A consensus-led selection of landmark television, combining recurring critical recognition with exceptional writing, performances, influence, and lasting audience appeal.
A towering crime saga with extraordinary writing, performances, and sustained cultural influence.
It appears among the leading titles in supplied all-time rankings, while audience voting places it at the top of Ranker’s list.Photo: TVmaze · CC BY-SA 4.0We earn commission from qualifying purchases.
A richly layered family-and-crime drama that helped define the modern prestige-TV era.
Empire and Ranker both identify it among the defining all-time television shows, with Ranker listing it near the top.Photo: TVmaze · CC BY-SA 4.0We earn commission from qualifying purchases.
An ambitious fantasy epic whose scale, characters, and cultural footprint remain unmatched despite a divisive ending.
Empire includes it in its all-time reader-and-critic ranking, and Ranker places it among its current top three audience choices.Photo: TVmaze · CC BY-SA 4.0We earn commission from qualifying purchases.
A formally inventive drama that transformed television storytelling through moral complexity and unforgettable characters.
The supplied all-time lists from Empire and Rolling Stone support its status as a landmark series.Photo: TVmaze · CC BY-SA 4.0We earn commission from qualifying purchases.
A brilliantly acted crime drama praised for its tension, character work, and lasting place in television history.
Rolling Stone’s supplied all-time ranking highlights the show’s expertly constructed storytelling and commanding central performance.Photo: TVmaze · CC BY-SA 4.0We earn commission from qualifying purchases.
Three independent write-ins unlock an honorable mention. The 10 strongest active mentions are shown; inactive mentions archive after 12 months. At 25 recent votes, a contender is scored for possible automatic Top 5 promotion.
No honorable mentions yet. Community suggestions appear below while they gather support.
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The five criteria create the AI baseline. The community adjustment is then added or subtracted to produce the current published score.
| Criterion | #1Breaking Bad | #2The Sopranos | #3Game of Thrones | #4Mad Men | #5The Wire |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97 | 97 | 91 | 96 | 94 | |
| 98 | 96 | 93 | 95 | 94 | |
| 97 | 97 | 94 | 94 | 95 | |
| 95 | 95 | 98 | 92 | 90 | |
| 94 | 91 | 93 | 87 | 89 | |
| AI baseline scoreWeighted criteria result | 96.5 | 95.5 | 93.5 | 93.4 | 92.8 |
| Community adjustmentVote-share influence | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Current published scoreBaseline + community | 97 | 96 | 94 | 93 | 93 |
The five criteria create the AI baseline. The community adjustment is then added or subtracted to produce the current published score.
| Criterion | #1Breaking Bad | #2The Sopranos | #3Game of Thrones | #4Mad Men | #5The Wire |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97 | 97 | 91 | 96 | 94 | |
| 98 | 96 | 93 | 95 | 94 | |
| 97 | 97 | 94 | 94 | 95 | |
| 95 | 95 | 98 | 92 | 90 | |
| 94 | 91 | 93 | 87 | 89 | |
| AI baseline scoreWeighted criteria result | 96.5 | 95.5 | 93.5 | 93.4 | 92.8 |
| Community adjustmentVote-share influence | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Current published scoreBaseline + community | 97 | 96 | 94 | 93 | 93 |
Choose any two contenders.
We’ll line up what matters.
Crime drama
Crime drama
Serialized
Serialized
2008–2013
1999–2007
Vince Gilligan
David Chase
Five seasons
Six seasons
Subjective scores synthesize recurring critical recognition, influential all-time lists, audience voting, and the supplied editorial evidence. Scores are comparative rather than objective.