top 50 best TV shows
by yael105 | created - 19 Mar 2011 | updated - 19 Mar 2011 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Friends (1994–2004)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy, Romance
Follows the personal and professional lives of six 20 to 30-something-year-old friends living in Manhattan.
Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc
Votes: 588,408
2. Glee (2009–2015)
TV-PG | 44 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
A group of ambitious misfits try to escape the harsh realities of high school by joining a glee club, where they find strength, acceptance and, ultimately, their voice, while working to pursue dreams of their own.
Stars: Lea Michele, Jane Lynch, Matthew Morrison, Cory Monteith
Votes: 122,393
3. Gossip Girl (2007–2012)
TV-14 | 42 min | Drama, Romance
Privileged teens living on the Upper East Side of New York can hide no secret from the ruthless blogger who is always watching.
Stars: Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Ed Westwick
Votes: 130,664
4. The Big Bang Theory (2007– )
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy, Romance
A woman who moves into an apartment across the hall from two brilliant but socially awkward physicists shows them how little they know about life outside of the laboratory.
Stars: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg
Votes: 598,922
5. How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy, Romance
A father recounts to his children, through a series of flashbacks, the journey he and his four best friends took leading up to him meeting their mother.
Stars: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris
Votes: 507,331
6. Everybody Hates Chris (2005–2009)
TV-PG | 22 min | Comedy
A young African American teen attempts to survive with his dysfunctional family and his all white school in the 1980s.
Stars: Terry Crews, Tichina Arnold, Tequan Richmond, Imani Hakim
Votes: 30,486
7. Gilmore Girls (2000–2007)
TV-PG | 44 min | Comedy, Drama
A dramedy centering around the relationship between a thirtysomething single mother and her teen daughter living in Stars Hollow, Connecticut.
Stars: Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Keiko Agena, Scott Patterson
Votes: 80,631
8. Greek (2007–2011)
TV-14 | 60 min | Comedy, Drama
Freshman Rusty Cartwright arrives at college and decides he no longer wants to be the boring geek from high school. He decides to pledge a fraternity. He is offered 2 bids; one from his sister's boyfriend Evan's fraternity and one from Cappie, his sister's ex-boyfriend's fraternity. Rusty must learn to handle his new life, and his new relationship with his sister. His sister must decide if she ... See full summary »
Stars: Clark Duke, Scott Michael Foster, Spencer Grammer, Paul James
Votes: 22,308
9. The O.C. (2003–2007)
TV-PG | 44 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A troubled youth becomes embroiled in the lives of a close-knit group of people in the wealthy, upper-class neighborhood of Newport Beach, Orange County, California.
Stars: Mischa Barton, Adam Brody, Peter Gallagher, Kelly Rowan
Votes: 71,847
10. Heroes (II) (2006–2010)
TV-14 | 45 min | Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Common people discover that they have super powers. Their lives intertwine as a devastating event must be prevented.
Stars: Jack Coleman, Hayden Panettiere, Milo Ventimiglia, Masi Oka
Votes: 213,129
11. American Idol (2002– )
TV-PG | 42 min | Game-Show, Music, Reality-TV
Twelve finalists and/or future singers (six men and six women) who were selected from America, compete in a talent contest in which they were asked to sing any song they like on this "Star ... See full summary »
Stars: Ryan Seacrest, Mark Thompson, Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell
Votes: 20,138
12. Ugly Betty (2006–2010)
TV-PG | 60 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A young, smart and wise woman named Betty Suarez goes on a journey to find her inner beauty. The only problem is that it's hard for a slightly less attractive woman to find her beauty ... See full summary »
Stars: America Ferrera, Eric Mabius, Tony Plana, Ana Ortiz
Votes: 36,562
13. Lost (2004–2010)
TV-14 | 44 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
The survivors of a plane crash are forced to work together in order to survive on a seemingly deserted tropical island.
Stars: Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Yunjin Kim, Evangeline Lilly
Votes: 429,603
14. Ghost Whisperer (2005–2010)
TV-PG | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy
A newlywed with the ability to communicate with the earthbound spirits of the recently deceased overcomes skepticism and doubt to help send their important messages to the living and allow the dead to pass on to the other side.
Stars: Jennifer Love Hewitt, David Conrad, Camryn Manheim, Christoph Sanders
Votes: 39,165
15. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1996–2003)
TV-14 | 44 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
A young woman is forced to fulfill her destiny of fighting vampires and demons with the help of her friends all the while struggling to live a normal teenage life of heart break and drama.
Stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Head
Votes: 112,233
16. My Name Is Earl (2005–2009)
TV-PG | 22 min | Comedy
A ne'er do well wins $100,000 in the lottery and decides to right all the wrongs from his past with his newfound realization.
Stars: Jason Lee, Ethan Suplee, Jaime Pressly, Nadine Velazquez
Votes: 88,544
17. Veronica Mars (2004–2007)
TV-14 | 44 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
After her best friend is murdered, and her father is removed as county Sheriff, Veronica Mars dedicates her life to cracking the toughest mysteries in the affluent town of Neptune.
Stars: Kristen Bell, Percy Daggs III, Jason Dohring, Francis Capra
Votes: 58,735
18. The Simpsons (1989– )
TV-14 | 22 min | Animation, Comedy
The satiric adventures of a working-class family in the misfit city of Springfield.
Stars: Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Julie Kavner, Yeardley Smith
Votes: 310,326
19. Modern Family (2009– )
TV-PG | 22 min | Comedy, Romance
Three different, but related families face trials and tribulations in their own uniquely comedic ways.
Stars: Ed O'Neill, Sofía Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell
Votes: 288,908
20. The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017)
TV-14 | 43 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A young teen struggles to make a decision between two vampire brothers and their supernatural lives. Soon after she discovers the truth her whole world turns upside down.
Stars: Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham
Votes: 247,741
21. True Blood (2008–2014)
TV-MA | 55 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse encounters a strange new supernatural world when she meets the mysterious Bill, a southern Louisiana gentleman and vampire.
Stars: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten
Votes: 213,483
22. Doctor Who (2005– )
TV-PG | 45 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
The further adventures in time and space of the alien adventurer known as the Doctor, a Time Lord/Lady who can change appearance and gender by regenerating when near death, and his/her human companions.
Stars: Peter Capaldi, Pearl Mackie, Jenna Coleman, Matt Smith
Votes: 171,014
23. Sex and the City (1998–2004)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Four female New Yorkers gossip about their sex lives (or lack thereof) and find new ways to deal with being a woman in the '90s.
Stars: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon
Votes: 89,945
24. Chuck (2007–2012)
TV-14 | 43 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
When a twenty-something computer geek inadvertently downloads critical government secrets into his brain, the C.I.A. and the N.S.A. assign two agents to protect him and exploit such knowledge, turning his life upside down.
Stars: Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Joshua Gomez, Vik Sahay
Votes: 115,903
25. Community (2009–2015)
TV-PG | 22 min | Comedy
A suspended lawyer is forced to enroll in a community college with an eclectic staff and student body.
Stars: Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, Chevy Chase
Votes: 163,796
26. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992–2014)
TV-14 | 62 min | Comedy, Music, Talk-Show
After Johnny Carson's retirement from the show, Jay Leno stepped in as his permanent replacement. The format of the show has remained largely unchanged, consisting primarily of an opening ... See full summary »
Stars: Jay Leno, Kevin Eubanks, Edd Hall, John Melendez
Votes: 9,320
27. Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003– )
TV-G | 60 min | Comedy, Talk-Show
A mix of celebrity interviews, musical performers, audience participation games, and segments spotlighting real people with extraordinary stories and talents.
Stars: Ellen DeGeneres, Stephen Boss, Anthony Okungbowa, Justin Bieber
Votes: 12,446
28. Six Feet Under (2001–2005)
TV-MA | 55 min | Comedy, Drama
A drama series that takes a darkly comical look at members of a dysfunctional California family that runs an independent funeral home.
Stars: Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy, Lauren Ambrose
Votes: 103,880
29. The Event (2010–2011)
TV-14 | 43 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
When a man goes looking for his missing girlfriend, he stumbles upon a government conspiracy that is bigger than the president himself.
Stars: Jason Ritter, Sarah Roemer, Ian Anthony Dale, Zeljko Ivanek
Votes: 24,470
30. Desperate Housewives (2004–2012)
TV-14 | 45 min | Comedy, Drama, Mystery
Secrets and truths unfold through the lives of female friends in one suburban neighborhood, after the mysterious suicide of a neighbor.
Stars: Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria
Votes: 102,175
31. Grey's Anatomy (2005– )
TV-14 | 41 min | Drama, Romance
A drama centered on the personal and professional lives of five surgical interns and their supervisors.
Stars: Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr.
Votes: 191,016
32. Family Guy (1998– )
TV-14 | 22 min | Animation, Comedy
In a wacky Rhode Island town, a dysfunctional family strive to cope with everyday life as they are thrown from one crazy scenario to another.
Stars: Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Mila Kunis
Votes: 266,915
33. 30 Rock (2006–2013)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy
Liz Lemon, head writer of the sketch comedy show "TGS with Tracy Jordan", must deal with an arrogant new boss and a crazy new star, all while trying to run a successful television show without losing her mind.
Stars: Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jack McBrayer
Votes: 99,356
34. Seinfeld (1989–1998)
TV-PG | 22 min | Comedy
The continuing misadventures of neurotic New York City stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his equally neurotic New York City friends.
Stars: Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, Jason Alexander
Votes: 203,953
35. America's Next Top Model (2003– )
TV-PG | 42 min | Game-Show, Reality-TV
A cyclical competition where women from all over the U.S. compete for the honor of being America's next "it girl" in the modeling world.
Stars: Adrianne Curry, Yoanna House, Tyra Banks, J. Alexander
Votes: 16,417
36. Friday Night Lights (2006–2011)
TV-14 | 44 min | Drama, Sport
The trials and tribulations of small town Texas football players, their friends, family, and coaching staff.
Stars: Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Zach Gilford, Aimee Teegarden
Votes: 48,149
37. The Good Wife (2009–2016)
TV-14 | 43 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Alicia has been a good wife to her husband, a former state's attorney. After a very humiliating sex and corruption scandal, he is behind bars. She must now provide for her family and returns to work as a litigator in a law firm.
Stars: Julianna Margulies, Chris Noth, Josh Charles, Matt Czuchry
Votes: 58,253
38. The Office (2005–2013)
TV-PG | 22 min | Comedy
A mockumentary on a group of typical office workers, where the workday consists of ego clashes, inappropriate behavior, and tedium.
Stars: Steve Carell, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson
Votes: 249,621
39. Bones (2005–2017)
TV-14 | 40 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan and cocky F.B.I. Special Agent Seeley Booth build a team to investigate murders. Quite often, there isn't more to examine than rotten flesh or mere bones.
Stars: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Michaela Conlin, T.J. Thyne
Votes: 124,239
40. Medium (2005–2011)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
Suburban mom Allison DuBois attempts to balance family life with solving mysteries using her special gift. The dead send her visions of their deaths or other crimes while she sleeps.
Stars: Patricia Arquette, Miguel Sandoval, Jake Weber, Sofia Vassilieva
Votes: 22,965
41. Pretty Little Liars (2010–2017)
TV-14 | 44 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
Four friends band together against an anonymous foe who threatens to reveal their darkest secrets, while also investigating the disappearance of their best friend.
Stars: Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale, Shay Mitchell
Votes: 134,767
42. Mad Men (2007–2015)
TV-14 | 47 min | Drama
A drama about one of New York's most prestigious ad agencies at the beginning of the 1960s, focusing on one of the firm's most mysterious but extremely talented ad executives, Donald Draper.
Stars: Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, January Jones
Votes: 166,124
43. Two and a Half Men (2003–2015)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy, Romance
A hedonistic jingle writer's free-wheeling life comes to an abrupt halt when his brother and 10-year-old nephew move into his beach-front house.
Stars: Jon Cryer, Ashton Kutcher, Angus T. Jones, Conchata Ferrell
Votes: 216,304
44. Shark (2006–2008)
60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Sebastian Stark is a Los Angeles hot-shot lawyer, who leaves his lucrative career as a defender of rich criminals to try public prosecution under the District Attorney. He forms a trial ... See full summary »
Stars: James Woods, Danielle Panabaker, Sophina Brown, Sarah Carter
Votes: 10,582
45. 24 (2001–2010)
TV-14 | 44 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Jack Bauer, Director of Field Ops for the Counter-Terrorist Unit of Los Angeles, races against the clock to subvert terrorist plots and save his nation from ultimate disaster.
Stars: Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Carlos Bernard, Dennis Haysbert
Votes: 158,479
46. ER (1994–2009)
TV-14 | 44 min | Drama, Romance
The lives, loves and losses of the doctors and nurses of Chicago's County General Hospital.
Stars: Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Julianna Margulies, Eriq La Salle
Votes: 43,975
47. CSI: Miami (2002–2012)
TV-14 | 43 min | Action, Crime, Drama
The cases of the Miami-Dade, Florida police department's Crime Scene Investigations unit.
Stars: David Caruso, Emily Procter, Adam Rodriguez, Rex Linn
Votes: 47,690
48. Twin Peaks (1990–1991)
TV-MA | 47 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
An idiosyncratic FBI agent investigates the murder of a young woman in the even more idiosyncratic town of Twin Peaks.
Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Mädchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook
Votes: 141,006
49. Californication (2007–2014)
TV-MA | 28 min | Comedy, Drama
A writer tries to juggle his career, his relationship with his daughter and his ex-girlfriend, as well as his appetite for beautiful women.
Stars: David Duchovny, Natascha McElhone, Evan Handler, Pamela Adlon
Votes: 157,759
50. Supernatural (2005– )
TV-14 | 44 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Two brothers follow their father's footsteps as "hunters", fighting evil supernatural beings of many kinds, including monsters, demons, and gods that roam the earth.
Stars: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Jim Beaver, Misha Collins
Votes: 327,575
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