The 8 Best TV Dramas From Before the Streaming Era, Ranked

Image via Nicole Rivelli / © HBO / Courtesy: Everett Collection Published Nov 12, 2026, 6:57 AM EST Diego Pineda has been a devout storyteller his whole life. He has self-published a fantasy novel and a book of short stories, and is actively working on publishing his second novel. A lifelong fan of watching movies and talking about them endlessly, he writes reviews and analyses on his Instagram page dedicated to cinema, and occasionally on his blog. His favorite filmmakers are Andrei Tarkovsky and Charlie Chaplin. He loves modern Mexican cinema and thinks it's tragically underappreciated. Other interests of Diego's include reading, gaming, roller coasters, writing reviews on his Letterboxd account (username: DPP_reviews), and going down rabbit holes of whatever topic he's interested in at any given point. Sign in to your Collider account We are currently undeniably living in the era of streaming, but for the first few decades of its existence as a medium, network television reigned supreme. Since network shows are broadcast on a strict weekly timetable, they're usually built on very particular structures potentially containing built-in breaks before cutting to commercials, cliffhangers, and very consistent pacing. As television has evolved, so too have the characteristics of network series changed. However, there are eight particular broadcast television dramas which are easily the greatest in history prior to the advent of streaming. Whether we're talking about classics like Twin Peaks or modern masterpieces like Game of Thrones, these are the kinds of generation-defining dramas that anyone who loves small-screen content should watch at least once in their lives. There is no understanding network television without experiencing these masterpieces. 8 'Twin Peaks' (1990–1991) Image via ABC The 1990s gave birth to a second Golden Age of television, and were an absolutely groundbreaking time for auteur-driven television. The medium shifted away from traditional network-controlled episodic formulas, and instead began embracing more serialized storytelling in line with the vision of creatives like David Lynch. Indeed, Lynch and Mark Frost's Twin Peaks is one of the most foundational auteur-driven shows of all time. It's one of those network TV shows that are visually stunning, impeccably written, masterfully directed, and pretty much impeccable in every way that matters. Though the show saw a dip in quality right in the middle of season two, this has never stopped fans from greatly enjoying the show's intentionally uncanny tone, campy supernatural elements, and brilliant mix of melodramatic soap opera tropes and Lynch's signature style of surrealism. 7 'Better Call Saul' (2015–2022) Image via AMC Never in history has the small screen seen a prequel series even remotely as incredible as Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould's Better Call Saul. Making a prequel to a network drama widely considered the single greatest TV show of all time was never going to be an easy task, and as such, fans were very much skeptical when this project was announced. In the end, though, Better Call Saul ended up being one of the best TV shows since 2010, a near-perfect masterpiece through and through. Better Call Saul is both an exceptional prequel adding a lot of depth and texture to the Breaking Bad world, and an incredible crime drama and legal thriller in its own right. With some masterful character writing, an excellent balance between poignant tragedy and genuinely laugh-out-loud-funny comedy, and the faultless work of an ensemble led by Bob Odenkirk at the top of his game, it's no wonder why it's the most acclaimed TV prequel in history. 6 'The Twilight Zone' (1959–1964) Image via CBS Genre stories were always of vital importance to network television, and science fiction in particular was a key driver of technical innovation and a great platform for social commentary throughout the broadcast era of TV. Over the years, never has the small screen seen a sci-fi show more foundational or widely influential than Rod Serling's legendary anthology series The Twilight Zone, a gem that's essential viewing for anyone who loves sci-fi. Serling wanted to make a show that would allow him to tackle controversial yet essential social and political issues, but since network executives refused to let him write direct socially-conscious shows, he decided to circumvent that issue. So, he made a sci-fi series that disguised its treatment of taboo topics—like racism and McCarthyism—as sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. Like any anthology series, Twilight Zone had its fair share of ups and downs throughout its run, but it's packed with some of the greatest episodes in the history of anthology TV series. 5 'Band of Brothers' (2001) Image via HBO HBO was launched all the way back in 1972, but it wouldn't be until the '90s and 2000s that they would become the kings of broadcast television and the pioneers of what is now called "prestige TV." Case in point: Band of Brothers, a war drama miniseries executive-produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg that has been the highest-rated miniseries in history on IMDb for quite some time. It's easy to see why: miniseries or otherwise, history has never seen a war drama quite like this on TV. It's one of the best HBO shows shorter than 20 episodes, a hard-hitting and faithful adaptation of the non-fiction book of the same name by historian Stephen E. Ambrose. Treating World War II with the same kind of sensitivity and raw realism as Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers is uncompromisingly realistic and respectful toward its characters, with a potent shift in narrative perspective every episode that gives every minute of its run a consistently surprising, thought-provoking feel. 4 'Game of Thrones' (2011–2019) Though its penultimate season was divisive and its final few episodes were nothing short of universally panned, Game of Thrones proves that a network drama doesn't need to be absolutely perfect in order to be counted among the best in history. Indeed, it would be silly to pretend that this HBO adaptation of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, which was a gargantuan pop culture phenomenon over the course of its eight seasons, is anything less than legendary. Where can one even begin singing the praises of such a praise-worthy masterpiece? For one, the production values are off-the-charts, including some of the greatest visuals and music in the history of fantasy television. Add to that some exceptional writing, an unrelentingly bleak and violent tone, and one of the best TV cast ensembles of the 2010s, and you get a genre-defining masterpiece whose quality far transcends any mistakes that its final season may have made. COLLIDERInteractive War Council Westeros/Quizzes/Your House Collider QuizWhich Game of ThronesHouse Are You?8 Questions · 5 Great HousesFive great houses. Five completely different answers to the same question: how do you hold power in a world that will take it from you the moment you stop paying attention? Eight questions will determine where your loyalties, and your nature, truly lie.The Five Houses Stark Lannister Targaryen Baratheon Tyrell Find Your House Question 01HONOR 01Someone powerful is acting dishonorably and everyone knows it. What do you do?In Westeros, the answer to this question has ended more than one great house. ACall it out, openly and on the record. If honor means anything, it has to mean something when it's costly.BUse it. Information about someone else's dishonor is leverage, and leverage is power.CAct decisively to correct it, with or without the approval of those around me.DChallenge them directly. Strength settles disputes more honestly than courtroom maneuvering.ENavigate carefully. Build alliances, apply quiet pressure, and create a situation where the right outcome becomes inevitable. ← BackPick one, then Next Next Question Question 02STRENGTH 02What is the source of your power?Every house endures because of something. What is it for yours? AThe loyalty of people who trust me, earned over generations, not bought with gold.BWealth, intelligence, and the willingness to use both without sentiment.CA legacy so fearsome and a vision so total that opposition becomes unthinkable.DPhysical strength, military force, and the respect that comes from being the kind of person nobody wants to cross.ECharm, connection, and the ability to make powerful people feel that my success is also theirs. ← BackPick one, then Next Next Question Question 03LOYALTY 03Who do you truly fight for?Strip away the banners and the words. The honest answer tells you everything. AMy family and my people, those who depend on me and have kept faith with me through everything.BMy family, the ones who share my name, even when they exhaust me, even when they disappoint me.CMy cause, a vision larger than any single person, including me.DMyself, and those few who've proven themselves worth standing beside.EMy house: its name, its future, the position I intend to leave it in when I'm gone. ← BackPick one, then Next Next Question Question 04RIVALS 04How do you deal with your rivals?A house's method reveals its character as clearly as its words ever could. AHonestly. I face them directly, and I give quarter when it's warranted.BThoroughly. I don't leave loose ends, and I don't make the same rival twice.CDecisively. Fire answers questions that diplomacy only delays.DHead-on. I'd rather settle a dispute in the open than behind closed doors.EElegantly. I prefer to make former rivals into allies, or at least into people who owe me something. ← BackPick one, then Next Next Question Question 05RULE 05What kind of ruler do you believe in?Westeros is full of answers to this question. Most of them end badly. AA just one. Someone who serves the realm rather than using it, who leads by example rather than fear.BA capable one. Someone smart enough to navigate the game, ruthless enough to win it, and realistic about what winning costs.CA transformative one. Someone who doesn't just rule what exists but reshapes what's possible.DA strong one. Someone whose authority is beyond question because the alternative is obviously worse.EA wise one. Someone who understands that the realm is fed by more than armies, and that a full stomach keeps more peace than a show of force. ← BackPick one, then Next Next Question Question 06LOSS 06You suffer a devastating loss. How does your house respond?How a house handles defeat tells you more about it than how it handles victory. AWe grieve, properly and together, and then we endure, because endurance is what we do.BWe adapt. We reassess. And we ensure that whoever caused this loss comes to regret it completely.CWe burn hotter. Setbacks don't soften us, they clarify what needs to happen next.DWe hit back. Grief and reckoning are the same motion in our house.EWe regroup quietly, rebuild our position, and return when we're ready, on our terms, not theirs. ← BackPick one, then Next Next Question Question 07WORDS 07Which of these truths about Westeros do you most believe?Every house has a philosophy. This is yours. AThe lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. Nothing matters more than the people you protect.BA Lannister always pays their debts, in gold or in kind. Reputation is built on consistency.CI am of the dragon's line. Some destinies are written before the person who carries them is born.DOurs is the fury. When we move, we move completely, and we don't stop until it's done.EGrowing strong means knowing when to bloom and when to wait. Patience is its own kind of power. ← BackPick one, then Next Next Question Question 08THE THRONE 08The Iron Throne is within reach. What do you do?The answer reveals not just your ambition but your character. AClaim it only if the realm needs me to, and rule in a way that makes it worth having.BEnsure someone who owes us sits in it. The power behind the throne is safer than the throne itself.CTake it. It was always meant to be mine. I feel that in my bones.DSeize it, with both hands, without hesitation. Opportunity in Westeros does not wait to be asked.EPosition my house to be indispensable to whoever sits there. Influence outlasts any single reign. ← BackPick one, then Next Reveal My House The Maester Has SpokenYour House Is Your answers point to the great house whose words, values, and way of surviving in Westeros match your own. Bend the knee, or don't. That's very much up to you. The NorthHouse Stark“Winter Is Coming”Seat of WinterfellYou took the long view before anyone asked you to. Winter Is Coming, and you have always known it. You prepare not out of fear but out of duty, because the people who depend on you deserve someone who takes the long view.Why You Belong Here You lead with honor even when it costs you, because you understand that a reputation built on integrity is the only one worth having. Your loyalty to family and people runs deep, not as sentiment but as a code that doesn't bend when things get difficult. The North endures because Starks endure, not by being the cleverest players in the game, but by being the kind of people others are willing to follow into the cold. You are that kind of person. The pack survives. The lone wolf does not. You already know which one you are. The Long ViewThe PackWinterfell The WesterlandsHouse Lannister“Hear Me Roar”Seat of Casterly RockYou read the room before you walk into it. You understand the game: its rules, its exceptions, and exactly when the rules become the exception. You play it without illusions and without apology.Why You Belong Here You are sharper than most people realize, and you have learned to use that gap to your advantage. A Lannister always pays their debts, and you always keep your word, because your word is an instrument of power, and instruments must be kept in working order. You love your family with a ferocity that sometimes blinds you, and you know it, and you do it anyway. The lion doesn't concern itself with the opinion of sheep. Neither, in the end, do you. Plays The GamePays DebtsCasterly Rock The Iron ThroneHouse Targaryen“Fire and Blood”Seat of DragonstoneYou were never going to settle for the world as handed to you. You carry a sense of destiny that is difficult to explain and impossible to ignore, the feeling that you are not simply participating in the world but meant to reshape it.Why You Belong Here You are capable of extraordinary things, and you know it, and that knowledge is both your greatest strength and your most dangerous quality. The Targaryen words are not just words to you. They are a philosophy about what change requires and what it costs. The Targaryens at their best were transformative rulers who broke chains and defied the limits of what anyone thought possible. At your best, so are you. The dragon has three heads. You are one of them. DestinyTransformativeDragonstone The StormlandsHouse Baratheon“Ours Is the Fury”Seat of Storm's EndYou arrive in a room and the room knows it. You are a force: direct, powerful, and difficult to ignore when you enter a room or a disagreement. You do not negotiate with challenges. You meet them.Why You Belong Here Ours is the fury, and yours is a kind of intensity that commands attention, respect, and occasionally caution from those who underestimate what's behind it. You value strength and straight dealing. You'd rather know where you stand than navigate a web of courtly whispers. The Baratheons built their house on the back of one of the greatest military victories in Westerosi history, and then struggled with what came after. The lesson of your house is that winning is not the end of the story. Governing is. You are learning that too. DirectStraight DealingStorm's End The ReachHouse Tyrell“Growing Strong”Seat of HighgardenPower arrives with flowers and good wine. You understand that power does not always announce itself, that sometimes it arrives with flowers, good wine, and a smile that doesn't quite reach the eyes.Why You Belong Here Growing Strong is your house's motto, and you live it: patiently, strategically, always investing in the relationships and resources that will matter most when it counts. You are charming by choice and calculating by nature, a combination that makes you one of the most effective players in any room you enter. The Tyrells fed King's Landing and shaped its politics without ever sitting on the Iron Throne, and they were arguably more powerful for it. You know that the person who controls the food controls the kingdom. And you always know where the food is. PatientCharmingHighgarden Where Your Loyalty Lies 1· · ·0% 2· · ·0% 3· · ·0% Retake The QuizCopied A Collider InteractiveCOLLIDERMore quizzes at collider.com 3 'The Wire' (2002–2008) Image via HBO As if any more proof were needed that there's just no matching HBO's quality and legacy when it comes to the greatest dramas in the history of network television, there's also The Wire. Creator David Simon had spent 12 years covering crime and city systems as a police reporter for The Baltimore Sun, while co-writer Ed Burns had worked inside the Baltimore Police Department as a homicide detective. Inspired by their experiences and what they'd seen, the duo co-created The Wire. It's a scathing study and deconstruction of five particular institutional layers of Baltimore: the illegal drug trade, the port system, the government, education, and the media. But far from feeling niche or exploitative, The Wire instead delivers the most complete portrait of American urban decay ever put to screen. Full of richly layered characters and potent thematic work, it's one of the many pinnacles of 21st-century crime drama television. 2 'The Sopranos' (1999–2007) Image via HBO Network television would simply have never become what it is today had it not been for The Sopranos. In television's history, there's a "before The Sopranos" and an "after The Sopranos," as David Chase's crime drama completely re-defined what the medium was able to do. Never before had television seen such darkly antiheroic characters, such cinematic quality, and such cleanly serialized storytelling. Thus, prestige television was born, and the small screen was never the same again. But though it was a pioneer of this new version of network television, The Sopranos doesn't feel dated in the slightest all these many years later; on the contrary, it's still generally considered the best HBO show to date. Bolstered by the phenomenal writing, James Gandolfini's powerhouse lead performance, and some of the richest psychological depth that a broadcast drama has ever seen, it's a must-see for anyone who loves television. 1 'Breaking Bad' (2008–2013) Image via AMC Over a decade after its conclusion, most people still widely refer to Vince Gilligan's Breaking Bad as the single greatest TV drama in history, and it will take something very special to ever dethrone it. Gilligan came up with the concept after fellow writer Tom Schnauz joked that they should solve their lack of work by buying up an RV and setting up a mobile meth lab. The idea stuck in his mind for years, and would eventually transformed into the most complex, cinematic, and irresistibly riveting drama that television has ever produced. Breaking Bad is one of those drama shows that have aged like fine wine, a masterpiece whose every element works in flawless concert with the others to deliver the most enthralling experience possible. The production values are fantastic, the ensemble is full of actors delivering career-best work, and the character writing is the dramatic fuel that pushes the narrative momentum forward throughout. From top to bottom and beginning to end, Breaking Bad is fully worthy of being officially named the greatest TV drama of all time. Breaking Bad Release Date 2008 - 2013-00-00 Network AMC Showrunner Vince Gilligan