The top 100 series from the 21st century

206 critics, academics and industry professionals took part in BBC's major survey. The aim of the survey was simple: to agree on the 100 best series of the 21st century. Looking at the results, many people would agree with the final 100, except, perhaps, for the occasional change of position.

David Simon and Baltimore are the basis of what, for millions of people, is the best series in history. The characters, the plots and five outstanding seasons meant 'The Wire' was given an almost legendary status.

Hated, envied, revered, applauded but, above all, admired. Jon Hamm built an ideal Don Draper to lead a series that took audiences to 1960s New York to explore the competitive world of advertising. There are seven worthwhile seasons to watch in this marathon series.

Walter White and Jesse Pinkman have been, are and always will be the best cooks television has ever seen. The story of an anti-hero whose bad idea gets out of hand. An essential masterpiece with perhaps the best final episode ever?

The position of this series is big surprise for many but has definitely made many fans happy to see it so valued. Phoebe Waller-Bridge only needs two seasons to turn the dramatic story of her lead character into a comedy. Delightful dialogue, awkward situations, broken characters who insist on their mistakes and a reality in which everyone can relate to and see themselves as these characters - almost like looking at a mirror.

If you try to look past its final season, it is undeniable that 'Game of Thrones' is more than a series. It was the latest global social phenomenon that brought the world to a standstill with each episode. Few series will show the undeniable ease this series has in killing off main characters. It’s what made the whole series ‘edge-of-your-seat’ addictive.

A first-person view of how someone's life can change after a non-consensual physical assault. This is what happens to Arabella, who will never be the same after what happened in a nightclub. Shocking, raw and so realistic that it may be overwhelming for many to watch comfortably.

Here we have a strange series, which starts slowly, but gives a spectacular plot that focuses on a particular drama and its consequences. It is a work of art to be savoured slowly, with a thrilling soundtrack and a sublime third and final season. Please don't stop watching it.

At the height of the Cold War, two Russian agents pose as your average American couple, family included. The surprisingly realistic plot, with its twists and turns, gives the viewer time to consider the real cost of an undeclared war. Thrilling and gripping with a totally believable story and script.

Two seasons and 14 episodes that revolutionised the world of television. A sitcom filmed in an office as a documentary, who would have thought it would work? Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant thought about it and pulled it off brilliantly.

Dirty laundry is washed at home, except in the Roy family, where it is washed for all the public to see. Especially when the world's largest audiovisual company is at stake. This HBO series is, absolutely, the heir to 'Game of Thrones' in terms of its success across the globe.

The reality of many Hollywood stars can be harsh, and when offered in animated form, it can be represented wonderfully. As is the case for BoJack Horseman who embraced drama unceremoniously and received a place of honour on this list of 100 best series.

Groundbreaking and spectacular, it has to be said that this is a truly weird and wonderful series. Once again, a family business - this time a funeral parlour - is the centre of a plot that starts each episode with a 'client' yet to arrive.

Dale Cooper was back, 25 years later, with his macabre alter ego running wild in New York. There was a lot of people hoping for this comeback, but also a lot of fear. It turned out that the 18 new chapters were a big improvement to the original series. David Lynch had 25 years to improve his failures and he took advantage of them.

Created by and starring Donald Glover, this comedy goes far beyond humour. It shows a global reality of segregation by race, by economy or by gender... All while the talented Alfred Miles tries to be a successful rapper.

When a series manages to make your hair stand on end, it's a good series. ‘Chernobyl' succeeds in raising hairs several times in each episode. It recounts the events, more or less fictionalised, that led to the biggest nuclear crisis in Europe's history. An accident that could have cost millions of lives and shows a shocking dimension of how just a single person can mess up on an almost Armageddon scale.

In terms of production, this is one of the most ambitious series in history. On an acting level, definitely one of the best series in history. On a visual level, one of the most emotional experiences in the history of television. The journey through the reign of Elizabeth II that no one asked for, but the world needed.

One of the dozens of sequels to 'SNL' that follow the day-to-day life of a New York sitcom script chief. Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Jane Krakowski... Too much talent to go wrong.

Gold fever, post-Civil War America and a lawless land seemed like the ideal place and time to make the best western ever seen on television. For good measure, they threw in Al Swearengen and that was the cherry on the cake.

For many, the best series in history. For others, it was considered quite predictable. Now, pretty much everyone has seen it. Its finale was the first global television event and Universities are still studying the success of its cliffhangers.

Completely ahead of its time. This comedy hilariously depicted the day-to-day life of a supposedly British government. Peter Capaldi was the cherry on the cake with his performance as Malcolm Tucker, director of communications for the government.

Larry David, co-creator of 'Seinfeld', plays a hyperbolic version of himself. A version that he faces small problems that end up becoming problems of gigantic proportions in each episode. Weird, wonderful and totally cringeworthy.

Doing something original on television isn't all that simple and Charlie Brooker did it with revolutionary ideas and very little budget. He just imagined what a dystopian future would be like in which technology was an essential part of everyday life. Without knowing it, he gave a fictionalised version of the immediate future. Among his best chapters is the unforgettable story of 'San Junipero'.

Let's remember that 'Breaking Bad' is in the top 3, while its spinoff is in 24th place and is likely to continue climbing. Giving Saul Goodman his own story was the best decision the creators of the original series could have made. 'Better Call Saul' hasn't stopped growing since its first season.

Selina Meyer goes from senator to vice-president of the Government in the United States. Her position changes, but she does not. Unfortunately, the people around her do. Seven seasons gives Julia Louis-Dreyfus an opportunity to delight us with a masterclass in acting at every episode.

The BBC wanted to revolutionise the old-fashioned and outdated Sherlock, bringing it up to date, including new technologies. Not only did it more than succeed, but it also built the best television bromance of the 21st century: Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch - Watson and Sherlock - understand each other with just a glance from the first minute of the series. Pure chemistry. Wonderful series.

Set in an alternate history where masked vigilantes who were once revered are now treated as outlaws. Watchmen embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel of the same name, while successfully attempting to break new ground of its own. Totally addictive and mind-blowing.

Six seasons into the series with the best dialogue in an interrogation room. It all began with an Internal Affairs agent investigating a possibly corrupt colleague and has ended up as one of the best series of the century.

Whether you like American football or not, with 'Friday Night Lights' you will end up falling in love with the sport. The pressure, the thrill of victory, the shock of defeat, the camaraderie, the friendship and everything that surrounds sporting competition, compressed into a series with an exceptional cast.

Leslie Knope is perhaps one of the most endearing characters from 21st century television. She is an Indiana parks bureaucrat who takes her job very seriously and dreams of improving and beautifying the entire city. With Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Nick Offerman, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe... What more do you need?

Despite having fallen into oblivion, Lena Dunham offered a raw and realistic portrait of a generation whose future began to go downhill before it was expected. Transgressive, different, funny, 'Girls' is also responsible for the discovery of talents such as Adam Driver, Jemima Kirke and Allison Williams.

Matthew McConaughey accepted the role of Rust in the series surely because he saw his potential to show-off his acting skills. If Woody Harrelson also signed on as Marty, it's because he was going to kill it. And he did. The world's slowest series was also one of the best of the century. However this is something it hasn't quite maintained with its later seasons - but whose first instalment earns it a place on this list.

What happens when a dysfunctional millionaire family is suddenly left without a single dollar? Well, it makes for a memorable sitcom. The life and times of this selfish dysfunctional family you can´t help made a great story - good enough to put it in the top 100.

Alicia Florrick must resume her career as a lawyer after her husband's political corruption scandal. What begins as a measure of financial salvation for her family turns into a majestic seven-season adventure. Great relationships and even better performances.

When a body is found on the bridge between Denmark and Sweden on the border, Danish inspector Martin Rohde and Swedish Saga Norén have to share jurisdiction and work together to find the killer. The main characters are a joy to watch with a believable and gripping storyline. In fact, one might say it is better to watch than many Hollywood dramas.

Adapting the Coens' masterpiece for television seemed no easy task and yet Noah Hawley matched, even surpassed at times, the original. An anthology with links between each of its four seasons and an exceptional cast in each of them.

The soap opera that many people had shrugged off until they saw 5 minutes of its first episode. The story of the ups and downs of the Crawleys, in the early 20th century, and the idyllic setting in which they live with their recognisable servants.

Possibly the series with the best cast in history. Along with the added bonus of having Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks in the production. This is the story of a group of soldiers and how they develop throughout the Second World War. A 10-episode miniseries that you absolutely must see.

The dystopian future presented in 'The Handmaid's Tale' in its first season seems increasingly plausible in certain parts of the world. But beyond the political reality, the series is spectacular and has a recognisable iconography that is already part of pop culture. Elisabeth Moss on screen is, at times, breathtaking.

It was known that the US version of 'The Office' was going to be longer than the UK version. And indeed it was. What no one expected was that its nine seasons would actually not be enough for millions of people. Steve Carell unleashed in his role as Michael Scott and Jim and Pam became the cutest couple of the century. Streaming platforms continue to pay millions to have it in their catalogue.

Another boom in the political genre from the Nordic countries. Borgen entered Danish politics with Brigytte Nyborg, the first woman to become Prime Minister of the country, thanks to an unexpected alliance. Staying in office will be no easy task.

The comedy that has taken the world by surprise tells the story of the Rose family, an upper-class family who lose all their wealth when their business manager goes to prison. All they have left is a house in Schitt's Creek, the town with the worst neighbours in the world. Or maybe not?

One of the advantages Channel 4 has always had is the freedom of all its series. This is evident in gems like 'Peep Show', where two friends face life in very different ways. While Mark embraces reality, Jeremy aspires to be the best musician in the world. All in a hilarious setting.

Eight thieves take hostages and lock themselves in the Royal Mint of Spain as a criminal mastermind known as the professor manipulates the police to carry out his plan. The narrative is told in a real-time fashion and relies on various flashbacks, time-jumps, hidden character shots, and an unreliable narrator to make it all a wonder to watch.

Featuring memorable characters like Ben Chang, Dan Harmon's series follows a lawyer's return to college after having his previous degree invalidated. At college, he convinces several special classmates to start a Spanish study group. The reality is that he only wants to do it to hook up with Gillian Jacobs.

It started out as a spinoff of 'The Good Wife' and almost ended up surpassing the original. Christine Baranski takes the reins in a series where, after losing all her money saved up in a corruption scandal, she has to start from scratch.

If anyone made the mistake of leaving the series in the fourth season, they should pick it up again because the story doesn't dwindle right up until the end. Claire Danes became one of the highest paid actresses on TV for her portrayal of her troubled character.

Living television history that will remain one of the most streamed shows for a long time. Does anyone remember that Katherine Heigl was in the series at the beginning?

A spectacular and disturbing story that draws on dark and sinister tales with a common element: the building number 9 where they all take place. Stories with unexpected twists and turns - in most cases with horrible endings. It is cruelly hypnotic.

A series so simple that its exceptional script is enough to make it a top series. The story centres on a French agent who returns home after spending six years undercover in Syria and Jordan. His return to normality, with his own identity, will be more complicated than expected.

He came and went without making a noise but he left behind a masterpiece. Because you don't need to make a name for yourself to succeed, you just need to hit the right key and build a computer that can change the future.

A tough but necessary story that spans three decades, from the 1960s to the 1980s, to show the evolution of racism suffered by the black community in London.

A sequel to the 2006 film, the story takes us three years later and does so in a kinder environment, leaving racism and skinheads behind to embrace second chances and attempts to better oneself. A must see.

What is the day-to-day life at a talent agency like? In this series you will see that it is not easy to balance a working life, which is surrounded by egos and divas, with your personal life.

What would you do if the person responsible for your daughter taking her own life were to go free? What if you were also a police sergeant with access to weapons and information? Catherine Cawood, the main character in this spectacular mini-series, lives out this dilemma.

Vic McKey is one of the most complex characters ever created. This is the series that broke down the wall of violence on television and is a must-see for anyone who hasn't yet seen it. Special mention goes out for the appearances of Glenn Close and Forest Whitaker.

In competition to be the best sitcom of the century, it tells the story behind characters that will go down in TV history. Everyone recognises when you reference the loveable characters’ names: such as Leonard, Penny and, above all, Sheldon.

Eternal thanks to Paolo Sorrentino for making Jude Law the most attractive, interesting and intelligent pope in the history of television.

The German series that played with the heads and minds of millions of people. One of the most complicated, elaborate and intelligent scripts that has been made in this century.

The spectacular production, directed by Barry Jenkins, follows the journey of Cora, who escapes from a Georgia plantation in search of her freedom. A freedom that will be eventually denied to her.

The Kevin Spacey controversy tarnished a final season that was heading the right direction to send the series off in style. Despite this, Frank and Claire Underwood have still become television history.

M. Knight Shyamalan's film is an underrated gem. The series, fortunately, is a well-respected piece of art. It could be said that the premise of ‘boy with powers who saves the world’ is overdone, but it still works wonderfully.

Is there a good and bad place to go when you die? This idea was the starting premise of this sitcom that, for four seasons, was the ‘good place’ for millions of people. Its finale is among the top 10 in history. In three words? Wonderful, perfect, painful.

A wonderful journey to late 80s New York, where culture and life embraced new movements such as Afro-American dances and Latin rhythms. All whilst the social and literary scene took centre stage in the Big Apple. The series takes us to the underground environment that made history in the city.

A series based on the 'Danebury Metal Detectors Club' deserves recognition and its place in this list. It has to be said that the premise itself doesn’t draw one’s attention - two characters who want to be the best metal detectorists in history. Surprisingly, however, it makes for a wonderful comedy.

One of the series that put Netflix at the top of its game. The story of Piper and her entry into a prison that will turn her life and reality upside down. It was all people could talk about.

If you're going to get Kate Winslet to star in a series, it should be of the same quality as the incredible 'Mare of Easttown'. The story centres on a detective who must return to her hometown in Pennsylvania to investigate a murder. Stirring up her glorious past will not be the best way to solve the crime.

What began as a reality show to find the best transvestite in the world has become a cultural and social movement, with RuPaul becoming the flag bearer of it all. A phenomenon that has many awaiting its next instalment.

The series began with some slightly awkward 11-12 year olds who have now become famous teenagers and millionaires. That's what happens when you become one of Netflix's flagship fictions. A surprising success story considering the plot, but it works magically.

Episodes play in almost real time, showing the 24 hours of every day of the lead character, one of the best counter-terrorism agents in the world: Jack Bauer. Terrorists; double agents; nuclear attacks. There was everything in the 9 seasons of the series.

This reboot of the 70's classic was a bit improvement on the original, adding a much darker touch to the humans' struggle against the Cylons. A must for sci-fi fans.

Laura Dern proves she is one of Hollywood's great actresses as the unforgettable Amy Jellicoe. She plays an executive who, after a public nervous breakdown, takes a three-month break in Hawaii that will change her life and the lives of those closest to her.

Nearly 15 years after its finale, people are still talking about Rory, Lorelai and company. It must be for a good reason.

BBC and David Attenborough are a combination that always works. This is one of the most ambitious documentaries, filmed in incredible quality. It gives an overview of the planet from the oceans, to the deserts, to the poles and the mountains. The US version is narrated by Sigourney Weaver.

This English miniseries, in addition to a mighty script, offered up a hypothetical situation that is not so far removed from what could actually happen. The final reveal will cause such an impact that it will leave you thinking for days.

With 1929 drawing to a close, Berlin presents itself as the great city of freedom, destined to lead the new, modern Europe to glory. Everything will transform and evolve in the face of impending change.

What if your grandfather, absent all your life, shows up at your house and tells you that he is the most intelligent being in space? After the big reveal, he then takes you as his adventure companion, but also as a space/time travel guinea pig. Irreverent, beastly, disgusting at times and hilarious. The pickle episode is a masterpiece.

OJ Simpson, Gianni Versace and Monica Lewinski are the main characters of the three gripping seasons of this series. They are all recent, well-known and recognisable stories with top actors and actresses portraying them.

Series about true crime was beginning to set a trend and 'The Killing' showed why this trend was so spellbinding. It gives us four seasons of a dark, oppressive and majestic plot which leaves you knowing you can't trust anyone.

David Fincher made this incredible series with a plot as complicated as it is delicious: serial killers, before they were known and classified as serial killers. Watch their conversations, their silences and their looks. In fact, everything in the script is worthy of being taught in any prestigious film school. There are serial killers who make your hair stand on end without saying a word.

The doctor no one would want to have treating them, and yet the doctor half the world fell in love with. Hugh Laurie rose to glory as this misbehaving medical genius.

Who would have thought that O.J. Simpson would be back in the news 25 years after the tragic event. In this documentary series, they show the origins of the athlete and how he came to become America's NFL god.

If you add David E. Kelley to HBO, throw in Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz, Adam Scott and Alexander Skarsgaard, you get an unforgettable series. All of this is set in Monterey, a high-class area of California, where everything revolves around a crime, but no one knows who the guilty one is.

The series aimed to show the complicated day-to-day lives of two best friends in their late 30s who have completely opposite lives. One is in a stable relationship and works as an NGO, while the other is a successful lawyer but unlucky in love. Five seasons of one of the best TV series in the 21st century.

In just one season, Marianne and Connell have become millions of people's favourite couple. An 'on-again, off-again' relationship which creates increasingly complicated situations.

The quality and rawness of this production mixed together with the fascinating story, had the whole world talking for weeks - in the accent of the legendary Pablo Escobar.

This series deserves a place on this list for one reason alone: just for having given the world one of the best characters in history, Barney Stinson. Aside from that, it is also a well-written story with warm, believable relationships and a good sense of humour.

Lisa Kudrow produces, directs and stars in a comedy about the television industry, with a hyperbolic view of everything that comes with it.

Hypnotic, strange, magical and, at times, forgotten by Netflix. An unexpected and surprising series that immerses the viewer in its magical and tough story of a woman who disappears for 7 years and returns with new abilities.

One of the most passionate villains. It shocked many, but shocked them to the point that they couldn't tear their eyes away from the screen. This is the character that established Michael C. Hall as one of the leading actors of this century.

Five self-adoring and highly arrogant friends run an Irish pub in Philadelphia. This premise has run for 14 seasons so it is obviously a recipe that works. Little more can be said.

One of the most powerful ideas ever brought to television, with one of the best productions in history. The series is eerie, quirky and purely fascinating with some incredible acting performances.

Jason Isaacs and Winona Ryder gave us this must-see miniseries. It is based on the non-fiction book of the same name and delves into the resistance of a new housing development in early 90s New York.

Created by the genius David Simon just after Katrina hit New Orleans. The series follows the daily life of the city's residents after they were left with nothing in the wake of the hurricane in 2005.

Despite the controversies, it is undeniable that the series by Louis C. K.'s series is a marvel of crude humour. C.K. won Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series at the 64th and 66th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Critics say that Idris Elba, aside from his portrayal of Stringer Bell in 'The Wire', has never reached the level of success he reached in 'Luther'. His character, Luther, is a marvel but one cannot fail to mention Ruth Wilson and her glorious portrayal of Alice Morgan.

A Boston executive and an Irish teacher have a one-night stand that changes their lives when she tells him three months later that she is pregnant. Culture shock, not knowing each other at all and a desperate attempt to make the relationship work will turn their lives into a catastrophe.

The adaptation of the blockbuster film saga lived up to and, at times, surpassed the original. Mads Mikkelsen was a more than worthy successor to Anthony Hopkins.

Rebecca Bunch is in love with love and doesn't hesitate to leave her life in New York to set off to find the love of her life in a small town in California. She searches for her childhood sweetheart who now passes her by. A hilarious and completely embarrassing comedy, all in musical form.

A benchmark for the LGTBIQ+ community, as well as one of the best animations in history. Steven, who is half human, half gem, must fight alongside Rose, Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl against the threats that plague the universe.

The Queen's Gambit had such an impact on the world that, at the end of 2020, chess games became the biggest seller that Christmas.