10 Greatest American Drama Shows of All Time

There’s nothing quite like a great television drama. The small screen is a medium that has seen some of the most fascinating stories that humanity has told in modern times, whether it’s a compelling political drama, a hugely imaginative fantasy epic, or an iconic space opera. Regardless of genre, television’s greatest dramas are proof of why television has remained such a timeless art form through the years.

And thankfully for television fans, “drama” is such a vast category which contains such an incredible variety of genres that there’s something out there for pretty much anyone to enjoy. And of course, if there’s one country that has produced a particularly large—and high-quality—number of drama shows throughout history, it’s the United States. As such, many of the most acclaimed televisual dramas in history are American. This list will only consider full-length television series, not miniseries, as that is a whole other can of worms altogether.

10

‘The West Wing’ (1999–2006)

Image via NBC

Few television dramas are more quintessentially American than The West Wing, one of those classic shows that are now relevant again. But while some level of familiarity with American politics definitely goes a long way in one’s enjoyment of the series, it’s by no means necessary in order to be captivated by its universal themes of deeply human drama and political idealism.

Aaron Sorkin was already a well-known playwright and screenwriter by the time he created The West Wing, but this prestige series was the one that turned him into a household name. The rapidfire dialogue that characterizes Sorkin’s work is at its most brilliant here, serving as the foundation of some of the most intelligent character development and most compelling political complexity of any drama show from the ’90s or 2000s.

9

‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ (1987–1994)

Since as far back as Star Trek: The Original Series‘ release back in 1966, the Star Trek franchise has been revolutionizing science fiction across different forms of media—chiefly, of course, the small screen. Different fans will have different answers to the question of what their favorite piece of Star Trek media is, but the question of what the best Star Trek show is typically elicits one main answer: The Next Generation.

It’s one of the classic sci-fi shows that has aged the best, perhaps the most iconic and widely celebrated example of what the sci-fi genre is capable of achieving on American television. With one of the most incredible ensemble casts in television history and the kind of optimistic vision of the future that characterizes Star Trek, this drama never ceases to be an irresistible blast.

8

‘Twin Peaks’ (1990–2017)

Image via ABC

David Lynch was a filmmaker like no other, easily one of the most important and influential surrealist movie directors in history. He also made incursions into the small screen, though—namely, with Twin Peaks. Like anyone would expect out of any Lynch product, this one’s impossible to put into a simple box. There are elements of a murder mystery, a surrealist horror, a detective thriller, and a sci-fi thriller, but one thing is certain: This is nothing if not one of the best American television dramas ever.

Twin Peaks is definitely not for those who prefer purely escapist television that doesn’t challenge their minds in the slightest; but those who love binge-watching mind-twisters when coming home from work ought to watch Twin Peaks at least once in their lives. It’s one of those classic thriller shows worth binge-watching today, introducing a fascinating sense of darkness and horror into nostalgic small-town Americana.

7

‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)

Image via HBO

Fantasy dramas are dramas as worthy of respect as any other, and no TV show has ever demonstrated that more exceptionally than Game of Thrones. Underwhelming final season and universally-hated finale notwithstanding, this will forever be remembered as one of the greatest television series in history, packed with several of the best TV episodes of all time.

Where can one even start singing Game of Thrones‘ praises? Its production values are stunningly cinematic, its star-studded cast is full of unforgettable performances, its action sequences are absolutely enthralling, and its many twists and turns make it one of the most unpredictable fantasy shows ever made. Deep world-building, compelling character work, and engaging plotlines abound in Game of Thrones.

6

‘Mad Men’ (2007–2015)

Image via AMC

The world of 1960s American advertising isn’t exactly one that’s often depicted on the big screen, but even without that factor of uniqueness, Mad Men would still be one of the greatest American dramas in history. Led by Jon Hamm at the very top of his game, this incredible period piece is every bit as visually stylized as it is full of narrative depth and mature themes.

Indeed, it’s far and away one of the best drama TV shows of all time, built with an uncompromising sense of realism that supports its thematic deconstruction of the illusion of the American Dream wonderfully. Full of flawlessly complex and morally ambiguous characters, meticulously-researched yet endlessly stylish period elements, and brilliant subtext, it’s everything that a non-genre drama show should always aim to be.

5

‘Better Call Saul’ (2015–2022)

Image via AMC

Particularly toward the early seasons of its run, Better Call Saul was often compared to a certain show that it serves as a prequel to. That still happens quite often today, but over time, the series firmly established itself as entirely its own thing, worthy of being analyzed and praised without any comparisons. Regardless of which installment of this universe is superior, however, one thing is certain: There aren’t very many shows quite like this one.

It’s one of the greatest TV shows in history, a genre-bending masterpiece that works equally well as a legal drama, a crime thriller, and a profound character study. The performances are all phenomenal (particularly those by leads Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn), the direction of each episode is nothing short of perfect, and the way the pacing and suspense of the show keeps escalating with the passing of each season is a masterclass in the art of making a serialized TV drama.

4

‘Succession’ (2018–2023)

Image via HBO

HBO has produced several of the best TV shows of all time, many of them being among the greatest American dramas in history. One such show is Succession, and even though it has plenty of elements of satire and dark humor, it was competing under the Drama category at the Emmys, which ultimately feels just right. It has a sense of humor, but this is a drama as Shakespearean as they get.

Full of enough twists, betrayals, and backstabbings to satisfy even the most demanding of fans of character-driven dramas, Succession is one of those perfect HBO shows that get better with every rewatch. Full of all-time performances, nail-biting scenes of character-driven tension, and endlessly quotable jokes and lines of dialogue, it’s one of the most tonally complex and delectably layered shows in recent memory.

3

‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)

Image via HBO

American or otherwise, there are no other crime dramas out there quite like The Wire. It’s easily one of the best American crime shows of all time, one of several HBO shows that contributed to the rise of “prestige television” in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Created and primarily written by former police reporter David Simon, it’s a show that has only gotten timelier and more compelling with age.

Far more than just a traditional cop show, The Wire completely revolutionized the genre of the procedural by delivering a thematically sprawling, tonally complex, ultra-realistic critique of modern American institutions and authorities. Fans (and even David Simon himself) often refer to the city of Baltimore as the true protagonist of The Wire, and that results in an exquisitely authentic and gritty crime drama that still has no equal all these many years later.

2

‘The Sopranos’ (1999–2007)

Image via HBO

Experts tend to agree that it was HBO’s The Sopranos that kickstarted the era of prestige television that arguably still reigns supreme within the realm of the small screen. It is, by far, one of the most universally loved TV series of all time, the kind of classic series so groundbreaking and ahead-of-its-time that it still feels as modern as ever even 27 years after its pilot’s airing.

There are many factors that have kept The Sopranos so timelessly relevant to the pop culture zeitgeist. Pretty much pioneering complex anti-heroes, tremendous psychological depth, and thought-provoking thematic layers on television, it set a new blueprint for what television would have to learn to do in the years after. It demonstrated that stories told on the small screen could be art just as much as those on the big screen, and American television hasn’t been the same since.

1

‘Breaking Bad’ (2008–2013)

Image via AMC

Saying that Breaking Bad is the greatest TV show in history has become such a common occurrence that it has almost become a bit of a truism. There are many things that people take for granted nowadays: that the sky is blue, that the sun will rise tomorrow, and that Vince Gilligan’s magnum opus is the pinnacle of what the televisual medium has to offer. That’s because even today, no matter how closely you examine and dissect Breaking Bad‘s every nuance, it does always feel like the perfect show.

It’s the best of all crime drama shows, the series that ran after The Sopranos walked. Walter White (Bryan Cranston) is one of television’s most fascinating anti-heroes, and every other character is just as compelling; from the clever cinematography to the brilliant editing, every technical aspect is top-notch; and the writing is some of the most suspenseful, well-paced, thematically complex, and emotionally stirring that television has ever seen. American TV has delivered several of the greatest dramas in history, and Breaking Bad still reigns supreme 13 years after its conclusion.