The 100 Greatest TV Series of the 21st Century

The Saloon
1

According to a poll of 206 TV experts - critics, journalists, academics and industry figures, with an almost 50/50 m/f split - across 43 countries, conducted by BBC Culture (LINK):

1 The Wire (2002-2008)
2 Mad Men (2007-2015)
3 Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
4 Fleabag (2016-2019)
5 Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
6 I May Destroy You (2020)
7 The Leftovers (2014-2017)
8 The Americans (2013-2018)
9 The Office (UK) (2001-2003)
10 Succession (2018-)
11 BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)
12 Six Feet Under (2001-2005)
13 Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)
14 Atlanta (2016-)
15 Chernobyl (2019)
16 The Crown (2016-)
17 30 Rock (2006-2013)
18 Deadwood (2004-2006)
19 Lost (2004-2010)
20 The Thick of It (2005-2012)
21 Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-)
22 Black Mirror (2011-)
23 Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
24 Veep (2012-2019)
25 Sherlock (2010-2017)
26 Watchmen (2019)
27 Line of Duty (2012-2021)
28 Friday Night Lights (2006-2011)
29 Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
30 Girls (2012-2017)
31 True Detective (2014-2019)
32 Arrested Development (2003-2019)
33 The Good Wife (2009-2016)
34 The Bridge (2011-2018)
35 Fargo (2014-)
36= Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
36= Band of Brothers (2001)
38 The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-)
39 The Office (US) (2005-2013)
40 Borgen (2010-2022)
41 Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020)
42 Peep Show (2003-2015)
43 Money Heist (2017-2021)
44 Community (2009-2015)
45 The Good Fight (2017-)
46 Homeland (2011-2020)
47 Grey’s Anatomy (2005-)
48 Inside No 9 (2014-)
49 The Bureau (2015-)
50 Halt and Catch Fire (2014-2017)
51 Small Axe (2020)
52 This is England 86, 88 and 90 (2010-2015)
53 Call My Agent! (2015-2020)
54 Happy Valley (2014-)
55 The Shield (2002-2008)
56 The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)
57 The Young Pope (2016)
58 Dark (2017-2020)
59 The Underground Railroad (2021)
60 House of Cards (2013-2018)
61 Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)
62= The Good Place (2016-2020)
62= Pose (2018-2021)
64 Detectorists (2014-2017)
65 Orange is the New Black (2013-2019)
66 Mare of Easttown (2021)
67 RuPaul’s Drag Race (2009-)
68 Stranger Things (2016-)
69 24 (2001-2010)
70 Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)
71 Enlightened (2011-2013)
72 Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
73 Planet Earth (2006)
74 Utopia (2013-2014)
75 Babylon Berlin (2017-)
76 Rick and Morty (2013-)
77 American Crime Story (2016-)
78 The Killing (Denmark) (2007-2012)
79 Mindhunter (2017-2019)
80 House (2004-2012)
81 OJ: Made in America (2016)
82 Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
83 Insecure (2016-2021)
84= Normal People (2020)
84= Narcos (2015-2017)
86 How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)
87 The Comeback (2005-2014)
88 The OA (2016-2019)
89 Dexter (2006-2013)
90 It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-)
91 Westworld (2016-)
92 Show Me a Hero (2015)
93 Treme (2010-2013)
94 Louie (2010-2015)
95 Luther (2010-2019)
96 Catastrophe (2015-2019)
97 Hannibal (2013-2015)
98 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015-2019)
99 Steven Universe (2013-2020)
100 The Queen’s Gambit (2020)

1 Like
2

If I substract those started but not finished I can barely muster 20 of those, and here I thought I watch a lot…

3

I’ve watched maybe forty of those shows in their entirety (or in the case of still-running shows, every episode they’ve aired thus far). I think they’re comparing apples and oranges to a large extent. How can one possibly compare a 14-season situation comedy like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia to a limited mini-series like Chernobyl? I don’t know how that works.

2 Likes
5

Not viewed any of these, far to modern for this viewer :grinning:

6

Pleasantly surprised to see Detectorists on the list. My wife and I loved that show.

1 Like
7

I went through them and I can honestly say I’ve seen 23 of them in their entirety - seen bits and pieces of others , maybe 3-4 series .

Off the top of my head I can think of two series that would or should be included…The Outsider and The Night Of . If I had a better memory I could probably think of half a dozen other series worthy of inclusion .

I’ve just finished watching ’ 1883 ’ - Taylor Sheridan’s prequel to ’ Yellowstone ’ - it’s a beautifully filmed series about a group of Pioneers [ mostly German ] traversing The Oregon Trail starting off from Forth Worth , Texas , a journey of over 2000 miles - on their travels they encounter Bandits , Native Americans and various natural dangers .
Thoroughly recommended .

1 Like
8

Avatar: The Last Airbender ought to be higher, imo.

9

Gomorrah 2014 - 2121 it the best series in the last 30 years IMO.
Rome 2005 - 2007 is decent and
Deadwood 2004 - 2006 is good fun but not more than that.
Those are pretty much the series worth watching after 1990 IMO.