Greatest (Recent) TV Series [Top 35]
by dan-thurston | created - 25 Aug 2012 | updated - 10 Nov 2014 | PublicThe greatest/best TV series, since 1999, IMO. Mainly comedies but a few drama's thrown in as well. This list doesn't include shows such as documentaries (Planet Earth, Frozen Planet, Life, Ray Mears, Bear Grylls).
I highly recommend you watch any of these that you haven't yet seen. :)
There are a few shows that'd probably make it onto the list but I haven't watched yet, such as:
The Wire, The Sopranos, Lost, Mad Men, Dexter, Sons of Anarchy, Game of Thrones, Chuck, 24, Black Adder, Father Ted, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Boardwalk Empire.
Honorable Mentions:
Proving Ground, Oz, Kenny Vs Spenny, The Office, Green Wing and Black Books.
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1. Breaking Bad (2008–2013)
TV-MA | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine with a former student in order to secure his family's future.
Stars: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Betsy Brandt
Votes: 2,131,816
All Hail the King
2. Sherlock (2010–2017)
TV-14 | 90 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The quirky spin on Conan Doyle's iconic sleuth pitches him as a "high-functioning sociopath" in modern-day London. Assisting him in his investigations: Afghanistan War vet John Watson, who's introduced to Holmes by a mutual acquaintance.
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Una Stubbs, Rupert Graves
Votes: 996,597
3. The Walking Dead (2010–2022)
TV-MA | 45 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes wakes up from a coma to learn the world is in ruins and must lead a group of survivors to stay alive.
Stars: Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan
Votes: 1,080,456
4. The Inbetweeners (2008–2010)
TV-14 | 25 min | Comedy
Follows four friends and their antics during their final years of school.
Stars: Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison, Joe Thomas
Votes: 94,270
5. Spaced (1999–2001)
TV-14 | 25 min | Comedy
Friends Tim and Daisy, 20-something North Londoners with uncertain futures, must pretend to be a couple to live in the only apartment they can afford.
Stars: Simon Pegg, Jessica Hynes, Julia Deakin, Nick Frost
Votes: 57,617
6. Peep Show (2003–2015)
TV-MA | 25 min | Comedy
Mark and Jez are a couple of twenty-something roommates who have nothing in common - except for the fact that their lives are anything but normal. Mayhem ensues as the pair strive to cope with day-to-day life.
Stars: David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Matt King, Olivia Colman
Votes: 66,493
7. American Horror Story (2011– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
An anthology series centering on different characters and locations, showcasing different aspects of horror.
Stars: Lady Gaga, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson
Votes: 343,101
8. Impractical Jokers (2011– )
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy, Reality-TV
Q, Sal, Joe and Murr are real-life best friends who love challenging each other to the most outrageous dares and stunts ever caught on hidden camera.
Stars: James Murray, Brian Quinn, Sal Vulcano, Joe Gatto
Votes: 45,707
Impractical Jokers follows the four friends they coerce one another into doing public pranks while being filmed by hidden cameras. The show differs from other prank shows in that the stars of Impractical Jokers do not know the details of the prank until the moment they are performing it on strangers.
9. Workaholics (2011–2017)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy
A single-camera comedy featuring three friends who work together as telemarketers from 9 to 5, and live together from 5 to 9.
Stars: Blake Anderson, Adam Devine, Anders Holm, Maribeth Monroe
Votes: 56,179
Three 'Bro's' who are recent college graduates and roomates.
"They work together as telemarketers from 9 to 5, live together from 5 to 9 and party together 24/7. Whether they're at their house in Rancho Cucamonga or getting ready to rage at a Renaissance Faire, the guys find trouble wherever they go."
10. The Whitest Kids U'Know (2007–2011)
TV-MA | 15 min | Comedy
A sketch comedy show involving five friends.
Stars: Timmy Williams, Trevor Moore, Sam Brown, Zach Cregger
Votes: 5,605
11. Louie (2010–2015)
TV-MA | 22 min | Comedy, Drama
The life of Louie C.K., a divorced comedian living in New York with two kids.
Stars: Louis C.K., Hadley Delany, Ursula Parker, Pamela Adlon
Votes: 82,156
12. Doctor Who (2005–2022)
TV-PG | 45 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
The further adventures in time and space of the alien adventurer known as the Doctor and his companions from planet Earth.
Stars: Jodie Whittaker, Peter Capaldi, Pearl Mackie, Matt Smith
Votes: 246,260
13. South Park (1997– )
TV-MA | 22 min | Animation, Comedy
Follows the misadventures of four irreverent grade-schoolers in the quiet, dysfunctional town of South Park, Colorado.
Stars: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Isaac Hayes, Mona Marshall
Votes: 405,563
14. Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006)
TV-PG | 22 min | Comedy, Family
A gifted young teen tries to survive life with his dimwitted, dysfunctional family.
Stars: Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, Justin Berfield, Erik Per Sullivan
Votes: 142,390
15. Viva la Bam (2003–2006)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Reality-TV
A show that follows Bam Margera (of Jackass and CKY fame) in his attempts to anger his parents. Unlike CKY or Jackass, Viva La Bam focuses mainly on the torture of Bam's parents and less on harmful stunts.
Stars: Bam Margera, Chris Raab, Brandon DiCamillo, Rake Yohn
Votes: 9,614
16. Fresh Meat (2011–2016)
TV-MA | 50 min | Comedy, Drama
A comedy that follows a group of six students about to embark on the most exciting period of their lives so far, university.
Stars: Zawe Ashton, Greg McHugh, Kimberley Nixon, Charlotte Ritchie
Votes: 19,479
Comedy drama series from the creators of Peep Show about the hilarious, and often painful, truths of being a student.
17. Testees (2008)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy
Two close friends are employed as guinea pigs for a pharmaceutical company. Each episode deals with the different "Research Products" given to the "Test Subjects". There are other stories playing throughout the seasons.
Stars: Jeff Kassel, Steve Markle, Joe Pingue, Kim Schraner
Votes: 2,654
18. Misfits (2009–2013)
TV-MA | 60 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A group of young offenders doing community service gets struck by lightning during a storm and start to develop superpowers.
Stars: Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Joe Gilgun, Iwan Rheon, Lauren Socha
Votes: 107,221
19. Futurama (1999– )
TV-14 | 22 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Philip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy, is accidentally frozen in 1999 and thawed out on New Year's Eve 2999.
Stars: Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille
Votes: 260,662
20. Psychoville (2009–2011)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Horror, Mystery
A group of seemingly unrelated strangers all receive a mysterious note stating "I know what you did", which sends their lives into a downward spiral.
Stars: Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton, Daniel Kaluuya, Daisy Haggard
Votes: 7,379
21. That Mitchell and Webb Look (2006–2010)
720 min | Comedy, Fantasy
A comedy sketch show featuring David Mitchell and Robert Webb.
Stars: David Mitchell, Robert Webb, James Bachman, Mark Evans
Votes: 9,521
That Mitchell and Webb Look is a British television sketch show starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb (from The Peep Show).
22. Dynamo: Magician Impossible (2011–2014)
PG | 45 min | Documentary
Magician to the stars, Dynamo, travels the globe and performs mind-blowing stunts for everyone he meets, including A-list celebrities.
Stars: Dynamo, Kimberly Wyatt, David Haye, Phillip Schofield
Votes: 1,556
23. Bored to Death (2009–2011)
TV-MA | 28 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
A well-meaning but struggling writer decides to lead a sort of double life by pretending to be a private detective using the methods he read about in old detective novels.
Stars: Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis, Ted Danson, Heather Burns
Votes: 34,596
24. Derren Brown: The Experiments (2011– )
Documentary
Derren Brown uses deception as a skill to overcome common misbeliefs and fears of individuals.
Stars: Derren Brown, Rachel Jackson, Andrew Sykes, John Mason
Votes: 516
A four-part series featuring an inventive and jaw-dropping mixture of stunts, magic, illusion, suggestion and thought-provoking entertainment, combined with psychological insight.
25. Bad Education (2012–2024)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy
Comedy series about a teacher who is a bigger kid than the kids he teaches.
Stars: Layton Williams, Mathew Horne, Charlie Wernham, Jack Whitehall
Votes: 13,711
A comedy series about the worst teacher ever to grace the British education system.
26. Derren Brown: The Events (2009– )
Reality-TV
Derren Brown attempts "some of the most incredible feats to date" in The Events.
Stars: Derren Brown, R. Paul Wilson, Julz Cukrov, Tim Westwood
Votes: 245
In 2009, Derren produced four highly complex shows of 'misdirection'. Each event has its own theme, but Derren's aim is always the same: to confuse, to confound and, of course, to control.
27. Chappelle's Show (2003–2006)
TV-MA | 22 min | Comedy, Music
Comedian Dave Chappelle hosts this sketch-comedy show that parodies many of the nuances of race and culture.
Stars: Dave Chappelle, Donnell Rawlings, Rudy Rush, Charlie Murphy
Votes: 71,690
28. Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory (2009– )
TV-PG | 21 min | Comedy, Reality-TV
The fantasy continues for skateboarding legend Rob Dyrdek and his crew as they return for another quirky season of chaos and laughter at the Fantasy Factory.
Stars: Rob Dyrdek, Ralph Saenz, Chris Pfaff, Chanel West Coast
Votes: 2,895
29. Family Guy (1999– )
TV-MA | 22 min | Animation, Comedy
In a wacky Rhode Island town, a dysfunctional family strives to cope with everyday life as they are thrown from one crazy scenario to another.
Stars: Alex Borstein, Seth MacFarlane, Seth Green, Mila Kunis
Votes: 363,733
30. Angry Boys (2011)
TV-MA | 29 min | Comedy
A mockumentary exploring the issues faced by young males in the 21st century - their influences, their pressures, their dreams and ambitions.
Stars: Chris Lilley, Deborah Jones, Greg Fairall, Liam Keltie
Votes: 4,766
Australian mockumentary series written by and starring Chris Lilley. Continuing the mockumentary style of his previous series, the show explores the issues faced by young males in the 21st century – their influences, their pressures, their dreams and ambitions.
32. Nitro Circus (2009– )
TV-14 | Action, Comedy, Reality-TV
This TV series is about one group of outrageous friends performing mind blowing stunts. Much like Jackass, you will think: "Why would they do that?". Except in Jackass, everything is meant ... See full summary »
Stars: Travis Pastrana, Andy Bell, Jolene Van Vugt, Jim DeChamp
Votes: 2,617
Nitro Circus is an "action sport collective" led by Travis Pastrana, featuring his friends and him traveling around the world riding dirtbikes, base jumping, and performing stunts.
33. My Name Is Earl (2005–2009)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy
A ne'er do well wins $100,000 in the lottery and decides to right all the wrongs from his past with his newfound realization!
Stars: Jason Lee, Ethan Suplee, Jaime Pressly, Nadine Velazquez
Votes: 109,513
34. Ridiculousness (2011– )
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy, Reality-TV
Rob Dyrdek shows us some of the funniest videos with two of his friends.
Stars: Rob Dyrdek, Sterling Brim, Chanel West Coast, Nina Agdal
Votes: 7,642
"Ridiculousness is an MTV video clip show hosted by Rob Dyrdek and co-hosted by Sterling "Steelo" Brim and Chanel West Coast. Jeff Tremaine is the show's executive producer."
Not the most original show, but the quantity of clips, inventive segments and addition of celebrity guests makes it my favourite clip show of recent times.
35. Da Ali G Show (2000–2004)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy
Sacha Baron Cohen provides an inimitable mix of global reportage and celebrity chat via his characters Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev and Brüno Gehard.
Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen, T.N.T. Crew, Steve Ellington
Votes: 18,272
Joint place with 'Ali G in Da USAiii
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