This is a great list. They’re publishing the Top 20 tomorrow.
We’re reading this tonight to find any compelling shows that we may have missed.
This is a very diverse list and includes a few shows I’ve never heard of and ones I’ve seen but had forgotten about! Of the 80 shows posted so far, I’ve seen 52, but I watch a lot of TV, both network and streaming. I agree with The Wire, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones and Succession being good candidates for the top 20. Others that are likely to be on the list are The Americans, The Crown, Chernobyl, The Office, Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm and 30 Rock.
1 Like
Well, we have the winner! It is a show I have not watched but I bet many of you have. I won’t spoil it.
I am THRILLED to see one of my all-time favorites - Mad Men - at #3. I did not watch it when it was originally on but did a few years ago and would totally rewatch.
1 Like
I hated #1!
2 Likes
It turns out I just don’t care for the prestige anti-hero shows. So my list would look a lot different.
1 Like
You were pretty spot on!!
It’s making me log in and start a free trial (I already have an account I set up back when it was free).
I had the same issue
For those who don’t want to log in, here they are in groups of 25. I’ve watched all seasons of 12 of the first 25, and 19 of the remaining 75. There are several shows I started but never finished. I did once try the first episode of Breaking Bad, but didn’t care for it and never continued.
On the other hand, I once started Andor but didn’t get past the first episode. Then I came back a couple of years later and tried again and now it’s one of my top two shows on the list - I’ve watched it four times. My other top two is The Good Place, which I’ve only watched twice.
6 Likes
I watch a good bit of tv/streaming, average 1 hr a night. I’ve seen 27.5 of the shows on the list. I’m not a fan of sci fi, medical, police or overly violent so that eliminates a number of them. I also like British and other “smaller” shows that aren’t going to be popular knowledge but there are some I feel are better than some of these “bests.”
Thanks for posting the list. NYTimes is constantly emailing me to get a subscription because I’m doing a low cost trial of their games and I don’t want to enter my email and have then say “Ha! See you do want to read our articles too!” 
Thank you, 54 for me. Happy to have this list, my husband in in Italy for 2 weeks.
1 Like
I’ve only seen 28. Although I have seen a few episodes of 5 more here or there but didn’t enjoy them enough to keep watching.
I don’t do violent or crime shows either. I also hate shows where characters make bad decisions after bad decisions.
1 Like
I don’t know if a new gift link will help, but here ya go:
I so very much hate shows where the characters just make bad decisions over and over. That is probably my least favorite kind of show. Give me violence over that any day.
@Marilyn thank you very much for posting the list! NYTimes has made it harder to read gift articles and I really just wanted to read the list anyway. I think I have watched some of about 30 of them (lost count). I did not love all of the ones I watched (not a fan of “Nathan For You” for example, but watched with the fam) but some of them were fantastic. My faves on the list in no particular order are:
- The Good Place
- Parks & Recreation
- Slow Horses
- Mad Men
- Reservation Dogs
- Schitt’s Creek
- Happy Valley
- Ted Lasso
- Somebody, Somewhere
- The Great British Baking Show
2 Likes
I watch more British and other foreign TV shows more than American’s. I like your list but would put Line of Duty in the top five best shows, next to Slow Horses.
I tried to watch Line of Duty but didn’t find the first episode to my taste. Maybe it gets better?
Did I miss it or is West Wing not included in the The Best 100 TV Shows???
2 Likes
West Wing started in 1999 so was excluded from 21st century.
2 Likes
Aaaah . . . . didn’t realize it started before the 21st century!!
Because it debuted in 1999, I think it could not be included. (The list is year 2000 forward)