Summary

• The best TV shows of all time span various genres, showcasing their substantial impact on culture and the television medium since the 1950s.
• Critical acclaim, cultural impact, popularity, and influence on the television medium are important factors in determining the best TV shows of all time.
• The likes of Life on Mars, Only Fools and Horses, Stranger Things, Oz, The Golden Girls, The X-Files, and Six Feet Under are all considered among the greatest TV shows of all time due to their cultural significance, critical acclaim, and success.

The best TV shows of all time cover a wide range of genres, topics, and generational conflicts that continue to have substantial impacts on the wider culture and the television medium itself. Television might have once been viewed as a lesser medium than movies, but some of the greatest prestige TV shows, classic sitcoms, and sketch shows have massively shaped the cultural conscience and changed how audiences interact with media since the 1950s.

With a vast number of series to pull from throughout the history of the medium, the best TV shows of all time achieve some variation of critical acclaim, beloved legacies, and cultural significance. Prestige dramas may tend to have an advantage with reputations as the greatest shows of all time, but the cultural impact and popularity must also be accounted for with groundbreaking horror shows, legendary sitcoms, and sci-fi hits. While the ultimate ranking will always be subjective, Screen Rant's list of the best TV shows of all time takes a holistic approach based on a combination of factors like awards, critical and audience acclaim, cultural effect, influence on the television medium, and larger legacy.

55 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017-2023)

A New York housewife discovers new life on the stand-up scene

Amy Sherman-Palladino's longest-running show outside of Gilmore Girls, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is, in many ways, ideal for fans of that series. Led by a smart brunette who becomes a single mom and fires off the creator's dizzyingly-fast dialogue without missing a beat, and including Sherman-Palladino's incredible flair for costuming and production, it's got plenty of hallmarks that make it instantly appealing.

However, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel isn't just another Gilmore Girls, but stands as its own unique series that more than deserves its individual plaudits. The Amazon Prime show conjures up an incredible sense of place - specifically, the comedy scene of New York in the 1950s - and it's a perfect match for Sherman-Palladino's witty-yet-poignant writing and star Rachel Brosnahan's remarkable performance. Brosnahan is tasked wearing multiple hats (sometimes literally - again, the costumes are great) as a mother, a divorcee, a woman navigating a man's world, and convincing as a great stand-up comic, all of which she makes look effortless.

The rest of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel's cast is superb, adding a richness to both Midge's family life and the comedy world, and often excelling when those two intersect. It is, as one would hope for a show "about comedy," absolutely hilarious and charming, but also at its best is incredibly emotional too. The show isn't always completely even throughout its five-season run, but it is always enjoyable and nails its ending in a manner that's worthy of a standing ovation. - James Hunt, SR Senior Editor

54 Grey's Anatomy (2005-)

Incredibly long-running medical drama that has radically shifted identity

Now into its 20th season, Grey's Anatomy is among the longest running TV dramas of all time, with more than 420 episodes and two spin-offs. Neither Private Practice nor the superior Station 19 have ever quite hit the heights of their parent show, but both follow the formula that Shonda Rhimes' most famous show thrived on. Most impressively, Grey's Anatomy stepped out into a brave new world in season 19 as Ellen Pompeo's lead character stepped away to become an occasional guest star. Very few shows ever survive just a dramatic change, but Grey's was never just about Meredith. To use a tired expression with real sentiment, the best parts were mostly the friends she made along the way.

More than just a medical drama, but compelling in its case-of-the-week set-up when it did snap back to that formula, Grey's Anatomy is more like a soap opera, punctuated by profound (and often break-neck) romances, often very funny comedy, huge charm, and th ekind of bloodlust you'd usually expect from way darker shows. Grey's Anatomy knows how to make you cry, knows how to make you care, and has a terribly irresistible knack for emotional manipulation across the rest of the spectrum.

It may have lost its way at times, but the new class of interns introduced in season 18 revived the charm and humor of the earliest seasons, and the veterans continue to be familiar, comforting, and capable of surprises. It will end at some point, but there's more than enough life in it to continue for a while yet. - Simon Gallagher, Executive Editor

53 Only Fools And Horses (1981-2003)

Working class comedy heroes unite in a British classic