The Best TV Show Seasons of All Time, According to Reddit (2024)

With a good number of streaming services available that provide worldwide audiences with a wide range of engaging, different genre content, finding a good television series to cuddle up with has rapidly become one of the best and easiest ways to kill time and avoid boredom. Over time, we've learned that series like Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones are peak television. But which seasons are the best?

RELATED: Reddit's Top 10 TV Shows of All Time

There's no better place to ask than on Reddit, where users on the platform share with the world their absolute favorites of all time. From Hannibal's second part to The Wire's fourth, here are Redditors' picks of the best seasons of a television series.

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Season 2 of 'Hannibal' (2013–2015)

The Best TV Show Seasons of All Time, According to Reddit (1)

Focusing on the twisted relationship between renowned psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter (played to perfection by the talented Mads Mikkelsen in one of his finest roles) and young FBI criminal (Hugh Dancy) whose ability to empathize with serial killers thoroughly scares him, this mindblowing, cleverly-written show is equal parts fascinating and grotesque.

On Reddit, u/LazarusRising22 does not hold back from praising the second season of the series. "I have a lot of favorites, but I really want to highlight Hannibal S2. A truly mind-bending, unforgettable experience. The S2 finale Mizumono is still probably the best episode of television I've ever seen."

Available for streaming on Hulu.

Season 1 of 'Prison Break' (2005–2017)

The Best TV Show Seasons of All Time, According to Reddit (2)

Centering around Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller), an innocent man who is sent to death row, and his brother Lincoln (Dominic Purcell), his only hope to find a way out of prison, this engaging show is undoubtedly a timeless, thrilling watch that will leave anyone's eyes glued to the screen.

To u/enforcetheworld, Prision Break's first part is the very definition of a perfect season: "The pilot episode introduces characters and motivations, while hinting at a bigger conspiracy and ends with that amazing shot of the prison map as tattoo idea (which is incredible to me). Then the entire rest of the season each episode builds to the eventual prison break, with scenes outside the prison adding to the conspiracy. I love it to death and the finale showing the actual break is just icing on the cake."

Available for streaming on Hulu.

Season 3 of 'Fringe' (2008–2013)

The Best TV Show Seasons of All Time, According to Reddit (3)

An F.B.I. agent is forced to team up with an institutionalized scientist and his son in order to decypher a really weird series of unexplainable crimes in this highly entertaining and hooking drama mystery that is now considered one of the most groundbreaking of its genre.

According to u/beautifulmind90 and many others who upvoted their comment, Fringe's third season is "a mind-bending experience. Anna Torv and John Noble always gave great performances throughout the whole show, but they really were outstanding this season."

Available for streaming on HBO Max.

Season 3 of 'Mr. Robot' (2015–2019)

The Best TV Show Seasons of All Time, According to Reddit (4)

Rami Malek's Elliot is a notable, highly-skilled cyber-security engineer and vigilante hacker in this incredible Emmy-award-winning Sam Esmail show. When the secretive leader of a hacker group enlists him to demolish corporate America, including the firm he is paid to protect, Elliot finds himself struggling to resist bringing down the multinational CEOs he believes are ruining the world.

On the platform, u/JosephSim makes it clear that the third part of the drama series absolutely surpassed every other season from any TV show: "For years there hasn't been a single show I could even mention in the same sentence as Hannibal Season 2. Until Mr. Robot Season 3 came out. Hands down one of the best seasons of television I've ever watched in my life."

Available for streaming on Prime Video.

Season 1 of 'True Detective' (2014–2019)

The Best TV Show Seasons of All Time, According to Reddit (5)

Two top-notch former Louisiana State Police detectives, Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson), narrate the story of their investigation crime as they revisit a homicide case they worked on in 1995 in this compelling crime anthology series.

Turns out that the first part of True Detective is a real fan-favorite on the website. Often considered the best season of a TV series ever, the HBO original has recieved tons of praise on Reddit, including u/BoredGamerr's: "True Detective S1 is by far the most complete season I’ve ever watched. It has beautiful cinematography, music choice, brilliant acting, great tension, masterful narrative, and so many other things that I can’t list up."

Available for streaming on HBO Max.

Season 2 of 'Succession' (2018– )

The Best TV Show Seasons of All Time, According to Reddit (6)

Easily one of the best shows currently streaming, the critically acclaimed series Succession centers around a wealthy but dysfunctional family who controls the biggest media and entertainment company in the world. When their father, the head of the company, steps down from his job, everything changes for the privileged Roys.

When asked what are some of the greatest seasons of TV, u/stubbywoods says, "Maybe Succession S2? Every episode I said 'this is surely as good as it gets' and then the next episode was better." At the end of the day, who doesn't love a bit of well-written familial drama?

Available for streaming on HBO Max.

Season 5 of 'Breaking Bad' (2008–2013)

The Best TV Show Seasons of All Time, According to Reddit (7)

Breaking Bad's legacy is hardly unnoticeable, and for good reason. Truth be told, a series that follows a highly intelligent chemistry teacher (Bryan Cranston) with terminal lung cancer who manufactures and sells methamphetamine with a former student (Aaron Paul) has everything to succeed.

Considered one of the best TV shows of all time, this Vince Gilligan series is constantly celebrated on the platform, and its final season taking a spot on almost every Reddit list is proof of that. "Breaking bad season 5 (especially part 2) ozymandias is probably the best episode of TV ever broadcast," remarks a now-deleted account.

Available for streaming on Netflix.

Season 4 of 'Game of Thrones' (2011–2019)

The Best TV Show Seasons of All Time, According to Reddit (8)

Eight noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros in this record-breaking HBO original that has captured so many hearts throughout the years. Eight season aside, Game of Thrones offers its audience a delightful storyline in a never-seen-before world that viewers can't help but immerse themselves in.

Season 4 seems to be a pretty common answer as to which is the best GoT season. When talking about all seasons up until the fourth, u/idunno-- does not hold back their enthusiasm: "Honestly insane how good of a job they did of introducing dozens of characters, storylines, and factions. Also crazy to think that all the Starks were only together for one episode as a family (while sharing that episode with many other characters), and that was enough for the audience to become attached to them. Not to mention how lived in the world felt."

Available for streaming on HBO Max.

Season 3 of 'Twin Peaks' (2017)

The Best TV Show Seasons of All Time, According to Reddit (9)

A rule-defying masterpiece (as rightfully remarked by a now-deleted account), the latest season of Twin Peaks, also known as The Return, takes place 25 years after the events of the original series and follows multiple storylines, including some of which are connected to agent Cooper (MacLachlan) and his 1989 investigation into the murder of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee).

"Twin Peaks: The Return is the most I’ve ever been invested in a season of television. It was so wild and unpredictable that I legitimately found it difficult to go more than a couple hours without not speculating what would happen next and taking in what just happened," u/lordofthekidneys says.

Available for streaming on fuboTV

Season 4 of 'The Wire' (2002–2008)

The Best TV Show Seasons of All Time, According to Reddit (10)

Exploring the Baltimore drug scene as seen through the lens of the law enforcement, drug dealers, and people who inhabit their world, this extraordinary crime drama is one of the most top-rated series ever. Considered way ahead of its time by many, The Wire takes first place on this list with its magnificent season four.

With 115 votes, the series' must-watch fourth is the best of all. As u/5eNintendan explains, "this season alone is worth watching the whole show for. One of the few shows that takes young actors, and makes you connect with them. All while not making them look dumb, or making the audience hate them. I can list so many shows that get kids wrong, and that alone can bring a show to its knees."

Available for streaming on HBO Max.

NEXT: The Highest-Rated Seasons of Television on IMDb

The Best TV Show Seasons of All Time, According to Reddit (2024)

FAQs

What are the best TV series of all time Reddit? ›

From 'Game of Thrones' to 'Breaking Bad': Reddit's Top 10 TV Shows of All Time
  • 'The Office' (2005–2013) ...
  • 'Six Feet Under' (2001–2005) ...
  • 'The Leftovers' (2014–2017) ...
  • 'Mad Men' (2007–2015) ...
  • 'The Wire' (2002–2008) ...
  • 'Breaking Bad' (2008–2013) ...
  • 'The Sopranos' (1999–2007) ...
  • 'Game of Thrones' (2011–2019)
27 Nov 2022

What is the greatest season of TV ever? ›

Business Insider compiled a list of the best-rating TV seasons ever, according to Metacritic scores compiled by numerous reviewers and tie-broken by user ratings. Season 5 of Breaking Bad comes out on top with an almost perfect Metacritic score of 99/100 and a user score of 9.7/10.

Is Lost worth watching? ›

Add a Review. One of the best shows ever created! People say this about a ton of different shows but Lost really is one of the best tv shows ever created! It is one of the most original and thought provoking shows ever and even though a lot have tried, there has never been another show like it!

Should you watch The Wire? ›

It is, hands down, the best show in the history of television. Season 5 is weak compared to the other seasons, but even Season 5 is better than pretty much any television out there. The one thing to keep in mind with The Wire is that it is a slow-burn show. That means you cannot watch one episode.

Are The Sopranos good? ›

The Sopranos is universally thought of as one of the best tv shows of all-time and is at the top of every "best ever" list ever created for a reason... because it is! There's nothing I can say about this incredible tv show that hasn't already been said.

What is a good Netflix series Reddit? ›

  • Stranger Things.
  • The Crown.
  • American Vandal.
  • Sex Education.
  • Sense8.
15 Sept 2021

What was the most watched TV series finale in history? ›

The most watched series finale in U.S. television history remains the 1983 finale of the CBS war/medical dramedy M*A*S*H, titled "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen".

What show has the highest ratings? ›

America's most-watched series of the 2020-2021 season are …
...
TOP 100 SHOWS OF 2021-22, TOTAL VIEWERS.
RankTitle (Network)VIEWERS (000)
1.NFL Sunday Night Football (NBC)18,139
2.NFL Thursday Night Football (Fox/NFL Network)15,397
3.Yellowstone (Paramount Network)11,312
4.NFL Monday Night Football (ESPN)11,233
11 more rows
31 May 2022

What show has the best ending ever? ›

28 TV Shows That Had The Most Perfect Endings
  1. The Good Place. NBC. "The ending was perfect, bittersweet, you had closure. ...
  2. Charmed. The WB. ...
  3. Jane the Virgin. The CW. ...
  4. Parks and Recreation. NBC. ...
  5. Avatar. Nickelodeon. ...
  6. Lost. ABC. ...
  7. This is Us. NBC. ...
  8. Maid. Neflix.
3 Jun 2022

What TV show is as good as Lost? ›

If you're looking for a show that will keep you on the edge of your seat, “The Leftovers” is definitely one to watch. Similar to “Lost,” “The Leftovers” is a show about people who have been left behind after a mysterious event has taken place.

Is Lost the greatest show ever? ›

Lost has regularly been ranked by critics as one of the greatest television series of all time. The first season had an estimated average of 16 million viewers per episode on ABC. During its sixth and final season, the show averaged over 11 million U.S. viewers per episode.

Why Lost got Cancelled? ›

The 61-year-old explained: "The driving forces behind us really pushing to get an end date for the show were two problems we had: one – we didn't know how long the mythology had to last, and secondly, we were running out of flashbacks for the characters.

Who is the most successful actor from The Wire? ›

Jordan (Wallace) Perhaps more than any other actor from “The Wire”, Jordan's post-show career has soared to stratospheric heights. Jordan was just 15-years-old when he was cast as Wallace, a drug dealer who is murdered after he becomes a police informant.

Why The Wire is the greatest show ever? ›

Delving into the law enforcement's world of crime and the various institutions and systems of Baltimore, The Wire is still to this day considered possibly one of the grittiest, most realistic​​, and critically-acclaimed crime series of all time, and certainly one of the best HBO TV shows ever made.

Which season of The Wire is best? ›

Season 3. After two excellent seasons of drama, Season 3 established The Wire as the best program on television. Dramatically speaking, little else can compare with the Machiavellian tragedy of Avon and Stringer, which comes to full fruition here in the best scene of the entire series.

Is The Sopranos the greatest show ever? ›

NEW! Rolling Stone unveiled its list of the top 100 television shows of all time, and the New Jersey-set HBO mob drama “The Sopranos” took the top spot. In Rolling Stone's analysis of the show, the magazine called it an “undisputed champion” due to its “86 medium-transforming episodes.”

Which is better Wire or Sopranos? ›

Both The Sopranos and The Wire are modern TV masterpieces and triumphs of the form, but The Sopranos is by far the most watchable of the two. The Wire is so dense and complicated and intricately plotted that just watching it can be an exhausting experience.

What is the highest rated season of The Sopranos? ›

4/7 Season Four

The Sopranos was at the height of its popularity during its fourth season, reaching its highest viewership numbers, and its status as a cultural icon of the 2000s was all but solidified.

What is Netflix's No 1 most watched series? ›

Stranger Things 4

What is Netflix's most successful series? ›

Netflix's most watched TV series, ranked
  • Squid Game (season 1), a Korean survival thriller -- 1.65 billion hours.
  • Stranger Things (season 4), a retro sci-fi series -- 1.35 billion hours.
  • Dahmer, a true-crime serial killer series -- 856.2 million hours.
6 days ago

What is the most binged Netflix show? ›

Award-Winning TV ShowsExplore more
  • Money Heist.
  • Orange Is the New Black.
  • Squid Game.
  • House of Cards.
  • Unbelievable.
  • Better Call Saul.
  • Godless.
  • Sex Education.

What is the most viewed episode ever? ›

Most watched broadcasts of all time

The following is the list of the all-time most watched single-network television broadcasts in the United States by average viewership, according to Nielsen. Of the 32 most-watched broadcasts, 30 are Super Bowls. Super Bowl XLIX, with 114.4 million viewers, is number one.

Which is No 1 series in world? ›

1. Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad is the best-rated TV Series of all time.

Which series has the best plot? ›

Top 10 Tv Series with best storylines
  • Prison Break (2005–2017) TV-14 | 44 min | Action, Crime, Drama. ...
  • Homeland (2011–2020) TV-MA | 55 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery. ...
  • Breaking Bad (2008–2013) ...
  • Sons of Anarchy (2008–2014) ...
  • Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014) ...
  • Game of Thrones (2011–2019) ...
  • Mad Men (2007–2015) ...
  • White Collar (2009–2014)

What show is as good as power? ›

The Wire” and “Power” are two of the most popular TV shows of the past decade. Both are gritty dramas set in urban environments, and both explore the world of crime and law enforcement. “The Wire” is set in Baltimore, while “Power” is set in New York City.

What age is Lost appropriate for? ›

This show for sure brings adult themes. Overall, I highly recommend this tv show as it is one of my favorites, but be cautious as the show definitely gets intense and maybe quite scary. I'd say 12-13 for starters.

Is breaking bad greatest show ever? ›

'Breaking Bad' boasts the only television episode in history with a perfect rating on the site. Considered by many to be the greatest television show of all time, Breaking Bad set an unprecedented bar for drama entertainment during its five-season run.

Can Cancelled shows ever come back? ›

Occasionally, a show may be revived, or brought back into production after being previously cancelled. Such was the case with Unforgettable, a CBS crime drama that was canceled in 2012, but was revived in the summer of 2013. Sometimes, one network may decide to air a series previously cancelled by another network.

What is the best season of Lost? ›

Season 5's dedication to its sci-fi elements and propulsive storytelling (not to mention that whopper of a finale cliffhanger in "The Incident") makes it one of Lost's best seasons.

How many viewers did Lost Get? ›

Nielsen results are reported in two measurements: ratings points and share. There are an estimated 114.5 million television households in the United States as of September 1st 2008.
...
Season 1.
Ep name"Lost: The Journey"
AirdateApr 27 2005
Viewers (millions)13.75
Rating4.9
24 more columns

Who is the highest paid on TV? ›

TV and streaming salaries per episode
NameProgramSalary
Ray RomanoEverybody Loves Raymond$1.725 million
Kelsey GrammerFrasier$1.6 million
Chris PrattThe Terminal List$1.4 million
Tim AllenHome Improvement$1.25 million
50 more rows

What actor just passed on The Wire? ›

Federal prosecutors have charged four men in the death of actor Michael K. Williams, best known for his role as a gay robber of drug dealers in the TV series "The Wire." In September, the 54-year-old's body was found in his Manhattan apartment.

What wire Star died? ›

Four men have been arrested and charged in relation to the death of The Wire actor Michael K Williams. Williams, 54, was found dead by family members at his penthouse apartment in Brooklyn, New York, last September. New York City's medical examiner ruled he had died of acute drug intoxication.

Which is better The Wire or True Detective? ›

Why is "The Wire" considered one of the best shows of all time? The first season of The Wire was like the best cops and robbers show ever - okay, cops and drug dealers. The first season of true detective was awesome. If The Wire is the standard at 10, True Detective is a 9.7.

Is power better than The Wire? ›

"Power" is more romantic. The sex scenes are longer and more intimate, the characters are more glamorous, and it's really like an addictive, dope-dealing melodramatic soap opera. As stated, I'm a "Power" fan, but when you peel back the layers, it's less realistic than "The Wire" and only serves one role: entertainment.

Why is The Wire not popular? ›

But “The Wire” did not receive the same ratings as broadcast or basic cable series for the simple reason that it did not air on a broadcast or basic cable network. It aired on HBO, a pay cable network, and at that time — before the advent of streaming — HBO didn't have the reach that it enjoys today.

Why did WIRE get Cancelled? ›

Simon told Slate that there was little left to say for any subsequent seasons: "The big thematic heavy lifting was done in Seasons 1 and 2, when Ed and I were figuring out what we wanted to do: how many seasons, etc. We came up with five. We talked about many things; nothing seems substantial enough for a Season 6.

Where does The Wire rank in TV shows? ›

The Wire has been named the greatest TV series of the 21st century in a new poll. The critically acclaimed drama ranked first in a new BBC list ranking the best shows of the last 21 years, based on an aggregate poll of TV critics.

Why is the wire rated so high? ›

Realistic Crime drama has a LOT of offensive strong language & some sexual content. The Wire is not only a crime drama, but also a regular drama that subtly talks about racism, drugs, the poor community, family, and the police department. It has a LOT of foul, offensive language, some violence, and sexual content.

Should I watch Mad Men? ›

Critics Consensus: While Mad Men continues to darken in tone, it remains one of the most provocative, intelligent shows on television. Critics Consensus: Mad Men brilliantly weaves its characters into its historical setting, and the result is thoughtful, shocking, and terrifically entertaining.

What is the best Netflix original series Reddit? ›

What are your top 5 Netflix Originals?
...
  • Ozark.
  • Mindhunter.
  • House of Cards.
  • Haunting of Hill House.
  • Stranger Things.
14 Oct 2021

Is community a sitcom? ›

Community is an American television sitcom created by Dan Harmon. The series ran for 110 episodes over six seasons, with its first five seasons airing on NBC from September 17, 2009, to April 17, 2014, and its final season airing on Yahoo! Screen from March 17 to June 2, 2015.

What is the most mature TV rating? ›

Common TV ratings are listed below:
  • TV-Y: All Children. ...
  • TV-Y7: Directed to Older Children. ...
  • TV-Y7 FV: Directed to Older Children - Fantasy Violence. ...
  • TV-G: General Audience. ...
  • TV-PG: Parental Guidance Suggested. ...
  • TV-14: Parents Strongly Cautioned. ...
  • TV-MA: Mature Audience Only.

Could The Wire be made today? ›

Reflecting on 20 years of the beloved HBO crime drama, the pair spoke to The New York Times about the legacy of The Wire. Asked by the publication whether there would be a chance to greenlight the show if it was being made today, Burns said: “No, definitely not. HBO was going up the ladder at the time.

Is The Wire the greatest show of all time? ›

One user said, "The Wire hands down one of the greatest show ever created." Sentiments like this are constantly expressed, even two decades after the show. The Wire has confirmed its relevance today and all-around brilliance, proving why a plethora of polls rank it as the best show ever made.

Is SVU worth watching? ›

The main reason that Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is so incredibly popular is that the characters are the most compelling of the franchise. For years audiences loved watching Detectives Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Stabler (Christopher Meloni) solving the darkest of New York's crimes.

Did Mad Men end well? ›

But the ending of Mad Men manages to be wholly satisfactory and doesn't leave any pesky loose ends. It is also entirely unexpected. The Mad Men series finale, entitled “Person to Person,” finds Don Draper (Jon Hamm) totally out of his element in an oceanside retreat on the coast of California.

Which Mad Men season is best? ›

1. Season 3. Season 3 shows "Mad Men" at its most exciting point. The world of advertising is incisive, leading to many fast and shocking workplace decisions.

What is the most watched Netflix series ever? ›

Although, even after it recorded more than one billion hours of viewing, Stranger Things still couldn't topple Squid Game as the most popular Netflix show of all time. The Korean drama about a sad*stic game still reigns supreme on the platform – and it will take a lot to overtake those huge viewing figures.

Why Community got canceled? ›

With gradually declining viewership, NBC officially pulled the plug after Community season 5 ended in April 2014. Based on the various issues regarding Harmon and the show's ratings, other networks, including Netflix and Hulu, refused to bid on its continuation. The initial cancellation wouldn't last long, however.

Why was Community canceled? ›

Ultimately, it seems that the cancellation of the show came down to budget and contract issues. Here is what McHale had to say about it: They wanted to [renew Community]. But all of our contracts were up after six years.

Is Community better than the office? ›

It's a tough a call, but the final point goes to the winner, Community. While The Office is certainly a classic, elements of it are somewhat lacking. But Community manages to have an edge when it comes to story, the ensemble, and format, making it the superior show in my opinion.

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