To find the 50 best TV shows of 21st Century, we have compiled over a dozen lists from publications like The Guardian, The AV Club and IndieWire, as well as ratings from Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb to find the finest shows that have aired new episodes since the start of the second millennium.

50 best TV shows of 21st century and where to stream them

  1. Grey’s Anatomy (2005 - )

Seasons 1 to 16 on Netflix; Season 17 episodes air on the ABC website and app and Hulu the day after they air on ABC.

  1. American Crime Story (2016 - )

The Assassination of Gianni Versace (Season 2) streaming on Netflix; Season 1 (The People vs. OJ Simpson) available to purchase at video on demand stores.

  1. Orange is the New Black (2013 - 2019)

All seven seasons streaming on Netflix.

  1. Blue Planet II (2017)

Streaming on Discovery+.

  1. Firefly (2002 - 2003)

All episodes streaming on Hulu; Spin-off movie Serenity available for free on Peacock.

  1. 24 (2001 - 2010)

All nine seasons streaming on Hulu; Seasons 1 to 8 available to watch for free on IMDbTV.

  1. Bob’s Burgers (2011 - )

Seasons 1 to 11 on Hulu; Selected episodes on TBS; Season 10 streaming on FXNow.

  1. The Thick Of It (2005 - 2012)

  2. The Crown (2016 - )

All four seasons streaming on Netflix.

  1. The Walking Dead (2010 - )

  2. Stranger Things (2016 - )

All three seasons on Netflix.

  1. Killing Eve (2018 - )

Seasons 1 to 3 on Hulu and BBC America.

  1. The Vietnam War (2017)

Streaming on Hoopla and Kanopy.

  1. The Daily Show (1996 - )

Episodes from 2015 onwards on Comedy Central; Seasons 25 and 26 on CBS All Access.

  1. The Handmaid’s Tale (2017 - )

All seasons so far on Hulu.

  1. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005 - )

Seasons 1 to 14 on Hulu; Selected episodes on FX Now.

  1. Better Call Saul (2015 - )

Seasons 1 to 4 streaming on Netflix; Season 5 available to purchase on demand.

  1. The Great British Baking Show (2010 - )

Eight (of eleven) seasons streaming on Netflix; The first five seasons streaming now on Hoopla and PBS.

  1. Doctor Who (2005 - )

Seasons 1 to 12 streaming on HBO Max.

  1. Veep (2012 - 2019)

Seven seasons streaming on HBO Max.

  1. Chernobyl (2019)

All episodes on HBO Max.

  1. Rick and Morty (2013 - )

Four seasons on Hulu and HBO Max; Season 1 on Hoopla; Season 4 on Adult Swim.

  1. Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)

  2. Battlestar Galactica (2004 - 2009)

Seasons 1 to 4 on Peacock.

  1. The Good Place (2016 - 2020)

Seasons 1 to 4 on Netflix.

  1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997 - 2003)

  2. Hannibal (2013 - 2015)

  3. Six Feet Under (2001 - 2005)

Seasons 1 to 5 on HBO Max.

  1. Black Mirror (2011 - )

Seasons 1 to 5 and interactive special Bandersnatch on Netflix.

  1. Parks and Recreation (2009 - 2015)

Seasons 1 and 2 streaming for free on Peacock; Seasons 3 to 7 on the paid Peacock tier; Selected episodes streaming on Comedy Central.

  1. Friday Night Lights (2006 - 2011)

Seasons 1 to 5 streaming on Hulu, Peacock, Starz and NBC.

  1. The West Wing (1999 - 2006)

Seven seasons on HBO Max.

  1. Curb your Enthusiasm (2000 - )

All ten seasons on HBO Max.

  1. The Office U.S. (2005 - 2013)

Seasons 1 and 2 streaming for free on Peacock; Seasons 3 to 9 on the Peacock free tier.

  1. The Americans (2013 - 2018)

  2. Sherlock (2010 - 2017)

Seasons 1 to 4 on Netflix.

  1. Atlanta (2016 - )

Seasons 1 and 2 on Hulu.

  1. BoJack Horseman (2014 - 2020)

All episodes streaming on Netflix.

  1. The Office U.K. (2001 - 2003)

  2. Deadwood (2004-2006, 2019)

All three seasons and the 2019 Deadwood movie streaming on HBO Max.

  1. Arrested Development (2003-2019)

Seasons 1 to 3 on Hulu; Seasons 1 to 5 on Netflix.

  1. The Leftovers (2014 - 2017)

All three seasons on HBO Max.

  1. Fleabag (2016 - 2019)

  2. 30 Rock (2006 - 2013)

  3. Lost (2004 - 2010)

Seasons 1 to 6 streaming on Hulu and for free on IMDbTV.

  1. The Sopranos (1999 - 2007)

All six seasons streaming on HBO Max; prequel movie The Many Saints of Newark coming to HBO on September 24.

  1. Mad Men (2007 - 2015)

Seasons 1 to 7 available for free on IMDbTV and with a subscription on AMC.

  1. The Wire (2002 - 2008)

All five seasons on HBO Max.

  1. Game of Thrones (2011 - 2019)

Seasons 1 to 8 on HBO Max now.

  1. Breaking Bad (2008 - 2013)

Seasons 1 to 5 (and spin-off movie El Camino) on Netflix.