The best cable series on premium cable includes some of the greatest TV shows in history. This list of premium cable original programming is ranked by TV fans around the world. What are the best original shows on cable? These are all the best cable series, past and present, that ever aired. The best premium cable series are often good enough to persuade consumers to pay extra money to watch them. Shows like Game of Thrones, The Wire, and The Newsroom have such loyal followings that single episodes can affect entertainment news cycles. For television lovers, many of these top cable series are must-see.
This list of original programs on premium cable feature the best dramas and comedies according to ratings, awards, and fan bases. Even though Showtime's crime drama series Dexter ended with a poorly received season, the overall response was mostly positive, making it high on this list. Even shows that were canceled like Penny Dreadful and Dead Like Me are found on list of the best premium cable TV series of all time.    Â
What are the best premium cable TV series? Vote for your favorites - comedy, sports, or drama - and for real impact on the list order, rank your own list of series or just nominate a show you think should be represented. Networks like HBO and Showtime have been churning out some of the highest rated programming in recent history, so much so that these channels have begun to sweep many of Hollywood's most prestigious award. But the only metric that really matters is your opinion. Which of the most popular premium cable shows are you willing to pay big bucks for? Vote for your favorite below!
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6,5871,594Game of Thrones
Peter Dinklage, Lena HeadeyPremiered:Â 2011-04-17
Network:Â HBO
2
3,7551,357The Sopranos
James Gandolfini, Lorraine BraccoPremiered:Â 1999
Network:Â HBO
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2,430936Band of Brothers
Scott Grimes, Damian LewisPremiered:Â 2001
Network:Â HBO
4
1,970703Vikings
Travis Fimmel, Katheryn WinnickPremiered:Â 2013
Network:Â History
5
1,859705Ray Donovan
Liev Schreiber, Paula MalcomsonPremiered:Â 2013
Network:Â Showtime
6
2,321928Shameless
Emmy Rossum, William H. MacyPremiered:Â 2011
Network:Â Showtime
7
2,320925True Detective
Mahershala Ali, Matthew McConaugheyPremiered:Â 2013
Network:Â HBO
8
2,9881,327The Wire
Dominic West, Lance ReddickPremiered:Â 2002
Network:Â HBO
9
2,6151,120Homeland
Claire Danes, Mandy PatinkinPremiered:Â 2011
Network:Â Showtime
10
2,2731,169Boardwalk Empire
Steve Buscemi, Stephen GrahamPremiered:Â 2010
Network:Â HBO
11
1,860962Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Eric McIntire, Daniel SpinkPremiered:Â 2010
Network:Â Starz!
12
2,0571,260Deadwood
Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShanePremiered:Â 2004
Network:Â HBO
13
3,6682,321Dexter
Michael C. Hall, Jennifer CarpenterPremiered:Â 2006
Network:Â Showtime
14
1,270522Black Sails
Jessica Parker Kennedy, Toby StephensPremiered:Â 2014
Network:Â Starz
15
1,245456Westworld
Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie NewtonPremiered:Â 2016
Network:Â HBO
16
1,614756Outlander
Caitriona Balfe, Sam HeughanPremiered:Â 2014
Network:Â Starz
17
1,8591,203Rome
Kevin McKidd, Ray StevensonPremiered:Â 2005
Network:Â HBO
18
1,231759The Tudors
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry CavillPremiered:Â 2007
Network:Â British Broadcasting Corporation, Showtime, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CBC Television, TV3
19
1,251905Oz
Ernie Hudson, J.K. SimmonsPremiered:Â 1997
Network:Â HBO
20
1,347912Six Feet Under
Peter Krause, Michael C. HallPremiered:Â 2001
Network:Â HBO
21
1,001560Penny Dreadful
Josh Hartnett, Timothy DaltonPremiered:Â 2014
Network:Â Showtime
22
2,0021,654True Blood
Anna Paquin, Stephen MoyerPremiered:Â 2008
Network:Â HBO
23
874312Billions
Damian Lewis, Paul GiamattiPremiered:Â 2016
Network:Â Showtime
24
1,5491,249Weeds
Mary-Louise Parker, Hunter ParrishPremiered:Â 2005
Network:Â Showtime
25
663449Silicon Valley
Thomas Middleditch, T.J. MillerPremiered:Â 2014
Network:Â HBO
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