Best TV dramas of all time
a Yourlist ranking · the crowd decides the order
The golden age and its ancestors — which drama actually holds the crown?
What counts: Writing, acting, and staying power across a full run. Emmy counts are Primetime wins and IMDb figures the community rating, both approximate.
▲ Rising
Started prestige TV; still finishes arguments.
Premiered: 1999Seasons: 6Emmys: 21
added by IJRin 5 rankings
89
▲ Rising
The most complete character arc television has produced.
Premiered: 2008Seasons: 5Emmys: 16
added by IJRin 4 rankings
50
▲ Rising
Zero Emmys — the sharpest indictment of the Emmys ever filed.
Premiered: 2002Seasons: 5Emmys: 0
added by IJRin 6 rankings
49
▲ Rising
A decade of American myth-making in a gray flannel suit.
Premiered: 2007Seasons: 7Emmys: 16
added by IJRin 4 rankings
34
▼ Falling
The last show everyone watched at the same time.
Premiered: 2011Seasons: 8Emmys: 59
added by IJRin 5 rankings
0
▼ Falling
A dynasty rendered season by season.
Premiered: 2016Seasons: 6Emmys: 21
added by IJRin 3 rankings
-24
▼ Falling
53 nominations, zero wins, all-time great anyway.
Premiered: 2015Seasons: 6Emmys: 0
added by IJRin 3 rankings
-45▼ Falling
Shakespeare with a media empire.
Premiered: 2018Seasons: 4Emmys: 13
added by IJRin 5 rankings
-48
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Comments (12)
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I came here to argue and left agreeing with the order. Rare.
Recency bias is real — the classics belong higher.
The rewatch value of the top pick settles this for me.
Awards never tell the story; the crowd has this one right.
The writing in season one alone earns the top three spot.