The 8 Best Network TV Shows of All Time, According to IMDB

Network shows from Lost to Freaks and Geeks have been beloved for years, despite not being on air for many years. While network television struggles to maintain its relevance in today’s world, it once was what people talked about at work. Did you watch the last episode of The X-Files? Could you believe *insert name* was disqualified from American Idol? While the relevance of current shows has decreased, past network shows continue to inspire and impact today’s creatives.

Looking at IMDB’s Top 250 TV shows, the highest-rated network shows are mostly made up of series at least ten years old. However, their age doesn’t invalidate their significance. The influence of these shows can still be seen on our TVs, whether we are watching a network or streaming a show.

8 ‘Twin Peaks’ (1990 – 1991)

One of the most famous TV mystery dramas is Twin Peaks. Running at the beginning of the 1990s for only two seasons, it has grown into a cult classic and has also become an inspiration for countless shows that followed. Everything from The X-Files to The Sopranos drew creative inspiration from David Lynch’s work in Twin Peaks. Mark Frost created the mystery-horror show with Lynch. The two-season show was followed up by a prequel film directed by Lynch and a third season released in 2017.

The series is lauded for its elements of surrealism, an uncanny tone, and numerous offbeat characters. Lynch helped establish a series that, in many ways, was one of the series that changed how audiences viewed television as a medium. Kyle MacLachlan leads the cast and has repeatedly expressed his enthusiasm for this project and role. He has also mentioned a willingness to continue the story; however, after Lynch's passing at the beginning of 2025, it seems less likely.

7 ‘Freaks and Geeks’ (1999 – 2000)

Before making films like Bridesmaids and A Simple Favor, Paul Feig was the creator of the cult classic Freaks and Geeks. Executive produced by Judd Apatow, this teen dramedy, set in the early 1980s, was not well-received from the start. The comedy had an erratic schedule, thanks to NBC, and was unable to garner an audience. Behind the scenes, Apatow and NBC execs didn’t agree on the vision for the series. The executives wanted the series to portray high school as a cool thing, but Apatow and his creative partners envisioned a realistic depiction of high school.

Since Freaks and Geeks was canceled, Apatow has frequently collaborated with the actors from the show, even claiming that much of what he’s done in the years since the show’s cancellation has been in spite of it. What also makes Freaks and Geeks is the incredibly talented cast of actors on the series, who were all launched thanks to this project — fan-favorites like Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Linda Cardellini, James Franco, and Busy Philipps. It’s been 25 years, and Apatow continues to seek opportunities to work with this cast and shine a light on their talent.

6 ‘The West Wing’ (1999 – 2006)

When we think of political drama television shows, we likely all have one come first to mind — The West Wing. Created by Aaron Sorkin, the political drama captured and maintained a large portion of its audience for seven seasons. In addition to launching the career of Allison Janney, the cast also included Rob Lowe, Bradley Whitford, and Martin Sheen.

The West Wing’s influence is intangible and way beyond the entertainment industry. White House staffers have spoken about the series, and former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton confirmed that Myanmar’s former generals watched the show to learn how democracies work. Not many shows can say they’ve had such a profound impact, and it’s exactly why it’s considered one of the greatest shows of all time. Winning two Peabodys and 26 Emmys, The West Wing was a critical darling and beloved by fans. Some critics have pointed out the unrealistic optimism of the series, but others have praised it, believing it to be aspirational.

5 ‘Friends’ (1994 – 2004)

A sitcom about six friends and an apartment that was mysteriously affordable for two of them just sounds like any number of shows. It could have been forgettable, but thanks to brilliant writing and a hilarious cast, Friends established itself as one of the best sitcoms of all time. Six oddballs, each with their own quirks and sensibilities, were able to win over the hearts of American audiences. Created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, the sitcom launched the careers of its six main friends – Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, and David Schwimmer.

Running for 10 seasons and over 225 episodes, Friends maintained its high quality throughout. 52.5 million American viewers watched the series finale, making it the most-watched television episode of the 2000s. The comedy had a spinoff, Joey, and eventually had a reunion special in 2021. Friends received 62 Emmy nominations and only won six of them. More than twenty years after its conclusion, it remains a popular watch.

4 ‘Seinfeld’ (1989 – 1998)

A show about nothing. Yes, sounds exciting, right? Well, it worked because it became one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time. Created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, Seinfeld ran for nine seasons and 180 episodes. The villains of the show are the main characters, meaning they are selfish, conceited, and do plenty of not-so-great things, but that’s what makes them lovable. They are relatable because they feel like real and tangible people. It doesn’t feel like a group of people you’ve never met before, but ones you probably know yourself.

In addition to Seinfeld himself, the friend group is completed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, and Jason Alexander. The idea behind the series was to take the worst qualities of people and find the humor in them. After all, what else can we do but laugh about the unfortunate situations many of us find ourselves in in our lives?

3 ‘Firefly’ (2002 – 2003)

If you take a look at any list of shows canceled too soon, you’re likely to see Firefly on most of them. Joss Whedon, the same mind behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., created this Space Western drama. Whedon planned a seven-year arc for the series, but the series was canceled before it fully aired its first season. In a particularly unusual twist, Fox aired the episodes out of order, making it difficult for viewers to follow the plot.

The sci-fi drama didn’t receive many views and was subsequently canceled. Devout fans advocated for the show to be revived by another network, but the campaign was unsuccessful. In addition to this revival campaign, the show also won an Emmy and earned strong DVD sales after its cancellation. Thanks to this, Universal Pictures produced Serenity, a follow-up feature film directed by Joss Whedon, with many of the original cast returning, including Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk.

2 ‘The Office (US)’ (2005 – 2013)

Based on Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's The Office, which they made for the BBC, Greg Daniels adapted the project for an American audience. Similar to the British format, the first season was only six episodes, and the first episode was even a direct adaptation of the original pilot. However, after receiving mixed reviews for the first season, Daniels decided to make changes to the series' tone and shift it from the British original. Making the series more relatable, likable, and generally more optimistic were good changes that led to it becoming a favorite among fans across the US.

The Office ultimately received 42 nominations and won five of them. The mockumentary ran for nine seasons and 201 episodes. It also became a comfort watch for many millennials and Gen Zers who rewatch the show over and over again. Twelve years after The Office ended its run, Peacock aired a follow-up called The Paper. The series follows the same documentary crew, and the only returning character from the original thus far is Oscar Nunez.

1 ‘The Twilight Zone’ (1959 – 1964)

There is no show quite like The Twilight Zone. The anthology series features standalone episodes of unique sci-fi, horror, or fantasy stories that conclude with a moral lesson. The show was created by Rod Serling, who also narrated the show and wrote more than half of the episodes. The anthology show aired for five seasons and over 150 episodes. The series was so popular that “twilight zone” entered the English vernacular and is used when a situation is bizarre or surreal. The Twilight Zone featured many memorable characters and episodes, which included notable stars such as William Shatner, Carol Burnett, and Robert Redford.

Since the original anthology series went off the air in 1964, The Twilight Zone has been revived three times. The third and most recent revival, narrated by Jordan Peele, was the shortest-lived, with only 20 episodes. The numerous revivals and the continued cultural relevance further emphasize the impact The Twilight Zone has had on television and our culture.