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Best Drama TV Shows

Character-driven serials that sit with the hard questions.


These drama series are ranked by IMDb score — the ones that audiences worldwide have voted, re-watched, and recommended. Refine by era or cross-reference with another genre. The list begins with the best.
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19702026
Showing 39 of 40

  1. 01.
    Breaking Bad

    Breaking Bad

    2008·Created by Vince Gilligan·9.5

    Walter White, a New Mexico chemistry teacher, is diagnosed with Stage III cancer and given a prognosis of only two years left to live. He becomes filled with a sense of fearlessness and an unrelenting desire to secure his family's financial future at any cost as he enters the dangerous world of drugs and crime.

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  2. 02.
    Band of Brothers

    Band of Brothers

    2001·9.4

    Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as their journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men from paratrooper training in Georgia through the end of the war. As an elite rifle company parachuting into Normandy early on D-Day morning, participants in the Battle of the Bulge, and witness to the horrors of war, the men of Easy knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear - and became the stuff of legend. Based on Stephen E. Ambrose's acclaimed book of the same name.

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  3. 03.
    Chernobyl

    Chernobyl

    2019·Created by Craig Mazin·9.3

    The true story of one of the worst man-made catastrophes in history: the catastrophic nuclear accident at Chernobyl. A tale of the brave men and women who sacrificed to save Europe from unimaginable disaster.

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  4. 04.
    The Wire

    The Wire

    2002·Created by David Simon·9.3

    Told from the points of view of both the Baltimore homicide and narcotics detectives and their targets, the series captures a universe in which the national war on drugs has become a permanent, self-sustaining bureaucracy, and distinctions between good and evil are routinely obliterated.

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  5. 05.
    The Sopranos

    The Sopranos

    1999·Created by David Chase·9.2

    The story of New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads. Those difficulties are often highlighted through his ongoing professional relationship with psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi. The show features Tony's family members and Mafia associates in prominent roles and story arcs, most notably his wife Carmela and his cousin and protégé Christopher Moltisanti.

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  6. 06.
    Game of Thrones

    Game of Thrones

    2011·Created by David Benioff·9.2

    Seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Friction between the houses leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the farthest north. Amidst the war, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night's Watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and icy horrors beyond.

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  7. 07.
    Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story

    Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story

    2020·Created by Hansal Mehta·9.2

    Set in 1980's & 90's Bombay, Scam 1992 follows the life of Harshad Mehta - a stockbroker who single-handedly took the stock market to dizzying heights & his catastrophic downfall. Being directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Hansal Mehta, the series is based on journalist Debashis Basu & Sucheta Dalal's book "The Scam".

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  8. 08.
    The Chosen

    The Chosen

    2019·Created by Dallas Jenkins·9.1

    The life of Christ through the eyes of those who encountered him.

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  9. 09.
    Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

    Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

    2009·9.1

    Disregard for alchemy’s laws ripped half of Edward Elric’s limbs from his body and left his brother Alphonse’s soul clinging to a suit of armor. To restore what was lost, the brothers seek the Philosopher’s Stone. Enemies and allies – the corrupt military, the Homunculi, and foreign alchemists – will alter the Elric brothers course, but their purpose will remain unchanged and their bond unbreakable.

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  10. 10.
    Aspirants

    Aspirants

    2021·Created by Arunabh Kumar·9.1

    Aspirants is a story of 3 friends - Abhilash, SK, and Guri. The story takes place in the past and the present where the past captures the struggle and the drama behind the making of UPSC CSE aspirants in Old Rajinder Nagar of Delhi, while the present talks about the aftermath. It is the story of three UPSC aspirants journey.

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  11. 11.
    When Life Gives You Tangerines

    When Life Gives You Tangerines

    2025·Created by Lim Sang-choon·9.0

    In Jeju, a spirited girl and a steadfast boy's island story blossoms into a lifelong tale of setbacks and triumphs — proving love endures across time.

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  12. 12.
    Better Call Saul

    Better Call Saul

    2015·Created by Vince Gilligan·9.0

    Six years before Saul Goodman meets Walter White. We meet him when the man who will become Saul Goodman is known as Jimmy McGill, a small-time lawyer searching for his destiny, and, more immediately, hustling to make ends meet. Working alongside, and, often, against Jimmy, is “fixer” Mike Ehrmantraut. The series tracks Jimmy’s transformation into Saul Goodman, the man who puts “criminal” in “criminal lawyer".

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  13. 13.
    My Mister

    My Mister

    2018·Created by Park Hae-young·9.0

    In a world that is less than kind, a young woman and a middle-aged man develop a sense of kinship as they find warmth and comfort in one another.

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  14. 14.
    Batman: The Animated Series

    Batman: The Animated Series

    1992·Created by Bruce Timm·9.0

    Vowing to avenge the murder of his parents, Bruce Wayne devotes his life to wiping out crime in Gotham City as the masked vigilante "Batman".

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  15. 15.
    Sherlock

    Sherlock

    2010·Created by Mark Gatiss·9.0

    A modern update finds the famous sleuth and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London.

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  16. 16.
    Dexter: Resurrection

    Dexter: Resurrection

    2025·Created by Clyde Phillips·9.0

    Dexter Morgan awakens from a coma to find Harrison gone without a trace. Realizing the weight of what he put his son through, Dexter sets out for New York City, determined to find him and make things right. But closure won't come easy. When Miami Metro's Angel Batista arrives with questions, Dexter realizes his past is catching up to him fast. As father and son navigate their own darkness in the city that never sleeps, they soon find themselves deeper than they ever imagined - and that the only way out is together.

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  17. 17.
    Tash ma Tash

    Tash ma Tash

    1993·Created by Nasser Al Qasabi·9.0

    Comedy drama sketches portraying social problems in the Saudi society with different takes on storylines.

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  18. 18.
    Panchayat

    Panchayat

    2020·Created by Chandan Kumar·9.0

    Panchayat is a comedy-drama, which captures the journey of an engineering graduate Abhishek, who for lack of a better job option joins as secretary of a panchayat office in a remote village of Uttar Pradesh. Stuck between crazy villagers and a difficult village lifestyle Abhishek starts his job with the sole motivation of getting out of there as soon as possible, for which he even prepares for CAT.

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  19. 19.
    Leyla and Mecnun

    Leyla and Mecnun

    2011·Created by Burak Aksak·9.0

    Leyla ile Mecnun is a Turkish television comedy series. The show is set in Istanbul, Turkey and premiered in 2011 on TRT. The series is a surreal and absurd comedy that revolves around the fictional love story between Leyla and Mecnun.

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  20. 20.
    Kota Factory

    Kota Factory

    2019·Created by Saurabh Khanna·9.0

    In a city of coaching centers known to train India’s finest collegiate minds, an earnest but unexceptional student and his friends navigate campus life.

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  21. 21.
    Critical Role

    Critical Role

    2015·Created by Matthew Mercer·9.0

    Critical Role is a weekly actual play series that uses tabletop role-playing game mechanics as a means to explore and develop stories from the vast fantasy worlds of Exandria, Aramán, and beyond, with sweeping narratives intricately woven through collaboration between Game Masters and players.

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  22. 22.
    TVF Pitchers

    TVF Pitchers

    2015·Created by Arunabh Kumar·9.0

    A story of trials and tribulations of four young entrepreneurs who quit their day jobs in order to pursue their start up venture.

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  23. 23.
    Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

    Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

    2023·8.9

    Decades after her party defeated the Demon King, an old friend's funeral launches the elf wizard Frieren on a journey of self-discovery.

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  24. 24.
    The Pitt

    The Pitt

    2025·Created by R. Scott Gemmill·8.9

    The staff of Pittsburgh's Trauma Medical Center work around the clock to save lives in an overcrowded and underfunded emergency department.

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  25. 25.
    Dekalog

    Dekalog

    1989·Created by Krzysztof Piesiewicz·8.9

    The Ten Commandments, exact and uncompromising, literally cast in stone, continues to provide a source of moral conflict in contemporary society. In the ten part epic masterpiece, The Decalogue, Krzysztof Kieslowski examines the dilemma of fundamental sin in the lives of ordinary Warsaw citizens.

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  26. 26.
    Firefly

    Firefly

    2002·Created by Joss Whedon·8.9

    In the year 2517, the universe is a vast frontier where lawlessness reigns and adventure awaits! Join Captain Malcolm Reynolds and his ragtag crew aboard the spaceship Serenity as they navigate the fringes of society, battling the oppressive Alliance and facing off against ruthless bounty hunters.

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  27. 27.
    The West Wing

    The West Wing

    1999·Created by Aaron Sorkin·8.9

    The West Wing provides a glimpse into presidential politics in the nation's capital as it tells the stories of the members of a fictional presidential administration. These interesting characters have humor and dedication that touches the heart while the politics that they discuss touch on everyday life.

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  28. 28.
    Persona

    Persona

    2018·Created by Hakan Günday·8.9

    After being diagnosed with Alzheimer's, a retired judicial officer decides to commit a murder that he had been planning for years.

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  29. 29.
    Undercover

    Undercover

    2011·Created by Dimitar Mitovski·8.9

    Just an ordinary boy from the Sofia suburbs becomes the first bulgarian undercover cop. Forced by his father when he was young to lie and cheat, Martin becomes the perfect liar. That skill, and also the hatred of the 'underworld' makes him the perfect match for a dangerous mission - to infiltrate the crime organisation of a rich and powerful businessman. While infiltrating and living in fear of being uncovered, Martin falls in love with the most inappropriate woman - Djaro's girlfriend, Suni. Just when he gains the trust of the mobsters, it appears that the real enemy is in the police. Martin is alone against all, facing difficult decisions.

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  30. 30.
    Twinkling Watermelon

    Twinkling Watermelon

    2023·Created by Jin Soo-wan·8.8

    A CODA (child of deaf adult) student born with a gift for music crash lands at an unfamiliar place after time traveling through a suspicious music shop. There, he forms the band Watermelon Sugar with other mysterious youths.

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  31. 31.
    Das Boot

    Das Boot

    1985·Created by Wolfgang Petersen·8.8

    Based on an autobiographical novel by German World War II photographer Lothar-Guenther Buchheim, Das Boot follows the lives of a fearless U-Boat captain (Jurgen Prochnow) and his inexperienced crew as they patrol the Atlantic and Mediterranean in search of Allied vessels, taking turns as hunter and prey.

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  32. 32.
    Fighting Spirit

    Fighting Spirit

    2000·8.8

    Makunouchi Ippo is an ordinary high school student in Japan. Since he spends most of his time away from school helping his mother run the family business, he doesn't get to enjoy his younger years like most teenagers. Always a target for bullying at school (the family fishing business grants him a distinct odor), Ippo's life is one of hardship. One of these after-school bullying sessions turns Ippo's life around for the better, as he is saved by a boxer named Takamura. He decides to follow in Takamura's footsteps and train to become a boxer, giving his life direction and purpose. Ippo's path to perfecting his pugilistic prowess is just beginning...

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  33. 33.
    Vinland Saga

    Vinland Saga

    2019·8.8

    For a thousand years, the Vikings have made quite a name and reputation for themselves as the strongest families with a thirst for violence. Thorfinn, the son of one of the Vikings' greatest warriors, spends his boyhood in a battlefield enhancing his skills in his adventure to redeem his most-desired revenge after his father was murdered.

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  34. 34.
    BoJack Horseman

    BoJack Horseman

    2014·Created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg·8.8

    Meet the most beloved sitcom horse of the '90s , 20 years later. He's a curmudgeon with a heart of...not quite gold...but something like gold. Copper?

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  35. 35.
    True Detective

    True Detective

    2014·Created by Nic Pizzolatto·8.8

    An American anthology police detective series utilizing multiple timelines in which investigations seem to unearth personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within or outside the law.

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  36. 36.
    Succession

    Succession

    2018·Created by Jesse Armstrong·8.8

    Follow the lives of the Roy family as they contemplate their future once their aging father begins to step back from the media and entertainment conglomerate they control.

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  37. 37.
    Fargo

    Fargo

    2014·Created by Noah Hawley·8.8

    A close-knit anthology series dealing with stories involving malice, violence and murder based in and around Minnesota.

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  38. 38.
    Pride and Prejudice

    Pride and Prejudice

    1995·Created by Andrew Davies·8.8

    Set in England in the early 19th century, Pride and Prejudice tells the story of Mr and Mrs Bennet's five unmarried daughters after the rich and eligible Mr Bingley and his status-conscious friend, Mr Darcy, have moved into their neighbourhood. While Bingley takes an immediate liking to the eldest Bennet daughter, Jane, Darcy has difficulty adapting to local society and repeatedly clashes with the second-eldest Bennet daughter, Elizabeth.

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  39. 39.
    When They See Us

    When They See Us

    2019·Created by Ava DuVernay·8.8

    Five teens from Harlem become trapped in a nightmare when they're falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park.

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