There are very few television shows that have outstanding seasons throughout its numerous seasons, but the rare ones that do are loved by fans eternally. Many great, even award-winning shows that are considered some of the best of all time have fallen short because of a flawed final season, a slow rise, or a sophomore slump. Game of Thrones, for instance, is a beloved show, yet its final season doesn’t hold up to the reputation of its preceding chapters.
A fantastic TV show can fall apart for many reasons, whether something happened behind-the-scenes that changed the direction of the show, such as an actor suddenly dropping out, or even the writers simply losing their grasp on the narrative. Every great TV show is tasked with keeping up its momentum and generating original content through multiple seasons. Here are ten of the best shows that were able to sustain their prestigious quality all the way up to their series finales.
10 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia is the longest-running live-action American comedy series of all time, totaling 15 completed seasons with three additional seasons set to release in the near future. The hilarious show has managed to retain all five of its core actors including Charlie Day and Danny DeVito despite their individually successful careers as actors, writers, and directors of various films and other television shows. The show originally aired on FX in 2005 and is created by Rob McElhenny (Mac) and Glenn Howerton (Dennis).
All 162 episodes of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphiacan be streamed on Hulu.
9 Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy might be the most exceptionally underrated TV series of all time, gaining only five Emmy nominations and coming away with none. The show ran for seven seasons from 2008 to 2014, during which time it gained overwhelmingly positive feedback from critics and fans alike. While often violent and quite dark, Sons of Anarchy was arguably different from any other show that came before it, and broke new ground for its original airing network FX, cementing it as a home for serious dramatic content. With a series finale that ended the story on a fitting note, it remains one of the greatest TV series of the modern era.
All 92 episodes of Sons of Anarchy can be streamed on Hulu.
8 Mindhunter
The proper ending of Mindhunter’s story will never be seen on TV, with Netflix shockingly deciding not to renew the immensely popular and well-received crime drama series earlier this year. During its two seasons, Mindhunter chronicled the personal accounts of a number of notorious serial killers. It was inspired by the true-life studies of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit that began directly interviewing psychopaths in the lates 1970s. Seven of its episodes were directed by legendary director David Fincher, making this Netflix cancelation even more of a head-scratcher.
All 19 episodes of Mindhunter can be streamed on Netflix.
7 The West Wing
The Aaron Sorkin-helmed political series The West Wing is one of the most-awarded television shows of all time, honing in an impressive Emmy record of 26 wins. The show ran on NBC from 1999 to 2006. Sorkin was responsible for writing nearly a third of The West Wing’s 155 episodes over its seven seasons, which explains why the show is incredibly rich in plot and full of well-written dialogue. While the show is fictitious and not based on any actual U.S. president, Sorkin was able to capture the look and feel of the White House that broke new ground on TV.
All 155 episodes of The West Wing can be streamed on HBO Max.
6 Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is a one-of-a-kind comedy series that can only be pulled off by the idiosyncratic Larry David. The show has aired on HBO since the year 2000 and has run for 11 total seasons, with a hiatus between 2011 and 2017. The Seinfeld creator heavily relies on his mastery of situational comedy and his undeniable knack for improvisation to bring Curb Your Enthusiasm to fruition. Larry plays a fictionalized version of himself living in Los Angeles, depicting the strange and hilarious situations he finds himself in that never get old.
All 110 episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm can be streamed on HBO Max.
5 The Sopranos
The Sopranos is widely considered one of the greatest shows of all time, despite its controversially ambiguous ending. The HBO show ran from 1999 to 2007 and amassed 21 Emmy Awards. The show broke new ground in conventional storytelling by adding an unpredictable element to its narrative structure that made viewers feel like no one was ever really safe. The show maintained its elite status over six seasons largely due to the brilliant performance of James Gandolfini as New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano.
All 86 episodes of The Sopranos can be streamed on HBO Max.
4 Nathan For You
Nathan For You is another enigmatic, incomparable comedy series like Curb Your Enthusiasm that can only be pulled off by its imaginative creator Nathan Fielder. Fielder’s brand for comedy involves an element of trolling that combines his often strange but effective business concepts with actual real-life business owners. The owners aren’t aware that Nathan is playing a character as an uncomfortably awkward, deadpan business consultant, which adds to the somewhat surrealist comedy that Fielder produced for four outstanding seasons between 2013 and 2017.
All 32 episodes of Nathan For You can be streamed on Hulu and HBO Max.
3 Atlanta
Atlanta was a unique, slice-of-life series that captured a period of time that reflected much of the sensibilities of its characters and components of its plot. This helped make the four-season series a truly generational landmark of television. Donald Glover, of Childish Gambino and Community fame, created a distinct genre with Atlanta that rivals the strange brilliance of Twin Peaks, all while maintaining an authentic depiction of contemporary culture from 2016 to 2022.
All 41 episodes of Atlanta can be streamed on Hulu.
2 Breaking Bad
Not much more can be said that hasn’t already about the excellence of Breaking Bad. The AMC series was a cultural phenomenon during its six-season run. The richness of the storytelling and the delicate interweaving of characters, plot, action sequences combine to make Breaking Bad an absolute feat of entertainment. The timeless saga of Walter White and his slow-building downfall ran on the network from 2008 from 2013, with each season somehow getting better than its last until its end.
All 62 episodes of Breaking Bad can be streamed on Netflix.
1 Mad Men
Mad Men is often regarded as the first series that sparked the modern golden age of television. It brought an incredible ensemble cast set in a culturally-accurate 1960s Manhattan to cable television, defining the new standard for a drama series with its first season in 2007. Don Draper (John Hamm) is a compelling force of a character, with enough confidence, creativity, and mystique to carry the show through seven, critically-acclaimed seasons. While the heart of the series exists inside the walls of a Manhattan skyscraper, Mad Men gave its conflicted protagonist a reflective ending that offers a masterclass in anti-hero character arcs.
All 92 episodes of Mad Men can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
