TV Networks TV Networks with the Best Shows  

Ranker TV
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24.4k votes 2.8k voters 76.7k views 67 items

List of the TV networks with the best programming, ranked by content consumers. Is modern television better than film? Movie stars are stepping down from the silver screen to star in award-winning TV shows. Which channels have the best of the bunch? As competition increases, cable companies, and premium networks are producing some of the best series the world has ever seen. 
 
What channels have the best shows? This list discusses the best programming from popular North American networks, including the names of the original series they air. No matter what genre you’re craving, one of these top networks will have the right shows for you.
 
This list features the best U.S. networks with best programming, including: HBO, NBC, Showtime, TBS, AMC, Fox, FX, and more.

1
1,132 391
HBO is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
HBO

Game of Thrones
The Sopranos
True Detective
Silicon Valley
True Blood
Girls
The Wire

2
1,014 241
Netflix is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Allan Hviid Jensen added Netflix

House of Cards
Stranger Things
Narcos
Orange Is the New Black
Bloodline
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Master of None
 

3
949 322
AMC is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
AMC

Breaking Bad
Mad Men
The Walking Dead
The Killing
Better Call Saul

 

4
470 406
Showtime is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Showtime

Homeland
Dexter
Weeds
Californication
Episodes

5
622 317
FX is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
FX

Justified
Sons of Anarchy
Archer
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

6
560 424
The CW is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
The CW

The Vampire Diaries
Supernatural
Arrow
Beauty and the Beast
Hart of Dixie

7
526 362
ABC is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
ABC

Grey's Anatomy
Once Upon a Time
Scandal
Modern Family
Castle

8
477 301
NBC is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
NBC

Seinfeld
Saturday Night Live
Parks and Recreation
Friends
This Is Us
Law & Order

9
331 341
BBC America is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
BBC America

Doctor Who
Orphan Black
Top Gear

10
389 223
History is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
History

Vikings
Pawn Stars
Swamp People
Alone
Ancient Aliens

11
318 304
Comedy Central is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Comedy Central

The Daily Show
Broad City
Workaholics
South Park 

12
337 256
CBS is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
CBS

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
NCIS
Criminal Minds
The Big Bang Theory
The Amazing Race

Child Actors Who Tragically Died Young

13
243 179
Fox Television Stations is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
crsone1 added Fox

The Simpsons
The X-Files
Married... with Children
24
Family Guy

14
281 255
USA Network is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
USA

Suits
White Collar
Royal Pains
Monday Night Raw

15
241 269
Syfy Universal is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Syfy Universal

The Magicians
Warehouse 13
The Expanse
Battlestar Gallactica​​​​​​​
Face Off

16
228 227
A&E is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
A&E

Duck Dynasty
The Glades
Longmire
Criminal Minds
CSI: Miami

17
232 262
PBS is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
PBS

Downton Abbey
Masterpiece
Sherlock
The Great British Baking Show
Nova

The Best HBO TV Shows

18
118 135
Nickelodeon is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
BillyMcKenna added Nickelodeon

Spongebob Squarepants
Rugrats
The Fairly Odd Parents
Hey Arnold
Doug
​​​​​​​All That

19
237 228
Starz is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Starz

Outlander
Power
American Gods
Counterpart
Black Sails

20
133 160
FXX is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
RalphBob added FXX

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Atlanta
Archer
The Americans
American Horror Story

21
185 250
TNT is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
TNT

Rizzoli & Isles
Falling Skies
Major Crimes
Franklin & Bash
Dallas

22
180 186
Adult Swim is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Redevil added Adult Swim

Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Robot Chicken
The Venture Bros.
The Boondocks
Squidbillies
 

The Best British Sitcoms of All Time

23
155 227
TBS is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
TBS

Cougar Town
Men at Work
Sullivan & Son
Meet the Browns

24
134 205
HGTV is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Hgtv

Fixer Upper
Property Brothers
Flip or Flop
House Hunters
Love It or List It

25
164 205
Animal Planet is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Animal Planet

The Crocodile Hunter
Meerkat Manor
The Most Extreme
River Monsters

26
135 210
TV Land is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
TV Land

Andy Griffith Show
Mork & Mindy
Hot in Cleveland
Everybody Loves Raymond

27
222 176
National Geographic Channel is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
National Geographic Channel

Taboo
Break It Down
World's Toughest Fixes
Hooked
Man Made

16 Popular TV Shows Sued for Being Rip-Offs

28
133 226
TLC is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
TLC

Say Yes to the Dress
The Little Couple
What Not to Wear
Cake Boss
A Baby Story

29
125 168
Paramount Network is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Redevil added Paramount Network

Yellowstone
American Woman
Waco
Lip Sync Battle
Bar Rescue

30
81 208
SundanceTV is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Sundance

Rectify
The Returned
The Red Road

31
125 208
Disney Channel is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Disney Channel

Good Luck Charlie
Shake it Up
Jessie
Hannah Montana

32
93 87
Amazon.com is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Brody Hillstock added Amazon.com

Alpha House
King Lear
Eat the World With Emeril Lagasse

Netflix Shows People Are Bingeing The Fastest

33
120 176
Travel Channel is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Travel Channel

The Dead Files
Man v. Food
Hotel Impossible
Food Paradise

34
75 70
FX Movie Channel is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Cathy Hagen added FX Movie Channel

35
113 173
truTV is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
truTV

Impractical Jokers
The Carbonaro Effect
Adam Ruins Everything
Those Who Can't

36
101 214
Hallmark Channel is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Hallmark

Accidentally in Love
Before You Say 'I Do'
Falling in Love with the Girl Next Door

37
68 171
CNN is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
IsooRon added CNN

Anderson Cooper 360
Erin Burnett OutFront
New Day

48 Totally Weird Medical Drawings Google Thinks You Need

38
84 155
Fox News Channel is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Cathy Hagen added Fox News Channel

Fox & Friends
The Five
Tucker Carlson Tonight
Special Report

39
66 134
Disney XD is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Tyler Carter added Disney XD

Gravity Falls
Phineas and Ferb
Star vs. the Forces of Evil
Lab Rats
Wander Over Yonder

40
55 89
Science is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Brody Hillstock added Science

Extreme Engineering
Backyard Science
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey
Outrageous Acts of Science

41
34 74
The Weather Channel is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Cathy Hagen added The Weather Channel

Storm Stories
Atmospheres
Day Planner
Morning Rush

42
46 101
IFC is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Ryan Guy added IFC

Comedy Bang! Bang!
Portlandia
Brockmire
Stan Against Evil

The Best Shows Currently on the Air

43
69 142
Bravo is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Tom Derr added Bravo

Vanderpump Rules
Top Chef
Flipping Out
The Millionaire Matchmaker
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

44
35 43
Food network is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Ms.green added Food network

Chopped
Worst Cooks in America
Food Network Star
The Great Food Truck Race
Iron Chef America

45
26 97
Discovery Communications is listed (or ranked) 45 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Brody Hillstock added Discovery Channel

Planet Earth
MythBusters
Deadliest Catch
Brain Games
Man vs. Wild

46
53 209
Oxygen is listed (or ranked) 46 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Oxygen

Absolutely Fabulous
The Glee Project
Nighty Night
I've Got a Secret
Bad Girls Club

47
45 68
Freeform is listed (or ranked) 47 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Freeform

Shadowhunters
The Bold Type
Pretty Little Liars
The Fosters
Young & Hungry

48
16 87
Laff is listed (or ranked) 48 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
RichardBeecher added Laff

Cybill
Grace Under Fire
Grounded for Life
Home Improvement
Nigh Court

49
20 52
ION Television is listed (or ranked) 49 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
princ3ss.13 added ION Television

Flashpoint
Criminal Minds
Without a Trace
Psych

50
15 103
Oprah Winfrey Network is listed (or ranked) 50 on the list TV Networks with the Best Shows
Nicole L Harrell added Oprah Winfrey Network

Greenleaf
Oprah: Where Are They Now?
Queen Sugar
The Haves and the Have Nots