Best Rated TV Shows Ever: Ratings Don't Tell The Full Story
- 01. Best Rated TV Shows Ever: The Definitive List Worth Rechecking Now
- 02. Top 10 Best Rated TV Shows of All Time
- 03. Why These Shows Earned Elite Ratings
- 04. Breaking Bad: The Gold Standard
- 05. The Sopranos: The Show That Started Golden Age TV
- 06. Chernobyl: Historical Truth at Its Most Powerful
- 07. Best Rated Shows by Category
- 08. Classic Shows That Still Rank Among the Best
- 09. Most Critically Acclaimed 21st Century Shows
- 10. How IMDb Ranks TV Shows
Best Rated TV Shows Ever: The Definitive List Worth Rechecking Now
The best rated TV shows ever according to IMDb's Top 250 are: Breaking Bad (9.5/10, 2.45M votes), Planet Earth 2 (9.4/10), Planet Earth (9.4/10), Band of Brothers (9.4/10), Chernobyl (9.3/10), The Wire (9.3/10), and The Sopranos (9.2/10). These shows represent the pinnacle of television storytelling, combining critical acclaim, audience love, and lasting cultural impact.
Top 10 Best Rated TV Shows of All Time
| Rank | Show | IMDb Rating | Votes | Years | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breaking Bad | 9.5 | 2,451,692 | 2008-2013 | Crime, Drama |
| 2 | Planet Earth 2 | 9.4 | 172,702 | 2016 | Documentary |
| 3 | Planet Earth | 9.4 | 233,198 | 2006 | Documentary |
| 4 | Band of Brothers | 9.4 | 582,558 | 2001 | Drama, War |
| 5 | Chernobyl | 9.3 | 999,859 | 2019 | Drama, History |
| 6 | The Wire | 9.3 | 421,522 | 2002-2008 | Crime, Drama |
| 7 | Avatar: The Last Airbender | 9.3 | 427,400 | 2003-2008 | Animation, Adventure |
| 8 | The Sopranos | 9.2 | 558,874 | 1999-2007 | Crime, Drama |
| 9 | Blue Planet II | 9.3 | 56,530 | 2017 | Documentary |
| 10 | Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey | 9.2 | 138,933 | 2014 | Documentary |
This definitive ranking comes from IMDb's Top 250 TV chart, which uses a weighted formula combining rating volume and user credibility. Breaking Bad's 9.5 score with over 2.4 million votes makes it the highest-rated scripted series in television history.
Why These Shows Earned Elite Ratings
Breaking Bad: The Gold Standard
Breaking Bad aired from January 20, 2008 to September 29, 2013, spanning 5 seasons and 62 episodes. The story of chemistry teacher Walter White transforming into drug kingpin Heisenberg established unprecedented narrative rigor with every episode building toward a flawless finale. Creator Vince Gilligan's vision of turning "Mr. Chips into Scarface" delivered consistent excellence that audiences still rewatch today.
The Sopranos: The Show That Started Golden Age TV
The Sopranos premiered January 10, 1999 on HBO and ran for 86 episodes through June 10, 2007. David Chase's New Jersey mob boss drama completely reinvented television, introducing the antihero archetype that defined the next two decades. Time Out critics credit The Sopranos with shifting TV from "idiot box" to dominant entertainment medium.
Chernobyl: Historical Truth at Its Most Powerful
HBO's Chernobyl miniseries aired May 6-June 24, 2019, with 5 episodes totaling approximately 330 minutes . Writer Craig Mazin (Scary Movie 3, The Last of Us) delivered horrifying yet inspiring account of the 1986 nuclear disaster, earning 9.3/10 from nearly 1 million voters.
Best Rated Shows by Category
- Best Drama Series: Breaking Bad (9.5), The Wire (9.3), The Sopranos (9.2)
- Best Documentary Series: Planet Earth 2 (9.4), Planet Earth (9.4), Blue Planet II (9.3)
- Best Miniseries: Band of Brothers (9.4), Chernobyl (9.3), The Last Dance (9.0)
- Best Animated Series: Avatar: The Last Airbender (9.3), Rick and Morty (9.0), Batman: The Animated Series (9.0)
- Best Comedy Series: Seinfeld (8.9), The Office UK (9.0), Fleabag (8.7)
- Best Modern Hits (2020s): The Bear (new addition), Shōgun, Adolescence (2026)
This categorized breakdown helps viewers find excellence across genres, from nature documentaries to crime dramas to animated epics.
Classic Shows That Still Rank Among the Best
- I Love Lucy (CBS, 1951-1957) - TV Guide's #2 greatest show ever
- The Honeymooners (CBS, 1955-1956) - TV Guide's #3
- All in the Family (CBS, 1971-1979) - TV Guide's #4
- 60 Minutes (CBS, 1968-present) - longest running on TV Guide list
- The Andy Griffith Show (CBS, 1960-1968) - TV Guide's #9
- I, Claudius (BBC, 1976) - 8.8/10 IMDb, influenced Game of Thrones
- Columbo (1968-2003) - comfort viewing with Peter Falk's warm presence
- Doctor Who (1963-present) - nearly 900 episodes over 60 years
These timeless classics proved television could deliver enduring entertainment generations before the streaming era.
Most Critically Acclaimed 21st Century Shows
Time Out's 2026 updated list of 100 best TV shows highlights several modern masterpieces worth rechecking:
- The Bear (2022-present) - stressful kitchen drama with character depth
- Shōgun (2024-present) - epic historical drama with painstaking detail
- Succession (2018-2023) - 8.8/10, family power struggles at its finest
- Fleabag (2016-2019) - compact miniseries with perfect finale
- Bluey (2018-present) - 9.3/10, not just a kids show
- Squid Game (2021-2025) - Netflix's biggest cultural phenomenon
This modern collection shows television's evolution into television's golden age, with formal daring and character complexity unmatched in previous eras.
How IMDb Ranks TV Shows
IMDb's Top 250 TV uses a weighted rating formula that considers both the number of ratings and the value of ratings from regular users. To qualify, a series must:
- Receive ratings from at least 10,000 users
- Air at least 5 episodes (for TV series)
- Be a TV series or mini-series (no talk shows or variety shows)
This rigorous methodology ensures the list reflects genuine audience consensus rather than hype or review bombing.
Helpful tips and tricks for Best Rated Tv Shows Ever Ratings Dont Tell The Full Story
What makes a TV show "best rated"?
A "best rated" TV show combines high IMDb scores (typically 9.0+), massive vote counts (hundreds of thousands to millions), critical acclaim, and lasting cultural impact. Breaking Bad's 9.5/10 from 2.45M votes exemplifies this standard.
Is Breaking Bad really the number 1 TV show ever?
Yes. Breaking Bad holds the #1 position on IMDb's Top 250 TV with 9.5/10 from 2,451,692 votes as of January 2026, making it the highest-rated TV show of all time.
What shows started the golden age of television?
The Sopranos (1999-2007) is widely credited with starting TV's golden age by reinventing what television could do. The Wire (2002-2008) followed, establishing the antihero and institutional critique that defined the era.
Are documentaries included in best TV show lists?
Yes. Planet Earth 2 (9.4), Planet Earth (9.4), Band of Brothers (9.4), and Chernobyl (9.3) all rank in the top 5, showing documentaries and miniseries compete with scripted dramas for excellence.
Which classic shows still rank among the best today?
I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, All in the Family, Columbo, I, Claudius, and Doctor Who remain highly rated decades after their premiere, proving timeless storytelling transcends eras.
What should I rewatch from the best rated shows?
For drama: Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, The Wire. For documentary: Planet Earth series, Chernobyl. For comedy: The Office, Fleabag, Seinfeld. For animation: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Bluey.
