Breaking Bad Officially Tops 21st Century TV Shows In World-Leading Survey

Published Oct 25, 2026, 9:00 PM EDT After 18 months at Screen Rant, Guy became Classic TV Editor in September 2026, and specializes in leading features content about shows from decades gone by. Having written for and editing several TV, film and music publications, his areas of expertise include comedy, crime, historical drama, Westerns, and political thrillers. Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad has topped the rankings of 21st century TV shows in a major survey of American viewers. The landmark crime drama has beaten out the likes of Criminal Minds, The Office, Game of Thrones, and Stranger Things in a poll conducted nationwide in the United States, by world-leading data analytics agency YouGov. Although Breaking Bad is unquestionably one of the most critically acclaimed shows of all time, this survey demonstrates the extent of its huge popularity among the viewing public, too. An unlikely success story which almost singlehandedly transformed the fortunes of cable TV network AMC in the late noughties, the tale of Walter White is now clearly a key touchstone of modern American culture. It stars Bryan Cranston as White, a high school chemistry teacher who turns himself into a drug kingpin. The role has made Cranston one of the most revered actors of his generation. He’s the only star to have two series ranked among this century’s top 10 in YouGov’s survey, with family sitcom Malcolm in the Middle also scoring highly with the viewers polled. The best new show of the year 2008, Breaking Bad was initially something of a sleeper hit, which took time to acquire a substantial audience across its first two seasons. Yet, it eventually earned one of TV’s most dedicated fanbases, before winning over legions of new devotees on Netflix during the 2010s. More than a decade after its stunning series finale, Breaking Bad is now officially the most popular American TV show of the 21st century. Breaking Bad Is The Most Popular TV Show Of The 21st Century According To YouGov Polling agency YouGov conducts a quarterly survey of American TV viewers to determine the “most popular all-time TV shows”. It’s one of many they conduct in the field of screen entertainment, with their other recent polls including a survey of British audiences about Star Wars, and a review of home viewing habits among U.S. adults. The latest results of YouGov’s “Most Popular All-Time TV shows survey are based on over 1500 “nationally representative interviews of the US population, collected during Q3 2026.” Classic 20th century series with ubiquitous – and often nostalgic – appeal predictably dominate the top 20. The top two are children’s shows Sesame Street and Tom and Jerry, while The Simpsons, I Love Lucy, and Law & Order also make the top 10. But among series that premiered in the 21st century, Breaking Bad is far-and-away the most popular. It ranks 22nd overall, with 89% of those surveyed recognizing the series, and giving it a 61% approval rating. # YouGov's Most Popular TV Shows Of the 21st Century All-Time Ranking 1 Breaking Bad 22 2 Criminal Minds 29 3 The Big Bang Theory 32 4 The Office 38 5 House 48 6 Game of Thrones 58 7 Malcolm in the Middle 64 8 Law & Order: Criminal Intent 66 9 Dora the Explorer 73 10 Stranger Things 77 Its closest competition when it comes to shows which began this century is Criminal Minds, which is 29th in the list, recognized by 87% of Americans and positively perceived by 60% of them. Only three other series created in the last 26 years make the overall top 50. This Poll Proves That Breaking Bad Is More Than Just A Critical Darling Image via MovieStillsDB Although Breaking Bad’s widespread popularity is undeniable, it’s often seen as a critical darling, which owes much of its impressive cultural footprint to fawning reviewers and chummy industry insiders. Those who hold this opinion sometimes compare the show to HBO’s masterful crime drama The Wire, which famously won zero Primetime Emmy Awards to Breaking Bad’s 16. But YouGov’s poll of the most popular American TV series proves beyond all doubt that Vince Gilligan’s magnum opus is just as popular with the general viewing public as it is acclaimed by aficionados of the screen industry. Breaking Bad’s success and popularity actually go hand-in-hand. The series is a prime example of a compelling story told on the small screen in relatable and accessible terms through groundbreaking artistry. It’s considered one of the greatest monuments to the initial prestige TV era for precisely this marriage of popular and aesthetic elements. Critical acclaim and public affection need not be mutually exclusive, and Breaking Bad has deservedly achieved both in abundance. Release Date 2008 - 2013-00-00 Network AMC Showrunner Vince Gilligan Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, follows a chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin named Walter White (Bryan Cranston) as he attempts to provide for his family following a fatal diagnosis. With nothing left to fear, White ascends to power in the world of drugs and crime, transforming the simple family man into someone known only as Heisenberg.