Favourite TV Drama Series of All Time
by seanwilson-36931 | created - 9 months ago | updated - 1 month ago | PublicBased on the series I enjoyed the most.
Currently watching True Detective and Lilyhammer
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1. Lost (2004–2010)
TV-14 | 44 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: 500,834
10/10 - Without doubt, my favourite show of all time. Has everything - superb characters, great writing, tension, drama, romance, mystery, unpredictability, comedy, amazing dialogue, cliffhangers, and more. An unforgettable show that will get you hooked from the very first minute.
Favourite Episode: Through The Looking Glass
Favourite Season: 2
Favourite Character: John Locke
2. Breaking Bad (2008–2013)
TV-MA | 49 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine in order to secure his family's future.
Stars: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Betsy Brandt
Votes: 1,491,698
10/10 - After starting reasonably slow, this legendary show quickly becomes outstanding and just gets better and better. Superb plot, awesome characters, amazing scenes, and several all-time great episodes.
Favourite Episode: Ozymandias
Favourite Season: 5
Favourite Character: Walter White
3. Mr. Robot (2015–2019)
TV-MA | 49 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Elliot, a brilliant but highly unstable young cyber-security engineer and vigilante hacker, becomes a key figure in a complex game of global dominance when he and his shadowy allies try to take down the corrupt corporation he works for.
Stars: Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Carly Chaikin, Martin Wallström
Votes: 337,619
9.75/10 - This show is absolutely outstanding. It has tons of tension, emotion, mystery, drama, great character development, amazing cinematography, and more. Loved it from start to finish. A modern-day masterpiece.
Favourite Episode: eps3.4_runtime-error.r00
Favourite Season: 4
Favourite Character: Elliot Alderson
4. Prison Break (2005–2017)
TV-14 | 44 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Due to a political conspiracy, an innocent man is sent to death row and his only hope is his brother, who makes it his mission to deliberately get himself sent to the same prison in order to break the both of them out, from the inside.
Stars: Dominic Purcell, Wentworth Miller, Amaury Nolasco, Robert Knepper
Votes: 481,497
9.5/10 - An absolute thrill ride. Starts with an epic first season and keeps you hooked throughout with tense moments. Awesome show.
Favourite Episode: Go
Favourite Season: 1
Favourite Character: Lincoln Burrows
5. Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
TV-MA | 57 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: 1,793,234
9.5/10 - First six seasons are incredible, featuring brilliant characters, intense moments, and riveting plots. Poor final season but still an amazing show.
Favourite Episode: Hardhome
Favourite Season: 4
Favourite Character: Jon Snow
6. Person of Interest (2011–2016)
TV-14 | 43 min | Action, Crime, Drama
An ex-CIA agent and a wealthy programmer save lives via a surveillance AI that sends them the identities of civilians involved in impending crimes. However, the details of the crimes, including the civilians' roles, are left a mystery.
Stars: Jim Caviezel, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Chapman, Michael Emerson
Votes: 164,274
9/10 - Fantastic show with intensity, fast paced action, intriguing plot lines and a solid set of characters. Gets better with each season.
Favourite Episode: The Crossing
Favourite Season: 5
Favourite Character: John Reece
7. House of Cards (2013–2018)
TV-MA | 51 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: 469,921
9/10 - Shocking, tense and unpredictable. A brilliant show featuring one of the best TV characters of all time in Frank Underwood. Final season (without Frank) was not the same.
Favourite Episode: Chapter 14
Favourite Season: 2
Favourite Character: Frank Underwood
8. Line of Duty (2012– )
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Drama series following the investigations of AC-12, a controversial police anti-corruption unit.
Stars: Adrian Dunbar, Martin Compston, Vicky McClure, Craig Parkinson
Votes: 37,475
9/10 - Fast paced, dramatic and tense. One of BBC's best ever shows. Will get you on the edge of your seat and is another one that gets better as it goes along. Thrilling drama.
Favourite Episode: Breach
Favourite Season: 4
Favourite Character: Steve Arnott
9. The Wire (2002–2008)
TV-MA | 59 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: 289,501
9/10 - A show with many great qualities, including a fascinating set of characters, amazing detail, superb acting, great dialogue and some of the best writing you will see. But it is slow and you have to be patient, very patient, with it. It is not an edge-of-your-seat thriller, more of an extremely in-depth look into the lives of people in Baltimore.
Favourite Episode: Middle Ground
Favourite Season: 5
Favourite Character: Jimmy McNulty
10. The Sopranos (1999–2007)
TV-MA | 55 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: 308,282
9/10 - A fascinating look into the mob life. Has awesome writing, unpredictable moments and an amazing main character in Tony Soprano. Also features some of the best acting you'll see. On the negative side, bit of a slow burner with some filler episodes and not a very broad range of great characters.
Favourite Episode: Whoever Did This
Favourite Season: 6
Favourite Character: Tony Soprano
11. Narcos (2015–2017)
TV-MA | 49 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
A chronicled look at the criminal exploits of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, as well as the many other drug kingpins who plagued the country through the years.
Stars: Pedro Pascal, Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook, Alberto Ammann
Votes: 363,622
9/10 - Really good show. The chase to arrest Pablo Escobar is thrilling and gripping TV, featuring some great characters.
Favourite Episode: Al Fin Cayo
Favourite Season: 2
Favourite Character: Steve Murphy
12. Chernobyl (2019)
TV-MA | 330 min | Drama, History, Thriller
In April 1986, an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics becomes one of the world's worst man-made catastrophes.
Stars: Jessie Buckley, Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Adam Nagaitis
Votes: 559,370
9/10 - An outstanding mini-series perfectly articulating the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl. Features superb dialogue, cinematography, and razor sharp detail.
Favourite Episode: Vichnaya Pamyat
Favourite Character: Vasily Ignatenko
13. Luther (2010–2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
DCI John Luther is a near-genius murder detective whose brilliant mind can't always save him from the dangerous violence of his passions.
Stars: Idris Elba, Dermot Crowley, Michael Smiley, Warren Brown
Votes: 122,742
9/10 - Another great BBC show featuring a truly great character in maverick detective John Luther. Great tension and drama that will keep you hooked.
Favourite Episode: 2.2
Favourite Season: 2
Favourite Character: John Luther
14. Homeland (2011–2020)
TV-MA | 55 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: 317,013
8.5/10 - Some of the most thrilling TV you will watch in the first few seasons. Sadly dragged out too long but still a great watch.
Favourite Episode: There's Something Else Going On
Favourite Season: 2
Favourite Character: Saul Berenson
15. The Leftovers (2014–2017)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Three years after the disappearance of two percent of the global population, a group of people in a small New York community try to continue their lives while coping with the tragedy of the unexplained nature of the event.
Stars: Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler
Votes: 81,803
8.5/10 - Emotional show with interesting characters and lots of great moments. Season 2, in particular, is excellent.
Favourite Episode: International Assassin
Favourite Season: 2
Favourite Character: Kevin Garvey
16. Money Heist (2017– )
TV-MA | 70 min | Action, Crime, Mystery
An unusual group of robbers attempt to carry out the most perfect robbery in Spanish history - stealing 2.4 billion euros from the Royal Mint of Spain.
Stars: Úrsula Corberó, Álvaro Morte, Itziar Ituño, Pedro Alonso
Votes: 311,707
8.5/10 - A very entertaining, enjoyable show with thrilling action, great character development and plenty of emotional moments. Season 4, in general, was a disappointment and perhaps the show went on too long.
Favourite Episode: Bella ciao
Favourite Season: 2
Favourite Character: El Profesor
17. The O.C. (2003–2007)
TV-PG | 44 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A troubled youth becomes embroiled in the lives of a close-knit group of people in the wealthy, upper-class neighborhood of Newport Beach, Orange County, California.
Stars: Mischa Barton, Adam Brody, Peter Gallagher, Kelly Rowan
Votes: 81,907
8.5/10 - This show is very underrated. The characters are fantastic and you really get invested in them. Also has plenty of emotional, funny, and shocking moments.
Favourite Episode: Pilot
Favourite Season: 1
Favourite Character: Sandy Cohen
18. Billions (2016– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama
U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades goes after hedge fund king Bobby "Axe" Axelrod in a battle between two powerful New York figures.
Stars: Paul Giamatti, Damian Lewis, Maggie Siff, David Costabile
Votes: 71,066
8.5/10 - Fascinating show surrounding two brilliant characters in Chuck Rhodes and Bobby Axelrod. First two seasons are awesome.
Favourite Episode: Golden Frog Time
Favourite Season: 2
Favourite Character: Chuck Rhodes
19. Ozark (2017– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A financial advisor drags his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks, where he must launder money to appease a drug boss.
Stars: Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Sofia Hublitz, Skylar Gaertner
Votes: 194,129
8.5/10 - Dark, intense and unpredictable. A great show that gets better as it goes along.
Favourite Episode: Fire Pink
Favourite Season: 3
Favourite Character: Marty Byrd
20. Sherlock (2010–2017)
TV-14 | 88 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A modern update finds the famous sleuth and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London.
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Una Stubbs, Rupert Graves
Votes: 817,372
8.5/10 - Another excellent BBC show which features great plot points and tense moments.
Favourite Episode: The Reichenbach Fall
Favourite Season: 2
Favourite Character: Sherlock
21. Suits (2011–2019)
TV-14 | 44 min | Comedy, Drama
On the run from a drug deal gone bad, brilliant college dropout Mike Ross, finds himself working with Harvey Specter, one of New York City's best lawyers.
Stars: Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Meghan Markle, Sarah Rafferty
Votes: 367,281
8/10 - Great show with an interesting look into the life of a big law firm and some solid characters involved. Unfortunately dragged out far too long.
Favourite Episode: Faith
Favourite Season: 2
Favourite Character: Harvey Spector
22. The Queen's Gambit (2020)
TV-MA | 395 min | Drama
Orphaned at the tender age of nine, prodigious introvert Beth Harmon discovers and masters the game of chess in 1960s USA. But child stardom comes at a price.
Stars: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chloe Pirrie, Bill Camp, Marcin Dorocinski
Votes: 294,060
8/10
Favourite Episode:
Favourite Character:
23. Dark (2017–2020)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A family saga with a supernatural twist, set in a German town, where the disappearance of two young children exposes the relationships among four families.
Stars: Louis Hofmann, Karoline Eichhorn, Lisa Vicari, Maja Schöne
Votes: 293,298
8/10 - An interesting show featuring strong characters, visuals and soundtracks. Enjoyed the first two seasons but the last season became extremely complicated and difficult to follow.
Favourite Episode: Life and Death
Favourite Season: 2
Favourite Character: Ulrich Nielsen
24. Power (I) (2014–2020)
TV-MA | 50 min | Crime, Drama
James "Ghost" St. Patrick, a wealthy New York night club owner who has it all, catering to the city's elite and dreaming big, lives a double life as a drug kingpin.
Stars: Omari Hardwick, Lela Loren, Naturi Naughton, Joseph Sikora
Votes: 40,235
8/10
Favourite Episode: Don't Thank Me
Favourite Season: 2
Favourite Character: James 'Ghost' St. Patrick
25. 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: 85,980
8/10
Favourite Episode: What Is in Me Dark Illumine
Favourite Season: 2
Favourite Character: Stella Gibson
26. 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: 116,985
8/10
Favourite Episode: Bang
Favourite Season: 3
Favourite Character: Tom Scavo
27. Bosch (2014– )
TV-MA | 51 min | Crime, Drama
An L.A.P.D. homicide detective works to solve the murder of a thirteen-year-old boy while standing trial in federal court for the murder of a serial killer.
Stars: Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Lance Reddick
Votes: 47,839
8/10
28. Spiral (2005–2020)
TV-PG | 52 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Follows criminal investigations in Paris from all the different points of view of those involved.
Stars: Caroline Proust, Audrey Fleurot, Thierry Godard, Philippe Duclos
Votes: 5,355
8/10
29. The Crown (2016– )
TV-MA | 58 min | Biography, Drama, History
Follows the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped the second half of the twentieth century.
Stars: Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, Imelda Staunton, Matt Smith
Votes: 158,265
8/10
30. The Affair (2014–2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama
A struggling novelist and a young waitress strike up an extramarital relationship that promises to forever change the course of their lives.
Stars: Dominic West, Ruth Wilson, Maura Tierney, Julia Goldani Telles
Votes: 41,029
7.5/10
31. The Split (2018– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama
The Defoes, a family of female divorce lawyers, are forced to face their past following the return of their estranged father after a 30 year absence.
Stars: Nicola Walker, Stephen Mangan, Annabel Scholey, Fiona Button
Votes: 3,892
7.5/10
32. The Punisher (2017–2019)
TV-MA | 53 min | Action, Crime, Drama
After the murder of his family, Marine veteran Frank Castle becomes the vigilante known as "The Punisher," with only one goal in mind: to avenge them.
Stars: Jon Bernthal, Amber Rose Revah, Ben Barnes, Jason R. Moore
Votes: 187,357
7.5/10
33. Big Little Lies (2017–2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The apparently perfect lives of upper-class mothers, at a prestigious elementary school, unravel to the point of murder when a single-mother moves to their quaint Californian beach town.
Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz
Votes: 160,422
7.5/10
34. The Musketeers (2014–2016)
TV-14 | 55 min | Adventure, Drama
Set on the streets of 17th-century Paris, "The Musketeers" gives a contemporary take on the classic story about a group of highly trained soldiers and bodyguards assigned to protect King and country.
Stars: Luke Pasqualino, Tom Burke, Santiago Cabrera, Howard Charles
Votes: 20,845
7.5/10
35. Bodyguard (2018)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A contemporary thriller featuring the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch of London's Metropolitan Police Service.
Stars: Richard Madden, Sophie Rundle, Vincent Franklin, Ash Tandon
Votes: 96,961
7.5/10
36. Fortitude (2015–2018)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Perched on the edge of the Arctic Circle, Fortitude is one of the safest towns on earth. There has never been a violent crime here. Until now.
Stars: Richard Dormer, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Sienna Guillory, Mia Jexen
Votes: 20,079
7/10
37. Shooter (2016–2018)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Drama
A conspiracy thriller that follows the journey of Bob Lee Swagger, a highly-decorated veteran who is coaxed back into action to prevent a plot to kill the President.
Stars: Ryan Phillippe, Shantel VanSanten, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Omar Epps
Votes: 32,042
7/10
38. Unorthodox (2020)
TV-MA | 213 min | Drama
Story of a young ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman who flees her arranged marriage and religious community to start a new life abroad.
Stars: Shira Haas, Amit Rahav, Jeff Wilbusch, Alex Reid
Votes: 60,060
6.5/10
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