Top Ten TV Shows in USA

Years before shows like The Shield made a meal out of the gritty and volatile world of police work, NYPD Blue established the template. Its ruthless satire of a police procedural was a precursor to the kind of cynical morality drama that would become a TV mainstay. Python’s skewering of repressed English society became a cult phenomenon. 30 Rock is a hilarious self-referential riff on the business of television production with an unforgettable cast of SNL alumni and endless cameos.

1. The West Wing

The West Wing gave a fly-on-the-wall view of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, with its superb scripts and compelling cast. It aired from 1999-2006, so it straddled the Bill Clinton and George W Bush years, offering – depending on your perspective – a gloriously idealistic parallel universe in which politics got it right or a sentimental liberal fantasy divorced from reality.

Aaron Sorkin’s zinging dialogue and career-defining performances made this political drama a TV sensation. But its soaring rhetorical ambition, which conflated free trade with social justice and eschewed the hard work of legislating for good reason, can feel dated now.

This spin-off from Cheers stars Kelsey Grammer as a droll Seattle radio host and psychotherapist with a longtime girlfriend, and it’s been a perennial favorite since its 1993 debut. In YouGov polling, it’s the second most popular show among Gen Xers and baby boomers.

2. The X-Files

The X-Files is one of those rare shows that seems to exist both in the time when it aired and now, as a recurrent pop culture touchstone. It made stars out of leads David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, and was responsible for launching the careers of many other actors (Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Seth Green, Octavia Spencer, Ryan Reynolds) as it sent its characters on endless investigations into the unknown.

It took elements from TV precursors like The Twilight Zone and Kolchak: The Night Stalker, but added its own spooky conspiracy theory twist. The show was a cultural touchstone, and along with Twin Peaks, helped cement the notion of noble FBI agents fighting dark forces in a world of paranoid uncertainty. Even its most disappointing episodes, like season seven’s “This,” still have an underlying charm. (Not so much for season 11, though.)

3. Arrested Development

After three seasons, Arrested Development was canceled in 2006. But thanks to a little streaming service named Netflix, the Bluths are back and better than ever. The revival has proven that, in Hollywood’s land of reboots and re-imaginings, nothing truly dies.

It takes a few episodes to get into this show, but once you do, it’s one of the funniest and most underrated sitcoms ever created. The stair car, the banana stand, Gene Parmesan, ice cream sandwiches, and even a few moments of incest all became part of the comedy lexicon. It’s a shame that the show ended on such a weak note, but it definitely left a mark.

4. Battlestar Galactica

The sci-fi epic about a war between humans and cyborgs made a big impact on TV audiences at the time. Its unflinching look at a wounded society walking the line between democracy and military dictatorship resonated with a new generation of viewers just after the September 11th attacks.

It would take a few more years for the genre to mature, but shows like LOST and Game of Thrones proved that serialized storytelling could appeal to a broad audience. Galactica and its spinoffs helped to acclimate a larger audience to the type of character growth and consequences that are now commonplace on TV.

Kiefer Sutherland’s riveting show about a counterterrorism unit didn’t reinvent the wheel on paper, but its unique production device – telling the story of one long day in real time – gave it an edge.

5. The Twilight Zone

With inventive sci-fi concepts and a keen sense of irony, Rod Serling’s anthology show captured curious imaginations since its 1959 debut. It tackled pressing social issues like Cold War paranoia and the exploitation of women while also entertaining with tales about aliens, monsters, time travelers, robots and other creatures from outer space.

The Twilight Zone tapped into the zeitgeist in ways that few other shows could, and it inspired spin-offs, movies, books and theme park attractions. It also presaged the debate over when fear is justified and irrational.

This boundary-pushing sex comedy starred Kelsey Grammer as a radio host and psychotherapist. The show is beloved by millennials and Gen Xers, with YouGov polling finding that it receives the highest positive opinion ratings of any TV show from those two demographics. Its longevity is a testament to its enduring appeal.

6. The Jeffersons

Despite being frequently moved around the network schedule (which caused ratings to fluctuate), this Norman Lear spin-off stayed a top ten hit throughout its 10 1/2 year run. Featuring Sherman Hemsley as George Jefferson, Archie Bunker’s irascible upwardly mobile black neighbor, the show was funny, witty and often dealt with important social issues.

It also spawned a short-lived spin-off called Checking In that centered on the Jeffersons’ housekeeper Florence, who left to become a hotel manager.

Originally framed by Rod Serling through five seasons from 1959-1964, this twisty otherworldly show was a hit among baby boomers and Gen Xers alike. Its success led to a rerun era that continues today. The show was a pioneer in depicting African American life as upper middle class. This was an important change from shows like Sanford and Son and Good Times.

7. Columbo

The star of this crime drama was Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo, the Los Angeles Police Department’s homicide detective. This series was a ratings champ in back-to-back seasons and also featured famous guest stars like Johnny Cash, Leonard Nimoy, and William Shatner.

The show’s appeal largely stemmed from its depiction of wealthy celebrities and business tycoons who commit murder to maintain their picture-perfect lifestyles. Unlike Rodion Raskolnikov, the tortured protagonist of Crime and Punishment, these folks rarely come across as sympathetic.

This classic sitcom is the top pick among millennials and the second-most popular choice for Generation X, according to YouGov polling. It may have a more sardonic tone than its fellow comedy shows on this list, but it was still able to pull in a wide audience with its lovable characters and charming plotlines. The first of this rundown to feature a beloved theme song, it was a hit from 1967 to 1968.

8. Better Call Saul

The Bob Odenkirk series spun off improbably from Breaking Bad, and like its predecessor it is a huge draw for viewers. The prequel’s first-day viewing on AMC+ was more than four times bigger than the season premiere of Breaking Bad, and the show is currently the biggest acquisition driver in the streaming service’s history.

Kiefer Sutherland was never better as counterterrorism bad guy Jack Bauer in this acclaimed action thriller. 24 didn’t reinvent the wheel, but its frantic pace and iconic clock-flashing at commercial breaks made it an undeniable force to be reckoned with.

The 1965-1969 sitcom about the small-town denizens of Mayberry was a Top 10 favorite for baby boomers, but according to YouGov polling did not capture millennial interest. It ranked just above “Gilligan’s Island” in that demographic group. It also fell below the beloved “The Munsters.” NBC’s long-running game show is one of TV’s most popular shows of all time.

9. The Larry Sanders Show

Many shows satirize show business, but few do it as well or more realistically as HBO’s Larry Sanders. Created by Garry Shandling and starring him as the titular talk show host, it delved into all of the drama of late night TV—from the ratings wars between Leno and Letterman to Arsenio’s short-lived rise.

In an era when TV shows are obsessed with putting attractive people on the screen, this series pushed back against the notion that a half-hour comedy should only focus on making its main characters look good. That paved the way for shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and 30 Rock.

This classic sitcom is beloved by baby boomers and Gen Xers. But it’s less popular with millennials. Its popularity has waned since the 1976-1977 season, when it was the No. 1 TV show in the ratings.

10. Twin Peaks

Despite its relative obscurity when it debuted, this comedy rose to the top of the ratings in its final season. This family-friendly series starred a young Steve Carell and a cast of likable characters who worked at a tool-centric junk business.

This quirky, offbeat drama centered on an FBI agent investigating a murder in the small, close-knit town of Twin Peaks. The combination of offbeat humor and dreadful mystery caught viewers by surprise and helped to create a new type of television show for its time.

Director David Lynch brought his auteur-ish filmmaking to TV in this two-season surreal murder mystery. Its return, which debuted on premium cable in 2017, almost defies interpretation. It’s also one of the highest-rated shows ever. YouGov polling in 2020 placed it the 35th-most popular show among Gen Xers. It’s no wonder why.