Punchy dialogue, plots that twist and turn but don't get lost, and episodes that end just in time for you to say, "Okay, just one more." Each one of these shows, from comedies that still crack us up to dramas that tug at the heartstrings, stands tall. They've seen trends come and go, yet here they are, still part of the conversation in 2024.
1. "Freaks and Geeks" (1999)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
A cult classic that chronicles the lives and tribulations of high school students in the early '80s, focusing on two groups, the 'freaks' and the 'geeks,' as they navigate adolescence.
2. "The Larry Sanders Show" (1992)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
A satirical look behind the scenes of a fictional late-night talk show, exposing the fragile ego and chaos involved in producing the nightly entertainment program.
3. "Frasier" (1993)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%
A sophisticated sitcom about a snobbish radio psychiatrist who returns to his hometown of Seattle, dealing with his retired policeman father and his eccentric brother, both of whom challenge his pompous ways.
4. "My So-Called Life" (1994)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
A short-lived but highly acclaimed series about the life of a 15-year-old girl, dealing with the everyday struggles and emotional highs and lows of being a teenager.
5. "Oz" (1997)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%
A gritty and often brutal portrayal of life in an experimental unit of a maximum-security prison, focusing on the various factions and characters among the prisoners and staff.
6. "Daria" (1997)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%
An animated series about a smart, acerbic, and somewhat misanthropic high school girl who observes the world around her with a critical and often sardonic eye.
7. "Absolutely Fabulous" (1992)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%
A British sitcom about two eccentric, high-society, substance-abusing women who love to live extravagantly but continually find themselves in humorous and outrageous situations.
8. "The Practice" (1997)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%
A legal drama focusing on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm, dealing with ethical dilemmas, personal issues, and the complexity of the American legal system.
9. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1993)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%
Set on a space station near a strategic wormhole, this series delves into darker themes than its predecessors, exploring complex characters, political intrigue, and the moral ambiguities of war.
10. "Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%
A gritty series exploring the daily grind of homicide detectives in Baltimore, focusing on the psychological and professional pressures they face while solving complex murder cases.
11. "Sports Night" (1998)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%
A comedic drama set in the world of a late-night sports news show, dealing with the personal and professional lives of the staff, blending humor and serious topics.
12. "Quantum Leap" (1989)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%
A scientist becomes stuck in a time loop, leaping into the lives of different people throughout history and affecting historical events, while trying to find a way back to his own time.
13. "Northern Exposure" (1990)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%
A New York City doctor is sent to practice in a quirky Alaskan town, encountering unique characters and cultures that challenge his metropolitan outlook on life.
14. "Will & Grace" (1998)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%
This groundbreaking sitcom centers on the friendship between Will, a gay lawyer, and Grace, a straight interior designer, blending comedy with social commentary on various issues, particularly around LGBTQ themes.
15. "Everybody Loves Raymond" (1996)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%
A sitcom focusing on the life of sportswriter Ray Barone and his quirky family dynamics, including his wife and children, and the regular interference of his overbearing parents and older brother.
16. "ER" (1994)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%
An intense medical drama following the personal and professional lives of emergency room staff at County General Hospital in Chicago, showcasing the frantic and challenging world of emergency medicine.
17. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%
A young woman chosen to fight vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness balances the challenges of battling supernatural threats with everyday life in high school and later in college.
18. "Law & Order" (1990)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%
A legal drama that follows police investigations and prosecutions in New York City, highlighting the partnership between the police, who investigate crime, and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders.
19. "NYPD Blue" (1993)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%
A hard-hitting police procedural centered around New York detectives dealing with personal and professional challenges, known for its gritty portrayal of the life of officers and its controversial themes.
20. "The West Wing" (1999)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 81%
A dramatic series portraying the lives of staffers in the West Wing of the White House under the presidency of Josiah Bartlet, focusing on the political challenges and personal struggles faced by the administration.
21. "Third Watch" (1999)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 81%
This series portrays the lives of New York City firefighters, police officers, and paramedics working the 3pm to 11pm shift, showcasing the challenges and dangers of these first responders.
22. "Twin Peaks" (1990)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 78%
A surreal, genre-blending series following an investigation into the murder of a homecoming queen in the small town of Twin Peaks, uncovering the dark and mystical secrets of the townsfolk.
23. "The X-Files" (1993)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 74%
Two FBI agents, one a believer in the paranormal and the other a skeptic, investigate unsolved and often inexplicable cases involving paranormal phenomena, uncovering government conspiracies and alien encounters.
24. "Ally McBeal" (1997)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 61%
A legal comedy-drama that follows the personal and professional life of Ally McBeal, a young, lovelorn lawyer working at a Boston law firm, known for its surreal, whimsical, and often fantastical approach to Ally's inner life and thoughts.
25. "Smart Guy" (1997)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%
A family sitcom about a child prodigy who skips six grades into high school, dealing with the social and academic challenges of being a small kid in a big school while living with his single father and two brothers.