Some of the posts on my site are ones that I write up spontaneously and post without much thought. But most are posts that sit in a notepad document on my desktop for months or years as I consider and evaluate them, add to and modify lists, or perhaps delete the whole thing before I ever post it. This post is one of those that's been hanging around for quite a while as I decide on and reprioritize my favorite TV shows of all time.
With any show, there's the strong temptation towards recency bias - that desire to prioritize whichever thing you're watching at the moment. So in delaying at assembling the list, I've tried to avoid that. I've also excluded any Marvel shows. Although I do love them, they are very much their own thing, and a large part of why they're good is because of their interwovenness.
With that, I'll start in on the list of my twenty favorite television shows of all time. Ordering these was pretty difficult, and I'll likely change the order in the future. I've watched pretty much all of these more than once. Some of them I've watched four or more times. Most have aired their final episodes, so if there's anything here you haven't seen, I recommend that you go back and binge.
20 - Game of Thrones
The first few books of the Song of Ice and Fire series were excellent, just as the first few seasons of the television show were excellent. But with how the show trailed off, and how the most recent book was so bad that I didn't even finish reading, Game of Thrones barely made it onto this list at all. It was arguably the biggest cultural phenomenon of any show on this list as well, which only deincentivized me from placing it highly on my list.
19 - Black Mirror
A very dark anthology show, but it's still one of the best anthology shows out there. I'd call Electric Dreams my second favorite. Black Mirror had so many great episodes, and right out of the gate with National Anthem, we learned that this was not a show for kids.
I'd like to share my favorite three episodes. Firstly, White Bear, in which a woman wakes up and finds herself pursued by masked killers in a surreal situation, but it's later revealed that this is a bizarre criminal punishment in that world's legal system and also a reality show. Secondly, Nosedive, which is both an incrimination of social media and a commentary on China's social credit system. Lastly, Metalhead, which depicts a scarier and more realistic Terminator than Arnold ever did.
18 - Years and Years
My family streamed Years and Years on HBO Max early in the pandemic. It's only six episodes, and it's not the kind of show that's likely to ever get a second season. Years and Years is a show that is very much "of the Trump era", similarly to how Little Brother was "of the Bush years". It follows the Lyons family, and each episode fast-forwards time roughly five years, the show itself covering roughly 50 years of time. As the years go by, we see technology change, and we see frighteningly believable world events, watching them through the eyes of this one family.
I've written about Years and Years on Geekdad many times, as much for its fascinating alternate history as anything. An Alexa-like device named “Signor” dominates everyones' homes and allows the family members in different households to have group conversations on the regular. Donald Trump wins the United States election in 2020, and Mike Pence wins in 2024. Meanwhile, in England, an entrepreneur turned politician named Vivian Rook is loved for being boorish, and rises to political power. In his final week of office in early 2024, Trump launches nuclear missiles at China. This results in a huge market crash, European immigration and refugee issues, and as we move into the future there’s a fascinating look into transhumanism. Trust me, I haven't spoiled the bulk of the show - it's fantastic.
17 - Firefly
It was one short season if you discount the film Serenity, but there's a reason that there's a Browncoat following. Firefly was a great worldbuilding exercise, with the war for independants standing in for the US Civil War, and the resultant outer-space colonies being the wild west. Not a whole lot to say about Firefly that hasn't been said online 50,000 times.
16 - The Simpsons
While it's totally not in line with anything else on this list, The Simpsons is a phenomenon, and I regularly find myself referencing episodes from 35 years ago. The cultural impact of The Simpsons cannot be overstated. The episode with the trip to the Duff Brewery may be my favorite, but consider the following moments that will stick forever in my mind. Each of these is off the top of my head.
I'm sure that there are more, but those are the examples that immediately come to mind of moments from the show from more than 30 years ago that live in my mind rent-free to this day.
15 - Orphan Black
This is probably the only show on my list which I haven't watched until the end, and the only show I've watched straight through only once. The first two seasons at least were just phenomenal, and Tatiana Maslany's portrayal of upwards of a half dozen characters was outstanding. I'm really glad that we get to see more of Tatiana Maslany in the upcoming She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
Aside from the acting, the show does an excellent job of combining mystery, action, and comedy. Where did the clones come from? Who is it that's out to get them? I'll have to rewatch the show at some point, but I recall absolutely loving it. I'm guessing that if I were to re-watch it, the show would move either up or down on this list.
14 - Ozark
After re-watching Breaking Bad earlier this year, I immediately went back and re-watched the first two seasons of Ozark, since I knew that the third season was coming soon. It remains as good as it ever was. I have yet to see the third season, as I'm waiting to watch it with my wife, but it's presently my most-looked-forward-to show season.
13 - Freaks and Geeks
I was one of the few who had never seen Freaks and Geeks when it was originally on TV back in 1999. We watched it maybe a decade ago, and I rewatched over quarantine. It remains a solid show with an amazing cast. James Franco, Jason Segel, Linda Cardellini, Martin Starr, and Seth Rogen. Also, fantastic character actors such as Joe Flaherty as the dad, Tom Wilson (who had played Biff in Back to the Future) as the gym teacher, Dave Allen as the hippy guidance councellor, and Stephen Lea Sheppard as the confident long-haired upperclassman. Also brief appearances by Kevin Tighe, Ben Stiller, and Rashida Jones.
Freaks and Geeks is probably the best high school TV series ever made, similarly to how The Breakfast Club is the best high school movie. The main cast all have solid characterization and all have great scenes, and even though it ended earlier than it should have, Freaks and Geeks remains one of the best TV shows of all time.
12 - Steven Universe
I had my family start watching Steven Universe after it was recommended by a friend. They're ten minute episodes, which makes them easy to fit in, and my whole family was soon hooked.
On this site, I last wrote about Steven Universe back in 2016, although I'd later written Why You Should Be Watching Steven Universe on GeekDad.com, and later reviewed Steven Universe the Movie when it came out.
Steven Universe is a coming-of-age story about a boy named Steven and his three surrogate parents, members of an all-female alien race known as “gems”. The first season slowly introduces characters, themes, and drops hints about characters' pasts, the race of gems, and the ancient war in which Steven's mother died long ago. But for every tidbit of information, there are new questions. The foreshadowing is so well crafted that when the first big reveal happens at the end of the first season, you realize that you had all the pieces of the puzzle and could have figured it out had the delivery been any less subtle.
Steven Universe is a terrific show to watch with the entire family. It has great role models and deals with a lot of relationship issues. Like any family, the characters fight. Then they resolve their disputes, although it's not always easy.
Hulu has Steven Universe seasons available for streaming. Check it out if you haven't already seen it.
11 - Dexter
Dexter is one of the many shows I'd first seen years ago, and re-watched on Amazon as a binge during the pandemic when I found myself home with time to kill. When we'd first started, I found it hard to watch a show about a serial killer. But Dexter is a likable character, and the suspense and the mystery of every season is so well crafted that it's hard not to enjoy the show. After the first three or four seasons, the show does go downhill a bit, but the early seasons hold up very well.
10 - 24
When 24 first came out back in 2001, I thought the whole real-time thing was just a gimmick. It wasn't until a few years later when I moved in with my now-wife that we started watching together, and started really enjoying the show.
In re-watching some of the seasons more recently, I realized that each season is like a really long movie. They're separate stories, albeit very long ones. And they hold up. There are nine seasons available for streaming on Hulu.
9 - The 4400
I've been writing about The 4400 since it was first running on USA back in the mid-2000s, and I've rewatched the entire show three or four times. It's pretty much always been in my best-of television list, so it falling to position nine really speaks to the quality of the shows higher up on this list.
The 4400 is where I first saw Mahershala Ali, who has since then become a big deal. Joel Gretsch, Billy Campbell, and Peter Coyote are also excellent. Season two brings in Summer Glau and Jeffrey Combs, who are both notable actors.
As much as the actors were a huge factor, it's the plot of The 4400 which makes it so great. The very premise of the show changes from season to season, as new questions are asked, new mysteries introduced, answers are unearthed, and the situation changes drastically.
They remade the 4400 as a new show recently, but as good as some of the characters are, the writing just doesn't hold up. You can watch the original show on Netflix.
8 - Farscape
I believe I've watched Farscape through twice, but I'm thinking it's time for another re-watch. It's been a while. If you'd like a synopsis of the show, my writeup of Farscape from 2004 is pretty good.
Here's the quick version...
When astronaut John Crichton was accidentally shot through a wormhole, he didn't just end up on the other side of the galaxy - he ended up stuck in the middle of a space battle. Three prisoners - D'Argo, a Luxan warrior framed for the murder of his Sebacean wife; Zhaan, a Delvian priestess jailed for the brutal murder of her lover; and Rygel, a deposed monarch of the Hynerian Empire out for revenge against the cousin who betrayed him and took his throne - were escaping their confinement aboard a living ship named Moya. Officer Aeryn Sun, a loyal Peacekeeper commando pilot, was among those trying to stop them. By the end of the day, the prisoners were free, Aeryn had been exiled from her people, and Crichton was a fugitive. The arrival of Chiana, a Nebari runaway, brought even more complications...
I can't say enough good things about Farscape, but here are two: first, it holds up to the high standards set by Star Trek: The Next Generation, although Farscape is distinctly its own thing. And second, the use of Henson puppets, while initially distracting, works so well that the writing and voice acting made them some of my favorite characters.
Farscape can now be streamed on Amazon Prime, if you're interested.
7 - Star Trek: The Next Generation
It's one of the most highly-regarded science fiction television shows of all time. I don't think I need to explain why Star Trek TNG is on my list. If you like science fiction, you've likely seen it all.
A few years ago, my family went back and watched all of Star Trek TNG. I lobbied for skipping a few of the season one and two episodes, but my daughter was adamantly against it. Some of those very early episodes are stinkers. But by the time you hit season three, and especially into season five, you get into the very best of it.
6 - Fringe
I'm a massive fan of Fringe. When I re-watched the show for the third time last year, I found anew how much I loved the characters in the show. Astrid, Broyles, and especially the deliciously insane Walter Bishop. The guest stars were also special treats, especially the episode that featured Chadwick Boseman.
I'd nearly forgotten how much of a horror influence the show had. I've bragged to people for years over how good Fringe is, while seldom taking into account that not everyone has tolerance for the science fictiony movie gore which makes up but a small part of Fringe.
In the end, it's the stellar acting, the father-son relationship, and the science fiction plot which really make Fringe as outstanding a show as it is.
5 - Breaking Bad
We had never watched Breaking Bad until the quarantine hit in early 2020. My wife and I binged the entire show, and it was excellent. In 2022, I re-watched the show. It was worth it. Great characters, compelling plot. It's not for nothing that Breaking Bad is in my top five TV shows ever.
4 - For All Mankind
Easily the best thing to come out of Apple TV. For All Mankind begins with the 1960s space race, and while the Apollo mission is preparing for its historic moon landing, the Soviet Union beats the United States to the moon by a matter of weeks. This extends the space race, and the show follows the alternate history of the space program over years and decades.
It's probably the least well-known of my top five shows, so I'm often recommending it to people, despite the fact that it's on a difficult-to-access service like Apple TV. But the show is so good that I've recently re-watched it for a third time. I'm looking forward to a third season.
3 - Stranger Things
I likely don't need to say much about Stranger Things, as it's likely the best known show in my top five, as well as one of the only shows in this list that's currently still airing. I'm very much looking forward to the new season which should be available very soon.
2 - Avatar: The Last Airbender
You likely didn't expect a cartoon in this list, much less a 17-year old cartoon. Yes, it's actually been seventeen years since the first season dropped on the Cartoon Network.
I first watched the show back in 2010, all by myself. I loved it so much that I later had Linda and Lia watch all three seasons with me, and years later, when Ella was old enough, we all watched all three seasons together again. It doesn't get old.
When I want to reference a show that has a well-built plot which evolves over three seasons, and great characters with satisfying multi-season arcs, this is the show. It does all that better than any other show, animated or otherwise.
1 - Watchmen (HBO) A couple years ago, when I watched HBO's Watchmen for the second time, I wrote up an article on GeekDad titled Revisiting HBO's Watchmen. It covers a lot about the show, I'll let you go read that rather than posting an inferior recap here. But the show gives its viewers credit. Although the first couple episodes are baffling, everything comes together by the end in a beautifully constructed way. This one has earned its place as my favorite TV show despite only a single season existing.
And that's it - my twenty favorite shows of all time. If I've got to have any honorable mentions, I can add the first season of Homeland, the finale of which I vividly recall had me sitting on the edge of my seat with a seriously accellerated heart rate. I could also add the third season of Daredevil, which has a rise-of-the-villain arc the likes of which hasn't been matched outside of Infinity War's Thanos.