The past 10 years on the small screen has been truly phenomenal, with shows daring to push boundaries to deliver some of the most exciting and trailblazing content we’ve ever seen.
As 2020 stands before us, we’ve put together our 50 best television shows of the decade to celebrate the end of an era.
Let’s take a look back at some of the biggest series and find out who has bagged our number one spot.
50) Westworld (HBO, 2016-)
This wacky science-fiction series takes place in a technically advanced Wild-West-themed amusement park populated by android hosts. Yep, really.
Created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, and starring Thandie Newton and Evan Rachel Wood, the show follows high-paying ‘guests’ who may indulge their wildest fantasies within the park without fear of retaliation from the hosts.
A third season is set to drop on our screens in 2020. Lucky us.
49) True Detective (HBO, 2014 -)
The American anthology, created by Nic Pizzolatto, sees police investigations that unearth the personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within and outside the law.
Each self-contained season has welcomed a string of high-profile actors since first premiering in 2014, including the likes of Woody Harrelson, Matthew McConaughey and Vince Vaughn.
48) American Horror Story (FX, 2011 -)
American Horror Story is the twisted brainchild of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk and has been scaring the living daylights out of us for nine whole years.
In that time, we’ve been treated to a whopping nine seasons, such as classics Murder House, Asylum and Coven, and more recently Apocalpyse and 1984.
47) Broad City (Comedy Central, 2014 -2019)
Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson’s sitcom Broad City is the ideal antidote to any for anybody in their 20s trying to find their way through the rip-roaring mayhem that is adult life.
The comedy uncovers the duo’s real-life friendship and the highs and lows as they tried to make it in New York City.
After keeping us entertained with their antics for five seasons, the show sadly came to an end in March this year.
46) Narcos (Netflix, 2015-2017)
American crime drama Narcos is based on the true story of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar and followed the journey of cocaine production and distribution in Columbia and the US.
Escobar’s rise and fall is compellingly documented in the show’s first two seasons, with the final chapter detailing the historical fallout of the Cali Cartel.
45) Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC/Fox, 2013-)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been on *quite* the rollercoaster having been sensationally dropped from Fox only to be saved by NBC all within the space of 30 hours last year.
Suffice to say, the cop sitcom starring Andy Samberg and Terry Crews has firmly found its place and will be returning with season eight in 2020.
Toit!
44) Grace And Frankie (Netflix, 2013 -)
This Netflix comedy from Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman and Howard J. Morris follows two unlikely friends who are bought together after their husbands announce they’re in love with each other.
With Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin at the helm, it’s hard not to fall in love with this show and their hilarious escapades – which includes designing a vibrator for women with arthritis.
Grace And Frankie will be coming back for its seventh and final season next year – and we’re not ready to say goodbye!
43) This Country (BBC, 2017 -)
Although you might have expected mockumentaries to remain in the previous decade, Charlie and Daisy May Cooper have revived them in the most spectacular fashion.
This Country delves into Kerry and Kurtan Mucklowe and their life experiences in a typical Cotswold village.
From scarecrow competitions to fishing trips with the local vicar, we challenge you to keep a straight face while watching this.
42) Master Of None (Netflix, 2015-2017)
Aziz Ansari’s Master Of None follows 30-something-year-old actor Dev and his trials and tribulations living in New York City.
One particular stand-out episode (and a HUGE favourite of ours) is season two’s Thanksgiving, which was written by show star Lena Waithe.
Lena won an Emmy for outstanding writing for a comedy for the episode, becoming the first African-American to do so in the process. We stan.
41) Sherlock (BBC, 2010-2017)
In this British crime drama, we join infamous private detective Sherlock Homes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Dr Watson (Martin Freeman) in their efforts of solving various mysteries in the country’s capital.
We were gifted four series and one special over seven years – not counting the Christmas mini-episode in 2013.
If you’re a sucker for action and want to be kept of the edge of your seat then this one’s for you.
40) Atlanta (FX, 2017-)
Donald Glover’s Atlanta is a profoundly intelligent comedy that tracks Earnest Mark on his mission to launch his cousin Paper Boi’s rap career.
The show has picked up two Golden Globes and two Emmys since it dropped two years ago, and with two more seasons around the corner we’re sure they’ll be more gongs on the way.
39) Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix, 2015-2019)
A young woman escapes from an underground bunker after 15 years in captivity and decides to restart her life in New York City, befriending a handful of standout characters among the way.
Four seasons await you on Netflix if you haven’t yet tuned in to see Ellie Kemper and Tituss Burgess’s finest work.
Be warned though, you’ll struggle to watch the opening credits without bursting into song.
38) Big Mouth (Netflix, 2017-)
This adult animation from Nick Kross, Andrew Goldberg and Mark Levin has absolutely nailed the nightmare that is going through puberty.
From discovering sexual arousal and masturbation to learning about sexuality, the group of young high-school kids are followed by their over-sexualized shoulder angels aka hormone monsters every step of the way.
Yes, it’s awkward in places, but it’s not afraid to explore taboo subjects.
37) Riverdale (The CW, 2017 -)
American teen drama Riverdale burst into our lives in 2017, bringing with it storylines so gripping that we found ourselves frantically counting down for the next episode.
Starring Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart, the show has already provided four whole series of
Although The CW has not yet confirmed there’ll be fifth season, we’ll soon have sister show Katy Keene to sink our teeth into.
36) The Good Place (NBC, 2016 – 2019)
This fantasy comedy from Michael Schur made us question *everything* from whether or not we always have to tell the truth to whether an action both be good and evil at the same time.
It’s jam-packed with moral dilemmas and it’s an incredibly easy watch.
Sadly, though it was canned by NBC this year after four seasons.
35) The Circle (Channel 4, 2018 -)
This show injected a new lease of life into British reality television following the death of Big Brother.
A bunch of strangers get thrown into the same building but they never meet face-to-face, and instead only communicate via an instant voice-activated app called The Circle.
This means that contestants can present themselves as whoever they so desire – whether it’s themselves, someone they know, or a completely fictitious character.
Honestly, we’re hooked.
34) The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story (FX, 2016)
This true-crime series put OJ Simpson’s highly publicised murder trial and eventual acquittal under the microscope in a brilliant dramatisation.
Cuba Gooding Junior takes on the role of OJ, and although we all know the outcome, the 10-hour insight into one of the most infamous court cases in American legal history keeps us on tenterhooks.
The 10-part season received 22 Emmy Award nominations in 2016 and won nine, including outstanding limited series.
33) Top Boy (Channel 4/Netflix, 2011)
Ronan Bennett’s Top Boy jumps into the dark criminal underworld of drug gangs in London.
Ashley Walters and Noel Clarke are at the helm of this gritty show and all three series are in equal parts gripping and compelling.
Netflix revived the Channel 4 drama earlier this year and we have Drake to thank for the show coming back into our lives.
32) Making A Murderer (Netflix, 2015 -)
This show put true-crime on the map and has fuelled our justice system conspiracy theory obsession since it debuted in 2015.
The Netflix series looks into the particular case of Steven Avery, who is currently serving a life sentence for the first-degree murder of Teresa Halbach who was killed in 2005.
It shone a light on his case, with many viewers speculating whether he’d been framed for the crime.
31) Watchmen (HBO, 2019 -)
American superhero drama Watchmen only premiered in October but has already made a pretty big mark in television legacy.
It tells an incredibly captivating story of history and oral history, race relations and power in Tulsa Oklahoma, all while masked vigilantes attempt to fight crime.
We don’t want to give too much away, but we promise that this isn’t one to miss.
30) Big Little Lies (HBO, 2017-)
Death and deceit? Check. A group of five bitchy women? Check. Set in smalltown suburbia? Check.
Big Little Lies has all the ingredients of a perfect drama and we eat it up.
Oh and if that isn’t enough, the show also stars Hollywood royalty, including the likes of Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon, to name but a few.
29) Sex Education (Netflix, 2019-)
This coming-of-age Netflix series follows a group of teenagers on their journey of self-discovery and sexual awakening.
Socially awkward student Otis (Asa Butterfield) lives with his sex therapist mum Jean (Gillian Anderson) and so of course, he follows in her footsteps and sets up a sex clinic at school to capitalise on what he’s learned from over-hearing her sessions.
It’s completely heartfelt and there’s good news too because it’s coming back with a second season in 2020.
28) Suits (USA Network, 2011 – 2019)
Want to see Meghan Markle killing it as a paralegal powerhouse before she married into the royal family? Well, look no further.
We’re not gonna lie, the legal jargon did escape us a little bit, but the turbulent relationships, high drama and dreamy New York City penthouses had us hooked for nine whole seasons.
Oh and not to mention Louis Litt’s (Rick Hoffman) love/hate friendship with Harvey Spector (Gabriel Macht).
27) Rick And Morty (Adult Swim, 2013 -)
(Picture: Warner Bros.)
Rick And Morty is continuing its reign as a cult phenomenon right into the next decade.
Essentially, the shows boils down to a sci-fi adventure comedy, and it’s absolutely nuts, with our two main characters going on many a journey through time and space at any opportunity.
If you haven’t given it a watch yet, release your inner nerd and jump right in. You won’t be disappointed.
26) Succession (HBO, 2018 -)
A fire is lit in this hit HBO series when Logan Roy (Brian Cox) announces that he has no intention of stepping down as CEO of his big media conglomerate Waystar Royco.
From that moment on, the satirical comedy-drama follows Logan’s children as they fight for power within the company and come up with evil ways to oust their dad.
In short, the Roy family are awful, awful people, but while we hope and pray we never meet anyone like them, we’re fascinated by them and can’t stop watching.
25) Chernobyl (HBO, 2019)
This essential drama dares to tell the difficult history of the gruesome 1986 disaster.
The Sky Atalntic series recounts the horrific events of Chernobyl under a gripping lens and digs deep into the political and scientific struggle that followed.
Chernobyl received 19 nominations at this year’s Emmys and took home the gong for outstanding limited series, outstanding directing and outstanding writing.
So if that doesn’t give you the motivation to tune in, we don’t know what will.
24) Friday Night Dinner (Channel 4, 2011 -)
Dinner time is no ordinary feat for Goodman family, who come together every Friday night for their ceremonial meal.
From unannounced visits from their odd neighbour Jim and his dog Wilson to relentless pranks, this is an easy-to-watch (and even more easy to binge) show.
And if you were a fan of The Inbetweeners then this comedy will definitely fill the empty void it left behind.
23) BoJack Horseman (Netflix, 2014 -)
Disguised as a comedy, BoJack Horseman is a rather dark animation with a cautionary character at the helm.
Its frank discussions about addiction and depression, intertwined with pop culture references and animal puns, has earnt it worldwide acclaim, as well as being hailed one of the most realistic portrayals of mental health on television.
Five seasons of BoJack Horseman have been released over the course of six years, with the first half of the finale set to air in January 2020.
22) The Walking Dead (AMC, 2010 -)
Ah, The Walking Dead, the show that we simultaneously hate to love and love to hate.
It’s been with us since the beginning of the decade and it looks like it’s not going anywhere anytime soon – even though Michonne and Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes have both left.
This AMC zombie series has kept us on our toes since day dot and has pretty much shown us that if the apocalypse did ever hit, we’d most likely be f******.
21) Orange Is The New Black (Netflix, 2013 – 2019)
Orange Is The Black has been hailed Netflix’s most-streamed original series and boy did it completely changed the game when it came to streaming.
First arriving in 2013, the drama explored all the good, bad and damn right ugly goings-on inside Litchfield Penitentiary.
Over the six years it aired, we fell in love with Crazy Eyes, loathed Piper and Larry respectively and pretty much lost all faith in the justice system.
20) Transparent (Amazon Prime Video, 2014 – 2019)
Not one character in this television show is perfect. In fact, they’re all complicated people who are all deeply, deeply flawed.
But it has meaning and from this introspective look into this dysfunctional family, comes something very special.
The show wrapped things up in 2019 with an incredible musical finale, that is probably the most genius idea that we’ve ever seen.
19) Luther (BBC, 2010 -)
Fancy yourself attracted to full-throttle action? Luther is definitely for you.
Idris Elba’s titular character is a passionate yet self-destructive detective, and he takes to the streets of London to put away serial killers at large.
With twists and turns galore, you’ll be gasping at your television screen and covering your eyes in the same breath.
18) Inside Number Nine (BBC, 2014 -)
Inside Number Nine is just pure genius from Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton.
Each episode of this black comedy is a stand-alone and introduces new characters and a new setting, with the only link between them being the number nine.
Packed with the most outrageous twists and with guest appearances from the likes of Fiona Shaw, Tamsin Greig, and Noel Clarke, the series dares to push the boundaries and tells stories in unusual ways.
17) The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu, 2017 -)
Adapted from Margaret Atwood’s classic novel, this dark drama is the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society formerly known as the US.
It’s truly haunting and questions everything from gender to religion, human rights and sexuality.
The fourth season dropped this year and we’re holding out hope a fifth one is on the way.
16) Schitt’s Creek (CBC Television, 2015-)
Daniel Levy and Eugene Levy’s Schitt’s Creek has bought us infinite laughs since it premiered in 2015.
From Catherine O’Hara’s pronunciation of the word ‘baby’ to Moira Rose’s winery commercial, it’s comedy on a whole new level.
And we haven’t even mentioned her wig wall yet, which is all kinds of impressive btw.
15) RuPaul’s Drag Race UK (BBC, 2019)
RuPaul’s Drag Race finally landed in the UK in October after years of yearning and boy did it snatch our wigs.
Us Brits well and truly put our own stamp on the show, whether it be Some Ting Wrong dressed as an actual stamp on the runway or The Vivienne giving the best impressions of Cilla Black and Donald Trump the world has ever seen.
Real question is, how do we get our hands on a RuPeter badge?
14) Downton Abbey (ITV, 2010 -2015)
The incredibly popular ITV period drama ran for six seasons from 2010 to 2015 and gave audiences a social history of Britain between 1912 and 1926.
Packed with scandals and heartbreaks, the remarkable series from Julian Fellows left us questioning whether we’d be upstairs or downstairs.
(And we’d definitely be downstairs).
13) This Is Us (NBC, 2016)
This is a pull at your heartstrings family drama which follows three same-aged siblings and their ups and downs as they make their way through life.
Tragedy oscillates with good fortune and happiness for each character, making it so captivating.
The NBC show is currently on its fourth season, with showrunner Isaac Aptaker previously suggesting that it would run for six seasons.
12) Vikings (History, 2013 -)
Michael Hirst’s Vikings is inspired by the sagas of Viking Ragnar Lothbrok, one of the best-known legendary Norse heroes.
The show portrays farmer Ragnar and his rise to fame by successful raids into England, eventually becoming a Scandinavian King.
It’s fast-paced and there are blood baths at every turn, but we wouldn’t want it any other way.
11) Black Mirror (Channel 4/Netflix, 2011 -)
Black Mirror is basically a warning that we needn’t take things too far when it comes to developing new technologies.
Each standalone is pretty much an actual living nightmare and a sign of what disturbing things could happen in the not-so-distant future if we’re not careful.
In 2019, Charlie Brooker delivered us an interactive episode called Bandersnatch and with the power in our hands, it wasn’t long before audiences were choosing to kill the main character’s dad.
Our personal favourites include San Junipero and Hang The DJ.
10) Love Island (ITV, 2015 -)
Love Island is probably the only show that’ll always have us rushing back home to be in front of the telly for 9pm every night. Without fail.
For eight weeks the entire country becomes fixated on these characters and every decision they make in that godforsaken villa and we wouldn’t want it any other way.
It’s bought us so many jaw-dropping moments too, including Georgia Steel’s reaction to being ditched by Josh Denzel after Casa Amor, to Curtis Pritchard telling Amy Hart he doesn’t want to be with her because he wants to be the guy who makes everyone coffee in the morning.
9) Girls (HBO, 2012 – 2017)
Girls is the younger, messier sister of Sex In The City with possibly even more sex, but with way less money, career certainty, and sophisticated dinner parties.
Lena Dunham’s hit series follows four women in their early 20s as they try to find their place in the world (New York City) and it feels like looking in a mirror.
8) The Great British Bake Off (BBC/Channel 4, 2010 -)
The Great British Bake Off warms your soul like no other reality show could and we love it with our whole hearts.
Kicking off right at the beginning of the decade on the BBC, the infamous baking show filled our lives with a disdain for soggy bottoms and a thirst for Mary Berry’s cheeky innuendos.
Honestly, name a more quintessentially British show, we’ll wait…
7) The Crown (Netflix, 2016-)
This dramatised insight into the royal family and the retelling of major moments in British history is quite simply, addictive.
Having first arrived on the scene in 2016, the opening season traced the life of Queen Elizabeth II from her wedding in 1947 through to the present day.
Olivia Colman took over the role of Queen Elizabeth II from Claire Foy for season three, which debuted last month, and we just cannot get enough.
6) Killing Eve (BBC, 2018-)
Whether it was Jodie Comer’s insane ability to nail any accent at any given moment or Sandra Oh’s beautifully voluminous hair, Killing Eve has us OBSESSED.
The cat-and-mouse drama takes us around the country and beyond, with Eve and Villanelle’s love/hate relationship leaving us breathless.
Although the series only debuted in 2018, it’s already made a significant mark and has scooped up a number of acclaimed awards. Are we surprised? Absolutely not.
5) Stranger Things (Netflix, 2016-)
Netflix’s Stranger Things is a callback to the 80s and we’re completely and utterly obsessed in every way.
Filled with intrigue and suspense, the sci-fi kicks off with the disappearance of a young boy amid supernatural events happening around the fictitious town of Hawkins.
Not soon after, we’re introduced to the horrors of The Upside Down and all its hideous monsters, including the mindlfayer – which has definitely given us nightmares.
4) Peaky Blinders (BBC, 2013-)
This no-holds-barred crime drama is set in the lawless streets of post-war Birmingham and had us glued to our seats from the get-go.
Created by writer Steven Knight, Peaky Blinders is based on a real-life gang and the show is packed full with gun sieges and razor blade-wielding madmen, who you’ll probably start developing problematic crushes on.
Roll on series six, we say.
3) Game Of Thrones (HBO, 2011 – 2019)
Game Of Thrones came charging onto the small-screen back in 2011, bringing with it some of the most graphic scenes ever to make it onto the airwaves.
For eight long seasons, the serial drama captured our imaginations as we followed the Baratheon, Lannister, and Stark families in their quest for the Iron Throne.
It all came to an end in 2019 though, with one of the most controversial and divisive finales of the decade.
2) Fleabag (BBC, 2016 – 2019)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s masterpiece Fleabag brought us cutting sarcasm, a guinea pig cafe and a Hot Priest – and for that, we are eternally grateful.
With dark himour and honesty,
The series graciously bowed out of our lives earlier this year, in one of the best finales we’ve seen to date.
Take note everyone, because that’s how you go out with a bang.
1) Pose (FX, 2018 -)
Pose is a groundbreaking television show that has proudly shaken the world to its very core with its deep dive into the New York City ballroom scene at the height of the AIDS crisis.
It dared to explore the almost ‘hidden’ history of the epidemic that was kept under lock and key and has rarely found itself on the small screen at all.
Sandwiched in-between all the wigs and the heels and the voguing, are the gritty tales of individuals that, for a number of reasons, have found each other and become each others’ chosen families.
While it deals with the heart-wrenching and raw stories of the epidemic in the 80s, Pose is also about love and acceptance, regardless of sexuality, gender, or race.
Since it first premiered, Pose has been awarded a number of accolades, including Emmys and Golden Globes.
All praise the BBC for doing the British public a favour by broadcasting the show – and yes, both series are still available on iPlayer.
Honestly, everyone and their mother should sit down and watch this series. It should be compulsory viewing. So if you’ve not made your New Year’s resolution just yet and you’ve not already given it a go… you know what to do.
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