The Greatest TV Dramas of All Time
List Rules American/British shows only; fantasy/sci-fi's included; live action only; mini-series included
The greatest TV dramas of all time are the ones that make you feel connected to characters you will never meet in real life to the point where you obsess about their exploits as much as your own. These top TV dramas rank high among the best TV shows of recent memory with many touting characters on the list of best TV characters ever.
Many of these greatest TV drama series, like Lost and the Sopranos, have already come to a close (earning them places on the list of the best TV series finales), while others like Mad Men and Breaking Bad are on the verge of closing up TV shop and leaving us to inevitably wonder about the lives of the surviving characters and what could have happened with the characters that get killed off (I've got even odds on Walter White buying a ticket to the meth lab in the sky in the Breaking Bad finale). Medical TV shows, crime shows, and more grace this list of excellent TV dramas.
What is the best drama series in TV history? Tough question to answer considering many of the best TV series are dramas (and a lot of them are good!) Use this list of the greatest TV dramas ever to cast your vote for the top drama series and, if your favorite drama series isn't on the list, make sure to add it so other real people can get caught up in the fictional lives of your favorite TV drama characters.

Premiered: 2008
Number of Seasons: 5
Number of Episodes: 54
Network: AMC
Genres (Tv): Crime drama, Thriller, Neo-western, Tragedy


Premiered: 1999
Number of Seasons: 6
Number of Episodes: 86
Network: HBO
Genres (Tv): Crime drama


Premiered: 2011
Number of Seasons: 8
Number of Episodes: 73
Network: HBO
Genres (Tv): Medieval fantasy, Drama, Adventure film, Epic, Action, + more


Premiered: 2002
Number of Seasons: 5
Number of Episodes: 60
Network: BBC Four, HBO
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Drama


Premiered: 1959
Number of Seasons: 5
Number of Episodes: 156
Network: UPN, CBS
Genres (Tv): Anthology, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction, + more


Premiered: 2004
Number of Seasons: 6
Number of Episodes: 121
Network: American Broadcasting Company
Genres (Tv): Supernatural drama, Action/Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, + more


Premiered: 2001
Number of Episodes: 10
Network: British Broadcasting Corporation, HBO
Genres (Tv): Miniseries, Action/Adventure, Drama, Military, Adventure film, + more


Premiered: 2004
Number of Seasons: 8
Number of Episodes: 177
Network: Fox
Genres (Tv): Medical drama


Premiered: 2013
Number of Seasons: 2
Number of Episodes: 13
Network: FX
Genres (Tv): Drama


Premiered: 1972
Number of Seasons: 11
Number of Episodes: 251
Network: CBS
Genres (Tv): Black comedy, Medical drama, Sitcom, Satire, Military, + more


Premiered: 2007
Number of Seasons: 7
Network: AMC
Genres (Tv): Period drama, Serial drama


Premiered: 2008
Number of Seasons: 7
Network: FX
Genres (Tv): Crime drama, Neo-western


Premiered: 2014
Number of Seasons: 3
Network: FX
Genres (Tv): Drama


Premiered: 1999
Number of Seasons: 7
Number of Episodes: 156
Network: NBC
Genres (Tv): Political drama, Drama, Serial drama


Premiered: 2010
Number of Seasons: 3
Number of Episodes: 13
Network: BBC One
Genres (Tv): Crime drama, Mystery


Premiered: 2016
Number of Seasons: 3
Network: Netflix
Genres (Tv): Sci-fi, Horror, Supernatural, Period drama


Premiered: 2004
Number of Seasons: 3
Number of Episodes: 36
Network: HBO
Genres (Tv): Western, Period drama


Premiered: 1987
Number of Seasons: 7
Number of Episodes: 178
Network: CBS
Genres (Tv): Action/Adventure, Drama, Adventure film, Action, Science Fiction


Premiered: 1966
Number of Seasons: 3
Number of Episodes: 79
Network: NBC
Genres (Tv): Action/Adventure, Drama, Adventure film, Action, Science Fiction


Premiered: 2006
Number of Seasons: 8
Number of Episodes: 96
Network: Showtime
Genres (Tv): Crime drama, Psychological thriller, Mystery, Dark comedy, Police procedural


Premiered: 1997
Number of Seasons: 7
Number of Episodes: 144
Network: The WB
Genres (Tv): Supernatural, Horror, Comedy-drama, Teen drama, Action, + more


Premiered: 2010
Number of Seasons: 3
Number of Episodes: 52
Network: FX
Genres (Tv): Crime drama, Neo-Western


Premiered: 2015
Number of Seasons: 4
Network: AMC
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Drama, Comedy


Premiered: 1993
Number of Seasons: 11
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
Genres (Tv): Cryptozoology, Supernatural, Crime Fiction, Drama, Live action, + more


Premiered: 2010
Number of Seasons: 3
Number of Episodes: 36
Network: HBO
Genres (Tv): Period drama, Crime drama
