5,153 votes
Rome
Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Polly Walker
Two Roman soldiers and their families endure the fall of the republic.
105
6,724 votes
Rugrats
E.G. Daily, Christine Cavanaugh, Kath Soucie
Tommy, Chuckie and friends find adventures as toddlers.
106
8,542 votes
King of the Hill
Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, Pamela Adlon
Hank Hill, his friends and family live in suburban Texas.
107
6,174 votes
Justified
Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, Nick Searcy
A modern deputy marshal dispenses an Old West brand of justice.
108
6,780 votes
Angel
David Boreanaz, Alexis Denisof, J. August Richards
A vampire with a conscience saves lost souls in Los Angeles.
109
5,890 votes
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Melissa Joan Hart, Caroline Rhea, Beth Broderick
A teenager with special powers strives for a normal life.
110
6,271 votes
Archer
H. Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Chris Parnell
Animated comedy centered on a suave spy, Sterling Archer, and his misguided cohorts.
111
5,514 votes
Homeland
Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Maury Sterling
Top CIA agent Carrie Mathison risks everything, including her sanity.
112
7,415 votes
Psych
James Roday Rodriguez, Dulé Hill, Corbin Bernsen
A novice sleuth convinces the police to let him help on baffling cases by pretending to be psychic.
113
4,163 votes
Star Trek: Enterprise
Scott Bakula, Connor Trinneer, Jolene Blalock
Capt. Jonathan Archer commands a starship at the dawn of humanity's exploration of deep space.
114
5,773 votes
The Flash
Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker
When a freak accident grants Barry Allen superspeed, he uses his powers to solve crimes.
115
3,370 votes
Merlin
Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Richard Wilson
This action-packed fantasy-drama revisits the saga of King Arthur and his wizard, Merlin.
116
8,557 votes
Community
Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi
Students form a study group at a local community college.
117
2,966 votes
Stargate Atlantis
Joe Flanigan, Robert Picardo, David Hewlett
A team leads an expedition to a distant galaxy.
118
5,901 votes
Gilmore Girls
Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Melissa McCarthy
A woman endeavors to raise a daughter on her own.
119
7,180 votes
Weeds
Mary-Louise Parker, Kevin Nealon, Justin Kirk
Nancy Botwin starts a marijuana business to support her family.
120
7,369 votes
American Dad!
Seth MacFarlane, Wendy Schaal, Rachael MacFarlane
A CIA agent will do anything to protect his homeland and family.