The Best 1990s CBS Dramas

Updated June 15, 2019 1.7k votes 146 voters 4.7k views28 items

List RulesVote up your favorite CBS dramas that aired on TV in the '90s

These are the best 1990s CBS drama shows ranked from best to worst by user votes. The best 1990s CBS dramas come in many forms. Some good 90s CBS drama TV series were medical dramas, other centered around family life, and still some others were of course crime procedurals. Some of the best 1990s CBS drama shows even leaned towards being sci-fi.

What series will you find on this best 1990s CBS drama shows list? Chicago Hope gave ER a run for its money during the 1990s. This great CBS drama won several Emmy Awards for its talented cast which included Mandy Patinkin and Christine Lahti. Northern Exposure was also one of the best dramas shows to air on CBS during the 90s.

JAG entertained fans with legal drama centered around the Navy and Murder She Wrote added mystery to CBS in the 90s. Other good shows that appear on this top 1990s CBS drama shows list include Picket Fences, Touched By an Angel and Nash Bridges.

Do you have a favorite 90s CBS drama? Vote the best shows to the top of this list and get in on the conversation in the comments section.

Photo:

...more

1
93
19
Murder, She Wrote
Angela Lansbury, William Windom
This show is a television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and... more
More Murder, She Wrote
#8 of 292 The Best Female-Led TV Shows#248 of 310 The Greatest TV Dramas of All Time
2
50
23
Knots Landing
Michele Lee, Ted Shackelford
Knots Landing is an American primetime television soap opera that aired from December 27, 1979... more
More Knots Landing
#5 of 51 The Greatest Soap Operas of All Time#94 of 277 The Most Overrated TV Shows Of All Time
3
37
20
Picket Fences
Kathy Baker, Tom Skerritt
Picket Fences is an American television drama about the residents of the town of Rome,... more
4
13
10
The Nanny
Fran Drescher, Charles Shaughnessy
The Nanny (CBS, 1993) is an American television sitcom created by Fran Drescher and Peter Marc... more
More The Nanny
Fran Fine's Best Outfits From 'The Nanny'#135 of 340 The Best TV Shows of The Last 20 Years
5
10
12
Murphy Brown
Candice Bergen, Grant Shaud
Murphy Brown is an American situation comedy which aired on CBS from November 14, 1988, to May... more
More Murphy Brown
#138 of 201 The TV Shows with the Best Writing#54 of 76 The Best TV Reboots & Revivals
6
17
24
Chicago Hope
Carla Gugino, Mark Harmon
Chicago Hope is an American medical drama television series, created by David E. Kelley. It... more
More Chicago Hope
#18 of 41 The Great Medical Drama TV Shows of All Time#5 of 21 The Best David E. Kelley Shows and TV Series
7
30
47
American Gothic
Gary Cole, Lucas Black
American Gothic is an American horror series created by Shaun Cassidy and executive producer... more
More American Gothic
#34 of 308 The Best Shows Canceled After a Single Season#240 of 253 The Best TV Shows Streaming On Hulu
8
33
52
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Jane Seymour, Joe Lando
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is an American Western drama series created by Beth Sullivan and... more
More Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
#52 of 109 The Best Historical Drama TV Shows#56 of 87 The Best Period Piece TV Shows
9
11
20
Dark Justice
Carrie-Anne Moss, Janet Gunn
Dark Justice is an American crime drama about a judge who becomes a vigilante by night so that... more
10
26
46
Northern Exposure
Rob Morrow, Janine Turner
Northern Exposure is an American television series that ran on CBS from 1990 to 1995, with a... more
More Northern Exposure
#105 of 291 The Greatest Sitcoms in Television History#68 of 103 The Best Dramedy TV Series
11
25
46
Walker, Texas Ranger
Chuck Norris, Clarence Gilyard Jr.
Walker, Texas Ranger (CBS, 1993) is an American action crime television series created by... more
More Walker, Texas Ranger
#172 of 397 The Best TV Shows to Rewatch#102 of 112 The Greatest TV Title Sequences Ever
12
28
51
Jake and the Fatman
William Conrad, Joe Penny
Jake and the Fatman is a television drama starring William Conrad as prosecutor J. L. "Fatman"... more
More Jake and the Fatman
#45 of 81 The Best Legal Drama TV Shows Ever#79 of 116 The Best TV Crime Dramas
13
20
39
In the Heat of the Night
Carroll O'Connor, Howard Rollins
In the Heat of the Night is an American television series based on the film and the novel of... more
More In the Heat of the Night
#37 of 97 The Best Serial Cop Dramas of All Time#19 of 84 The Best TV Shows Based on Movies

14
25
51
JAG
David James Elliott, Catherine Bell
Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial
JAG is an American legal drama television show with a distinct U.S. Navy theme, created by... more
More JAG
#216 of 508 The Best TV Theme Songs of All Time#28 of 43 The Best '90s TV Dramas
15
18
40
Touched by an Angel
Roma Downey, Della Reese
Touched by an Angel is an American supernatural drama series that premiered on CBS on... more
More Touched by an Angel
#74 of 191 The Greatest Shows of the 1990s, Ranked#151 of 279 The Greatest Supernatural Shows of All Time
16
21
46
Silk Stalkings
Rob Estes, Mitzi Kapture
Silk Stalkings is a drama television series that premiered on CBS on November 7, 1991. The... more
More Silk Stalkings
#53 of 71 The Best Crime Fighting Duo TV Series#39 of 44 The Best CBS Dramas of All Time
17
19
46
Nash Bridges
Don Johnson, Cheech Marin
Nash Bridges is an American television police drama created by Carlton Cuse. The show starred... more
More Nash Bridges
#44 of 80 The Best Ever Police Procedural Series#21 of 28 The Best 1990s Action TV Series
18
21
51
Early Edition
Kyle Chandler, Shanesia Davis
Early Edition is an American television drama series that aired on CBS broadcast network from... more
More Early Edition
#72 of 119 The Best TV Shows That Never Got a Real Finale#23 of 33 The Best Sci-Fi Shows of the 1990s
19
18
46
Diagnosis: Murder
Dick Van Dyke, Barry Van Dyke
This series is a mystery/medical drama television series starring Dick Van Dyke as Dr. Mark... more
More Diagnosis: Murder
#44 of 109 The Best Detective TV Shows#21 of 47 The Greatest TV Shows About Hospitals
20
12
40
Due South
Leslie Nielsen, Callum Keith Rennie
Due South is a Canadian crime drama series with elements of comedy. The series was created by... more
More Due South
#241 of 538 TV Shows Canceled Before Their Time#515 of 631 The Best TV Shows To Binge Watch
21
11
42
The Magnificent Seven
Alexa Vega, Ron Perlman
The Magnificent Seven is an American western television series based on the 1960 movie, which... more
22
11
48
Under Suspicion
Karen Sillas, Phillip Casnoff
Under Suspicion is an American television police drama set in Portland, Oregon. It was created... more
23
7
45
Brooklyn South
Adam Rodríguez, Dylan Walsh
Brooklyn South is an American ensemble police drama series that aired on CBS for only one... more

24
7
46
Sweating Bullets
Fiona Fullerton, Pedro Armendáriz
Tropical Heat is a Canadian action series produced in cooperation with Mexico and Israel that... more
25
6
39
Promised Land
Cloris Leachman, Ossie Davis
Promised Land is an American drama series which aired on CBS from 1996 to 1999. It is a... more