No list can define what everyone must watch: taste, language, access and time differ. This is an editorial watchlist, not a definitive ranking. It balances eras, genres, formats and places, drawing on influential dramas and comedies as well as landmark documentary series. The list is a synthesis, not a reproduction of a poll; “essential” means each show offers a distinctive way to understand what television can do.
Twenty essential TV shows, and what each offers
The selections below are not ranked. For a practical starting point, choose by mood and commitment: some are compact miniseries, while others reward a longer investment.
1. The World at War
This landmark documentary series examines the Second World War through historical footage, analysis and testimony. It is a substantial, sobering choice for viewers who want a broad account of the conflict rather than a dramatized story.
2. I, Claudius
Adapted from Robert Graves’s novels, this historical drama turns the Roman imperial court into an intimate story of family, power and survival. Its theatrical performances and contained production make it a compelling example of how much a television drama can accomplish without spectacle.
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This 1977 miniseries follows several generations of an African American family, beginning with Kunta Kinte’s enslavement. It is an influential, emotionally direct work about slavery and its legacy; viewers should be prepared for violence and painful subject matter.
4. The Civil War
Ken Burns’s documentary series combines archival images, narration, music and historical interpretation to tell the story of the American Civil War. Its patient, essayistic form suits viewers interested in how documentary craft can make a vast history legible.
5. Twin Peaks
David Lynch and Mark Frost’s mystery begins with a small-town murder and expands into a strange, funny and unsettling world. It blends soap opera, crime drama and surrealism, making it a strong pick for viewers who prefer atmosphere and ambiguity to tidy answers.
6. The Simpsons
The early seasons of this animated comedy use a family sitcom to satirize American life, from work and school to consumer culture and politics. Its broad comic range and enduring influence make it an accessible entry point for viewers curious about animation as more than children’s entertainment.
7. The Sopranos
This crime drama follows mob boss Tony Soprano as he tries to balance family life with criminal power, including through therapy. Its attention to character and moral compromise helped establish a model for the long-form television antihero. It is a strong choice for viewers comfortable with violence and morally difficult protagonists.
8. The Wire
Set in Baltimore, this drama uses interconnected stories about policing, politics, schools, the press and the drug trade to examine how institutions shape individual lives. It asks for attention: recurring characters and slow-building consequences matter more than a simple case-of-the-week payoff.
9. Planet Earth
This wildlife documentary series offers a visually rich tour of habitats and animal behavior. Its episodic structure makes it easy to watch in pieces, while its scale rewards viewers who want an immersive nature series.
10. Mad Men
Set in the advertising world of 1960s New York, this drama follows Don Draper and the people around him as they navigate ambition, identity and social change. Its measured pace and period detail suit viewers who enjoy character studies more than plot-heavy suspense.
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A chemistry teacher’s decision to make and sell drugs becomes a tightly escalating crime story about choice, pride and consequence. The clear central transformation and propulsive plotting make it a natural pick for viewers seeking a complete dramatic arc.
12. The Office (UK)
Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s mockumentary comedy finds awkwardness and small cruelties in everyday office life. Its short run and documentary-style camera make it a manageable introduction to cringe comedy; its humor is deliberately uncomfortable.
13. The Thick of It
This British political satire follows politicians and staffers through the scramble of government communications. Fast dialogue and institutional absurdity drive the comedy, which is best suited to viewers who enjoy sharp, profane workplace satire.
14. Fleabag
Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s comedy-drama follows a woman in contemporary London as she deals with grief, family tensions and self-sabotage. Its brief, concentrated storytelling and direct address to the audience make it a good choice when you want something emotionally candid without a long episode count.
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15. Avatar: The Last Airbender
This animated adventure follows Aang and his friends on a journey to end a war. Its accessible quest structure grows into a story about responsibility, friendship and conflict, making it a strong option for families and for adults who want character-driven animation.
16. The Office (US)
This workplace sitcom adapts the mockumentary format for the employees of a paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Its ensemble and running relationships reward viewers who want a longer, warmer comedy to settle into.
17. Game of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s novels, this fantasy drama combines dynastic conflict, political maneuvering and large-scale battles. It offers an expansive world and high-stakes storytelling, but includes graphic violence and mature themes.
18. Cosmos
Carl Sagan’s original science series uses explanation, history and visual imagination to introduce astronomy and the human search for knowledge. It remains a useful choice for viewers who want science communicated as a story of discovery.
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19. Chernobyl
This limited drama reconstructs the 1986 nuclear disaster and its aftermath, focusing on the human and institutional costs of concealment and failure. Its compact form suits viewers who want a self-contained historical drama; it is intense and not a substitute for a documentary account.
20. Squid Game
This South Korean thriller turns a deadly competition into a story about debt, desperation and inequality. Its premise is immediately legible, while its violence and social satire make it a better fit for viewers who can handle disturbing scenes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to choose your first show
- For a short commitment: start with Fleabag or Chernobyl, both compact choices compared with a multi-season drama.
- For a layered crime story: choose The Wire for institutional scope or Breaking Bad for a more concentrated character transformation.
- For comedy: try The Office (UK) for a short, uncomfortable mockumentary or The Office (US) for a longer ensemble sitcom.
- For documentary storytelling: pick The World at War for military history, The Civil War for a historical essay, or Planet Earth for nature.
- For something outside English-language television: Squid Game offers a South Korean perspective, while Game of Thrones and Avatar: The Last Airbender build fictional worlds rather than mirroring everyday life.
What critics’ lists can—and cannot—tell you
BBC Culture’s 2021 poll asked 206 television experts from 43 countries to name ten favorite 21st-century series; 460 different series received votes. The poll placed The Wire first, Mad Men second, Breaking Bad third and Fleabag fourth. Those positions describe the outcome of that particular poll, not an objective measure of quality or an all-time ranking.
The poll also illustrates why a watchlist should not be mistaken for a universal canon. Of its top 100 series, 92 primarily used English; 79 were created by men, 11 by women and 10 by teams of men and women. These are figures about the poll’s results, not the television industry as a whole. BBC Culture connected those patterns to systemic industry inequities and described its list as a starting point for discovery and debate. This selection likewise aims to broaden a viewer’s choices, not close the conversation.
Check availability before you plan a watchlist
Streaming catalogs change as licensing agreements begin and end, and a service’s catalog can vary by country. A general streaming guide cannot establish where every title is available right now. Search the exact title in the services available in your region before subscribing or planning a watch; availability should be checked title by title and date by date.
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