# Top 5 TV series of all time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 9, 2018, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711 "2018-10-09T17:48:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/1 "2018-10-09T17:48:58Z")
1. The Wire (indeed) 2. The Sopranos 3. Breaking Bad 4. Deadwood 5. Longmire Honorable mentions: Stranger Things Ozark Lost (before the final season) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/2 "2018-10-09T17:51:17Z")
Original _The Twilight Zone_ ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/3 "2018-10-09T17:57:55Z")
1. The Wild Wild West 2. Jonny Quest 3. The Odd Couple (Randall/Klugman) 4. Sunshine 5. Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/4 "2018-10-09T18:00:56Z")
1. One Piece 2. Dark Shadows 3. Star Trek TAS 4. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 5. Babylon Five Weird and wacky honorable mentions. Batman Live Action Sailor Moon ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/5 "2018-10-09T18:04:06Z")
1. Seinfeld 2. Breaking Bad 3. Married with Children 4. Mr. Robot 5. Dukes of Hazzard ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/6 "2018-10-09T18:04:36Z")
To answer this question adequately, you’d have to specify decade and genre. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/7 "2018-10-09T18:05:18Z")
1. Doctor Who 2. The Good Place 3. Hill Street Blues 4. Simpsons 5. Midsomer Murders ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/8 "2018-10-09T19:14:57Z")
To me: 1. MASH 2. SNL 3. Buffy 4. Law & Order 5. The Wire (When I get done with it, may have to add “Mad Men” to this roster.) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/9 "2018-10-09T19:19:45Z")
Star Trek Get Smart Magnum, PI House, MD Psych ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/10 "2018-10-09T19:21:29Z")
1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (first 5 seasons) 2. The West Wing (first 5 seasons) 3. Due South (first 2 seasons) 4. Alias (first 4 seasons) 5. Firefly Honorable Mentions: Batman: The Animated Series, Doctor Who (reboot, series 2-7), Galavant, Justice League: Unlimited, Leverage, Picket Fences (first 2 seasons), Scrubs (first 7 seasons), Star Trek (original series), Young Justice ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/11 "2018-10-09T19:42:42Z")
The Dick van Dyke Show M_A_S\*H Cheers Hill Street Blues Game of Thrones Too hard to put them in order so I just listed them chronologically. And I’ll probably think of a whole different list of five tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/12 "2018-10-09T19:44:19Z")
77 Sunset Strip Cheyenne The Alcoa Hour Navy Log Name That Tune ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/13 "2018-10-09T19:46:51Z")
Here are the answers to the OP’s question: 1. CHiPs 2. Unsolved Mysteries 3. Beavis and Butt-head 4. The Price is Right 5. The Simpsons ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/14 "2018-10-09T19:49:15Z")
1. NCIS 2. Married with Children 3. The Cosby’s 4. Game of Thrones 5. Star Trek NG ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/15 "2018-10-09T19:56:26Z")
No particular order - Doctor Who - Frasier - Hill Street Blues - ER - Homicide - Life on the Street ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/16 "2018-10-09T20:02:10Z")
Arrested Development Hill Street Blues Monty Python’s Flying Circus The Shield The Simpsons ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/17 "2018-10-09T20:15:39Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Arrested Development :smack: I forgot about that one. Definitely an honorable mention if not in the top 5 ---
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/18 "2018-10-09T20:17:09Z")
Firefly NCIS West Wing The Newsroom Hill Street Blues Law & Order (episodes with Jerry Orbach) Yeah, I know it’s 6 - so shoot me… ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/19 "2018-10-09T20:37:13Z")
Due South Scrubs NCIS Star Trek, ToS Survivor _The Good Place_ is coming on strong. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711/20 "2018-10-09T21:17:22Z")
Battlestar Galactica (the newer one) LOST Game of Thrones Firefly Doctor Who [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-tv-series-of-all-time/822711.md?page=2)