Thanks to the streaming revolution and the birth of binge-watching, we have access to more TV than ever before. And with the likes of Netflix, Apple TV and Amazon Prime constantly dropping new, original content, our ‘to watch’ list is ever growing at a rate we just can’t keep up with.
We don’t mean to sound ungrateful, though. We don’t know what we would have done without the likes of Tiger King, Too Hot To Handle and Hollywood to see us through the past 9676090 weeks of lockdown. Netflix, we thank you.
But there is something to be said for revisiting the absolute classics. Those critically acclaimed dramas that you haven’t seen in years, or those old school gems you’ve never actually seen because you’re too young to remember them (jealous, us?)
And what better place to turn for a definitive list of the top-rated TV shows than the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), which ranks films and series based on reviews from fans and critics. As users can leave reviews and star ratings at any time, their ‘Top Rated TV Shows’ compilation can sometimes change order, but at the time of writing there’s quite an eclectic mix of shows that make it into the top 20.
As well as some much-loved wildlife documentaries (national treasure David Attenborough really can do no wrong), there’s plenty of high intensity drama from the ’90s and the 2010s, a few animations, and of course, everyone’s favourite meth-cooking, hazmat suit-wearing science teacher.
So, if you fancy tuning in to some of the best TV shows of all time, you’ve come to the right place. From ’90s hit The Sopranos to 21st century cult fantasy sensation Game of Thrones, these are the top 20 highest rated TV series of all time…