Many TV series can be called good, some can be called great, but only a handful are considered masterpieces. When it comes to the latter, there have been several shows over the last five years that qualify. These shows arguably changed the game, breaking records and/or receiving special accolades that make them stand out from the pack.
From comedies to dramas, dystopian thrillers and shows that toe the line between genres, they run the gamut. They all qualify on "must watch" lists. Some have already ended their runs, a few continue with new seasons forthcoming, and there's even one that is returning for a new season after an assumed end.
10 'Ted Lasso' (2020-)
Ted Lasso pulled a bait-and-switch in a way that fans actually loved. Dubbed a sports comedy drama, its premise is that a Kansas-based American football coach is hired to run a flailing English football team. He's hired by a jilted ex who wants to tank the team to get back at her philandering ex-husband. But when he arrives, it seems Ted (Jason Sudeikis) and his infectious positivity turns even the most surly and defeated players into hopeful, joyous ones.
Beneath the surface, Ted Lasso sheds light on mental health, and particularly mental health with men in sports. While the third season wasn't as well received as the first two, the show was met with widespread critical acclaim and broke a record to become the most nominated first-season comedy in Emmy history. Two years after it presumably ended, fans calling for more led to the development of a fourth season, which has yet to receive a premiere date.
9 'Squid Game' (2021-2025)
Before Squid Game, foreign-language shows never reached the same level of viewership in North America as English-language ones. But the South Korean dystopian survival thriller ended up becoming Netflix's most-watched series and earned six Emmy Award nominations. Initially planned as a single season show, it continued the story for a total of three seasons, captivating viewers all the way through.
While extremely violent, Squid Game masterfully navigates social commentary through its plot, which sheds light on capitalism, greed, and the class divide. The series has meaning beneath the surface-level story and prompted serious conversations around the treatment of those in society who are deemed as expendable.
8 'The Queen's Gambit' (2020)
Putting Anya Taylor-Joy on the map as a young actor to watch, The Queen's Gambit also single-handedly reinvigorated interest in the game of chess. The coming-of-age period drama is beautifully shot, captivating from start to finish as viewers follow chess prodigy Beth Harmon (Taylor-Joy) on her journey to be taken seriously in a game predominantly played by men.
Ranking as Netflix's most-watched series at the time of its release, The Queen's Gambit received praise for Taylor-Joy's performance as well as its cinematography. Even the chess community applauded the show for its accurate depiction of what it's like to play the game at a high level. Earning 11 Emmy Awards, the show also made history as the first from a streaming service to win for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.
7 'The White Lotus' (2021-)
With a stunning cultural backdrop in every season, from Hawaii to Italy then Thailand, The White Lotus is as beautiful to watch with audio off as it is to enjoy the compelling murder mystery at the heart of every season. Following various families and friends vacationing at a lavish resort, the breathtaking views, fantastic opening sequence, and tremendous acting combine to make The White Lotus one of the most unique shows on television.
A black comedy drama anthology series that was initially supposed to just be a single season, The White Lotus has attracted top talent each season. Memorable moments, including Sam Rockwell's jaw-dropping monologue in season three, keep people talking about the show long after each season ends. Winning 15 Emmy Awards, the series is just the right mix of fantastic writing, interesting characters, wonderful humor, and incredible production value.
6 'The Pitt' (2025-)
Coming out of the gate strong with its first season, The Pitt has been labeled by many to be the most accurate medical drama ever on television. Drawing comparisons to ER, especially with Noah Wyle, who started in that series, at the forefront, The Pitt is raw, emotional, and transcends the typical type of "hospital drama" that the genre typically centers around. Instead of being mostly about strange medical ailments and the interpersonal relationships among staff, it's about the interactions between doctors, nurses, training medical students, other staff, and patients in a meaningful and realistic way.
Touching on topical issues like mass shootings, lengthy wait times, know-it-all patients, mental health, the pandemic, abortion, and the quality of medical care, The Pitt is the type of show fans want to devour. Its first season earned 13 Emmy nominations, and fans expect it will win a bunch leading up to the momentum for season three in January 2026.
5 'The Penguin' (2024)
What makes The Penguin so great is that even those who aren't familiar with the DC Comics character, or even DC Comics in general, will enjoy it. It's a The Sopranos-like mafia story, chronicling Oswald "Oz" Cobb's (Colin Farrell) rise to power in Gotham City, taking on his persona of The Penguin. Farrell is unbelievably good in the series, unrecognizable in heavy make-up and prosthetics, while he's equally matched by the fantastic Cristin Milioti as Sofia Gigante.
Gorgeously shot, heart-wrenchingly graphic and emotional, The Penguin doesn't seem like a superhero story. It's a crime drama that rivals any other, with a production that feels like there was an incredible amount of work that went into it. With six Emmy nominations pending and many more in the creative arts field, The Penguin retains a 95% Rotten Tomatoes critics score.
4 'Shōgun' (2024-)
A visually stunning historical drama, Shōgun is praised for being faithful to the source material, the 1975 novel by James Clavell. The story follows the connection between two men, English sailor John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) and powerful daimyo Lord Tanaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), along with their involvement with the skilled but dishonored Lady Mariko (Anna Sawai). Action packed, it's gripping from start to finish.
As the first Japanese-language series to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, and with a total of 18 wins, it set a record for the most awarded single season of TV. Shōgun maintains a 99% Rotten Tomatoes critics score with Loud and Clear Reviews calling it "one of the best television shows to debut this decade" and The Hollywood Reporter noting it has "prestige written all over it."
3 'The Studio' (2025-)
Premiering this year, Seth Rogen impressed with The Studio, a satirical cringe comedy that skewers the Hollywood movie industry and Hollywood types. He plays a long-time studio executive promoted to studio head only to realize that he's juggling more balls than he can keep in the air, especially for someone like Matt (Rogen) who is desperate to please everyone. What's more, his love for the movie industry is hit with a stark reality: studios want to make money with crappy blockbuster movies, not make art.
From the guest stars playing exaggerated versions of themselves, including Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, and Greta Lee, to the fantastically funny main cast, and the bold meta storylines, The Studio has a message behind its hilarity: movie-making isn't what it used to be, and Hollywood types can be awful. The season one final episode is so good, so frantic, it'll leave viewers giving standing ovations at home (Bryan Cranston is a stand-out). Earning 23 Emmy nominations, The Studio now has the distinction of being the most nominated comedy for a first season and it has tied The Bear for the most nominations for a single season of a comedy.
2 'The Bear' (2022-)
The moment viewers stepped into the first season of The Bear, it was clear this show was different from anything else on television. When Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) leaves the fine dining world behind to return to his hometown in Chicago and run his now deceased brother's old sandwich shop, he's met with staff that isn't too thrilled to see him. But the story evolves as Carmy works to find and prove himself, and the others begin to grow and ignite a passion for cooking they never thought they had.
As the show progresses, it dives into fractured family dynamics with Jamie Lee Curtis joining in a scene-stealing role as Carmy's mother Donna. With episodes like "Fishes" that left viewers in tears, artsy seasons like season 3, consistently frantic energy, and a deep exploration of trauma, viewers almost feel exhausted after watching every episode. But it's satisfyingly cathartic, too. The Bear has won 21 Emmy award to date.
1 'Severance' (2022-)
Arguably one of the most beautifully shot shows on television, Severance is the perfect combination of compelling story with wonderful cinematography. The sci-fi psychological thriller is about a world where people can sever their brains into two: an innie for when they are at work and an outie for at home. Neither version is aware of what happens with the other, presumably achieving a perfect work-life balance. But the monotony of the workdays, strange occurences, and warning from the outside lead Mark Scout (Adam Scott) to try and get a message to himself to investigate.
Not in a long time has a show spawned so much discussion, so many theories as viewers dissect every moment. Severance, one of the best Apple TV+ original series, is cleverly written, wonderfully acted, visually stunning, and even downright weird at times. Earning 14 Emmy Award nominations, it's one of those shows viewers are happy to watch week to week to digest every moment. It also has had the best cliffhanger endings for both seasons to date, igniting deep emotions in fans who are left at the edges of their seats in anticipation for the story to continue.
Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like Follow Followed Severance TV-MA Drama Mystery Sci-Fi 21 9.4/10 Release Date February 18, 2022 Showrunner Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming
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