Starting a show that has dozens of seasons is always difficult, and certain series are so great that you will regret not having watched them sooner. One of the biggest advantages that television has over film is its ability to dive into more of a long-form narrative throughout multiple seasons. Some of thelongest-running shows of all timehave been allowed to tell stories over the course of decades.
In the age of streaming and waiting several years between each eight-episode season of a new show, only for it to get cancelled after two seasons, there is comfort in finding a series that has 10-plus seasons andhundreds of episodes to watch. It is never too late to start a show, but when it comes to series that have hundreds of episodes, one might regret not having started them sooner.
Supernatural
Cast
Supernatural is a television series that follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who were raised by their father to hunt and combat supernatural entities after losing their mother to a demonic force. Traversing the American landscape in their ‘67 Chevy Impala, they face numerous paranormal threats.
For over a decade,Supernaturalwas the crown jewel of The CW and is the longest-running series in the network’s history. Running for 15 seasons with over 300 episodes,Supernaturalexplores the lives of Sam and Dean Winchester, two brothers who spend their time hunting various monsters, demons, and other supernatural entities. It’s a fantastic premise that lends itself well to the episodic nature of television, and while it might have peaked with the original planned ending,allSupernaturalseasonswere great on their own.
The best part ofSupernaturalis the Winchester brothersand the often tragic journey that they go on over the course of 15 seasons. Both Dean and Sam were immediately likable from the very first season, so getting to follow them for so long was a real treat for fans of the show, and is one of the best reasons to get into it even after it ended in 2020.
ER
In Cook County General Hospital’s emergency department, the doctors and nurses tackle every patient’s medical puzzles, all while dealing with the challenges in their personal and professional lives.
ERis one ofthe best medical dramas of all time, following the workings of Cook County General Hospital’s emergency room, both professionally and personally, with its robust cast of characters. It’s another 15-season series that helped pioneer the rise in popularity of medical dramas in the 1990s, telling engaging, often tense stories revolving around patients coming in and out of the emergency room and the staff that treat them.
The cast ofERwas incredibly impressive during its run, with George Clooney playing a significant role as Dr. Doug Ross for the first chunk of its seasons. A young Noah Wyle (who many might know now from HBO’sThe Pitt)appears as Dr. John Carter for most ofER. While you shouldn’texpectERto be exactly likeThe Pitt, it is a must-watch for television and medical drama fans.
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an animated series centered around Hank Hill, a propane salesman in Texas. The show explores Hank’s life with his confident wife Peggy, son Bobby, and niece Luanne, as they navigate challenges to Hank’s conservative values involving family and his beer-drinking neighbors.
The 1990s featured quite a few adult-oriented animated shows that went on to have long, successful runs, andKing of the Hillis easily one of the best among them. Running for 13 seasons from 1997 through 2009,King of the Hillfollowed the Hills family in Arlen, Texas, as well as an assortment of memorable side characters.The series thrived in its ability to find humor in the everyday mundane of the Hills’ lives as a blue-collar American family, something that doesn’t seem represented enough, especially in animation.
Co-creator Mike Judge also createdBeavis and Butt-Head.
King of the Hillutilizes its Texas setting tremendously, and there really wasn’t anything like it on television when it was airing. It’s a staple of the adult-oriented animated genre, and it is the perfect time to start it for the first time, given that a brand-newKing of the Hillrevival is set to be released on August 10, 2025.
One Piece
The One Piece anime began in 1999 and follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a boy with rubber-like abilities, as he embarks on a journey to find the legendary treasure “One Piece.” Inspired by the pirate Shanks, Luffy aims to become the King of the Pirates, accompanied by a diverse crew.
While shows with at least 10 seasons and several hundred episodes are impressive in their own right, there are some other long-running series that make them look like a weekend binge-watch. TheOne Pieceanime is one of those series that might feel impossible to get into, but it is absolutely worth it to see the wacky, hilarious, and often tragic events the characters get themselves into.
At the heart ofOne Pieceis Monkey D. Luffy, a carefree, kind-hearted teenager who has rubber-like abilities that allow him to stretch his body in wild ways.Eiichiro Oda’s masterpiece isknown for its memorable characters, fantastic world-building, and emotional storytellingthat can hook even the most anime-adverse viewers. Though it has been running since 1999, and 1,100-plus episodes might seem like a monumental task, the journey that it has taken so far is definitely worth seeing.
Doctor Who / Whoniverse
The Whoniverse is the expansive science fiction universe encompassing the British television seriesDoctor Whoand its numerous spin-offs across various media. Originating in 1963,Doctor Whofollows the adventures of the Doctor, a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels through time and space in the TARDIS, a time-traveling spaceship resembling a British police box. Over the decades, the franchise has grown to include films, audio dramas, novels, comics, and multiple television spin-offs, creating a rich and diverse narrative universe.
There is nothing else quite likeDoctor Who, the long-running British TV series/franchise that revolves around the Doctor, an extra-terrestrial being that continuously reincarnates into different-looking people, often signaling a new direction the series will take.Doctor Who’s original series ran from 1963-1989 and became something of a cult classic, whilethe 2005 revival (and then eventual Disney partnership) helped make it more popular than ever, as it is often considered one of the best science-fiction shows of all time.
With wacky creatures, a time-traveling spaceship disguised as a police box, and a healthy dose of British humor,Doctor Whois a joyous series to sink some time into.
It might seem like a daunting task to get intoDoctor Whofor the first time, especially when taking into consideration which series to start. While the original run is a classic in its own right, it’s perfectly acceptable to start with the 2005 revival, which is largely considered the better series. With wacky creatures, a time-traveling spaceship disguised as a police box, and a healthy dose of British humor,Doctor Whois a joyous series to sink some time into.
The Blacklist
The Blacklist follows Raymond “Red” Reddington, a notorious fugitive, who shocks the FBI by surrendering and offering to help capture dangerous criminals. With a mysterious agenda, Reddington insists on working exclusively with rookie FBI profiler Elizabeth Keen, using his deep knowledge of an elusive criminal network.
Though it ran for 10 seasons and featured arguably the best performance ofJames Spader’s career,it oftendoesn’t feel likeThe Blacklistgets the respect it deserves as one of the best crime thriller showsduring its run. Spader stars inThe Blacklistas Raymond Reddington, one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives, who he actually works with to hunt down other criminals on his “Blacklist.” He’s quick-witted, charismatic, and ruthless, with James Spader’s unique sensibility as an actor making him fascinating to watch.
The crime thriller genre is always fun to binge-watch andThe Blacklistis the perfect series to do just that, with its often tense atmosphere and the numerous twists and turns the narrative takes throughout. The cat and mouse game Raymond Reddington partakes in with the FBI, and its ever-evolving stakes, is something special. It’s thrilling television from start to finish.
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is a Comedy television show created by Larry David, the same creative mind behind the wildly popular sitcom, Seinfeld. Starring Larry David himself, along with Cheryl Hines, and Jeff Garlin, the show acts as a semi-fictionalized look at Larry’s every day life and the people he would come in contact with.
Despite running for 10 seasons,Curb Your Enthusiasmis incredibly easy to get into due to it only having 10 episodes per season, and the stellar performance from series creator Larry David. David plays a fictionalized version of himself, where he remains the co-creator ofSeinfeld, one of the greatest sitcoms of all time.The charm ofCurb Your Enthusiasmcomes from the improvisationat the forefront of the script, really allowing the actors to flex their comedic chops in the process.
Though it is a sitcom,Curb Your Enthusiasmranks alongside prestigious dramas when it comes tothe best HBO shows of all time, a testament to its quality and the legacy it left for the network. It’s simply a masterpiece across all 10 seasons and is a must-watch for not only fans of sitcoms but television in general. It’s also relentlessly funny, with its own unique sense of humor that helps set it apart.
The X-Files
The X-files takes the police procedural formula and applies it to sci-fi mysteries. Conspiracy theorist Fox Mulder and skeptic Dana Scully team up to solve cases surrounding alien invasions and other unexplained, paranormal phenomena.
Part science-fiction, part drama, part horror, and more,The X-Filesis the perfect type of television series, following two FBI agents who are tasked with investigating “X-Files,” which are unsolved cases often involving paranormal phenomena. The X-Files grew a cult following before being recognized as an essential ’90s television show, and the series initially ended after nine seasons in 2001 before being revived for two more seasons in 2016. It’s one of thebest science fiction shows of all time.
The X-Filesreceived two movies alongside the series:The X-Filesin 1998, which takes place between seasons 5 and six, as well asThe X-Files: I Want to Believein 2008, after the show had been off the air for several years.
David Duchovny as Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully are the stars ofThe X-Files, with some of the best chemistry between lead actors ever seen on television. They are a treat to watch perform together as they fully embody their characters and the arcs they go on. Even if the surrounding show was bad (it isn’t), the pair’s performance is something special.
Modern Family
Modern Family is a comedy series that follows the unconventional Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker family as they redefine what makes a family in their modern age. Broken into sub-families, the three diverse groups shake up the nuclear formula with empty nesters, adopted children, gender neutrality, and more as they attempt to navigate the various pitfalls and comedic misadventures of their dysfunctional but warm-hearted family dynamic.
Few modern sitcoms have been as good and as consistent asModern Familywas, especially when the show ran for over a decade while still finding hilarious stories to tell. Shot in the mockumentary style that was popularized by shows likeThe Office, the premise ofModern Familylives up to its name, telling the story of three different families that are related through their father, Jay Pritchett (Ed O’Neill). The show follows their lives and the funny hijinks they get up to in the day-to-day.
The best mockumentary sitcoms often have well-developed characters with their own distinct quirks, andModern Familyexcels at this, with each member of the cast doing an incredible job playing their characters. At the time of its release in 2009,Modern Familywas one of the most progressive sitcoms out there and helped build the foundation for modern-day comedies in a lot of ways. While those late to the party might be weary of the show’s 250 episodes,Modern Familyis an incredibly easy and rewarding watch.
Archer
Archer, released in 2009, follows Sterling Archer, a formidable spy working at ISIS, a spy agency headed by his mother. Balancing conflicts with his co-workers, including a former girlfriend, Archer navigates global crises and personal entanglements with his signature approach to espionage.
While shows likeFamily Guy, Bob’s Burgers, Rick and Morty, and more dominated the popular culture of the adult animated landscape,Archerwas quietly one of the best animated shows to run at the same time, premiering in 2009 with its final season ending in 2023. The series revolves around the eponymous character, Sterling Archer, a bumbling secret agent who has to navigate global crises alongside his own personal life. From the very beginning, it was clear thatArcherwas going to be amazing.
It’s impressive that a show likeArcherwas able to run for 14 seasons, and it never felt like the series was running out of steam. Its offbeat brand of humor is relentlessly funny, with its rapid-fire dialogue and plethora of references. H. Jon Benjamin as Archer puts in the best performance of his career as well. It sits high atop the rankings of best adult animated shows, and is worth watching, even if some people might have missed out on it while it was airing.
