Originally by Ranker TVList RulesVote up the best original TV shows that have ever debuted on Showtime.
At their peak, the best Showtime shows and series are on par with some of the best big screen movies and HBO original series. While movies only have two or three hours to introduce characters and develop a plot, Showtime shows are given many hours to present characters and storylines. This gives the audience a stronger connection to characters that isn’t replicated in film. But that doesn’t mean all Showtime series are exactly film-quality. So to find out which original Showtime show is the best, fans have voted for their favorites below.
Though Showtime still broadcasts plenty of films, more and more people are turning to them for original series content. Shows such as Dexter and Homeland drew in millions of viewers and have had multiple seasons. In fact, Dexter is probably one of the most popular Showtime shows of all time, peaking at 3 million views for the season eight premiere.
They have no sign of slowing down, with new shows premiering and old shows returning every Fall season. Recently, their hit shows have included Ray Donovan, Shameless, Homeland, and House of Lies. Not only are they some of the best Showtime shows ever, they’re among the best TV shows ever. All three have starred actors that have won or been nominated for awards. For a more recent look at the best Showtime shows, you’ll want to check out this ranking of Showtime's current lineup.
As for the best Showtime series ever however, this list is the one to look at. Below, vote for your favorite shows that originally premiered on the Showtime network. Looking for a particular show? Use the search box at the top of the list to find it.
1
902298Homeland
Claire Danes, Mandy PatinkinPremiered: 2011
2
1,082371Dexter
Michael C. Hall, Jennifer CarpenterPremiered: 2006
3
970326Shameless
Emmy Rossum, William H. MacyPremiered: 2011
4
459227Californication
David Duchovny, Natascha McElhonePremiered: 2007
5
592244Ray Donovan
Liev Schreiber, Paula MalcomsonPremiered: 2013
6
493250Weeds
Mary-Louise Parker, Hunter ParrishPremiered: 2005
7
423107Billions
Damian Lewis, Paul GiamattiPremiered: 2016
8
262145Penny Dreadful
Josh Hartnett, Timothy DaltonPremiered: 2014
9
295160Nurse Jackie
Edie Falco, Merritt WeverPremiered: 2009
10
316192The Affair
Dominic West, Ruth WilsonPremiered: 2014
11
233132The Tudors
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry CavillPremiered: 2007
12
168130House of Lies
Kristen Bell, Ben SchwartzPremiered: 2012
13
141119The Borgias
Jeremy Irons, François ArnaudPremiered: 2011
14
156120United States of Tara
Toni Collette, John CorbettPremiered: 2009
15
160140Masters of Sex
Michael Sheen, Lizzy CaplanPremiered: 2013
16
12896Episodes
Matt LeBlanc, Tamsin GreigPremiered: 2011
17
9188Stargate SG-1
Richard Dean Anderson, Michael ShanksPremiered: 1997
18
11295Dead Like Me
Ellen Muth, Callum BluePremiered: 2003
19
101109The L Word
Jennifer Beals, Leisha HaileyPremiered: 2004
20
3622The Chi
Jason Mitchell, Ntare Guma Mbaho MwinePremiered: 2018
21
6282Brotherhood
Jason Isaacs, Jason ClarkePremiered: 2006
22
129128Queer as Folk
Gale Harold, Hal SparksPremiered: 2000
23
2514Escape at Dannemora
Benicio del Toro, Patricia ArquettePremiered: 2018
24
01Dark Net
Lauren Terp25
2922City on a Hill
Kevin Bacon, Aldis HodgePremiered: 2019
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