So no one told you life was gonna be this way...
Fun fact: I drafted this post a year and a half ago. It would've been a wildly different ranking. I've decided to put it off for ages so I can watch some more shows before finally publishing this, but I think now is a good enough time. I still haven't watched a lot of shows. I'm watching Better Call Saul right now. I'm planning on watching Game of Thrones and The Sopranos very soon. But, as of right now, this is my ranking. Hope you guys enjoy!
10. The Simpsons
The Simpsons is one of my comfort shows. Whenever I want to just enjoy myself for twenty minutes, The Simpsons is one of my go to shows. There's a reason that this show has been on for over thirty years at this point. It has some of the greatest and most memorable characters of all time. You forget about great characters like Sideshow Bob or Krusty, because they are outshined by even better characters like Homer and Bart. It's just always entertaining. The satire is funny. The writing is great. I love this show.
9. Severance
Severance came out this year...and it was amazing. I loved this show. It works as many things: a dystopian story, a psychological thriller, a black comedy...it nails every genre it's going for. The mystery was so intriguing, and it was paid off nicely in the back half of the show. The direction and cinematography were beautiful. The cliffhanger in the finale leaves me salivating for a second season, which has been confirmed. I cannot wait.
8. Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso was just a perfect example of the right show at the right time. Jason Sudeikis creates one of the greatest characters of all time in Lasso himself. The first season of this show is one of the best I've ever seen. It's funny. It's heartfelt. And it's so well-written. I've never seen a show that's able to balance drama and comedy so well. Now, the second season was a bit of a disappointment, but I still absolutely love this show.
7. The Good Place
The Good Place is another show that just nails the balance of funny moments and heartfelt moments. The first two seasons of this show take a really creative concept and make a funny, clever series that has multiple big, shocking moments you do not expect at all. It's a sitcom, yet it's injected with so much great story and complex characters. It knew when to end, and went out with a great, emotional finale. I loved this show.
6. Rick and Morty
Rick and Morty is the single most creative piece of entertainment I have ever experienced. This show is so wacky and nuts...but I absolutely love it. This, like The Simpsons, is a show that I turn on just to have fun. Rick and Morty are fabulous characters that are backed by an insanely creative concept. The writers of this show clearly have active imaginations. They throw everything against the wall, and it almost always sticks. This show is so weird...but it's so, so, so good.
5. The Haunting of Hill House
The Haunting of Hill House manages to be the scariest show or movie I've ever seen while also being one of the best written and directed family dramas I've ever seen. This show was terrifying. Mike Flanagan knows how to create an uncomfortable atmosphere that is paid off with horrifying, horrifying images that stick in your head. This show also knows how to balance complicated, broken characters and write them to absolute perfection. The finale isn't as satisfying as I'd like...but that doesn't matter. This is an absolute must-watch for horror fans.
4. Friends
After watching The Office, I never thought I'd see a sitcom that lived up to it. I was wrong. Friends still manages to be hilarious nearly twenty-five years after the pilot episode. Part of that is the actors's comedic timing and their chemistry. I've never seen an ensemble cast that's as good as Friends. They crafted some of the funniest, most likable characters that have ever interacted on screen. This is also the only sitcom finale that I've adored, so it just cements Friends as one of my favorite shows of all time.
3. The Office
It took me three watches to get into it, but once COVID hit, I binged through The Office faster than the speed of light. This show is the definition of addictive. The mockumentary style works to great effect, but what really makes this show work is the fantastic cast. Michael Scott is one of my favorite characters of all time...but the same can be said for Dwight, Jim, Pam, Kevin, and a lot of other characters on this show. I can't say anything about this show that hasn't already been said. It's the greatest sitcom of all time, and, although Friends comes close, nothing will ever beat it. Not Seinfeld. Not Cheers. The Office.
2. Breaking Bad
While writing this list, I realized it's mostly sitcoms or funny shows. However, my two favorite shows are the opposite of that. Breaking Bad is an experience like nothing else. This is the greatest written story I think I've ever watched. Walter White's slow rise and fall is already great on paper, but Vince Gilligan strives with the details. The tight storytelling and compelling characters make for some of the most addictive TV ever. I watched through seasons four and five of this show (which, by the way, is like 30 episodes of TV) in five days. That gives you an idea of how great this show is. I fully acknowledge that this is the best show of all time. The only reason it's number two is because of personal preference.
1. Stranger Things
There is no show that I've felt a connection to like Stranger Things. Season one had me hooked. Season two cemented my love of this show. And then seasons three and four shot it up to my favorite show of all time. My favorite director of all time is Steven Spielberg. My favorite author of all time is Stephen King. When you combine those two with incredible characters and a super fun story, you have something truly special. This placement is temporary, because if season five is bad, it will crush me, but I believe in the Duffer Brothers and I believe that this show will remain on top for forever. I love Stranger Things. It's truly, truly amazing.
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