It’s a new year, and with The Geektown Awards 2024 completed, we do have one last thing to share from the voting. At the bottom of the voting form, we had a free text box where voters could enter their favourite TV show of all time. It didn’t need to be something released in the voting period. Just a show that you love, that is either a great series, a comfort watch, or something to keep returning to. So here is the 2025 edition, voted for by you, of your Top Ten Favourite TV Shows Of All Time.
Special Mentions
Before we get to the top ten, I wanted to give a special mention to a few shows that didn’t quite make it, and also a few which only got one vote, but I found entertaining.
Sitting just outside the top ten, we had the hugely popular ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, our beloved ‘Red Dwarf’, and ‘Star Trek: The Original Series’. ‘The Simpsons’ also was just hanging around outside the top ten, alongside classic comedy ‘Blackadder’, crime procedural ‘Criminal Minds’, the all-to-shortlived ‘Firefly’, the original ‘NCIS’, and the outstandingly brilliant ‘Slow Horses’.
There are always several shows that only get one vote on this list, but always make me smile. Out of all the TV shows ever made, one person showed their age by picking the classic children’s TV show ‘Bagpuss’. Another person, who I’m guessing is around their 50s, picked the perennial 80s BBC Christmas classic ‘The Box of Delights’. There was also a vote for the anarchic kids show ‘Crackerjack’, and something which I’d love to see return, ‘Tomorrow’s World’.
With the “special mentions” done, we move on to the top ten. Note – we actually did a top twenty last year, however, the issue when people can literally vote for any TV series ever made, you tend to get a lot of shows tied to places, so we cut it down to a top ten instead this year to make it more manageable.
Top Ten Favourite TV Shows Of All Time (2025 Edition)
10. Lost / Stranger Things
10th place was a tie between two shows (which would actually make a very interesting crossover!) First up we have ‘Lost’ which shot up the chart from 18th last year. J. J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof’s drama which followed a group of plane crash survivors, got a mixed response to it’s final landing after six seasons, but clearly still has a following.
The smoke monster is joined this year by ‘Stranger Things‘, which moves up a few places from 14 last year. We’re still waiting on that final season, which is expected to arrive later this year, as we say goodbye to the Hawkin’s “kids”… who are all old enough to have kids of their own at this point… We are really looking forward to seeing how they conclude this story after 5 Seasons over 9 years.
9. The West Wing / The Wire
9th place was another tie. This time with ‘The West Wing’, surprisingly making its first appearance in the chart. Aaron Sorkin’s superb political drama featured an outstanding cast including Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, John Spencer, Bradley Whitford, Janel Moloney, and Stockard Channing, with Martin Sheen as President Jed Bartlet. The series garnered multiple armfuls of awards for HBO over its 7 seasons.
From pure political drama, we move to another multi-award-winning HBO, this time following the police and criminals in Baltimore (who are sometimes one and the same), in David Simon’s critically acclaimed ‘The Wire’. Up from 20th place last year, this highly realistic and unvarnished drama series chronicles the vagaries of crime, law enforcement, politics, education and media in Baltimore as it follows a team of cops and the criminals they are after.
8. Supernatural
Ahh, “Carry On My Wayward Son…” Our beloved ‘Supernatural’ shoots up from 13th place last year, proving that the SPNFamily will never die. If ever a show could be described as “lightning in a bottle”, this would be it. From the perfect casting of Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, to the excellent world and story created by Eric Kripke, to the wonderfully bonkers episodes which would have seemed like a step too far for any other drama. It is brilliant.
7. The Sopranos
At 7, up 3 places from 10th last year, we have another critically acclaimed HBO drama, ‘The Sopranos’. David Chase’s story of Tony Soprano and the rather less-than-legal activities of his organisation captivated audiences for six seasons. A phenomenal drama, with a great lead in the dearly departed James Gandolfini… Even with that intentionally frustrating, ambiguous ending.
6. Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Another modern classic and still highly influential, even if you don’t actually realise it. Up 2 places from 8th in 2024, Buffy not only made stars of its cast such as Sarah Michelle Gellar, David Boreanaz, and Alyson Hannigan, but also became a powerful starting place for a host of writers who went on to write and produce some massive shows and film – Drew Goddard (Daredevil, Cloverfield, The Martian), Steven S. DeKnight (Spartacus, Pacific Rim: Uprising), David Fury (Lost, 24, 9-1-1), David Greenwalt (Grimm), Marti Noxon (UnREAL, Sharp Objects, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce), Jane Espenson (Foundation, Once Upon A Time, Jessica Jones). It was a creative hub for so much talent who have gone on to create some incredible TV and films.
5. Friends / The Walking Dead
In 5th place, we have our last tie of the chart, but our first show to drop down, as ‘Friends’ moves from 4th place to 5th this year, but it is still the pinnacle of American sitcoms. The cast worked so perfectly together, and there is still so much love for this show even 31 years after it was originally broadcast… And yes, sorry, you are that old!
Joining ‘Friends’, up 2 places from 7th last year is ‘The Walking Dead’. We at Geektown love the series, even if there were a few seasons which felt like wading through treacle. Whilst the main show has ended, the franchise continues with spin-off series ‘The Ones Who Live‘, ‘Daryl Dixon‘ and ‘Dead City‘.
4. Only Fools and Horses
The ultimate classic British sitcom is down 1 place this year from 3rd to 4th. Only Fools and Horses might be 44 years old, but the adventures of Del Boy and Rodney are such a part of British culture at this point I don’t think they’ll ever go away. Such classic moments as Batman and Robin, falling through the bar, the chandelier, and many many more! It’s funny, it’s comfort, it’s home.
3. Game of Thrones
Ahh, ‘Game of Thrones’, up 2 from 5th place last year. Some great moments and earlier seasons, screwed up by a horribly rushed ending. Still, it has spawned one decent spin-off so far with ‘House Of The Dragon‘, with another, ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘, based on the “Tales of Dunk and Egg” novellas, due to land later this year.
2. Doctor Who
Holding its place from last year in the number 2 slot is this classic British sci-fi. 2024 brought us the first full season of Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor, alongside Millie Gibson as Ruby Rose. It also brought with it those sweet Disney dollars, and looked better than ever before. Ncuti recently starred in the brilliantly fun Christmas special, ‘Joy To The World’, alongside guest star Nicola Coughlan, with a script by former showrunner Steven Moffat. Ncuti will be back later this year for his second full season, along with Millie and new companion, Belinda Chandra, played by Varada Sethu.
1. Breaking Bad
Taking the number one spot, shooting up 5 places from 6th position last year, is the outstanding drama, and possibly the most perfect TV series ever made, ‘Breaking Bad’. Astounding acting from Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Giancarlo Esposito, Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks and the rest of the cast. Stunning scripts and directing from Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould and the team. The closest you’ll get to a flawless TV series. It also spawned the equally brilliant ‘Better Call Saul’. Whilst Gilligan and Gould have stepped away from the ‘Breaking Bad’ universe for now, we do hope they return someday.