The BBC’s 100 greatest TV series of the 21st Century

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Phoenix

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The 100 greatest TV series of the 21st Century

BBC Culture polled 206 TV experts from 43 countries in order to find the greatest TV of the 21st Century – here’s the top 100
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1 The Wire (2002-2008)
2 Mad Men (2007-2015)
3 Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
4 Fleabag (2016-2019)
5 Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
6 I May Destroy You (2020)
7 The Leftovers (2014-2017)
8 The Americans (2013-2018)
9 The Office (UK) (2001-2003)
10 Succession (2018-)
11 BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)
12 Six Feet Under (2001-2005)
13 Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)
14 Atlanta (2016-)
15 Chernobyl (2019)
16 The Crown (2016-)
17 30 Rock (2006-2013)
18 Deadwood (2004-2006)
19 Lost (2004-2010)
20 The Thick of It (2005-2012)
21 Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-)
22 Black Mirror (2011-)
23 Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
24 Veep (2012-2019)
25 Sherlock (2010-2017)
26 Watchmen (2019)
27 Line of Duty (2012-2021)
28 Friday Night Lights (2006-2011)
29 Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
30 Girls (2012-2017)
31 True Detective (2014-2019)
32 Arrested Development (2003-2019)
33 The Good Wife (2009-2016)
34 The Bridge (2011-2018)
35 Fargo (2014-)
36= Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
36= Band of Brothers (2001)
38 The Handmaid's Tale (2017-)
39 The Office (US) (2005-2013)
40 Borgen (2010-2022)
41 Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)
42 Peep Show (2003-2015)
43 Money Heist (2017-2021)
44 Community (2009-2015)
45 The Good Fight (2017-)
46 Homeland (2011-2020)
47 Grey's Anatomy (2005-)
48 Inside No 9 (2014-)
49 The Bureau (2015-)
50 Halt and Catch Fire (2014-2017)
51 Small Axe (2020)
52 This is England 86, 88 and 90 (2010-2015)
53 Call My Agent! (2015-2020)
54 Happy Valley (2014-)
55 The Shield (2002-2008)
56 The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)
57 The Young Pope (2016)
58 Dark (2017-2020)
59 The Underground Railroad (2021)
60 House of Cards (2013-2018)
61 Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)
62= The Good Place (2016-2020)
62= Pose (2018-2021)
64 Detectorists (2014-2017)
65 Orange is the New Black (2013-2019)
66 Mare of Easttown (2021)
67 RuPaul's Drag Race (2009-)
68 Stranger Things (2016-)
69 24 (2001-2010)
70 Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)
71 Enlightened (2011-2013)
72 Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
73 Planet Earth (2006)
74 Utopia (2013-2014)
75 Babylon Berlin (2017-)
76 Rick and Morty (2013-)
77 American Crime Story (2016-)
78 The Killing (Denmark) (2007-2012)
79 Mindhunter (2017-2019)
80 House (2004-2012)
81 OJ: Made in America (2016)
82 Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
83 Insecure (2016-2021)
84= Normal People (2020)
84= Narcos (2015-2017)
86 How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)
87 The Comeback (2005-2014)
88 The OA (2016-2019)
89 Dexter (2006-2013)
90 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-)
91 Westworld (2016-)
92 Show Me a Hero (2015)
93 Treme (2010-2013)
94 Louie (2010-2015)
95 Luther (2010-2019)
96 Catastrophe (2015-2019)
97 Hannibal (2013-2015)
98 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015-2019)
99 Steven Universe (2013-2020)
100 The Queen's Gambit (2020)
Click to expand...
 
Beverley said:
How many have you watched, sis?
Click to expand...
45ish. Not all seasons for all of the shows.

I haven’t watched an episode of The Wire (and have very little interest). Gave up on both Mad Men and Breaking Bad halfway through.
 
3 Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
5 Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
9 The Office (UK) (2001-2003)
15 Chernobyl (2019)
19 Lost (2004-2010)
22 Black Mirror (2011-)
23 Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
42 Peep Show (2003-2015)
52 This is England 86, 88 and 90 (2010-2015)
65 Orange is the New Black (2013-2019)
76 Rick and Morty (2013-)

those, if i impose a 5 episode minimum.
 
Seen all of:

4 Fleabag (2016-2019)
9 The Office (UK) (2001-2003)
20 The Thick of It (2005-2012)
22 Black Mirror (2011-)
32 Arrested Development (2003-2019)
42 Peep Show (2003-2015)
44 Community (2009-2015)
73 Planet Earth (2006)
96 Catastrophe (2015-2019)
100 The Queen's Gambit (2020)

Still watching:

29 Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
38 The Handmaid's Tale (2017-)
41 Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)
76 Rick and Morty (2013-)

Seen all series up until the latest one which I keep forgetting about:

35 Fargo (2014-)
48 Inside No 9 (2014-)

Stopped watching when they all started getting married and having fucking babies:

56 The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)

Seen the first series only:

68 Stranger Things (2016-)
69 24 (2001-2010)

Seen one or two episodes on a plane:

21 Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-)
24 Veep (2012-2019)
39 The Office (US) (2005-2013)

:)
 
Kate said:
Stopped watching when they all started getting married and having fucking babies:

56 The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)
Click to expand...
THIS.

‘Look at these relatable losers with their high paid jobs and obscenely hot girlfriends, they’re so relatable. Isn’t it fun that each episode is now 25 minutes of Sheldon kicking his own gimmick to death?’
 
Every Episode:
2 Mad Men (2007-2015)
4 Fleabag (2016-2019)
6 I May Destroy You (2020)
10 Succession (2018-)
11 BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)
14 Atlanta (2016-)
17 30 Rock (2006-2013)
24 Veep (2012-2019)
29 Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
30 Girls (2012-2017)
32 Arrested Development (2003-2019)
41 Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)
71 Enlightened (2011-2013)
72 Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
77 American Crime Story (2016-)
82 Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
84 Normal People
98 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015-2019)
100 The Queen's Gambit (2020)



Most of it:

27 Line of Duty (2012-2021)
32 Arrested Development (2003-2019)
35 Fargo (2014-)
39 The Office (US) (2005-2013)
42 Peep Show (2003-2015)
62= The Good Place (2016-2020)
62= Pose (2018-2021)
64 Detectorists (2014-2017)
67 RuPaul's Drag Race (2009-)
72 Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
83 Insecure (2016-2021)
87 The Comeback (2005-2014)
90 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-)
 
Absolutely agree about The Wire.

I May Destroy You and The Leftovers were great, just not that great.
 
My favorites: in no order
Mad Men
The Office US - early seasons only
Fleabag
Bojack Horseman
Parks and Recreation
30 Rock
Veep
Succession
Crazy Ex-girlfriend
 
ButterTart said:
THIS.

‘Look at these relatable losers with their high paid jobs and obscenely hot girlfriends, they’re so relatable. Isn’t it fun that each episode is now 25 minutes of Sheldon kicking his own gimmick to death?’
Click to expand...
The first episode that really fucked me off was where Bernadette said she didn't want children, and Howard, who is already punching LIGHT YEARS above his fucking weight in every fucking way and should fucking know it, was being a total arse about it. And then of course she changed her mind over the space of half an hour. FUCK. OFF. :manson:

YES I KNOW IT'S NOT REAL LEAVE ME ALONE
 
If I employ Indie's 5 episode minimum

4 Fleabag (2016-2019)
6 I May Destroy You (2020)
9 The Office (UK) (2001-2003)
29 Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
30 Girls (2012-2017)
33 The Good Wife (2009-2016)
38 The Handmaid's Tale (2017-)
39 The Office (US) (2005-2013)
41 Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)
45 The Good Fight (2017-)
48 Inside No 9 (2014-)
56 The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)
62= Pose (2018-2021)
67 RuPaul's Drag Race (2009-)
96 Catastrophe (2015-2019)

I suspect Pose may have been a fair bit higher had the last series not been so poor.
 
Every epiosde:
The Wire
Game of Thrones
I May Destroy You
The Leftovers
Succession
Six Feet Under
Chernobyl
Deadwood
Lost
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Veep
Watchmen
Girls
True Detective
Arrested Development
Band of Brothers
Homeland
The Young Pope
Mare of Easttown
RuPaul's Drag Race
Battlestar Galactica
Enlightened
Big Little Lies
Insecure
The Comeback
Westworld
Show Me a Hero

Currently watching:
Treme

Planning to watch:
Babylon Berlin

Watched some of it:
Mad Men
Breaking Bad (1st season)
Fleabag
30 Rock
Downton Abbey (missed the last season)
The Handmaid's Tale (1st season)
House of Cards (1st season)
Orange is the New Black (missed the last season)
Stranger Things (1st season)
Planet Earth
 
Excuse me where is The Sopranos?!

And they’ve included the new season of Twin Peaks but not the original seasons? :square:
 
That's actually a MUCH better list than I'm used to seeing...
 
A quick glance suggested 23, almost a quarter of them, are from HBO.

edit: sorry, 24. 8 in the top 20 :o

edit: 26.
 
Last edited:
1 The Wire (2002-2008)
2 Mad Men (2007-2015)
3 Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
4 Fleabag (2016-2019)
5 Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
9 The Office (UK) (2001-2003)
10 Succession (2018-)
12 Six Feet Under (2001-2005)
18 Deadwood (2004-2006)
19 Lost (2004-2010)
20 The Thick of It (2005-2012)
21 Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-)
24 Veep (2012-2019)
30 Girls (2012-2017)
31 True Detective (2014-2019)
32 Arrested Development (2003-2019)
35 Fargo (2014-)
36= Band of Brothers (2001)
38 The Handmaid's Tale (2017-)
41 Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)
46 Homeland (2011-2020)
55 The Shield (2002-2008)
60 House of Cards (2013-2018)
67 RuPaul's Drag Race (2009-)
68 Stranger Things (2016-)
69 24 (2001-2010)
70 Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)
71 Enlightened (2011-2013)
73 Planet Earth (2006)
82 Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
83 Insecure (2016-2021)
84= Narcos (2015-2017)
87 The Comeback (2005-2014)
91 Westworld (2016-)
93 Treme (2010-2013)
100 The Queen's Gambit (2020)

Most of my favourites there. I didn't understand why Sopranos and West Wing were missing and then realised they have to have started in 2000+
 
3 Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
4 Fleabag (2016-2019)
5 Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
6 I May Destroy You (2020)
15 Chernobyl (2019)
16 The Crown (2016-)
17 30 Rock (2006-2013)
20 The Thick of It (2005-2012)
22 Black Mirror (2011-)
24 Veep (2012-2019)
25 Sherlock (2010-2017)
29 Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
32 Arrested Development (2003-2019)
36= Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
41 Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)
42 Peep Show (2003-2015)
47 Grey's Anatomy (2005-)
48 Inside No 9 (2014-)
60 House of Cards (2013-2018)
65 Orange is the New Black (2013-2019)
67 RuPaul's Drag Race (2009-)
68 Stranger Things (2016-)
73 Planet Earth (2006)
77 American Crime Story (2016-)
79 Mindhunter (2017-2019)
81 OJ: Made in America (2016)
82 Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
84= Normal People (2020)
 
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Now that @funky is back, I’d need to update my HBO list in the HBO thread as I’ve now watched almost everything and I’d think he’s the only one who has watched or heard of some of the more obscure shows.
 
RaspberrySwirl said:
Now that @funky is back, I’d need to update my HBO list in the HBO thread as I’ve now watched almost everything and I’d think he’s the only one who has watched or heard of some of the more obscure shows.
Click to expand...

I see you're watching Treme :o honestly one of the greatest shows ever that nobody has watched (outside of New Orleans).

It's quite extraordinary. But it is David Simon. It's almost as good as The Wire. And hardly any show can ever come close to The Wire...
 
AMAZING to see Englightened ( @VoR ) and The Comeback on there.

The Comeback should have won all the awards. I have rarely seen a better comic/tragic performance than Valerie Cherish. I'm in awe every time I watch it.
 
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WATCHED

2 Mad Men (2007-2015)
3 Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
4 Fleabag (2016-2019)
6 I May Destroy You (2020)
8 The Americans (2013-2018)
11 BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)
16 The Crown (2016-)
20 The Thick of It (2005-2012)
22 Black Mirror (2011-)
23 Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
25 Sherlock (2010-2017)
27 Line of Duty (2012-2021)
29 Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
32 Arrested Development (2003-2019)
36= Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
38 The Handmaid's Tale (2017-)
41 Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)
42 Peep Show (2003-2015)
44 Community (2009-2015)
48 Inside No 9 (2014-)
54 Happy Valley (2014-)
62= The Good Place (2016-2020)
62= Pose (2018-2021)
65 Orange is the New Black (2013-2019)
67 RuPaul's Drag Race (2009-)
69 24 (2001-2010)
73 Planet Earth (2006)
74 Utopia (2013-2014)
76 Rick and Morty (2013-)
77 American Crime Story (2016-)
79 Mindhunter (2017-2019)
81 OJ: Made in America (2016)
88 The OA (2016-2019)
89 Dexter (2006-2013)
90 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-)
96 Catastrophe (2015-2019)
98 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015-2019)
100 The Queen's Gambit (2020)
 
funky said:
I see you're watching Treme :o honestly one of the greatest shows ever that nobody has watched (outside of New Orleans).

It's quite extraordinary. But it is David Simon. It's almost as good as The Wire. And hardly any show can ever come close to The Wire...
Click to expand...

I just started season 2. I’m quite enjoying it, but it’s a bit too slow and there’s no real plot other than the cast living their everyday lives. It has some really nice The Wire elements, but I wish something more would happen.
 
RaspberrySwirl said:
I just started season 2. I’m quite enjoying it, but it’s a bit too slow and there’s no real plot other than the cast living their everyday lives. It has some really nice The Wire elements, but I wish something more would happen.
Click to expand...

Nah it’s a character study and, really, a study of a city, it’s not really storyline driven at all, other than some nice mini narratives in each episode. But everything is so deeply subtle, where the point being made is sometimes through a facial expression, a symbolic musical performance or a beautifully set montage. Sorry to spoil but it doesn’t get any more eventful :D although I do feel you get more and more invested in the characters as it goes on. It’s the ultimate love story to a place in television. Brutally honest and harrowing at times. But it’s the soul of it - some shows just really put you inside the mood of the scene, and whether it’s the music, the food, the cinematography or the dialogue, I got totally swept up in the atmosphere every episode. I felt like I knew the place by the end. 5 star television, missing out on many awards for being far too obscure and far too niche.
 
Yeah I was afraid it will continue like that. At least 10 minutes of music and cooking in each episode, and what long episodes, but I’ll survive. :bruised:
 
NOT HIGH ENOUGH.

listen-up-fives-a-tes-is-speaking-jenna-maroney.gif
 
Watched:

2 Mad Men (2007-2015)
3 Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
4 Fleabag (2016-2019)
5 Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
6 I May Destroy You (2020)
7 The Leftovers (2014-2017)
8 The Americans (2013-2018)
10 Succession (2018-)
12 Six Feet Under (2001-2005)
13 Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)
14 Atlanta (2016-)
15 Chernobyl (2019)
16 The Crown (2016-)
18 Deadwood (2004-2006)
19 Lost (2004-2010) - except the last season
22 Black Mirror (2011-) - only the Channel 4 ones
23 Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
25 Sherlock (2010-2017)
27 Line of Duty (2012-2021)
29 Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
30 Girls (2012-2017)
31 True Detective (2014-2019)
33 The Good Wife (2009-2016)
34 The Bridge (2011-2018)
35 Fargo (2014-)
36= Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
38 The Handmaid's Tale (2017-)
40 Borgen (2010-2022)
41 Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)
44 Community (2009-2015) - dipped in and out of this
45 The Good Fight (2017-)
46 Homeland (2011-2020)
48 Inside No 9 (2014-)
51 Small Axe (2020)
52 This is England 86, 88 and 90 (2010-2015)
54 Happy Valley (2014-)
56 The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019) - most of it
57 The Young Pope (2016)
62= The Good Place (2016-2020)
62= Pose (2018-2021)
64 Detectorists (2014-2017)
65 Orange is the New Black (2013-2019) - first season only
66 Mare of Easttown (2021)
68 Stranger Things (2016-
71 Enlightened (2011-2013)
73 Planet Earth (2006)
74 Utopia (2013-2014)
75 Babylon Berlin (2017-
77 American Crime Story (2016-)
78 The Killing (Denmark) (2007-2012)
79 Mindhunter (2017-2019)
82 Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
83 Insecure (2016-2021)
84= Normal People (2020)
87 The Comeback (2005-2014)
89 Dexter (2006-2013)
90 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-) - I'm somewhere around season four or five but have stalled a bit
91 Westworld (2016-)
92 Show Me a Hero (2015)
95 Luther (2010-2019)
96 Catastrophe (2015-2019)
97 Hannibal (2013-2015)
100 The Queen's Gambit (2020)

I obviously haven't got out much :D
 
i've seen a season of about 45. fully watched about 35.
i don't watch that much tv, so i'd say it's a good list.

never seen a single episode of the wire either but i believe it's great and want to watch it someday. love mad men and fleabag, appreciate breaking bad very muchly.

i may destroy you too high and westworld too low for fucking shizzle. the good wife, fargo and veep too.

feel like i should rewatch girls. it's almost ten years ago it aired now!
 
I’m surprised Westworld made it. It’s so uneven and the last season was pretty bad (with more to come).
 
When IS the new Westworld? I have a difficult relationship with it - it's messy and I can't really follow it all very well but I'm still utterly invested in it and can't wait for it come back, so I can be even totally confused and frustrated yet again... it helps that it probably has one of the best premises of any show, so utterly captivating and you need to know how it will net out. I feel like they've been too ambitious with trying to show us the wider world within ten episodes, they could have done so much more with the parks. Hopefully they go back there.
 
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