The Best TV Series of the 2010s, According to 105 Critics
What even was TV in the 2010s? Streaming blurred the lines, cable networks doubled down on ambition, and suddenly half your favorite shows were more cinematic than half the movies in theaters. Netflix, HBO, AMC, FX—everyone wanted their Sopranos moment. And a lot of them got pretty close.
To make sense of the chaos, 105 critics from outlets like The New York Times, IndieWire, Variety, Forbes, and Rolling Stone were polled. Each critic was asked to submit an unranked list of five shows that aired between 2010 and 2019. Series that debuted earlier—like Breaking Bad (2008) or Mad Men (2007)—were eligible, since most of their major runs took place in the 2010s. Some critics objected, others bent the rules to include newer series like Succession, which had barely begun by the end of the decade.
Breaking Bad has officially taken the crown. After tallying 105 individual lists from critics, journalists, and bloggers, Vince Gilligan's meth empire drama was named the best TV series of the 2010s—appearing on 45 ballots.
Despite the wide spread of tastes, Breaking Bad emerged as the clear winner. Not only did it dominate the list, its prequel Better Call Saul nearly cracked the top 10 as well—proof that critics were all-in on Gilligan's Albuquerque crime saga.
David Lynch's Twin Peaks: The Return deserves a special mention for being the only project to land on both the TV and film polls (it was named the 17th best film of the 2010s in a separate list).
Here are the final results:
- Breaking Bad (AMC) – 45 votes
- Mad Men (AMC) – 37 votes
- The Leftovers (HBO) – 33 votes
- Fleabag (BBC) – 25 votes
- Game of Thrones (HBO) – 24 votes
- Twin Peaks: The Return (Showtime) – 23 votes
- The Americans (FX) – 22 votes
- Atlanta (FX) – 20 votes
- BoJack Horseman (Netflix) – 19 votes
- Veep (HBO) – 18 votes