Watchworthy

18.1k voters

The Greatest TV Dramas of All Time

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated January 19, 2021 178.6k votes 18.1k voters 305.6k views382 items

List RulesVote up the best American and British dramas, whether they're straight dramatic series or a subgenre like fantasy, period pieces, or horror.

The best dramas of all time are the ones that make you feel connected to characters you will never meet in real life to the point where you obsess about their exploits as much as your own. Thanks to their gripping storylines the best TV dramas rank high among the best TV shows of recent memory with many touting characters on the list of best TV characters ever.

Many of these greatest TV drama series, like Lost and The Sopranos, have already come to a close (earning them places on the list of the best TV series finales), while others like Mad Men and Breaking Bad are on the verge of closing up TV shop and leaving us to inevitably wonder about the lives of the surviving characters and what could have happened with the characters that get killed off (I've got even odds on Walter White buying a ticket to the meth lab in the sky in the Breaking Bad finale). Medical TV shows, crime shows, and more grace this list of excellent TV dramas.

What is the best drama series in TV history? Tough question to answer considering many of the best TV series are dramas (and a lot of them are good!) Use this list of the greatest drama TV shows ever to cast your vote for the top drama series so other real people can get caught up in the fictional lives of your favorite TV drama characters.

Photo:

...more

Try the free app

1
3,630
1,967
The Sopranos
James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco
Premiered: 1999
Network: HBO
More The Sopranos
The Best Characters on The Sopranos16 Small Details That Make 'The Sopranos' That Much Better
2
5,109
2,817
Breaking Bad
Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul
Premiered: 2008
Network: AMC
More Breaking Bad
16 'Breaking Bad' Deleted Scenes That We Just Found Out AboutThe Most Plausible Fan Theories About Breaking Bad
3
2,828
1,755
The Wire
Dominic West, Lance Reddick
Premiered: 2002
Network: BBC Four, HBO
More The Wire
The Best of The WIRE CharactersThe Best Seasons of 'The Wire'
4
4,042
2,970
Game of Thrones
Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey
Premiered: 2011
Network: HBO
More Game of Thrones
All Of The Real Historical Parallels To 'Game Of Thrones'Real Historical Figures Who Inspired Game Of Thrones Characters
5
827
647
The Americans
Keri Russell
Premiered: 2013
Network: FX
More The Americans
Ranking the Best Seasons of 'The Americans'#99 of 239 The Greatest TV Shows for Women
6
1,197
1,019
The West Wing
Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe
Premiered: 1999
Network: NBC
7
665
508
Homeland
Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin
Premiered: 2011
Network: Showtime
More Homeland
The Best Characters On 'Homeland'The Best Homeland Characters of All Time

8
1,024
828
Deadwood
Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane
Premiered: 2004
Network: HBO
9
971
839
M*A*S*H
Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers
Premiered: 1972
Network: CBS
10
803
568
Stranger Things
Winona Ryder, David Harbour
Premiered: 2016
Network: Netflix
More Stranger Things
Who Would Be In 'Stranger Things' If It Were Cast In The '80s?16 Behind The Scenes Secrets From The Set Of 'Stranger Things'
11
1,710
1,118
Band of Brothers
Scott Grimes, Damian Lewis
Premiered: 2001
Network: British Broadcasting Corporation, HBO
More Band of Brothers
12 Behind The Scenes Stories From The Making Of 'Band Of Brothers'Small But Poignant Details Fans Noticed In 'Band Of Brothers'
12
1,937
1,702
Mad Men
Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss
Premiered: 2007
Network: AMC
More Mad Men
The Best Mad Men Characters of All Time#150 of 277 The Most Overrated TV Shows Of All Time
13
841
689
Justified
Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy
Premiered: 2010
Network: FX
14
1,069
687
Fargo
Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton
Premiered: 2014
Network: FX
More Fargo
All The Coen Brothers Movie References In The 'Fargo' SeriesAll of the Clever Easter Eggs Hiding in Fargo the TV Series
15
687
605
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner
Premiered: 1987
Network: CBS
More Star Trek: The Next Generation
Famous People You Didn't Know Were On 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'14 Small But Fascinating Details Fans Noticed About Star Trek: The Next Generation
16
1,760
1,595
House
Hugh Laurie, Omar Epps
Premiered: 2004
Network: Fox
More House
Small Details From 'House' That Make The Show Much BetterThe Best Seasons of 'House'
17
730
501
Vikings
Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick
Premiered: 2013
Network: History
More Vikings
Turns Out The Real Inspiration For 'Vikings' Lagertha Is Even Tougher Than The TV Version11 Historically Inaccurate Details From History Channel's 'Vikings'
18
572
350
Peaky Blinders
Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory
Premiered: 2013
Network: BBC Two
More Peaky Blinders
The Fascinating True Story That Inspired BBC's 'Peaky Blinders'The Best Characters On 'Peaky Blinders'
19
814
728
Star Trek: The Original Series
William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy
Premiered: 1966
Network: NBC
More Star Trek: The Original Series
#7 of 298 The Best Sci-Fi Television Series Of All Time#136 of 640 The Best TV Shows To Binge Watch
20
1,415
1,284
The Twilight Zone
Rod Serling, Robert McCord
Premiered: 1959
Network: UPN, CBS
More The Twilight Zone
Small Details From 'The Twilight Zone' That Make The Show Much BetterCreepy Parallels Between 'American Horror Story' And 'The Twilight Zone' You Never Even Knew Existed
21
402
312
Black Mirror
Daniel Kaluuya, Toby Kebbell
Premiered: 2011
Network: Channel 4, Netflix
More Black Mirror
All The Technology From 'Black Mirror,' Ranked From Terrifying To UsefulWildly Convincing Black Mirror Fan Theories That Somehow Make The Show Even Crazier
22
1,294
1,129
Sons of Anarchy
Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal
Premiered: 2008
Network: FX
More Sons of Anarchy
Here Are All The Things That Sons Of Anarchy Got Totally Wrong About California Motorcycle Gangs'Sons Of Anarchy' Fan Theories
23
1,114
447
Better Call Saul
Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks
Premiered: 2015
Network: AMC
More Better Call Saul
All of the Breaking Bad Easter Eggs in Better Call SaulThe Best Characters On 'Better Call Saul,' Ranked
24
357
285
Westworld
Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton
Premiered: 2016
Network: HBO
More Westworld
13 Small Details In 'Westworld' That Make The Show Way BetterThe Best Characters on Westworld, Ranked
25
1,804
1,668
Lost
Naveen Andrews, Emilie de Ravin
Premiered: 2004
Network: American Broadcasting Company
More Lost
The Best LOST Characters25 Incredible Tattoos Inspired by Lost